Report: ACC allowing Miami to keep $14M CFP payout

The Atlantic Coast Conference is giving Miami the entirety of the College Football Playoff prize money it earned so far, according to Front Office Sports.

While the conference is entitled to keep a portion of the winnings, the ACC is electing not to do so due to its success initiatives model which went into effect for the 2024-25 academic year.

That allows Miami to keep its entire prize pool, which currently sits at $14 million after the 10th-seeded Hurricanes beat No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

The Hurricanes didn't make the ACC championship game due to two conference losses and a tiebreaker they lost to Duke, but made the CFP as an at-large team.

To date, Miami (12-2) has made $4 million for making the 12-team CFP, $4 more million for winning its first-round game and $6 million for winning its quarterfinal.

With a win over No. 6 seed Ole Miss (13-1) in the CFP semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 8, the Hurricanes would earn $6 million in additional money, bringing their potential haul to $20 million in addition to $3 million in travel expenses for each round they play in.

--Field Level Media

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January 02, 2026

Report: ACC allowing Miami to keep $14M CFP payout

The Atlantic Coast Conference is giving Miami the entirety of the College Football Playoff prize money it earned so ...

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NFL Week 18 scenarios: Who can clinch what? How can they do it? And who's playing starters?

There's alotleft to be decided in Week 18 of the NFL regular season, including:

• Four division titles (AFC North, AFC South, NFC South and NFC West)

• No. 1 seed in the AFC

• No. 1 seed in the NFC

• No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft

• Numerous playoff seedings

Here's your rundown of what's at stake each game, and how seriously each team is taking it.

Panthers at Buccaneers|Seahawks at 49ers|Colts at Texans|Titans at Jaguars|Cowboys at Giants|Browns at Bengals|Packers at Vikings|Saints at Falcons|Dolphins at Patriots|Chargers at Broncos|Commanders at Eagles|Lions at Bears|Jets at Bills|Cardinals at Rams|Chiefs at Raiders|Ravens at Steelers

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What's at stake for Panthers:If the Panthers win or tie, the NFC South and the No. 4 seed are theirs no matter what. If they lose, then they need help detailed below.

What's at stake for Buccaneers:If the Buccaneers win, they still need the Falcons to lose or tie Sunday against the Saints to clinch the NFC South and the No. 4 seed. If the Bucs and Falcons both win, then there's a three-way tie atop the NFC South at 8-9, and the tiebreaker goes to the Panthers.

Are both teams going for it?You better believe it.

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

What's at stake for Seahawks:If the Seahawks win or tie, they clinch the NFC West and the No. 1 seed.

What's at stake for 49ers:If the 49ers win, they clinch the NFC West and the No. 1 seed.

Are both teams going for it?Thesetwo teams vs. each other? With allthison the line? Book it.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

What's at stake for Colts:Nothing except the chance to ruin a rival's shot at the division title. Even Indianapolis' first-round draft pick, which is currently 18th, goes to the Jets next spring thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade.

What's at stake for Texans:If the Texans win and the Jaguars lose, the Texans win the AFC South.

Are both teams going for it?The Texans sure will. As for the Colts, the biggest player news isrookie sixth-round quarterback Riley Leonard will startover Philip Rivers, while several othersincluding Sauce Gardnerwon't play. But otherwise the Colts will have their full complement.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

What's at stake for Titans:Just the chance to play spoiler, and alsopotentially clinch the No. 2 pick in the draftwith a loss and wins by the Giants, Jets and Cardinals.

What's at stake for Jaguars:A lot. If the Jaguars win or tie, they'll win the AFC South no matter what. They can also win it with a Texans loss or tie. Jacksonville also has a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which would require a win plus losses by the Broncos and Patriots.

Are both teams going for it?The Jaguars definitely are. The Titans haven't indicated they'll sit anyone yet.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

What's at stake for Cowboys:Draft positioning in the mid-first round and the chance to springboard into a more hopeful 2026.

What's at stake for Giants:There's still achance the Giants can get the No. 1 overall pickin the draft. They would have to lose, the Raiders would have to win, and at least two of the following teams would also have to win: Seahawks, Falcons, Browns and Bears. It's also one last chance for interim head coach Mike Kafka to make his case to be the permanent head coach.

