Libertyville senior outside hitter Claire Evans isn’t afraid of the big stage or the bright lights.

When she was younger, Evans performed in “The Nutcracker” for three years.

“Playing on the championship court on an elite team last club season, where we came in first place in our division at nationals, gave me the same feeling that I had when dancing on stage during ‘The Nutcracker,’” she said.

Evans trained in ballet for 10 years but quit in eighth grade to focus on volleyball.

“Ballet gave me a great foundation for balance and strength and movement, and that carried over to volleyball,” she said. “I think it helped a ton with coordination, especially in the back row, where I move around with my feet and try to stay quick.

“Volleyball is a game of mistakes, so it’s different that way. With both, you really have to be calm and perform at a high level.”

Libertyville’s Claire Evans digs the ball during a Class 4A Hampshire Sectional semifinal against Huntley on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (H. Rick Bamman / News-Sun)

The 6-foot-1 Evans, the 2025 News-Sun Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, definitely performed at a high level during her senior season. She compiled 273 kills, 129 digs and 48 aces to lead the Wildcats (32-8) to the North Suburban Conference title and a Class 4A sectional championship.

“Claire plays with a really quiet and humble approach,” Libertyville coach Greg Loika said. “She’s not super flashy. Her attacking efficiency went up, and she cut down on errors and increased her number of swings.

“No doubt, she was our go-to player all year. She opened things up for us, passed great and was steady all year.”

Libertyville senior right-side hitter Sydney Meyer said Evans also was the ideal leader for a team with several underclassmen.

“The way she carried herself said everything,” Meyer said. “Claire made smart plays, lifted everyone around her and kept us believing in ourselves even on tough days.

“She was a huge part of our offense and defense. But more than that, she brought this energy that everyone fed off.”

Evans, who is the conference co-player of the year, built a reputation as someone who rises to the occasion during her two varsity seasons. She racked up a career-high 12 kills along with seven aces, four digs and two blocks in the Wildcats’ win over Hampshire in the sectional semifinals last year.

“Claire made a huge jump from the conclusion of her sophomore year to the start of her junior season,” Loika said. “She grew a couple of inches and gained a few inches on her vertical and turned into a real powerhouse.

“She had clearly catapulted herself from off the radar to the best hitter in the program, which was amazing and very needed for us.”

Libertyville’s Claire Evans serves during a North Suburban Conference match against Mundelein in Libertyville on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Talia Sprague / News-Sun)

Evans said her growth spurt before her junior season gave her more confidence.

“I felt like a different player on the court,” she said. “I felt I was able to hit better shots and reach over the blocks.”

Evans credits her older sister Lily, a 2024 Libertyville graduate who played middle hitter, for sparking her interest in volleyball.

“What really inspired me to play volleyball was my sister Lily,” Evans said. “I wanted to play volleyball to follow in her footsteps.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/libertyville-claire-evans-2025-girls-volleyball-player-of-the-year/ 

Good morning, Chicago.

On his family’s more than century-old farm in Greenville, Scott Gaffner brought in his soybeans this fall much like any other year. But, like thousands of other farmers across Illinois and the country, he began harvesting crops in September without a single order from China, the world’s largest buyer.

Soybeans are Illinois’ largest agricultural export, and last year, the state exported more than $1.4 billion worth of soybeans to China, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. This year, an unpredictable trade war with China, rising costs and competition from South America are hitting farmers hard, especially in Illinois, the largest soybean producer in the country.

“In the long term, we lose market access, we lose the ability to have decent prices,” Gaffner said. “It affects us in the long run, and that could mean some of our businesses and operations may go out of business.”

Read the full story.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what to expect from the weather this weekend, everything you need to know about today’s Bears game and our guide to holiday lights around Chicago.

Today’s eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History

Members of law enforcement, including the U.S. Secret Service and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, respond to a shooting near the White House on Nov. 26, 2025 in Washington. Two West Virginia National Guard members were shot blocks from the White House. (Win McNamee/Getty)

What we do and don’t know about the shooting of 2 National Guard members in DC

The brazen daytime shooting of two National Guard members in the nation’s capital by a man authorities identified as an Afghan national has raised multiple questions.

Officials have released the name of the suspect, who is in custody, and the names of the two Guard members who were shot, one fatally. But the suspect’s motive for the attack is not yet clear. Here’s what we know so far, and what we don’t know.

U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino carries tear gas, a rifle and a body camera while conducting immigration enforcement operations on Oct. 31, 2025, in Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Bodycam footage from Operation Midway Blitz released: ‘It’s all about arresting people’

Footage from nearly four dozen body cameras worn by immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz was released to the public on Wednesday, capturing in shaky, first-person style the abject chaos on the streets as residents and protesters were tear-gassed, hit with pepper balls and arrested during protests of immigration enforcement actions.

