ABC earned a 10.4 overnight rating yesterday afternoon for Ohio State's double-OT, 30-27 win over Michigan, marking the best rating for a college football game this season. The game, which pitted No. 2 OSU against No. 3 Michigan, also marks the best overnight for a noon college football kickoff on record across all networks. It is ABC's second-highest rated game on record, trailing the '06 OSU-Michigan game (11.5 overnight), when the teams were ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively. Columbus led all local markets with a 43.6 rating, followed by Dayton (36.8) and Detroit with a 30.8 (THE DAILY). 

Chargers ownership remains in "close contact" with Rams Owner Stan Kroenke regarding a potential move to L.A. Sources said that the tenor of conversations has "continued to improve" as Chargers Chair Dean Spanos explores options in the L.A. market. Sources said that there is a "strong chance the Chargers' relocation fee to move" to L.A. "decreases before a final deal is struck." Kroenke is "uniquely motivated to move the process along." The Rams "cannot begin to sell" PSLs and suite deals "until he has closure on whether it's the Chargers or Raiders joining him, and he is eager to get those sales started" (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/27).

Fox drew 35.1 million viewers for the Cowboys' 31-26 win over the Redskins in the late afternoon window on Thanksgiving Day, marking the most-watched regular-season game ever on the net. Redskins-Cowboys also was the most-watched NFL regular-season game on any network since NBC's Chiefs-Cowboys matchup on Thanksgiving in '95 (35.2 million). CBS last year drew 32.5 million viewers for Panthers-Cowboys in the late window. 

In Thursday's early window, CBS drew 27.6 million viewers for the Lions' last-second win over the Vikings, marking the net's most-watched NFL game since Panthers-Cowboys on Thanksgiving last year. Fox drew 25.4 million viewers for the early window Thanksgiving Day game last year, which featured Eagles-Lions. In primetime Thursday, NBC drew 20.9 million viewers for the Steelers' 28-7 win over the Colts, down 25% from 27.8 million for the Bears' 17-13 win over the Packers in the comparable matchup last year. That game was the NFL's best Thanksgiving primetime audience since launching the window in '06. 

CBA negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA are "expected to resume" either today or Monday from the site of the players' union's annual meetings in Dallas. With a Dec. 1 deadline looming, negotiations toward a new labor deal "progressed" last week, to the point where sources "finally are expressing optimism that an agreement can be reached before owners impose a lockout." Sources said they now sense there is "a path to a deal" (ESPN.com, 11/24).

Univ. of Texas officials "formally announced the hiring of Tom Herman" yesterday as the football team’s 30th head coach in school history in an afternoon email. UT officials said that an "introductory press conference is scheduled" for today at 6:00pm ET (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/27). A source said that Herman will "receive a 5-year deal for more than" $5M a year "with escalators" to over $6M in the final year (TWITTER.com, 11/26). With a 5-7 record this year, coach Charlie Strong was replaced with two years "remaining on a guaranteed contract worth" $10.7M. However, that "didn't stop the university's top donors from wanting change." Strong was 16-21 and "holds the lowest winning percentage of any coach in Texas football history" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11/27).

Nike co-Founder & Chair Emeritus Phil Knight addressed the Ohio State locker room following the team’s 30-27 2OT win over Michigan yesterday, with OSU coach Urban Meyer introducing him as a “true Buckeye now.” Knight noted Nike is the jersey/footwear supplier for 20 of the “top 25 NCAA teams.” He said, “None of those teams are we more proud of than the one in the dressing room” (TWITTER.com, 11/26).

Ohio State's thrilling 30-27 double overtime victory against Michigan yesterday drew a crowd of 110,045 to Ohio Stadium, which broke the previous attendance record of 108,975 set against Michigan State on Nov. 21, 2015 (Ohio State). Colorado clinched the Pac-12 South yesterday with a 27-22 win over Utah in front of a crowd of 52,301, the first time Folsom Field had "sold out since a game against Texas" in October '08. Colorado has "averaged more than 45,000 people at their first five games this season, up from about 39,000 fans per game last year" (Boulder DAILY CAMERA, 11/27). Meanwhile, USC drew a crowd of 72,402 for its game against Notre Dame at the L.A. Coliseum, the "smallest for a game involving the Fighting Irish" at the stadium since '86 (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/27).

The Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks face off in the CFL's Grey Cup at BMO Field in Toronto at 6:30pm ET, but the "corporate appetite" for the game "wasn't there." Prices were modeled after the '12 game, a "base of $169 and $199, and a high of $899," which is "steep as hell." Toronto was "strip-mined for every sports entertainment dollar it could" this year, as the city hosted several big sporting events. Even after ticket prices were cut, the game was "still 500 tickets short of a sellout" as of yesterday morning (TORONTO STAR, 11/27). Secondary ticket market site StarOne Tickets is "offering seats at the 35 yard line for roughly half price" (TORONTO SUN, 11/26).

