When do CFP rankings come out? Schedule, release date after Week 14

Thecollege footballregular season has come to an end, which means only one more set ofCollege Football Playoffrankings will be released before the official 12-team bracket is set on Sunday, Dec. 7.

Only a handful of teams will be on action duringconference championship week, with No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana in the Big Ten championship headlining the Week 15 schedule. The game not only has the Big Ten title on the line, but also the top overall seed in the final CFP ranking.

CFP PROJECTIONS:Updated bracket predictions for 12-team field

The ACC championship game winner will be also interesting for the CFP race: Ifunranked, five-loss Dukebeats No. 16 Virginia (No. 18 in CFP rankings), there's a strong chance the ACC will be left out entirely, opening the door for two teams from outside the Power Four to reach the playoff. The most likely teams would be the American Conference winner between North Texas and Tulane and a potential Sun Belt Conference champion James Madison.

No. 6 Texas Tech (No. 5 in CFP) faces No. 11 BYU (No. 11 in CFP) in the Big 12 championship. It will be a rematch of a regular-season matchup that saw the Red Raiders win 29-7.If the Cougars win, it would almost certainly make the Big 12 a two-bid league and knock out the lowest-ranked at-large team from the top 12.

Heading into the penultimate set of CFP rankings, that team is No. 10 Alabama (No. 10 in CFP), which must rematch with No. 3 Georgia (No. 4 in CFP) for the SEC title in Atlanta on Dec. 6.

Here's a look at when the penultimate CFP rankings release ahead of conference championship week:

When do CFP rankings come out after Week 14?

• Time: 7 p.m. ET

• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 2

The penultimate CFP rankings will release at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 2, five days before the final 12-team bracket is set on Dec. 7.

CFP rankings release schedule

Here's the remaining CFP rankings release times in 2025:

• Tuesday, Dec. 2: 7 p.m. ET

• Sunday, Dec. 7: Noon ET

CFP schedule

• First round: Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20

• Quarterfinals: Wednesday, Dec. 31 and Thursday, Jan. 1

• Semifinals: Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9

• National championship: Monday, Jan. 19

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:When do CFP rankings come out? Schedule, release date after Week 14

byNeo

in

December 01, 2025

When do CFP rankings come out? Schedule, release date after Week 14

Thecollege footballregular season has come to an end, which means only one more set ofCollege Football Playoffrankings wi...

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Lane Kiffin's disastrous exit from Ole Miss is a stain on college football

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🚨 Headlines

🏈Coaching carousel:Lane Kiffinleft Ole Miss for LSU(more below), Kentuckyfired Mark Stoopsafter 13 seasons, Floridahired Jon Sumrall(Tulane), Arkansashired Ryan Silverfield(Memphis), Auburnhired Alex Golesh(USF), Michigan Statehired Pat Fitzgerald(ex-Northwestern), andmore.

🏎️Down to the wire:Red Bull's Max Verstappenwon Sunday's Qatar Grand Prixto set up a season-ending three-way race for the title. McLaren's Lando Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points and teammate Oscar Piastri by 16 points entering the finale in Abu Dhabi.

🏀NBA Cup knockouts:Group play is complete and theknockout stage is setfor the in-season tournament, with the Magic, Raptors, Knicks and Heat advancing in the East and the Thunder, Lakers, Spurs and Suns advancing in the West.

⚽️Iran boycotts draw:Iran isboycotting this week's World Cup drawin Washington, D.C., after members of its delegation were denied visas to enter the United States. Barring further action, Iran still plans to compete in next summer's World Cup.

🏀Deadline extended again:The WNBA and players associationhave agreed to extend their CBA for a second timeas negotiations continue, this time through January 9. The first extension was set to run out on Sunday night.

🏈 Kiffin's disastrous exit from Ole Miss

After weeks of public scrutiny and private consternation, Lane Kiffinfinally made his decisionon Sunday, ditching Ole Miss on the eve of the College Football Playoff to take the job at LSU.