The group of videos made public through the Loevy & Loevy law firm includes footage from agents who responded to controversial arrest operations in the Little Village and Irving Park neighborhoods.

Evanston police body-worn camera footage depicts the tense scene on Oct. 31 as officers attempt to separate angry residents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.(City of Evanston)

Evanston police bodycams show chaos after Halloween clash between Border Patrol agents and community

Roughly seven hours of police body-worn camera footage and 911 call audio were released by the Evanston Police Department last week in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Taken together, they offer a new look into one of the more troubling clashes between federal agents and community members that broke out across Chicago’s northwest side and nearby suburbs on Oct. 31 — clashes that have become a hallmark of the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Eva Gurtovaia pauses while talking about her husband, Enes Abak, at their home in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood on Nov. 26, 2025. Gurtovaia, a former Russian citizen of Belarusian and Ukrainian descent, attended her U.S. citizenship ceremony on Nov. 26, the day after Abak, a Turkish citizen of Kurdish descent, was taken by federal immigration agents while leaving for work. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

As the immigration blitz wound down, an Uptown couple breathed a sigh of relief. Then they were torn apart.

Standing before a federal judge in Chicago’s Loop, Eva Gurtovaia took her oath of allegiance to the United States. She was now officially a citizen, a moment she and her husband, Enes Abak, had been looking forward to for months.

Loved ones filled the courtroom. None, though, was hers. Abak couldn’t be there to watch. No, he was across state lines in federal custody.

Pedestrians get blown by strong winds while crossing South Wabash Avenue on Nov. 26, 2025, on Jackson Boulevard in Chicago’s Loop. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Officials warn winter storm and heavy snow will affect holiday travel plans

After a blustery, chilly Thanksgiving day, a winter storm watch will be in effect for much of northern and central Illinois and parts of northwest Indiana from 3 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday, with possible snow accumulations of over 6 inches.

Pope Leo XIV walks as he is welcomed upon his arrival at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 27, 2025, marking the beginning of his first foreign trip. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Pope Leo XIV encourages Turkey to be a force for stability and peace as he opens first foreign trip

Pope Leo XIV encouraged Turkey to be a source of stability and dialogue in a world riven by conflict, as he opened his first foreign trip as pope yesterday with a plea for peace amid efforts to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams warms up before the game against the Steelers at Soldier Field on Nov. 23, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles: Everything you need to know about the Week 13 game before kickoff

The 8-3 Bears will play the 8-3 Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in a Week 13 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (2 p.m., Prime Video).

Read more Bears coverage:

Bears activate cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon from IR
How to watch the Bears’ Black Friday game

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates with teammate Malachi Fields (0) after rushing for a touchdown against Syracuse on Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Jeremiyah Love’s Heisman Trophy candidacy is building steam during a highlight-reel November

Jeremiyah Love’s Heisman moment? Well, that’s up for debate. Because there have been several in November alone as the 6-foot, 214-pound junior has become a serious candidate for the award, which will be announced Dec. 13.

A juice glass, a portrait of the singer Bill Withers by Chicago folk artist C.M. Laster, and a single by early Chicago punk band DV8 are among the items on Steve Albini’s Closet, an online auction of the belongings of the Chicago music producer who died in 2024. Astro Boy was one of Albini’s favorite pop references. (Provided by Byron Coley)

Catching up with Steve Albini’s Closet, the endless online yard sale of the late Chicago music legend’s estate

For the next several months, Byron Coley will be attempting to sell every this, that and the other thing once owned by Steve Albini, the legendary Chicago record producer and musician whose name was synonymous with indie acts like Nirvana, PJ Harvey, the Pixies.

After Albini died unexpectedly last year at 61, Coley, a longtime music writer, liner-notes author, former editor at Spin and Forced Exposure and occasional estate administrator, set up a digital estate sale, with most of the proceeds going to Albini’s widow, filmmaker Heather Whinna.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus wave to the crowd during the 91st annual Chicago Thanksgiving Parade on Nov. 27, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Photos: The 2025 Chicago Thanksgiving Parade

Marching bands, floats, performers and of course, Santa Claus, all came to State Street for the 91st annual Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.

Ally Tyer, 11, of Winfield, admires the fog bubbles floating through the air while attending Christmas at Cantigny light show and McCormick House tour in Wheaton, Nov. 19, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Holiday lights around Chicago: Our top 10 seasonal displays, from Chicago Botanic Garden to the Cantigny estate

Holiday light displays are opening around the Chicago area, including impressive glow-ups at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum. Others, some off the beaten path, imbue holiday cheer on foot, in the car and even on horseback.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/daywatch-illinois-soybean-farmers-struggle-with-trade-war-and-rising-costs/ 

No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana are closing in on a historic matchup in Indianapolis.

