Every year, the two best teams in NCAA Division III football meet in Salem, Virginia for the Stagg Bowl. For the ninth time in 10 years, the championship game will feature the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks and the Mount Union Purple Raiders. With these teams establishing a rivalry that literally has national championship implications, Friday’s game should be an interesting one.

The Purple Raiders (from Alliance, Ohio) come into this game undefeated after routing almost every opponent in the 2014 season. Their two closest games both came against conference foe John Carroll, who Mount Union beat 36-28 in the Division III quarterfinals. Purple Raiders quarterback Kevin Burke has thrown for over 4,000 yards and accounted for 59 total touchdowns through 14 games. Earlier this week, he became the first two-time winner of the Gagliardi Award, the Division III equivalent of the Heisman. Having led his school to a national championship as a sophomore, Burke will be eager (along with 2nd-year head coach Vince Kehres) to bring another trophy back to northeast Ohio.

Wisconsin-Whitewater is also 14-0 in their quest for back-to-back titles. The Warhawks were involved in tough battles in both the quarterfinal and semifinal wins, before beating Wartburg and Linfield, respectively. Quarterback Matt Behrendt has 38 touchdowns and over 3,000 passing yards on the year, while Dennis Moore and Jordan Ratliffe have split the workload in the running game. This will be an emotional game for UWW, as head coach Lance Leipold coaches his final game for the Warhawks, before heading to Buffalo in the FBS. Leipold has only six losses as Warhawks head coach since coming to Whitewater in 2007; a win Friday night would give him a sixth national championship.

The Stagg Bowl isn’t the only college football game this weekend. The NAIA and NCAA Division II will also crown national champions on Friday and Saturday, respectively, while the FCS playoffs are down to the last four teams. Most FBS fans are ready for bowl season to start, with the College Football Playoff commencing New Year’s Day.

Mount Union beat Wisconsin-Whitewater in three of the first four Stagg Bowls featuring both schools (2005, 2006, 2008). The Warhawks won in 2007, took three straight from 2009-2011, failed to make the championship game in 2012, but won 52-14 last year. Including this season, the Purple Raiders have been in Salem 17 of the last 19 years, and have won 11 titles, all since 1993. With both schools featuring high-scoring offenses, expect a shootout Friday night.

The England cricket team finished its tour of Sri Lanka Tuesday with the final of seven One Day International matches between the two countries. The hosts won the game decisively by 87 runs, and took the series 5-2. With the World Cup just two months away, this marked a significant opportunity for players to solidify their spot in the English squad. While at times, some players did just that, team management will have some questions to answer, with one touring series left before “cricket’s greatest spectacle.”

One could easily argue that Sri Lanka’s dominant performance Tuesday came from sentiment; it was the final home ODI for Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, two of the greatest players in not just their country’s history, but modern cricket history in general. Both have announced they will retire from one-day matches after the World Cup, so it was fitting that Jayawardene, who made a century in the 2011 CWC Final, took the final wicket that sealed the hosts’ victory.

For England, there are a lot of positives and negatives from this tour. Joe Root and Moeen Ali both made centuries, but in separate matches and only one for each player. Alastair Cook’s struggles continued; his highest score during the series was 34, while his average was below 20 in six innings. (He was suspended for the fourth ODI for a slow over rate.) The captain has only five centuries for England, three of them at home, the most recent against the West Indies over two years ago.

On the bowling side, Chris Woakes had several significant contributions; he was England’s leading wicket-taker in both wins. But he also conceded 71 runs on Tuesday, the most of the six bowlers used. If he is named to the final World Cup squad, he will have a chance at redemption when England face Sri Lanka in pool play on March 1, but most of the other bowlers will also be making their first-ever appearance in this tournament, so inexperience will be a factor. James Anderson, who didn’t feature in this tour and hasn’t played an ODI since September, will be taking on a “role model” status for English bowlers if he heads to the CWC.

