INDIANA SRN “SPOTLIGHT” ROSE HULMAN FOOTBALL COACH JEFF SOKOL:
INDIANA SRN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES INTERVIEW TRITON CENTRAL’S TIM ABLE:
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 7 SCHEDULE
ADAMS CENTRAL (6-0) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (2-4)
ALEXANDRIA (4-2) AT FRANKTON (0-6)
ANDREAN (5-1) AT ANGOLA (3-3)
ATTICA (2-4) AT RIVERTON PARKE (6-0)
BATESVILLE (3-3) AT GREENSBURG (0-6)
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (5-1) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (5-1)
BEECH GROVE (4-2) AT SPEEDWAY (0-6)
BLACKFORD (0-6) AT OAK HILL (3-3)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-0) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (4-2)
BLUFFTON (6-0) AT HERITAGE (4-2)
BOONE GROVE (2-3) AT WHITING (2-4)
BOONVILLE (3-3) AT PRINCETON (3-3)
BREBEUF JESUIT (0-6) AT ARSENAL TECH (2-4)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (6-0) AT MADISON (0-6)
CALUMET (5-1) AT WHEELER (5-0)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-6) AT UNION CITY (1-5)
CARMEL (5-1) AT BEN DAVIS (1-5)
CASCADE (6-0) AT GREENCASTLE (3-3)
CASTLE (5-1) AT JASPER (5-1)
CASTON (2-4) AT TRITON (4-2)
CENTERVILLE (4-2) AT UNION COUNTY (1-5)
CHARLESTOWN (5-1) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (2-4)
CHURUBUSCO (4-2) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (1-5)
CLINTON CENTRAL (2-4) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (3-2)
CLINTON PRAIRIE (3-2) AT TAYLOR (4-2)
CLOVERDALE (3-3) AT BROWN COUNTY (1-5)
COLUMBUS EAST (3-3) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (3-3)
CONCORD (5-1) AT GOSHEN (2-4)
CONNERSVILLE (3-3) AT EAST CENTRAL (5-1)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (1-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (2-4)
COVINGTON (4-2) AT SEEGER (5-1)
CULVER ACADEMY (2-4) AT BREMEN (4-2)
DECATUR CENTRAL (4-2) AT GREENWOOD (2-4)
DELPHI (2-4) AT SHERIDAN (4-1)
DELTA (3-3) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (5-1)
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (1-5) AT LAKE STATION (5-1)
EAST NOBLE (6-0) AT COLUMBIA CITY (4-2)
EASTERN (PEKIN) (1-5) AT SALEM (2-4)
EASTERN GREENE (1-5) AT NORTH DECATUR (5-1)
EASTSIDE (4-2) AT FREMONT (4-2)
EDINBURGH (1-4) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (3-3)
ELWOOD (2-4) AT MISSISSINEWA (6-0)
EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-6) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-5)
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (2-4) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-6)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-0) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (4-2)
FAIRFIELD (3-3) AT GARRETT (2-4)
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-6) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-6)
FORT WAYNE DWENGER (4-2) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (3-3)
FORT WAYNE NORTH (4-2) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-5)
FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (5-1) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (2-4)
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (2-4) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (2-4)
FRANKLIN (3-3) AT PLAINFIELD (5-1)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT FISHERS (4-2)
FRANKLIN COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (4-2)
FRONTIER (6-0) AT TRI-COUNTY (1-5)
GARY WEST (2-3) AT GRIFFITH (5-1)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (5-1) AT WASHINGTON (3-3)
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (3-3) AT YORKTOWN (5-1)
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (1-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (5-1)
GUERIN CATHOLIC (3-3) AT PIKE (1-5)
HAGERSTOWN (3-3) AT WINCHESTER (5-1)
HAMILTON HEIGHTS (2-4) AT TWIN LAKES (5-1)
HAMMOND CENTRAL (0-6) AT HAMMOND MORTON (4-2)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-4) AT RIVER FOREST (2-4)
HIGHLAND (2-4) AT MUNSTER (1-5)
HOBART (4-2) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (3-3)
HOMESTEAD (4-2) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (3-3)
INDIAN CREEK (4-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (5-1)
INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-3)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (4-2) AT CENTER GROVE (6-0)
INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (5-1) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (3-3)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (4-2) AT CINCINNATI LASALLE (OHIO)
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-2) AT PROVIDENCE (4-2)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (1-5) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE (0-6)
IRVINGTON PREP (1-4) AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-5)
JAY COUNTY (2-4) AT SOUTH ADAMS (3-3)
JEFFERSONVILLE (2-4) AT NEW ALBANY (0-6)
JIMTOWN (1-5) AT KNOX (6-0)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-5) AT TIPTON (3-3)
LAFAYETTE JEFF (5-1) AT KOKOMO (2-4)
LAKE CENTRAL (2-4) AT CHESTERTON (4-2)
LAKELAND (4-2) AT WEST NOBLE (5-1)
LAPEL (6-0) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (4-2)
LAPORTE (2-4) AT CROWN POINT (6-0)
LAVILLE (2-4) AT JOHN GLENN (2-4)
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (3-3) AT NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (2-4)
LAWRENCEBURG (5-1) AT RUSHVILLE (1-5)
LEBANON (5-1) AT DANVILLE (3-3)
LEO (5-1) AT HUNTINGTON NORTH (2-4)
LEWIS CASS (4-2) AT MACONAQUAH (6-0)
LINTON (4-2) AT NORTH KNOX (3-3)
LOWELL (5-1) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (0-6)
MADISON-GRANT (5-1) AT EASTBROOK (6-0)
MANCHESTER (4-2) AT WHITKO (1-5)
MARTINSVILLE (2-4) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (2-4)
MERRILLVILLE (4-2) AT VALPARAISO (1-5)
MILAN (2-3) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (3-3)
MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-4) AT NEW PRAIRIE (1-5)
MITCHELL (0-6) AT NORTH DAVIESS (6-0)
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (0-6) AT NEW CASTLE (1-5)
MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-2) AT HERITAGE HILLS (5-1)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (3-3) AT ANDERSON (1-5)
NEW HAVEN (1-5) AT BELLMONT (0-6)
NOBLESVILLE (1-5) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (3-3)
NORTH JUDSON (5-1) AT WINAMAC (1-5)
NORTH MIAMI (4-2) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-6)
NORTH MONTGOMERY (0-6) AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (2-4)
NORTH NEWTON (3-3) AT BOWMAN ACADEMY (3-3)
NORTH POSEY (5-1) AT FOREST PARK (3-3)
NORTH PUTNAM (2-4) AT FRANKFORT (0-6)
NORTH WHITE (2-4) AT SOUTH NEWTON (2-4)
NORTHFIELD (1-5) AT ROCHESTER (5-1)
NORTHRIDGE (0-6) AT WAWASEE (1-5)
NORTHWESTERN (3-3) AT WABASH (1-5)
NORWELL (1-5) AT DEKALB (4-2)
OSCEOLA GRACE AT MONROE CENTRAL (3-3)
OWEN VALLEY (1-5) AT WEST VIGO (0-6)
PAOLI (4-2) AT CRAWFORD COUNTY (4-2)
PARKE HERITAGE (4-2) AT NORTH VERMILLION (0-6)
PENN (6-0) AT ELKHART (4-2)
PHALEN ACADEMY AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (5-1)
PIKE CENTRAL (0-6) AT SOUTH SPENCER (1-5)
PIONEER (5-1) AT CULVER (2-4)
PLYMOUTH (3-3) AT NORTHWOOD (3-3)
PORTAGE (0-6) AT MICHIGAN CITY (4-2)
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-6) AT WOODLAN (1-5)
PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (1-4)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (4-2) AT BENTON CENTRAL (0-6)
RICHMOND (1-5) AT MARION (1-5)
SCOTTSBURG (5-1) AT CLARKSVILLE (3-3)
SEYMOUR (0-6) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (2-4)
SHELBYVILLE (3-3) AT NEW PALESTINE (6-0)
SHENANDOAH (4-2) AT NORTHEASTERN (6-0)
SILVER CREEK (2-4) AT NORTH HARRISON (2-4)
SOUTH BEND RILEY (3-3) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (6-0)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-4) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (2-4)
SOUTH PUTNAM (5-1) AT NORTHVIEW (5-1)
SOUTHWOOD (1-5) AT PERU (1-5)
SULLIVAN (3-3) AT EDGEWOOD (5-1)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (5-1) AT SOUTH DECATUR (2-4)
TECUMSEH (3-3) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (6-0)
TELL CITY (3-3) AT SOUTHRIDGE (2-4)
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-6) AT SOUTHPORT (0-6)
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (4-2) AT MCCUTCHEON (2-4)
TRI (3-3) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (4-2)
TRI-WEST (5-1) AT MONROVIA (3-3)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (3-3) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (4-2)
WARREN CENTRAL (5-1) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (5-1)
WARSAW (4-2) AT MISHAWAKA (5-1)
WES-DEL (2-3) AT PARK TUDOR (4-2)
WEST CENTRAL (6-0) AT FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-5)
WEST LAFAYETTE (2-4) AT LOGANSPORT (5-1)
WEST WASHINGTON (2-4) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-6)
WESTERN (5-1) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (4-2)
WESTERN BOONE (4-2) AT SOUTHMONT (6-0)
WESTFIELD (4-2) AT AVON (3-3)
WHITELAND (4-2) AT MOORESVILLE (3-3)
ZIONSVILLE (3-3) AT BROWNSBURG (6-0)
_____________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SCORES:+++
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=10/2/2025
Z RATINGS: HTTPS://WWW.ZVOLLEYBALL.COM/IPV/INDIANA-HS-Z-RATINGS/Z-GIRLS-2025
__________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER SCORES:+++
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=10/2/2025
___________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER SCORES:+++
https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=10/2/2025
___________
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF STATE FINALS
OCTOBER 4,5
FRIDAY TEE TIMES: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2025-26%20GGo%20State%20First%20Round%20Pairings.pdf
_________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS:+++
https://in.milesplit.com/results
__________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS +++
SECTIONAL DATES: SEPTEMBER 30, OCT 1, 2, 3, 4
1. Avon (5) | Bracket
Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, Plainfield, Tri-West Hendricks.
2. Mooresville (4) | Bracket
Greencastle, Martinsville, Mooresville, South Putnam.
3. Terre Haute North (4) | Bracket
Northview, Terre Haute North Vigo, Terre Haute South Vigo, West Vigo.
4. Bloomington South (5) | Bracket
Edgewood, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Brown County, Owen Valley.
5. Jasper (4) | Bracket
Forest Park, Jasper, Northeast Dubois, Southridge.
6. Linton-Stockton (4) | Bracket
Bloomfield, Linton-Stockton, Sullivan, White River Valley.
7. Vincennes Lincoln (4) | Bracket
South Knox, Vincennes Lincoln, Vincennes Rivet, Washington.
8. Loogootee (4) | Bracket
Barr-Reeve, Loogootee, North Daviess, Paoli.
9. Princeton Community (5) | Bracket
Gibson Southern, Pike Central, Princeton Community, Tecumseh, Wood Memorial.
10. Mt. Vernon (Posey) (5) | Bracket
Evansville Central, Evansville Mater Dei, Evansville Reitz, Mt. Vernon (Posey), North Posey.
11. Evansville Bosse (Hosted @ Evansville North) (5) | Bracket
Evansville Bosse, Evansville Christian, Evansville Harrison, Evansville Memorial, Evansville North.
12. Tell City (5) | Bracket
Boonville, Castle, Heritage Hills, South Spencer, Tell City.
13. Lanesville (5) | Bracket
Corydon Central, Crawford County, Lanesville, North Harrison, South Central (Elizabeth).
14. New Albany (5) | Bracket
Clarksville, Christian Academy of Indiana, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Providence.
15. Floyd Central (4) | Bracket
Borden, Eastern (Pekin), Floyd Central, Salem.
16. Silver Creek (4) | Bracket
Charlestown, Henryville, New Washington, Silver Creek.
17. Scottsburg (4) | Bracket
Austin, Madison Consolidated, Scottsburg, Southwestern (Hanover).
18. Bedford North Lawrence (5) | Bracket
Bedford North Lawrence, Brownstown Central, Jennings County, Seymour, Trinity Lutheran.
19. East Central (6) | Bracket
Batesville, East Central, Lawrenceburg, Milan, Oldenburg Academy, South Dearborn.
20. Columbus North (5) | Bracket
Columbus East, Columbus North, Edinburgh, Greensburg, Hauser
21. Perry Meridian (4) | Bracket
Decatur Central, Perry Meridian, Roncalli, Southport.
22. Connersville (4) | Bracket
Connersville, Franklin County, Rushville Consolidated, Union County.
23. Center Grove (5) | Bracket
Center Grove, Frankin Community, Greenwood Community, Indian Creek, Whiteland Community.
24. Shelbyville (5) | Bracket
Morristown, Shelbyville, Southwestern (Shelby), Triton Central, Waldron.
25. Ben Davis (4) | Bracket
Ben Davis, Covenant Christian (Indianapolis), Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Speedway.
26. North Central (Indpls.) (5) | Bracket
Herron, Indpls. Bishop Chatard, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Indpls. Shortridge, North Central (Indpls.).
27. Lawrence North (5) | Bracket
Heritage Christian, Indpls. Arsenal Tech, Indpls. Cathedral, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North.
28. Franklin Central (5) | Bracket
Beech Grove, Franklin Central, Indpls. Lutheran, Indpls. Scecina Memorial, Warrren Central.
29. New Castle (5) | Bracket
Blue River Valley, Knightstown, New Castle, Shenandoah, Tri.
30. Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (4) | Bracket
Eastern Hancock, Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), New Palestine.
31. Fishers (4) | Bracket
Anderson, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Pendleton Heights.
32. Richmond (5) | Bracket
Cambridge City Lincoln, Centerville, Hagerstown, Northeastern, Richmond.
33. Fountain Central (4) | Bracket
Covington, Fountain Central, Parke Heritage, South Vermillion.
34. Crawfordsville (5) | Bracket
Crawfordsville, Lebanon, North Montgomery, Southmont, Western Boone.
35. Carmel (4) | Bracket
Carmel, Guerin Catholic, University, Zionsville.
36. Park Tudor (4) | Bracket
Brebeuf Jesuit, Park Tudor, Pike, International School of Indiana.
37. South Bend St. Joseph (Hosted @ South Bend Adams) (4) | Bracket
Glenn, South Bend Riley, South Bend St. Joseph, South Bend Washington.
38. LaPorte (4) | Bracket
LaPorte, Marquette Catholic, Michigan City, New Prairie.
39. Valparaiso (4) | Bracket
Chesterton, Portage, Valparaiso, Wheeler.
40. Hobart (5) | Bracket
Andrean, Hobart, Lake Station Edison, Merrillville, River Forest.
41. Harrison (West Lafayette) (5) | Bracket
Benton Central, Harrison (West Lafayette), Lafayette Jefferson, Rossville, West Lafayette.
42. Frankfort (5) | Bracket
Attica, Frankfort, Lafayette Central Catholic, McCutcheon, Seeger.
43. Logansport (5) | Bracket
Carroll (Flora), Delphi Community, Lewis Cass, Logansport, Twin Lakes.
44. Kokomo (4) | Bracket
Eastern (Greentown), Kokomo, Northwestern, Western.
45. Crown Point (5) | Bracket
Crown Point, Hanover Central, Kankakee Valley, Lowell, Rensselaer Central.
46. Highland (6) | Bracket
Calumet, Griffith, Highland, Illiana Christian, Lake Central, Munster.
47. East Chicago Central (4) | Bracket
East Chicago Central, Hammond Academy of Science and Technology, Hammond Bishop Noll, Hammond Central.
48. Culver Academies (5) | Bracket
Culver Academies, Knox, North Judson-San Piere, Plymouth, Triton.
49. Madison-Grant (5) | Bracket
Blackford, Madison-Grant, Marion, Mississinewa, Huntington North.
50. Norwell (5) | Bracket
Adams Central, Bellmont, Bluffton, Norwell, South Adams.
51. Homestead (5) | Bracket
FW Bishop Luers, FW Canterbury, FW South Side, FW Wayne, Homestead.
52. Peru (5) | Bracket
Maconaquah, Manchester, Peru, Rochester Community, Wabash.
53. Jay County (4) | Bracket
Jay County, Randolph Southern, Union City, Winchester Community.
54. Delta (4) | Bracket
Delta, Muncie Burris, Muncie Central, Yorktown.
55. Alexandria Monroe (4) | Bracket
Alexandria Monroe, Elwood, Frankton, Tipton.
56. Noblesville (4) | Bracket
Hamilton Heights, Lapel, Noblesville, Westfield.
57. Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran (5) | Bracket
FW Blackhawk Christian, FW Bishop Dwenger. FW Concordia Lutheran, FW North Side, New Haven.
58. Carroll (Fort Wayne) (5) | Bracket
Carroll (Fort Wayne), Churubusco, FW Northrop, FW Snider, Leo.
59. DeKalb (4) | Bracket
Central Noble, East Noble, DeKalb, West Noble.
60. Angola (5) | Bracket
Angola, Fremont, Lakeland, Prairie Heights, Westview.
61. Warsaw (5) | Bracket
Columbia City, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko, Warsaw Community, Wawasee.
62. Concord (4) | Bracket
Concord, Elkhart, Jimtown, Northridge.
63. NorthWood (5) | Bracket
Bethany Christian, Bremen, Fairfield, Goshen, NorthWood.
