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Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Who are the top 10 most dominant stars to make the cover of Madden all-time?
Every summer, the Madden cover athlete is revealed and generates an incredible amount of hype. Who will it be? That buzz lasts for most of the summer until the game comes out, and then soon after, actual football is upon us, with the NFL's regular season usually starting very soon after the release of the game. This year, Saquon Barkley was named to the cover— reigning Super Bowl champion and the newest member of the 2,000-yard single-season rushing club. Being picked for the Madden cover is a huge accomplishment. Only the best players make it there, and sometimes, an all-time great player is picked for the cover – think Barry Sanders in 2014. The game's release dates back to the late 1980s and has picked up steam every year since. That is a lot of star power for the game's cover. So, who are the best cover athletes to be picked? With that question in mind, FOX Sports Research compiled a list of the top 10 Madden cover athletes as we head into the 2026 version of the game. Top 10 Madden cover athletes of all-time 10. John Madden (1988-2000, 2023) The only coach on this list and fitting that it's the coach the game is named after. Madden was an elite coach, but also delivered in the broadcast booth and his games helped integrate everyone from young children to older adults into the world of football. He is the person who has been on the cover of the game the most (and rightly so), but his coaching acumen was a big reason why it made sense. The Hall of Famer claimed 10 or more wins in five of his last seven seasons on the sidelines, while also winning his lone Super Bowl with the Raiders in 1976. 9. Brett Favre (2009) The true definition of a gunslinger, Favre was a prolific passer for a staggering 20 seasons in the league (19 as a starter). He won three consecutive league MVP awards from 1995 to 1997 — he's still the only player in league history to win three straight. From a statistical standpoint, he ranks fourth all time in passing yards (71,838) and fourth in passing touchdowns (508), and he's tied for the second-most wins (186). For the postseason, he cracks the top five in passing yards and touchdowns, while being one of only eight quarterbacks ever with 13 wins. He led the Packers to a Super Bowl title in the 1996 season 8. Ray Lewis (2005) A banner year for Lewis, the hard-hitting linebacker claimed his second, and what would prove to be his last, Defensive Player of the Year award in 2003. It was also well deserved, with the thumped collecting six interceptions that year, more than he had in the previous two seasons combined, and racking up 163 tackles, the most he had in four seasons. For his troubles, he also earned MVP votes, finishing sixth in the voting. 7. Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald (2010) Multiple cover athletes! Two legends graced the cover for the 2010 version of the game. This choice, of course, came off the incredible Super Bowl where the Steelers squeaked past the surging Cardinals to claim another Lombardi Trophy. Still, they chose two all-timers for this one. Fitzgerald posted 1,431 receiving yards off his 96 receptions, and led the league with 12 receiving touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Polamalu had seven interceptions, 17 passes defended and 73 tackles to his credit. It was a bold choice, but befitting the performance for both in Super Bowl XLIII. 6. Marshall Faulk (2003) Faulk earned his place on the cover from his do-it-all abilities and for helping lead one of the best offenses the game has ever seen. His 2001 season, which earned him the cover spot, was his fourth consecutive over 1,300 rushing yards, and it was his third straight year he led the NFL in yards per attempt. Moreover, it was also the third straight season he finished in the top two in MVP voting. He won the honor in 2000, but was runner-up in both 1999 and 2001. In 2001, though, he would settle for Offensive Player of the Year and a selection to the AP All-Pro First-Team 5. Rob Gronkowski (2017) Perhaps the best tight end ever to grace the gridiron, Gronk had the second-most receiving yards in a single season in his career prior to being named the Madden cover star. The burly receiver snagged 72 catches to pair with 1,176 receiving yards, in addition to being an absolute force blocking in the run game. That led him to be named to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro, solidifying his standing as a top TE in the game. 4. Calvin Johnson (2013) Johnson's best year actually came the year his game released, with 2012 marking the season he set the single-season receiving yard mark. Despite that, his 2011 was still incredible no matter how you slice it. His 1,681 receiving yards were the most in the league, averaging 105.1 per game. He was also able to find the end zone an average of one time per game, finishing with 16 touchdowns on the year. He would earn a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro for his troubles. 