Yes, Kon Knueppel’s uncle WAS the Ohio State-Michigan ref
Perhaps you caught the curious name of the head referee if you were watching Ohio State vs. Michigan on Saturday afternoon. A lot of people have the same last names, but when it comes to “Knueppel” it’s fairly unique — and that jumped out at people immediately.
There’s no way the ref for the biggest regular season game of the year is Kon Knueppel’s relative lmao pic.twitter.com/8BX6zIl28a
Yes, Kole Knueppel was the man in charge of the biggest game of the year, and he’s Kon’s uncle — which goes on to prove the Knueppel family is absolutely obsessed with sports, and having every name start with “K.” Here’s the breakdown of the naming conventions of the family:
Kon Knueppel Jr. — Hornets rookie
Kon Knueppel Sr. — Dad
Klint Knueppel — Uncle
Klay Knueppel — Uncle
Kole Knueppel — Uncle
Kager Knueppel — Brother
Kidman Knueppel — Brother
Kash Knueppel — Brother
Kinston Knueppel — Brother
It was a big night for Kon too, as the rookie scored 2o points and drilled four threes, and made a clutch three to send the game into overtime against the Raptors, which Charlotte would go on to win. After the game there was one burning question on everyone’s lips .
Woody Marks injury update: Texans RB returns to Week 13 game after foot injury
Second quarter udpate: Marks returned to the game midway through the second quarter. He has three rushes for 20 yards since returning and it appears to be fine on his foot.
The Houston Texans have lost running back Woody Marks to a foot injury in Week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts. Marks suffered the injury in the first quarter after three rushing attempts. He had zero yards gained at the time of the injury. The team announced he is questionable to return.
Marks had emerged as the team’s starting running back ahead of long-time veteran Nick Chubb. The fourth round pick led the team in rushing yards the past three weeks and five of the past eight weeks. He was averaging 3.7 yards per carry and also had 185 receiving yards on the season.
Chubb has three carries for 18 yards and will take back over the starting role in Marks’s absence.
NFL scores, results, injury updates, highlights from Sunday, Week 13
While the end of a long holiday weekend might bring some trepidation fear not dear reader.
We have a full Sunday slate of NFL action to enjoy until Monday morning arrives.
Thursday’s three games saw panic levels rise around three preseason Super Bowl contenders, as the Detroit Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers, the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Dallas Cowboys, and the return of Joe Burrow helped the Cincinnati Bengals knock off the Baltimore Ravens.
But that was nothing when compared to Friday, when the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Chicago Bears. The second consecutive loss from the Eagles has Philadelphia fans fearing a repeat of 2023, when the Eagles lost fove of their final six games to crash out of the lead in the NFC East.
As for what the win meant for Chicago, just watch head coach Ben Johnson lose his mind — and shirt — in the locker room after the game.
As we do each Sunday of the NFL season we’ll keep you updated through the day with the biggest plays, pivotal moments, key injuries, and more.
NFL Week 12 schedule and scores
Here is the schedule for today. We’ll update the scores after each quarter, with more frequent updates as games approach their conclusion.
49ers 10, Browns 8 — Halftime
Jaguars 18, Titans 3 — Halftime
Texans 10, Colts 6 — Halftime
Dolphins 16, Saints 0 — Halftime
Jets 7, Falcons 7 — Halftime
Buccaneers 0, Cardinals 3 — Halftime
Rams 21, Panthers 17 — Halftime
Vikings at Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET
Bills at Steelers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Raiders at Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Broncos at Commanders, 8:20 p.m. ET
Highlights from NFL Week 12
We’ll keep you updated with all the big plays here.
Panthers back on top
Bryce Young finds Jalen Coker on fourth down for a touchdown and the lead:
4th & 3 goes to Jalen Coker for his first TD of the year!
Looks .. windy in Cleveland today where the Browns host the 49ers in Shedeur Sanders’ first home start:
1st battle of day: Me & umbrella vs. heavy Cleveland wind & rain.
49ers players know Sanders 1st home start will get a lot of attention but they tell me their plan today is attack early with eyes on halting all Browns energy by halftime.
