Le Journal

The Miami (OH) RedHawks are among only three teams still undefeated this season, alongside Arizona and Nebraska. While Arizona and Nebraska have had strong programs and have been ranked in the top 25 of the AP men’s basketball poll, Miami (OH) found themselves ranked for the first time in over two decades, as per Mike Petraglia of CLNS Cincy. Miami (OH) came in right at No. 25 in the AP poll. It should be noted that ClutchPoints’ own Bailey Bassett had the RedHawks at No. 20 last week in the men’s College Basketball Power Rankings. The last time that Miami (OH) was ranked in the top 25 of the AP men’s basketball poll was in 1999. Following their 105-102 win against Buffalo on Saturday, the RedHawks improved to 19-0, and 7-0 in the MAC. With their undefeated start, Miami tied the 1975-76 Western Michigan Broncos team for the best start in MAC history. During that 1998-99 season when the RedHawks were last ranked, they made the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 where they were eventually eliminated by Kentucky. Since then, Miami has only made the NCAA Tournament once, during the 2006-07 season. That year they lost in the opening round. This season is Travis Steele’s fourth season at the helm as Miami (OH) head coach. He took over the program ahead of the 2022-23 season, and has so far compiled an overall record of 71-46, and 37-25 in MAC play. His teams have not yet made an NCAA Tournament appearance, but this could be the season that changes. The RedHawks’ game is against Kent State on Tuesday, Jan. 20 as they look to keep up their undefeated start. The post Miami (OH) cracks AP Top 25 for the first time since 1999 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Buffalo Bills announced the firing of head coach Sean McDermott, which drew a heartbroken reaction from Damar Hamlin. Also, Hamlin expressed his thanks to McDermott on social media, according to his post on X. “A True Leader Of Men. Thank You For Everything! On & Beyond The Field. We Love You, Coach. ” McDermott led the Bills for nine seasons, racking up an impressive record of 98-50. Along the way, he helped Hamlin through a scary situation. Bills S Damar Hamlin overcame a near tragedy Halmin suffered cardiac arrest on the football field during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals in January of 2023. He was brought back to life on the field, and McDermott realized the gravity of what everybody had witnessed, according to buffalobills.com. “I think I went in and addressed the team and just felt like overall, it was going to be really hard to put them back out there,” McDermott shared. “But I wanted to give them the option to go back out there if they wanted to. And led by Josh (Allen) and a couple of the other captains, they decided not to go back out there. “The job description of a coach is not just coaching X’s and O’s. It’s much more than that. And so, to me, the health and well-being of your staff and your players is the number one job of a coach in this situation, and that includes mental health.” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor praised McDermott’s overall approach. “I really felt Sean McDermott led in that moment for his players,” Taylor said. “He was there for his players. He processed it the right way, which was incredibly difficult, and really helped us get to the solution we needed to get to.” Hamlin played only five games in the following 2023 season. But he started 14 games for them in 2024, recording a pair of interceptions and 89 tackles. This season, Hamlin went on injured reserve and appeared in just five games. The post Bills’ Damar Hamlin thanks Sean McDermott on social media after firing appeared first on ClutchPoints.

As the Chicago Bears went through a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs on Sunday night, 20-17, it marked the end of what was a relatively successful season for the franchise. Despite the playoff elimination from the Bears, star quarterback Caleb Williams would shout out to the fanbase that has been waiting a long time for a team worth rooting for. While the Chicago fanbase is no doubt a rowdy one, the team didn’t boo when the team lost in overtime; they gave their team a rousing ovation, something that stuck with Williams. “You lose that game, and the fans stand up and cheer and roar — in a tough moment, it goes a long way,” Williams said, according to Kevin Fishbain, after throwing for 257 yards to go along with two touchdowns and three picks. Still, it was a frustrating loss for the Bears after the team once again came back from a seven-point deficit with under two minutes left, this time off a miraculous play with Williams completing a bonkers pass to Cole Kmet in the endzone to tie the game. Caleb Williams to Cole KmetTHROW OF THE YEAR pic.twitter.com/BOeOYZD9yW — Mannie. (@PremierVee) January 19, 2026 Caleb Williams on the “fire” inside the Bears after playoff loss Matt Marton-Imagn Images Despite the miracle touchdown from the Bears quarterback in Williams, the overtime period would see the team have a chance after the defense stopped the Rams on the first drive. However, a Williams pick would give Los Angeles back the ball and lead to the game-winning drive, as the quarterback spoke about how he feels after the loss and preparing for next season. “It’s a frustration. It’s a fire,” Williams said, via NFL.com. “Those are the two words that I’d go with. I’m excited, though, also. Obviously, not happy about the outcome…but that’s over with, and I can’t go back and change it. Going to go back and watch, figure out how I can be better for the near future, and help this organization get to where we want to be.” “Got to go and watch some film and talk to Coach, and then from there, just work on accuracy, work on my feet in the offseason,” Williams continued. “It’s get with the receivers and work with them and things like that throughout the offseason so that we’re on the same page…” Chicago will have aspirations heading into next season, led by Williams and coach Ben Johnson. The post Caleb Williams applauds Bears fans despite brutal playoff loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.

On Monday morning, the Buffalo Bills shook up the NFL world by firing head coach Sean McDermott in the wake of their playoff loss against the Denver Broncos over the weekend. The move comes after years of playoff shortcomings for the Bills, with the team still unable to get over the hump despite the continued greatness of quarterback Josh Allen. The move now opens up the search for the Bills’ next head coach and immediately will become one of the most coveted jobs for remaining candidates. One name that the Bills likely will not, and should not, consider is that of former Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris. Morris has already interviewed with the Tennessee Titans for their head coaching vacancy this offseason, and has experience on the staff of some successful teams, including the 2021 Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. However, Morris’ tenure with the Falcons over the last two years was a disaster, with the team finding itself unable to maximize the considerable skill positional talent they’ve stockpiled on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons also had several mishaps with clock management over the course of the last two seasons, and had a propensity to play down to their competition at times, if such a thing can be said about an 8-9 team. Some of the most sought-after names on the head coaching market have already signed with new teams, including John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski. However, it’s safe to assume that remaining candidates on the carousel will view the Bills as a premier destination, considering their relative organizational stability and the presence of Allen, who remains one of the best two players on the planet, despite having a mostly rough showing against the Broncos. It will certainly be important for the Bills to nail their head coaching hire, but they’ll also need to do some work on the roster this summer, as both the wide receiving core and the run defense left much to be desired throughout this season. In any case, things will likely look quite a bit different by the time the 2026 season rolls around in Buffalo. The post Bills must avoid this head coaching candidate that will keep them from clearing Super Bowl hump appeared first on ClutchPoints.