64. Penn (4) | Bracket
Mishawaka, Mishawaka Marian, Penn, South Bend Adams
________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL UNIFIED FLAG FOOTBALL+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
________________
+++MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL+++
MLB PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
WILD-CARD SERIES (ALL GAME TIMES ET)
++++NO. 6 DETROIT AT NO. 3 CLEVELAND
GAME 1: DETROIT 2 CLEVELAND 1
GAME 2: CLEVELAND 6 DETROIT 1
GAME 3 DETROIT 6 CLEVELAND 3
_________________________
++++NO. 5 BOSTON AT NO. 4 NEW YORK
GAME 1: BOSTON 3 NEW YORK 1
GAME 2: NEW YORK 4 BOSTON 3
GAME 3 NEW YORK 4 BOSTON 0
_________________________
++++NO. 6 CINCINNATI AT NO. 3 LOS ANGELES
GAME 1: LOS ANGELES 10 CINCINNATI 5
GAME 2: LOS ANGELES 8 CINCINNATI 4
++++NO. 5 SAN DIEGO AT NO. 4 CHICAGO
GAME 1: CHICAGO 3 SAN DIEGO 1
GAME 2: SAN DIEGO 3 CHICAGO 0
GAME 3 CHICAGO 3 SAN DIEGO 1
__________________________
++++NO. 1 TORONTO VS. NEW YORK
GAME 1: SATURDAY, OCT. 4
GAME 2: SUNDAY, OCT. 5
GAME 3: TUESDAY, OCT. 7
GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY): WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): FRIDAY, OCT. 10
_________________________
++++NO. 2 SEATTLE VS. DETROIT WINNER
GAME 1: SATURDAY, OCT. 4
GAME 2: SUNDAY, OCT. 5
GAME 3: TUESDAY, OCT. 7
GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY): WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): FRIDAY, OCT. 10
________________________
++++NO. 1 MILWAUKEE VS. CHICAGO
GAME 1: SATURDAY, OCT. 4
GAME 2: MONDAY, OCT. 6
GAME 3: WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY): THURSDAY, OCT. 9
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): SATURDAY, OCT. 11
_______________________
++++NO. 2 PHILADELPHIA VS. NO 3. LOS ANGELES++++
GAME 1: SATURDAY, OCT. 4
GAME 2: MONDAY, OCT. 6
GAME 3: WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY): THURSDAY, OCT. 9
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): SATURDAY, OCT. 11
________________________
++++ALCS (HIGHER SEED HOSTS GAMES 1-2, 6-7, LOWER SEED HOSTS GAMES 3-5)
GAME 1: SUNDAY, OCT. 12
GAME 2: MONDAY, OCT. 13
GAME 3: WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
GAME 4: THURSDAY, OCT. 16
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): FRIDAY, OCT. 17
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY): SUNDAY, OCT. 19
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY): MONDAY, OCT. 20
______________________
++++NLCS (HIGHER SEED HOSTS GAMES 1-2, 6-7, LOWER SEED HOSTS GAMES 3-5)
GAME 1: MONDAY, OCT. 13
GAME 2: TUESDAY, OCT. 14
GAME 3: THURSDAY, OCT. 16
GAME 4: FRIDAY, OCT. 17
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): SATURDAY, OCT. 18
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY): MONDAY, OCT. 20
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY): TUESDAY, OCT. 21
________________________
++++WORLD SERIES (HIGHER SEED HOSTS GAMES 1-2, 6-7, LOWER SEED HOSTS GAMES 3-5)
GAME 1: FRIDAY, OCT. 24
GAME 2: SATURDAY, OCT. 25
GAME 3: MONDAY, OCT. 27
GAME 4: TUESDAY, OCT. 28
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY): WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY): FRIDAY, OCT. 31
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY): SATURDAY, NOV. 1
__________
+++COLLEGE FOOTBALL+++
WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
NEW MEXICO 37 SAM HOUSTON 10
FRIDAY, OCT. 3
7 P.M. | WESTERN KENTUCKY AT DELAWARE | CBSSN
7 P.M. | CHARLOTTE AT SOUTH FLORIDA | ESPN2
10 P.M. | NEW MEXICO AT SAN JOSE STATE | FS1
10:30 P.M. | WEST VIRGINIA AT NO. 23 BYU | ESPN
10:30 P.M. | COLORADO STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE | CBSSN
SATURDAY, OCT. 4
12 P.M. | KENTUCKY AT NO. 12 GEORGIA | ABC
12 P.M. |NO. 14 IOWA STATE AT CINCINNATI | ESPN2
12 P.M. | WISCONSIN AT NO. 20 MICHIGAN | FOX
12 P.M. | NO. 22 ILLINOIS AT PURDUE | BIG TEN NETWORK
12 P.M. | BOSTON COLLEGE AT PITT | ACC NETWORK
12 P.M. | CLEMSON AT NORTH CAROLINA | ESPN
12 P.M. | KANSAS STATE AT BAYLOR | ESPN+
12 P.M. | AIR FORCE AT NAVY | CBS/PARAMOUNT+
12 P.M. | ARMY AT UAB | ESPNU
12 P.M. | OHIO AT BALL STATE | CBSSN
1 P.M. | WAKE FOREST AT VIRGINIA TECH | THE CW NETWORK
1 P.M. | UTSA AT TEMPLE | ESPN+
2 P.M. | CAMPBELL AT NC STATE | ESPN+/ACC EXTRA
2 P.M. | OKLAHOMA STATE AT ARIZONA | TNT/TRUTV/HBO MAX
2:30 P.M. | WESTERN MICHIGAN AT UMASS | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | NO. 7 PENN STATE AT UCLA | CBS
3:30 P.M. | NO. 9 TEXAS AT FLORIDA | ESPN
3:30 P.M. | NO. 16 VANDERBILT AT NO. 10 ALABAMA
3:30 P.M. | BOISE STATE AT NO. 21 NOTRE DAME | NBC/PEACOCK
3:30 P.M. | WASHINGTON AT MARYLAND | BIG TEN NETWORK
3:30 P.M. | UL MONROE AT NORTHWESTERN | BIG TEN NETWORK
3:30 P.M. | OREGON STATE AT APPALACHIAN STATE | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | NO. 24 VIRGINIA AT LOUISVILLE | ESPN2
3:30 P.M. | SYRACUSE AT SMU
3:30 P.M. | FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT UCONN | CBSSN
3:30 P.M. | JAMES MADISON AT GEORGIA STATE | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT AKRON | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | EASTERN MICHIGAN AT BUFFALO | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | MIAMI (OHIO) AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+
4 P.M. | KENT STATE AT NO. 5 OKLAHOMA | SEC NETWORK
4 P.M. | MICHIGAN STATE AT NEBRASKA | FS1
4 P.M. | TEXAS STATE AT ARKANSAS STATE | ESPNU
6 P.M. | COASTAL CAROLINA AT OLD DOMINION | ESPN+
7 P.M. | NO. 11 TEXAS TECH AT HOUSTON | ESPN
7 P.M. | UNLV AT WYOMING | CBSSN
7 P.M. | SOUTH ALABAMA AT TROY | ESPN+
7 P.M. | FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT RICE | ESPN+
7:30 P.M. | MINNESOTA AT NO. 1 OHIO STATE | NBC/PEACOCK
7:30 P.M. | NO. 3 MIAMI (FLA.) AT NO. 18 FLORIDA STATE | ABC
7:30 P.M. | MISSISSIPPI STATE AT NO. 6 TEXAS A&M | SEC NETWORK
7:30 P.M. | COLORADO AT TCU | FOX
7:30 P.M. | KANSAS AT UCF | ESPN2
8 P.M. | TULSA AT MEMPHIS | ESPNU
10:30 P.M. | DUKE AT CAL | ESPN
10:30 P.M. | NEVADA AT FRESNO STATE | CBSSN
_________
+++NFL SCHEDULE+++
WEEK 5
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
SAN FRANCISCO 26 LA RAMS 23 OT
SUNDAY, OCT. 5
MINNESOTA VS. CLEVELAND AT LONDON, 9:30 A.M. (NFLN)
NY GIANTS AT NEW ORLEANS, 1 P.M. (CBS)
DENVER AT PHILADELPHIA
HOUSTON AT BALTIMORE, 1 P.M. (CBS)
DALLAS AT NY JETS, 1 P.M. (FOX)
LAS VEGAS AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1 P.M. (FOX)
MIAMI AT CAROLINA, 1 P.M. (FOX)
TENNESSEE AT ARIZONA, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)
TAMPA BAY AT SEATTLE, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)
WASHINGTON AT LA CHARGERS, 4:25 P.M. (FOX)
DETROIT AT CINCINNATI, 4:25 P.M. (FOX)
NEW ENGLAND AT BUFFALO, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)
MONDAY, OCT. 6
KANSAS CITY AT JACKSONVILLE, 8:15 P.M. (ESPN/ABC)
BYES: ATLANTA, CHICAGO, GREEN BAY, PITTSBURGH
______________________
NBA PRE-SEASON
NEW YORK 99 PHILADELPHIA 84
______________________
+++WNBA SCORES+++
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
PHOENIX VS. LAS VEGAS
______________
NHL PRE-SEASON
NY ISLANDERS 4 PHILADELPHIA 3
BOSTON 3 WASHINGTON 1
TAMPA BAY 5 FLORIDA 2
DETROIT 3 TORONTO 1
NEW JERSEY 3 NY RANGERS 1
ST. LOUIS 7 OTTAWA 1
UTAH 2 LOS ANGELES 1
__________________
+++MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
___________________
+++TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES+++
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
MLB ROUNDUP: CAM SCHLITTLER (12 K’S) PITCHES YANKEES PAST RED SOX
Rookie Cam Schlittler struck out 12 in eight innings during a stellar postseason debut as the New York Yankees eliminated the Boston Red Sox with a 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series on Thursday night.
The Yankees, who won the final two games of the best-of-three set, advance to the AL Division Series to face the Blue Jays. Game 1 of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Saturday in Toronto.
New York capitalized on shaky Boston defense in a four-run fourth inning. That was more than enough for Schlittler (1-0), who allowed five hits and no walks while throwing consistently in the upper 90s. He became the first Yankees rookie to fan 12 in a postseason game.
Red Sox rookie starter Connelly Early (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Cubs 3, Padres 1
Michael Busch homered to cap a three-hit performance, helping host Chicago advance to the National League Division Series with a Game 3 wild-card win over San Diego. The Cubs will meet the top-seeded Brewers beginning on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered an RBI single to highlight his own three-hit outing. Daniel Palencia (2-0) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Andrew Kittredge got the final two outs to secure the save.
Jackson Merrill homered in the ninth for the Padres, but their rally in the inning was hampered by a controversial called third strike on Xander Bogaerts. San Diego starter Yu Darvish permitted two runs in one-plus inning.
Tigers 6, Guardians 3
Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning and Wenceel Perez had a two-RBI single in a four-run seventh as Detroit pulled away from host Cleveland in the decisive Game 3 of their AL wild-card series.
The Tigers advance to play the Seattle Mariners in the best-of-five AL Divisional Series. Detroit sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh against the AL Central champion Guardians, with Perez driving in two and Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene pushing across one run apiece on three consecutive singles.
Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0) tossed 1 1/3 shutout innings. Guardians reliever Joey Cantillo (0-1) allowed Dingler’s homer during his 2 2/3 innings.
SHOHEI OHTANI TO MAKE POSTSEASON PITCHING DEBUT FOR DODGERS IN GAME 1 OF NLDS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut when he starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers open the best-of-five series on Saturday in Philadelphia.
“Very talented ballclub. It’s going to be a fun environment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented, all throughout the lineup.”
Roberts confirmed Ohtani as the starter after the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 to complete a sweep in the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. The Dodgers had planned to start Ohtani if the Wild Card had gone to a deciding third game.
Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA) didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last season while recovering from a second elbow surgery that he had in September 2023. He became the first player in major league history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases as the Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees.
The two-way superstar never made the playoffs during six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
At the plate, Ohtani revived himself in September, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He finished the regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than last season.
Against the Reds in Game 1, he hit two homers. He was 1 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the closeout win Wednesday.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
NO. 12 GEORGIA LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A TOUGH LOSS WITH ITS GOALS STILL INTACT
ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs are hurting.
Kirby Smart doesn’t mind a bit.
From his perspective, a crushing loss to Alabama will go a long way toward determining if this team has what it takes to make another championship run.
So far, the coach likes what he sees.
“The more invested you are, the more you hurt,” Smart said. “I know more about my team right now than I did a week ago. I can guarantee you that. That’s what fires me up. And I got a lot of optimism after that game, because I learned a hell of a lot more about my team than I had the previous week.”
The No. 12 Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) will be looking to bounce back when they host Kentucky (2-2, 0-2) on Saturday.
“If I could play right now, I would,” defensive lineman Jordan Hall said early in the week. “I’m just optimistic about what’s in front of us. We’ve got a long season waiting for us. We can’t be mad about the past. We’ve just got to use that as fuel.”
Still in championship picture
While discouraging, the first loss of the season was hardly a death blow to Georgia’s hopes in the national championship race. A year ago, the Bulldogs lost a pair of SEC games — to Alabama and Ole Miss — but still managed to claim the conference title and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
That said, they can’t afford another slip-up against one of the SEC’s lesser teams, especially with games against No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 9 Texas still lurking on the schedule.
“Different year, different season. I think what’s applicable is that college football teams are going to have this parity,” Smart said. “What’s going to separate teams is how they either fracture or don’t fracture, or how their infrastructure’s built to sustain losses. We’re built for this. We have infrastructure, we have plans, we know the pathway, so I’m excited to see where this team goes.”
A work in progress
The Bulldogs have plenty of things to work on, starting with their propensity for sluggish starts.
They fell behind Tennessee 21-7 in the first quarter before rallying to win in overtime. Against the Crimson Tide, Georgia faced a 24-14 deficit at halftime. Even when taking on overmatched Austin Peay, the Bulldogs were only up 14-3 at the half.
“We’ve got to do better at it. I don’t really know why it’s happening,” Hall said. “We’re going through practice trying to come out with a little bit more energy.”
But Smart likes what he sees in the trenches. Georgia rushed for 227 yards against Alabama, while limiting the Tide to 117 on the ground.
Chauncey Bowens has become the leader in the backfield, ripping through Alabama for 119 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries, averaging a whopping 9.9 yards each time he got the ball. His emergence has been especially important as Nate Frazier deals again with fumbling issues.
“We can run the ball, and we can stop the run.” Smart said. “The two things that we struggled with last year, so we have to continue to improve in those areas.”
A pesky opponent
Georgia has dominated the series with Kentucky, holding a commanding 64-12-2 lead with a 15-game winning streak. The Bulldogs haven’t lost to the Wildcats since 2009.
Still, the lopsided numbers only tell part of the story.
Kentucky has been a troublesome opponent at times for the Bulldogs, who struggled to a 13-12 victory a year ago in Lexington.
Smart expects his team to be fired up on Saturday.
“There’s a lot of college football teams right now that have teams that the kids don’t care,” he said. “When people hurt, you usually get a better response.”
NO. 6 TEXAS A&M LOOKS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AGAINST MISSISSIPPI STATE
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2016, No. 6 Texas A&M is quite pleased with its early season performance.
But perhaps more exciting to the Aggies as they look to remain undefeated on Saturday when they host Mississippi State is that they believe they can play much better.
“I just think the ceiling for this team is a lot higher if we could figure out how to go put four quarters together,” coach Mike Elko said.
Texas A&M is also looking for a dominant performance on both sides of the ball after excelling offensively two games ago in a win at Notre Dame before winning with its defense last week against Auburn.
“We won two games without playing our best football, right? And that’s a testament to character, culture and just grinding out wins,” Elko said. “That won’t last forever. That’s not lost on me. But I do think when you go find different ways to win … it gives you an opportunity to sustain success over long periods of time.”
Quarterback Marcel Reed likes that about the Aggies and believes winning in different ways has built confidence on the team.
“It’s just our togetherness so far this year,” Reed said. “When defense isn’t playing well, offense is carrying them and holding them up. When we’re not playing well, the defense is doing the same that we did for them. So, I think it’s just us being so together and understanding that it’s going to take every single person on the field.”
Reed will try and bounce back after throwing for a season-low 207 yards and an interception last week in his first game this season without a TD pass. He’s working on timing with his receivers after overthrowing them on a handful of plays against Auburn.
“It’s just a work in progress,” he said. “It’s all over the place right now, and people are talking about it. But it’s in our control, and we’re going to get it done.”
This week they’ll face a team coming off its first defeat of the season after Mississippi State (4-1) fell just short in a 41-34 overtime loss against No. 15 Tennessee. It will be the Bulldogs’ first road game since their opener at Southern Miss and will be in front of a crowd expected to exceed 100,000.
“Our guys have responded the right way,” coach Jeff Lebby said. “We’ve had a great week of practice and a big opportunity in front of us, and we’re excited about it.”
Hey, old friend
The Bulldogs will see a familiar face Saturday in Texas A&M’s leading receiver Mario Craver, who transferred from Mississippi State this offseason. Craver, who had 368 yards receiving last year, ranks second in the country by averaging 119.2 yards receiving a game and leads the Aggies with four touchdown catches.
“(Craver) has had a ton of production for those guys this year,” Lebby said. “For us, defensively, we’ve got to do a good job of tackling and preventing him from making plays in space.”
Shapen’s streak
Mississippi State’s Blake Shapen extended his streak with at least one touchdown pass to 20 games last week, which is the longest active streak in the nation. Shapen, who has thrown for 1,064 yards and eight touchdowns this year, began the streak in 2022.
Elko has been impressed with his performance.
“He’s an extremely talented kid,” Elko said. “He has a really good feel for that system. He’s extremely accurate, which is what you need to be in the RPO system. He’s playing like a seasoned veteran who is very, very comfortable.”
Shapen will try to fine tune things as the Bulldogs look to bounce back this week.
“The small details of the game, whether it’s with the receiver, me, offensive line, whatever it is, we got to execute better,” he said.
Eliminating penalties
Elko is searching for ways to cut down on his team’s penalties after the Aggies had a whopping 13 for 119 yards last week. They have 38 for 309 yards this season, leading Elko to joke that future infractions could help his staff take a Mexican vacation this offseason.
“We started the Texas A&M Football Coaches Cabo Fund,” Elko said. “So what’s going to happen now is every time our players get a penalty, they’re going to contribute to our Cabo Fund. We’ll see if that works.”
Running back Le’Veon Moss is confident they can cut down on those errors if they do one thing.
“Focusing more,” he said. “We just need to focus.”
TOP-RANKED OHIO STATE RETURNS TO OHIO STADIUM FOR BIG TEN CLASH WITH MINNESOTA
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — After a week off and a weekend trip to the Pacific Northwest, No. 1 Ohio State is set to return to Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will host Minnesota (3-1, 1-0) in their second home night game of the season and the first against a Big Ten opponent since Ohio State beat Michigan State 38-3 in November 2023.
That’s been a sore subject for some fans over the past year as Fox Sports snaps up most of the marquee matchups in the Big Ten and puts them in its Big Noon Kickoff time slot, but Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck did not seem thrilled to be an exception.