Indianapolis rookie tight end Tyler Warren is dealing with an illness, but he is expected to play in today’s huge game against the Houston Texans:
Colts TE Tyler Warren, who is listed as questionable because of an illness, is battling a stomach virus. They’ll monitor him this morning, but all indications are he’ll play today vs. the Texans. @NFLGameDay@nflnetworkpic.twitter.com/7Y61YU4ARj
Aaron Rodgers will return to the starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he’ll take on the Buffalo Bills with three fractures in his left wrist:
#Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers, who is set to start today, will do so despite several broken bones in his left wrist, sources say.
Rodgers has at least 3 fractures, one of which is a more consequential break that can only happen with significant force. And he’s playing, regardless. pic.twitter.com/qc6LDl2QhS
Broncos LB Alex Singleton, who underwent surgery to have a cancerous tumor removed from one of his testicles on Nov. 7, is off the injury report and expected to play Sunday night vs. the Commanders. Despite missing a game, Singleton still leads the Broncos with 89 tackles. pic.twitter.com/E95bzVovvE
F1 qualifying results: Oscar Piastri takes F1 Sprint pole ahead of Lando Norris
Only 24 points separate the three contenders for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship.
That means every point counts over the final two weeks of the season.
Today, the 20 drivers will take on qualifying for the F1 Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix, where eight points will go to the winner of tomorrow’s F1 Sprint race. Earlier today, the drivers enjoyed their single hour of practice before the lap times count for real, and it was the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris who led the way. Piastri topped the timing sheets with a lap of 1:20.924, just 0.058 seconds ahead of Norris.
Max Verstappen posted the sixth-fastest time, clocking in 0.580 seconds behind Piastri.
Norris currently leads in the Drivers’ Championship race with 390 points, followed by Piastri and Verstappen who sit level on points with 366 each. Norris can technically clinch his first Drivers’ Championship this weekend if he leaves Qatar with a 26-point advantage over his rivals, otherwise, the title race will head to the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
We’ll be tracking F1 Sprint qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix, which gets underway at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, live today here at SB Nation. So follow along with us as the grid gets set for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint race.
Update: Piastri has taken provisional pole position ahead of George Russell, with Norris set to start third. Verstappen settled for a P6 result.
Read on to see how F1 Sprint qualifying unfolded.
Qatar GP provisional F1 Sprint grid
Here is the provisional grid for the F1 Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix, which will be filled in as qualifying unfolds:
Row
Position
Driver
Team
Position
Driver
Team
Row 1
1
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
2
George Russell
Mercedes
Row 2
3
Lando Norris
McLaren
4
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
Row 3
5
Yuki Tsunoda
Red Bull
6
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
Row 4
7
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
8
Carlos Sainz Jr.
Williams
Row 5
9
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
10
Alexander Albon
Williams
Row 6
11
Isack Hadjar
VCARB
12
Oliver Bearman
Haas
Row 7
13
Gabriel Bortoleto
Sauber
14
Nico Hülkenberg
Sauber
Row 8
15
Esteban Ocon
Haas
16
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
Row 9
17
Liam Lawson
VCARB
18
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
Row 10
19
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
20
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
How F1 Sprint qualifying unfolded
What happened in SQ3
Eight minutes were put on the clock, and ten drivers remained in contention for pole position for the F1 Sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
And it was time to see the C3 soft tires bolted onto the cars for the first time in the qualifying session.
Again, Mercedes went first with the rookie Antonelli leading the veteran Russell onto the track. Red Bull followed, with Verstappen in front of Tsunoda.
Those drivers were followed by Sainz, Alonso, and Leclerc. Piastri was the first McLaren out of the garage, followed by Albon and finally Norris as all ten drivers took to the circuit.
Getting a feel for the C3 soft tires on the evolving track surface was the first order of business.
Antonelli set the early benchmark, but Russell nipped that at the top of the timing sheets with a 1:20.528. Meanwhile, Verstappen was railing over the radio about the RB21, declaring it was “bouncing like a ****ing idiot.”
