The biggest storylines in sports over the past month, January, have been dominated by various developments in college football, the NFL, college basketball, the NBA, MLB, and soccer. Here are the top 10 storylines:
1. Ichiro Suzuki and C.C. Sabathia are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Suzuki became the first player from Japan to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and Sabathia received 86.6% of the vote in his first year on the ballot.
2. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain avoid elimination in the new Champions League format: The teams struggled in the league phase but managed to secure their spots in the knockout stages with convincing victories on the final matchday.
3. College basketball freshmen Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey dominate: The trio has guaranteed themselves top-five draft spots in the 2025 NBA Draft, with Flagg and Bailey ranking third and sixth in the country in scoring for the month.
4. Miami lands Carson Beck in the transfer portal: Beck, a former Georgia quarterback, announced he would return to school and play for Miami (Fla.) in 2025, receiving a reported $4 million to transfer, roughly double the $1.6 million Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward earned from Miami’s collective.
5. Jimmy Butler wants out of Miami: Butler has expressed his desire to leave the Miami Heat, stating he needs to find his joy again playing basketball. He has been suspended by the Heat on several occasions due to his disregard for team rules.
6. Saquon Barkley leads Philly to the Super Bowl: Barkley, in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, led the team to the championship, setting an NFL record for yards from scrimmage in a postseason run.
7. Roki Sasaki signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers: The 23-year-old Japanese right-hander, known for his 100-mph fastball, will join the Dodgers, who plan to use a six-man rotation to ease his transition to Major League Baseball.
8. Ohio State wins the 12-team College Football Playoff: The Buckeyes made history by becoming the first team to reach the inaugural 12-team playoff title game, defeating Notre Dame 34-23.
9. Jayden Daniels’ historic playoff run: Daniels, a rookie quarterback, led Washington to the NFC Championship before falling to the Eagles. In three playoff games, he set numerous records, including most pass yards, pass touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in a playoff run.
10. Kansas City meets Philadelphia in Super Bowl rematch: The Chiefs, seeking their first three-peat in franchise history, will face the Eagles in the Super Bowl, a rematch of their 2018 game.