Are both teams going for it?Dallas is going to play its starters including Dak Prescott, butJerry Jones hinted Tuesdaythat Prescott might not play much. TheCowboys also just released cornerback Trevon Diggs, so they seem to be getting a head start on offseason moves. TheGiants, meanwhile, plan to play their starterstoo.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

What's at stake for Browns:TheBrowns can get the No. 2 pick in the draftwith a loss plus wins by the Giants, Jets, Titans and Cardinals. They currently hold the No. 6 pick. Myles Garrett is also aiming for the single-season sack record. He's a half-sack away from the record books.

What's at stake for Bengals:Cincinnati will pick either in the back half of the top 10 or early in the teens no matter what.

Are both teams going for it?So far, both the Bengals and Browns have indicated their starters will play Week 18 if healthy, including one last look at Shedeur Sanders.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

What's at stake for Packers:Nothing. The Packers are locked into the NFC's seventh seed and a wild-card trip to either Chicago or Philadelphia.

What's at stake for Vikings:Mid-first round draft positioning. The Vikings will be picking in the teens or early 20s.

Are both teams going for it?The Packers might play some starters, though quarterback Jordan Love won't be one of them. Head coach Matt LaFleur said he'd sit out despite being out of concussion protocol and rest up for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Vikings haven't indicated their plans yet.

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons

What's at stake for Saints:Tyler Shough's Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign and some optimism heading into 2026. Shough has been pretty good since becoming the starter, and the Saints are on a four-game win streak to close Kellen Moore's first season in charge. They're locked into a late top 10 or early teens first-round draft pick.

What's at stake for Falcons:For the Falcons themselves? Very little, with their first-round draft pick this year going to the Rams thanks to the James Pearce Jr. trade last spring. But for the NFC South? That's where things go full sicko mode.

If the Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday, then the fate of the NFC South rests in the Falcons' hands. If they win, the Panthers are division champions anyway, since the top three teams would be tied at 8-9 and the Panthers own the tiebreaker. If the Falcons lose, the Buccaneers would win the division.Yes ... ha ha ha ...YES!

Are both teams going for it?TheSaints will be without star wideout Chris Olave, whileseveral others starters didn't practiceWednesday or Thursday. The Falcons, meanwhile, appear set to play their starters.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

What's at stake for Dolphins:The chance to deny the Patriots the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win. Mike McDaniel's last chance to state his case to be head coach in 2026. Draft positioning too, since the pick could fall anywhere in the late top 10 to the teens.

What's at stake for Patriots:There are two scenarios that would land the Patriots the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Either they win and the Broncos lose or tie, or they tie and the Broncos lose.

Are both teams going for it?Expect the Patriots to, with the Broncos playing at the same time Sunday. Meanwhile the Dolphins haven't indicated they're going to sit anybody, and likely want one more look at rookie seventh-round QB Quinn Ewers.

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos

What's at stake for Chargers:Strap in. Out of64 possible AFC playoff seeding scenarios, 18 end with the Chargers in the fifth seed (28%), 30 end with the Chargers in the sixth seed (47%), and 16 end with the Chargers in the seventh seed (25%). Fun!

What's at stake for Broncos:Win and they're the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Beyond that, they can still clinch the No. 1 seed with a tie and a Patriots loss or tie. They can also get it with a loss, as long as the Patriots lose and the Jaguars lose or tie.

Are both teams going for it?The Broncos almost certainly will, withhead coach Sean Paytondescribing Sunday as "like a playoff game" and stressing the importance of the No. 1 seed historically. TheChargers, meanwhile, are resting quarterback Justin Herbert, who fractured his non-throwing hand in Week 13. A number of starters have beenlimited in practice, too, so the plan may be to rest them.

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

What's at stake for Commanders:There's still asmall chance the Commanders secure the No. 2 overall pickin the draft. They'd need to lose, and they'd need the Giants, Jets, Titans, Cardinals and Browns to all win. Unlikely. But maybe!

What's at stake for Eagles:TheEagles get the No. 2 seed in 25% (16 out of 64)of the Week 18 NFC scenarios. All of them require an Eagles win and a Bears loss. Otherwise they're the No. 3 seed, since the Bears own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Are both teams going for it?QB Tanner McKee will start, giving Jalen Hurts rest before wild-card weekend.Head coach Nick Siriannihinted that he'd rest some starters Monday. The Commanders will start Josh Johnson at QB and are expected to play their starters, withhead coach Dan Quinn hintinginjuries are the only thing that would keep players out.

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

What's at stake for Lions:Only the chance to help deny the Bears and their former offensive coordinator the No. 2 seed in the NFC. The Lions will pick in the teens in the first round of the NFL Draft.