England’s next matches come next month in a tri-series with Australia and India. With the 2015 World Cup being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, this offers a great opportunity to find out what to expect from some of the grounds. But can England rally from a disappointing tour to turn things around before heading into group play?

Manchester United have been on a roll recently in the Premier League. The Red Devils’ 2-1 win at Southampton on Monday catapulted them into 3rd place in the table, and marked five wins in a row under Louis van Gaal. But Sunday provides another test for the 20-time English champions, when “old enemy” Liverpool comes to Old Trafford looking to get their season back on track.

The Reds finished runners-up to Manchester City in the 2013/14 campaign, but have not found that same momentum this fall. Through the Matchday 16 games on Saturday, Liverpool sits at 9th with 21 points. The club had a must-win home match in the Champions League on Tuesday with Basel, but could only manage a 1-1 draw, and are headed to the Europa League. Liverpool collected wins against United both at home and away last season, but will miss England international Daniel Sturridge this weekend.

The hosts, meanwhile, are enjoying a winning streak, with their last loss coming at Manchester City in early November. However, United will enter this clash without Angel Di Maria and several key defenders. Van Gaal will expect a tough match, as this rivalry reminds him of the famous Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid; the Dutchman managed the former in two separate stints in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

This match has traditionally been full of drama, as the clubs rank one and two in English domestic league titles won. With the cities separated by less than an hour’s drive, and the history that relates the two, it’s very easy for a visitor why the game means so much to fans from both sides. That emotion has carried to the players as well, from Nemanja Vidic’s history of red cards in this fixture; to the Patrice Evra-Luis Suarez racism row in 2011/12; to Gary Neville’s behavior toward Liverpool fans (as seen on this video uploaded to YouTube by vonkoidy) during a United win in 2006.

What will be added Sunday to the newest chapter of the Manchester United-Liverpool rivalry? It should be an exciting 90 minutes at Old Trafford.

Army and Navy will meet in Baltimore on Saturday for the 115th edition of one of the most storied rivalries in college football. For the Black Knights, the game will mark another opportunity to end what CBS announcer Verne Lundquist has called a “decade of dominance” for the Midshipmen. Navy’s last loss in this series was 2001, and have largely cruised through the last 12 meetings, with 2011 & 2012 being the only games in that stretch decided by single digits. Will the change of venue (the game is traditionally played in Philadelphia) benefit Army, or will Navy, whose academy is significantly closer to M&T Bank Stadium (they’ve already faced Ohio State there), exploit a degree of home-field advantage?

Army have struggled recently; their only winning season this century was in 2010. The Black Knights are on their sixth coach since last beating the Midshipmen, but Jeff Monken brings a factor for the team that could lead to victory. Monken was an assistant under former Navy head coach Paul Johnson, serving as running backs coach and special teams coordinator. The Peoria, Illinois native began his head coaching career at Georgia Southern in 2010, taking the Eagles to three straight FCS semifinals. In Monken’s last game at Georgia Southern, the Eagles won at Florida 26-20. Under him this year, the Black Knights have a 1,000-yard rusher in Larry Dixon, and are 6th nationally in rushing yards per game. But the defense has allowed over 30 points to seven opponents in 2014, including 49 in an overtime loss to Yale.

Navy, meanwhile, is 2nd nationally in rushing yards per game, only behind Georgia Southern; junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds has 20 touchdowns and 1,082 yards on the ground, and excelled in his first two games against Army. The Midshipmen are led by Ken Niumatalolo, who was Navy’s offensive coordinator at the same time Monken was also in Annapolis. After Johnson left for Georgia Tech before Navy’s 2007 bowl game, Niumatalolo took over head coaching duties for the Poinsettia Bowl, and began his first full season in charge the following fall. The former Hawaii quarterback has taken the Midshipmen to five additional bowl games, and at 6-5, the academy has accepted an invitation to play San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl on December 23.

