THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST
WITH JASON ROMANO, FEATURING BLAKE ANDERSON
Blake Anderson is the head football coach at Utah State. In his first two seasons with the Aggies, he won 17 games and led his club to back-to-back bowl games (capturing the LA Bowl in 2021). Prior to arriving at Utah State, Anderson was the head man for Arkansas State from 2014-2020.
In 2019, the Anderson family experienced tragedy as Blake’s wife, Wendy, passed away after a battle with breast cancer. Then in early 2022, one of his sons, Cason, took his own life at the age of 21.
Today on the podcast, we talk to Blake Anderson about walking faithfully through grief, how he’s able to press on in the midst of loss, and finding purpose in his pain.
If you or someone you know struggle with suicidal thoughts, you can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free and confidential support — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just dial “988” and someone will be available to help.
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way… praying for our country more than ever. As Christians we must be that example of Christ’s unconditional love for ALL. pic.twitter.com/7A7Dx6iu99
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey runs against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
With much still to be decided in this year’s NFL playoffs, one thing is already certain coming out of wild-card weekend: A new champion will be crowned.
The No. 6 seed in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers upended the defending-champion and No. 3-seeded Philadelphia Eagles, 23-19, on Sunday in Philadelphia behind the strength of two fourth-quarter touchdowns from superstar running back Christian McCaffrey.
Trailing 16-10 on the first snap of the fourth, the Niners dialed up a trick play. The ball was pitched to wideout Jauan Jennings on what appeared to be an end-around, but the receiver rose up to pass and found an open McCaffrey for a game-tying 29-yard touchdown.
The Eagles re-took the lead on a field goal with eight minutes remaining, but it wasn’t enough. The 49ers capped a 10-play, 66-yard drive with a four-yard TD pass to McCaffrey with 2:54 to go. McCaffrey’s second touchdown reception of the contest proved to be the game-winner.
McCaffrey finished the day with 15 rushing attempts for 48 yards and six receptions (including his two touchdowns) for 66 yards — 114 total yards from scrimmage.
McCaffrey made sure to praise God in his first public comments after his clutch performance on Sunday.
“God is good,” he told Fox Sports’ Tom Rinaldi on the field moments after the final whistle blew. “Our team fights. We take it each day at a time and go as hard as we can every single time. … I love this group so much. I don’t have enough good things to say about them. I’m proud to be a part of this team.”
His 49ers now advance to the divisional round, where they will take on the NFC’s No. 1 seed and their bitter division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks. The teams split their regular-season meetings, with the 49ers winning in Seattle in Week 1 and the Seahawks winning in San Francisco in Week 18.
At 29 years old, McCaffrey is in his third full season with San Francisco. He was traded to the 49ers mid-season in 2022 after spending the first five and a half years of his pro career with the Carolina Panthers. The former Stanford Cardinal was named to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time of his career in late December, and on Sunday, he became a first-team All-Pro selection for the fourth time. He was also named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.
The 2025-26 campaign has been one of McCaffrey’s best in the NFL, playing all 17 games (after being limited to only four in 2024 due to injuries) and accumulating 1,202 rushing yards with 10 TDs and 924 receiving yards with seven TDs. His 2,126 regular-season scrimmage yards this season were the second-most in his decorated career (behind 2,392 in 2019) and the third time overall he’s eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark.
McCaffrey’s incredible football skill is undeniable, and his accomplishments are abundant. His fame is international. Still, he says none of that sits on the throne of his heart.
“[My faith in Christ] means everything to me,” McCaffrey told Sports Spectrum at the Super Bowl in February 2024. “My faith has gotten me where I am in life and through all the ups and downs when I rely on God. Anytime I’m having a tough day or having a bad time in my life, I just get back to getting into the Word — it’s got all the answers. So it’s the most important thing in my life and it’s something that I know I’ll always have to lean back on and to make a priority.”
The son of former Denver Broncos receiver Ed McCaffrey, Christian grew up in a football-crazed family with three brothers who went on to play Division-I football as well. But as important as football was to Christian, his relationship with Christ was much more so.
The star running back is often seen praying before or during each game, knowing he’s called to surrender to the One who holds all things in His hands. Leading up to the wild-card matchup with Philadelphia, he cited the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 4:16 in one of his Instagram posts.
McCaffrey isn’t shy to speak about his faith publicly and often posts Bible verses on Instagram for 2.7 million followers to see. He wants others to know that, as badly as he wants to add a Super Bowl title to his growing list of accolades, his faith is what ultimately motivates him.
“My faith is very important to me, and that’s why I’m praying all the time,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle in October 2023. “When you have a bunch of people chanting your name, it’s important that you give the honor and glory back to the Person — God — that’s allowing me to do this.”
