Dan Johnson has been an editor, writer, and analyst for DraftKings and DraftKings Network since 2024. He’s previously held editorial posts at The Paris Review, Macmillan Publishers, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, ASSIGNMENT Magazine, and FantasySixPack. You can find his various editorial work & writing (sports-related and non-) at all of the above.
The Big West is tight at the top, and this is a first-place game in practice. Hawaii is 15–4 overall and 7–2 in league play, and UC Irvine is 14–7 overall and 7–2, sitting on the same line. One slip here can turn a bye chase into a tiebreak scramble, because the margin in this […]
January 29, 2026
The Big West race is tight enough that nights like this carry real weight. UC Santa Barbara is 13–7 overall and 6–3 in league play, sitting in the top-half pack. UC San Diego is 15–6 and 5–4, trying to steady itself after a 61–59 loss to UC Irvine. Hawaii and UC Irvine have lived near […]
January 29, 2026
The Big West doesn’t give soft landings, and this one sits right on the fault line. UC Davis comes in 12–8 overall and 5–4 in league, hunting traction. CSUN is 11–10 and 4–5, staring at the kind of home game that keeps a season upright. Sports Reference has UC Davis fourth in the Big West […]
January 29, 2026
Portland is loud right now, and the standings make it louder. Portland State is 13–5 overall and 7–0 in Big Sky play, sitting alone at the top. Montana walks in with real urgency, because it’s 6–2 in league and needs a road punch to stay in the title chase. This is also a legit home-floor […]
January 29, 2026
Hilton is a trapdoor arena when Iowa State is ranked and rolling, because the crowd treats every empty trip like a personal insult. Colorado arrives wobbling, five straight losses after a clean 2–0 Big 12 start, and the standings don’t forgive slides. Iowa State is 18–2 with a two-game surge, and it’s protecting an 11–0 […]
January 29, 2026
San Diego State walks into this one sitting atop the Mountain West at 8–1, protecting a 9–1 home record, and treating every night like seeding work. Colorado State is 12–8 and 3–6 in league, hunting traction and trying to steal a real road result before February hardens. The building should feel like a favorite’s runway, […]
January 28, 2026
Logan’s a hard place to look comfortable, and Utah State treats the Spectrum like a pressure cooker. The Aggies are 16–3 in the teeth of the Mountain West, and they’re still hunting the cleanest lane to the top tier. Wyoming is 12–8 and sitting at 3–6 in league play, so every road swing is either […]
January 28, 2026
Houston walks into Fort Worth as the Big 12’s measuring stick, sitting 17–2 overall and 5–1 in league play, with the kind of defense that makes games feel shorter. TCU is 13–7 and 3–4, and this is the exact profile spot where the building matters. The Frogs have already proven they can punch up, and […]
January 28, 2026
Houston walks into Fort Worth as the Big 12’s measuring stick, sitting 17–2 overall and 5–1 in league play, with the kind of defense that makes games feel shorter. TCU is 13–7 and 3–4, and this is the exact profile spot where the building matters. The Frogs have already proven they can punch up, and […]
January 28, 2026
Mississippi State walks into Baton Rouge with the kind of urgency that makes a week feel like a season. The Bulldogs are 10–10 and 2–5 in the SEC, sitting near the bottom and staring at a fragile February. LSU is 13–7 but 1–6 in league play, which means the record looks clean until the conference […]
January 28, 2026
Texas is 12–8 and still trying to turn SEC life into something stable. Auburn is 13–7, back on its home floor, and hunting clean separation in the standings. Neville Arena is never quiet when a ranked scalp is on the table. This is also a weird little history spot, because Texas hasn’t played at Auburn […]
January 28, 2026