“I mean, that place is 107,000 fans and it’s deafening, and that’s for a noon kickoff or an 11 a.m. (Central) kickoff, let alone all of them doing what they do, tailgating all day and being ready for the night game that the fans have asked for,” Fleck said at his weekly news conference in the Twin Cities. “We know we’re walking into a really hostile environment. We’re going to do everything we can to recreate it and prepare in it.”
Ohio State passed its first road test last week with a 24-6 win at Washington.
Coach Ryan Day was happy with how his team handled the hostile Huskies crowd, especially redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, who looked shaky at times early but seemed to settle in as the game went on in Seattle.
Saylin completed 15 of 18 passes in the second half after hitting 7 of 10 in the first and finished with 208 yards and two touchdown passes.
“I think that’s somebody who is building confidence every time he’s out there, building confidence of the guys that are around him, his teammates,” Day said.
Young QBs
Like Sayin, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey is a first-year starter in his second year on campus who has shown promise so far this season.
The Arkansas native is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after completing 31 of 41 passes for 324 yards in a comeback win at home against Rutgers last Saturday.
“We haven’t really played a pocket passer,” Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain said. “He’s a really good quarterback. He’s in the pocket. He’s able to get the ball at different spots. So we’ve just got to work every day and just get prepared for that.”
Running games not quite in gear
Ohio State is 50th in the nation at 181.3 yards per game on the ground while Minnesota is 87th (144.0), but the Golden Gophers are No. 5 against the run (65.5).
“I respect P.J. Fleck as much as anybody in the country and their coaching staff and how hard they play,” Day said. “And so it’ll be a challenge. You don’t play Minnesota and think you’re just going to run the ball without a lot of hard work.”
While Ohio State is working with three new running backs (CJ Donaldson, James Peoples and Bo Jackson) in a rotation trying to replace NFL draftees TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Minnesota has missed standout Darius Taylor.
The junior missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, and Fleck gave no indication of his status for this week.
Tough Ds
Minnesota is No. 9 nationally in total defense (230 yards per game), one spot behind Ohio State (229.3), so yards could be at a premium Saturday.
The Buckeyes have been better at preventing points, though, ranking No. 1 in scoring defense (5.5 points per game) while Minnesota is just 25th (16.3).
Familiar face
Ohio State’s starting right tackle, Phillip Daniels, is an Ohio native, but he spent the last two seasons at Minnesota.
“He’s got to come in here and have a great week of practice,” Day said of the Princeton High School graduate. “And this will be a big week for him, playing against his old team for sure, but I think the guys appreciate what he brings every day. He brings a work ethic and a toughness to work every day. And we can build off of that.”
Series notes
Minnesota won three of the first five against Ohio State, but the Buckeyes have won 46 of the 50 meetings since 1944. That includes 13 in a row since Minnesota won 29-17 against No. 5 OSU at Ohio Stadium in 2000.
NO. 5 OKLAHOMA BREAKS IN BACKUP QB, LOOKS TO STAY SHARP AGAINST STRUGGLING KENT STATE
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma coach Brent Venables wants his Sooners to maintain the energy level that has carried them into the top five.
That could be a challenge against Kent State, one of the worst teams in the FBS.
Oklahoma (4-0) has victories over Michigan and Auburn already this season, opponents that were ranked when they played. It’s a different situation this week — the fifth-ranked Sooners are 45 1/2-point favorites at home against Kent State on Saturday, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Golden Flashes (1-3) have losses of 62-14 to Texas Tech and 66-10 to Florida State this season.
Venables said he’s looking for efficiency as his team fights the urge to look ahead to the Oct. 11 game against rival Texas in Dallas. He said the Sooners have handled success well so far and worked hard during their off week.
“At this point, we don’t have anyone that’s satisfied or is hard to coach,” he said. “This is a team that is hungry and has the humility to do the things that are necessary to continue to improve and develop because we’re not even more close to where we want to be here, or have to be here, to manage the challenges that are in front of us moving forward.”
The Sooners will be without quarterback John Mateer against Kent State after he had surgery on his right throwing hand. Michael Hawkins Jr., a sophomore who started four games last season and passed for 783 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 204 yards, will step in.
Venables said he’s excited to see how Hawkins handles his first start of this season.
“I love his level of consistency when it comes to his body of work and he’s got great self-awareness, too,” Venables said. “A lot of guys, they have their head in the sand when it comes to self-awareness, and it stunts their growth. Mike’s a guy that has great self-awareness and, to me, he has a growth mindset.”
Hawkins will face a Kent State defense that surrenders 541.8 yards per game, most in the nation.
Big target
Oklahoma receiver Javonnie Gibson, who has been out since breaking a leg in the spring, is expected to debut with the Sooners on Saturday.
Gibson caught 70 passes for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns last season for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, he adds a dimension to the Oklahoma offense. Venables said Gibson is “always open,” and he’s particularly dangerous after the catch.
Good move
Oklahoma’s Jaren Kanak switched from linebacker to tight end in the offseason, with stunning results. He leads the Sooners with 307 yards receiving and leads tight ends nationally with 76.8 yards receiving per game. He’ll have a chance to increase those numbers against a Kent State team that ranks 127th out of 134 schools nationally in passing yards allowed per game.
Not yet
Oklahoma’s defense has been among the nation’s best this season, ranking second in total defense, third in scoring defense and tied for the nation’s lead with 4.0 sacks per game. But the Sooners have yet to force a turnover this season – something Venables has emphasized the past two weeks.
“I don’t want to be that team that’s over there trying to rip at the ball and nobody’s tackling the ball carrier, either,” he said. “That’s bad football. But at the same time, man, we need to create turnovers.”
1985 champs
Oklahoma’s 1985 national championship team will be honored at halftime Saturday. Venables said former coach Barry Switzer will attend, along with players Brian Bosworth, Keith Jackson, Jamelle Holieway, Tony Casillas, Kevin Murphy and others. The Sooners went 11-1 that season and beat Penn State 25-10 in the Orange Bowl to claim the title, their sixth overall and third under Switzer.
Venables, who played linebacker at Kansas State, said the teenage version of him admired Bosworth. He first saw “The Boz” in person when the Sooners played Nebraska in Lincoln in 1986. It was the first college game Venables attended, and he recalled Bosworth standing out during pregame warmups.
“I’m like, ‘That dude’s a bad ass! Oh, I want to be like him,’” Venables said.
NO. 3 MIAMI COULD STRENGTHEN PLAYOFF RESUME WITH A WIN AT NO. 18 FLORIDA STATE
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Miami and Florida State have a history of crushing each others’ national title hopes.
It’s a rivalry Miami coach Mario Cristobal has lived as a fan and player. He has a chance to experience it as a coach now too.
“We always knew this as the best rivalry in football coming up,” said Cristobal, who won national titles with the Hurricanes in 1989 and 1991. “College football is the best sport in the world so the fact that people bring up historical moments and whatnot, it’s not surprising. I do think that our players, alumni bases, they all understand how intense this rivalry is.”
No. 3 Miami (4-0) and No. 18 Florida State (3-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) play Saturday night as AP Top 25-ranked teams for the first time since 2016.
Miami has resume-building wins over Notre Dame and Florida and is looking to add Florida State to that list.
Cristobal is a big believer that the College Football Playoff doesn’t start in December. In his eyes, conference games are playoff games, and he pointed out this week that league matchups seem to be tighter than many non-conference contests.
“Conference play is basically playoff football. Everybody’s alive, everybody’s vying for a spot,” Cristobal said. “So the margins for error, the margins between winning and not winning, become smaller and smaller. … I think that’s the best part of college football at this time of year. You’re getting everybody’s best and you’re giving everybody your best.”
Florida State is looking to rebound from a double-overtime loss at Virginia last Friday. The Seminoles know they can rebuild their resume, which includes a season-opening win over Alabama.
“You’ll see a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium, nighttime, prime time,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “A wonderful stage to be able to show this team who we are, what we’re about, and the response that we’re going to have.”
Beck’s rule of thumb for home dogs
The Hurricanes are 4 1/2-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Miami quarterback Carson Beck, however, feels the Hurricanes will start the game trailing 7-0.
The way he sees it, a good crowd is worth a touchdown.
“In all these loud stadiums and big-time matchups, I think you can see that throughout these first five weeks of college football,” Beck said. “But for us, if we just have elite communication, we can just kind of block that crowd out and just execute and do what we do.”
Beck is chasing Berlin’s mark
Beck is 4-0 against Florida and Florida State. A win Saturday would make him the first quarterback since Brock Berlin to go 5-0 against the Gators and Seminoles. Berlin, who transferred to Miami from Florida, did that across the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
The only players in the last 15 seasons to go 2-0 against Florida and Florida State in the same year: Miami’s Cam Ward (2024) and Beck, who did it with Georgia in 2023. Beck led Miami to a win over Florida last month, so he could join that list again.
Strength versus strength
Running back Gavin Sawchuk (234 yards rushing) and quarterback Tommy Castellanos (217 yards rushing) lead Florida State’s ground attack, which ranks second in the FBS at 336.3 yards a game. Miami is tied for eighth in the FBS in rushing defense at 76.3 yards a game.
PRIME RETURN FOR COLORADO IN 1ST GAME AT TCU SINCE SANDERS WON DEBUT THERE IN ’23 OPENER
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — There were a lot of unknowns before coach Deion Sanders made his Colorado debut against a future Big 12 opponent coming off an appearance in the national championship game.
Now for the first time since their prime 45-42 upset in that much-hyped 2023 season opener, the Buffaloes play at TCU again Saturday night.
“We had so much fire, fanfare and athletes, bona fide dogs, and we went and did what we had to do,” Sanders said this week. “I’m pretty sure they understand what transpired there.”
Sanders was answering a question about returning to the site of his first Colorado win, and how quickly that changed the perception of a program that won only once the season before his arrival and a complete roster overhaul. But those comments came after he initially said he couldn’t live in the past.
“The past is the past,” he said. “We’re going to leave that there.”
No more Hunter and Shedeur
Things have changed, including Colorado (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) being back in the conference where it was one of the original 12 members in 1996. The Buffs left for the Pac-12 in 2011, a year before TCU (3-1, 0-1) joined the Big 12, but they didn’t face each other last season when in the same league together for the first time.
Colorado no longer has quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, or two-way standout and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Both went with Deion Sanders from FBS program Jackson State to Colorado.
“I don’t think anybody knew how that was going to go. And I don’t know if anybody knew those guys were going to be as good of players as they were,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “You look at some of the plays Travis Hunter made in some critical situations. He did what the guy that won the Heisman Trophy is supposed to do. He kind of took over games, and certainly did that in our game. They had those guys for two years. And now they’re retooling a little bit.”
First steps toward a Heisman
Hunter played more than 120 snaps that hot September day, when the Frogs were a three-touchdown favorite after playing in the national championship game the previous season in Dykes’ debut with them.
Along with being one of Colorado’s four 100-yard receivers that day, Hunter made an incredible diving interception near the goal line after TCU drove 95 yards from its own 1 when trying to take a second-half lead. He was the first FBS player in 21 years with 100 yards receiving and a pick in the same game.
Knocked out of the poll
The Frogs fell out of the AP Top 25 after that loss and stayed unranked until winning their first three games this season. Those wins included another hyped opener, at North Carolina in six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick’s college debut, and the last scheduled game in a 110-year-old rivalry against SMU, where Dykes was previously the coach.
But they were back in the poll only one week before losing their Big 12 opener Friday night at reigning champion Arizona State.
Colorado is coming off a 24-21 home loss to No. 23 BYU, and its other Big 12 loss was at Houston. Those two sets of Cougars are among the league’s four undefeated teams. The Buffs opened the season with a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech, which is now 5-0 and ranked 17th.
“We feel like we have a pretty darn good football team, even though the record don’t display that. Two games to ranked opponents by 10 points in total, makes us think, darn, a play here and play there, we’ll get it going,” Sanders said.
“They’ve lost to three quality opponents,” Dykes said. “Lots of team speed, a lot of playmakers on both sides of the football, another mobile quarterback.”
After Deion’s Cowtown debut
The win at TCU was the first of a 3-0 start for the Buffaloes under Sanders, but they went 1-8 the rest of that season. The Horned Frogs rebounded with a three-game winning streak of their own before losing six of their last eight games — and finished 5-7 a year after an undefeated regular season got them into the College Football Playoff.
TCU and Colorado were both 9-4 last season. The Frogs finished with a four-game winning streak, and the Buffs missed out on the Big 12 championship game after being on the wrong end of a four-team tiebreaker.
“Last year we were close, I mean extremely close,” Sanders said. “One game away, I feel, from being in the Big 12 championship.”
NO. 10 ALABAMA SAYS IT’S MORE ABOUT HANDLING SUCCESS AGAINST 16TH-RANKED VANDERBILT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — No. 10 Alabama surely wants some measure of revenge against Vanderbilt, even if players and coaches won’t acknowledge it.
The Crimson Tide host the surprising and 16th-ranked Commodores on Saturday — and insist they won’t get blindsided again.
A year ago, the Tide followed a win over fellow Southeastern Conference power Georgia with a 40-35 loss at Vanderbilt as three-touchdown favorites. That stunning setback played a part in keeping Alabama out of the College Football Playoff.
Coming off another victory against the Bulldogs, Vandy is up next again. How is Alabama (3-1, 1-0 SEC) approaching this one?
“You’ve got to handle success and come back every single week in this league,” coach Kalen DeBoer said. “We didn’t handle success last year well. You can’t argue that. … Our success that we had (against Georgia), none of it matters. None of it carries over. Every game is its own game.”
Added Bama tight end Josh Cuevas: “We’re not too worried about last season. Last season’s last season. Just moving forward, taking the next step, this new year, just kind of keeping within the team and doing what we’re doing and playing our game.”
Vandy is off to its best start since 2008, with each win coming by at least 20 points. Coach Clark Lea and quarterback Diego Pavia have led a campaign of a “New Vanderbilt” since last year, and now there’s evidence of a tangible shift.
“Last season was important for us in terms of getting some of those breakthrough moments to see, ‘Hey, this is something we can do,’” Lea said. “I think this season has been about the confidence to dominate, to have a dominant mindset when we take the field.”
A marquee QB battle on tap?
The game features the two highest-rated passers in the SEC, with Pavia’s 184.6 pass efficiency rating topping the league just ahead of Ty Simpson’s 173.1. Both rank in the top 15 nationally.
Simpson is completing 82% of his passes over his last three games, with nine touchdowns and no interceptions. His 11 TDs are third in the SEC, and he has zero turnovers. On the other side, Pavia tied a Vanderbilt school record with five TD passes last Saturday and ran for another. His 13 TD passes are tied for first in the SEC and rank fifth nationally.
Run games should be key
An area to watch will be the run game. Vanderbilt gashed Alabama for 166 yards on the ground last year and boasts one of the SEC’s best rushing attacks in 2025.
The Commodores rank first in the league with 6.49 yards a carry and 18 rushing touchdowns and are second with 1,117 yards rushing and 223.4 yards a game on the ground. Defensively, Vanderbilt is allowing the third-fewest yards rushing a game, at 79.8.
Conversely, Alabama has one the worst rushing offenses and defenses in the SEC. The Tide rank near the bottom of the league in nearly every rushing category on both sides of the ball.
Historic matchup in the series
Both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25 for their matchup for the first time since 1937. Alabama won that Thanksgiving game 9-7, with the Tide ranked No. 4 and Vanderbilt No. 12.
NO. 3 MIAMI’S VISIT TO NO. 18 FLORIDA STATE HEADLINES ACC SLATE; SWINNEY VS. BELICHICK ON UNDERCARD
Things to watch this weekend in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
Game of the week
No. 3 Miami (4-0, 0-0 ACC) at No. 18 Florida State (3-1, 0-1), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
The Hurricanes beat Notre Dame in the opener, and later rolled past South Florida and Florida. Now comes a third straight Sunshine State matchup. FSU opened with an expectations-altering win against Alabama and hit No. 8 in last week’s poll, but fell in double overtime at now-ranked Virginia last week.
Miami won last year’s meeting in a series that typically features multiyear streaks. FSU had won three straight before last year, while Miami won four in a row before that to end FSU’s seven-game run that reached back to 2010.
The undercard
— No. 24 Virginia (4-1, 2-0) at Louisville (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Tony Elliott’s Cavaliers have gone from being picked to finish 14th in the league to cracking the AP Top 25 for the first time since spending six weeks there in 2019. Their lone loss, at N.C. State, was a nonconference game outside the ACC scheduling model. Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals were picked to finish fifth in the league and are 4-0 for the second time in three seasons.
— Clemson (1-3, 0-2) at North Carolina (2-2, 0-0), Saturday, noon (ESPN)
This game stood out in preseason for the coaching matchup between the Tigers’ Dabo Swinney and the Tar Heels’ Bill Belichick. That curiosity is still there, but both teams are struggling. The preseason league favorite Tigers are sitting alongside Wake Forest and Boston College at the bottom of the ACC standings, while UNC has two lopsided losses against Big 12 teams.
Impact players
— Virginia Tech running back Terion Stewart. The Bowling Green transfer had been hobbled in preseason but broke out with 15 carries for 174 yards in last weekend’s surprise win at N.C. State. The Hokies (2-3, 1-0) host Wake Forest (2-2, 0-2) on Saturday with two straight wins since firing coach Brent Pry.
— Duke receiver Cooper Barkate. The Harvard graduate transfer has been a steady target for quarterback Darian Mensah and now he’s finding the end zone. Barkate had a TD grab against N.C. State on Sept. 20 then had two more in last weekend’s romp at Syracuse. The Blue Devils (3-2, 2-0) visit California (4-1, 1-0) on Saturday.
Inside the numbers
The league has four ranked teams in the AP Top 25 poll, with No. 17 Georgia Tech joining Miami, FSU and Virginia. … The Hurricanes (13th, 244.5 yards allowed) and Cardinals (18th, 268.3) are the only league teams in the top 20 nationally in total defense. Miami is ninth in scoring defense (11.5 points allowed per game). … No ACC team is in the top 25 nationally in turnover margin, though Syracuse, BC, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh all rank 107th or worse. … Georgia Tech and Stanford have open dates this week.
