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CBS Sports design, Keytron Jordan

As the year winds down, it gives us a chance to look back and reflect on all that happened in 2025. In the world of sports, it was a busy one featuring a long list of stories and moments that will stick with fans forever, and today we're ranking the top 25.

One of the reasons we love sports is that they mirror the emotional highs and lows -- as well as the unpredictability -- of life. There were great triumphs, like Rory McIlroy finally breaking through at the Masters and Alex Ovechkin making NHL history. There were also devastating gut punches, such as the Kansas City Chiefs' dynastic AFC Championship run that ended when the team failed reach the playoffs and the Toronto Blue Jays coming up excruciatingly short in a classic Fall Classic. Of course, there were also moments that left us in utter disbelief. Just ask a Dallas Mavericks fan.

As part of this project, we elected to exclude the deaths of iconic sports figures. Unfortunately, we lost a great number of legends in 2025, from competitors like George Foreman, Hulk Hogan and Ryne Sandberg to the giants who shaped the games we love, namely former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and his MLB counterpart Fay Vincent. All of their lives made a profound impact on so many, and we didn't feel it was appropriate to place a number value on that.

Before we turn the page and enter 2026 -- a unique year featuring a Winter Olympics in February, a World Baseball Classic in March, and North America hosting the World Cup over the summer -- let's look back at the moments that made 2025 so memorable. Here are the top 25 sports stories and moments from the last year written by some of my CBS Sports colleagues.

No. 1 -- House settlement radically re-shapes future of NCAA sports

College athletics' governing body has been no stranger to the courtroom in recent years, and no case was as significant as House v. NCAA, which reached its conclusion on June 6. The antitrust settlement fundamentally altered the college sports landscape, most notably by paving the way for schools to directly pay athletes for the first time. New roster limits forced cuts across numerous sports, the introduction of revenue sharing set a $20 million quasi-salary cap for player earnings and the College Sports Commission was introduced as an oversight organization focused on greenlighting legitimate NIL deals and axing those without merit.

With the historic overhaul to the effectively defunct amateurism model comes a growing divide between the richest schools and conferences and those with fewer resources. The Big Ten and SEC, with their lucrative media rights deals, figure to continue to pull away in on-field success as their schools invest heavily in their rosters -- especially in football. Group of Five schools have already seen the effects with their best players departing through the transfer portal to make more money at Power Four programs. -- Carter Bahns

No. 2 -- Rory McIlroy earns career slam, backs up Ryder Cup guarantee

Early in his career it was viewed as a matter of when, not if, Rory McIlroy would become the sixth player to complete the career grand slam. After a decade-long major championship drought and some painful close calls at the Masters, many wondered if McIlroy had too much mental scar tissue to overcome at Augusta National. While Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose and others pushed him on the leaderboard all week, McIlroy's greatest challenge in completing the slam this past April was himself. His final round was a rollercoaster of emotions, as he battled the course, the competition and his past all at once before finally capturing the ever-elusive green jacket in a playoff over Rose. After winning, McIlroy collapsed to the 18th green in tears, overwhelmed by the emotions of finally fulfilling his destiny.

McIlroy was emotionally spent after the Masters, but steadily charged himself back up by the end of the year for a pursuit of his other main goal for 2025: Winning a Ryder Cup on U.S. soil. McIlroy boldly proclaimed Europe would win at Bethpage during the winner's press conference in Rome in 2023. The Europeans, led by McIlroy, enjoyed a dream start, demolishing the Americans in four-balls and foursomes to take a commanding 11.5-4.5 lead into Sunday singles. There, things threatened to fall apart as the U.S. side charged back into the action, with McIlroy visibly exhausted as the Bethpage crowd got increasingly hostile. Ultimately, the lead built in the team competition held and the Europeans hoisted the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil for the first time in 13 years, giving McIlroy his dream season. -- Robby Kalland

No. 3 -- Alex Ovechkin passes Wayne Gretzky, then first to 900

Wayne Gretzky's 894 career goals stood as the all-time NHL record for 26 years. For much of that time, the record even seemed unbreakable with the great Gordie Howe sitting in second place at 801 goals. That is, until Alex Ovechkin began skating for the Washington Capitals in 2005.