Behind the scenes:In his statement announcing his departure, Kiffin said he wanted to coach the Rebels in the postseason but the school wouldn't allow it. Hard to disagree with them on that one.

From Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken:

Kiffin leaving the No. 7 team in the country to take a job with another SEC program before the sport's marquee event is bad for the product, and no other well-run sports league would tolerate it.

While it's easy to blame "the system" or "the calendar," as you might have heard on ESPN over the weekend, this is a story of individual choices and responsibilities.

It's Kiffin's choice to leave a trail of sleaze on his way out of town. And it's the choice of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and other college sports leaders to do nothing about it, to shrug their shoulders and to rail against professionalization of college sports when making it a priority would be the best path for their business.

Instead, lack of action is a strategic choice, and it's one that needs to be called for what it is: A dereliction of duty in protecting the best interests of college football.

Don't you think, during all those years of the Patriots winning championships, that other NFL franchises would have liked to break up the dynasty by putting a huge pile of cash in front of Bill Belichick right before a Super Bowl run?

Loyalty wasn't the reason it never happened. It's not possible because the NFL understands how bad it would be for its product and has made rules that govern when and under what circumstances coaches can change jobs when they're under contract.

Without collective bargaining, college sports has often run into legal trouble when trying to regulate anything regarding compensation or movement of personnel.

And yet, every time people like Sankey end up on Capitol Hill begging for some type of NCAA protection legislation, it's amazing how the focus is always on the chaos of NIL and the transfer portal while the coaching carousel never gets mentioned as a source of harm for the product and schools that pour hundreds of millions of dollars into their programs.

A coach leaving is, by definition, traumatic and overwhelming. Players start thinking about their own futures and options. Routines get broken up. It would truly defy the odds if Ole Miss was as good of a team under these circumstances as it has been for the past three months.

That's Kiffin's fault, and his reputation will pay a price across generations. The circus of the last few weeks will go down in SEC infamy, a forever stain on his already pock-marked record.

But this is also the product of an ecosystem where players changing jobs on a whim or for a paycheck is a crisis that needs to be dealt with immediately and regulated through a literal act of Congress, while coaches getting paid $10 million a year wrecking their own teams gets met with a shoulder shrug.

This might be the first time it's happened in college football. But in the 12-team playoff era, you can bet it won't be the last.

If the leaders of college sports aren't willing to make this as much of a priority as opt-outs and portal windows while it turns their national playoff into a punch line, they've lost all sense of perspective on what's good or bad for the game.

Read the full story.

🏀 OKC is unstoppable

The 2024-25 Thunder put together a historic campaign en route to a championship. So far this season, the defending champs look even better.

Historic start:OKC beat Portland on Sunday to win their 12th straight game and become just the fourth team in NBA history to start a season 20-1 or better.

• The 1969-70 Knicks started 20-1 and went on to win the championship.

• The 1993-94 Rockets started 20-1 and went on to win the championship.

• The 2015-16 Warriors started 21-0 and went on to lose in the NBA Finals.

• The 2025-26 Thunder started 20-1 and [TBD].

The straw that stirs the drink:Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is putting up 33-5-7 on 67.3% true shooting, which is pretty incredible for a guy who rarely even plays in the fourth quarter and has been without his wingman, Jalen Williams, for all but two games.

• If not for Nikola Jokić, who is casually averaging a near 30-point triple-double, SGA would be the runaway favorite to win back-to-back MVPs.

• He scored 20+ points for the 93rd consecutive game on Sunday, which is the longest streak by any player not named Wilt Chamberlain (126 straight).

Just how good are these guys?Well, let's see: Last year's Thunder team outscored opponents by 12.9 points per game, which broke the previous NBA record that had stood for more than half a century (12.3 by the 1971-72 Lakers). This year's Thunder squad? They're outscoring opponents by15.5 points per game.More nights than not, they're cruising to victory.

