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  • Ryan McGee, ESPN Senior WriterJan 13, 2025, 08:00 AM ET

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    • Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com
    • 2-time Sports Emmy winner
    • 2010, 2014 NMPA Writer of the Year

Mid-January is always a period of great adjustment. That icy time when we hopefully have finally started ending dates with ’25 instead of ’24 and also finally stopped awkwardly wishing people “Happy New Year” even when the year is no longer all that new.

However, for college football fans, the entrance into 2025 has been more of a challenge than in years past. Why? Because gone are the days when the national champion was decided on a single-digit January date. And as we officially begin to look toward the first College Football Playoff title game at the tail end of the inaugural 12-team bracket, let’s pause to take a look back. As we grab a Pop-Tart, heat up a mug of Scooter’s Coffee, kick back in the home we bought through Union Home Mortgage and before firing up our TaxSlayer app on our Cricket Wireless phone, why not spend a moment reminiscing about the games those sponsors proudly backed?

For as much as was made about the new CFP overshadowing and overrunning bowl season, for all the sky-is-falling worry about opt-outs and teams no longer wanting to make non-CFP postseason trips, what we received was a month-long holiday gift of gridiron greatness, goofiness and good times.

So, before we become all-consumed with Notre Dame versus Ohio State for all the college football marbles, let’s make our annual trip through the Best of Bowl Season for 2024-25.

Best performance by a game winner: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse

McCord arrived at the Holiday Bowl as the nation’s leading passer and he added to his Orange legend by throwing for 453 yards and five touchdowns against Pac-2 rep Washington State. On Syracuse’s first play of the second half, he launched a 50-yard pass to Darrell Gill Jr., who made an amazing over-the-shoulder snag, a play that pushed McCord past Deshaun Watson as the ACC’s all-time single-season passing leader, finishing with 4,779 yards — accomplished in 13 games vs. Watson’s 15 in 2016. McCord is so awesome that he has never been late to anything, or at least he has everyone convinced he has never been late to anything …

Best performance in a losing effort: Demond Williams Jr., QB, Washington

The Huskies trailed Louisville by two touchdowns entering the fourth quarter of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, but Williams threw two touchdown passes on UW’s final two drives, the second coming with only nine seconds remaining. Alas, his would-be game-winning 2-point conversion toss was batted down and Washington lost 35-34. Williams finished the day 26-of-32 passing for 374 yards and 4 TDs after entering the game with only two career TDs. He’s a freshman, so this won’t be the last time you read about him.

Best bowl bargain: Free football

Four bowl games reached overtime and each of those games wasn’t decided in the first extra session. The headliner was the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, where Texas advanced after outlasting Arizona State (and outsmarting targeting rules). But there have been few four-day bowl season stretches more glorious than Dec. 23 to Dec. 26.

It started when Northern Illinois defeated Fresno State in double OT in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. That was followed 24 hours later by a Christmas Eve 5-OT Hawai’i Bowl victory for South Florida, which traveled 4,682 miles to play San José State. Then, after a day off to let Santa do his thing, Toledo won a de facto home game, Detroit’s GameAbove Sports Bowl (the artist formerly known as the Motor City Bowl), but needed a bowl-record six overtimes to do it … after the team stormed the field thinking it had already won. Twice. Not bad for a game, played next door to the Detroit Tigers’ ballpark, that ended the first quarter with a baseball score (6-2).

Best bowl coaches: Special teams

From wacky kick return formations and suddenly diverse 2-point conversion playbooks to kickers attempting passes and punters whipping underhanded shuttle shoves, as a special teams coordinator texted me in mid-December: “All that stuff we spend all season practicing and trying to convince the head coach to do, he’ll finally say yes in the bowl game.”

Best nuptials: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Remember how horrifying the Red Wedding was in “Game of Thrones”? Well, imagine if we replaced all the knives with foam headwear, replaced the blood with soda and mixed in a lot of orange with all that red. I was at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl to watch Illinois, South Carolina and, of course, the antics of Ched-Z the Cheez-It. But even the mascot being launched through the uprights like a paper desktop football took a backseat to what occurred during a first-half TV timeout.

That’s when Erin Doolin and Erik Yakes were wed in a “Two-Minute Drill” marital ceremony while riding atop a trailer being towed around the playing field as Ched-Z and 47,129 fans served as witnesses. After exchanging orange rings, they spent the remainder of the game holding their reception with family and friends just off a corner of one of the end zones, complete with a dance floor and orange wedding cake.

Best postgame food bath: Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock

Stuff dumped on the heads of coaches this winter included iced coffee, eggnog and Frosted Flakes. When you beat CFP finalist Notre Dame, win eight games, earn your second consecutive bowl victory and get a bucket of fries dumped on your head at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, you can say whatever you want in the postgame interview.

Best celebrity postgame food bath: Duke’s Mayo Bowl, BOI!!!!