3. Drew Brees (2011) Brees' career was statistically undeniable. He and Tom Brady are the only two quarterbacks to throw for 80,000 career yards, Brees' 571 touchdown passes are the second-most all-time, and his 172 wins rank fourth. Brees made a whopping 13 Pro Bowls and led the league in passing yards seven times in his 20-year career. In the 2009 season, he led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title — against Peyton Manning's Colts — and was MVP of the game. Brees twice won Offensive Player of the Year. 2. Barry Sanders (2014) An NFL legend makes his way onto the Madden cover. Barry Sanders was, and maybe still is, the most elusive back to ever suit up in the NFL. The Lions legend is remembered by everyone and for good reason. He led the NFL in rushing yards four separate times, averaged over 100 yards per game in four different seasons and finished his career averaging 99.8 yards per game. One of the most fascinating cases as well is how he left the game. Sanders collected the MVP award in his second to last season in the league and powered his way to 1,491 rushing yards in his final season for Detroit. 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (2022) It was always going to be the 2022 game, which could, when all is said and done, feature the two greatest QBs of all-time. Moreover, they also met in the Super Bowl for the 2020 season, with the game taking place in 2021. That, of course, was when Tom Brady and the Bucs dismantled Mahomes and the Chiefs 31-9, giving Brady yet another ring for his historic career. Both QBs had their greatness on full display for 2020 though, with Brady tossing 40 TDs and accumulating 4,633 pass yards while Mahomes added 4,740 pass yards and 38 TDs. Honorable mention Michael Vick (2004) Lamar Jackson (2021) Josh Allen (2024) Christian McCaffrey (2025) Saquon Barkley (2026) Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 March Madness first-round betting trends, NCAA Tournament odds
It's the most wonderful time of year, as the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament , affectionately known as "March Madness" to most, starts this week. This will be the 86th edition of the tournament and the 40th since expanding to 64 teams in 1985. Given the numerous upsets over the years, FOX Sports Research took a deep dive into the numbers to find you the best first-round and tournament betting trends. We dissected how teams performed against the spread (ATS) and straight up (SU) to give you the information needed to make some successful wagers throughout the first week. Let's dive in. Underdogs have a slight edge against the spread (ATS) in the Round of 64 If it feels like underdogs have done well in the first round in recent years, it's because they have — especially from a gambling perspective. Since 2015, they've gone a whopping 149-133-3 ATS (52.8%). Seventy-eight of those underdogs actually won their respective games straight up (SU), which is significant considering the number of mid-majors and small programs that compete. Below, we've outlined how underdogs have performed historically since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985: Underdogs are 610-595-25 ATS (50.6%) and 311-919 SU (25.3%) in the Round of 64 all-time. Double-digit underdogs are 244-243-7 ATS (50.1%) and 38-456 SU (7.7%) in the Round of 64 all-time. Currently, the 20+ point spreads in the Round of 64 feature Alabama (-22.5) vs Robert Morris, Houston (-28.5) vs. SIU Edwardsville, Auburn (-32.5) vs. Alabama State, Duke (-31.5) vs Mount St. Mary's, and Florida (-28.5) vs Norfolk State. Teams that are 20+ point underdogs in the Round of 64 are 91-85-3 ATS (51.7%) and 4-175 SU (2.2%). Teams that are 30+ point underdogs in the Round of 64 are 9-14 ATS (39.1%) and 0-23 SU. Specific seed vs. seed matchups in Round of 64 Expanding a bit more on the first round, here is a breakdown of some interesting trends with double-digit seeds. You might be surprised at how successful the lower seeds have been in recent years: A 12-seed has won 55 first-round games since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In 12 of the past 16 tournaments, at least one 13-seed has beaten a No. 4 seed. In six of the past 12 tournaments, a No. 14 seed has beaten a No. 3 seed; however, only two No. 14 seed has defeated a No. 3 seed in the last five tournaments (2021 Abilene Christian defeated Texas; 2024 Oakland defeated Kentucky). In six of the past 12 NCAA tournaments, a 15-seed has beaten a 2-seed, but none won last year. Double-digit seeds are 528-541-22 ATS (49.4%) and 245-846 SU (22.5%) in the Round of 64 since the Oregon- VCU game in 2021 when Oregon advanced due to COVID-19 issues. Excludes the Oregon- VCU game in 2021 when Oregon advanced due to COVID-19 issues. That being said, it would be unfair not to point out some of the glaring losing streaks that many of the small conferences hold, as these are the schools that usually obtain these double-digit seeds. Horizon League schools are 1-11 in the Round of 64 since 2012, with the lone win in that span coming from Oakland against Kentucky last year.15th-seeded Robert Morris, the lone Horizon League team in this year's tournament, faces Alabama, the No. 2 seed in the East Region. 