Looking ahead:What if I told you the NBA's best team could soon be adding the NBA's best prospect? The Thunder own the Clippers' 2026 first-round pick, and L.A.'s putrid 5-15 start means OKC currently has a 10% chance of landing the No. 1 pick (and a 40% chance of landing a top-four pick) in next year's draft. Something to keep an eye on as L.A.'s season spirals dangerously out of control.

🏈 Does anybody want to win the Super Bowl?

The Rams, Eagles, Chiefs, Seahawks and Colts entered Week 13 as the five betting favorites to win the Super Bowl. Four of those teams (all but Seattle) promptly lost and got exposed in various ways.

The big picture:The final month of the regular season is upon us, and it'shard to find any reliable contenders.

• In the NFC, the defending champion Eagles (8-4) are flailing and the rock solid-seeming Rams (9-3) just showed they, too, are prone to a bad loss. The Bears (9-3) are the No. 1 seed, but can they really be trusted?

• The Seahawks (9-3), 49ers (9-4), Packers (8-3-1) and Buccaneers (7-5) are the other teams in playoff position, while the Lions (7-5), Cowboys (6-5-1) and Panthers (7-6) are all in the hunt.

• Meanwhile, in the AFC: The Colts (8-4) have gone from "best team in the league" to ceding control of their own division to the Jaguars (8-4). They now find themselves in the messy middle alongside the Bills (8-4), Chargers (8-4), Texans (7-5), Chiefs (6-6), Ravens (6-6) and Steelers (6-6).

• The Broncos (10-2) have won nine straight games to leapfrog the Patriots (10-2) for first place, but they continue to fly under the radar. Perhaps that's because they barely eked out most of those wins, with seven of the nine being decided by four or fewer points.

Week 13 Scoreboard:

• Cowboys 31, Chiefs 28 (Thanksgiving)

• Packers 31, Lions 24 (Thanksgiving)

• Bengals 32, Ravens 14 (Thanksgiving)

• Bears 24, Eagles 15 (Black Friday)

• Texans 20, Colts 16

• Panthers 31, Rams 28

• Seahawks 26, Vikings 0

• Broncos 27, Commanders 26 (OT)

• Bills 26, Steelers 7

• Buccaneers 20, Cardinals 17

• Jets 27, Falcons 24

• Jaguars 25, Titans 3

• 49ers 26, Browns 8

• Chargers 31, Raiders 14

• Dolphins 21, Saints 17

Fantasy Focus:Underdog in your league? Week 13 showed there is always hope for an upset

🇺🇸 Photos across America

Fort Lauderdale, Florida —Inter Miami crushed NYC FC,5-1, on Saturday to reach the MLS Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. Breakout star Tadeo Allende netted a hat trick, giving him eight goals across Miami's five playoff games.

Meanwhile, out West: Vancouver ended top-seeded San Diego's dream debut seasonwith a 3-1 victory, sending the Whitecaps to their first MLS Cup Final.

Seattle —The Seattle Torrent drew 16,014 fans to Climate Pledge Arena on Friday for their inaugural home game,breaking the attendance recordfor a professional women's hockey game in the U.S.

On the ice: Seattle lost, 3-0, to two-time defending champion Minnesota, leaving the expansion Torrent as theonly PWHL team without a winthrough two weeks of action.

Las Vegas —No. 7 Michigandominated the Players Era Festivalwith blowout victories over No. 21 Auburn (102-72) and No. 12 Gonzaga (101-61), making the Wolverines the first team in AP poll history (since 1948) to post consecutive 30-point wins against ranked opponents.

On the women's side: No. 4 Texaswon the Players Era Festivalafter beating No. 3 UCLA and No. 2 South Carolina on consecutive days.

Copper Mountain, Colorado —Death, taxes, and Mikaela Shiffrin winning the slalom. Sunday's victory, which came in front ofan adoring crowd on her home snow, marked the Olympian's fourth straight win in her best discipline and her record-extending 104th career World Cup win.