We’ve all grown to love the postgame dumping of mayonnaise on the winning coach’s head after the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, unless you’re Shane Beamer, who still might be concussed from his celebratory moment three years ago. But even Minnesota’s coach P.J. Fleck, a man who never needs help getting fired up, was sent to a different level of energy when surprise celeb Flava Flav emerged from behind the curtain to unleash this year’s mayo mess.

Best celebrity everything else: (Insert Famous Person) Bowl

Gronk hoisting wrestling belts. Matthew McConaughey wearing “Rusty,” his way-too-worn leather tassel jacket at Longhorns games. Snoop Dogg not just on the TV mic (“He stood over him because it’s business he’s standing on”) but with his name painted in giant letters on the playing field. Who do these people think they are, a Herbstreit dog?

Best canine celebrity: Hudson the Bahamas Bowl Racer

OK, we all know that Ben and Peter Herbstreit have been the Tail-or Swifts of college football. And it was amazing to see Myrtle Beach Bowl champs UTSA carry Fredo the Frenchie around like he was Sean Astin at the end of “Rudy.” But Hudson the hound stole the show at the Bahamas Bowl when he raced a bunch of kids on the track that surrounds the playing field where Buffalo rolled over Liberty in the last non-CFP game of bowl season.

Best new trend: The decline in highest-profile opt-outs

When their regular seasons ended, Beamer and Deion Sanders grinned through their disappointment at not being part of the CFP and pledged that their stars and seniors would be on the field for their bowl games. Meanwhile, multiple players on other teams promised the same, most notably at Ole Miss and Alabama. Were there still a lot of opt-outs? Yes, most were powered by the insanity of having transfer portal deadlines in the middle of the postseason. But with an adjustment to that timetable seemingly inevitable, as well as contracts tied to revenue sharing, the hope is that more teams will be loaded for future bowl appearances.

Worst trend: Opting out midgame (bonus category)

I needed to include one “worst” in this list because it’s not right to mention the best trend without pointing out the worst. Miami said the plan was to have Cam Ward sit out the remainder of the Pop-Tarts Bowl once he threw three touchdown passes to break the NCAA career record at 158. Do I think it was the worst crime in the history of the sport? Of course not. But the image of the Heisman Trophy finalist standing on the sideline perfectly healthy having achieved an individual record and watching his team lose to Iowa State by one point was a terrible look for Ward, Miami and college football.

Best trend that digs at the worst trend: Cal Band trust fall

“You can’t trust Fernando Mendoza [the Cal QB who transferred to Indiana]. But you can trust the Cal Band to be there at the LA Bowl tonight.”

Best postgame shoutout: Kansas State Pride

Speaking of bands, how about Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman acknowledging the K-State Pride making the 20-hour bus ride to provide the soundtrack for the Wildcats’ win in the Rate Bowl (aka what used to be the Copper, Insight.com and Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)!

Best pregame perk: Becoming Phil Knight

From NASCAR ride-alongs to gift suites packed with tech and bling, there has never been a shortage of fun and free stuff for bowl participants, but the Las Vegas Bowl stepped things up. USC and Texas A&M players got to custom design their own Nike Air Force 1s.

Best pregame move: Boston College honoring an Eagle hero

As soon as BC coach Bill O’Brien knew his team was going to New York for the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, he reached out to Alison Crowther, mother of BC alum Welles Crowther. Known by many as the Man in the Red Bandana, Welles was an equities trader and a volunteer firefighter who helped first responders rescue victims of the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center before dying when the towers collapsed. He saved as many as 18 people. Members of the BC football team met Crowther’s mother at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum before their game against Nebraska.

Best stadium feature living up to its name: Pesky’s Pole

Speaking of football played in baseball stadiums, how two basketball schools — North Carolina and UConn — playing football in a baseball stadium. And how about the famous Fenway Park right-field foul pole, named for Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky, being … well … pesky?

Best wardrobe: Puffy pirate shirts

As Jerry Seinfeld will testify, it takes a certain level of confidence to pull off a puffy shirt. Well, Andre Ware, who won a Heisman Trophy, and Anish Shroff, just named North Carolina sportscaster of the year, displayed that confidence in the broadcast booth of the Gasparilla Bowl, which is named for a Tampa Bay pirate ship and festival. Whether they pulled it off is up to you.

One Pop-Tart taunted the back judge. All the Pop-Tarts crashed the postgame field rush. Strawberry returned from the Great Toasted Beyond, popping out of the top of the giant end zone scoreboard like Michael Jackson at halftime of Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl. Then, Cinnamon Roll made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of football glory, being baked and devoured by Iowa State as the Cyclones hoisted their trophy, which is also a working toaster. All of the above was framed by a special NCAA-approved sideline that was painted to look like it was covered in sprinkles. God bless America.

Best season: Bowl season

Always. See you next year.

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Crosby leaps Lemieux as Pens’ all-time top scorer

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7 hours ago

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December 22, 2025

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Crosby leaps Lemieux as Pens' all-time top scorer

  • ESPN News Services

Dec 21, 2025, 09:26 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby broke Mario Lemieux‘s franchise scoring record with a goal and an assist in the first period of the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ game against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night.