It’s been generations since both teams were regularly competing for national championships, but the atmosphere surrounding this rivalry, where every player’s goal is to “Sing second,” makes it a must-see event. It’s difficult to describe the pageantry using only words, but this video, uploaded to YouTube by Stars and Stripes, perfectly captures the emotions of everybody involved. This was the game in 2012, which Navy won 17-13 after Army fumbled late in Midshipmen territory…

In 2009, the Army-Navy game was moved back a week, to reaffirm its position as the “grand finale” to college football’s regular season. In recent years, the rivalry had been struggling for a TV audience, competing with conference championship games on the same Saturday in early December. With the change, though, Americans get to appreciate a game filled with respect and pride, but one that also spurs strong emotions from both sides depending on the result.

Who do you think will win Army-Navy? Leave a comment below!

The Australian and Indian cricket teams meet Tuesday for the first of four Tests in what is the last international series for either team before the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The first Test was slated to begin on December 4, but was postponed after Phillip Hughes died on November 27, having been struck in the neck by a bouncer two days before in a first-class match.

It’s been an emotional time not just for Australians, but for cricket fans all over the globe. While Hughes wasn’t a player with a spot cemented in the national team, he still contributed significantly against international competition; in the first Ashes Test of 2013 at Trent Bridge, he and debutant Ashton Agar put together the highest tenth-wicket partnership in history, as Australia nearly won that match against England. Many fans tuned in from around the country last week to watch the athlete’s funeral, where national team captain Michael Clarke was among the speakers.

As for the upcoming Test, Clarke was a doubt because of injury, but will start for the home side. Indian captain MS Dhoni, meanwhile, will miss out as he recovers from a broken thumb, meaning Virat Kohli will be leading the visitors. How do the Indians react to this situation, knowing their opponents will be playing with spirit to honor a former teammate? What about both teams’ psyches ahead of the World Cup? In past scenarios, Australia have faced archrival England in the Ashes series, followed by ODIs and a T20I match or two. This year, it’s just four Tests.

Expect an emotional scene this week in Adelaide, as Australia continues its road to recovery from tragedy.

Landon Donovan’s playing career will come to an end after Sunday’s MLS Cup, which features his Los Angeles Galaxy taking on the New England Revolution. With the new playoff rules set by MLS, Los Angeles will host at the StubHub Center, as they had more regular season points than New England. Donovan has made his final season in professional soccer count, with 10 goals and a league-leading 19 assists in 2014, maintaining a high level of play even after his announcement on August 7.

This will be a bittersweet moment for American soccer fans of the current generation, witnessing the final game of a player who has been the one man synonymous with U.S. Soccer for over a decade. Donovan began his professional career with German club Bayer Leverkusen before being loaned to San Jose, where he led the Earthquakes to MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003. When he joined Los Angeles in 2005, Donovan won three more Cups, with a chance to add a sixth title this weekend. He has also made appearances on loan to Bayern Munich and Everton.

Donovan’s career with the U.S. national team has seen many highs and lows in 15 years. Making his senior debut in 2000, as part of a group eager to put the disaster of the 1998 World Cup behind them, he would score two goals at Korea/Japan 2002, as the Americans had their best finish at a World Cup since 1930. After being part of a disappointing campaign in 2006, Donovan scored three more times in South Africa 2010, including the dramatic game-winner against Algeria. This video (uploaded to YouTube by kitchel22130), which has almost five million views, perfectly illustrates the raw emotions of fans watching back in the States:

Even with the controversy surrounding his omission from the 2014 squad, Donovan remains the most significant player of this generation, and is now one win away from being able to join a group that includes John Elway, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Glenn McGrath; a group of athletes and coaches that go out as a champion.

Can the Galaxy beat the Revolution on Sunday? This year’s MLS Cup should provide some great memories.

The Big Ten Conference became the “Big 14” in 2014, as Maryland and Rutgers joined from the ACC and American, respectively. It was always going to be interesting to see how the two football squads competed against new opponents, and also how the East Coast welcomes a league with a history of institutions located in the Great Lakes region. So how did the Terrapins & Scarlet Knights fare in football season #1?

