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Six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans will be back for a 13th NFL season in 2026, his agent confirmed Tuesday. So, the big question now is whether he’ll finish his career where he’s played all of it so far in Tampa. The Buccaneers remain the odds-on favorite for Evans, a rare top-tier receiver who’s only played for one team in his entire career. Of the receivers ranking in the top 10 all-time in career touchdown receptions, only two — Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) and Marvin Harrison (Colts) — retired with the same team that drafted them. So, Evans could join a rare company if he re-signs with the Bucs. While Evans’ streak of 1,000-yard seasons ended in 2025, he’s still set to be one of the top free agents this offseason. He came in at No. 15 on my top 100 NFL free agents list earlier in the offseason, ranking third among the wide receivers set to become available. Evans just finished a two-year, $45 million contract, and he’ll be 33 when the upcoming season starts, so his next contract might end up a little lower from an annual value standpoint. His valuations are all over the map, though. The Athletic just projected him at $51 million for two years, while Spotrac has him at just over $13 million a year; Pro Football Focus gave him a one-year, $18 million deal. So we offer up five potential landing spots for Evans. Will he be a lifetime Buc like Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks, or finish a Hall of Fame career elsewhere like John Lynch and Warren Sapp? 5. New England Patriots New England went from 4-13 to playing in the Super Bowl in a single season, and they did it without a true star on the receiving end of Drake Maye’s passes. Stefon Diggs could be cut with a big contract and modest returns, and if they did that, it would cost close to the same to bring in Evans, who is the same age as Diggs but has had a much more consistent NFL career. For comparison, the Patriots haven’t had a receiver get 10 touchdowns in a season since Randy Moss in 2009, while Evans has done it six times in that span. 4. Houston Texans The key here is that Evans is from Galveston, Texas, less than an hour from Houston, and spends part of his offseason back in his home state, so this wouldn’t be a departure to a strange city he doesn’t know. Had he not decided to re-sign with the Bucs two years ago, the Texans were in play, and their success last season with perhaps the NFL’s top defense doesn’t hurt them. Houston went 12-5 last year and won a playoff game, so they qualify as the kind of playoff contender he would want to play for at the end of his career. They already have two 6-foot-4 standout receivers in Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins, so you could argue Houston might prefer a speed threat more than adding even more size to their receiving corps. The Texans also have limited cap space and other positional needs that arguably have more urgency. 3. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs have an MVP quarterback in Patrick Mahomes without a true No. 1 receiver — in the three seasons since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins, no Kansas City receiver has caught more than seven touchdowns in any year. If tight end Travis Kelce does retire, there’s a greater need for star power in the passing game, and having played for Tom Brady, Evans will appreciate being able to have one of the very best passers throwing you the ball. Rashee Rice’s off-field problems could add to the immediacy to upgrade at receiver, and while they’re still over the cap even after restructuring of Mahomes’ contract, they have other moves they could make to facilitate a contract like Evans will command. If Mahomes is healthy again, they’ll be a contender and their need for receiver help could make them a potential match. 2. Buffalo Bills Buffalo sure could use a No. 1 receiver, just like Kansas City. Despite having an MVP-caliber quarterback in Josh Allen, the Bills haven’t had a receiver get more than five touchdowns in a season over the last two years. They’re moving into a brand-new stadium this fall, so it’s nice to make a splash signing to add extra buzz around the team, and the offensive shift with coordinator Joe Brady getting promoted to head coach would mesh well with adding a high-profile receiver to their talented offense. Would Evans like to play in the cold after 12 years in sunny Florida? Cold weather might not be ideal for a player with persistent hamstring injuries, and the Bills are over the salary cap right now, so they’d need some maneuvering to add a pricey receiver, though a second, non-guaranteed year or void years could lower the immediate cap hit involved in signing Evans. 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Evans is the best offensive player in Tampa Bay history — no offense to Tom Brady’s three years with the Bucs — and has rewritten all of their receiving records. He’s been the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee four times and has consistently expressed a desire to be a “Buc for life,” playing only for Tampa. General manager Jason Licht, whose very first pick on the job was taking Evans in 2014, has said the same, with a reputation of rewarding his team’s best players by keeping them in town. But the Bucs have other positional needs, like edge rusher and linebacker, and they have solid depth even without Evans at receiver, with Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan back healthy for 2026, and Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson still developing after combining for 11 touchdown catches as rookies. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has lobbied for Evans to come back for another season as well, and the offense is much more dangerous when Evans and his 108 career touchdowns are occupying a defense’s priorities. Is the news this week that Evans will explore free agency just agent-driven leverage, trying to get a little more from the Bucs with the idea there’s competition for his services? Or could he really finish his career in another uniform? That will be answered in less than a month, when free agency opens and players can talk to new teams starting March 9.