‘Nightcaps’ is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.
Well, it happened.
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My wife pulled the rug out from under me and ripped down all the Halloween decor around the house over the weekend. Didn’t even give me warning. No heads-up. I left Friday morning and everything was pumpkins and cobwebs, and by the time I got home late in the afternoon, it may as well have been May.
What a punch to the gut. I went to Target later that day, and it was pretty much Santa’s workshop in there. Christmas music blaring down every aisle. Reindeer hanging from the ceilings. Ribbons everywhere.
And just like that, fall was over — and the holiday season had begun. I held out for as long as I could, but I was ambushed. Now, we’re in an undecorated house because the Christmas stuff is in the attic and, frankly, I don’t have it in me to go up there quite yet.
So, we wait. Perhaps this weekend, when a cold front is supposed to be in town for a few days? An actual cold front. Our first since March!
Until then, we’re in November purgatory. Sad.
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Christen Harper attends the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Launch at Hard Rock Hotel New York on May 18, 2023, in New York City. (Getty Images)
Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where Jared Goff’s wife, Christen Harper, had a dominant weekend in Miami and helped the Lions to a 19-9 win over my Miami Dolphins.
Most ethical tank ever, though. What a pleasure it’s been to watch this season!
What else? I’ve got college football officially killing off conference championship weekend, Ron DeSantis (sadly, the outgoing governor of the great state of Florida) weighs in like the PATRIOT he is, and when is an acceptable time to put the Christmas decorations up?
You all know where I stand, but I’m curious to see if I’m in the majority or minority here.
OK, grab you something to deck your halls (whatever that means), and settle in for a Monday ‘Cap!
Christen Harper had a big weekend in Miami
Big college football Saturday, and a big NFL Sunday yesterday. Let’s spin the wheel and start the week with …
The NFL! We’ll get to college here in a bit. Crooks.
Pretty solid Sunday of football, right? Browns-Saints was a good one. Cowboys-Colts was a mess. The Pats got absolutely steamrolled, which was nice to watch as a Dolphins fan.
And my Dolphins … continued the most ethical tank in NFL history yesterday against the Lions. I’ve watched a lot of tanks in my 30 years as a Fins fan, and what the fellas are doing this season is a true masterpiece.
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The defense — truly a no-name defense — held the best offense in football to 19 points yesterday. Nineteen! Quick, name ONE person on the Miami defense.
You can’t. I barely can, and I watch the games!
I was a little skeptical coming into this season about how I’d feel week in and week out rooting for a team that just stinks. I’ve gotta say — it’s been a pleasure. Seriously.
There is absolutely no pressure on NFL Sundays anymore. None. The team is young, playing well, and losing every game because they just don’t have the talent. It’s a win-win. I miss watching a winning team, and I miss the feeling of winning a big game. Winning on NFL Sunday is the absolute best feeling as a sports fan.
But boy, it’s been nice to be stress-free, too.
Now, let’s check in with Jared Goff’s SI Swimsuit wife, Christen Goff (Harper), and get this week started right:
Christen Goff attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show during Swim Week at W South Beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on May 30, 2026. (Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated)
Ron DeSantis is right, this playoff format smells fishy
“Ended the weekend with a W.”
Indeed, Christen. You did. Can’t argue that. Get us now, NFL, while you still can. The Dolphins are COMING.
PS: Shoutout to Jahmyr Gibbs for scoring the game’s only touchdown yesterday. I had Gibbs, Ken Walker and George Pickens parlayed for all three to score the first touchdown in their respective games. Walker hit early. Gibbs finally hit in the third quarter (!!!). Pickens never played!
Not a bad little payout, which I needed because I got absolutely slaughtered by the books on Saturday.
Speaking of college football … it’s official, folks. The playoff will expand to 24 teams next season, and conference title games will be officially eliminated.
Thoughts, Mr. Governor?
Christmas, Jefferson-Pilot (!!!) & Sophie backs the blue!
“A short-sighted move that might bolster profits in the near term but will further erode what has traditionally made college football special,” DeSantis posted in response to Monday’s official announcement.
Thoughts? First impressions?
I’ve said from the beginning that I don’t love any of it. Now, I do love more playoff games on actual campuses. That’s the biggest issue I have with the current format. Neutral site games are for the birds when it comes to college football. Every single game should be on a college campus. I’ll die on that hill.
But the elimination of Championship Weekend hurts. I hate it. The first Friday and Saturday of December are unofficial holidays, as far as I’m concerned. Back in the day you’d have the Pac-12 title game on Friday, and the Big 12, SEC, ACC and Big Ten on Saturday — in that order.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and team celebrate after winning the Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Alabama on Dec. 6, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
It was awesome. We have one more dance with it next month, and then it’s gone forever.
Soak it all in, folks. You will miss it this time next year. I promise.
Speaking of missing things, let’s rapid-fire this Monday class into a big Monday night of FOOTBALL.
First up? This came across my desk today, and I’ve watched it 50 times already:
Today is the 24-year anniversary of LSU’s improbable Hail Mary against Kentucky, better known as the Bluegrass Miracle.
More importantly … it was played on Jefferson-Pilot Sports, which is pure nostalgia for kids my age that grew up in the south.
Remember Jefferson-Pilot? Man, was it the best.
Nothing – and I mean nothing – beat going from College GameDay to whatever third-tier SEC game Jefferson-Pilot was airing at noon. Jay Cutler and Eli Manning had some EPIC showdowns on JP back in the day. It was never the best game, or the best picture quality, or the best announcers.
But buddy, it was college football at it’s best. That’s what they’re taking from us!
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OK, that’s it for today. Good start to the week. I leave you with Sophie Cunningham at yesterday’s NASCAR finale in Homestead, and a question:
When do YOU put up the Christmas decorations? It’s been nine days since Halloween. Too early? Too late? What’s the cutoff?
Let me know! Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.
Now, let’s have a big week.