As usual, the 49ers will rely heavily on McCaffrey against Seattle to avoid the fate they suffered the last time they faced the Seahawks, when San Francisco managed to score only three points. The exact time of Saturday’s matchup is still to be determined.
Jordan Babineaux in 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE, FEATURING JORDAN BABINEAUX
Jordan Babineaux played nine seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans. He was undrafted after playing college football at Division-II Southern Arkansas.
Nicknamed “Big Play Babs,” Jordan played in Super Bowl XL with the Seahawks and made the famous tackle on Tony Romo after a botched field-goal attempt in the 2006 NFC Wild-Card Game between Seattle and Dallas.
Matt Forte welcomes Jordan Babineaux to the podcast to discuss his miraculous journey to the NFL and how he was able to overcome the loss of his dad to achieve success. Jordan also discusses his retirement and transition away from the game, and the importance of pivoting well.
#27 Jordan Babineaux was signed as a UDFA by the #Seahawks in 2004, making 10 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles, 32 PBUs, 4 sacks & a safety in 7 seasons pic.twitter.com/18dak4460x
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore passes during the Orange Bowl, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
For more than three decades, Oregon has been one of college football’s model programs. With flashy uniforms, rosters full of future NFL stars, and an imposing home atmosphere, the Ducks have become one of the country’s premier teams.
In its 108-year history, Oregon has won 14 conference championships and 17 bowl games. The program has been particularly successful during the 2000s, including two national runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2014, and the program’s only Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Yet one thing has always eluded the Ducks: a national championship. That’s the drought No. 5 Oregon is trying to end this season as it faces conference-foe and No. 1 Indiana in the Peach Bowl on Friday night.
And if the Ducks are finally going to break through, quarterback Dante Moore will be a central reason why. After transferring from UCLA to Oregon in 2024, Moore sat behind future NFL quarterback Dillon Gabriel last season before taking over the starting job this season. Heading into Friday, he’s amassed 3,280 passing yards with 28 touchdowns (10th in the nation) and nine interceptions in 2025-26.
His breakout season has skyrocketed his NFL stock, with ESPN projecting him as the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft in its latest mock draft — though he could return to Oregon for another season.
He felt comfortable immediately upon arriving in Eugene, both on and off the field. Shortly after he enrolled, he connected with the team chaplain, where a conversation led to Moore getting baptized.
“Coach (Dan) Lanning asked me ‘what’s my why’ recently, and it’s to glorify God,” Moore said last March on the “Ducks of a Feather” podcast, hosted by former Oregon and NFL players Jonathan Stewart and Kenjon Barner. “God has blessed me with the body I have just to compete and play the game of football that I love, be around people that I’m building connections with for the rest of my life. I’m just doing everything to glorify Him.
“That can be being an athlete, it can be being a student. That’s why recently my Instagram for the past year-and-a-half now has been a lot of verses, a lot of me reading the Bible.”
Indeed, Moore’s social media presence reflects his faith. His Instagram bio says he’s a “Follower of Christ,” and those who follow Moore will often see pictures of what he’s reading in the Scriptures that day. He was also seen praying with his teammates ahead of Oregon’s Orange Bowl win over Texas Tech.
“I just want to do everything He’s blessed me to do,” Moore said on the podcast. “He gave His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, so just understand that every day that’s what drives me to be thankful for that situation and the opportunity to be where I’m at.”
His spiritual journey started with a rollercoaster freshman year at UCLA, where he said he quickly learned from some difficult stretches.
“My freshman year, my first three games were amazing. Then everything goes downhill from there and I feel like, I’ve been at the lowest of lows and the highest of highs,” Moore told 247Sports’ Duck Territory blog in October. “Coach (Chip) Kelly did a great job of making sure that I stayed positive as a mindset, but it’s just hard when you’re a freshman and you’re a young guy and you’re 17 years old in L.A. and far away from home, to stay positive and smile through it all.”
For some athletes, a change of scenery can make all the difference. That seems to be the case for Moore. At Oregon, he found not only a fresh start, but a culture that emphasized trust, joy and purpose.
“Being here with Coach Lanning, a great coach who I love to death and who I’m blessed to have him — the way he talks, communicates and calls me, just having a head coach who I trust,” Moore told 247Sports. “He’s just always telling me like code words on the field to remember my childhood self playing football in little league smiling. At the end of the day, I play the game to glorify God and if it’s a loss or a win, it doesn’t matter as long as I play my 100% hardest — that’s where my smile comes from.”