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The GOAT and the Lion shared a moment at the historic San Siro. NFL on FOX lead analyst Tom Brady linked up with soccer great Zlatan Ibrahimović ahead of AC Milan’s Serie A match against Como on Thursday. The two icons hugged it out, with Zlatan gifting Brady his very own Rossoneri kit with the seven-time Super Bowl winner’s signature No. 12. Brady played catch with the crowd and even got on the mic and gave a “Forza Milan!” ahead of the game’s kickoff. One of the most prolific and accomplished strikers of all time, Ibrahimović currently serves as a senior advisor at AC Milan, where he once played for.  After breaking through at Swedish club Malmö FF, he played at Ajax, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Italy’s three biggest sides (Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan). He also made his mark in Major League Soccer with two unforgettable seasons with the LA Galaxy. Brady is no stranger to the beautiful game. Last December, he was part of the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. that placed the 48 teams that will contest this summer’s tournament into the 12 groups that will span across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. – [2026 FIFA World Cup: News, Videos, Schedule]​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

On a night that spiraled almost from the opening tip, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin made sure the strangest moments came after the outcome was no longer in doubt. With just under five minutes remaining in UCLA’s eventual 82-59 loss to No. 15 Michigan State on Tuesday night, Bruins backup center Steven Jamerson — a former Michigan State student — was whistled for a flagrant foul after taking down Spartans senior Carson Cooper from behind on a dunk attempt. The two went face-to-face, jawing briefly before teammates separated them. Officials headed to the monitor to review the play. But Cronin took matters into his own hands. Before the referees could determine whether the foul warranted a flagrant 1 or flagrant 2, the UCLA coach made the call himself, ejecting Jamerson and sending him to the locker room. It was a stunning sight in a game already well decided. Even Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had to chuckle afterward. “I guess he upgraded that to a flagrant 2,” Izzo joked. “First time I saw a coach do that.” It turns out that was just a prelude to what would come next. In a postgame gathering with reporters, Cronin was asked about Michigan State’s student section chanting the name of former Spartans forward Xavier Booker, who transferred to UCLA this past offseason. “I could give a rat’s ass about the other team’s student section,” Cronin said. “I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked.” When the exchange grew tense, Cronin accused the reporter of raising his voice, a claim the reporter denied. “I coach UCLA. I don’t care about Michigan State’s students. Who cares?” The optics were alarming, particularly for a program reeling from consecutive 20-plus point losses for the first time since the 1944-45 season. On a night when UCLA needed to make a statement, its head coach delivered the statement instead.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The Daytona weekend had plenty of decisions — by both drivers and officials — that led to debate across the garage. So let’s dive in and get to the bottom of it. Here are my thoughts on six pressing decisions (including one which directly impacted the finish of the Daytona 500) across all three series: 6. Justin Allgaier move causing big wreck This one isn’t all that debatable, as Allgaier took full blame for the incident where he went for a lane that closed up with Denny Hamlin getting a fast run. The 2024 O’Reilly Series champion said there is a difference between how the runs come in that series (his full-time job) and the Cup Series. “I hate it for everybody else, but I’ll stand here and take the blame square on my shoulders,” Allgaier said. “The runs are just different [in Cup]. The willingness for guys to be aggressive in those moments are probably a little bit different on the Cup side. “Denny wins a lot of these races for a reason, and he’s great at what he does. I’m not upset he went there because he did what he thought he needed to do to put himself in the best position. I just wish I would have done it a little bit differently.” There is rarely a superspeedway race where no driver has a block or move gone bad. This one was on Allgaier’s shoulders. 5. NASCAR decision not to throw the caution NASCAR didn’t throw the caution on the final laps, despite wrecks in both the trucks and Cup races, allowing the races to end under green. Michael McDowell was involved in both. After the truck race, he told me he had no problem with the call as far as his car, since he never stopped moving. In the Cup race, more cars were involved in the wreck early in the final lap but cars either continued to move or were well on the apron. NASCAR didn’t throw the caution until the wreck at the front of the field was coming to the finish. The biggest question for NASCAR is how to remain consistent. With another drafting race coming up at Atlanta, that could be more difficult. A 1.5-mile track (laps are much shorter) with less runoff area means less time to allow the track to clear and less time to potentially start moving safety equipment before the pack returns to that spot. This will also bring up the debate on what warrants a caution on the final lap. I still believe that the final lap should be treated differently because fans come to see a race to the finish. As long as that can be done safely (and, of course, those parameters can be viewed differently). NASCAR needs to continue what it did this past weekend. 