A league of her own: How dominant was Shiffrin? The 1.57-second gap between her and the runner-up was the same as the gap between the runner-up and 11th place.

📺 Watchlist: Monday, Dec. 1

🏈 Giants at Patriots

New England hosts New York(8:15pm ET, ABC/ESPN)in just theirfourth meetingsince Super Bowl XLVI nearly 14 years ago. Can the last-place Giants (2-10, six straight losses) pull off another stunner against the first-place Pats (10-2, nine straight wins)?

⚽️ USWNT vs. Italy

The Americans close out the year in Fort Lauderdale with another friendly against the Italians(7pm, TBS/HBO Max)just three days after beating them,3-0, in Orlando.

More to watch:

• 🏀 NBA: Bulls at Magic (7:30pm, Peacock); Suns at Lakers (10pm, Peacock) … The Lakers (15-4) have won seven straight games to take over second place in the West.

• 🏒 NHL: Penguins at Flyers (7pm, NHL) … Philly hosts the season's second Battle of Pennsylvania. The Flyers took round one in a shootout.

Today's full slate.

🏈 NFL trivia

Josh Allen recorded his 76th career rushing touchdown on Sunday, passing Cam Newton for themost by a QB in NFL history.

Question:Who ranks third on that list with 63 rushing TDs?

Hint:Unlike Allen and Newton, he was not a first-round pick.

Answer at the bottom.

🍿 Top plays of the weekend

This weekend featured some of the best catches you'll ever see on the football field. Four of them top our list, and five made the cut overall.

1. 🏈 Treylon Burks!!!

2. 🏈 KJ Duff!!!

3. 🏈 Puka Nacua!!!

4. 🏈 Brock Bowers!!!

5. 🏀 Pitt at the buzzer

6. 🏀 Stanford at the buzzer

7. ⚽️ Tyler Adams from way out

8. 🏈 CJ Daniels!!!

9. 🏒 Assist while injured

10. 🏒 Ridiculous finish

11. 🥍 No-look goal

12. 🏈 Hardy to the house

13. 🏀 Block → Dunk

Watch all 13.

Trivia answer:Jalen Hurts

We hope you enjoyed this edition ofYahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports.Sign up hereto get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.

byNeo

in

December 01, 2025

Lane Kiffin's disastrous exit from Ole Miss is a stain on college football

Yahoo Sports AMis our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports.Sign up hereto get it every weekday...

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'Fire Tomlin': Steelers fans losing patience with Pittsburgh’s long run of mid football

The year that Mike Tomlin took over the head coaching duties of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tom Brady and the Patriots went undefeated in the regular season and lost the Super Bowl to Eli Manning and David Tyree's Helmet Catch. Adrian Peterson was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Randy Moss, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning were in the primes of their careers. George W. Bush was still president, and there was no such thing as a Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Mike Tomlin took charge of the Steelers a long time ago, is what we're saying. But now, judging from the "Fire Tomlin" chants that resounded throughout Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon, that union might just be reaching its end.

[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

By any measure, Tomlin has had a spectacular head-coaching career. A Super Bowl champion, his next win will move him into a tie with Dan Reeves for 10th place on the NFL's career coaching wins list at 190. His famous, and justly celebrated, streak of never finishing a season below .500 remains intact; the Steelers are 6-6 even after Sunday's miserable loss to Buffalo.

That woeful 26-7 defeat brought fans' long-simmering frustrations to a full boil.Chants of "Fire Tomlin" resonated throughout Acrisure Stadium. And these weren't just a few isolated cranks hopped up on cheap beer. No, these chants wereloud:

Fire Tomlin chants loud and clear at Steelers game. The city has finally had enoughpic.twitter.com/GNkLkUDLJt

— Simon Ince (@SirSimon43)December 1, 2025

"I share their frustration tonight," Tomlin said, when asked about the chants. "We didn't do enough."