It took Ovechkin 20 years and 1,487 games -- oddly, the same number Gretzky played in his career -- to surpass The Great One. On April 6, Ovechkin scored career goal No. 895 against the New York Islanders to become the steward of the record. The shot was from Ovechkin's signature spot, the top of the left circle, but featured a wrist shot instead of his signature slapper.

The journey to the NHL goals record was a testament to Ovechkin's consistency and durability. He's hit the 50-goal mark nine times in his career, and he's hit 40 goals 14 times. That includes last season when, at the age of 39, Ovechkin fractured his fibula and still came back to score 44 goals in 65 games. The Russian machine really doesn't break, and as of Nov. 5 he became the sole member of the 900-goal club. -- Austin Nivison

No. 4 -- Mavericks stunningly deal Luka Dončić to Lakers

A sports story so shocking, even Southwest Airlines took a shot at the Dallas Mavericks for jettisoning their beloved franchise star to the Los Angeles Lakers. As soon as the Mavericks dealt Luka Dončić to the Lakers for a package centered around Anthony Davis, it was dubbed the worst trade in NBA history. In the months since the stunner, that's only been proven more accurate. Ten months after the trade, the Lakers sit fourth in the Western Conference behind a career-year from Dončić who could be an MVP finalist as the league's leading scorer.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are toiling at the bottom of the conference, and have already fired the general manager Nico Harrison who was responsible for the ill-fated trade. All it took was deafening "Fi-re Ni-co!" chants that became rallying crys of fans at even non-Mavericks sporting events around DFW. And after a 3-8 start, the Mavs brass did just that. -- Jasmyn Wimbish

No. 5 -- College football's year of the coaching carousel

It's appropriate that one of the wildest college football seasons we have seen in a long time ended with the wildest coaching carousel to ever grace this sport. A whopping 12 Power Five jobs changed hands for a myriad of reasons, from poor performance to poaching and everything in between. Notably, Lane Kiffin kept Ole Miss hostage for the final month of the regular season as he mulled a move to either Florida or LSU, which fired their former coaches midseason.

Kiffin, shortly after the Rebels improved to 11-1 with an Egg Bowl win against Mississippi State, settled on LSU, abandoning Ole Miss before it embarked on its first College Football Playoff run in program history. Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to replace Kiffin and Florida, which lost out on the Kiffin sweepstakes, pivoted quickly to hire Tulane's Jon Sumrall.

The SEC wasn't the only major conference with action. Penn State made the somewhat premature decision to fire longtime coach James Franklin amid a disastrous 0-3 start to Big Ten play and, after what appeared to be a botched coaching search, still backed into a great hire by snagging Iowa State's Matt Campbell. Don't worry -- Franklin landed on his feet at Virginia Tech.

Near the end of the year, Michigan pulled off the stunner of 2025 when it fired coach Sherrone Moore after he was found to have had an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. (See No. 17 for more.) Like Penn State, Michigan made lemonade out of lemons when it hired former Utah boss Kyle Whittingham.

Those moves are just the tip of the iceberg. CBS Sports has you covered with a rundown of every firing and hiring now that the dust has (mostly) settled. -- Will Backus

No. 6 -- Developing dynasties?

Major League Baseball hadn't seen a repeat champ since the New York Yankees pulled off a three-peat from 1998-2000. It looked like a very tough road for the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers this time around, too, with them finishing third in the NL in regular-season wins, but the rotation came together for the playoffs, nearly perfectly. They ran roughshod over the NL side of the playoffs, never facing elimination and going 9-1. The World Series was another story, though. They were down three games to two to the Blue Jays heading back to Toronto and needed a game-tying home run from nine-hole hitter Miguel Rojas and multiple defensive gems to force extra innings before winning in the 11th. Shohei Ohtani took home another NL regular-season MVP -- the fourth of his career overall combined with his two AL wins -- and his Japanese countryman and Dodger teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto won World Series MVP honors after closing out Game 7 in that absolute edge-of-your-seat nailbiter on short rest.

