A Grip on Sports: The neighborhood exploded last night and blew apart our best-laid plans for a peaceful football holiday

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It is only the first day of 2026 and I am already 0-1. No, I didn’t pick Ohio State to win last night. Nor any other football game. Bucking tradition, I decided to get up this morning and do this column. Only because I told you I would. At 1:15 in the morning, as our dog shivered in my arms, scared senseless by the continuing rain of fireworks, I wished I hadn’t.

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• The booms began, for some unfathomable reason, at around 7:30 last night. I’m pretty sure the New Year didn’t start anywhere in the world at that time, but the lawbreaking did. The cul-de-sac next door. Filled with not just ground-hugging little boomers but the-rise-up-in-air-and-make-a-light-display ones.

Funny, some of us were under the impression such conduct was against the law in Spokane. other than at licensed events. And had been for more than 30 years. Carried a more-than $500 fine. I guess, unbeknown to us, the law was repealed because from that moment until after 1 a.m., the night was filled with near-constant booms, some of them loud enough to rattle, though not bust, the windows.

There was also an occasional siren in the background, making us wonder if the inevitable fire or injury rode hard on the heels of the pyrotechnics.

Yes, I am well aware of the Grampa Simpson meme that could easily accompany these words. It would be appropriate. Not sure I care. But I do care about the impact such lawbreaking has on those who can’t deal with it but have no way to make it stop.

Our dog is just one example. Stressed first responders are another. Folks beset by PTSD. Anyone with a modicum of respect for the rule of law. Or their neighbors.

Ah, well. It was an appropriate way to ring in 2026 I guess. Another year in which the idea of me-over-we feels destined to grow, its inexorable march fueled by ubiquitous cameras, social media posts and a failure of leadership.

• You know who has to fight the me-over-we trend more than anyone else? Coaches. Navigating the minefield of “hey, I did something great” while developing a team culture isn’t easy. The one who balance it best are the most successful.

Which brings us to the biggest sporting events of today. The final three College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

There is no better team game than football. Every play is a ballet. Eleven people on the offensive side of the ball performing assigned tasks, 11 others on the defensive side doing the same with the stated goal of exploding the choreography into oblivion. The resulting clash is a physical, violent composition with success almost always depending on which group imposes their will the best.

Such was the case last night in Dallas. Defending CFP champion Ohio State, only a Big Ten-title-game loss to Indiana from perfection headed in. Miami, the ACC interloper whose title dreams seem destined to be derailed even before the playoffs began.

The Hurricanes had already beaten the odds, earning the last at-large spot over Notre Dame. Then they upset Texas A&M on the road in the first round. The Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl would be a sterner test.

Maybe. Maybe not. There have been five CFP quarterfinal games under the 12-team format. In all five the team carrying the bye – and more than three weeks without a game – fell behind early. None of them have rallied to win.

Let that sink in. Five well-rested teams. Five losses.

That can’t be a coincidence. Unless it is. And Indiana, Georgia and Texas Tech prove it today.

Ohio State couldn’t, falling behind 14-0 – only a fumble deep in OSU territory keeping it from being more – and never recovering, losing 24-14. After 12 wins to start the season, losses in the last two games have ended the Buckeyes’ quest to repeat.

Will the trend hold today? Oregon hopes so, as the fifth-seed Ducks face No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl this morning (9, ESPN, as all are the games). Top-seed Indiana has the next chance to buck it, facing No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl (1 p.m.). And the Sugar Bowl rematch between third-seed Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss (5) caps the day.