What's at stake for Bears:If the Bears win, they're theNo. 2 seed in the NFC no matter whatby virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles. If the Bears lose, they can still clinch the No. 2 seed with an Eagles loss to the Commanders.

Are both teams going for it?Lions head coach Dan Campbell has indicatedhis starters will play,including Amon-Ra St. Brown but not Penei Sewell, as long as they're not risking long-term injury, plus it fits the franchise's ethos to do so.Bears head coach Ben Johnson, meanwhile, said Monday "we're playing to win this week." So it sounds like Chicago will be going for the No. 2 seed.

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

What's at stake for Jets:TheJets can get the No. 2 pickwith a loss and a Giants win. It also might not hurt head coach Aaron Glenn to finish the season with a good performance after some ugly losses this season, despite team ownership indicating he'll be back.

What's at stake for Bills:The Bills can move up to the fifth or sixth seed in37.5% of the remaining scenarios, so they'll have to win and let the other results fall where they may.

Are both teams going for it?Head coach Sean McDermott saidJosh Allen should be "good to go"for Sunday despite being limited in practice, though it remains to be seen if Allen or other starters will play. As for the Jets, well, they're in full-blown find-out-who-wants-to-be-here-next-season mode, so in some sense, you could say they're "going for it."

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams

What's at stake for Cardinals:TheCardinals can still get the No. 2 pickwith a loss and wins by the Giants, Jets and Titans. Arizona hasshut down wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., who has had a disappointing sophomore season.

What's at stake for Rams:The Rams need to win (and need the Seahawks to win) to have any shot at the No. 5 seed, which they'd get in25% of the remaining NFC scenarios.Otherwise they'll be the sixth seed.

Are both teams going for it?Rams head coach Sean McVay saidhe won't rest starters in Week 18, which makes sense given how messy his team has looked in recent weeks. However, if the 49ers win Saturday and the Rams are locked into the sixth seed, it's a good bet the Rams' starters won't play the full game. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have given no indication they'll sit anyone yet.

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders

What's at stake for Chiefs:The Chiefs can lock up a top-10 pick with a loss. It might be Travis Kelce's last career game, and he'll want to go out with a win. Otherwise, not much else in a rare lost season for Kansas City.

What's at stake for Raiders:If the Raiders lose, they'll clinch the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. If they win it gets dicier, but there are stillseveral scenarios that land them the top pick.

Are both teams going for it?Andy Reid has indicatedhis starters will play. As for the Raiders, well, it's trickier. Pete Carroll hasn't directly said starters won't play this weekend. Then again,Maxx Crosby seems a little defiantover being shut down due to a knee injury, whileBrock Bowers was placed on injured reservewith a knee injury he's battled all season. So at the very least, the Raiders are giving the outward appearance of being ready to close up shop on this campaign. Which, of course, would be good for their draft status.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

What's at stake for Ravens:If the Ravens win, they're the AFC North champion and the No. 4 seed. If they lose or tie, they're out of the playoff race.

What's at stake for Steelers:If the Steelers win or tie, they're the AFC North champion and the No. 4 seed. If they lose, they're out of the playoff hunt.

Are both teams going for it?Hell, yes. There's a reason this is Game 272. AndLamar Jackson says he'll be back from injury.

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January 02, 2026

NFL Week 18 scenarios: Who can clinch what? How can they do it? And who's playing starters?

There's alotleft to be decided in Week 18 of the NFL regular season, including: Four division titles (AFC ...

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CFP predictions: Picking winners for Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl semifinals

The College Football Playoff semifinals are set,with a few surprises heading into the next round.

Fresh off a historic slaughter of Alabama in the Rose Bowl,Indianawill be in Atlanta to play Oregon in the Peach Bowl in a Big Ten rematch. Miami, meanwhile, will play Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl in a game between two teams many were stunned to see advance.

Hayes:Lane Kiffin's foolish pride blinded him to what he had at Ole Miss

Miami-Mississippi will be Thursday, Jan. 8, whereas Indiana-Oregon will take place Friday, Jan. 9. The games are for a spot in the national championship, to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Jan. 19. In that sense, theHurricaneshave a chance to play a home game for a national championship.

The Hoosiers were a well-oiled machine in their win over the Crimson Tide, with Fernando Mendoza completing 14-of-16 passes for three touchdowns and the defense completely stymying any attempts byAlabamato move the ball. Oregon's defense was similarly staunch again Texas Tech, with Dante Moore playing a similarly efficient game, albeit with less scoring.