And sticking with the developing dynasty theme, the Florida Panthers also went back-to-back, becoming repeat Stanley Cup champions and breaking the hearts of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers for a second time in as many years. Edmonton's loss extended Canada's Cup-less streak to an astonishing 32 years. As for a team that has reached full-on dynasty status, look no further than the Las Vegas Aces, who won their third WNBA championship in four years behind another otherworldly season from A'ja Wilson, who became the league's first four-time MVP. -- Matt Snyder

No. 7 -- NBA ensnared in multiple gambling scandals 

The NBA was at the center of yet another sports betting scandal, and this time it involved a coach. Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former player and assistant coach Damon Jones were all arrested in October as part of a wide-ranging gambling investigation by the FBI.

Billups was subsequently put on leave by the Blazers, while Rozier has been away from the team in the midst of the investigation. Rozier was arrested after an investigation found he obtained insider information regarding when players would miss a game or leave early and passed it along to bettors. Billups, while not involved in sports gambling per se, has been charged with having a part in an elaborate plan to rig poker games which were tied to the mafia. Though the investigation is still ongoing, the NBA is already taking steps to mitigate future scandals, including changes to how teams report injuries for games. -- Jasmyn Wimbish

No. 8 -- Scottie Scheffler is a machine

Scottie Scheffler entered 2025 as the unquestioned best golfer on the planet, but to ascend into the ranks of the all-time greats, he needed to back up his sensational 2024 with another dominant year and capture more major titles. While he had two green jackets in his closet, Scheffler had yet to win any of the other majors, but he remedied that by capturing the PGA Championship and Open Championship in dominant fashion to suddenly put himself a U.S. Open victory away from a career grand slam. With four major titles to his name, he is closing in on some legends of the game, and at just 29 he has a long runway to put himself on the short list of the best to every play.

However, what makes Scheffler stand out isn't just his ability to rise to the occasion in the biggest events, but his week-to-week consistency is something truly remarkable. His focus seems to never wane, no matter the level of the event, and after a seven-win season in 2024 he followed it up by winning six times in 20 starts on the PGA Tour in 2025. Just as impressive as the wins, he finished in the top 25 in all 20 of those starts, with 17 top 10s. Scheffler is the closest thing to a guarantee in golf, and as he racks up wins and accomplishments, he makes it harder and harder to avoid the allure of Tiger Woods comparisons -- even if Scheffler scoffs at them. -- Robby Kalland

No. 9 -- Ohio State wins championship in first year of 12-team College Football Playoff field

Armed with one of college football's most expensive rosters in 2024, Ryan Day saved the best coaching stretch of his impressive career at Ohio State for the first expanded 12-team playoff as the Buckeyes dominated four consecutive top-10 opponents en route to a national title. As the sixth-seed in the bracket following a loss to Michigan in the regular-season finale, Ohio State missed out on a chance to play for a Big Ten Championship and first-round bye, igniting considerable pressure on Day in the postseason.

True freshman five-star Jeremiah Smith, after scoring 10 touchdowns over his first 12 college games, was unstoppable in the CFP. He contributed multi-touchdown outings against Tennessee and then top-ranked, unbeaten Oregon before clinching the championship against Notre Dame with a 56-yard reception in the final moments. This uber-talented squad, anchored by home-run portal additions Caleb Downs (Alabama safety), Will Howard (Kansas State quarterback) and Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss running back), finished the deal in Atlanta for the program's first national crown since 2014 with a 14-2 overall record. -- Brad Crawford

No. 10 -- Eagles coast in Super Bowl, deny Chiefs of an NFL first

The Kansas City Chiefs came up one game short of an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat, but in reality, they weren't ever that close. The Philadelphia Eagles bulldozed the back-to-back defending champs, 40-22, a score that doesn't come close to reflecting the Eagles' dominance: They led 34-0 late in the third quarter. Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and the Eagles' devastating defense sacked Patrick Mahomes six times and turned him over three times, including a Cooper DeJean pick six.