That's a fair assessment of Sunday, where the Steelers gained just 166 yards of total offense — 108 in the air, 58 on the ground — and managed to convert only three of nine third-down opportunities. Meanwhile, the Bills set a stadium rushing record of 249 yards over, around and through the Pittsburgh defense.

But "we didn't do enough" applies to the season as a whole, too … maybe to the entire decade of the 2020s for Pittsburgh. Although Aaron Rodgers' name isn't exactly synonymous with Pittsburgh, it was impossible to look at photographs of him aftersuffering a cut to his nose on Sunday— weary, bleeding, bandaged, gray in his beard and a resigned look in his eyes — and not think of the larger picture, that the best on-field days of both Rodgers and the Steelers are, for now, behind them.

"I totally understand the frustration," Rodgerssaid after the game. "That was a boo-worthy performance."

The Steelers of the 2020s lurk in the NFL's murky middle — enough name recognition to earn a few nationally televised games, but not enough talent to seize control of the division or the conference. Enough wins to make the playoffs on a regular basis, but too many to get anywhere near a position to draft a reliable quarterback.

Since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger — whose arrival in Pittsburgh predated even Tomlin's — the Steelers have cycled through a procession of rent-a-QBs whose performances have ranged from decent to disastrous, with a whole lot more lows and mids than highs. Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Russell Wilson, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields and now Rodgers — all quarterbacks whose best days, whether college or pro, came long before they arrived in Pittsburgh.

One column on one spreadsheet tells the Steelers' tale. In the "Notes" section of Tomlin'sPro Football Reference career chartare his full-season accolades — a Super Bowl championship in his second season, an AFC title game in his fourth, and then … nothing since then. A long stretch of emptiness. The Steelers have reached the playoffs four of the past five years, but haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season and have only three playoff wins since their Super Bowl run in 2010 when they lost to a 27-year-old QB named Aaron Rodgers.

A coaching change in Pittsburgh would be a seismic civic event akin to tearing down one of the city's signature bridges. The Steelers have only had three head coaches — Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Tomlin — since1969. Between them, they've won six Super Bowl titles, so that's the baseline for any new hire. Tomlin was just 35 years old when he took over from Cowher, and managed to nab his Lombardi quickly. Could any replacement do the same with this roster?

Tomlin, still just 53, remains under contract through 2027. Should he and/or Pittsburgh decide a fresh start is in order, he'd have a line of suitors waiting at his front door before he got home from his farewell press conference. A whole lot of teams in the NFL would love to have the "problem" of never finishing below .500.

But that's a hypothetical. The reality is that Pittsburgh has five games remaining — Baltimore twice, Miami, and at Detroit and Cleveland. Pittsburgh remains tied with the Ravens for first place in the AFC North, although on the outside of the playoff bracket due to tiebreakers. (The AFC North's overall stench means that merely mediocre is enough to lead the division.)

Even if Pittsburgh makes the playoffs, though — by any definition a good season — how long would the Steelers last against, say, the Colts, Chargers or these same Bills? Steelers fans have decided that "good" isn't good enough. And if the front office feels the same way, some fascinating days are ahead in Pittsburgh.

byNeo

in

December 01, 2025

'Fire Tomlin': Steelers fans losing patience with Pittsburgh’s long run of mid football

The year that Mike Tomlin took over the head coaching duties of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tom Brady and the Patriots went ...

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In Trump country, suburban grandmas push back against ICE

HAMILTON, OH ‒ A group that's grown almost 70-strong shows up weekly to commissioner meetings in this conservative Ohio county toprotest officials' agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They're mostly grandmas.

"I'm here because I'm outraged. I'm here because I'm angry," Cassie Stevens, who lives in Hamilton, said at a Butler County Commissioners meeting on Nov. 18. "I'm here because I need to be able to look my grandkids in the eye and say I did not remain silent."

For 17 weeks, this group of Butler County residents has spoken at the commissioners' meetings in Hamilton. They want commissioners to cancel Sheriff Richard Jones' March agreement with ICE, which allows theButler County Jail to detain people facing deportation.