15th-seeded Robert Morris, the lone Horizon League team in this year's tournament, faces Alabama, the No. 2 seed in the East Region. Big Sky schools are 3-35 in the Round of 64 all-time, with the last win coming from Montana in will look to win again, as they are the lone Big Sky school in the tournament this year— and will face three-seed Wisconsin. Montana will look to win again, as they are the lone Big Sky school in the tournament this year— and will face three-seed Wisconsin. Colonial Athletic schools are 0-11 in the Round of 64 since 2013, with the last win coming from VCU (now in the Atlantic 10) in 14th-seeded UNC Wilmington Seahawks are the lone Colonial Athletic team in the field this year, facing third-seeded Texas Tech. The 14th-seeded UNC Wilmington Seahawks are the lone Colonial Athletic team in the field this year, facing third-seeded Texas Tech. Big South schools are 1-28 in the Round of 64, with the lone win coming from Winthrop in lone Big South school in this year's tournament is 13th-seeded High Point, which takes on 4-seed Purdue. The lone Big South school in this year's tournament is 13th-seeded High Point, which takes on 4-seed Purdue. Bet on these coaches to cover in the Round of 64 It could be argued that coaching matters more in college basketball than in any other sport, and that notion is accentuated even more in the tournament. There are six coaches in this year's tourney who rank in the top 20 all-time in cover rate for Round of 64 games (minimum 10 games coached in round): Matt Painter: 12-4 ATS (75%) in the Round of 64, tied for the best of any coach all-time (Rick Majerus was 9-3 ATS in Round of 64). No. 4 Purdue takes on High Point, looking to make another run in the tourney after losing in the title game last year. Dana Altman: 9-4-2 ATS (69.2%) in the Round of 64, the fourth-best of any coach all-time. No. 5 Oregon will take on No. 12 Liberty as 7.5-point favorites, the Ducks' ninth tournament appearance under Altman. Bill Self: 14-9-1 ATS (60.9%) in the Round of 64, the 14th all-time. The No. 7 Jayhawks will take on 10th-seeded Arkansas as 5.5-point favorites despite having lost three of their last five games. Scott Drew, Greg McDermott: both are 7-5 ATS (58.3%) in the Round of 64, tied for the 15th-best among all coaches all-time. Drew will lead Baylor against Mississippi State as one-point underdogs, while McDermott will lead Creighton against Louisville as a 2.5-point underdog; both of these matchups are No. 8 vs No. 9 games. Tom Izzo: 14-11 ATS (56%) in the Round of 64, the 19th best among all coaches all-time. The Spartans are in their 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament under Izzo, which is tied for the second-longest streak in NCAA history. They are a two-seed and 17.5-point favorites against 15-seed Bryant. No. 1 seeds dominate in the Round of 64 AND in the title game While we've focused on the Round of 64, we also wanted to give you a quick overview of what characteristics national champions display. Since seeding began in 1979, 27 No. 1 seeds have won 27 national championships, the most of any seed. The rest of the other seeds have combined for just 18 titles. That means 60% of national champions since 1979 were top seeds. In fact, six of the past seven national title winners and 13 of the past 17 champions were No. 1 seeds. In the Round of 64, they're almost perfect, going a whopping 154-2 SU (98.7%) and 81-73-2 ATS (52.6%) since 1985. The only 16-seeds to defeat a top seed are UMBC, who took down Virginia in the 2018 tournament, and the Fairleigh Dickinson team that took down Purdue in 2023. Other notable trends Since the First Four was introduced in 2011, a team that won in the First Four has made it to the Round of 32 in 12 of those 13 tournaments— including two teams to make the Final Four (2021 VCU, 2024 UCLA.) Gonzaga is 19-11 ATS (63.3%) and 16-14 SU (53.3%) in the tournament when playing as a No. 5 or worse (the Zags enter the tournament as a No. 8 seed); they have also made the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive tournaments, four shy of tying the modern record held by North Carolina and five shy of the all-time record held by UCLA. Rick Barnes is appearing in his 29th NCAA Tournament; in the previous 28, his teams lost in the first weekend (Round of 64 or Round of 32) 19 times. Dan Hurley is 15-3 ATS (83.3%) and 14-4 SU (77.8%) in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach; that is the highest cover rate of any coach since 1985 (minimum 15 games coached). Since 1985, a double-digit seed has made the Sweet 16 in all but two NCAA Tournaments (1995, 2007). No team west of the state of Texas has won the NCAA Tournament since 1997, when Arizona took home the title that year. KenPom trends KenPom has become one of the most respected college basketball analytical tools since its debut. The site takes into account various metrics to measure the offensive and defensive efficiencies of every Division I basketball team. Looking at the pre-tournament KenPom data, there are a few interesting trends. Firstly, 22 of the last 23 national champions ranked in the top 21 of adjusted offensive efficiency (2014 UConn lone exception). Twenty of the last 23 national champions ranked in the top 31 of adjusted defensive efficiency (2009 North Carolina, 2015 Duke, 2021 Baylor). So, using the 2024 pre-tournament KenPom rankings, below are the eight teams that fit the bill of ranking in the top 21 of offense and top 31 in defense — with odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook (as of March 20th): Duke: +320 to win title (bet $10 to win $42) Florida: +380 to win the title (bet $10 to win $48) Auburn: +400 to win the title (bet $10 to win $50) Houston: +600 to win title (bet $10 to win $70) Tennessee: +2200 to win title (bet $10 to win $230) Alabama: +2200 to win title (bet $10 to win $230) Iowa State: +4500 to win title (bet $10 to win $460) Gonzaga: +5000 to win title (bet $10 to win $510) Wisconsin.: +6000 to win title (bet $10 to win $610) Again, this isn't a strict measure, as teams can get hot — like several teams mentioned above in parenthesis. But it is a good indicator of which teams might be worth a title bet prior to the tournament starting. Duke is the current favorite to win it all (+320), but it's worth noting that 10 of the last 11 title winners all had odds greater than +450 entering the tournament (last year's UConn team was +350 prior to the first round). And before that, Kentucky in 2012 was the last team to have shorter odds, closing at +185 before their first game. It's also worth noting that all 23 national champions in the KenPom era (since 2001) were ranked in the top 25 of overall adjusted efficiency. All nine of the teams above rank inside the top 13 of this year's pre-tournament KenPom data. So who are you betting on? recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox News
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Super Bowl 2025 odds: 10 betting trends to know for Chiefs-Eagles
The Super Bowl is finally here! And when it comes to gambling on the biggest game of the year, we have you covered from a trends point of view. FOX Sports Research took a deep dive into wagering on the Super Bowl by looking at various angles and trends that have historically been profitable. After wading through the data, here are the 10 best overall trends that caught our attention. Hopefully, these nuggets help you make informed wagers, but more importantly, they'll make watching the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles a little more exciting. Let's get into the trends! This is a staggering number that jumped off the page. Teams that get on the board first have won 37 of 58 Super Bowls. Looking at a more recent time frame, the team that scored first has lost in four of the last five Super Bowls, with the Los Angeles Rams being the only exception in the 2021 season. Despite the recent dip, this has been a profitable trend. From 2011 to 2018, all but one of the teams that scored first in the game went on to win. Additionally, 29 of the first 45 Super Bowls saw the team that scored first be victorious. The lone team from 2011-18 not to score first and win? The New England Patriots in 2017 (2016 season), who were famously down 28-3 in the third quarter but still managed to get a W. Teams that win the Super Bowl are 49-7-2 ATS in the game, covering at an 87.5% clip. Since the 2009 season, teams that win the Super Bowl have gone a whopping 14-1 ATS (93.3%). The lone team to not cover in that span was the Rams in the 2021 season, winning by three points as 4.5-point favorites against the Cincinnati Bengals. With Sirianni making his second appearance in the Super Bowl, we did a deep dive into his performance ATS and straight up (SU) as a head coach. Here's what we found: Coach Andy Reid is also no stranger to the Super Bowl, making his sixth appearance in the big game, tied with Don Shula for the second-most in NFL history. Here's a deep dive into how he's performed in various betting situations throughout his career: Look for who gets an early lead in the rushing total, as teams that win the rushing battle in the Super Bowl are