The Chiefs turned their focus to the offensive line, but injuries wreaked havoc all of 2025, and Mahomes tore his ACL late in the season, leaving the Kansas City frozen out of the AFC Championship for the first time in forever (January 2018) and with the Chiefs having to contend with lots of questions for 2026. The champs, meanwhile, had some early-season struggles after losing several key contributors -- including offensive coordinator Kellen Moore -- in the offseason, a fall back to Earth for Saquon Barkley and some locker room chatter that would suggest not everyone is on the same page, but the Eagles are seemingly back on track as the NFC East champs who will be playing for the NFC's No. 2 or No. 3 seed. -- Zachary Pereles

No. 11 -- Florida blocks UConn's three-peat quest en route to NCAA Tournament title

The second round of the NCAA Tournament featured a rare matchup between UConn, a team that was a No. 8 seed despite being the two-time reigning national champions, going up against No. 1 seed Florida, a team with serious national title aspirations after running through the SEC. The theme of the Gators' eventual run to the national title was staging dramatic wins when it looked like the cards were stacked against them.

In this game in particular, Florida trailed deep into the second half before coming away with a dramatic 77-75 win. This game ended UConn's chances of a historic three-peat in college basketball and opened the door for Florida to make a deep run. After getting by Maryland in the Sweet 16, the Gators staged yet another epic comeback against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight to advance to the final weekend of the college basketball season. A Final Four win over Auburn and the title game defeat of Houston did indeed create one shining moment. -- Cameron Salerno

No. 12 -- Gridiron greats make major moves: Aaron Rodgers to Steelers, Micah Parsons to Packers

The NFL proved again that it is truly a 365-day-a-year league with the sagas of Aaron Rodgers and Micah Parsons. After months of wondering whether Rodgers would even want to continue playing -- and if he'd even want to do so with the Pittsburgh Steelers considering he reportedly had two other teams in mind -- the Steelers signed Rodgers to a one-year deal in June, nearly three months after free agency opened. Rodgers has played well at times, but ultimately the Steelers are in roughly the same place they've been for the past several years: Good enough to avoid a losing season, but unlikely to do much more than that. The Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North title in Week 18.

The offseason ended with another bang: the Dallas Cowboys stunningly trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks and Kenny Clark. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones scorned from what he believed was a handshake agreement earlier in the offseason, unloaded a perennial Pro Bowl and Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and Parsons immediately landed a four-year, $188 million extension in Green Bay. This one hasn't had a happy ending for either side: Parsons suffered a torn ACL on Dec. 14, and the Cowboys missed the playoffs due to having one of the NFL's worst defenses. At least Jones admitted he's played a part in Dallas' Super Bowl drought. -- Zachary Pereles

No. 13 -- Labor issues loom over WNBA successes

In December, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark called the negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement the "biggest moment the WNBA has ever seen." It's hard to argue with that description.

The WNBA's popularity has surged in recent years, but the 2026 season is in peril as the league and the players remain in a stalemate ahead of the new Jan. 9 deadline to get a new CBA done. While everyone is in agreement that the players deserve a big raise, the union also wants a significantly bigger share of revenue -- something the league isn't interested in relinquishing. In the latest escalation, the union voted to authorize a strike "when necessary." Earlier in the year, the first season of Unrivaled, an independent players-run off-season league, and the war of words between some of the league's marquee players and commissioner Cathy Engelbert only added to the friction.

Since its inception in 1997, the WNBA has never had a work stoppage of any kind or lost games due to labor strife. No one wants that streak to come to a close, but there's still plenty of work to be done to ensure the 2026 season starts on time. -- Jack Maloney

No. 14 -- Bill Belichick goes back to school

Bill Belichick ending up as coach at North Carolina already sounded like a fake headline cooked up on some college football message board. But, alas, it was real. Belichick -- the most famously humorless, closed-off NFL coach of his generation -- dropped into a sport powered by donors, teenagers with NIL brands and an expectation that the coach would smile more than once a year.

Hovering over all of it was the increasingly public presence of his girlfriend Jordon Hudson, whose 50-year gap with Belichick became impossible to separate from the program itself. She wasn't hidden, wasn't explained and wasn't traditional -- which only amplified the weirdness. Every practice photo, sideline appearance or behind-the-scenes glimpse fueled speculation about influence, boundaries and how much control Belichick really had in a place where control is already an illusion. An interview with Tony Dokoupil on "CBS News Sunday Morning" last spring perhaps did more to showcase that than anything else.