BIG TEN SLATE HAS MARYLAND HOSTING WASHINGTON AND MINNESOTA VISITING NO. 1 OHIO STATE
Things to watch this week in the Big Ten:
Game of the week
Washington (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) at Maryland (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT (Big Ten Network)
Maryland is one of three Bowl Subdivision teams, along with No. 3 Miami and No. 11 Texas Tech, that haven’t trailed in a game all season. The Terrapins had last week off after winning 27-10 at Wisconsin in their Big Ten opener.
Washington hasn’t won a Big Ten road game since joining the conference last year, but BetMGM Sportsbook has the Huskies as a 6 1/2-point favorite. The Huskies are coming off a 24-6 loss to No. 1 Ohio State that snapped their 22-game home win streak.
The undercard
Minnesota (3-1, 1-0) at No. 1 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EDT (NBC)
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for three touchdowns and 324 yards in his Big Ten debut as the Golden Gophers edged Rutgers 31-28, but he faces a much tougher task this week. Ohio State is allowing just 5.5 points per game to lead the nation in scoring defense. Ohio State also has won 28 of its last 29 meetings with Minnesota, including each of the last 12.
BetMGM has Ohio State as a 24-point favorite.
Impact players
— Illinois QB Luke Altmyer had two touchdown passes, one touchdown run and one touchdown catch in the 22nd-ranked Illini’s 34-32 triumph over Southern California, which was ranked 21st at the time. He was the first player in at least 30 years to throw for 300 yards and to have a touchdown pass, touchdown run and touchdown catch in a Big Ten game.
— Ohio State DE Caden Curry had 11 tackles – five for loss – and three sacks against Washington. His 1.25 sacks per game put him in a tie for fourth among all Bowl Subdivision players.
— Northwestern RB Caleb Komolafe had career highs in carries (27) and yards rushing (119) – in the Wildcats’ 17-14 win over UCLA.
— Oregon QB Dante Moore threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the second-ranked Ducks’ 30-24 double-overtime victory at No. 7 Penn State, which was ranked third at the time. Moore has 14 touchdown passes and one interception this season.
Inside the numbers
A victory over Minnesota would improve Ohio State coach Ryan Day’s career winning percentage to .882, topping the all-time record currently owned by Knute Rockne (.881 at Notre Dame from 1918-30). … Maryland’s plus-1.75 turnover margin per game is tied with No. 10 Alabama for the best of any Bowl Subdivision team. … Wisconsin is allowing the fewest yards rushing per game (50.0) of any Bowl Subdivision team. The Badgers are giving up 2.11 yards per carry to rank third, behind only Pitt (1.80) and Texas Tech (1.99). Wisconsin plays Saturday at No. 20 Michigan, which is rushing for 253.5 yards per game to rank eighth nationally. … Nebraska is allowing just 75.8 yards passing per game, the lowest total of any Bowl Subdivision school. The Cornhuskers also lead the nation in pass efficiency defense.
Get to know him
Jerry Neuheisel, who had been working as UCLA’s tight ends coach, is taking over as the winless Bruins’ main play caller after Tino Sunseri’s exit as offensive coordinator this week. Neuheisel is the son of Rick Neuheisel, who posted a 21-28 record as UCLA’s head coach from 2008-11.
BIG 10: 2025 WEEK 6 FOOTBALL RELEASE
• Week six of the 2025 college football season features six games, including five tilts between Big Ten Conference opponents. Action kicks off on Saturday when Wisconsin travels to the Big House to take on Michigan at noon ET on FOX. Indiana, Iowa, Oregon, Rutgers and USC will enjoy byes this week, with the complete schedule appearing to the right.
• Eleven of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are mentioned in this week’s AP or US LBM Coaches Polls, announced on Sunday. The AP poll includes No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon, No. 7 Penn State, No. 8 Indiana, No. 20 Michigan and No. 22 Illinois, with Maryland and USC receiving votes. At No. 1, Ohio State leads 10 Big Ten teams in the coaches’ poll (No. 2 Oregon, No. 6 Penn State, No. 9 Indiana, No. 20 Michigan, No. 22 Illinois), while Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska and Washington also received recognition.
• Four Big Ten teams remain undefeated through five weeks of the 2025 season. Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State and Oregon rank among the 20 NCAA FBS teams sporting perfect records entering Week Six.
• The Big Ten announced its Football Players of the Week, presented by IFS.ai on Monday, with Illinois’ Luke Altmyer and Oregon’s Dante Moore sharing Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• Altmyer accounted for four touchdowns and 359 yards of offense in No. 23 Illinois’ 34-32 win against No. 21 USC, becoming the first player to have 300+ passing yards, a passing, rushing, and receiving touchdown in a Big Ten game in at least 30 years, while Moore completed 29-of-39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, including a 25-yard score in the second OT that proved to be the game winner.
• Ohio State’s Caden Curry earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording personal bests of 11 tackles, nine solo tackles, five tackles-for-loss and three quarterback sacks as the Buckeyes limited the Huskies to 234 yards of total offense and six points. Curry tied the school record with his five TFLs, a mark he now shares with the likes of Chase Young, Ryan Shazier, John Simon and Andy Katzenmoyer.
• Illinois’ David Olano took home the Special Teams Player of the Week plaudit after kicking a walk-off 41-yard field goal to give No. 23 Illinois a 34-32 win against No. 21 USC. Olano made all six kicks, with two field goals (45, 41) and four extra points.
• Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey was named Freshman of the Week after completing 31-of-41 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns in Minnesota’s 31-28 win against Rutgers. The newcomer’s 31 completions were tied for the fifth most in program history and his 41 attempts were the fourth-most since 1995 without an interception.
• Indiana and Oregon currently rank among the top 15 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Hoosiers rank fifth in scoring defense (9.6 points per game), while ranking sixth in scoring offense (47.8 points per game). The Ducks rank seventh nationally in scoring offense (46.6 points per game), while ranking 11th in scoring defense (12.2 points per game).
• Six additional Big Ten teams rank in the top 25 in scoring defense: Ohio State (1st, 5.5 points per game), Maryland (7th, 10.8 points per game), Penn State (10th, 11.8 points per game), Nebraska (16th, 13.5 points per game), Iowa (23rd, 15.6 points per game) and Minnesota (25th, 16.3 points per game).
• The Big Ten claimed back-to-back national titles for the first time since 1942 last season as Ohio State defeated Notre Dame, 34-23, in the 2024 College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Buckeyes brought home their sixth national championship to the Horseshoe in Columbus and first since the inaugural CFP National Championship in the 2014-15 season.
• The 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship Game will be held on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will be broadcast by FOX. The winner will represent the conference as the Automatic Qualifier (AQ) to the College Football Playoff.
• Abbott and the Big Ten Conference are kicking off Season 2 of the We Give Blood drive. Students, fans, alumni and communities across the country are backing their favorite Big Ten schools by donating blood. Every donation can help save up to three lives – and bring your school one step closer to winning $1 million to advance student or community health. The top school will be announced at the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game on December 6, 2025.
BIG 12 TAKES 4 UNDEFEATED TEAMS INTO OCTOBER, NO. 11 TEXAS TECH OR HOUSTON WILL LOSE FOR 1ST TIME
Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:
Game of the week
No. 11 Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at Houston (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT (ESPN)
Four Big 12 teams have started at least 4-0 for the first time since 2015, but the Red Raiders or Cougars will get their first loss. Houston won in overtime last week at Oregon State after overcoming a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but Texas Tech’s games haven’t even been close.
The Red Raiders have a 40.8-point average winning margin that is the best nationally and they haven’t trailed this season. They are 4-0 for the first time since 2013, also the last time they were 5-0. Texas Tech, coming off an open date, has outscored its opponents 133-3 in the first half.
Houston has already matched its win totals from both 2023 and 2024, when the Cougars went 4-8 in each of its first two seasons after joining the Big 12. They were last 4-0 in 2016, when they also got to 5-0.
The undercard
No. 14 Iowa State (5-0, 2-0) at Cincinnati (3-1, 1-0), Saturday, noon EDT (ESPN2)
While Iowa State can on the first Saturday of October become the first team to secure bowl eligibility, the goal for the Cyclones is to be playing in the Big 12 championship game on the first Saturday of December for another chance to win their first title. They have trailed only 28 seconds this season and have won six games in a row since losing to Arizona State in last year’s title game, a streak that began with their bowl win over now-No. 3 Miami. Cincinnati ended a five-game Big 12 losing streak with a 37-34 win at Kansas last week.
Rocco Becht has 23 wins as Iowa State’s starting quarterback, trailing only Brock Purdy’s 30 wins. Becht’s school-record streak of 22 consecutive games with a TD pass, which was the longest active FBS streak, ended in last week’s 39-14 win over Arizona. But he ran for three 1-yard scores.
Impact player
— Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson has at least three TD passes in five consecutive games for Baylor (3-2, 1-1), the longest streak by a Big 12 quarterback since Kyler Murray’s eight in a row in 2018. Robertson goes into Saturday’s game against Kansas State (2-3, 1-1) as the national leader with 342.6 yards passing per game and 17 TDs.
— Kansas QB Jalon Daniels has 1,262 yards and 16 TDs passing, He had 500 total yards (445 yards and four TDs passing, 55 yards rushing) last week in a 37-34 loss to Cincinnati. The Jayhawks (3-2, 1-1) play at UCF (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday.
Inside the numbers
No. 23 BYU (4-0, 1-0) is seeking its second consecutive 5-0 start, and fourth in the past six seasons under coach Kalani Sitake. The Cougars host West Virginia (2-3, 0-2) on Friday night. … Arizona (3-1, 0-1) hasn’t allowed a passing touchdown and now plays Oklahoma State (1-3, 0-1), which has a Big 12-low two passing TDs. … No. 25 Arizona State (4-1, 2-0), the defending Big 12 champion, and Utah (4-1, 1-1) have open dates.
Back in Fort Worth
Deion Sanders and Colorado (2-3, 0-2) are at TCU (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday night for the first time since the coach’s winning debut with the Buffs in the 2023 opener, when Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs were coming off a national title game appearance.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: THE DISCUSSION HAS TURNED TO PARITY, CLOSE GAMES AND UPSETS
Two weeks ago, the talk in college football was about all the blowouts. Let’s write those off to early season mismatches.
The discussion has turned to parity, close games and upsets.
The average winning margin in the Football Bowl Subdivision in Week 5 was 14.2 points. No week in a regular season has had a narrower margin since Week 7 in 2022, when it was 12.5.
Losses by Penn State, LSU and Georgia marked the first time since 2016 that three top-five teams in The Associated Press poll lost the same week in the regular season.
Top-five teams are 1-4 against opponents ranked 6 to 25, the worst record through a Week 5 since at least 2000, according to Sportradar. In games matching Top 25 opponents, the higher-ranked team is just 3-12.
Penn State coach James Franklin, fresh off a 30-24 two-overtime loss to Oregon, said he used last week’s top-five wreckage to show his players that their goals remain intact. He also noted that 2024 national champion Ohio State had regular-season losses to Oregon and Michigan.
“I think college football is different than maybe how it’s been in the past,” Franklin said. “You got to do everything you possibly can to put yourself in the best position to get into the playoffs and then make a run.”
The picks for this week’s games involving AP Top 25 teams and lines from BetMGM Sportsbook:
Minnesota at No. 1 Ohio State (minus 24)
Ohio State is allowing just 5.5 points per game and QB Julian Sayin is getting more comfortable every game. Gophers have scored 17 touchdowns over four games — but only a combined eight against three FBS opponents.
Pick: Ohio State 35-10.
No. 3 Miami (minus 4 1/2) at No. 18 Florida State
Great QB matchup between Miami’s Carson Beck and FSU’s Tommy Castellanos. That said, the team that runs the ball best will have the upper hand. Miami’s Mark Fletcher Jr. looks to go over 100 yards a third straight game. FSU’s rushing average of 336 per game is bloated by games against East Texas A&M and Kent State.
Pick: Miami 33-28.
Kent State at No. 5 Oklahoma (minus 45 1/2)
Sooners couldn’t ask for a better week to have QB Michael Hawkins step in for John Mateer (hand surgery). Hawkins saw mop-up duty against Temple but otherwise hasn’t played since he started four games last season. A Kent State warmup before a showdown with Texas is a stroke of luck for OU.
Pick: Oklahoma 55-7.
Mississippi State (plus 14) at No. 6 Texas A&M
Aggies RB Le’Veon Moss hammered his way through what was the SEC’s best run defense in Auburn and is getting better by the week. Bulldogs can make it close if RB Fluff Bothwell gets going and Aggies don’t clean up their penalty issues.
Pick: Texas A&M 27-20.
No. 7 Penn State (minus 25 1/2) at UCLA
This looks like easy pickings for the Nittany Lions, who should play with an edge after their loss to Oregon. No team in the Big Ten gives up more yards or points than the Bruins.
Pick: Penn State 48-14.
No. 9 Texas at Florida (plus 7)
Texas AB Arch Manning has had a month to get right after his flop at Ohio State, so now let’s see how he fares in the Swamp against a quality defense. It would be tempting to pick an upset here if Gators’ offense weren’t struggling so much.
Pick: Texas 23-19.
No. 11 Texas Tech (minus 10 1/2) at Houston
Tech first-year defensive coordinator Shiel Wood, who had the same job at Houston last year, has put together a salty defense to go with a high-scoring offense. Red Raiders will have starting QB Behren Morton back after he was knocked out of the win at Utah on Sept. 20.
Pick: Texas Tech 44-21.
Kentucky at No. 12 Georgia (minus 20 1/2)
Bulldogs have allowed a combined 45 first-half points and trailed at the break in last two games against Tennessee and Alabama. Kentucky better strike early if it’s going to keep it close. Wildcats coach Mark Stoops is 0-12 vs. Georgia.
Pick: Georgia 38-14.
No. 14 Iowa State (plus 1 1/2) at Cincinnati
Cincinnati gave up seven pass plays of 25-plus yards, including TDs of 93 and 75 yards, in last week’s 37-34 win at Kansas. Cyclones’ pass coverage also is a concern because of injuries.
Pick: Iowa State 31-28.
No. 16 Vanderbilt (plus 10 1/2) at No. 10 Alabama
Commodores are 5-0 for the first time since 2008 and their offense is churning out points at a rate not seen in the program in 110 years. Alabama hasn’t forgotten last year when, as the No. 1-ranked team, it was upset in Nashville.
Pick: Alabama 38-31.
Wisconsin (plus 17 1/2) at No. 20 Michigan
Michigan had its way running the ball against Nebraska two weeks ago. Coach Sherrone Moore, back after serving a two-game suspension, doesn’t expect it to be as easy against the nation’s top run defense.
Pick: Michigan 30-14.
Boise State at No. 21 Notre Dame (minus 20 1/2)
The Irish have scored 56 points two straight games, and don’t look for the Broncos to slow the roll. Boise State returns to the national spotlight for the first time since laying an egg against South Florida.
Pick: Notre Dame 45-17.
No. 24 Virginia (plus 7) at Louisville
This is a strength-against-strength matchup. Virginia is No. 2 in the ACC in offense and Louisville is No. 2 in defense. Virginia has led in the fourth quarter in the last two meetings while losing three straight to the Cardinals.
Pick: Louisville 30-24.
No. 22 Illinois at Purdue (plus 9 1/2)
Illinois has given up 20 plays of 20-plus yards, second-worst mark in the Big Ten. Purdue has allowed 18, with six going for at least 40. Purdue’s Ryan Browne has thrown for 250-plus yards in three of his four games but has been intercepted five times.
Pick: Illinois 45-42.
West Virginia at No. 23 BYU (minus 18 1/2)
West Virginia is 99th in the nation in scoring and has recorded 14 and 10 points in its last two games. BYU has allowed four TDs in four games and its 9.3 points allowed per game leads the Big 12 and is fourth nationally.
Pick: BYU 31-10.
Byes: No. 2 Oregon, No. 4 Mississippi, No. 8 Indiana, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 19 Missouri, No. 25 Arizona State.
AP predictions scorecard
Last week: Straight-up — 13-3; Against spread — 6-10.
Season: Straight-up — 69-10; Against spread — 38-41.
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NFL NEWS
4TH-DOWN STOP IN OT SEALS 49ERS’ VICTORY OVER RAMS
Eddy Pineiro kicked a 41-yard field goal and the San Francisco defense stuffed the Rams on fourth down later in overtime as the 49ers notched a 26-23 win over Los Angeles on Thursday night at Inglewood, Calif.
Alfred Collins forced and recovered a fumble at the San Francisco 1-yard line with 1:05 left in regulation to aid the 49ers (4-1).
San Francisco quarterback Mac Jones completed 33 of 49 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns. He started in place of Brock Purdy, who sat out with turf toe for the third time in four games.
Kendrick Bourne had a career-high 142 yards while matching his career best of 10 catches, and Christian McCaffrey had 139 scrimmage yards (57 rushing, 82 receiving) plus a touchdown for the 49ers. Jake Tonges added a scoring catch.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for a season-high 389 yards and three touchdowns on 30-of-47 passing.
Kyren Williams caught two scoring passes and had 131 scrimmage yards (65 rushing, 66 receiving) for Los Angeles (3-2). However, he was involved in two big plays that hurt the Rams.
Williams appeared to be running for a go-ahead 2-yard touchdown when Collins knocked the ball away. The Rams later got the ball back, and Joshua Karty connected on a 48-yard field goal with two seconds left to force overtime.
The 49ers got a field goal to open the extra session. The Rams subsequently had fourth-and-1 at the San Francisco 11, and Williams received a handoff. He was swarmed by multiple 49ers before Marquis Sigle joined in with the hit that left Williams short and ended the game with 3:36 left in OT.
The winning kick was Pineiro’s fourth field goal of the game. One of the others was a tiebreaking 59-yarder with 2:52 remaining in regulation.
Los Angeles receiver Puka Nacua had 10 catches for 85 yards and a score.
The Rams trailed by 13 points midway through the third quarter before rallying to knot the score at 20.
Stafford threw a 1-yard scoring pass to Nacua with 3:45 left in the third quarter and hit Williams on an 8-yard pass with 10:39 left in the game. San Francisco’s Jordan Elliott blocked Karty’s extra point on the latter TD to keep the game tied.
San Francisco dominated the early going. Jones went 5-for-5 for 77 yards on the game-opening drive that concluded with his 6-yard scoring pass to Tonges.
The 49ers later put together a 17-play, 91-yard drive to make it 14-0 on Jones’ 1-yard touchdown throw to McCaffrey.