4. Cleetus McFarland truck approval NASCAR approved Cleetus McFarland to run the truck race at Daytona. He had run two superspeedway events in ARCA, including finishing the race at Talladega. But it was his first race in a truck. Mini Tyrrell had never raced ARCA or a truck but was approved as the Ram “Race for the Sea” winner. He just had to do the ARCA test and practice (and race, but the race was after the truck race). Tyrrell has several years of stock-car racing experience. McFarland had a handful of stock-car starts but is also a popular personality, especially on YouTube. Additionally, he owns a racetrack where he has events. Both drivers did make laps at Rockingham the week before Daytona in trying to learn more about the truck. And both of them were involved in wrecks in the truck race, but McFarland’s was viewed more for a lack of experience. NASCAR is in a tough spot with these decisions, as the marketing factors are difficult to ignore. It wouldn’t want to anger McFarland and his fans — the fans that NASCAR desperately wants and needs to grow the sport. And it wants to be open to new ideas from incoming manufacturers. I was OK with both. Significant stock-car experience, no matter the level, or at least some superspeedway experience, should be required for approval. And let’s face it, there are drivers out there who have raced for years who still have similar issues and questions about whether they are competent. 3. Fuel-mileage racing Only the diehard race fan who loves strategy enjoys fuel-mileage racing. Most fans want their driver to be all out. So watching Daytona and Talladega can be frustrating. The key is how to get the handling bad enough that drivers can make moves and pass but yet not so bad that it creates an unsafe situation. More horsepower? Less downforce? The fact that the end of the stages and the race are exciting makes this one of those situations where it would be great to fix. But it can’t come with major consequences of even more wrecks and more devastating wrecks at higher speeds. 2. Natalie Decker gets into Sam Mayer This one is the most perplexing. The wreck happened in the O’Reilly Auto Parts. Then, it was more than 10 seconds after Sam Mayer was involved in the accident before he slid up the track. Natalie Decker, in the high lane, ran into him. It certainly looked bad for Decker and it looked like she could have slowed more to potentially avoid hitting Mayer as he slid up the track, which would be unexpected. But Mayer didn’t blame her at all. And Mayer isn’t one to typically shy away from blaming someone. “The hood was up so I didn’t know which direction I was facing and my steering was gone,” Mayer said. “I couldn’t turn and I was trying to brake up the hill. I just couldn’t. … I hate it for her because she was clear of the wreck.” Decker’s struggles (she has seven lead-lap finishes in 46 national series starts) don’t encourage giving her the benefit of the doubt, but this one might look worse than it actually was. 1. Riley Herbst move at the finish line Brad Keselowski and his team were critical of Riley Herbst. Riley Herbst and his team were matter of fact that a driver makes moves to win the Daytona 500 and Keselowski has made moves in the past with that philosophy that caused wrecks. This is one where the optics look like “how in the world was that going to work,” but those type of moves are also the ones that we celebrate when they do work. Herbst told me he was trying to win the Daytona 500 (and it also appeared he didn’t want to push Chase Elliott by his teammate). Keselowski thought it was a stupid move. The worst part about it for Herbst is that it overshadowed a little bit of his contribution to his teammate’s Tyler Reddick’s win for 23XI Racing. The stupid moves are the ones that don’t work. The incredible moves are the ones that do. Which leads me to this question that is tough to answer: Is it possible to have a stupid move be acceptable when trying to make an incredible one? In Second Thoughts, Bob Pockrass offers his opinion on a burning motorsports topic.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The defending Super Bowl champions are up for sale. After weeks of speculation and rumors, the Seattle Seahawks will be sold, the team announced on Wednesday. “The Estate of Paul G. Allen today announced it has commenced a formal sale process for the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, consistent with Allen’s directive to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all Estate proceeds to philanthropy,” the team announced. “The Estate has selected investment bank Allen & Company and law firm Latham & Watkins to lead the sale process, which is estimated to continue through the 2026 off-season. NFL owners must then ratify a final purchase agreement.” The Seahawks have been in the Allen family since 1997, when Paul Allen bought the Seahawks for $194 million from then-owner Ken Behring. Since Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, died in 2018 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 65, the Seahawks and NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers have been owned by his sister, Jody. The estate agreed in September to sell the Trail Blazers to an investment group led by Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. In the week leading up to Super Bowl LX, ESPN reported that it was anticipated that the Seahawks would go up for sale. They wound up defeating the New England Patriots, 29-13, to capture their second Super Bowl win in franchise history. With the Seahawks fresh off a Super Bowl title and becoming the latest team to hit the market, there’s been some speculation that this sale could be the richest in professional sports history. The sale of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025 broke the record for the richest sale in sports history at $10 billion. As for the richest sale in NFL history, the Washington Commanders were sold for $6.05 billion in 2024. The 2022 sale of the Denver Broncos is the second-richest sale in NFL history at $4.65 billion. The Seahawks were valued at $6.7 billion by Forbes in August, making them the 14th-highest valued NFL team. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