an astonishing 41-14-3 ATS (74.5%) and 43-15 SU (74.1%). In the regular season, the Chiefs were 22nd in the league in rushing at 105.3 rush yards per game, while the Chiefs ranked second at 179.3. Teams that allowed fewer points per game during the regular season have won eight of the last nine Super Bowls and are also 7-2 ATS (77.8%). The 2022 Chiefs team broke a streak of seven straight teams winning the Super Bowl when allowing fewer points per game compared to their Super Bowl opponent, and the 2023 Chiefs squad got the trend back on track (as they allowed fewer points per game than the 49ers). Prior to 2022, the last team to win the Super Bowl while sporting a higher points-per-game average was the Patriots in 2015 (2014 season), who would have lost the game to the Seattle Seahawks had Malcolm Butler not intercepted the ball on the goal line with 20 seconds left. This season, the Chiefs allowed 19.2 points per game in the regular season (fourth-best in league), while the Eagles allowed 17.8 (second-best in league). Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the NFC and AFC have split Super Bowl wins equally at 27 apiece, and the cover rate is also equal at 26-26-2 ATS (50%). However, over the last 12 Super Bowls, the AFC has gone 9-3 ATS (75%) and 8-4 SU (66.7%). The NFC teams to cover in that span were the 2013 Seahawks, the 2017 Eagles and the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs were favored in 14 of 16 games with Mahomes as the starter this season, going 6-7-1 ATS (46.2%) and 14-0 SU in those games. Kansas City is currently a 1.5-point favorite against Philadelphia. Below is an overview of how Mahomes has performed as a favorite in his career: Only 44.8% of teams all time have won the Super Bowl after winning the coin toss. Just another thing to keep in mind if you want to throw in a live bet. The winner of the coin flip had an unlucky eight-year stretch of losing the game until the Chiefs broke the curse over the last two years (winning the toss and the game both times). Before the Chiefs did so in 2023 and 2024, the last time we saw two consecutive Super Bowls in which the coin toss winner also won the game was in the 2012 season (Ravens) and the 2013 seasons (Seahawks). Since the conception of the Super Bowl, teams that win the time of possession battle are 39-16-3 ATS (70.9%) and 41-17 SU (70.7%). In the regular season, the Eagles ranked third in the league in time of possession, while the Chiefs ranked sixth. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Fox Sports
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Super Bowl odds: 10 betting trends to know for 49ers-Eagles
The Super Bowl is finally here! And when it comes to gambling on the biggest game of the year, we have you covered from a trends point of view. FOX Sports Research took a deep dive into wagering on the Super Bowl by looking at various angles and trends that have historically been profitable. After wading through the data, here are the 10 best overall trends that caught our attention. Hopefully, these nuggets help you make informed wagers, but more importantly, they'll make watching the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles a little more exciting. Let's get into the trends! 1. Teams that score first in the Super Bowl have won the game 64% of the time This is a staggering number that jumped off the page. Teams that get on the board first have won 37 of 58 Super Bowls. Looking at a more recent time frame, the team that scored first has lost in four of the last five Super Bowls, with the Los Angeles Rams being the only exception in the 2021 season. Despite the recent dip, this has been a profitable trend. From 2011 to 2018, all but one of the teams that scored first in the game went on to win. Additionally, 29 of the first 45 Super Bowls saw the team that scored first be victorious. The lone team from 2011-18 not to score first and win? The New England Patriots in 2017 (2016 season), who were famously down 28-3 in the third quarter but still managed to get a W. 2. Betting on the winner in the Super Bowl, more often than not, directly results in a cover against the spread (ATS) Teams that win the Super Bowl are 49-7-2 ATS in the game, covering at an 87.5% clip. Since the 2009 season, teams that win the Super Bowl have gone a whopping 14-1 ATS (93.3%). The lone team to not cover in that span was the Rams in the 2021 season, winning by three points as 4.5-point favorites against the Cincinnati Bengals . 3. Nick Sirianni trends With Sirianni making his second appearance in the Super Bowl, we did a deep dive into his performance ATS and straight up (SU) as a head coach. Here's what we found: Sirianni is 4-4 ATS (50%) and 5-3 SU (62.5%) as a head coach in the playoffs for his career. Sirianni is 7-10 ATS (41.2%) and 6-11 SU (35.3%) as a head coach when an underdog in his career (regular season + playoffs). Andy Reid vs Nick Sirianni will be the fifth head coach rematch in a Super Bowl all-time; the head coach that won the first meeting also won the second meeting in all prior four instances (that includes Reid vs Kyle Shanahan last year in Super Bowl LVIII). 