If the Buckeyes and Hoosiers win this week against rivals Michigan and Purdue — and in Ohio State’s case, that has been a big if lately — both would bring undefeated overall records into the Big Ten title game. That never has happened since the conference began playing a championship game in 2011.

In fact, only three times since Michigan State’s arrival pushed the conference to 10 teams in 1953 has the Big Ten finished its regular season with more than one unbeaten team in conference play. In 2013, Michigan State won the Legends Division at 8-0, and Ohio State won the Leaders Division with the same record. The Spartans beat the Buckeyes in the title game — but even that year, Michigan State had taken an early loss outside the Big Ten to Notre Dame.

In 2002, Ohio State and Iowa both went 8-0 in conference play. The Buckeyes went to — and won — the BCS championship game, and Iowa headed to the Orange Bowl.

The situation was far more acrimonious in 1973, when Michigan and Ohio State played to a tie and each finished the conference season 7-0-1 — and 10-0-1 overall. Athletic directors voted to send the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl.

According to Sportradar, only one FBS conference championship game has pitted two teams with unbeaten overall records. Alabama beat Florida 32-13 to win the Southeastern Conference in 2009. Of course, that year the losing team was finished as a national title contender because there was no playoff yet.

The stakes will be lower if Ohio State (11-0, 8-0) and Indiana (11-0, 8-0) make it to Indy with unblemished records, but it still would be quite a finish to the Big Ten season.

Star power

An Ohio State-Indiana title game also could become a de facto Heisman Trophy decider between Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin and Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is also a contender, but his final pitch is this week because the Irish aren’t in a conference and thus won’t be in a title game.

Who will win the Silver Football as Big Ten’s top player? The answer may intertwine with the Heisman race.

Going bowling

Ohio State, Indiana, No. 6 Oregon (10-1, 7-1), No. 15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1), No. 17 USC (8-3, 6-2), Washington (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Illinois (7-4, 4-4), Nebraska (7-4, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) and Northwestern (6-5, 4-4) have reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility.

The winner of the game between Penn State (5-6, 2-6) and Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) joins them.

Hot seats

As seems to be the trend nowadays, a lot of these situations were resolved before the end of the regular season. Penn State fired coach James Franklin in the middle of October, for example.

Also, Wisconsin has said it is keeping Luke Fickell, and Maryland is standing behind Mike Locksley.

The big remaining question is whether Jonathan Smith can survive a second straight bad season to start his tenure at Michigan State.

Youth movement

Michigan’s Bryce Underwood and Maryland’s Malik Washington have been starting at quarterback as freshmen all season. Washington has had to throw more, but Underwood’s most important game is still in front of him.

Ohio State freshman Bo Jackson has rushed for 835 yards in 10 games.

Recruiting watch

Oregon, not Ohio State, has the Big Ten’s top-ranked 2026 class according to 247 Sports. The Ducks are ranked No. 5 nationally, with the Buckeyes at No. 6, Michigan at No. 11 and Washington at No. 15.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/big-ten-ohio-state-indiana-history/ 

The 8-3 Chicago Bears will play the 8-3 Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in a Week 13 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (2 p.m., Prime Video).

Want the latest Bears news? Subscribe to the Chicago Tribune to read it all — and sign up for our free Bears Insider newsletter.

5 things to watch — plus our predictions

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries the ball against the Cowboys on Nov. 23, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)

A national audience will tune into Friday’s showdown, curious to see if the Bears’ 8-3 start stands up to the defending champions’ 8-3 record.

But the Bears aren’t viewing it as a litmus test of their legitimacy.

“We don’t put that type of energy, that type of effort, that type of pressure on any other game,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “We go into each game (with the) focus on being 1-0. You don’t look over there (and) compare yourself to their record, their team, their coaches, their players, or anything like that. We focus on us.” Read more here.

Bears activate cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon from IR for Friday’s game
Column: Plenty for Chicago sports fans to be thankful for — from Ben and Bananas to Bedard and Byard
Montez Sweat is heating up at the right time for the Bears: ‘Impact the game a little more each week’
Bears Q&A: Could more games be flexed into prime time? And why are all these injuries popping up?

How to watch Friday’s game

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looks to pass during the second quarter against the Steelers on Nov. 23, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

As things stand, with both 8-3 teams near the top of the NFC, this game could have big playoff implications. If the Bears and Eagles were to finish the season with identical records, their head-to-head result would be the first tiebreaker in determining which team earns the higher seed for the postseason.

This is a pivotal stretch for the Bears, who face the Eagles, Packers (twice), Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Lions over their final six games. Read more here.