Commissioners authorized the agreement, which bringsmillions of federal dollars to the county.

At the latest commissioners' meeting, more than 70 people sat, stood and spilled through the doors. Most were White women who sported silver and white cropped hair. After the meeting, they took their protest outside, braving the November rain with fleece jackets and handmade signs.

Commission meetings prompt residents to band together

Sharon Meyer, who lives in Hamilton, criticized the county's agreement with ICE and said it sends one message: "If you don't look like us, bring a passport to Butler County."

Some people cried as speakers shared their neighbors', friends' and grandchildren's classmates' fears about ICE arrests and detentions. Toward the end of the meeting's public comment portion, and after one commissioner told them not to, critics of the contract broke into song: "America the Beautiful."

Anne Jantzen, 82, who lives in Seven Mile, first began attending commissioners meetings over the summer to protest the county's agreement with ICE. There, she met others with the same beliefs and started an email chain.

"They said, 'I heard about you and I want to be part of this,'" she told The Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, after the meeting.

Their group, Butler County for Immigrant Justice, ranges in age from 60 to 85, she said. Retirees are more likely than younger people to be able to attend commissioners meetings, which are held at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.

"I can do it; therefore I need to," Jantzen said.

The meetings are also streamed online, but speakers must be present to make a public comment.

A 'dirty money contract'

President Donald Trump won Butler County in 2024 with 62% of the vote. The federal government'sextra funding for the Butler County Sheriff's Officebegan to arrive this month.

Stevens, a member of Butler County for Immigrant Justice, called the agreement a "dirty money contract" and said it has "emboldened racists."

"They use the dehumanizing term 'illegals' just like they use the n-word," she said.

Melanie Stearns, who lives in Hamilton, said the county's cooperation with ICE has given the region a bad reputation. The sheriff's office is the only one in Ohio with a Jail Enforcement Model agreement, according tocurrent ICE contracts, which allows the Butler County Jail to hold ICE detainees for extended periods of time.

"We look like idiots, just like we did withthe cats and JD Vance," she said, referring to the vice president's comments last year that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, about an hour north of Butler County, were eating pets. Vance was raised in Butler County's Middletown.

Resident, Jay Stevison, who joined the group after the meeting, got teary-eyed as he spoke about his three grandchildren, who, he said, have a Latino parent.

"I would have to defend them with my life if ICE tried to take them," he said.

Commissioners give reasons for not canceling ICE contract

Twenty residents spoke out against the contract for about an hour. None spoke in favor of it.

The three commissioners, all Republicans, responded.

Commissioner Cindy Carpenter, who has served on the board since 2011, said the sheriff "alone" sets policies, determines operations and makes decisions about cooperating with federal agencies, including ICE.

But the sheriff is not an independent contractor, said Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser. Jones' office needs commissioner authorization to sign most contracts and agreements, as was done for the ICE agreement.

In a phone call with The Enquirer the day after the meeting, Carpenter said commissioners aim to facilitate county operations without inserting their own political opinions.

"We would lose a lot of credibility with our officeholders if we started undermining their judgment," she said.

The resolution passed by commissioners in February amended the sheriff's agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service to allow the jail to hold ICE detainees. Commissioners could take action to cancel the agreement. The ICEdocumentsays either party can terminate or suspend the agreement.

Commissioner T.C. Rogers,citing CNN coverage, said there is a need for ICE arrests because of a 2023 surge of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border. That surge wasdeclining under President Joe Biden and has slowed even furtherunder Trump.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer:Suburban grandmas protest ICE contract in Trump-voting Ohio county

byNeo

in

December 01, 2025

In Trump country, suburban grandmas push back against ICE

HAMILTON, OH ‒ A group that's grown almost 70-strong shows up weekly to commissioner meetings in this conservative Oh...

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Israeli PM Netanyahu requests pardon in ongoing corruption trial

Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuformally requested a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, arguing it was in the "public interest."