4. Andy Reid trends Coach Andy Reid is also no stranger to the Super Bowl, making his sixth appearance in the big game— tied with Don Shula for the second-most in NFL history. Here's a deep dive into how he's performed in various betting situations throughout his career: Reid is 26-17-1 ATS (60.5%) and 28-16 SU (63.6%) as a head coach in all playoff games in his career (Chiefs and Eagles). Reid is 15-9-1 ATS (62.5%) and 18-7 SU (72%) as the Chiefs head coach in the playoffs. Reid is 16-14 ATS (53.3%) and 21-9 SU (70%) as a head coach when a favorite in the playoffs (Chiefs and Eagles). Reid is 11-8 ATS (57.9%) and 14-5 SU (73.7%) as the Chiefs head coach when a favorite in the playoffs. Reid is 4-1 ATS (80%) and 3-2 SU (60%) as a head coach in the Super Bowl (Chiefs and Eagles). Reid is 4-1 ATS and SU (80%) as a head coach vs. the Eagles in his career (regular season and playoffs). 5. The team that rushes for more yards in the Super Bowl historically wins and covers Look for who gets an early lead in the rushing total, as teams that win the rushing battle in the Super Bowl are an astonishing 41-14-3 ATS (74.5%) and 43-15 SU (74.1%). In the regular season, the Chiefs were 22nd in the league in rushing at 105.3 rush yards per game, while the Chiefs ranked second at 179.3. Teams that allowed fewer points per game during the regular season have won eight of the last nine Super Bowls and are also 7-2 ATS (77.8%). The 2022 Chiefs team broke a streak of seven straight teams winning the Super Bowl when allowing fewer points per game compared to their Super Bowl opponent, and the 2023 Chiefs squad got the trend back on track (as they allowed fewer points per game than the 49ers). Prior to 2022, the last team to win the Super Bowl while sporting a higher points per game average was the Patriots in 2015 (2014 season), who would have lost the game to the Seattle Seahawks had Malcolm Butler not intercepted the ball on the goal line with 20 seconds left. This season, the Chiefs allowed 19.2 points per game in the regular season (fourth-best in league), while the Eagles allowed 17.8 (second-best in league). 7. The AFC has dominated the spread in recent years Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the NFC and AFC have split Super Bowl wins equally— at 27 apiece, and the cover rate is also equal at 26-26-2 ATS (50%). However, over the last 12 Super Bowls, the AFC has gone 9-3 ATS (75%) and 8-4 SU (66.7%). The NFC teams to cover in that span were the 2013 Seahawks, the 2017 Eagles and the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers . 8. Patrick Mahomes as a favorite The Chiefs were favored in 14 of 16 games with Mahomes as the starter this season, going 6-7-1 ATS (46.2%) and 14-0 SU in those games. Kansas City is currently a 1.5-point favorite against Philadelphia. Below is an overview of how Mahomes has performed as a favorite in his career: Mahomes is 14-6 ATS (70%) and 17-3 SU (85%) as a starter in the playoffs in his career. That cover rate is the best of any QB in the Super Bowl era (min. 15 starts), while the win percentage is also the best of any QB in the Super Bowl era (min. 10 playoff starts). Mahomes is 8-0 ATS and SU when a favorite of less than three points or an underdog in his playoff career. Mahomes is 3-1 ATS and SU (75%) as a starter in the Super Bowl in his career. Mahomes is 59-57-1 ATS (50.9%) and 94-23 SU (80.3%) as a favorite in his career (regular season and playoffs). 9. Twenty-six teams have won both the coin flip and the game all-time in the Super Bowl. In eight of the last ten Super Bowls, the team that has won the toss has lost the game Only 44.8% of teams all time have won the Super Bowl after winning the coin toss. Just another thing to keep in mind if you want to throw in a live bet. The winner of the coin flip had an unlucky eight-year stretch of losing the game until the Chiefs broke the curse over the last two years (winning the toss and the game both times). Before the Chiefs did so in 2023 and 2024, the last time we saw two consecutive Super Bowls in which the coin toss winner also won the game was in the 2012 season (Ravens) and the 2013 seasons (Seahawks). 10. Teams that win time of possession cover and win the game Since the conception of the Super Bowl, teams that win the time of possession battle are 39-16-3 ATS (70.9%) and 41-17 SU (70.7%). In the regular season, the Eagles ranked third in the league in time of possession while the Chiefs ranked sixth. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily . recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who are the top 10 Heisman Trophy snubs of all time?