The Rams got on the board with 2:09 left in the half when Stafford tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Williams.
BANGED-UP VIKINGS STAY ABROAD TO FACE BROWNS IN LONDON MATCHUP OF STRUGGLING OFFENSES
Minnesota (2-2) vs. Cleveland (1-3) in London.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Vikings by 3½.
Against the spread: Vikings 2-2; Browns 2-2.
Series record: Vikings lead 12-5.
Last meeting: Browns beat Vikings 14-7 in Minneapolis on Oct. 3, 2021.
Last week: Vikings lost to Steelers 24-21 in Dublin, Ireland; Browns lost at Lions 34-10.
Vikings offense: overall (23), rush (20), pass (24), scoring (10).
Vikings defense: overall (7), rush (24), pass (3), scoring (9).
Browns offense: overall (27), rush (30), pass (20), scoring (31).
Browns defense: overall (1), rush (1), pass (4), scoring (24).
Turnover differential: Vikings even; Browns minus-6.
Vikings player to watch
RT Justin Skule. Injuries have ravaged what the Vikings were counting on to be an upgraded offensive line this season, with RT Brian O’Neill (knee) the latest to be sidelined and three starters unavailable this week. Skule struggled in pass protection while subbing for LT Christian Darrisaw in the first two games, and the Browns led by four-time All-Pro Myles Garrett have one of the best defensive fronts in the league.
Browns player to watch
Rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will make his first NFL start, replacing an ineffective Joe Flacco. The third-round pick showed quick decision-making and some mobility in two preseason games and has seen mop-up duty in two regular-season games. Gabriel becomes the 41st starting quarterback since the Browns returned in 1999, the 12th since Kevin Stefanski became coach in 2020 and the fifth in 10 games going back to last season.
Key matchup
Vikings DL Jonathan Allen vs. Browns LG Joel Bitonio. Allen has forced 183 quarterback pressures since 2021, the 10th most by a interior pass rusher according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and has five tackles for no gain or a loss as a run defender. Bitonio has allowed a pressure on just 4% of his pass blocks, fifth lowest in the league. He has not allowed a sack this season or more than five pressures in any game since last year’s opener. Allen, who has yet to have a sack in his first season with the Vikings, is fourth on the team with 18 tackles.
Key injuries
Vikings: In addition to O’Neill, C Ryan Kelly (concussion) is out indefinitely and LG Donovan Jackson (wrist) will miss at least one more game along with QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle). OLB Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) will also miss his second straight game and third in four weeks. Kelly’s backup, Michael Jurgens (hamstring), was held out of practice on Wednesday, but the Vikings are hoping he’ll play. RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) and LB Blake Cashman (hamstring) remain on injured reserve.
Browns: DE Myles Garrett (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday and is considered day to day by coach Kevin Stefanski, putting his status for the game in question. Backup DT Mike Hall (knee) has already been ruled out and did not make the trip to London. RT Jack Conklin (elbow), who has missed the past three games, was limited in practice this week.
Series notes
This is the second time the two teams have faced each other in London, with the Vikings beating the Browns 33-16 at Twickenham Stadium in 2017. This game will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. … Factoring in the new club the Browns were awarded in 1999 after the original franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996, the league’s scheduling formula reset in 2002 for the divisional realignment to accommodate a 32nd team and these two matchups in London, the Vikings will only play one game in Cleveland (2009) in a staggering 43-year stretch until they’re on track to visit there in 2033. … Adrian Peterson rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns in Brett Favre’s first game with the Vikings in a 34-20 victory on Sept. 13, 2009, the most recent time the two teams played in Cleveland. … The away team has won the past four meetings in the series.
Stats and stuff
The Vikings became the first NFL team to play consecutive international games in different countries, after hopping from Dublin to London this week. … This is Minnesota’s third game in London in four years, and the league’s 40th regular-season game there overall. The Vikings are 4-0 in London. … The Vikings are 32-4 under coach Kevin O’Connell when they break even or win the turnover margin in a game and 4-17 when they don’t. … Vikings QB Carson Wentz had his sixth career game with 350-plus passing yards last week. … Wentz took six sacks against the Steelers. With Wentz and McCarthy, the Vikings have been sacked at a league-worst rate of 14% per passing play. … Vikings WR Jordan Addison had an 81-yard reception last week in his season debut after a suspension, the longest play from scrimmage in an international game in NFL history. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has 35 career 100-yard games, tied with Julio Jones for the second most all time by a player over his first six seasons. … Jefferson last week had just his second game of 10-plus receptions since the start of the 2024 season. … Vikings DL Jalen Redmond had his first career two-sack game last week. … Will Reichard is 8 for 8 on extra points and 8 for 8 on field goals this year for the Vikings. … Cleveland has started 1-3 for the second consecutive season. … The Browns have not scored more than 17 points in 10 straight games going back to last season. … Browns RB Quinshon Judkins is ranked third among rookies with 237 rushing yards. … TE Harold Fannin Jr. leads the Browns with 17 receptions, the most by any Cleveland rookie in the first four weeks. … Browns WR Jerry Jeudy leads the NFL with 17 dropped passes since the start of last season. … Cleveland’s defense hasn’t allowed a team to gain more than 300 total yards in a game this season. … The Browns haven’t allowed a 300-yard passer in 32 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. … Garrett leads the league with eight tackles for loss. He also has a tackle for loss in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the league and the longest since J.J. Watt had 16 straight over the 2014-15 seasons. … Browns LB Carson Schwesinger is the only rookie in the NFL with eight or more tackles in three games. He is second in the league among rookies with 29 tackles. … CB Denzel Ward, who had an interception for the Browns last week, will play in his 100th game.
Fantasy tip
Vikings RB Zavier Scott would be worth a pickup in deeper leagues as a bye-week or injury fill-in. With Jones and backup RB Ty Chandler out, the undrafted rookie has become a viable complement to featured runner Jordan Mason. Scott had 10 carries and nine passing targets last week against the Steelers, racking up seven receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown.
COWBOYS WILL TRY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM DISAPPOINTING TIE LAST WEEK WHEN THEY FACE THE WINLESS JETS
Dallas (1-2-1) at New York Jets (0-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Cowboys by 2 1/2.
Against the spread: Cowboys 1-2; Jets 2-2.
Series record: Cowboys lead 8-5.
Last meeting: Cowboys beat Jets 30-10 on Sept. 17, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Last week: Cowboys tied Packers 40-40; Jets lost to Dolphins 27-21.
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (12), pass (1), scoring (5).
Cowboys defense: overall (32), rush (20), pass (32), scoring (31).
Jets offense: overall (21), rush (3), pass (29), scoring (19).
Jets defense: overall (20), rush (25), pass (14), scoring (28t).
Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-4; Jets minus-7.
Cowboys player to watch
WR George Pickens. His first game without new sidekick CeeDee Lamb, who’s sidelined with a high ankle sprain, was the best of his four with Dallas and perhaps of his four-year career. His high point in Pittsburgh was about explosive plays, with a per-catch average of 48.8 yards on a 195-yard day. It was about important plays with his 134 yards on a career high-tying eight grabs against the Packers. He set up the first of two touchdowns in the final 41 seconds of the first half with a spectacular contested 28-yard catch at the 1. He scored the second on a 15-yard grab, the first of seven consecutive lead-changing TDs. The last lead-changer was another 28-yarder, this time a catch-and-run play for a 37-34 lead with 50 seconds left. With the Steelers, Pickens eclipsed 100 yards in both of his games against the Jets.
Jets player to watch
WR Garrett Wilson. The star wide receiver is off to another outstanding start and seems to make at least one eye-popping catch per game. Wilson actually had two such grabs for touchdowns at Miami, but one was called back for a questionable offensive pass interference penalty. He entered Week 5 ranked tied for fourth in the NFL with 27 receptions, sixth with 311 yards receiving and fifth with 38 targets. Wilson has at least one catch in every regular-season game since entering the league in 2022, the only player to do so during that span.
Key matchup
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott vs. Jets secondary. Prescott leads the NFL with 1,119 yards passing and 121 completions through four games and he’ll face a defense that has struggled at times in pass coverage. The secondary is also banged up with nickel cornerback Michael Carter II dealing with a concussion.
Key injuries
Cowboys: Lamb and rookie RG Tyler Booker have high ankle sprains. Dallas didn’t put either on injured reserve last week, which means the team thinks their absences could be shorter than four games. It’s unlikely they play this week. … LT Tyler Guyton started the week in the concussion protocol. … S Malik Hooker was in street clothes with a walking boot for the first practice of the week with a left toe injury. … LG Tyler Smith (knee), RB Miles Sanders (knee/ankle) and WR-KR KaVontae Turpin (foot) also missed the week’s first practice. … This will be the third of at least four games without C Cooper Beebe, who’s on injured reserve with a foot issue.
Jets: Coach Aaron Glenn said Carter will likely miss the game. … RB Braelon Allen was placed on IR with a knee injury. … Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. … RB/KR Kene Nwangwu might return after sitting out three games with an injured hamstring. … CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (ankle) could make his Jets debut.
Series notes
The Jets had won three in a row against the Cowboys before their most recent meeting in Texas in 2023, New York’s first game after then-QB Aaron Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon in the opener. Brandon Aubrey kicked five field goals, including a 55-yarder, in the 30-10 win. … The Cowboys are 11-4 against the NFC East-rival Giants at MetLife Stadium, but 0-2 there against the Jets. … The teams first met in 1971, when Dallas won 52-10.
Stats and stuff
The Cowboys are one of four teams to rush for at least 100 yards in all four games. The previous time they did that was 2016, when they hit the century mark the first 15 games and rookie Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing. … Prescott is the new franchise leader in completions with 2,901 after passing Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman against the Packers. … Prescott needs 11 attempts to pass Tony Romo for second behind Aikman and can tie Romo for second in regular-season victories at 78. The 10th-year pro had his 30th 300-yard passing game and 30th rushing TD against Green Bay. … Prescott can become the fourth player with at least 30 completions in four consecutive games, joining Tom Brady (five in a row games in 2022), Kirk Cousins (four in 2018) and Patrick Mahomes (four in 2020). … RB Javonte Williams has already tied his career high with four touchdown runs. … Jake Ferguson’s 34 catches through four games are the most for a tight end in the Super Bowl era. With six catches against the Jets, he would be the fourth tight end with at least 40 receptions in his team’s first five games, joining Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz (41 in 2018), San Francisco’s Eric Johnson (41 in 2004) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (40 with the Chargers in 2007). … Ferguson is second overall in receptions in the NFL entering Week 5. His 8-yard touchdown against Green Bay was his first score since 2023. … LB Jack Sanborn had a career-high 14 tackles with two tackles for his loss in his only game against the Jets, three years ago with Chicago. … The Jets are looking to avoid their fourth 0-5 start in franchise history and first since starting 0-13 in 2020 under Adam Gase. … Glenn joined Gase (2019) and Lou Holtz (1976) as the only coaches to begin their Jets tenures with 0-4 starts. No coach has started his tenure 0-5. … QB Justin Fields returned last week from missing a game with a concussion and was 20 of 27 for 226 yards and a touchdown, but also lost a fumble on a sack. He ran for 81 yards, the third most by a Jets quarterback in franchise history. He also became the first QB this season with 75 yards or more rushing and a passer rating of at least 100 in the same game. … Wilson needs four receptions to pass George Sauer (309) for 10th in franchise history. … The Jets have struggled with penalties this season with 32 accepted, including 20 in the past two games. … The defense has not had a takeaway through four games, the only NFL team without one. … New York had no sacks or quarterback hits on Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa on Monday night. … LB Jamien Sherwood joined Washington’s Bobby Wagner as the only players with 10 or more tackles in at least three games this season. … K Nick Folk kicked a career-best 58-yard field goal last week. The 40-year-old kicker is 7 for 7 on field goals and has made all seven of his extra points.
Fantasy tip
Jets RB Breece Hall could see an increased workload with Allen sidelined. This week, he takes on a Cowboys defense that ranks last overall in total yardage allowed. Hall is also a safety valve out of the backfield with 13 receptions, second on the Jets behind Wilson.
DART AND THE GIANTS LOOK TO BUILD ON THEIR FIRST VICTORY AGAINST WINLESS SAINTS IN NEW ORLEANS
N.Y. Giants (1-3) at New Orleans (0-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
BetMGM line: Saints by 1
Against the spread: Giants 1-3; Saints 1-3
Series record: Giants lead 17-16.
Last meeting: Saints beat Giants 14-11 on Dec. 8, 2024, at the Meadowlands.
Last week: Giants beat Chargers 21-18; Saints lost to Bills 31-19.
Giants offense: overall (20), rush (17), pass (17), scoring (27)
Giants defense: overall (29), rush (29), pass (25), scoring (23)
Saints offense: overall (22), rush (T10), pass (27), scoring (28)
Saints defense: overall (18), rush (18), pass (15), scoring (30)
Turnover differential: Giants even; Saints even.
Giants player to watch
Rookie WR Beaux Collins and 2023 third-round pick Jalin Hyatt have a tremendous chance to establish themselves in the NFL after the season-ending knee injury to Malik Nabers. While QB Jaxson Dart has reliable, veteran options in Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, there is a colossal big-play void to fill with Nabers out.
Saints players to watch
RB Kendre Miller, a third-round draft choice out of TCU in 2023, seemed to find his footing in coach Kellen Moore’s new offense last week. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry at Buffalo, highlighted by his 18-yards touchdown run.
Key matchup
The Saints’ rejuvenated running game, which accounted for 189 yards last week, against a Giants defensive front that enters this week ranked 29th in the NFL against the run, allowing 153 yards rushing per game.
Key injuries
Giants: RB Tyrone Tracy is expected to be out again with a shoulder injury.
Saints: DE Chase Young and RG Cesar Ruiz have been ruled out this week. LG Trevor Penning could be sidelined by an ankle injury. TE Juwan Johnson also was held out of practice this week with an ankle injury and reserve OL Dillon Radunz had a foot injury.
Series notes
New Orleans has won three of the past four meetings, including the past two, and seven of the past 10. … The Saints haven’t won any games since these teams last met last December, losing eight straight since. … The Giants’ most recent victory in the series came in overtime at the Superdome in 2021. … Since joining the Saints in 2018, LB Demario Davis has three sacks and an interception in four games against the Giants. In those same four meetings, Saints RB Alvin Kamara has carried 78 times for 364 yards and three touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 126 yards. … The longest winning streak in the series by each team is three games.
Stats and stuff
The Giants last week became the first 0-3 team to beat a 3-0 team since 2008. … Dart threw for 111 yards and a touchdown and ran for another among his 54 on the ground in his first professional start. … After getting benched for Dart, Russell Wilson got in the game against the Chargers for two snaps while the 22-year-old was being evaluated for a concussion. … Rookie RB Cam Skattebo has 211 scrimmage yards over the past two games. … Slayton led the Giants with 44 yards receiving last week when Nabers was injured. … LB Brian Burns is tied for the league lead in sacks with five. … Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux each sacked Justin Herbert last week. … DT Dexter Lawrence and CB Dru Phillips intercepted Herbert. … LB Darius Muasau had a team-high six tackles against Los Angeles. … Saints QB Spencer Rattler rushed for career-high 49 yards last week, threw at least one touchdown pass for a third straight game and has 98 completions this season, which ranks second in the NFL. … The Saints have not won any of Rattler’s 10 career starts. … Kamara had four catches last week and his 586 catches is tied with Tiki Barber for sixth most by a running back. He needs two more catches to surpass Hall of Famer Marcus Allen for fifth. … WR Chris Olave had his first TD reception this season last week. He has 26 receptions this season, tied for sixth in the NFL. … TE Juwan Johnson has caught at least five passes in five of his past six games and his 22 catches this season is tied for third among TEs. … LB Demario Davis had seven tackles his fourth tackle for loss of season last week. … DE Cameron Jordan had a sack last week and ranks second among active players with 124 sacks. … DE Carl Granderson had a sack and two tackles for loss last week. … DT Bryan Bresee had his 13th career sack and first of this season in Week 4. … CB Kool-Aid McKinstry tied his career high with seven tackles in Week 4. … Rookie S Jonas Sanker had his first NFL interception last week.
Fantasy tip
Kamara’s 78 touches this season on 65 carries and 13 receptions is easily the most among any Saints offensive players who is not a QB. And the matchup against the Giants looks like a potentially favorable one for New Orleans’ running game — if the offensive line is able to function well without Ruiz and possibly without Penning.
CHIEFS LOOKING FOR 3RD CONSECUTIVE WIN THIS SEASON AND 9TH IN A ROW AGAINST THE JAGUARS
Kansas City (2-2) at Jacksonville (3-1)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, ESPN
BetMGM NFL odds: Chiefs by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Chiefs 2-2, Jaguars 3-1.
Series record: Chiefs lead 10-6.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat Jaguars 17-9 on Sept. 17, 2023, in Jacksonville.
Last week: Chiefs beat Ravens 37-20; Jaguars beat 49ers 26-21.
Chiefs offense: overall (16T), rush (19), pass (12), scoring (14T).
Chiefs defense: overall (14), rush (22), pass (8), scoring (7).
Jaguars offense: overall (10), rush (4), pass (18T), scoring (16T).
Jaguars defense: overall (15), rush (4), pass (24), scoring (4).
Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-3; Jaguars plus-9.
Chiefs player to watch
RB Brashard Smith has slowly increased his workload through the first four games of his NFL career, and he could be poised to shoulder an even bigger load going forward. RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt may be dependable veterans, but neither has proven to have big-play potential, and that is what the speedy former wide receiver brings to the Kansas City offense.
Jaguars player to watch
DE Josh Hines-Allen needs two sacks to break the franchise record (55) set by Tony Brackens in 2003. Hines-Allen has 53 ½ sacks over seven seasons in Jacksonville, including 17 ½ in 2023. No one should be surprised to see him set the mark against former teammate Jawaan Taylor in prime time.
Key matchup
Chiefs DT Chris Jones vs. Jacksonville’s interior line. Jones has four sacks and an interception in five games — all wins — against the Jaguars. The 31-year-old Jones notched 1 ½ sacks in each of his past two games against Jacksonville, in 2022 and 2023, and will face a banged-up group that includes guards Ezra Cleveland (ankle) and Patrick Mekari (knee).
Key injuries
Chiefs: DE Mike Danna could return this week after dealing with a quad injury.