Miami jumped out to an early lead on New Year's Eve against Ohio State, and ultimately held on in the face of a comeback attempt by theBuckeyes. Once again, defense was the hallmark of the semifinalists, with Julian Sayin feeling pressure all night. Mississippi and Georgia played in an instant classic in the Sugar Bowl, with the Rebels holding on for a 39-34 win.

Whose season will end and who will advance for a shot at immortality? USA TODAY makes its picks for the CFP semifinals.

CFP semifinals predictions

Odds for all games are courtesy ofBetMGMas of Friday, Jan. 2

Fiesta Bowl: No. 6Ole Missvs No. 10 Miami

Ole Miss vs Miami odds

• Spread: Miami -3

• Over/under: 51.5 points

• Moneyline: Miami -150 | Ole Miss +130

Ole Miss vs Miami predictions

Ole Miss 31, Miami 24:The Hurricanes' pass rush put Julian Sayin in a blender in the Cotton Bowl. Trinidad Chambliss' mobility and whirling dervish style should give the Rebels' offense a chance the Buckeyes never had. On the other side of the ball, I trust Pete Golding to scheme up a defense that forces Carson Beck to have to win the game. Beck hasn't thrown for more than 150 yards in either of Miami's CFP wins, while the Rebels have proven you'll need to score more than 24 points to beat them – heck you may have to score 40. -Matt Glenesk, USA TODAY

Ole Miss 23, Miami 7:Miami has come out and exceeded all expectations, and that should be recognized. Beating Texas A&M and Ohio State in back to back weeks is huge for a program that backed into the CFP at the last moment. But Pete Golding proved his mettle as a coach going toe-to-toe against an SEC behemoth in Georgia, and he should find a way to make Carson Beck's life difficult. Combine that with how difficult it is to contain Trinidad Chambliss, despite the utterly elite pass rushers Miami has, and it's a tough matchup for Miami. To its credit, the past two have been tough as well. But the buck stops in Glendale. -Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY

Miami 27, Ole Miss 23:At some point —and this may just be stubbornly holding on to a weeks-old opinion — the inherent instability and awkwardness of the Rebels' situation is going to be a factor, though it obviously hasn't through two games in the playoff. Trinidad Chambliss is mesmerizing, but he hasn't faced a pass rush quite as ferocious as Miami's and the Hurricanes' offense will do just enough to keep their run going all the way to the title game. The prospect of a turnover-filled dud for Carson Beck only makes me so confident in this pick, though. -Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Indiana vs No. 5 Oregon

Indiana vs Oregon odds

• Spread: Indiana -4

• Over/under: 47.5 points

• Moneyline: Indiana -185 | Oregon +150

Indiana vs Oregon predictions

Indiana 35, Oregon 21:The Hoosiers' 30-20 win over theDucksin Eugene in October started to convert IU doubters into believers. Indiana's Rose Bowl demolition of Alabama proselytized even the most ardent skeptics (cough, Paul Finebaum). The Hoosiers' defense sacked Dante Moore six times and picked off the Ducks QB twice in the first meeting. And while Oregon shut out a piddling Texas Tech offense in the Orange Bowl, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza leads one of the nation's most balanced attacks. It sounds unbelievable to say, but Indiana football will play for the national championship. -Matt Glenesk, USA TODAY

Indiana 20, Oregon 17:Going with the old Vegas trick of laying three points on the favorite in a coin flip of a game. Oregon is an incredibly good team, and as Curt Cignetti said after the Rose Bowl, it's tough to beat a good team twice. But it's tougher to beat a great team once, and Indiana is a great team. Ultimately, Fernando Mendoza vs Dante Moore isn't the matchup here. It's in the trenches, where Indiana is among the best in the country, and weapons vs weapons. Stars matter, but Indiana is comprised of under-recruited guys with a chip on their shoulders. With that in mind, Indiana wins a grimy game in a low-scoring affair against Dan Lanning, turning the coach's "no one believes in us" motivating tactic on its head (of course, the irony of not believing in Oregon here is not lost on me). -Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY

Indiana 24, Oregon 20:The old adage about how it's hard to beat a team twice in a season has its merits, but it can occasionally belie a deeper truth — sometimes, one team is simply better than another. Whatever fans may think of Indiana football based on the program's mostly putrid history, the Hoosiers are the best and most complete team in the sport this season, as they showed in a Rose Bowl demolition of Alabama. They'll stymie a Ducks offense that had difficulties against Texas Tech's front seven and Fernando Mendoza will continue to dazzle while leading Indiana to a once-unimaginable destination. -Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:CFP semifinal picks: Picking winners of Miami-Ole Miss, Indiana-Oregon

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January 02, 2026

CFP predictions: Picking winners for Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl semifinals

The College Football Playoff semifinals are set,with a few surprises heading into the next round. Fresh off a ...