The result was a program that felt off-kilter from Day 1. On the field, the experiment unraveled. UNC stumbled to a 4-8 finish and missed a bowl game for the first time in seven years. By the end, Hudson's constant presence had become part of the backdrop to the dysfunction. Belichick, the master of eliminating distractions, somehow became responsible for the biggest one. -- Cody Nagel

No. 15 -- Catcher Cal Raleigh dumps 60 homers

Heading into the year, the most home runs ever hit by a catcher in a season came in 2021 when Salvador Perez smacked 48 dingers. The most home runs ever hit by a switch-hitter came in 1961 when Mickey Mantle cracked 54. And the most home runs ever hit by a Seattle Mariner came in 1997 and 1998 when Ken Griffey Jr. went yard 56 times. In fact, we had only seen a player reach 60 home runs nine times. And yet, Seattle's Cal Raleigh -- a switch-hitting catcher who played his home games in the most pitcher-friendly park in the majors -- clubbed a whopping 60 home runs in 2025, making all kinds of history.

Raleigh, aka "Big Dumper," so named due to his prominent posterior, also became the first catcher and switch-hitter to win the Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities. He would go on to finish second in AL MVP voting and he helped the Mariners come the closest they ever have to making the World Series, losing Game 7 of the ALCS. -- Matt Snyder

No. 16 -- The Shedeur Sanders saga: From draft drop to surprise starter

It started on a Thursday night and didn't end until nearly 48 hours later. The biggest story of the 2025 NFL Draft wasn't Cameron Ward's rise from zero-star recruit to No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans or the Jacksonville Jaguars' bold trade up to draft two-way star Travis Hunter. It was Shedeur Sanders, son of Deion Sanders, sliding all the way to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns scooped him up with the 144th overall pick. The reasons for the slide ranged from Sanders' own shortcomings as a player to his and his father's pre-draft process.

Every Sanders preseason rep and depth chart spot came with skepticism and analysis, but he finally made his official NFL debut in Week 11 after fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Sanders has shown some ups and downs since, with his downfield accuracy his biggest strength. In seven games, he has thrown for 1,289 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. -- Zachary Pereles

No. 17 -- Sherrone Moore's tragic fall

On the afternoon of Nov. 29, Sherrone Moore led the Wolverines onto the field at Michigan Stadium with hopes of upsetting Ohio State and securing a spot in the College Football Playoff. But a mere 11 days later, Moore found himself without a job and in police custody. In a chaotic coaching carousel season, nothing was more unexpected than Moore's fall. On the same day that Moore, married with three daughters, was fired for carrying on an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer, police accounts say he broke into that staffer's home and threatened self-harm.

Moore was ultimately charged with felony home invasion, stalking, and breaking and entering. Those terrifying acts led to one of the most surreal visuals of the year in sports -- Moore appearing at his arraignment via video -- sitting in a small room while wearing white jail-issued clothing. The Wolverines are looking to find some stability after the combination of the sign-stealing scandal and Moore's actions, and they're hoping newly-hired coach Kyle Whittingham is the man to do just that. -- Brent Brookhouse

No. 18 -- Paige Bueckers finally reaches mountaintop as UConn collects another championship

The first four seasons of Paige Bueckers' UConn career were defined by injuries and near-misses. The Huskies lost in the Final Four her freshman season -- when she was named Naismith Player of the Year -- after which she needed surgery on her ankle. That procedure and a subsequent tibial plateau fracture limited her to 17 games as a sophomore, but she returned to help the Huskies reach the national championship game, where they once again fell short. Her junior season was wiped out by a torn ACL in the same knee, and her senior season also ended in the Final Four.

But in her fifth and final season, everything finally came together. Bueckers led the Huskies to their first national championship since 2016, and record-extending 12th overall, and for the third time in her career was named both Big East Player of the Year and an AP First Team All-American. Her 40 points during UConn's Sweet 16 win over Oklahoma set a new career-high and a program record for the NCAA Tournament.