What an incredible few weeks this has been in men’s college basketball, where one of the most fascinating seasons in recent memory continues building toward what could be an unforgettable NCAA Tournament. Earlier this month, teams ranked Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5 in the AP poll all lost in the span of four days, with top-ranked Arizona falling twice in the same week after beginning the season unbeaten through its first 23 games. And then No. 2 Houston, which received a first-place vote in this week’s poll, was upended by No. 6 Iowa State after squandering a second-half lead on the road. Chaos reigned atop the sport. All of which set the stage for an unbelievable pair of games on Saturday when No. 1 Michigan faces No. 3 Duke on a neutral floor in Washington, D.C. and No. 2 Houston hosts No. 4 Arizona — both matchups worthy of the Final Four. By the end of the weekend, there should finally be some clarity surrounding which teams could earn a 1-seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. So here’s a breakdown of the likeliest candidates: 1. Michigan By opening a 20-point lead on the road at No. 7 Purdue on Tuesday night and then holding on for a relatively comfortable double-digit victory, Michigan likely moved itself within a whisker of clinching a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament barring an unexpected losing streak down the stretch. Even if the Wolverines fall against No. 3 Duke this weekend in a mouthwatering non-conference tilt, and even if they stumble on the road at No. 10 Illinois later this month, the dominance they’ve shown thus far amid the best start in program history could still be enough for the selection committee to place head coach Dusty May’s group on the top line. Michigan is the only team in the country that ranks among the top five nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and 21 of the Wolverines’ 25 total victories this season have come by at least 10 points. This is an elite team at both ends of the floor thanks to May’s shrewd roster construction and the school’s aggressive NIL efforts that, sources say, are at — or very near — the top of college basketball. At this point, the Wolverines have the inside track toward the No. 1 overall seed. [BIG TEN: 4 Takeaways From Michigan’s Big Ten Win Over Purdue] 2. Duke Barring some kind of unexpected, late-season collapse, Duke can all but assure itself of a top seed in the NCAA Tournament by beating No. 1 Michigan in a marquee non-conference game to be played this weekend on a neutral floor. Even if Saturday’s showdown with the Wolverines goes awry, there’s a strong chance Duke has already done enough to land somewhere on the bracket’s top line. The Blue Devils are one of only three teams to rank among the top 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency this season, according to KenPom, with such a balanced approach producing the fifth-best scoring margin in the country at plus-19.8 points per game. A trio of early season, non-conference victories over Kansas, Arkansas and Florida added some necessary oomph to Duke’s résumé in a year when the ACC only produced three teams in the latest AP poll, one of which Duke still hasn’t faced (Virginia). Adding another such win over Michigan could be pivotal now that the regular-season finale against rival North Carolina, which defeated Duke earlier this month, might be played without injured Tar Heels star Caleb Wilson. 3. Arizona It took until the second week of February before someone finally cracked what looked like an impregnable Arizona squad under fifth-year head coach Tommy Lloyd. By the time the Wildcats finally suffered their first loss on the road at then-No. 9 Kansas earlier this month, they’d already compiled a ledger that included six wins over ranked opponents and the sixth-best scoring margin in the country at plus-19.6 points per game. But now Arizona has dropped the first two games in a brutal finishing stretch that includes forthcoming dates with No. 23 BYU (home), No. 2 Houston (away), No. 8 Kansas (home) and No. 6 Iowa State (home). And while that collection of opponents represents more than enough talent for the Wildcats to cement themselves as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a few more high-level wins, it’s also a necessary proving ground for a team that has — at least thus far — played the Big 12’s easiest conference slate, according to KenPom. There might be more potential seeding variance for the Wildcats than any team on this list depending on how they respond in the coming weeks. 4. UConn An interesting campaign for the Huskies and head coach Dan Hurley seems to be unfolding in two distinct parts as the regular season nears its conclusion. First came an incredibly difficult non-conference slate in which UConn established itself among the best teams in the country by scoring neutral-site wins over BYU, Illinois and Florida, plus a true road win over Kansas. That the Huskies only lost to Arizona by four points at home on a night when starters Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins were unavailable due to injury highlighted the team’s Final Four potential. Next came a plunge into Big East play that began with 12 consecutive victories and 14 wins out of 15 overall entering Wednesday’s matchup with Creighton. But seven of those wins have come by 10 points or fewer, including two in overtime, and that has invited questions about UConn’s ceiling given that this is unquestionably a down year for the conference. Getting out-muscled and outworked by then-No. 22 St. John’s on Feb. 6 exposed some of the Huskies’ flaws. They’ll need a better showing in the rematch against St. John’s at home on Feb. 25. [WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOOPS SPOTLIGHT: Dawn Staley, South Carolina Embrace Villain Role] 5. Iowa State The Cyclones