It takes a special season to win the Heisman Trophy, and sometimes the most special season doesn't even do it. The Heisman is supposed to go to the most outstanding college football player each year, but that isn't always how the voters cast their ballots. Some may remember the controversial pick of Reggie Bush over Vince Young during the 2005 season as one of the more recent examples. Besides 2005, though, who are the most infamous Heisman snubs in college football history? Here are the 10 biggest snubs of all time, courtesy of FOX Sports Research. 10. Eddie George won over Tommie Frazier (1995) George was awesome in 1995. As a senior, the star halfback ran for a nation-leading 1,826 yards along with 23 touchdowns. Those numbers jump off the page, and George was a big reason why Ohio State went 11-2. However, Frazier was better! He threw for 1,362 yards and 17 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He also ran for 604 yards on 6.2 yards per carry with 14 more touchdowns. If voters have taught us anything, it's that the Heisman is a team award as well as a player award. Nebraska and Frazier posted a pristine 12-0 record in 1995, were ranked No. 1 at the end of the year and and were national champions for the second straight season after their Fiesta Bowl win. Hard to go against that success. 9. Robert Griffin III won over Tyrann Mathieu (2011) A defensive player? For the Heisman? Yeah, you read that right. RG3 put on a show in 2011, throwing for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns. Those are big-time numbers. He also led a Baylor team that had a history of struggling to a 10-3 mark and a 13th ranking in the final poll. Despite that, Mathieu was special in 2011. He was all over the field for LSU, posting 76 tackles, 1.5 sacks, nine passes defended and an SEC-leading six forced fumbles. On top of that, he had two fumble return touchdowns and two punt return touchdowns. He almost literally did it all for the Tigers, who spent a good chunk of the year ranked No. 1 and put together a season that should make any defender a Heisman favorite. 8. George Rogers won over Herschel Walker (1980) This race came down to one of the top returning backs in the country against a new, dominant freshman. In the 1980s, there was a sentiment that a freshman could never win the Heisman. That undoubtedly factored into the decision, but the numbers were very close. Rogers ran for 1,781 yards, Walker ran for 1,616 yards. Walker had 15 rushing touchdowns, and Rogers had 14. There wasn't much separating the two dominant backs. Despite how close those numbers were, there was one thing that gave Walker what should have been a clear edge. He showed out in the biggest games, rushing for 219 yards against South Carolina and then 238 yards a week later against Florida; 457 yards over two weeks is the stuff of legends. 7. Archie Griffin won over Chuck Muncie (1975) Grifin had a great year but struggled to find the end zone at the level he had in his previous season (also a Heisman-winning campaign). Griffin ended up with a touchdown on just four of his rushes. He was able to scamper for 1,357 yards, and normally, that would appear to be a very deserving year. Not this year, though. Muncie came through with 1,460 rushing yards and nine more rushing touchdowns than Griffin, finishing with 13 for the season. He would also tack on two more receiving touchdowns, helping him lead the nation in scrimmage touchdowns with 15. The big difference between the two, though, was Griffin played for 11-1 Ohio State while Muncie played for 8-3 Cal. 6. Chris Weinke won over LaDainian Tomlinson (2000) Weinke had a very good season, leading Florida State to the BCS Championship Game and leading the FBS in passing yards while being second in passing touchdowns. That seemed to tilt the scales in his favor with the narrative of carrying a top-tier team. Tomlinson, on the other hand, was playing for a team that had no history of success. TCU eventually finished with its first 10-win season since 1938, but L.T. was, if not the sole reason, one of the top two reasons. He led the FBS in rushing for the second consecutive season and had multiple games with over 200 rushing yards to pair with multiple rushing touchdowns. In the end, Tomlinson totaled 369 rushes, more than double the total number of passes the team threw that season. 