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WSU: The Cougars are a long ways from the playoffs. So is a former Washington State quarterback, though Cam Ward is now concerned with the NFL’s version. His Tennessee Titans are not of the caliber to make that leap just yet. The top question in Nashville: Is Ward the guy who can lead them there? … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, not sure I’ve seen a college football game with fewer flags thrown than Miami’s 24-14 Cotton Bowl upset of Ohio State. And more obvious pass interference calls ignored. But, hey, those who yell about “ref shows” and the like must have been pleased. It probably gave them more time to shoot off fireworks. … The Rose Bowl’s start time change – 1 p.m. instead of the traditional 2 p.m. – is symptomatic of all the changes in the sport. … So is the emergence of Indiana. … Jon Wilner is going with a gut feeling. He believes the Ducks will win the national title this season. … That means he feels they will win today against Texas Tech. John Canzano agrees. I’m not so sure. The Red Raiders seems a lot like Indiana. And Ohio State from last year. The Oregon offense may have to rely on the passing game more than it likes. And the defense has to hold up. … What happened with Washington’s transfers in 2025? What are the Huskies’ positions of need this year? … Oregon State has more roster space. Fewer open assistant coach spots though. … Utah opened the Morgan Scalley era with a rout of Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. It might have been too good of a performance. … USC’s Alamo Bowl meltdown didn’t go over well with the football alumni. … Duke scored late and topped Arizona State in yesterday’s Sun Bowl. The Sun Devils were playing without many of their best players. … Arizona has rebounded nicely this season, though there is one more test. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego. … Colorado State’s roster churn continues.

• In basketball news, we linked this Washington Post column yesterday. It is available on the S-R site today. We link it again. … Colorado’s women handled Arizona with ease. … Arizona State stayed undefeated with another tight win, this one over Utah. … UCLA’s Cori Close is not happy with the coverage her Bruins, and most every college women’s team, receive in the media these days. … San Diego State got past Air Force. … Utah State topped San Jose State. … In the men’s game, Tad Boyle has some thoughts on former pros playing in the NCAA ranks. … How will Utah fare during the Big 12 season? … San Diego State really needed the win at San Jose State. … Utah State also won Tuesday night at Fresno State.

Gonzaga: Theo Lawson’s look back at the Zags’ 99-93 win in San Diego covers their defensive lapses, the great play of two wings coming off the bench and Graham Ike’s team-damaging lack of emotional control at times.

Preps: When notable sports deaths in 2025 are discussed, there is no way to avoid the passing of North Central High star Ryne Sandberg at 65. He is a homegrown Hall of Fame player after all. … The Seattle Times has a story today on an East Valley High state champion track athlete.

Idaho: Kyra Gardner decided to take a path followed recently by a couple of Palouse-based college basketball players. Move down State Route 270 between Moscow and Pullman. Except, unlike Beyonce Bea and Isaac Jones, Gardner went in the opposite direction. Peter Harriman explains in this story. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana State will play for the FCS title Monday night in Nashville. Bobcat fans are already ready. … With the recent big game losses, Montana is in danger of becoming the little brother in its relationship with the Bobcats. … Idaho State is ready for the transfer portal season. … Weber State’s new football coach has a new contract. … UC Davis’ successful season was the top story in the area. … The conference basketball season get underway today, though the Vandals open on Saturday, as they face travel partner Eastern Washington in men’s and women’s games.

Chiefs: The New Year’s Eve game with Tri-City is a traditional event. Losing it? That’s not something Spokane wants to continue. But it happened last night, as the Americans came away with a 3-2 victory. Dave Nichols has the coverage.

Seahawks: Will the Hawks have a couple key players available Saturday against the 49ers? Rashid Shaheed seems to be a yes, Charles Cross a no. … We linked this Times story yesterday. We do it again today. Yep, many of the “old” Seahawks are at the end of their NFL line. … Hey, some folks think the Hawks will win. Matt Calkins expects it. … Seattle has been in this position before. So have the 49ers, who have a little more time to finalize the game plan. … Derick Hall is back after his one-game suspension.

Mariners: Cal Raleigh’s emergence wasn’t just a regional story. It was a national one as well. … Jarred Kelenic has a new home.

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• Staying up to ring in the New Year is not something that holds much weight with me anymore. The plan was to watch the Cotton Bowl, settle down for a movie or something and if I conked out, I conked out. The conking out didn’t happen, as you probably already figured. Which means 6 a.m. came awful early today. Now my plans to settle in and watch a full day of college football will be stressed. The conking out will probably happen sometime in the middle of the Rose Bowl. That seems sacrilegious to this Pasadena-born boy. Until later …