are a fascinating case study whose candidacy for a potential top-line seed rocketed to another level with their come-from-behind home victory over No. 2 Houston earlier this week. Few teams around the country, if any, can match the top-end wins Iowa State has compiled over then-No. 14 St. John’s, then-No. 1 Purdue, then-No. 9 Kansas and the Cougars. At its best, head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s team can unleash a hailstorm from beyond the arc (fourth nationally in 3-point percentage) and pair it with a defense that ranks eighth in the country for efficiency. But of all the programs in consideration for No. 1 seeds, the Cyclones are saddled with arguably the worst loss to Cincinnati, a team that is 14-12 overall and sits below .500 in conference play. Remaining games against No. 23 BYU and No. 4 Arizona — not to mention another ranked opponent or two in the Big 12 Tournament — mean there are still plenty of chances for Iowa State to distance itself from that ugly result and secure a top seed. 6. Illinois There’s no question that the biggest hurdle standing between Illinois and a potential top-line seed in the NCAA Tournament is a massive home game against No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 27, the result of which could also have a significant impact on the Big Ten title race. A modest collection of opponents on either side of that matchup — USC, UCLA, Oregon and Maryland — make it unlikely the Illini will stumble before the conference tournament, aside from a potential defeat to the Wolverines. Head coach Brad Underwood and his team have compiled an interesting résumé that is devoid of damaging losses but only includes one non-conference victory over an opponent ranked in the latest AP poll (No. 13 Texas Tech). They fell short in other high-profile, neutral-site matchups against Alabama and UConn. Yet, when it comes to some of the advanced metrics, Illinois is as impressive as any team in the country — especially considering the long-term injury to point guard Kylan Boswell, who recently returned to the lineup. The Illini lead the nation in offensive efficiency by nearly three full points per 100 possessions, according to KenPom. 7. Houston Houston is another team for which the eye test and advanced metrics tell a better story than the résumé itself. Aside from an impressive victory over then-No. 14 Arkansas on Dec. 20, none of the Cougars’ noteworthy non-conference matchups aged particularly well, with teams like Auburn, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Florida State all crumbling to varying degrees. All told, Houston’s non-conference slate ranked 157th nationally, which is the second-lowest of any team on this list behind only Iowa State (270th). Still, head coach Kelvin Sampson presides over a group that now ranks ninth nationally in offensive efficiency and seventh nationally in defensive efficiency, placing Houston among the top 25 in both categories for an incredible eighth consecutive season. This year’s squad boasts more scoring punch from freshman phenom Kingston Flemings (16.6 points, 5.3 assists per game), while maintaining Sampson’s trademark tenacity on the defensive end. A loss to Iowa State earlier this week heaps additional pressure on the Cougars to perform well in subsequent games against Arizona (Feb. 21) and Kansas (Feb. 23) that will be closely watched by bracketologists.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The sweatshirt South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley wore during the Gamecocks’ 79-72 win over LSU on Valentine’s Day had a very specific meaning. Staley and her staff donned white hoodies with the word “Boo” in big, bold garnet letters across the front — a nod to the last time the Gamecocks faced the Tigers in Baton Rouge, when the home crowd showered them with boos. That meeting, a 76-70 South Carolina win on Jan. 25, 2024, came with plenty of noise. Afterward, when asked about the reception, Staley smiled. “Actually they were calling me boo,” she joked. Ahead of this year’s road matchup, the Gamecocks decided to lean into it. “We were just trying to figure out what to wear,” Staley said after the game. “Our staff wanted to wear white and somebody else brought up, ‘Let’s do the ‘Boo’ hoodies.’ “And everybody stayed in character because I heard a lot of boos again.” With the win, No. 3 South Carolina earned its 18th consecutive victory over No. 6 LSU. It also marked Staley’s 500th career win with the Gamecocks, a program she has coached since 2008. South Carolina junior guard Tessa Johnson went 4-for-5 from 3 and scored 21 points, while senior guard Raven Johnson added 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block. The two veterans played nearly the entire game. “They’re built for it,” Staley said. “They were exhausted, but they got us over the mountain top.” [NCAA: Women’s College Basketball Top 10, Bubble Team NET Rankings] South Carolina led 73-70 with just shy of two minutes to play. LSU senior guard Flau’jae Johnson hit a 20-foot jumper to put the Tigers within one point but missed two free throws with 45 seconds left, and South Carolina finished the game on a 6-0 run. The game was certainly within LSU’s grasp — the Tigers led by five after the first quarter and out-rebounded South Carolina, 46-37, including 18-11 on the offensive boards. But Kim Mulkey’s team failed to execute down the stretch, missing layups and free throws. The Tigers only shot 61% from the free throw line. Johnson scored 21 points for the Tigers and added eight rebounds, one steal and a block. She was emotional after the game, explaining later that she was thinking about those final two missed free throws. [MEN’S COLLEGE HOOPS SPOTLIGHT: 7 Teams Eyeing No. 1 Tournament Seeds] This was also a reunion for former Gamecock MiLaysia Fulwiley, who now plays for LSU. She had six points, four rebounds, and four of the team’s five steals in 23 minutes on the court. With eight SEC teams in the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 poll, it seems like every conference matchup comes down to the final moments. It took everything the Gamecocks had to finish strong. “It’s like that,” Staley said. “It was two of the best teams in the conference, in the country, just trying to get a win. I mean, we all said it’s probably gonna be determined in those plays. I thought LSU got multiple offensive rebounds at the end of the game to put them in position to close the gap, to go ahead. “And then, at the end, we got lucky — Flau’jae doesn’t miss free throws. And we actually got a bucket after that, and it’s those kinds of plays that are determining games.