Verstappen’s first push lap was only good for seventh, and replays showed that the Red Bull driver slid off the racing line and into the gravel. Not only was his time deleted, but now the team had to worry about damage to the floor of the RB21.
Piastri jumped to P1 with a 1:20.241, and Norris came across in second, just 0.044 seconds behind his teammate.
It was time to determine P1, as the final push laps began with 60 seconds remaining in SQ3, with Verstappen the initial driver to drop the hammer.
Verstappen was one-tenth down to Piastri through the first sector, and at the end of the second sector Verstappen remained behind Piastri’s pace, now two-tenths behind the Australian driver. Could he salvage things with a remarkable third sector?
He could not, as he only moved to fourth as drivers improved behind him.
Tsunoda was first, jumping to third ahead of Russell and Verstappen. Alonso was next, as the veteran rocketed into third. Russell then jumped into P1, only to see Piastri take pole position at the death.
Russell will start in second, followed by Norris in third with Alonso alongside him.
What happened in SQ2
Under F1 Sprint rules, the C2 medium tires were again required in SQ2, and the session began with ten minutes on the clock.
But the end of SQ1 remained the topic of discussion, with race officials looking into potential impeding incidents between Norris and Verstappen. Alex Jacques and Jolyon Palmer described them as “gamesmanship” more than anything else.
However, the ultimate decision rests in the hands of the stewards.
Cars took to the track, and unlike SQ1, Mercedes went on the early side with Russell leading the 15 remaining drivers onto the circuit.
With eight minutes remaining in SQ2, the word came from race officials that there would be no further investigation into the incidents between Norris and Verstappen.
As the opening push laps came in, Verstappen led the way, followed by Leclerc and Tsunoda in the top three. But then it was time for the MCL39s to hit the track, and Norris jumped into P1 with six minutes left in the session with a 1:20.956. Piastri’s opening lap was just behind his teammates, as the Australian driver delivered a 1:21.005 to slide into P2, 0.049 seconds behind Norris.
With five minutes left in SQ2, Ocon, Albon, Bortoleto, Alonso, and Antonelli were the five drivers in the drop zone.
Antonelli jumped into P7 with under three minutes to go, as the final rounds of push laps began. It was over to Verstappen for his next effort, but the concern at Red Bull was over the level of bouncing the driver was reporting inside the cockpit of the RB21. While his next lap was strong, it was only good for third behind Norris and Piastri.
Bearman, Ocon, Albon, Bortoleto, and Alonso were the five drivers in the drop zone as the clock approached zero. Alonso jumped into P7 as the track came alive for the final laps on the C2 medium tires, before the softs would come into play in SQ3.
Hadjar and Hülkenberg had lap times deleted, which led to their eliminations. Bearman, Bortoleto, and Ocon joined them in the bottom five of SQ2.
What happened in SQ1
12 minutes were put on the clock, and F1 Sprint qualifying began under the floodlights at Lusail International Circuit. As required under F1 Sprint rules, C2 medium tires were bolted onto the 20 cars as SQ1 began, and tires may be a big story over the course of the weekend. As we discussed earlier this week, Pirelli, the sport’s exclusive tire supplier, has mandated a 25-lap maximum for each set of tires.
That is something to watch through Sunday’s main event.
Leading the drivers out was none other than Verstappen, who was the first driver to exit pit lane and take on the Lusail International Circuit, with its 16 corners, 10 of which are right-handed turns that put tremendous stress on the left front tires.
Verstappen set the early benchmark with a time of 1:22.258, which stayed atop the timing sheets as other drivers completed their initial push laps but was off the laps posted by Piastri and Norris during FP1.
Then came the opening gambit from Norris, who went purple through the first sector and clocked in at 1:21.621, which vaulted him into P1. Piastri followed with a 1:21813, just 0.192 seconds behind his McLaren teammate. With seven minutes remaining in the session, those two led the way, followed by Alonso, Hadjar, and Albon rounding out the top five.
The Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto were down in the elimination zone along with Lawson, Antonelli, and Russell, all three having yet to set a time by the six-minute mark.
The second push lap from Verstappen saw the Red Bull driver deliver the fastest first sector to that point, along with the fastest third sector, and Verstappen roared back to P1 with a 1:21.494.
Gasly then delivered a strong lap, jumping up to P8 with five minutes left in SQ1. Times kept tumbline as Tsunoda jumped up to P5, Sainz into P6, and Ocon into P9.
McLaren answered Verstappen’s volley, with Norris pumping in a 1:21.398 to take P1 for a few seconds, only to be nipped by Piastri, who delivered a 1:21.286 to jump ahead of Norris by 0.112 seconds.
As the clock hit three minutes remaining, neither Mercedes driver had yet to set a time, as the Silver Arrows waited to go until the end of the session. Antonelli’s first push lap kept him in the bottom five, while Russell jumped to P5.
With the final push laps looming, the five drivers at risk were: Antonelli, Gasly, Lawson, Hamilton, and Colapinto. Ocon (P13), Bearman (P14), and Stroll (P15) were the other drivers at risk.
How about Alonso? The wily veteran rocketed to the top of the timing sheets with 90 seconds remaining with a time of 1:21.276. Aston Martin is in a tight fight for seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, where they sit eighth with 72 points, one point behind seventh-place Haas.
The clock finally hit zero just as Verstappen crossed the line to jump into P1. Hamilton crossed the line in P15, which put him a risk of elimination.
Ultimately, the seven-time champion was eliminated down in P18. Stroll, Lawson, Hamilton, Gasly, and Colapinto were the five drivers eliminated.
“The car is not good,” warned Jolyon Palmer in the F1TV booth about Ferrari and the SF25.
Also of note? An incident between Norris and Verstappen was noted by race officials for a potential impeding penalty.
Verstappen led the way in SQ1, followed by Alonso, Piastri, Hülkenberg, and Norris in the top five.
Keegan Bradley finishes as Skins Game Champion on Black Friday
The Skins Game, presented by Capital One, returned to our lives on Black Friday and featured a match that involved Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, Shane Lowry, and Tommy Fleetwood. As you would expect there were a lot of points of discussion around the Ryder Cup for obvious reasons.
But this particular match was about revitalizing The Skins Game and this edition of it aired on Prime Video to kickstart Black Friday. Prime Video established a huge slate of sporting action on the “holiday” that also involved the NFL and NBA. For professional golf to start the party was significant.
We have seen these matches, or ones of a similar variety, happen at different points over the last decade, and this one was a ton of fun. I have never understood why people call this the silly season as we are still watching the best golfers in the world do their thing. The format is different, but in this case it tugged at nostalgia for The Skins Game that many knew and loved long ago.
Keegan Bradley wound up winning the overall event as he took home the most skins. The Boston native finished with 11 skins and $2.1M for his efforts.
While Bradley was the overall winner there were other big-time moments from throughout the day’s action. Notably Tommy Fleetwood finished it all off to snatch $1.125M for himself.
Anthony Davis set to return to Mavericks Friday night, will face Lakers for first time since trade
After missing 14 games with a calf strain, Anthony Davis is set to make his return to the Mavericks lineup Friday in Los Angeles — and face the Lakers for the first time since the franchise traded him away last February for Luka Doncic.
Davis pointed toward this game as a return, and his status was moved to questionable on Thursday, a sign he would play. On Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news. This was the game Davis had been pointing to for a return, as he told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News: “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical and coaching staff.”
Davis played in just five games this season before his calf injury sidelined him, but AD averaged 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game when he did play, and the Mavericks were 2-3. They went 3-11 without him in the lineup. While he will play on Friday against the Lakers, he will not be cleared to play the back-to-back against the Clippers on Saturday.
Davis’ return to play was delayed due to a reported disagreement between Davis and his medical advisors, and the Mavericks’ medical staff, which wanted him to wait longer before returning. Dallas governor/owner Patrick Dumont stepped into the disagreement and sided with the Mavericks’ medical team.
Davis likely goes up against the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton up front. Ayton missed the last Lakers game with a knee contusion but has also been moved to questionable and is expected to play on Friday.
Fantasy Basketball Weekend Must-Starts: Keegan Murray Thriving as King of Sacramento
In head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
The Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Magic, Trail Blazers and Wizards only play once this weekend. In order to maximize your opportunities, avoid those teams if you’re deciding between a few options.
DeMar DeRozan said that the Kings are Murray’s team. Through four games, that is holding true, as he is posting career bests in every category except for 3-pointers. Now, they get matchups with the Jazz and Grizzlies, with both teams sitting in the top-five for most 3-pointers allowed per game in November. Murray is proving that he’s way more than just a deep-range specialist for fantasy managers, but he is also Sacramento’s best shooting threat. He’s available in 54% of Yahoo! leagues currently, so if he’s sitting on your waiver wire, add him and get ready to enjoy a big weekend.
Guards
Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Mathurin has been quieter recently, but this is a great weekend for him to get back on track. They play the Wizards and Bulls, with Washington ranking fourth in pace in November and Chicago ranking second. Indiana also plays fast, so there should be plenty of shots for Mathurin. He had scored at least 20 points in every game prior to their last two games, and this weekend should result in him getting back on track.
Vince Williams Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Williams has been awesome as a starter with Ja Morant (calf) sidelined. He has started the last five games and is averaging 7.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The shooting hasn’t been there, but he may be able to get back on track against the Clippers and Kings this weekend, with both teams posting a bottom-five defensive rating in November. Whether he gets his shot going or not, the dimes will continue to make him worth streaming.
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Rollins is a must-roster player in every format at this point, but this weekend should be a big one for him. They’ll take on the Knicks, who have allowed the third-most 3-pointers per game this season, and the Nets, who have the worst defensive rating in the league this season. Brooklyn has been a little better recently, but they still rank near the bottom of the league in November. Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo is questionable to play Friday and has missed the past four games.
Forwards
Josh Hart, New York Knicks
Hart saw a bump in minutes when OG Anunoby went down with a hamstring injury, but he only moved into the starting unit for the last two games. During those, he averaged 14.5 points, 10 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 3-pointers per game. Matchups with the Bucks and Raptors aren’t favorable, though it would help if Antetokounmpo remained out for at least one more game. At this point, Hart is playing too well for it to matter who he’s playing against.
Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons
Detroit will take on the Magic and Heat this weekend, and while Orlando has been a tough defense once again this year, playing Miami has been a recipe for success. The Heat lead the league in pace this season, which typically leads to big statistical performances for everyone on both teams. Harris has been solid since returning from a nine-game absence with an ankle injury. It’s worth noting this is a back-to-back for the Pistons, so if Harris sits out against Miami, Isaiah Stewart will likely start and have just as much upside.
Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets
With Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon both sidelined, Watson has thrived as a starter over the last six games, averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block and 2.3 3-pointers while shooting 56.3% from the floor. That includes a 32/12 double-double and a 27-point outing in Denver’s last game. Matchups with the Spurs and Suns aren’t ideal, but Watson has been too good for that to be a limiting factor.
Centers
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers
Drummond should be rostered as long as Joel Embiid is unavailable, and this weekend provides him with an opportunity to shine. The Sixers have matchups with the Nets and Hawks, who both rank in the bottom five in rebounding percentage. Drummond has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in seven of his eight starts this year; the one time he didn’t, it was because he was limited to 18 minutes by foul trouble.
Isaiah Jackson, Indiana Pacers
I’ve been low on Jackson all season, but I think he has a great opportunity this weekend. They take on the Wizards and Bulls, who allow the most and second-most points in the paint per game this season. In November, both teams rank in the top three in most rebounds allowed per game. This is a recipe for a great weekend for Jackson, who has been largely underwhelming this year.
Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers
Ayton is probable to return to the lineup on Friday after missing a game with a knee contusion, and the matchup is perfect. Games against the Mavericks and Pelicans are ideal; Dallas has allowed the second-most rebounds per game this season and the third-most points in the paint per game. As far as the New Orleans game, Ayton had 20 points and 16 rebounds on 10-of-11 shooting against them just two weeks ago.
Spurs’ Harper (calf) returns, provides spark in win
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper had seven points, three rebounds and two assists off the bench in his return Wednesday at Portland after missing 10 games because of a strained left calf.