The Bears have played 38 times on Thanksgiving. Here’s how they’ve fared in each game since 1920.

Meet the architect of one of the NFL’s best offensive lines

Bears offensive line coach Dan Roushar talks to players on the bench in the first quarter against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Nov. 16, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

For as long as the Bears have been piecing things together on the offensive line, this season’s transformation from one of the worst units in the NFL to one of the best has happened with remarkable quickness and little fanfare.

Directing the unit behind the scenes is 65-year-old Dan Roushar, who was about a month into retirement when the opportunity came along. He’s an old-school coach with a knack for reaching Gen Z, and while he’s not particularly interested in sharing his story, it’s quite a tale of commitment to the craft for a guy from Clinton, Iowa, who grew up a Bears fan and played quarterback at Northern Illinois. Read more here.

How Bears QB Caleb Williams ‘has improved dramatically’ in the play-action passing game
Column: ‘The Shuffle’ is one more documentary on the 1985 Bears, the team that keeps on giving

About last week

Dennis Allen hasn’t blinked when asked about various fill-ins the Bears have called upon on defense this season. In turn, it’s hard to find an example of a reserve who has blinked when pressed into action.

A Bears defense missing five starters Sunday at Soldier Field was too good for a Steelers team missing future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In a season in which unlikely heroes are arising on an almost weekly basis, it was some of the most recently promoted who delivered big plays in a 31-28 victory.

It marks the second four-game winning streak this season for a team that began the year with consecutive losses. The Bears (8-3) have won eight of their last nine, remain atop the NFC North and need one more victory in their final six games to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2018. Read more here.

DJ Moore scores 2 TDs and Caleb Williams overcomes miscues in Bears’ win: ‘Winning in every fashion’
Backup LBs D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga help Bears defense keep rolling with the punches
NFC North roundup: Lions win in OT while Packers pound Vikings 23-6

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/chicago-bears-philadelphia-eagles-week-13-updates/ 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Julian Sayin has done everything that has been asked of him in his first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback.

Yet what remains is a signature drive or performance.

That opportunity comes Saturday, as the redshirt freshman leads the top-ranked Buckeyes into The Big House to face No. 15 Michigan with a quest to end a four-game losing streak to “The Team Up North.”

Sayin enters The Game leading the Football Bowl Subdivision with a 79.4% completion rate and 185.38 passing efficiency rating, having thrown for 2,832 yards and 27 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

Despite Sayin’s impressive season, coach Ryan Day maintains the same expectations he had on Aug. 30, when Sayin first started against then-top-ranked Texas.

“Lead the team to a victory. That’s it at the end of the day,” Day said Tuesday. “What does that look like? It depends on how the game plays out. But he’s got to do his job, make great decisions. He’s shown composure this year. But again, now he has to be at his best.”

Sayin follows a strong lineage of Ohio State quarterbacks since Day arrived in 2017. Dwayne Haskins (2018), Justin Fields (2019), C.J. Stroud (2021), and Kyle McCord (2023) averaged 3,927 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 68.9% completion rate during their first seasons.

“Quarterback is elite,” said Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, calling Ohio State’s passing game “potent” and one of the best in the country.

Sayin arrived at Ohio State after initially committing to Alabama and entering the transfer portal following a coaching change. He played four games last season before winning the starting job.

He immediately showed he was up to the task. Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline deliberately didn’t put much on Sayin’s plate for the opener against Texas, but he had a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter that put the Buckeyes up by two touchdowns. Ohio State held on for a 14-7 victory that has kept it atop the AP Top 25 for 13 straight weeks, tying its second-longest run.

Sayin is only the second FBS quarterback in the last 40 years to have three games in a season with at least 300 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a completion rate of at least 80%. West Virginia’s Geno Smith was the other in 2012.

The best part of Sayin’s game for most of the season was his deep ball. He is 22 of 34 on passes of more than 20 air yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, his 95.9 grade on deep throws is second to Oregon’s Dante Moore (96.8).

He is 14 of 17 for 560 yards and seven touchdowns on deep throws between the numbers.

Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who recruited Sayin to Alabama when he was the offensive coordinator in 2023 under Nick Saban, has not been surprised with Sayin’s development.

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“You look at his completion percentage and might be thinking, ‘This guy is throwing bubble (screens) and RPOs.’ They’re not. They’re pushing the ball down the field,” Rees said. “They’re running real routes and concepts with those guys. He has that natural ability to place the ball where he wants.”

However, with Tate and Jeremiah Smith hampered by injuries the last three games, Sayin’s ability to attempt and complete deep passes has been limited. Tate has been sidelined since getting injured in pregame warmups against Purdue on Nov. 8, while Smith hasn’t played since the first half against UCLA on Nov. 15.

