Vegas joins short list of expansion success stories with title
When Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley said his plan for his new team was to win a Stanley Cup within six years, he likely didn’t expect to be this spot on.
On Tuesday night, at the conclusion of the team’s fifth season of NHL play, the Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup in front of a sold-out home crowd at T-Mobile Arena.
The victory concluded a run of success — three division championships, two conference championships and now a Stanley Cup — for the once-expansion franchise that has few peers. Just five expansion teams in the history of the big four of North American men’s professional sports have captured a title in an equivalent or quicker span. Here’s a brief look at those teams and their stories:
First NBA season: 1968
Time to title: 3 years
Claiming the honor of quickest expansion-to-championship run of any team on this list, it took the Bucks just three seasons to capture their first NBA title. Aiding Milwaukee’s rapid ascent was the emerging stardom of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor). The Bucks won the rights to Abdul-Jabbar’s services thanks to a victory in a coin flip over fellow expansion outfit Phoenix Suns. The addition of Abdul-Jabbar helped Milwaukee win 29 more games in season two compared with its inaugural campaign. Ahead of Year 3, the Bucks acquired point guard Oscar Robertson to complement Abdul-Jabbar, a decision that paid off. Milwaukee won a franchise-record 66 games that season. In the postseason, the Bucks would lose just two of the 12 games they played, eventually sweeping the Baltimore Bullets to take home the title. The championship preceded a 50-year title drought for the Bucks that stood until current star Giannis Antetokounmpo brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Milwaukee in 2021.
First MLB season: 1998
Time to title: 4 years
The Diamondbacks’ 2001 title marked the conclusion of one of the most successful expansion arrivals in MLB history. After a lackluster inaugural campaign, Arizona won 100 games in just its second year of MLB play. Playing a key role in the turnaround was the addition of ace Randy Johnson, whose 9.1 WAR ranked second in MLB in 1999, per Baseball-Reference.com. Following an unspectacular third season, the Diamondbacks added another ace in Curt Schilling, immediately giving the club one of the best 1-2 tandems of starting pitching in league history. The veteran duo proved dominant, combining for 43 wins on the season. The rest of the Diamondbacks’ starting rotation combined for 14. Johnson and Schilling started all four of Arizona’s wins in a thrilling seven-game World Series triumph over the defending champion New York Yankees, with the pair earning co-MVP honors. It remains one of just two times in MLB history a World Series honored co-MVPs.
First NFL year: 1996
Time to title: 5 years
Led by one of the most formidable defenses in NFL history, the Ravens captured Super Bowl XXXV in just their fifth season in Baltimore following a move from Cleveland. Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis led the way, en route to consensus Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Ravens’ defense allowed more than 14 points in just four of their 20 games. In 12 of those games they held the opposing team to single digits. This included back-to-back displays of dominance in the AFC Championship Game (allowing three points against the Oakland Raiders) and the Super Bowl (allowing seven points against the New York Giants). The only points the Giants scored in the Ravens’ final defensive tour de force came on a third-quarter kickoff return. Of Baltimore’s five players named to the Pro Bowl in 2000, four were on defense or special teams: Lewis, defensive tackle Sam Adams, safety Rod Woodson and kicker Matt Stover.
First NHL season: 1979
Time to title: 5 years
Having one of the best to ever do it pays dividends in making the expansion transition a smooth one. The Oilers’ inaugural NHL season coincided with Wayne Gretzky’s second season as a pro. He’d go on to pace the Oilers in goals, assists and points (frequently doubling up the next-highest finisher on the team) for each of the next four seasons as the team blossomed into a Stanley Cup contender. In Gretzky’s first year as captain in 1984, the Oilers avenged their 1983 loss in the Final by defeating the New York Islanders to lift the Stanley Cup. Gretzky led the way with a historic 205-point season, one of just four 200-plus point seasons ever, all belonging to him (1982, 1985, 1986). Backing the first-year captain was a young nucleus that would lay the foundation for a dynasty. Edmonton’s top six leaders in points during the regular season and Final were all younger than 25. The Oilers would go on to win four more titles before the decade’s end — but haven’t lifted the Stanley Cup again since their last triumph in 1989-90.
First MLB season: 1993
Time to title: 5 years
The 1997 World Series champion Marlins were perhaps the biggest surprise on this list. Despite consistent improvement, Florida had never finished with a winning record in the club’s four years of existence prior to its championship season. The Marlins steadily climbed the NL East standings over the course of their half-decade of play. They still had never won the division crown entering the 1997 postseason, but the team got hot when it mattered most.