5. Reggie Bush won over Vince Young (2005) Everyone knows USC was a powerhouse in the early 2000s. Matt Leinart won the Heisman in 2004, with Bush finishing a distant fifth. After that, Bush helped lead USC back to the title game in 2005, leading the FBS with 8.7 yards per rush attempt. Overall, he ran for 1,740 yards, third-best in the nation, while also leading the nation in scrimmage yards. Young, though, had a magical season. He finished second in the Heisman voting behind his dominant season where he finished with 3,026 passing yards along with 26 passing touchdowns, 1,050 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores. Simply put, he was a one-man wrecking crew. The magical season, of course, was capped off with a national title for Texas against Bush and USC. 4. Gino Torretta won over Marshall Faulk (1992) Torretta was an absolute stud in 1991, throwing for 3,095 yards to lead the country. In 1992, though, he had 3,065 passing yards but didn't lead the nation in any of the major categories. Nor did Miami (Fla.) win the title. It was a very solid season, but this felt like an award that was given due to previous success, not for what was done at that moment. The real star of the 1992 season, and the real winner, should have been Faulk. The do-it-all back led the nation with 24 scrimmage touchdowns, combining that with an FBS-leading 300 carries and 1,530 rushing yards. The one mark that likely dinged his candidacy was the fact San Diego State went just 6-6 and thus never propelled him into the national spotlight. 3. Jason White won over Larry Fitzgerald (2003) White had a heck of a year for Oklahoma in 2003. No one disputes how dominant he was. White tossed 40 touchdowns and had 3,846 passing yards. Those numbers are flat-out awesome, but none of those numbers led the nation. He didn't even post the best numbers at his position. That season pales in comparison to the standout numbers Fitzgerald put up for Pitt. The future NFL Hall of Famer won the receiving triple crown in 2003, hauling in an eye-popping 92 balls to pair with 1,672 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns — or almost two touchdowns per game. White was really good, but Fitzgerald was next-level good. 2. Gary Beban won over O.J. Simpson (1967) In 1967, Beban won the Heisman due to his success through the air. He ended the season leading the nation in completions (87), passing attempts (156), completion percentage (55.8), passing yards (1,359) and passing touchdowns (8). Those numbers don't blow you away now, but that was a different era. Even with that, though, Simpson simply just had a better year. He led the nation with 266 rushing attempts, 1,415 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He even led the nation with 276 plays from scrimmage, making him the most impactful player in the entire country. He would make up for the snub with a Heisman win the next season. 1. Paul Hornung won over Jim Brown, Johnny Majors or Tommy McDonald (1956) Hornung winning the Heisman was a surprising event. He passed for under 1,000 yards and rushed for under 500 yards, while also tossing just three touchdowns to 13 interceptions. Those are hardly numbers you would expect from a Heisman winner, and that is even knowing that it was a different era offensively. What makes it more surprising is the fact that Majors, McDonald and Brown all had really solid years. They had seven, 12 and 13 rushing touchdowns, respectively. On top of that, McDonald and Brown each nearly eclipsed 1,000 yards. Brown checked in with 986 rushing yards, while McDonald was a little behind with 853 yards. Any of those three would have been better choices for the sport's biggest award. Honorable mentions: 1964 John Huarte over Jerry Rhome 1980 George Rogers over Herschel Walker 1990 Ty Detmer over Eric Bieniemy 2004: Matt Leinart over Adrian Peterson Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