In a letter addressed to President Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu wrote that his trial has become "a focal point of fierce controversy" for which he bears "broad public and more responsibility, with an understanding of the overall ramifications of these events."

Netanyahu said it was in his "personal interest" to prove his innocence in the ongoing trial, but "the public interest dictates otherwise." The letter was dated Thursday but submitted and publicized on Sunday.

As Israeli head of state, Herzog has the sole mandate to issue pardons. His office confirmed it received the request, and Herzog would "consider it with great care and responsibility."

In the one-page letter, Netanyahu does not include an admission of guilt or make any commitments about his political future. He has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

The formal request for a pardon is a reversal for the long-time Israeli leader, who has said the indictments would collapse and that he would prove his innocence in court.

"Faced with the security challenges and diplomatic opportunities currently before the State of Israel, I am committed to do everything in my power to heal the rifts, achieve national unity, and restore public trust in the state's institutions," Netanyahu wrote, "and I expect all branches of government to do the same."

In a statement on Monday, Herzog said he would consider the request "in the most correct and precise manner" while acknowledging that it is "clearly provoking debate and is deeply unsettling for many people in the country, across different communities."

'Only someone guilty asks for a pardon'

The opposition were quick to criticize the request from Netanyahu who has faced accusations of stoking rifts within Israeli society – against the Arab population and the left in particular – as well as prolonging the war in Gaza for his own political gain.

Yair Lapid, the leader of Israel's opposition, urged Herzog to reject the pardon request, at least in its current form. "You cannot grant Netanyahu a pardon without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse, and an immediate withdrawal from political life," Lapid said in a video statement.

Head of the left-wing Democrats party Yair Golan said on X, "Only someone guilty asks for a pardon. After eight years of trial, when the cases against him have not collapsed, Netanyahu is now asking for a pardon."

But Netanyahu's political allies came out in favor of the pardon. Far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir supported the request, saying in a statement it is "critical for the security for the security of the state."

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump once again weighed in on the case with his own letter to Israel's president, asking for a pardon for arguably his most vocal international cheerleader.

"I hereby call on you to fully pardon Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a formidable and decisive War Time Prime Minister, and is now leading Israel into a time of peace," Trump wrote in a letter distributed by the Israeli president's spokesperson.

A Channel 12 poll conducted in mid-November after Trump's letter to Herzog suggested that 48% of the Israeli public oppose an unconditional pardon, while 44% support it. The remaining 8% said they did not know.

According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the president's pardon authority in Israel is subject to his broad discretion. But, in general, pardons are only issued after an individual has already been convicted.

"The possibility that the President might pardon someone before or during trial risks turning the President into an authority that bypasses the law-enforcement and judicial system," wrote Dana Blander, a research fellow at the institute. "The rule is that the President acts as a 'compassionate authority' only after all other authorities have spoken."

Netanyahu is the first incumbent prime minister in the history of Israel to face criminal prosecution while in office. His trial began in May 2020 in three separate cases.

Inthe most serious casehe is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust for allegedly advancing regulatory benefits worth the equivalent of more than $250 million at the time to his friend Shaul Elovitch, who was the controlling shareholder for the telecommunications company Bezeq. In return, the prosecution claims, Elovitch ensured positive coverage of the prime minister in an online news site he owned called Walla! News. Elovitch has denied the charges.

Netanyahu's own testimony started in December 2024 but has been subject to repeated delays and cancellations, the majority of them at his request. Given the remaining stages of the trial, which include testimony, judgment and potential appeals, the proceedings are expected to continue for several more years.

There is no deadline for Herzog to make a decision regarding a pardon.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that the pardon request letter was dated Thursday but submitted on Sunday.

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byNeo

in

December 01, 2025

Israeli PM Netanyahu requests pardon in ongoing corruption trial

Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuformally requested a pardon in his long-running corruption trial, arguing it was in the "publi...

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