The Marlins made quick work of the San Francisco Giants in the divisional round, completing a three-game sweep. Florida then handled the team that beat it for the NL East title, the 101-win Atlanta Braves, in six games to advance to the World Series. Their postseason run culminated in a thrilling World Series against Cleveland, with the two teams trading wins from Game 1 through Game 7. The decisive game proved the best. Cleveland took an early lead in the third inning, and Miami didn’t knot the score at 2 until it was down to its final two outs in the ninth. Two innings later, a two-out, walk-off single by Edgar Rentería won it for the Marlins. Rentería’s clutch knock up the middle marked one of just nine times in MLB history a World Series was won on a walk-off hit.
-
Mark Schlabach
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the No. 1 Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 record and their first Big Ten title since 1967, captured the 91st Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.
Mendoza beat out quarterbacks Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State) and running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) to take home the trophy during a ceremony in New York.
Mendoza, who played two seasons at California before joining the Hoosiers this season, completed 71.5% of his pass attempts for 2,980 yards with 39 total touchdowns.
He was only the second Heisman Trophy finalist from Indiana. Running back Anthony Thompson was runner-up to Houston quarterback Andre Ware in one of the closest votes in 1989.
With Mendoza, Pavia and Love expected to move on to the NFL after this season, who are the top returning Heisman Trophy candidates for 2026?
In compiling the list of potential candidates, I projected that quarterbacks John Mateer (Oklahoma), Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Dante Moore (Oregon); receivers Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Zachariah Branch (Georgia) and Makai Lemon (USC); and running back Emmett Johnson (Nebraska) will turn pro (along with the aforementioned finalists from this year).
Here is a look at some of the top potential contenders (in no particular order):
2025 stats: 80 catches, 1,086 receiving yards, 12 total touchdowns
Smith’s highlight reel of acrobatic, one-handed catches continues to grow, and he arguably has been the best player in college football this season. He was the fastest Buckeyes player to reach career marks of 2,000 receiving yards (24 games), 100 catches (20) and 25 touchdown receptions (25).
2025 stats: 78.4% completion pct, 3,323 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, 6 interceptions
Sayin might have captured the Heisman Trophy this season if Ohio State’s offense hadn’t flopped in its 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. In his first season as a starter, Sayin is on pace to break the NCAA single-season pass completion record of 77.4%, set by Oregon’s Bo Nix in 2023.
2025 stats: 70.7% completion pct, 2,691 passing yards, 442 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns
In his first full season as Georgia’s starting quarterback, Stockton helped guide the Bulldogs to a 12-1 record and SEC title. His legs and right arm were a big reason the Bulldogs averaged 31.9 points, despite enduring myriad injuries on the offensive line. Stockton was at his best when the game was on the line — he completed 86% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and one interception in the fourth quarter against ranked opponents.
2025 stats: 84 receptions, 970 receiving yards, 7 receiving touchdowns
Toney’s teammates call him “Baby Jesus,” and the true freshman delivered in a big way in his first season with the No. 10 Hurricanes. He ranks sixth in the FBS with 84 catches and had 1,328 all-purpose yards. Toney even threw for two scores. Not bad for an 18-year-old who would be a senior in high school if he hadn’t reclassified to the class of 2025.
2025 stats: 61.4% completion pct, 2,942 passing yards, 32 total touchdowns
Even after all the hand-wringing about Manning being overrated at the start of the season, the former five-star recruit ended up putting together a good campaign, throwing for 2,942 yards with 24 touchdowns. The No. 13 Longhorns need to find some offensive linemen (he was sacked 23 times) and receivers to help him in 2026.
2025 stats: 65.5% completion pct, 3,016 passing yards, 24 total touchdowns
Ole Miss officials have submitted a waiver to the NCAA on Chambliss’ behalf for another season of eligibility. He played his first three seasons at Division II Ferris State before transferring to Ole Miss this year. He was named SEC Newcomer of the Year after taking over the starting job in the third game of the season.
2025 stats: 1,560 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns
A transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Hardy led the FBS with 130 rushing yards per game and was No. 2 with 1,560 total rushing yards. He had eight 100-yard games for the Tigers, including a whopping 300-yard effort with three touchdowns in a 49-27 victory against Mississippi State on Nov. 15.
2025 stats: 61.8% completion pct, 2,932 passing yards, 466 rushing yards, 31 total touchdowns
Reed announced this week that he plans to stay at Texas A&M next season, which is great news for the No. 7 Aggies. He was a threat with the ball in his hands, throwing for 2,932 yards with 25 touchdowns and running for 466 yards with six scores. His decision-making needs to continue to improve, so he can cut down on his 10 interceptions.