Jaguars: DE Travon Walker had surgery Monday to repair his left wrist but hasn’t been ruled out. S Eric Murray (neck), Mekari (knee) and RT Anton Harrison (elbow) are dealing with minor injuries.
Series notes
The series has been lopsided lately, with Chiefs winning eight in a row. Jacksonville’s most recent victory against Kansas City came in 2009, four years before Andy Reid’s arrival. Reid’s first win with the Chiefs was a 28-2 beatdown in Jacksonville in the 2013 season opener. Then-rookie tight end Travis Kelce was active for that one but did not play.
Stats and stuff
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs three more TDs to pass Priest Holmes (83) for most in franchise history. He needs 9 yards to pass Dante Hall (12,356) for the most combined yards by a Chiefs player. … Jones needs 4 1/2 sacks to pass Neil Smith (85 1/2) for third most in Chiefs history. … Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was the AFC offensive player of the week after throwing for 270 yards and four TDs without a pick last week against Baltimore. It was his 18th game with at least four TD passes, the most by any player in his first nine seasons. … Mahomes reached 250 TD passes in his 116th game, breaking the record for fastest held by Aaron Rodgers (121). … The Chiefs are tied with Buffalo and Philadelphia for fewest giveaways with one this season. … The Jaguars are 3-1 for the second time in the past 15 years and the first time since 2018. … Jacksonville leads the league with nine interceptions and 13 takeaways, with at least three in every game this season. The Jags are plus-9 in turnover margin, also tops in the league. … RB Travis Etienne is the only NFL player with at least 120 yards rushing in multiple games this season. He has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games. He ranks third in the league with 394 yards rushing. … Rookie WR/DB Travis Hunter played a season-low 47 snaps last week at San Francisco, including just nine on defense. He was seemingly benched on that side of the ball after giving up a 7-yard gain on a third-and-2 play to end the first quarter. “We’re going to get him right back into it this week,” coach Liam Coen said. … Brenton Strange is tied for fifth among TEs with 19 catches. DT Arik Armstead has at least half a sack in three consecutive games.
Fantasy tip
WR Xavier Worthy is an intriguing option because the Chiefs also have shown a propensity for giving him the ball on jet sweeps; he had a 35-yard carry last week.
STILL NO LAMAR JACKSON, BUT NATE WIGGINS AND RONNIE STANLEY RETURN TO PRACTICE FOR THE RAVENS
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and cornerback Nate Wiggins were back at practice for the Baltimore Ravens, but star quarterback Lamar Jackson and safety Kyle Hamilton were absent Thursday during the portion open to reporters.
Jackson also missed practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury. Hamilton did not seem injured during last weekend’s loss at Kansas City, but he showed up on Wednesday’s injury report as limited in that day’s practice because of a groin issue. He was not on the field early in Thursday’s session. Neither were linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf).
The returns of Stanley (ankle) and Wiggins (elbow) were encouraging, however, for a depleted Baltimore team that needs all the healthy players it can find this weekend against Houston.
The Ravens have lost nine of their past 11 games when Jackson didn’t play. The two-time MVP left Sunday’s game in the second half.
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WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UCLA, BETTS HEADLINE BIG TEN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON HONORS
ROSEMONT, Ill. – With the start of the 2025-26 season on the horizon, UCLA has been voted as the preseason Big Ten women’s basketball favorite by both the league’s 18 head coaches and a select media panel, the conference office announced Thursday. The coaches and media also tabbed Bruin senior center Lauren Betts as the 2025-26 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.
The coaches preseason poll ranked Maryland second, followed by Michigan at third, USC slated fourth and Ohio State checked in at fifth. The media poll mirrored the selections for the Terps and Buckeyes but ranked USC in third place and shifted Michigan into the fourth spot.
Betts and teammate Kiki Rice were unanimous choices by the coaches for their preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined by Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke, Maryland’s Yarden Garzon and Kaylene Smikle, Michigan’s Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, Michigan State’s Grace VanSlooten, Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and Washington’s Sayvia Sellers.
Nine of the 10 honorees garnered a spot on the media’s preseason team. Betts was the only unanimous selection and Washington’s Elle Ladine replaced her teammate on the media’s list.
Ten of the 11 players recognized were all-conference selections a season ago, including four who earned first team honors in Betts, Rice, Cambridge and Smikle. Among the returners, Betts was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches and media. Cambridge and Olson were voted Big Ten Co-Freshmen of the Year by the coaches, while Cambridge claimed the honor outright from the media.
The Big Ten Conference is coming off another successful season that included sending a record 12 programs to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the most among all Division I conferences. UCLA advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in program history. Minnesota continued the conference’s WBIT streak by defeating Belmont to capture the 2025 WBIT Championship title.
Preseason practices are underway for Big Ten member institutions. All 18 Big Ten head coaches and selected student-athletes from each school are preparing to make their way to Rosemont, Ill., for the 2025 Big Ten Basketball Media Day on Oct. 8 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The 2025-26 campaign tips off Nov. 3, while the 33rd Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament is headed back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for March 4-8.
The 2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams and rankings are below:
2025-26 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
UCLA
Maryland
Michigan
USC
Ohio State
2025-26 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Hannah Stuelke, Sr., F, Iowa
Yarden Garzon, Sr., G, Maryland
Kaylene Smikle, Sr., G, Maryland
Olivia Olson, So., G, Michigan
Syla Swords, So., G, Michigan
Grace VanSlooten, Sr., F, Michigan State
Jaloni Cambridge, So., G, Ohio State
LAUREN BETTS, SR., C, UCLA
KIKI RICE, SR., G, UCLA
Sayvia Sellers, Jr., G, Washington
2025-26 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
LAUREN BETTS, SR., C, UCLA
2025-26 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
UCLA
Maryland
USC
Michigan
Ohio State
2025-26 Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Hannah Stuelke, Sr., F, Iowa
Yarden Garzon, Sr., G, Maryland
Kaylene Smikle, Sr., G, Maryland
Olivia Olson, So., G, Michigan
Syla Swords, So., G, Michigan
Grace VanSlooten, Sr., F, Michigan State
Jaloni Cambridge, So., G, Ohio State
LAUREN BETTS, SR., C, UCLA
Kiki Rice, Sr., G, UCLA
Elle Ladine, Sr., G, Washington
2025-26 Media Preseason Player of the Year
Lauren Betts, Sr., C, UCLA
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
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NBA NEWS
SEASON PREVIEW: https://www.nba.com/2025-26-season-preview/teams
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COLLEGE HOCKEY
BIG 10: WEEK 1 HOCKEY RELEASE
• The 13th season of Big Ten Hockey begins this weekend with six teams in action. No. 5/5 Penn State, coming off a Frozen Four appearance, travels to No. 14/14 Arizona State for a series that will be carried by the NHL Network and streamed on NHL YouTube. No. 8/7 Minnesota opens at home, taking on rv/- Michigan Tech while No. 12/12 Michigan plays host to Mercyhurst. No. 20/19 Wisconsin hits the road for two games at Lindenwood. In exhibition action, No. 3/3 Michigan State entertains Windsor and rv/rv Notre Dame meets the U.S. National Team Development Program. No. 16/17 Ohio State starts its season next week.
• The early season schedule will consist of nonconference dates before conference games begin Oct. 30-31. Michigan State is favored to win its third-straight regular season championship based on the coaches’ preseason poll released on Sept. 25. Penn State earned the second-most votes and 2025 Big Ten co-champion Minnesota placed third in voting. Michigan (fourth), Wisconsin (fifth), Ohio State (sixth) and Notre Dame (seventh) rounded out the poll. Coaches also voted the following players to the preseason all-conference first team:
F Cole Knuble, Jr., ND
F Aiden Fink, Jr., PSU
F Quinn Finley, Jr., WIS
D Matt Basgall, Sr., MSU
D Mac Gadowsky, Jr., PSU
G Trey Augustine, So., MSU
• College hockey figures to be in the spotlight this season due to a rule change last year that made Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players eligible to play college hockey. As a result, several CHL standouts are now skating in the Big Ten. Penn State signed Gavin McKenna, a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, to join Jackson Smith, selected 14th overall by Columbus in 2025. Michigan State landed Cayden Lindstrom, who went fourth overall to Columbus in 2024 and Porter Martone, the sixth pick overall (Philadelphia) in 2025. In addition, Michigan signed 2025 second-round picks Malcolm Spence (43rd) and Jack Ivankovic (58th) plus 2024 third-rounder Henry Mews (74th).
• The Big Ten Tournament will have a different look in 2026, being shortened from three weeks to two weeks. The quarterfinals, previously played as best-of-three series over a weekend, will now be single-elimination games played on Wednesday (March 11) to open the tournament. Single-elimination semifinals and the ensuring championship game will be played on consecutive Saturdays on March 14 and March 21 at campus sites. As in past years, the tournament champion receives the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA postseason.
• Change is coming to the NCAA Tournament as well, specifically with the selection criteria used in determining the field. The NCAA Percentage Index (NPI) will replace the Pairwise, a rankings system that had been in use for years. Among the items NPI takes into consideration are winning percentage, strength of schedule, quality wins, and overtime contests.
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+++TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES+++
HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL
FORMER HIGH SCHOOL COACHES GIVE GIRLS’ FLAG FOOTBALL A RINGING ENDORSEMENT
Chris DePew’s “retirement” proved to be short-lived.
After spending a quarter of a century leading the football programs at East Noble (2001 to 2011) and Garrett (2012 to 2024), he decided to step down at the end of the 2024 campaign to concentrate on his duties as athletic director at his alma mater (1986 Garrett graduate).
However, when it was announced earlier this summer that Garrett would field a girls’ flag football team this year, DePew realized the fire and desire to work with student athletes was still there.
“Having the opportunity to teach football to an entire new group of people has been a real joy and was probably the main reason to try this,” explained DePew, who had a career-mark of 157-106. “It has been a pure experience, and I am so proud of the girls, especially thinking back to where we started.
“I believe our first question on the first day of practice was ‘What’s the difference between offense and defense?’ It’s amazing how far they’ve come, now speaking a common language, sharpening skills, and coming together to find success.”
The results speak for themselves as the Railroaders are off to a 4-0 start and have outscored their opponents by a score of 131-12.
Leading the charge have been junior co-captains, running back Mika Roxas and slot receiver-defensive back Madeline LaPato, along with wide receiver-defensive back Remi Balzer, linebackers Jazlyn Carteaux and Megan Fox, senior slot receiver-defensive back Ashlee Vanderbosch, and freshman quarterback Raegan Feagler.
“It took no convincing to get the girls to want to play,” explained DePew. “They were all-in from the beginning. Heck, one week they asked if we could practice longer to improve more. They want to learn, improve, and perform.”
The impressive start also earned their leader accolades by being named the Indianapolis Colts Girls’ Flag Football Coach of the Week earlier this year.
“I was warned early on that some of the worst flag football coaches are former tackle football coaches,” recalled DePew, who was also the Colts-NFL Boys’ Coach of the Week last year “I think the point was to remember that this is a different game and that trying to make it like tackle football can be a mistake. I still see more similarities than differences though. Obviously, the flag game is much simpler without linemen, blocking schemes, and special teams. However, it feels much like football still.
“Probably the biggest difference so far has been the skill level, comparing boys who grew up playing the game to girls who are learning these skills for the first time. Those aren’t gender differences, though, just experience differences, so it’s our job as coaches to help the girls close that gap. It is a simpler game with less equipment, a smaller roster, and a small coaching staff. Although the setup is easier for flag football, our approach and attention to detail remain the same.”
Another former field general who got the itch to get back into the game was Floyd Central’s Blair Thompson.
“I decided last year was going to be my last in football because the time restrictions were just so difficult,” explained Thompson, who was an assistant with the Highlanders after going 12-10 in his three-year stint at Salem (2020 to 2022). “People really don’t understand it’s seven days a week from July on basically. I wanted to have one summer to myself after the last 25 years.”
However, he was intrigued with the new challenge when it came up.
“I had the opportunity to coach a girls sport while being part of (Floyd Central’s) Coach (Jerry) Hickey’s basketball staff,” said Thompson, who was also chosen as the Colts’ Coach of the Week. “However. this was the first time I have ever been a head coach for a girls sport and I absolutely love it.”
The Highlanders have also been impressive in posting a 6-0 mark by outscoring their opponents, 250-32.
“Our girls’ sports programs are dominant in the south,” Thompson said “I saw it as an opportunity if we could get all of our athletes out that we could have a lot of fun and win a lot of games.
Among the leaders are senior wide outs Elise Coleman (458 yards receiving with six touchdowns), who is an all-state performer in basketball and softball and has signed to play basketball at Western Kentucky, and Brinley Clark (state leading 519 yards receiving with six touchdowns) and senior running back Lyla Conway (550 yards rushing with six touchdowns).
Other contributors include junior quarterback Maya Brogan (state leading 1,139 yards passing with 14 touchdowns and one interception) and sophomore defensive back Lyla Jenks (six interceptions).
“It is one of the main reasons I coached because it gave me the opportunity to coach the game I love without having to sacrifice the time with my family,” Thompson said.
Both men have found the transition from working with boys to girls to be very smooth.
“We aren’t teaching violence with the girls compared to tackle football, so maybe the emotional level of a barbarian isn’t what we’re going for with the girls,” DePew said. “I have found the girls to be rational and level-headed, easy to coach, compared to the boys, who are way more emotional.”
“The biggest difference in girls’ flag and boys’ football is the eagerness of the girls to learn the game,” Thompson said. “The girls really hang on to every detail that they are being taught. They really want to learn the game.
“The girls do a really good job of being there for each other. They do a really good job of picking each other up after a mistake. Now, we have times where some of them cry and we can’t really figure out why. but we just go with it. They are very businesslike. They don’t make many mistakes. I will say their touchdown celebrations are much better though.”
Even though there are significant differences between the two sports and genders, the objectives remain the same.
“We have a tradition since the 1970’s at Floyd where we start the school year off with a ‘Turkey Bowl’, which is a flag game pitting the juniors vs. the seniors,” explained Thompson “It is played the first Friday night of the school year at the stadium and it is huge.
“We already had an interest, so I feel with Coach Hickey and I coaching girls’ basketball we were able to get the word out that this is going to be an awesome sport to be part of at Floyd. We don’t do as many individual drills with the girls as I did with the boys. We spend a lot of time in group settings and in scrimmage scenarios.”
“Just like tackle football, our goal is to teach them to fall in love with the game,” explained DePew. “They are equally excited for sure, but it’s funny how our goals continue to change as we grow as a team. In the summer, we wanted to just have fun and see how it goes, but as the girls have improved and gotten a taste of success, they want more of it. There is great purity in how they encourage and celebrate each other.
“We aren’t just happy to complete a pass anymore. We want to execute plays at a higher level, but enjoying the game and the learning process are still priorities. With a love and understanding of the game, these girls as future mothers will hopefully encourage their own sons and daughters one day to play, ensuring that the health and security of football for everyone continues for future generations.”
In addition to having the support of the Colts, girls’ flag football has now been recognized as an emerging sport by the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) with over 60 schools fielding teams this fall.
This is part of the Colts’ “Road to 100” campaign program to get 100 teams participating around the state of Indiana.
“We can take this sport as far as any other,” DePew said. “With the support of the NFL (National Football League) and IHSAA, I think girls’ flag football is going to blow up. The girls enjoy playing and people enjoy watching.”
“We started this season with the goal of going undefeated and we are two wins away from achieving that goal,” Thompson said “Our sectional is loaded, but our ultimate goal is to make it to the state finals and see how we stack up with the north.”
Both mentors believe the sky is the limit for this sport.
“We need to continue to shine the light on what the girls are doing across the state and country,” DePew said “Locally, we must expose younger girls to flag football, thereby encouraging more participation and skill development. I anticipate youth camps and leagues, middle school programs, and everything else we see with boys’ tackle football being applied to girls’ flag football. Why not?”
” I believe it’s just going to blow up,” Thompson said. “I know of 20 schools around us that are getting it next year. I talked to a coach in Georgia and he said they are at 300 teams and have divisions now. It’s just a super fun sport and fast paced. It is awesome to see the dad’s enjoy watching their daughters play a game that they are watching every weekend.”
Although things are going well now, they both believe the program will flourish for years to come.
“I think the more we push that the game does everything we can to protect our girls and keep it a non-contact sport the more kids will participate,” Thompson added. “I feel we just need to keep promoting the sport through social media.
“We started a youth program this year in Floyd County, so we have eight youth teams from third through eighth grade. I also think that our current girls tell their friends that it is so much fun, and you don’t have the stress that is put on them in their other sports.”
“To a degree, the expansion will probably happen more between years one and two because the girls will see how much they can have,” DePew said. “Although there is not a lot of time commitment involved, it has grown over the course of the season for us, mainly by our own choosing because the girls are willing to put in the extra time to want to learn.”
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GOLF NEWS
YOUMIN HWANG SHOOTS COURSE-RECORD 62, TAKES LOTTE LEAD
Youmin Hwang fired a course-record, 10-under-par 62 on Thursday, and she holds a three-shot lead at the midway point of the Lotte Championship in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
The 22-year-old South Korean eagled the opening hole in the second round at Hoakalei Country Club. She added nine birdies and one bogey the rest of the way, leaving her at 15-under 129.
Jessica Porvasnik and first-round leader Akie Iwai of Japan are tied for second at 12 under. Porvasnik carded a 65 on Thursday, and Iwai shot a 68.
Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who each produced a 69 in the second round, share fourth place at 10 under.
Brooke Matthews (second-round 67) and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (69) are 9 under, tied for sixth. World No. 1 Nelly Korda (67), South Korea’s Ina Yoon (65), Japan’s Chisato Iwai (66) and Taiwan’s Peiyun Chien (71) are tied for eighth at 8 under.
Hwang followed her eagle with a birdie at No. 2, then carded her lone bogey at the par-3 No. 4. She made the turn at 4-under 32 for the round, then was even better on the back nine, shooting 6-under 30.
“First of all, I broke my life-best score,” Hwang said through a translator. “At the same time, I broke the course record, so I feel very good.”
Hwang has two career victories on the LPGA of Korea Tour, and she won a Taiwan LPGA Tour event this year.
Asked to contrast playing in her homeland vs. playing in the United States, Hwang said, “I feel very different about the course, first, especially the grass type. It’s very different to Korea and (playing) in Korea LPGA. So I feel like I could play more freely and whatever I want to play, I just feel like I can do it.”