Days after lifting her first national championship trophy, Bueckers was selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, and went on to win the league's Rookie of the Year award. -- Jack Maloney

No. 19 -- Thunder validate youth movement in bringing first NBA title to Oklahoma City

Many in the NBA world wondered when, and perhaps if, the youth movement of the Thunder would ever pay dividends. That question was answered in the affirmative when Oklahoma City, led by the vision of general manager Sam Presti and a near perfect group of complementary players, captured the city's first major pro sport title. With a core that should contend for years to come, this team looks poised to be the first champion to repeat since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2017 and 2018. Not only that, but two months into the season, OKC was sitting at 24-1 and was on pace to match the Dubs' 73-win season from a decade ago, however with four December losses, including three to the San Antonio Spurs, a 73-win season may no longer be realistic.

However, the Thunder are still even better than their championship squad from a season ago, with the highest average margin of victory (14.2 points) in NBA history. They're typically putting games away by halftime so frequently, that reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has only played in half of the Thunder's fourth quarters this season. OKC has done all this while SGA's co-star Jalen Williams has only played in fewer than half of the team's games. What's scary is that regardless of how this season ends, the Thunder could also land a top-3 pick in next year's draft. And we all have the wonderful Los Angeles Clippers to thank for that. -- Jasmyn Wimbish

No. 20 -- Did devastating injuries alter course of hoop history?

Injuries have always been a part of sports, but we have rarely seen as many high-profile players from one sport go down in such a short span of time as we did in basketball in the early portion of 2025. Here's a quick rundown:

  • Feb. 20: San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is diagnosed with a blood clot, prematurely ending his sophomore season after 46 games
  • March 3: Mavericks star Kyrie Irving tears his ACL during Dallas' loss to the Kings, ending his season after 62 games
  • March 24: USC star JuJu Watkins tears her ACL during the Trojans' NCAA Tournament victory over Mississippi State
  • April 27: Then-Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard tears his Achilles tendon during a loss to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA playoffs
  • May 12: Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum tears his Achilles tendon during a loss to the New York Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs
  • June 22: Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tears his Achilles tendon just five minutes into Game 7 of Indiana's loss to the Thunder in the NBA Finals
  • July 15: Fever star Caitlin Clark strains her groin during Indiana's win over the Connecticut Sun, ending her injury-filled sophomore campaign after 13 games

Aside from Wembanyama's situation, all of these injuries had major playoff, championship and draft implications. None more so than Haliburton getting hurt a few minutes into Game 7, essentially ending the Pacers' hopes of winning their first NBA championship. Long-term, Irving's injury may have been the most significant, as it played a major role in the Mavericks missing the playoffs, which ultimately led to them winning the lottery and selecting Cooper Flagg first overall.

Wembanyama has since returned to action, as has Clark (in Team USA camp), but Watkins, Lillard and Haliburton have all been ruled out for the current season. Irving and Tatum are pushing to play again this season, but it's unclear if the Mavericks and Celtics will let them. -- Jack Maloney

No. 21 -- Combat greats John Cena and Terence "Bud" Crawford retire

The combat sports world will move into 2026 without two of its top stars after the retirements of John Cena and Terence "Bud" Crawford. One of the biggest stars in WWE history, Cena took part in a year-long retirement tour that was met with mixed reactions from fans and media. While the lows were undeniably very low, there were many bright spots as well, including tremendous matches with AJ Styles and Gunther. Along the way, Cena added new achievements to his Hall of Fame resume, including breaking the record for most world championship reigns by an individual, and capturing the intercontinental championship for the first time, joining the exclusive list of WWE Grand Slam champions.