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Tiger Woods did not rule out a return to the Masters just under two months away, even as his immediate future appears to include just about everything but golf. Woods again painted an uncertain future about when or where he plays next because of a seventh back surgery to replace a disk. He said Tuesday at the Genesis Invitational that he remains plenty occupied, mostly with trying to reshape the PGA Tour schedule. “I thought I spent a lot of hours practicing in my prime,” Woods said. “It doesn’t compare to what we’ve done in the boardroom.” Those hours also are an obstacle in his decision about being the U.S. captain for the Ryder Cup for the 2027 matches in Ireland. Woods turned down the job two years ago because he didn’t think he had the time to do the job justice. Foremost this time of the year is the Masters, which Woods last played in 2024, when he made the cut for a record 24th time in a row. Woods is a five-time Masters champion. Asked if playing the Masters, which starts April 9, was off the table, Woods replied without elaboration, “No.” As for his golf anywhere — he turned 50 at the end of last year and is eligible for the PGA Tour Champions — Woods said he is still working his way back from the disk replacement surgery in October and has no timetable for a return. He has yet to play in the indoor TGL matches, either. “Well, I’m trying — put it that way,” he said, adding that he can hit full shots, but not every day “and not very well.” Last year was the first time in his career he did not compete in a single tournament. He had surgery in March 2025 for a ruptured Achilles tendon, which is no longer holding him back. He said his lower back was sore, and at his age, “It’s probably going to take me a little bit longer.” “My body has been through a lot,” Woods said. “Each and every day, I keep trying, I keep progressing, I keep working on it, trying to get stronger, trying to get more endurance in this body and trying to get it at a level at which I can play at the highest level again.” His chief interest is indoors. He is on the board of the PGA Tour and the commercial PGA Tour Enterprises, heading the “Future Competition Committee” that is trying to create a model to meet CEO Brian Rolapp’s goal of fewer tournaments that are more meaningful for the best players. The only thing clear is that a new model most likely won’t be ready by 2027. The committee has reached agreement on a big start to the season — that could be the week after or before the Super Bowl — taking the big events to bigger markets and becoming the must-see sport of the summer. Another players-only meeting was scheduled Tuesday at Riviera. Rolapp is expected to pull back the curtain on some aspects at The Players Championship in March, with a little more clarity expected in the summer. Among items under consideration is moving some prime California stops — Riviera and Torrey Pines get most of the attention — to August as part of the PGA Tour’s postseason. “We’re looking at things like that, looking to go to bigger markets later in the year for the playoffs. Just trying to make our competitive model better, and how do we do that?” Woods said, adding that moving the Genesis Invitational to August “certainly is on the table.” All the while, Woods said it was important to create a path for the next batch of stars. “We’re trying to create opportunities for that turnover … to get more youth out here because, eventually, they’re going to take over the game,” Woods said. “So trying to create that opportunity, trying to create the right competitive model and the environment to foster that, that’s been the greater challenge of it all.” As for the Ryder Cup, that is also in the wait-and-see mode. The PGA of America waited longer than it ever has before choosing Keegan Bradley for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black because it was waiting for an answer from Woods. He doesn’t appear to have made much headway. “They have asked me for my input on it, and I haven’t made my decision yet,” Woods said. “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour. That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team — Team USA and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup — if I can do it justice with my time.” Woods became involved at Riviera in 2017 when his TGR Venture began running the event, and now he is the official host in the same capacity of Jack Nicklaus at the Memorial and the late Arnold Palmer at Bay Hill. Those three signature events are the only ones with a 36-hole cut. Genesis announced it was renewing as title sponsor at Riviera, even amid questions whether it might move to late summer. Genesis also is title sponsor of the Scottish Open in July. There is also a question of how Riviera could be held in August 2028, a month after the Olympics. Reporting by The Associated Press.