Porvasnik completed a bogey-free round with her seventh birdie of the day at the par-5 18th hole.
“I just hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, gave myself a lot of great looks, and made a few of those,” she said.
Akie Iwai built on her lead when she birdied her first three holes on Friday. However, her momentum was halted by a bogey at No. 4, and then she added only two more birdies in the remainder of her round.
Korda climbed into the top 10 with a bogey-free day.
“I would say the main difference between today and yesterday was just the putts dropped,” Korda said. “It was a little gustier out there today versus yesterday, so it was fun to play in, kind of show my creative side. But overall happy with the first two days.”
SAM RYDER PART OF 4-WAY LEAD AT SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP
The Ryder Cup may be in the rearview mirror, but now the name Ryder is on top of a PGA Tour leaderboard.
Sam Ryder shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 65 to open the Sanderson Farms Championship and is part of a four-way tie for the lead Thursday at the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.).
Eric Cole, Danny Walker and South African Garrick Higgo are also at 65 after the first round. They have a two-shot lead over a large tie for fifth at 5-under 67 that includes Max Homa and defending champion Kevin Yu of Taiwan.
Amateur Michael La Sasso, the NCAA individual champion from Ole Miss, originally finished with a 6-under-par 66. However, he was assessed a two-stroke penalty on the sixth hole for improving his lie, turning that into a 4-under 68.
The course finishes with four consecutive par-4 holes, and Ryder birdied three of them, including a 29 1/2-foot putt at No. 17. At No. 18, he missed the fairway left but stuck his recovery shot to 6 feet of the pin.
“It was definitely the old kind of no-pictures-on-the-scorecard kind of day for me,” Ryder said. “Wasn’t really thinking too much about it. I was just trying to focus on the next shot. I felt like things were right there, so I didn’t really lose a lot of confidence, even though I wasn’t really hitting it great.”
Following the Ryder Cup last week, the PGA Tour resumed its FedEx Cup Fall series to determine the top 100 players who’ll retain full tour cards for 2026. Walker (No. 104) and Ryder (No. 110) were among the players who entered this week outside the top 100.
“I’m very aware where I’m at. You know it all year,” Ryder said. “You get a text every single week that tells you exactly where you are on FedEx. You can’t hide from it.”
Cole overcame a bogey on the opening hole and a double bogey at No. 16 by making 10 birdies, including at six in his final eight holes. The up-and-down day was not unlike his year at large.
“I’ve had some good stuff in there for sure,” Cole said of his season. “Also haven’t played my best at times. So it’s kind of been a little bit hit or miss. So there is definitely some signs I’m going in the right direction, and then I would kind of drop off a little bit, so there is good and bad I would say.”
Higgo, who started on the back nine and birdied five of his first seven holes, has returned to the tour after missing time due to a torn hip labrum.
“I feel pretty confident, but I’m trying to play the long game, as well, trying to get ready for next year and have a good next year and play some (signature events),” Higgo said.
Higgo is not battling for his tour card, as he earned a two-year exemption when he won the Corales Puntacana Championship in April. The same goes for Homa, whose status is safe through 2028 thanks to a string of wins he had from 2021-23.
Homa is concluding a tough season that landed him No. 107 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings entering this week.
“Top 100 would guarantee me The Players (Championship),” Homa told Golf Channel mid-round. “I’d like to win because winning’s good. I would also like to finish top 100 just out of pride.”
The top 50 players at the end of last season are already locked in for all signature events in 2026. Those who finish the fall Nos. 51-60 will qualify for the first two signature events of 2026.
There were two holes-in-one Thursday, both at the 183-yard fourth hole. Matt Kuchar rolled one in during his 4-under round of 68 after Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard holed one on his way to shooting even-par 72.
PAUL AZINGER: RORY MCILROY CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS WITH FANS
Former United States team captains have had mixed reactions to Rory McIlroy’s comments last week at the Ryder Cup.
While Tom Watson posted an apology on behalf of the U.S. for the home fans’ “rude and mean-spirited behavior” toward McIlroy at Bethpage Black, Paul Azinger is questioning whether McIlroy egged some of it on himself.
On Golf.com’s “Subpar” podcast this week, Azinger implied McIlroy needed to pick a lane.
“In the press conference after it’s over, he is saying that I think golf should be held to a higher standard of decorum, but in the meantime he says ‘F you, F you, F you’ in full voice for the world to see,” Azinger said. “He turns around and says to the guy, ‘Shut the F up.’ The guy in the media asks him, ‘How did that feel Rory, to tell him to shut up and then hit it to two feet?’ And he said, ‘It felt pretty f’ing good.’
“And I’m like, which is it, Rory? Is it that golf is held to a higher standard or are you just going to ‘F you’ the fans and act like that’s OK? So, I love Rory, but you can’t say that. You can’t say the fans need to behave better and then in the meantime lay them to waste. You can’t do both. You’ve got to be one or the other.”
McIlroy spoke before and after the Ryder Cup about finding the balance of interacting with hostile fans at the biennial competition. Sometimes, the Northern Irishman said, he has engaged with fans too much, and other times, he didn’t engage enough.
“It was a rough week for all of us,” McIlroy said Sunday night after Team Europe finished off a 15-13 victory. “But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played, and we tried to — I chirped back a few times because it got to me a few times, but we tried to handle everything that came our way with class and poise, and for the most part, I felt like we did that.”
Europe entered Sunday with an 11 1/2-4 1/2 lead, and it became 12-5 when one match went down as a draw when Norway’s Viktor Hovland withdrew with a neck injury. From that point, Europe needed 2 1/2 more points to clinch the win and it only scored three, as the U.S. made an improbable comeback that fell short.
Azinger took the opportunity to question what that said about McIlroy and his teammates.
“I don’t know what happened in Europe’s team room, but they almost let it get away,” Azinger said. “But they did the slaughtering the first two days. That was a tough pill to swallow. There was a time when I thought it was just going to be the most devastating defeat, and the PGA of America was going to have to restructure everything. And it turned out not to be that way at all. It was actually a bit of a nail-biter.”
Regardless of the final score, the United States’ Ryder Cup operation is still under scrutiny, and not just for its failings on the course for the first two days. The verbal abuse toward McIlroy and his wife was a topic throughout the weekend, and fans often couldn’t get a coherent chant together. A comedian hired to serve as emcee at the first tee stepped down after video showed her encouraging “F– you, Rory” chants.
“Didn’t the PGA of America know when they came here what was going to happen?” Azinger said. “Of course, we all knew. We’ve all been talking about it for 10 years, that this crowd could go crazy. Hey, if the beers weren’t $16 a piece, it could have been worse.”
Azinger, 65, captained the U.S. to a five-point home win in 2008.
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COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS KICKER SPENCER SHRADER GRATEFUL, EVEN MORE MOTIVATED TO SUCCEED AFTER WINNING AFC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE MONTH
In the corner of the Colts’ locker room on Thursday, Spencer Shrader stood in front of his locker surrounded by microphones with a grin on his face as he acknowledged how grateful he was to be named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for the month of September.
September was a month of milestones for the second-year kicker, with accomplishments like kicking a walkoff field goal against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 and notching a career-long 52-yard field goal in Week 4.
He was in the middle of explaining how appreciative he was for the Colts to have the faith to put him in those situations when a new, loud voice piped in from the back of the media scrum.
“There he is,” the voice said gleefully. “Player of the month!”
The voice belonged to long snapper Luke Rhodes – whose locker, directly next to Shrader’s, was inaccessible thanks to all of the cameras and reporters. Rhodes didn’t care about that, though, happy to stand back and watch his teammate get his well-earned recognition.
It was Rhodes and punter Rigoberto Sanchez who first found out the news of Shrader’s award, and it was their reactions to it that meant more than anything to Shrader.
“Their reactions were awesome, and they were just so excited and so happy,” Shrader said. “It made me feel so good to bring those guys joy, and then from that circle onto the team as a whole.”
The unit of Shrader, Rhodes and Sanchez is a special one; the specialists are often off on their own during practices, with routines and drills that are often very different from the rest of their teammates. It’s in those moments, though, that the three are able to bond both as humans and as players. And in this trio, when one of them succeeds, they all succeed.
“You’re just so happy for each other when you succeed,” Shrader said. “And so it drives you to work harder and perform for the guys that are continually coming in and putting in effort.”
Shrader is the first Colts player to earn Player of the Month honors since running back Jonathan Taylor in November 2021, and the first Colts special teams player to earn the honor since kicker Adam Vinatieri in October 2016.
In the four games the Colts played in September, Shrader converted 13-of-14 field goals and all 12 PATs he attempted, scoring a total of 51 points. He leads the NFL in field goals and total points and has made at least two field goals in every game so far this season. And with the Colts sitting at 3-1 with one of the top offenses in the league, Shrader has proven he can come through in meaningful games.
“I try not to let the game get to me too much, or like the moment or the type of kicking situations, but I think that when you’re contributing to the team winning big games, you feel like you’re doing your part for sure,” Shrader said. “So now it’s just a matter of continuing to keep that rolling and move on to the next game and let this be confidence inspiring but also humbling, you know.”
Shrader prides himself on being able to stay calm and collected in the most high-stakes environments, so his attitude toward receiving an honor like Player of the Month isn’t surprising. It’s a product of his hard work and dedication to his craft, which of course is something very special, but it’s also no reason to get distracted from the task at hand: winning for his team.
“It was just coming in, working hard every day regardless of the situation, doing my best,” Shrader said. “I just need to revert back to that and continue that process and do what I need to do to make the team successful.”
COLTS WR MICHAEL PITTMAN (HAMSTRING) LANDS ON INJURY REPORT
The Indianapolis Colts added wide receiver Michael Pittman to their Week 5 injury report Thursday with a hamstring issue.
Pittman was a limited participant in practice on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The sixth-year pro caught five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown while playing his usual heavy allotment of snaps last weekend as the Colts (3-1) fell on the road to the Los Angeles Rams.
Pittman is the top target for resurgent quarterback Daniel Jones. He has a team-high 21 receptions for 234 yards (11.1 per catch) and three scores.
The Colts enter Week 5 with a plus-40 point differential that ranks fourth in the NFL. They’re also fourth in points scored (30.8 per game) and net passing yards (261 per game).
Indianapolis co-leads the AFC South with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who host the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
Defensive end Tyquan Lewis (oblique) also landed on Thursday’s injury report. Veteran cornerback Xavien Howard abruptly retired for family reasons earlier in the week after starting each of the Colts’ first four games.
FORMER COLTS OL CHRIS HINTON AMONG 52 SENIOR CANDIDATES FOR PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026
Former Colts offensive lineman Chris Hinton on Thursday was announced among 52 Senior candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Hinton, who played both tackle and guard in his 13-year NFL career, was a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Colts – he was selected fourth overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, who later traded him to the Baltimore Colts as part of a deal to acquire quarterback John Elway. Hinton was a Pro Bowler as a rookie and then earned a spot in the Pro Bowl every year from 1985-1989 with the Indianapolis Colts, and was named a second-team AP All-Pro in 1985 and 1989.
Hinton joined the Atlanta Falcons in 1990 and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1991 and was named a first-team AP All-Pro in 1993. He finished his career with the Minnesota Vikings from 1994-1995.
Over his 13 years in the NFL, Hinton started 172 games.
Hinton will be considered by the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee, which is comprised of nine voters who also serve on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee. The seniors committee will reduce the number of candidates from 52 to 25 and then to nine in balloting that will take place over the next few weeks. Of those nine semifinalists, three will be selected as finalists to be considered for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.
Senior candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame have not appeared in an NFL game since at least the 2000 season.
COLTS SIGN CB KEENAN GARBER TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The Indianapolis Colts today signed cornerback Keenan Garber to the practice squad.
Garber, 6-0, 188 pounds, participated in the Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 offseason program and training camp after originally signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2025. Collegiately, he played in 59 career games (17 starts at cornerback) at Kansas State (2019-24) and compiled 52 tackles (46 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 11 passes defensed and two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Garber began his career with the Wildcats as a wide receiver and totaled six receptions for 82 yards (13.7 avg.) and three carries for six yards (2.0 avg.).
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INDIANA FEVER
CAITLIN CLARK SAYS COLLIER MADE VALID POINTS AND COMMISSIONER ENGELBERT HASN’T CONTACTED HER
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark said Thursday that WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert hasn’t reached out to her in the aftermath of Napheesa Collier’s statement about an alleged private conversation in which the league’s leader made comments about Clark.
The Indiana Fever guard spoke publicly for the first time since the league’s All-Star Game in July. Clark said Minnesota Lynx star Collier made valid points in her lengthy statement that criticized league officials, particularly Engelbert, for what Collier portrayed as a lack of accountability and care for WNBA players.
Collier said Tuesday that Engelbert told her in a private conversation Clark and other players “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the platform the league has given them. Collier said the commissioner singled out Clark’s endorsement deals, saying she wouldn’t have them if not for the WNBA. Engelbert released a statement a few hours later in which she said she has the “utmost respect” for Collier but was “disheartened” by how her conversations had been characterized.
When Clark was asked if she had heard Collier’s story before this week, Clark responded “No.” When asked if she had spoken with Engelbert since the reports came out, Clark again responded “No.”
Clark missed the entire second half of the season with a right groin injury that was compounded by what she called the worst sprained ankle of her career. She also said she’s still not 100% healthy and hopes she can start playing five-on-five basketball again sometime in late October and that her top priority at the moment would be working with USA Basketball.
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INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
HOOSIERS HEAD WEST TO WASHINGTON
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men’s soccer makes its west coast trek this week, traveling to Seattle to play the Washington Huskies in Big Ten Conference play Friday (Oct. 3) night at Husky Soccer Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the match on the Big Ten Network.
KICKING OFF
• Indiana took care of business last Friday, beating UCLA, 4-2. The Hoosiers scored three goals in the first 19 minutes, added a fourth in the 90th and totaled 27 shots.
• Senior forward Palmer Ault leads the Big Ten with eight goals and 19 points through 10 games. Ault’s four goals and nine points in conference play also tops the league. The senior sits one goal away from 30 career goals and two points away from 75 career points.
• Indiana typically hits another gear in October, owning a 315-56-41 (.814) record in that month all-time.
ABOUT THE HUSKIES
• The host Huskies have started conference play 3-1-0, come off consecutive Big Ten victories and currently lead the league with nine points.
• Head coach Jamie Clark leads the Huskies in his 15th season, sporting a 180-69-41 record during his time in Seattle. Clark boasts a 219-84-44 career record in 18 seasons as a head coach.
• Senior midfielder Richie Aman (three goals, seven assists) and sophomore midfielder Zach Ramsey (five goals, three assists) lead Washington with 13 points apiece. Aman’s assist total leads the Big Ten.
SERIES HISTORY
• Friday’s match between Indiana and Washington marks the fourth time the teams have met in the regular season – the remaining four all took place in the NCAA Tournament.
• That includes the 1999 NCAA Tournament Second Round, when Jerry Yeagley’s Hoosiers defeated Washington 2-0 on the road to their second-straight national title and No. 5 of eight overall.
• Current IU head coach Todd Yeagley participated in the first matchup in 1992, another 2-0 tournament second round victory for the Hoosiers.
• The programs met for the first time as Big Ten opponents last season and played to a 2-2 draw. Quinton Elliot – who now plays professionally – scored two skillful individual goals to give IU a 2-1 lead after 18 minutes. Current Huskies Charlie Kosakoff and Richie Aman ruined IU’s night with goals in the 11th and 81st minutes, respectively.
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INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
MATCH CENTRAL: INDIANA AT PURDUE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana women’s soccer hits the road as they travel to retain the Golden Boot against Purdue on Friday, Oct. 3. The rivalry match is set to start at 7 p.m. from Folk Field.
After drawing two games in Bloomington, Ind., the Hoosiers look to retain the Golden Boot for the third consecutive year in their rivalry match with the Boilermakers.
GAME DAY INFO
Indiana (3-4-4, 0-2-3 B1G) at Purdue
Friday, October 2, 2025 • 7 p.m. ET
Folk Field • West Lafayette, Ind.
Broadcast: B1G+
Radio: N/A
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
ABOUT THE BOILERMAKERS
Indiana closed out their second game at home on Sunday when they welcomed Oregon to Boomington.
The first half was a battle in the box as both teams combined for 14 shots at the break.
Indiana opened the scoring in the 39th minute when sophomore midfielder Maggie Ledwith found the back of the net. Senior defender Natasha Kim was awarded an assist on the goal.
The pace of play picked up in the second half as Oregon scored three goals to put Indiana in a 3-1 deficit early in the second half.
The Hoosiers would respond as graduate midfielder Jenna Chatterton scored on her first touch of the game. Junior midfielder Kennedy Neighbors was given the assist when she played the free kick to Chatterton.
In the 84th minute, senior captain Olivia Rush saw her first score of the season to tie the game at three goals apiece.
Graduate goalkeeper Sally Raineymade one final save to keep the result at a 3-3 draw.
QUICK STATS
The Hoosiers have eight goal scorers on the season. Grace Hamm and Maggie Ledwith lead the Hoosiers with three goals each. Aleyna Quinn, Sarah Sirdah, and Abbey Iler all follow with two goals apiece. Haden Vlcek, Jenna Chatterton, and Olivia Rush have also scored for Indiana.
Ledwith leads the team in points with eight, followed by Hamm with seven. Sirdah ranks third with five points, while Quinn and Iler have four points. Olivia Rush follows with three points, while Olivia Smith and Vlcek have tallied two points this season. Olivia Albert, Marisa Grzesiak, and Ella Stanley have one point apiece.
Indiana has taken 144 shots from 18 different players on the season. Ledwith leads the way with 24, followed by Neighbors and Grzesiak with 19 apiece. Hamm and Sirdah have also taken double figure shot attempts with 12 and 11 respectively. Quinn and Vlcek have tallied 10 shots apiece for the Hoosiers.
Five Hoosiers have recorded over 800 minutes played this season. Olivia Albert has seen 984 minutes on the pitch, while Olivia Rush and Haden Vlcek each have over 900 minutes of action this season. Olivia Smith and Kennedy Neighbors have also reached the 800 minute mark this season.
In goal, Sally Rainey and Dani Jacobson have combined for three shutouts and 41 saves on the season. Jacobson also has an additional shutout against Ball State.