In the world of legitimate sports, Crawford retired at the peak of his fame. Crawford made a two-weight class jump to face one of the greatest fighters of his generation, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in a Sept. 13 bout. Crawford boxed excellently, defying experts who believed the size difference would be Crawford's undoing. Crawford won the fight and became just the second man in boxing history, and the first in the four-belt era, to become undisputed champion in three different weight classes. Crawford summed up his decision to retire on top with a simple message on social media, writing, "Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove." Still, we can forever ponder what a bout between Crawford and Floyd Mayweather would've been like. -- Brent Brookhouse

No. 22 -- Tennis' next great rivalry has already arrived

A budding rivalry in men's tennis between the two best players in the world reached the stratosphere with Jannik Sinner, 24, and Carlos Alcaraz, 22, splitting the year's four grand slam events. With Sinner already having captured the Australian Open in January, the first of their three meetings in major finals came in Paris. Alcaraz fought off three championship points and erased a two-set deficit to win in triumphant fashion during one of the most memorable French Open finals of all-time before Sinner enacted sweet revenge at Wimbledon, ending his rival's 20-match winning streak in London. Sinner's primary weapons are his power, strength and speed, and he flexed the full repertoire against Alcaraz on grass to stay at No. 1.

However, Alcaraz surpassed Sinner and ended the year in the top spot after winning his sixth slam at the US Open in September. He improved to 10-5 in his career against Sinner in the process with victories in seven of the last eight matchups between the titans. Entering the 2026 Australian Open, Sinner has won or advanced to the finals in five consecutive majors, but Alcaraz has become his chief nemesis whose counters, powerful forehand and deadly drop are amongst the best on tour. -- Brad Crawford

No. 23 -- Going bats over torpedo bats

On March 29, the New York Yankees hit home runs on the first three pitches of the game and just kept piling on and piling on. They would end up hitting nine home runs and scoring 20 runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in one of the most prolific power games in baseball history. Then the story took on a life of its own. A few Yankees players were using an innovative bat design that, while funny-looking, was perfectly legal -- and was being used by players on other teams, too. For a few days, people lost their minds. The story fizzled once everyone realized the bats were, again, perfectly legal and players on other teams were using them, but it was quite a stir for a few days. -- Matt Synder

No. 24 -- Canada gets last laugh in a testy 4 Nations Face-Off

The 4 Nations Face-Off, which supplanted the NHL's All-Star Game, pitted Team USA against Canada in a best-on-best format for the first time in nine years. As it turned out -- rivalries are a lot like riding a bike -- you never really forget. It also helped that the game was played with a backdrop featuring tariff threats and references to Canada becoming the "51st state."

Last February's round-robin matchup featured Canadian fans loudly booing during "The Star-Spangled Banner." In the first nine seconds of the game, six different players dropped the gloves for a grand total of three fights. The hatred hadn't gone anywhere. It was just dormant. All of that bloodlust preceded a 3-1 win for Team USA, which set up a highly-anticipated rematch in the title game.

The championship game in Boston featured more booing, this time American fans serenading the Canadian anthem. The game itself was an instant classic with the teams playing to a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation. That led to Connor McDavid breaking American hearts with the game-winner in overtime, a signature moment for his career.

Fortunately for Team USA, it won't have to wait long for a shot at revenge. The Americans, along with Canada, are the favorites to win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. -- Austin Nivison

No. 25 -- Indiana's dream season

College football fans spent all offseason wondering which team would be this year's iteration of 2024 Indiana ... only for it to still be Indiana. In fact, not only did the Hoosiers repeat the success of last season, but they far exceeded any benchmarks of success by embarking on the best campaign in program history.

They capped a 12-0 regular season -- with all but two of those wins coming by at least two possessions -- with a 13-10 win against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, giving them their first outright conference title in 80 years. That triumph also represented Indiana's first conference title game win ever and propelled it to the top overall seed in the 2025 College Football Playoff.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Indiana landed six players on the CBS Sports All-America team, more than any other school. Though quarterback Fernando Mendoza landed on the second team, he did earn a nice consolation prize on Dec. 13 by becoming the first Indiana player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Mendoza put his stamp on the trophy with a 222-yard, one-touchdown performance against Ohio State, which boasts 2025's top defense. He led the nation with 33 touchdowns passing, added another six on the ground, and took care of the ball with just six interceptions in 13 games.

Back to the team, Indiana makes its return to the field, and to the College Football Playoff, in a quarterfinal showdown against No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. -- Will Backus

Honorable mentions