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Mike Evans is returning for his 13th NFL season, but it might not be with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The veteran wide receiver will play in 2026 and plans to explore the free agency market this offseason, his agents told ESPN on Tuesday. This offseason will mark the first that Evans, who’ll turn 33 in August, will hit free agency in his career. There had been some speculation that Evans could retire this offseason. His streak of seasons with at least 1,000 yards snapped at 11 in 2025 as he missed time due to hamstring and collarbone injuries. He missed nine games as a result of those ailments. While Evans had his least productive season as a result of those injuries, he’s still expected to be one of the top free agents this offseason. He was ranked 15th in FOX Sports’ top 100 free agents list, placing third among the wide receivers set to hit the open market. Evans had 30 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns in eight games for the Buccaneers last season. Tampa Bay missed the playoffs, though, for the first time since 2019. In the 11 seasons prior to Evans’ injury-riddled 2025 campaign, the standout wide receiver was named a Pro Bowler six times and helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in 2020. He also led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2023, and his aforementioned 11-year streak of 1,000-plus receiving yards was tied for the longest in NFL history. If the Buccaneers want to keep Evans, they might have to find a way to open up some salary cap. They have nearly $24 million in cap room this offseason, per Over The Cap.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The top 25 rankings are important for understanding just who is killing it in college basketball, but we can go deeper — all the way to the bubble and beyond. The NCAA Evaluation Tool, or NET, is a rankings system used in Division I basketball to help figure out which teams are going to participate in March Madness. As the NCAA puts it, NET “takes into account game results, strength of schedule, game location, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses,” the latter of which is determined by placing every Division I matchup into different quadrants, ranked 1 through 4, with 1 being the strongest teams and 4 the weakest — Quads aren’t just determined by record, but also whether a game was played at home, on the road or at a neutral site. Using NET, we can get a sense of which teams are the best at a given moment, as well as which ones are on the bubble for selection in March. While updated daily by the NCAA, we’ll track changes weekly. With that, here are the top 10 women’s college basketball teams through Feb. 16, according to NET. The Top 10 10. Duke (previous: 9) There wasn’t all that much movement in the top 10 itself this week, as much of what did go down occurred just outside of it. Michigan State went from 11th to 15th. TCU moved up from 13th to 11th. Iowa climbed from 15th to 12th. Duke did slip to 10th, however, owing to two things: the Blue Devils played just one game in the past week, a 72-68 win over North Carolina, while the team that overtook them in the rankings played two games that were not close. 9. Minnesota (previous: 10) Minnesota is finally ranked, at No. 23, but NET is much more into the Golden Gophers than the voters. Minnesota defeated a top-30 Nebraska team, 84-67, before knocking around bubble-hopeful Wisconsin by 23 points. The Gophers have won eight in a row and find themselves with a chance at a Big Ten tournament double-bye. 8. Louisville (previous: 7) Louisville beat both Wake Forest and Florida State by a combined 42 points, so this slight dip back isn’t because the Cardinals did anything wrong in the past week. That’s exactly how those games should have gone, considering the difference in quality between Louisville and each of those opponents, but what the Cardinals were missing was a win against a top-5 opponent, and on the road. 7. Vanderbilt (previous: 8) Which is exactly what Vanderbilt pulled off against Texas on Thursday, in an impressive 86-70 win over the Longhorns that never felt as close as the final score suggests. The reason this win didn’t carry the Commodores even further, though, is at least partly because they were then upset by Georgia over the weekend. 6. Michigan (previous: 6) Michigan beat Michigan State by 21 points in the second matchup between the two this season, which explains much of the Spartans’ fall in NET. The Wolverines also defeated Northwestern by 22 points in the game before that one, which helped keep Vanderbilt from climbing any further, as well. The Wolverines are great, but a little susceptible to movement given their 6-4 record in Quad 1 matchups: four Quad 1 losses is tied for the most of anyone from the 8th through 1st spots. 5. LSU (previous: 5) LSU also has four Quad 1 losses, but unlike Michigan, it’s just 4-4 overall. The reason the Tigers are ahead, though, has a lot do with their Net Rating, which feeds into the NET calculations: LSU’s is 56.55 thanks to a stronger Offensive Rating of 125.38 points per 100 possessions, while Michigan is at 52.12 and 119.82. The gap is closer than that makes it appear, however, as Michigan has the 10th-toughest schedule of anyone in Division I women’s basketball, while LSU’s is 76th despite the extremely difficult SEC, thanks to racking up 12 Quad 4 wins in 12 tries. 4. Texas (previous: 4) Losing to Vanderbilt would have hurt more if Texas wasn’t a mile ahead of LSU in terms of Quad 1 matchups: the Longhorns are 10-3 in those games after facing Vandy and Tennessee in the past week, and have a better Net Rating than LSU, to boot. 3. South Carolina (previous: 3) Moving South Carolina from the 3rd spot is going to be tough for Texas after the loss to Vanderbilt, given the two won’t have another head-to-head matchup unless it occurs in the SEC tournament in March. The Gamecocks will also have a chance to make up some of the gap in their Quad 1 win totals, as they take on No. 25 Alabama, No. 17 Ole Miss, Missouri and No. 16 Kentucky in their final four games of the regular season. 2. UCLA (previous: 2) While we’re on the subject, UCLA’s 14 Quad 1 wins keep being brought up as an argument for the Bruins overtaking UConn as the No. 1 team in the nation, or the top seed in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in March — UConn has half as many, but does have a 6-0 record in Quad 2 games to point to, as well as a superior Net Rating that is just shy of 70. To understand the context there, recognize that 4th-ranked Texas hasn’t cracked 60, and UCLA is the only other team over 65. 