Meanwhile, the CFL on Thursday "nixed a promotion with Pizza Pizza offering Grey Cup tickets as part of a $29.99 package that also included a large three-topping pizza, 10 chicken wings, four cans of pop and two dipping sauces" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/25).

More than a month after the "abrupt exit" of former Padres President & CEO Mike Dee, he has issued a "carefully worded statements saying they had 'amicably' parted ways." However, the reasons "behind Dee’s 'departure,' originally announced Oct. 12, remain somewhat mysterious." Both Dee and Padres officials "have declined to comment on what led to the separation." There has been "speculation that a business-related matter prompted Padres ownership to sever ties" with him (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/24). A source said that Dee "won’t be unemployed for too long," as he is "already receiving interest." The source added that Dee will likely "surface in sports media or sports philanthropy" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/27).

Vasyl Lomachenko last night defended his WBO super-featherweight title against Nicholas Walters, winning by a seventh-round KO at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (L.A. TIMES, 11/27). The card was Top Rank Chair Bob Arum's 2,000th promoted fight, an "astonishing number and a testament to his longevity and ability to survive -- and thrive -- in such a cutthroat business where he has made as many friends as enemies." Arum before the bout said, "I am sure nobody is close (to 2,000) in the history of boxing." He added, "For me 1,999 is the same number as 2,000. I will only celebrate if this Lomachenko-Walters fight is as great of a fight as I think it will be. If it's not, what's there to celebrate?" (ESPN.com, 11/25). Here, Arum lays out his five favorite fights he has overseen (LAS VEGAS SUN, 11/25).

President-elect Donald Trump spoke with L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday. Among the issues discussed was L.A.'s Olympic bid which Trump "voiced support for" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 11/24).

Tessa Worley of France yesterday won the giant slalom event at the FIS Women's World Cup in Killington, Vt., before an "enormous and energetic crowd of 16,000" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/27). 

The Cubs will "fork over $388,000 to repair stretches of Grant Park damaged during the World Series celebration rally earlier this month" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/24).

All babies born at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Friday and yesterday will "receive a free pair of black and red Nike LeBron Soldier 10s" (ESPN.com, 11/25).

Hendrick Automotive ran a two-page ad in the Charlotte Observer on Thursday congratulating Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports for Johnson's seventh NASCAR championships.  

"For my safety and my future -- I'm not going to the NFL -- I need my brain. So that was the decision" – Indiana Univ. QB Zander Diamont, on forgoing his senior year of eligibility (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 11/27).

"Everybody was talking about super villains, but we’ve been getting a lot of cheers, actually” – Warriors coach Steve Kerr, on the reception the team has gotten so far this season after signing Kevin Durant (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/27).

"It’s a partnership, right? The league has to help grow the game, the players have to help grow the game. ... The Olympics is the most publicity you can get in hockey or any other sport. It’s a great way to do it" – Bruins LW Brad Marchand, on NHL player participation in the '18 PyeongChang Games (BOSTON HERALD, 11/27).

The MIAMI HERALD's Armando Salguero this week had a back-and-forth discussion with 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, asking him why the "man who protests oppression" earlier this season wore a Malcolm X T-shirt that featured Fidel Castro. Kaepernick said, "One thing Fidel Castro did do is ... invest more in their education system than they do in their prison system, which we do not do here even though we're fully capable of doing that." Salguero wrote Kaepernick's comments about Castro, who passed away after the column ran, exposed him "as a fraud." Salguero: "Show everyone what an unrepentant hypocrite you are."

The FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM's Jimmy Burch writes under the header, "Big-Time Sporting Events Put Price Squeeze On Fans." Some within the sports industry "wonder if we’ll get to the point where fans stop buying tickets at today’s sellout levels common for high-profile events." While many indicators remain strong, we’ve seen "recent cracks in selected areas that could provide cause for alarm."

Elsewhere:

• A Q&A with third-year Rockies GM Jeff Bridich.
• A profile of Bills co-Owner Kim Pegula, the "Queen of Buffalo."
• The meeting that made the Pistons' move to downtown Detroit happen.
• L.A. has the “king of sports franchise social media.”
• Decking the halls at Lambeau is “no small feat.”
• Why there is not relegation in U.S. pro sports.
• Kenny Atkinson looks to build rapport as Nets coach.
• Heart donation changed former NFL coach Sam Wyche’s life.

In front of crowd, Tom Ricketts displays World Series trophy...nice for Soldier Field crowd to see what championship hardware looks like.

— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) November 27, 2016

#DBacks Hazen says he hasn't really talked about the CBA expiring with other Front Offices and it's been "business as usual"

— MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) November 27, 2016

Reader email says UH should go independent, only play Power Five schools, start its own TV network. Gonna take a while to get over Herman.

— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) November 27, 2016

Public is not invited to press conference. But LHN will be there, and everyone watches LHN, correct?

— Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) November 27, 2016

Closer look at the LA Kings' 50th anniversary monument. You might recognize the guy with the Cup. pic.twitter.com/atorgJbcGd

— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) November 27, 2016