Sayin, who is fourth with 9.4 yards per attempt, did not attempt a deep pass in last week’s 42-9 win over Rutgers after going just 2 of 7 the previous two games.

Day said Tuesday that Tate and Smith will “be getting physical and mental reps all week.”

On a podcast hosted by Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and his brother, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, Smith said, “I should be good to go Saturday.”

Injuries have led Sayin to build chemistry with other receivers and tight ends, including Brandon Inniss and Max Klare.

“Just getting more comfortable in the offense,” Sayin said after the UCLA game. “We’re just doing some different things, spreading the ball around, playing with tempo, playing with quick game, and it’s a good thing for us.”

Sayin is an underdog Heisman contender, but an outstanding performance at Michigan or in the Big Ten championship game could change the narrative — if the Buckeyes win.

Sayin remains focused on improvement instead of awards.

“All around I can be better,” he said. “I can get through my reads quicker, helping us out in protection a little better and helping us in the run game more. Just trying to improve and keep growing my game to the next level.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/julian-sayin-defining-moment-ohio-state-michigan/ 

Jeremiyah Love’s 68-yard touchdown run Saturday against Syracuse was his Heisman pose moment.

The Notre Dame running back said he predetermined he would do the celebration in what might have been his final game at Notre Dame Stadium. He thought his third touchdown in the Irish’s 70-7 win was a worthy moment.

Love broke through a big hole up the middle, hopped around one defender’s grasp and then easily outran three other Syracuse players to the end zone. A few moments later, as teammates came to congratulate him, he lifted his right knee, tucked in his left arm and extended his right.

“What better way to celebrate breaking off for a long one than the Heisman pose?” he said.

But Love’s Heisman moment? Well, that’s up for debate. Because there have been several in November alone as the 6-foot, 214-pound junior has become a serious candidate for the award, which will be announced Dec. 13.

On Nov. 1, in a closer-than-expected game against Boston College, Love took a handoff near the Irish 1-yard line, paused for a moment to search for a crease, slipped by a pair of defenders and ran for a 94-yard touchdown.

On Nov. 8, his 48-yard touchdown was a magic act. Navy looked like it had tackled Love early in his run, but he rolled over the defenders without touching the ground, popped back on his feet and ran to the end zone.

On Nov. 15, he spun away as two Pittsburgh defenders nearly crashed into one another and raced for a 56-yard touchdown.

“It’s just how I play,” Love said after the Syracuse game. “I go into every play just wanting to give it my all, play every play like it’s my last. That allows me to take advantage of every opportunity I have. Like this game, I only got eight carries, and three of those carries ended up in touchdowns. That’s just a credit to me playing my hardest through the whistle and through every snap.

“That’s just the mentality I’ve had ever since I came into college. As a freshman, wanting to make the most of every touch that I got. That mentality hasn’t gone away by any means, even now that I’m a junior and approaching the end of my Notre Dame career.”

It is Love’s combination of breathtaking plays and consistent production of late that have him in the conversation for the nation’s top individual award along with several quarterbacks, including Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia.

While playing for the No. 9 team in the College Football Playoff rankings — alongside talented running back Jadarian Price — Love is second in the nation with 20 total touchdowns and third with 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,306 rushing yards. He is fourth with 7.06 yards per carry and 143.6 all-purpose yards per game. His 20 touchdowns have tied a program record set by Jerome Bettis in 1991.

Against USC, Love had 228 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Against Syracuse, he had 171 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries — averaging 21.4 yards per carry.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman is happy to list the credentials for a player he said gives the Irish confidence whenever he is on the field.

“You look at Jeremiyah Love and you say, ‘OK, one, every time he gets the ball, there’s a chance he could go all the way,’” Freeman said Monday at his weekly news conference. “Yes, he’s not going to get the carries that maybe all the other running backs in the country get, but what he does when he gets the carries is — I mean, his yards per carry is tremendous.

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr looks to pass while running back Jeremiyah Love looks to block against Syracuse on Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

“And then you see what he does in the pass game. He doesn’t always get the ball, but he’s a legitimate threat as a running back out of the backfield in the pass game. But the thing I’m most pleased about, which people that watch him probably don’t care about, is the way he protects, the pride he takes in protecting the quarterback.

“There were times previously in his first or second year that we would say, ‘Hey, if it’s a passing situation, we might put somebody else in there.’ There is never a time where we say take him off the field. He’s that consistent in his play.”

It has been 10 years since Alabama’s Derrick Henry won the Heisman, the last running back to do so. Since 2000, only three running backs have won it: USC’s Reggie Bush in 2005, Alabama’s Mark Ingram in 2009 and Henry. Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter last year are the only other non-quarterbacks to win it in the last 25 years.

Last year, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty was as close as any running back since Henry, receiving 309 first-place votes and finishing with 2,017 points to Hunter’s 2,231.

Love connected with Henry at the Super Bowl but said he hasn’t been in touch since, noting he doesn’t check his phone much during the season so he hoped he’d see a message if Henry reached out. But he did recently speak with former Stanford and current San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who came in second to Henry in 2015.

“Just to get a little bit of advice about how to handle all of this stuff with college football,” Love said.

Notre Dame has had a built-in marketing campaign from the start for Love, who rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns in 16 games last season in the march to the CFP championship game. After big plays, the Irish blast love-themed songs over the stadium speakers, and broadcasters watching his touchdowns declare things such as, “As always, Love is the answer!”

A fan holds up a sign in support of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love after a game against Syracuse on Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend, Ind. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

And then there’s his campaign video. Novelist Nicholas Sparks, a 1988 Notre Dame graduate, narrated an adjusted version of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians — Love is patient; love is kind — over a highlight reel.

Love also has been making the rounds to national broadcast media as Notre Dame tries to promote his Heisman case. He went on “SportsCenter” and “The Pat McAfee Show” last week and credited the Irish PR staff with helping him promote the team.

He said he has been able to compartmentalize the Heisman promotion and what he needs to do to be successful on the field.

“It’s almost like I shift between two versions of Jeremiyah,” he said. “You’ve got the media me, doing media stuff, and then immediately shift when it’s time to play football. It’s almost like it’s two personalities. I love going on and talking about how great the guys on this team are and how great this program is and just trying to give us some juice.

“But when it’s time to go back to football, it’s time to go back to football. I just immediately shift my focus.”

Love will have one more opportunity to impress voters Saturday night at Stanford as Notre Dame tries to secure a CFP berth in its regular-season finale.

For those who want to hear why he’s a candidate in his own words, Love offered his argument.

“I’m a guy who elevates my team and inspires others to do great things,” he said. “I’m not an individual by any means. When I step foot on the field, I’m playing for my brothers and I’m doing everything I can to see them succeed. That would probably be my pitch to them. I’m a team player.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/jeremiyah-love-heisman-notre-dame/ 

CME Futures Go Dark After Cooling Failure At Chicago Data Center; Traders Angered: “We’re Flying Dark” 

Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 06:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/cme-futures-go-dark-after-cooling-failure-chicago-data-center-traders-angered-were-flying 

After October’s ‘Liquidation Day’ Collapse, ADL Are The 3 Most Important Letters In Crypto

Tyler Durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 – 06:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/after-octobers-liquidation-day-collapse-adl-are-3-most-important-letters-crypto 

Por ABDULRAHMAN SHAHEEN

DAMASCO, Siria (AP) — Las fuerzas israelíes en el sur de Siria asaltaron una aldea y abrieron fuego cuando fueron confrontadas por residentes el viernes, matando al menos a diez personas, dijeron funcionarios sirios, mientras Israel lucha en varios frentes y avanza el frágil alto el fuego en Gaza.

El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Siria dijo en un comunicado el viernes que el ataque fue “una masacre horrenda” y afirmó que entre los muertos había mujeres y niños.

La agencia estatal de noticias siria SANA informó que las fuerzas israelíes entraron en la aldea de Beit Jin con el objetivo de detener a hombres locales y abrieron fuego intenso tras las protestas de los residentes. Decenas de familias huyeron del área.

Israel dijo el viernes que llevó a cabo una operación tras recibir información de inteligencia para detener a sospechosos de Jamaa Islamiya, o Grupo Islámico, que operaban en Beit Jin para atacar a civiles israelíes. Durante la redada, varios milicianos dispararon contra las tropas israelíes, hiriendo a media docena de soldados que fueron evacuados a un hospital, dijo el ejército.

Las tropas israelíes dispararon contra los milicianos y también respondieron con asistencia aérea, dijo el ejército. Afirmó que la operación había concluido, todos los sospechosos fueron detenidos y varios militantes fueron abatidos.

Israel ha visto con recelo a las nuevas autoridades en Siria desde la caída del expresidente Bashar Assad en una ofensiva relámpago liderada por insurgentes islamistas en diciembre de 2024. Desde la caída de Assad, las fuerzas israelíes han tomado una zona de amortiguamiento anteriormente patrullada por la ONU en el sur de Siria, establecida bajo un acuerdo de separación de 1974. Israel ha lanzado cientos de ataques aéreos en sitios militares sirios y ha presionado por una zona desmilitarizada al sur de Damasco.

Los dos países, que no tienen relaciones diplomáticas, han estado negociando un posible acuerdo de seguridad para desescalar.

Los funcionarios sirios han condenado las incursiones israelíes como una violación de la soberanía de Siria. El viernes, el gobierno pidió a la comunidad internacional que tome “medidas urgentes” para detener las incursiones israelíes.

Un funcionario local en la aldea, Walid Okasha, dijo a The Associated Press que los muertos eran civiles, y uno de ellos había celebrado su boda el día anterior.

“La situación es miserable”, expresó.

En una redada anterior en Beit Jin en junio, las fuerzas israelíes capturaron a varias personas que dijeron eran miembros de Hamás —una caracterización disputada por los residentes— y mataron a un hombre cuya familia dijo tenía un historial de esquizofrenia.

Los conflictos en curso en la región han alimentado preocupaciones de que la agitación podría extenderse y socavar la frágil tregua en Gaza.

Las muertes en Siria siguieron a una serie de ataques de la fuerza aérea de Israel en partes del sur de Líbano el jueves. Israel dice que sus ataques en curso tienen como objetivo evitar que el grupo político-paramilitar libanés Hezbollah se reconstruya después de una devastadora guerra el año pasado que terminó con un alto el fuego.

La ONU dijero el martes que Israel había matado al menos a 127 civiles, incluidos niños, en sus ataques en Líbano desde el alto el fuego hace un año. Las cosas se intensificaron a principios de esta semana con un raro ataque en la capital de Líbano, Beirut, que mató a un alto funcionario de Hezbollah a quien Israel describió como el jefe de personal del grupo.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/fuerzas-israeles-matan-a-10-en-redada-en-siria-sigue-el-alto-el-fuego-en-gaza/ 

Life has come full circle for Dan Jarvis, art gallery coordinator for Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, a photography student who worked in the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery when he attended the college 20 years ago.

Jarvis was already working in the darkroom lab as an aide in 2004 and got to know the gallery director. “So I started out helping in the gallery and found out I had a knack for it and stuck with it,” he said. After completing a bachelor’s degree in photography at Columbia College in Chicago and helping install exhibits for years as a contractor, he was hired in 2024 as gallery coordinator.

Having been around the gallery for 20 years, Jarvis is well-versed in its exhibits and has a clear goal of what he hopes to find among artist submissions for its 2026-27 season.

“We want to find work that speaks to students and the community as a whole – the idea that we have world-class artists that you might see at the Art Institute in Chicago but in the south suburbs,” he shared. “Being a community college we’re definitely aiming at a diverse group of people. We want to cater to the students, the faculty, the community who come in.”

Often, community members view the gallery’s exhibits when the adjoining theaters host performances, Jarvis said.

The gallery hosts four or five shows by visiting solo or small group show artists every year. Submissions for 2026-27 exhibits are being accepted until Jan. 31, 2026. Selections will be made in March.

Artist Antonia Ruppert’s exhibit “A Broken Crayon Still Colors” was displayed in 2023 in the art gallery at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos HIlls. The one-room gallery can display everything from large-scale paintings to smaller pieces on pedestals and will change the room to match the artist’s vision, even if it means painting the walls. (Mollie Burkiewicz/Moraine Valley Community College)

Artists must be able to travel to the college for a reception and live in the United States or have a representative for payment and shipping, as well as being able to drop off and pick up their pieces or pay to have them shipped. Complete proposal requirements are available online at www.morainevalley.edu/fpac/call-for-exhibitions.

Tianna Conway, managing director for the Fine and Performing Arts Center and Jarvis’ supervisor, had nothing but praise for him. “Each season, Dan Jarvis curates a wonderfully diverse lineup of exhibits and artists. Having served on the selection committee for two years, I’ve seen firsthand how thoughtfully the group, made up of community members, faculty and staff, works to select artists that reflect a wide range of perspectives and styles,” she said.

“Our gallery might be small, but it has a big impact,” she added. “With about 8,000 visitors last year, whether they’re attending a reception, heading to class, or catching a show at the FPAC, the gallery remains a vibrant part of campus life. I encourage everyone to stop by and explore the exhibitions. It’s a remarkable cultural gem right in our backyard.”

The gallery is a busy place, featuring nine or 10 exhibits annually. As well as visiting artists, it hosts a faculty show, juried student show in the spring, a show featuring art by area high school students and a community art show in the summer. Exhibits stay up for three to five weeks. “It’s a well-rounded season,” Jarvis said.

Exhibits are funded through a combined support of “college funds, the Moraine Valley Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council and the Friends of the Arts annual donation program,” Conway said.

“To the school’s credit, they have always set aside the budget for this fine and performing arts center to run,” Jarvis shared, adding that the gallery’s expenses are minimal. “I have a budget for food for the receptions. We have the backing of the school, which is nice. They tend to value the arts here.”

Jarvis handles installing exhibits, often with help from the artist, with most installations taking only a day. In the future, he’d like to involve student aides in the process. “It’s a good skill to have as an artist to know how to hang your own work.”

Jarvis invited students to help install work by one of last year’s visiting artists, Siri Stensberg, who has large-scale pieces that involve found objects. “Students got to work on the final installation and be part of the finished product,” he said.

Artist Siri Stensberg was accepted last year to exhibit her work in the gallery at Moraine Valley Community College. Transforming the space with her found objects for “Unsteady Vanishing Points” took three days, and she led a workshop for students to work on the installation. (Daniel Jarvis/Moraine Valley Community College)

Typically, the selection committee, made up of 12 to 15 people, receives dozens of proposals from artists for the limited number of slots available and keeps “diversity in all forms” in mind, whether it’s the artist’s culture, background and experiences to match Moraine Valley’s diverse student body – as well as diversity in the art itself, such as “new ways to think about old mediums,” he said.

Jarvis said proposals are accepted for a few months and then he looks at them and the work samples, putting together a slideshow of 12 to 15 proposals he thinks are the strongest when the committee meets. The group is made up of students, faculty, community members and people in the arts building, with members changing every few years to get “fresh” opinions.

High school art teachers and engaged students, such as those in art clubs, also are invited. “I can see that they have a real passion for art,” he said, adding that alumni also have been on the panel.

“Keeping in the spirit of community college, it’s not just my decision on who gets a show,” he explained. “We have a five-minute discussion about each body of work, and then I have them vote. Sometimes there’s a tiebreaker here and there, but usually you can gauge the room and the top four rise to the top, and those are the ones we offer a show to.”

In keeping with the college’s educational mission, artists are encouraged to submit a proposal for a workshop held there. Although it’s not a requirement to be chosen, “it’s a feather in your cap,” Jarvis said. “We like to do two workshops per semester if we can.”

For instance, Lisa Wolcott, who works in kinetic sculptures and found objects, gave a workshop about transforming everyday objects. “It started as a table of things people would have thrown out, but students had the creative minds to take three things and make something really interesting,” Jarvis shared.

Croatian-born artist Ana Žanić, who has lived in the Chicago area for about 17 years, was accepted to show her work at the end of the summer in the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery at Moraine Valley Community College. She also led a workshop for students titled Watercolors, Mark Making, Mindfulness to highlight her watercolor technique. (Daniel Jarvis/Moraine Valley Community College)

Another artist who gave a workshop is Ana Žanić, who was born and educated in Croatia but has lived in the Chicago area for nearly 20 years. “My main visual language is organic abstraction in watercolor on paper and Yupo,” she said, adding that she uses layers of washes and “mark-making” as well as creating small sculptures out of clay.

After an artist reception and talk at the gallery for her exhibit “Origins: Wondrous Worlds,” she led a workshop titled “Watercolors, Mark Making, Mindfulness,” showing mark-making tools from her studio and giving a short demonstration of her watercolor technique. “The students experimented with different tools and created marks of various shapes. Each participant then made their own watercolor piece, beginning with loose, spontaneous washes, drips and sprays, and then adding more detailed repetitive marks,” she said. She also brought a collection of dry twigs, pebbles and seed pods to inspire the mark-making.

Because of the timing of her exhibit and conflicting travel plans, she had to rely on Jarvis to set up the display, leaving him detailed directions and a sketch of the layout. “When I returned from my travels and saw the exhibit, I was beyond pleased – everything was placed exactly as I had imagined it.”

Žanić, who said she is “always on the lookout for gallery spaces that are visually clear and uncluttered and that consistent present artists whose work reflects authenticity and integrity,” urged artists to apply for a gallery show at Moraine Valley.

“Moraine Community College and the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery demonstrate great professionalism and support for artists, and they set an excellent example through their artist program. I was especially impressed by the level of dedication that gallery coordinator Dan Jarvis brought to every aspect of the process – from prompt and detailed communication and pristine installation to providing high-quality images of the exhibit.”

In addition to displaying her art, Žanić received something valuable from the experience. “Exhibiting and sharing my work in an academic setting is very important to me. I find that contributing to the education and cultural engagement of new generations of students and future artists keeps me continuously engaged on a level completely unrelated to the commercial side of the art world,” she explained.

The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and during most performances at the Fine and Performing Arts Center, although holidays may affect these hours. For information about submitting a proposal, contact Jarvis at artgallery@morainevalley.edu or 708-608-4231, Ext. 4231.

Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/28/moraine-valley-decaprio-gallery-2026/