1. UConn (previous: 1) That all being said, UConn is not invincible. While the Huskies defeated Marquette on Saturday, 71-56, they also scored a season-low 13 points in the first quarter, resulting in its smallest margin of victory over a Big East opponent all season. UConn has been getting by perfectly fine without freshman forward Blanca Quinonez coming off the bench with a shoulder injury for some time now, but that’s a primary reserve the Huskies will want back by the time March Madness rolls around, lest its few weaknesses be exploited by a tourney-caliber opponent. Risers and Fallers In the span of a week, some teams can see their spot in the rankings dramatically shift. Here are the five teams that rose the most in women’s college basketball in the last week… T5. Southern Illinois, 287 to 271: An upset over top-150 Illinois State was significant enough that Southern Illinois still made the risers list despite losing to Bradley in its second game of the week. T5. Providence, 167 to 151: Providence is nearly a top-150 team itself after wins against Butler and near-bubble team Georgetown, just in time for a Sunday game against UConn on the road. T2. ULM, 164 to 147: Louisiana-Monroe took down comparable Southern Mississippi and then lost to Troy, 82-80, a game that was a lot closer than it should have been for the Trojans. T2. Wright State, 312 to 295: Detroit Mercy and Oakland both fell to Wright State in the past week, which helped the Raiders escape being one of the 50 or so worst teams in Division I this season. 1. LMU (CA), 138 to 120: Loyola Marymount took advantage of Gonzaga’s lack of depth to defeat it, 72-63, avenging an overtime loss from December in the process. Both teams are now 11-3 in the West Coast Conference, and the Lions know that the Bulldogs can be beaten come tourney time. [Get to Know a Mid-Major: West Coast Conference] …and the five that fell the furthest. T5. Oakland, 255 to 272: Oakland was a bottom-100 team, and now it’s closer to a bottom-75 one after Wright State delivered the upset. To make matters worse, the Golden Grizzlies also lost to IU Indy earlier in the week. T5. Jacksonville State, 218 to 235: Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky both took down Jacksonville State in the last week. The first was expected, given that’s nearly a top-150 team, but Western Kentucky started the week ranked 310th in NET. 3. UC Santa Barbara, 125 to 143: The Gauchos couldn’t make up for a loss to UC Riverside despite winning against Cal Poly a couple of days later, because UC Riverside was ranked 249th in NET — that kind of upset doesn’t just go away one win later, especially not one against one of the 20 or so worst teams in D-I. 2. Denver, 288 to 307: “How bad could a 7-point loss to Omaha be, truly?” Well, the Mavericks are 4-23 and were ranked within a few spots of four different teams without a Division I win (or any win) this season. 1. Lamar University, 165 to 185: Real tough week for Lamar, which lost to UTRGV (212th in NET) by 22 points before defeating A&M-Corpus Christi (337th) by just 6 points. That is going to make securing one of the Southland tourney double-byes more difficult, already a game back of the Vaqueros and with five left in the regular season schedule. On the Bubble Of the 68 March Madness teams in the tournament, 31 of them are conference champions who receive automatic entry into the tournament. The other 37 spots are at-large bids. With that in mind, we will look at the teams ranked between 64-to-73 in NET each week, as those are the ones who are the most on the bubble for the tourney. 73. UC Irvine (previous: 78): The Anteaters routed Cal Poly, 84-39, then defeated Cal State Fullerton 77-71. A bigger W would have moved the needle further, too. 72. San Diego State (previous: 77): Wins against Colorado State and Nevada moved San Diego State from uncomfortably outside of the bubble into The Conversation, at least. 71. South Florida (previous: 76): South Florida has now won three in a row — against Tulane, Tulsa and UTSA — but if it wants to move out of the bubble and prove it has a shot in the American conference tournament, the Bulls are going to have to defeat Rice this week. The Owls remain undefeated in conference play, just as they were during our look-in at the American. 70. Purdue (previous: 71): The Boilermakers played just one game in the past week, a Valentine’s Day contest against Rutgers, which it won 72-57. Rutgers is just top-150, so that didn’t bump Purdue up all that much. Anything is good at this point of the season, however. 69. Troy (previous: 65): Troy, as mentioned, should have won by much more than it did against the Warhawks, but the Trojans’ best shot at March Madness has always been through the Sun Belt tournament, anyway. 68. Santa Clara (previous: 74): Just one of Gonzaga or Santa Clara can get the automatic bid in the West Coast Conference, so shifting right into the thick of the bubble is significant for the Broncos, which got here by notching wins against Oregon State and Portland this past week. 67. Ball State (previous: 68): An 83-68 W against Eastern Michigan followed by a similarly scored dub against Bowling Green is better than losses, yes, but both opponents were merely top-200 teams, so this was taking care of business territory. 66. Montana State (previous: 67): A 72-55 win against Montana is a good thing, but it’s also the only game that Montana State played this past week. 65. Harvard (previous: 61): A rough week for the favorites in the Ivy League, between Princeton getting knocked out of the poll by losing to Columbia, and Harvard suffering a defeat against Brown. Better the Bears than Yale, though, which the Crimson took care of just fine. 64. Gonzaga (previous: 62): Gonzaga slipped back into bubble territory with a loss against LMU, but of more concern is how a possible showdown against the Lions will go in March.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports