If you’re one of us, then roll with us

The GIST: For the second straight year, the Texas Longhorns brought brooms to the national championship court — this time sweeping the Nebraska Cornhuskers 25–22, 25–14, 25–11 in front of yesterday’s record-breaking indoor NCAA volleyball crowd. Cut that net.

How they did it: The Longhorns bounced back from a nerve-wracking 5-3 season start to bag their fourth trophy. This title broke Texas’ championship game losing streak against the Huskers, who defeated the Longhorns in their first two ’ship meetings (1995 and 2015). Third time’s the charm.

• Other than Most Outstanding Player Madisen Skinner’s (literal) killer tournament, sixth-year middle blocker Asjia O’Neal scored a career-high five out of her squad’s championship-record 12 aces — including the serve that sealed the title.

What’s next: As the Pro Volleyball Federation’s first-ever No. 1 draft pick, O’Neal will soon be serving professionally and perhaps for Team USA at next summer’s Olympics. With only three other seniors on their roster, Texas will return the bulk of their champs (including Skinner) as they try to hook the sport’s second-ever three-peat next year.

• As for Nebraska, this is just the beginning. With no seniors, the freshmen-heavy Huskers will return a complete roster of athletes with championship experience. Already scared.

Zooming out: ICYMI, volleyball is the moment, and all eyes (and dollars) are on the college game, where indoor and international attendance and viewership records continue to be broken.

• It’s no wonder that investors and broadcasters are digging in, creating more events to feature the NCAA’s best. Watch out, world.

The GIST: Week 15 was as dramatic as ever, filled with coaching outbursts, Taylor Swift f-bombs, and epic, tear-inducing send offs as the end of the regular season inches closer.

Three teams clinch a playoff berth: The Dallas Cowboys locked in their third straight playoff berth before even taking a snap yesterday, advancing after the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers both lost their respective games earlier in the day. And Cowboys quarterback (QB) Dak Prescott should thank them, because the previous MVP favorite and his ’Boys were utterly dominated 31–10 by the resurgent Buffalo Bills.

• Joining Dallas in the postseason are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens. Like the Cowboys, the Eagles clinched their spot through another team’s defeat yesterday, while the Ravens did it the old-fashioned way: beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 23–7 on Sunday Night Football.

The Carolina Panthers pull off second W of the season: As mentioned, the super-struggling Panthers were narrowly victorious yesterday, defeating the Falcons 9–7 to knock Atlanta out of the top spot in the lowly NFC South. Must be those all-black uniforms.

Four more squads eliminated: The Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders, and NY Jets were all eliminated from playoff contention yesterday. That makes it unlucky number 13 straight years missing the postseason for the Jets — the longest streak in North American professional sports.

QB questions linger ahead of Monday Night Football: Both the Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks could be without their QB1s tonight: Philly’s Jalen Hurts is sick and listed as questionable, while Seattle’s Geno Smith is battling a groin injury. Stay tuned.

Just six weeks into the NCAA women’s basketball season, and the Player of the Year race is already heating up. LSU triple-double queen Angel Reese continues to take the world by storm, while UConn’s Paige Bueckers has roared back from last year’s ACL tear to lead her Huskies.

• The repeat case for Iowa’s Caitlin Clark? Oh, just leading the nation in scoring...not to mention having State Farm on her side.

While these hoopers mix it up on the court, State Farm is stuffing the stat sheet off it. They’re pouring record resources into the women’s game, from their partnership with Clark to their support of this newsletter.

• State Farm may not be draining logo threes, but they are raising the standard for brand partnerships in the women’s game. Dropping dimes left and right.

ButcherBox removes meal-planning stress as easily as they eliminate added hormones and antibiotics from their products. Their ethically raised, high-quality meats arrive at your door every month via carbon-neutral shipping methods, so protecting the health of the planet, independent farmers, and your own family has never been simpler.

• Plus, when you subscribe today, you can snag your choice of free steak tips, ground beef, or chicken wings for an entire year. Truly the best way to bring home the bacon.