Crosby, who began the night one point behind Lemieux, now has 645 goals and 1,079 assists for 1,724 points in 1,387 games. It also moved him past Lemieux for the eighth-most points in NHL history.

Crosby tipped Erik Karlsson‘s point shot at 7:58 of the first period for a goal to tie the record. He then broke the mark with 7:20 left in the period when his shot on a power play hit Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell tapped the rebound behind Jakub Dobes.

Crosby, Rust and Rakell embraced behind the net after the goal and the Penguins spilled over the bench to congratulate their captain. Later in the period, a video message recorded by Lemieux congratulating Crosby on the accomplishment was played.

“I knew when we played together in 2005, that you were going to be a very special player, and accomplish a lot of great things in your career,” Lemieux said in a message posted on the club’s social media accounts. “Here we are, 20 years later, you are now one of the best to ever play the game.”

Lemieux, a Hall of Famer who also owned the franchise following his second retirement, became the Penguins’ all-time points leader, surpassing then-assistant coach Rick Kehoe on January 20, 1989, when Crosby was 17 months old. Lemieux, who was in the lineup when Crosby recorded his first NHL point, finished his career with 1,723 points in 915 games.

Crosby, the No. 1 pick in 2005, is the seventh outright all-time points leader in 58 years of the franchise’s history and the ninth active player to lead a franchise in points. Crosby previously broke Lemieux’s record for most assists in franchise history this past Dec. 29 against the New York Islanders. Crosby is 45 goals behind Lemieux’s franchise record of 690.

Crosby is now third on the NHL’s all-time points list with a single franchise, behind only Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Gordie Howe (1,809), both with Detroit.

Crosby also passed Phil Esposito (449) for sole possession of the ninth-most even-strength goals in NHL history. He also tied Adam Oates for the eighth-most assists in NHL history in the first period. Crosby, who has 20 goals this season, achieved his 18th 20-goal season. Only six players in NHL history have more.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sabres add ex-Habs GM Bergevin to front office

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11 hours ago

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December 21, 2025

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Sabres add ex-Habs GM Bergevin to front office

  • Associated Press

Dec 21, 2025, 11:42 AM ET

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Newly hired Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has wasted little time reshaping the team’s front office by hiring former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Josh Flynn to his staff.

The hirings, announced Sunday, come in Kekalainen’s first week on the job and a day after he fired assistant general manager Jason Karmanos. Kekalainen took over on Monday to replace Kevyn Adams, who was fired with the Sabres already in jeopardy of extending their NHL-record playoff drought to a 15th consecutive season.

“[They] bring a wealth of unique experience and perspective,” said Kekalainen, the former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager who spent the previous six-plus months as a senior adviser in Buffalo. “Adding both to an already strong group adds versatility and helps us continue to build a well-rounded hockey operations staff.”

Bergevin fills the associate general manager position and will serve as Kekalainen’s top adviser. He joins the Sabres after spending parts of the past five seasons as a senior adviser with the Los Angeles Kings.

The 60-year-old Bergevin most notably oversaw the Canadiens from 2012 to 2021, over which Montreal made six playoff appearances, including a five-game series loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. He previously worked in player personnel and scouting roles with the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Marc has firsthand experience as an NHL general manager and a track record as a strong talent evaluator,” Kekalainen said. “His insight will be invaluable as we continue to identify and develop talent throughout the organization.”

Flynn was named assistant general manager. He previously worked under Kekalainen with the Blue Jackets specializing in salary cap management, statistical research and strategic planning. Flynn’s role will be similar in Buffalo.

“I know that his attention to detail and nuanced understanding of league processes will help to enhance how we support our broader organization,” Kekalainen said.

Flynn’s responsibilities are similar to that of Buffalo’s current assistant GM Mark Jakubowski. With Karmanos’ departure, Jakubowski’s duties will likely shift more to overseeing the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, New York.

Kekalainen has also retained Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton, who serves as the team’s chief amateur scout.

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Rangers captain Miller out with upper-body injury

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11 hours ago

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December 21, 2025

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Rangers captain Miller out with upper-body injury

  • Associated Press

Dec 21, 2025, 12:26 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller will miss at least one game after getting injured Saturday and is not traveling with the team to Nashville.

Coach Mike Sullivan said Miller was still being evaluated back home for an upper-body injury and would not play Sunday night against the Predators.

Miller left the Rangers’ game against Philadelphia with about eight minutes left after taking a big hit from Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler and landing awkwardly. The 32-year-old forward appeared to be favoring his right arm or shoulder while in pain on the bench and skating off to go down the tunnel for medical attention.

“You don’t want to lose any teammates,” center Mika Zibanejad said. “When you see your captain go down and you don’t see him come back, that obviously becomes [a situation] for us to step up and everyone has to do a little more when a guy like that leaves. Just hoping everything is OK.”

Miller was named captain before training camp. He has 10 goals and 12 assists in 35 games this season and is believed to be in consideration for the U.S. Olympic team, though it’s unclear whether this injury could cloud that possibility.

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