Maryland went 7-5 in 2014, finishing 3rd in the Big Ten East with a 4-4 league record. The Terrapins started conference play with a solid win at Indiana, and came from behind in road victories at both Penn State and Michigan. Three of those four league losses were by more than 20 points, although they were against the three best teams: Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. C.J. Brown accounted for 20 touchdowns, while wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught five touchdowns; Diggs, however, was first suspended one game for his involvement in a pre-game incident at Penn State, then was declared out for the season after suffering a lacerated kidney. The wide receiver may return for a bowl game.

Rutgers also went 7-5 overall this season, going 3-5 in conference play. After winning five of its first six games to start 2014, including a  rally against Michigan, the Scarlet Knights struggled from mid-October through the end of the year. It didn’t help that they faced Ohio State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin in a three-week span, but Rutgers did outscore Maryland 24-3 in the second half to win the meeting between the two league debutants and close its season with a victory. Gary Nova threw for 20 touchdowns (four TD passes each in three separate games), while head coach Kyle Flood, who led the team to bowl games in his first two years, will hope he can become 3-for-3, and get a first bowl win.

Also, even though they’ve been in the Big Ten longer, Nebraska is still “new” compared to most of the other schools. It’s been four years since the Cornhuskers announced they were leaving the Big 12, meaning this year’s seniors who redshirted in 2010 didn’t play, but did experience the atmosphere of that conference. Nebraska has gone 22-10 in Big Ten regular-season play, winning the Legends Division in 2012. However, head coach Bo Pelini was fired Sunday; the school has already named the replacement, although Mike Riley will not coach in the bowl game.

Both the Terrapins & Scarlet Knights are bowl-eligible, but the league office has sent a memo saying there is a possibility that either or both teams (and Illinois, too) could miss out on a 13th game this year. Whether that happens or not, both schools had respectable showings as the rookies of the Big Ten, and should provide more good teams in 2015.

Both Ohio State and Michigan have plenty to play for Saturday when they take the gridiron for their annual rivalry. The Buckeyes have already clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game next week, but need to win both of their remaining games to maintain a chance at the four-team playoff. For Michigan, a win means bowl eligibility, and Brady Hoke would bring his record against the Buckeyes up to 2-2. With the future of the fourth-year coach still uncertain, Michigan could be entering a scenario that Ohio State has faced in the past.

In 1987, then-head coach Earle Bruce was fired the Monday before Ohio State traveled to Ann Arbor. Wearing headbands with “Earle” written across, the Buckeyes upset the heavily-favored Wolverines 23-20. It would be their last road win in the rivalry for 14 years.

As of Friday morning, Hoke has not been officially fired, but many fans believe that with athletic director Dave Brandon resigning earlier this year, Hoke’s time with the Wolverines won’t last much longer. The last time Michigan won a game in Columbus was 14 years ago, when Lloyd Carr and John Cooper were the head coaches. Since then, Michigan has only won this game twice; in 2003 (35-21) and 2011 (40-34).

This rivalry has produced some great drama over the last three years. When these two teams met last November, the Buckeyes and Wolverines had an offensive shootout that nearly resulted in an upset. The Big Ten Network produced this montage of the 2013 meeting, using audio from both schools’ radio networks.

It’s very clear from the video that even with the deep respect each team has for the opponent, this is the kind of rivalry where a win can make or break a season. With that being exactly the case for both squads come Saturday, emotions will be high, and should make for an exciting afternoon in Columbus.

Interesting notes on “The Game:”

-ABC will air the game nationally, with kickoff at noon. It has traditionally started at noon, with two recent exceptions in 2005 (1:00 ET) and 2006 (3:30 ET).

-Dave Pasch and former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese are the television commentators. Pasch and former Buckeye LB Chris Spielman called the 2011 encounter. Griese played in three consecutive Michigan wins from 1995-97, starting two of them.

-Urban Meyer could be the first Ohio State coach to win his first three games against Michigan since Francis Schmidt, the man who created the “gold pants” tradition.