That perspective will be tested again Friday night. Indiana handed Oregon its lone defeat earlier this season, 30-20 in Oregon on Oct. 11. Their rematch comes on the big stage of the College Football Playoff semifinals. The quarterback on the other sideline is Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, whom many experts believe will be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
But Moore isn’t approaching the moment with bitterness or pressure — rather, with gratitude and high praise for his counterpart, who is also not shy about sharing his faith in Jesus.
“He’s somebody that works his tail off, a very smart quarterback,” Moore said about Mendoza to reporters this week. “But I think the biggest thing that I take away from him is he gives glory to God through his success, through his accolades, through his wins, he always gives time to glorify God, and that’s something I appreciate. Respect towards him.”
Oregon and Indiana will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The winner moves on to the national championship game.
Ravens kicker Tyler Loop reacts after missing the potential game-winning field goal, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop lined up his field-goal attempt against his team’s arch-rival as an AFC North title and a spot in the playoffs hung in the balance on Sunday. Make the kick, and you’re in. Miss it, and your season is over.
The Steelers’ home crowd buzzed with uneasy anticipation in the bitter cold of an early-January night in Pittsburgh. The Ravens had just converted an improbable 4th-and-7 into a 26-yard gain and a chance to win the game. Forty-four yards. Not a “gimme,” but Loop should make it.
A distraught Loop covered his face in the moments after his miss as he was consoled by his holder (and the team’s punter), Jordan Stout. But in the locker room after the game, with Ravens longsnapper Nick Moore and Stout standing behind him in an act of support, Loop bravely faced the media and pointed to the One who sustains him.
“I had written down a little prayer before the game and [I was] just re-reading it,” he said. “Faith is a big part of my life, and right now I’m reading the Book of Romans. In Romans 8, it says, ‘God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.’
“… Just reminding myself that, ‘Hey, you know, God’s got my back even when stuff sucks.'”
“God’s got my back, even when stuff sucks.”
This is awesome to see from Ravens kicker Tyler Loop answering questions and pointing to the Lord after a tough loss Sunday night against Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/nQAPhLelky
“I just want to say I’m super grateful to Baltimore — the organization, the city — just how they’ve embraced me this year has been incredible,” Loop also told the media. “Just for it to end like that sucks, and I want to do better. Unfortunately the nature of the job is you have makes, and then unfortunately you have misses. And for that to happen tonight sucks.”
Loop expressed how much his teammates and coaches had supported him throughout his first NFL season, and that continued in the wake of his season-ending miss. In addition to the support from Moore and Stout, star running back and fellow Christ-follower Derrick Henry also spoke about Loop to the media.
“I feel for Tyler,” Henry said. “I talked to him. I told him just keep his spirits up. Deal with it tonight, and tomorrow the sun rises again. I just told him that the story after this is gonna be great for him, because God put him in this position to use him as an example to something that is adversity. And then I can’t wait to see him overcome it on the other side.
“But I just told [Loop] to trust God’s plan. He wouldn’t put him in this position if he wasn’t strong enough to handle it. I know it’s tough right now, but I think when it’s all said and done, he’ll look back on it and appreciate the moment.”
Loop was drafted out of Arizona by the Ravens in the sixth round in last April’s NFL Draft, the second kicker selected, four spots behind Andres Borregales of the New England Patriots. Loop made an instant impact in Baltimore’s locker room by winning the starting job in the preseason. He then made 30 of 34 field goals (88.2%) and 44 of 46 extra-point attempts (95.7%) in the regular season, and he did not miss a field-goal attempt from less than 50 yards until Sunday night.
Before beginning his professional career, the Lucas, Texas, native spent five successful collegiate seasons with the Wildcats, earning second-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2023 and being named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2024. He converted on 67 of 80 field-goal attempts (83.8%) and 126 of 128 extra-point attempts (98.4%) during his time in Tucson.
Loop — who describes himself as a “Jesus super fan” in his X bio and a “Follower of Christ” on Instagram — isn’t afraid to post about his faith in Jesus on social media. He even shared his testimony of faith on Instagram for the world to see.
After his college career ended with a 49-7 loss to rival Arizona State, Loop took to Instagram to thank the Tucson community for his college football experience.
“I am deeply grateful for all that God has provided me here — people, relationships, and opportunities,” he captioned his post. “I have been truly blessed and am excited to follow Christ into whatever chapter He has planned for my life. Forever and always, Bear Down.”
Another offseason now awaits Loop and his Ravens teammates, preparing to once again chase an AFC North championship in 2026-27. For Loop, the memory of how this season ended will surely be a painful one all summer, but by God’s grace, it will be one in which Loop knows his Heavenly Father was at work to increase his joy in Him.
