>>College Football Playoff Recap
(Undated) — The College Football Playoff National Championship Game is going to be an all-SEC affair. Number-three Georgia advanced with a 54-48 double-OT win over number-two Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl in the first of two CFP semifinals on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs will square off with number-four Alabama next Monday night in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide beat number-one Clemson, 24-6, in the Sugar Bowl.
>>Report: Packers’ Thompson Taking On New Role
(Green Bay, WI) — Ted Thompson is no longer in charge of the Packers. Multiple outlets announce Thompson will stay on with Green Bay in an advisory role and they will hire a new general manager. Thompson’s been the top man in the Packers’ personnel department since 2005. He hired Mike McCarthy as head coach, drafted Aaron Rodgers and helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
>>Bears Lower The Boom On Coach John Fox
(Chicago, IL) — John Fox is out as head coach of the Chicago Bears. The Bears decided to part ways with Fox after the team went 5-11. During Fox’s three years in the Windy City, the Bears were 14-and-34. Fox was initially signed to a four-year contract in January 2015 after coaching the Denver Broncos. Over 16 seasons, Fox owns a record of 113 wins and 123 losses with Chicago, Denver and the Carolina Panthers.
>>Cardinals Coach Arians Retires
(Tempe, AZ) — Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is calling it a career. Arians announced he is retiring after five seasons in the desert. The 65-year-old finishes as the winningest coach in franchise history with 50 victories. Arians ends his tenure 49-30-and-1 and 1-and-2 in the playoffs. That includes a franchise record 13 wins in 2015 and trip to the NFC Championship.
>>Rockets’ Harden To Miss At Least Two Weeks
(Houston, TX) — The Rockets are going to have to play some games without their best player. Houston announced MVP-candidate James Harden will be out for at least two weeks because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Harden suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of their double overtime win against the Lakers on New Year’s Eve. Houston is at the Magic on Wednesday.
>>Illinois Resumes Big Ten Play Tomorrow At Minnesota
(Minneapolis, MN) — Illinois will resume Big Ten play tomorrow night on the road at Minnesota. They go up against the Gophers after back-to-back wins over Missouri and Grand Canyon. Illinois is 10-and-5 overall, including two Big Ten losses early last month. Minnesota is 12-and-3 and 1-and-1.
Coming up this Friday Night on the Talk 101 High School Game of the Week presented by Landmark of Taylorville, it’s the MacArthur Generals playing host to Glenwood. The Dale’s Southlake Pharmacy Pregame Show gets underway at 7:15a.m. The Tipoff follows at 7:30p.m. Join Scott Busboom and Kevin Hale with the call this Friday night on Talk 101FM!