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Olympic medalist Katharina Liensberger suffers serious knee injuries in training crash

ST. MICHAEL, Austria (AP) — Olympic slalom silver medalist Katharina Liensberger of Austria sustained serious knee injuries in a crash in training that effectively ends her season, skiing's governing body said on Friday.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation said the 28-year-old slalom specialist sustained a fracture of the tibial plateau — where the shin bone meets the knee — along with a meniscus tear and a medial collateral ligament injury in her right knee.

It said the fall occurred during a giant slalom training in St. Michael, Austria ahead of the weekend's World Cup races in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

FIS said Liensberger was due to undergo surgery on Friday and wished her a successful recovery from the injuries that rule her out of theWinter Olympicsin Italy next month, where she won two world titles five years ago.

It leaves Mikaela Shiffrin without one of her main rivals in slalom at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, and is the latest training crash involving a top skier.

Three of Switzerland's reigning Olympic champions have also been injured in training recently;Michelle Gisin,Lara Gut-BehramiandCorinne Suter.

At the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, Liensberger won gold in the team event for Austria and individual silver in the slalom. She became the world slalom and parallel event champion the previous year in Cortina D'Ampezzo.

She finished fourth in her last World Cup slalom in Semmering, Austria on Sunday.

AP Olympics:https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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January 02, 2026

Olympic medalist Katharina Liensberger suffers serious knee injuries in training crash

ST. MICHAEL, Austria (AP) — Olympic slalom silver medalist Katharina Liensberger of Austria sustained serious knee injur...

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Rory McIlroy would welcome Bryson DeChambeau back to PGA Tour, says LIV players have 'paid their consequence'

Rory McIlroy would welcome back former PGA Tour stars who left for LIV Golf, saying those players have "paid their consequence."

The reigningMasters champion was a guest on this week's "Overlap" podcastand said that while Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has helped elevate the majors and Ryder Cup — making those events the only times during the year where the best players are all together — the sport needs them together more often in order to be relevant.

McIlroy's comments come nearlytwo weeks after five-time major winner Brooks Koepka announcedhe would step away from LIV Golf for the 2026 season. That decision leaves open the question of whether he will pursue a return to the PGA Tour.

Should Koepka attempt a return, McIlroy believes that no punishment is needed as it would be in the best interests of the PGA Tour.

"They've made the money but they've paid their consequence when you talk about their reputation and some of the things that they've lost by going over there," McIlroy said. "If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be okay with it. But, it's not just me, and I recognize that not everyone's in my position. It would be up to the collective group of PGA Tour members to make that decision."

FellowPGA Tour member Billy Horschel had a similar response earlierthis week, saying that he was once in favor of a punishment for any LIV players who want to return, but now sees it as a betterment of the product.

Koepka, DeChambeau, along with Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were the biggest names to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. Their departures created tension between the tours and players, with some arguing there should be a consequence in order to return.

The PGA Tour has indicated that a pathway back from LIV would require a player to sit out at least a year after playing in a non-sanctioned event. LIV's final event ended on Aug. 25, 2025; a year's delay would make Koepka ineligible to play until at least the PGA Tour's fall events. He could potentially play on the DP World Tour.

McIlroy has been one of thebiggestanti-LIV voiceson the PGA Tour since its inception. He doesn't like what it's done to golf and the fractures that it has created.

Those feelings have softened, however, with McIlroy saying that he felt his earlier comments were "too judgmental" and that he realized other players are in a different position than him or Tiger Woods.

"You get this offer and what do you do?"McIlroy said in Jan. 2024. "We all turned professional to make a living playing the sports that we do and I think that's what I realized over the past two years, I can't judge people for making that decision."

LIV Golf has made changes for 2026, including the biggest decision ofmoving from 54 holes to the traditional 72in order to better its chances of players receiving Official World Golf Rankings points.

Will that be enough for LIV Golf to gain relevancy? In McIlroy's eyes, time is running out.

"If LIV is failing to capture the imagination and they've spent so much money on this venture and it isn't making a return for them I don't know how much longer they can keep it going," McIlroy said.

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January 02, 2026

Rory McIlroy would welcome Bryson DeChambeau back to PGA Tour, says LIV players have 'paid their consequence'

Rory McIlroy would welcome back former PGA Tour stars who left for LIV Golf, saying those players have "paid their consequence."...

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