2025 stats: 63.6% completion pct, 3,117 passing yards, 20 total touchdowns
There’s a reason new Bears coach Tosh Lupoi took a late-night flight to Hawai’i to make sure Sagapolutele was staying at Cal. He was only the second true freshman in FBS history to pass for 200 yards or more in each of his first 11 starts. In the Bears’ late-season upsets of then-No. 21 SMU and No. 15 Louisville, Sagapolutele passed for a combined 653 yards with six touchdowns and no picks.
2025 stats: 1,279 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns
After transferring from Missouri, Lacy helped the No. 6 Rebels win 11 games in the regular season for the first time. He ranks No. 2 in the FBS with 20 rushing touchdowns and piled up 1,279 yards on the ground. Will he follow former coach Lane Kiffin to LSU or remain with the Rebels in 2026?
2025 stats: 66.2% completion pct, 3,431 passing yards, 29 total touchdowns
If Maiava returns to the No. 16 Trojans for another season, he’ll probably flourish in Lincoln Riley’s offense. This year, he threw for 3,431 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He ranks No. 1 with a 91.2 total QBR. According to Pro Football Focus, he was second in the FBS with 26 big-time throws. (A big-time throw is defined as a high-difficulty, high-value pass.)
2025 stats: 1,035 rushing yards, 6 total touchdowns
Jackson became the fifth true freshman in OSU history to produce a 1,000-yard season, joining Robert Smith (1990), Maurice Clarett (2002), JK Dobbins (2017) and TreVeyon Henderson (2021). That’s good company. And, of course, he’d be the second Bo Jackson to collect a stiff-armed trophy.
2025 stats: 70.2% completion pct, 4,129 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns
Mestemaker is one of the best stories in college football. He didn’t start a single game in high school, then joined North Texas as a walk-on. This season, he led the FBS with 4,129 passing yards, helping him capture the Burlsworth Trophy as the top walk-on in the country. Will he join former Mean Green coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State in 2026?
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
2025 starts: 66.6% completion pct, 2,741 passing yards, 24 touchdowns
Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman entrusted Carr to lead his offense after a heated battle in preseason camp. The decision paid off, as Carr put together one of the best performances by a first-time starter in Notre Dame history. He threw for at least one touchdown in each of his first 12 starts, becoming the first Irish player to do that since Everett Golson in 2012-14. Carr’s 24 passing touchdowns are tied for the most in the first 12 starts by a Notre Dame player since 1966.
2025 stats: 70% completion pct, 2,850 passing yards, 595 rushing yards, 27 total touchdowns
Williams is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the FBS, and his ability to run and throw was on display in the Huskies’ 38-19 victory against Rutgers on Oct. 10. He became the first player in school history to pass for at least 400 yards (400) and run for at least 100 (136) in the same game. Williams was second on the team with 595 rushing yards.
Others to watch: Sam Leavitt, QB, TBA; Cam Coleman, WR, Auburn; Brendan Sorsby, QB, Cincinnati; Josh Hoover, QB, TCU; Darian Mensah, QB, Duke; Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia; LJ Martin, RB, BYU; Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU; LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina; Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan
-
Adam Rittenberg
Maryland quarterback Malik Washington, who set the team’s freshman passing record this fall, will return to the Terrapins for the 2026 season.
Washington set Maryland freshman records for passing yards (2,963) and completions (273) this season, while connecting on 17 touchdown passes. He reached 200 passing yards in all but one game and finished as just the second Big Ten freshman since 1996 to record at least 2,500 passing yards and at least 300 rushing yards.
“Representing this team, this area, means so much to me and my family,” Washington said in a statement Saturday. “This is home and we’re going to continue keeping the best athletes from this area here with the Terps. I believe in everyone in our facility and I know we’re building something that our fans will be excited about for years to come.”
Washington, the nation’s No. 134 recruit in the 2025 class, grew up in Severn, Maryland, about 30 miles from Maryland’s campus. Despite a 4-8 record that included only one Big Ten win, Maryland announced that coach Mike Locksley, who recruited Washington, would return in 2026. Locksley will enter his eighth season as Maryland’s coach.
“Malik is a Terp through and through and I’m thrilled he’s coming back to lead this football team,” Locksley said in a statement. “He means so much to this area and this area means so much to him. What we saw from Malik this past season is only the tip of the iceberg. He has such a bright future and he’s already started putting the work in towards the 2026 season.”
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024