Rainey has three games this season recording at least five saves. She has totaled 24 saves on the year.
IU is shooting 100% on their penalty kicks. Sirdah and Hamm have each of Indiana’s two attempts.
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will look to head back home when they welcome Northwestern on Thursday, Oct. 9. The match is set to start at 7:30 p.m.
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INDIANA MENS TENNIS
INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS CONTINUES SEASON IN TENNESSEE
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. ––––– The Indiana Men’s Tennis program is set to continue their fall 2025 campaign this weekend as MTSU hosts the Coach Bouldin Shootout at the MTSU Outdoor Tennis Center.
The invitational will feature the following Hoosiers; Facundo Yunis, Aidan Atwood, Deacon Thomas, and Matteo Antonescu.
Indiana will be participating in the invitational alongside MTSU, Vanderbilt, Tennessee.
The event will take place from Oct. 3-5 and will feature both singles and doubles competition.
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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
WOLLARD POWERS #13 PURDUE TO REVERSE SWEEP AT #24 UCLA
LOS ANGELES – The No. 13 Purdue volleyball squad secured a 3-2 reverse sweep at No. 24 UCLA (17-25, 22-25, 29-27, 25-23, 15-11), an effort powered by junior Kenna Wollard’s 33 kill-performance.
With her showing, Wollard became just the fourth player in Purdue history to record 33 kills in a single match, joining Bev Krupa (1998), Aneska Arosarena (1998 and 1999) and two-time Olympian Annie Drews (2014), who was in the crowd for the victory.
No. 13 Purdue’s stay in LA continues, taking on No. 17 USC on its home court Saturday night. The match is slated to start at 9:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Key Performances
Kenna Wollard posted 33 kills, becoming the fourth Boilermaker in Purdue history and the sixth time in program history a player has produced as many kills in a single match – all doing so on a .369 clip and coming just one dig shy of a double-double.
Taylor Anderson reached double-double status, dishing out 50 assists and 10 digs alongside four blocks and two kills.
Boiler Notes
No team held a lead larger than three points throughout the entirety of Set 2.
The Boilermakers’ reverse sweep marked the second straight year Purdue has pulled one off against a ranked opponent on the road.
The win was Purdue’s third against a ranked opponent this season, moving to a 3-1 record.
Purdue had its most efficient attack in the fifth set, hitting .429% and holding UCLA to an even .000
Purdue out-blocked UCLA 11-8.5
The Boilers denied the Bruins four match points in the third set before storming back to take the match.
Wollard’s 33 kills were one shy of tying the NCAA season-high mark. She is one of three power-four players (joined by Shaylee Myers of K-State and Morgan Gaerte of Notre Dame)
The win came in Purdue’s first match ever at UCLA.
The Boilermakers are 9-1 over the last 10 matches
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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER
PREVIEW: #2 IRISH HOST #23 LOUISVILLE
The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the No. 23 Louisville Cardinals at Alumni Stadium on Friday, October 3 at 6:00 PM.
#2 NOTRE DAME vs. #23 NORTH CAROLINA – Sunday, October 3 at 6:00 PM
Location: South Bend, IN | Alumni Stadium
LIVE STATS | SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES | WATCH ON ACC NETWORK
IZZY ENGLE = GOALS
Announced by the league office on Tuesday, sophomore forward Izzy Engle was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
She helped guide the Irish to a 4-3 win over No. 22 North Carolina and a 5-1 win at Clemson. The sophomore finished the week with three goals and an assist for seven points on the week.
On Sunday evening at Clemson, Engle recorded her ninth multi-goal match of her career as she finished with a brace in the fourth conference win of the season.
Engle has been an absolute offensive force for the Irish. She’s scored 25 points across 10 matches, leading the nation in points per game (2.50).
She has now scored 11 goals this season, the most of any player in the ACC so far this year as she is tied for second nationally.
The All-American sophomore has scored 30 career goals in just 32 games played.
#2 IRISH LEAD ACC AFTER DEFEATING CLEMSON 5-1
The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-0-1, 4-0) lead the ACC and remain undefeated on the season after taking down the Clemson Tigers (3-4-5, 0-3-2) on the road in a 5-1 victory on Sunday evening.
Izzy Engle recorded her ninth multi-goal match of her career as she finished with a brace in the fourth conference win of the season.
Ellie Hodsden, Grace Restovich, and Paige Buchner each scored a goal a piece in the win, contributing to the most goals Clemson has conceded this season.
The Irish dished out five assists tonight as Leah Klenke, Carolyn Calzada, Annabelle Chukwu, Charlie Codd, and Izzy Engle each finished with an assist.
Engle’s brace and assist gave her an impressive five points on the night.
#2 IRISH TAKE DOWN #22 TAR HEELS
The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0-1, 3-0) remain undefeated as they took down the No. 22 North Carolina Tar Heels (7-4, 1-2) at Alumni Stadium in a 4-3 victory on Wednesday evening.
Since UNC has competed in the NCAA (since 1982) the Tar Heels have now allowed four or more goals in a match just four times, with ND achieving the feat twice.
Sophomores Izzy Engle, Ally Pinto, and Elle Hodsden, along with freshman Tessa Knapp, each netted a goal for the Irish in the 4-3 win. Pinto recorded her first career goal in the win.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica tied her season-high with five saves tonight.
#6 IRISH TAKE DOWN #3 DUKE IN 3-2 BATTLE AT ALUMNI
It was a top-10 matchup at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening as the No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-0-1, 2-0) defeated the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (6-2-1, 1-2) in a 3-2 ACC victory.
Sophomore Izzy Engle, sophomore Annabelle Chukwu, and senior Laney Matriano each netted a goal for the Irish. Engle is tied for a conference-best eight goals so far on the year with Chukwu right behind her at seven goals.
The Irish defense held the Blue Devils to nine shots with just three shots on goal.
The last top-five win in the regular season for the Irish was Oct. 9 2022 as Notre Dame defeated No. 3 Florida State in a 4-0 shutout at home.
IRISH OPEN UP ACC PLAY WITH 2-1 WIN AT NC STATE
The No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0-1) finished with a 2-1 win on the road against the NC State Wolfpack (1-6-2) to open up ACC play.
It was a battle all night as the Wolfpack defense was relentless in their efforts. The Irish found a way to get the job done on the road as the sophomore duo of Izzy Engle and Annabelle Chukwu each scored a goal a piece for Notre Dame to clinch the road win.
In the 86th minute, Roy sent a perfect delivery into the box, connecting with Chukwu on the cross. Chukwu’s clinical finish found the back of the net, securing all three points for the Irish in the 2-1 win over the Wolfpack in the league opener.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica was great defensively down the stretch as she had four big-time saves in the second half for a season-best five saves on the night.
CHUKWU CLINIC AT MICHIGAN STATE
Sophomore Annabelle Chukwu has been named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Team of the Week.
She recorded her first career hat trick as she scored one goal in the first half and two goals in the second in the 3-0 win at Michigan State
Shooting a perfect 3-for-3 on night, she finished with a career-high six points.
This is also Chukwu’s first multi-goal game in her Irish career. With the three goals in the win, she has now recorded a total of eight career goals, six games through her sophomore season.
Chukwu’s header in the 26th minute put the Irish on the board and scored again in the 48th minute, burying it from the top of the box into the upper 90 to make it 2-0.
Just two minutes later, In the 50th minute, Morgan Roy fired the perfect corner kick to the near post as another Chukwu header found the back of the net to cap off the hat trick.
MATRIANO HAD HERSELF A WEEK
Laney Matriano has been named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Team of the Week.
Matriano helped guide the Irish to a 3-0 win over Michigan and an 8-0 win over Oakland, finishing the week with an impressive two goals, three assists, and seven points.
She recorded a career-high three assists in the win over the Wolverines on Thursday, assisting on every goal scored that game and becoming the first ACC player to record three assists in a match against a Power Four conference team since Pitt’s Landy Mertz on November 11, 2023.
She then recorded a brace in the win over Oakland on Sunday, another career-best.
A CAREER NIGHT IN THE 8-0 WIN OVER OAKLAND
The No.6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish advanced to 4-0-1 on the season as they defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (1-4-1) in a 8-0 victory on Sunday evening.
The Irish had seven players in the scoring column, but senior Laney Matriano led the way with a brace, recording a career-high two goals in the dominant win.
Junior Morgan Roy and sophomore Grace Restovich recorded their first goals of the season, The sophomore duo of Annabelle Chukwu and Izzy Engle chipped in one goal a piece for their second and sixth goals on the season, respectively.
It was a night of career-firsts and career-highs for Notre Dame. Freshman Tessa Knapp and sophomore Randie Foor each recorded their first career goals, with junior Jackie Hollomon grabbing her first save in goal.
Sophomore Lily Joseph tied her career-high two assists and Senior Kiki Turner recorded her first career assist.
IRISH REMAIN UNDEFEATED: TAKE DOWN WOLVERINES
The No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0-1) remain undefeated on the season as they defeated the Michigan Wolverines (2-3-0) in a 3-0 win at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Irish scored on three headers in the win, with goals coming from the sophomore trio of Izzy Engle, Abby Mills, and Ellie Hodsden.
Notre Dame finished with a season-best five assists as senior Laney Matriano led the way with a team-best and career-high three assists. Senior Leah Klenke and graduate Carolyn Calzada each recorded an assist for the Irish in the win.
The Irish outshot the Wolverines 16-5 as sophomore Sonoma Kasica finished with three saves and recorded her ninth career clean sheet.
IRISH TAKE DOWN BEARCATS
It was a great offensive night for the Irish with three players netting goals in the 4-0 win at Alumni on Thursday, Aug. 21.
Sophomore Izzy Engle recorded her second brace of the season, with sophomore Annabelle Chukwu and sophomore Ellie Hodsden each adding one goal apiece in the second half.
Sophomore Grace Restovich led the way with two assists, with senior Laney Matriano and junior Morgan Roy each recorded an assist as well.
The Irish defense suffocated the Bearcat attack, allowing only one shot on goal. Sophomore Sonoma Kasica finished with a clean sheet for the Irish, her eighth clean sheet in her career.
IRISH DRAW AT #2 ARKANSAS
The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0-1) earned a hardfought draw on the road against No. 6 Arkansas Razorbacks (0-1-1) on in a heated top-10 battle.
The Irish offense was led by Charlie Codd and Ellie Hodsden, who each recorded their first goals of the season in the 2-2 draw.
While Codd netted the first goal of the game to tie it up at1-all, just over 35 minutes later, Ellie Hodsden had the play of the game. The sophomore received a pass in her own half and took it coast-to-coast before firing in a great shot from just inside the box.
Sonoma Kasica recorded four saves in the stalemate, totaling eight saves in the opening week of the season.
ENGLE WAS EVERYTHING NEEDED IN HOME OPENER
Sophomore Izzy Engle recorded a brace in the 2-1 win in the season opening win against the defending MAC Champions Western Michigan at Alumni Stadium on Thursday evening.
The reigning ACC Freshman of the Year and All-American picked up right where she left off in the 2024 campaign, recording her seventh career multi-goal game.
The Irish improved to an impressive 29-5-3 record in season openers.
Junior Chase Ying recorded her first career point off an assist on the opening goal.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica recorded four saves to pick up the win.
PRESEASON PRAISE
Coming off of NCAA Quarterfinal run last season, the Irish were selected as the no. 2 team in the country in this year’s United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. This is the highest preseason ranking since the 2011 season after the Irish won the National Championship in 2010.
The Irish were also selected as the no. 2 team in the 2025 Preseason ACC poll.
Goalkeeper Sonoma Kasica and forward Izzy Engle have been named to the United Soccer Coaches 2025 NCAA Players to Watch list this preseason.
Engle was also selected as a Preseason All-ACC honoree, alongside senior Leah Klenky. Both were All-ACC standouts last season, earning All-Region status as well.
Engle and Klenke are were each named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as well this preseason.
BY THE NUMBERS – NCAA TOURNAMENT
For the 30th time over the last 32 years, the Notre Dame women’s soccer program qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame improved its all-time postseason record to 77-26-4. Their 77 victories passed UCLA (75) for the third most and rank only behind Florida State and UNC.
With a dominant 5-1 victory over Milwaukee in the First Round, the Irish improved to 52-4-1 at home in the NCAA Tournament
They have recorded 50 all-time clean sheets in the NCAA Tournament.
Notre Dame was a seeded team for the fourth consecutive year, earning the four-seed in the bottom-right quadrant.
The past four seasons under Doug & Lisa Jones Head Coach Nate Norman: Sweet 16 in 2021, Elite Eight in 2022, 2nd Round in 2023 and an Elite Eight in 2024. Thus, two quarterfinal appearances over the last three years.
The Irish made their 17th all-time appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals. They are now 12-5 all-time in that round.
They’ve qualified for 12 College Cups with their last being in 2010. They are 8-4 in the Semifinal round.
The Irish boast three NCAA championships, which is tied for second most – 1995, 2004, 2010 – and five runner-up finishes (1994, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008).
NOTRE DAME’S 2024 RESUME
In the final United Soccer Coaches Poll, the Irish landed in the No. 6 position. There were six ACC teams in the top-10.
Irish finished with a RPI rank of No. 8. They achieved a 4-4-1 record against the RPI 1-25.
Notre Dame competed in the No. 1 RPI league, the ACC, and went 5-2-4.
The Fighting Irish recorded a 5-4-1 mark against ranked opposition this season. They defeated No. 2 Miss State, No. 6 Stanford, No. 13 TCU and No. 14 Virginia, No. 25 Cal, while tying at No. 1 Duke.
All 4 of ND’s losses were to ranked teams.
HOME SWEET HOME
It is not easy for opposing teams to earn a victory inside Alumni Stadium. Since its creation in 2009, Notre Dame has gone 135-32-11.
Over the last four seasons in particular – an impressive 37-6-6 (.816) record inside Alumni.
The last 5 seasons – 48-9-7 (.805)
A COLLEGE CUP CORE
The expectations every year for this program is to qualify for a College Cup and compete for a national championship. The Irish fell a little short in 2024 but the pieces are there to make a run in 2025. We’ve talked already about how dynamic of a freshman class it was. Then there’s the returning vets: Morgan Roy, Charlie Codd, Laney Matriano, Leah Klenke and Clare Logan all started in at least 15 games this season.
Key losses include graduate forward/midfielder Ellie Ospeck (who recorded 33 points over her Irish career), captain Sophia Fisher (68 games played, 19 starts, 19 points) and KJ Ronan (58 games played, 5 starts).
All-in-all, the Irish return 141 of its 161 points aka 87.6 percent.
ACC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. North Carolina (10), 246
2. Notre Dame (2), 229
3. Florida State (4), 225
4. Duke, 208
5. Stanford, 201
6. Wake Forest, 172
7. Virginia (1), 169
8. Virginia Tech, 162
9. Clemson, 132
10. California, 124
11. Pitt, 111
12. SMU, 83
13. Boston College, 81
14. Louisville, 67
15. Miami, 44
16. NC State, 40
17. Syracuse, 18
ALL-AMERICAN – IZZY ENGLE IS BACK FOR YEAR 2
Izzy Engle immediately took the collegiate landscape by storm by putting together an All-American campaign in her freshman season. The United Soccer Coaches named her a Second Team All-American. Head Coach Nate Norman has now produced four different All-Americans over the past three years (Korbin Albert, Eva Gaetino, Olivia Wingate).
Engle scored 19 goals on the year, plus one assist, finishing with 39 total points. Her 19 goals were the sixth most all-time by a freshman at Notre Dame.
Her 19 goals were the 2nd most scored in the country in 2024. Kate Faasse from North Carolina scored 20. Engle’s 0.86 goals per match ranked second nationally as well.
The Minnesota native scored nine goals over the last nine games and scored in three of the four NCAA Tournament games, including the game-winner against Mississippi State.
Engle’s 39 points ranked sixth nationally and second amongst ACC players.
Engle’s brace at No. 1 Duke marked the first time in program history in which an Irish freshman recorded multiple goals against the No. 1 team in the country.
Engle recorded the first freshman hat trick in program history since 2008 in Notre Dame’s win at Samford. She was the third quickest in program history to record a hat trick, doing so in just her second game. Kerri Hanks (2005) and Rosella Guerrero (1992) achieved hat tricks in their freshman debuts.
FRESHMEN CLEAN UP ACC AWARDS – 2024 ACCOLADES
Kudos to Coach Norman for the talent he’s been developing in South Bend. For it was the third straight year in which the program took an ACC ‘of the year’ award. And get this, it’s been three different players as well. Korbin Albert in 2022 (ACC Midfielder of the Year), Eva Gaetino in 2023 (ACC Defender of the Year) and now Izzy Engle in 2024 (ACC Freshman of the Year).
Engle’s awards didn’t stop there. The Minnesota native was also named First Team All-ACC alongside junior defender Leah Klenke. Third-Team All-ACC honors went to freshmen Annabelle Chukwu and Lily Joseph.
Klenke, who missed a portion of the early season because she was busy winning a bronze medal with Team USA at the U20 World Cup. Klenke came back and solidified the back-three while also securing a goal and an assist. This marked the second straight year for Klenke taking home an All-ACC award, improving upon her Second-Team status in 2023.
The Irish dominated the ACC All-Freshman Team list with four of the 11 spots, the most of any school. Izzy Engle, Lily Jospeh, Ellie Hodsden and Annabelle Chukwu were all named to the All-Freshman Team. The foursome ranked first, second, fourth and sixth, respectively, on the team in total points.
NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
Notre Dame’s scoring offense of 2.50 ranked eighth in the country and third in the league. It marked Notre Dame’s highest scoring offense since 2008 (3.07).
In addition, Notre Dame had a whopping 16 different goal scorers on the year, which marked the most since 2008 as well.
The Irish ranked seventh in the nation in shots per game (19.6) and 12th in SOG/game (8.7).
Their 55 goals ranked seventh nationally.
44 of the team’s 55 goals were scored by freshmen.
The top-4 point getters on the team were freshmen: Izzy Engle (39 points), Lily Joseph (22 points), Grace Restovich (21 points) and Ellie Hodsden (18 points).
Irish were 14-0 when scoring first this season. They were 13-0-1 when leading at the half.
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NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER
MATCH 11 PREVIEW: VIRGINIA TECH
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are set to square off in an ACC matchup at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 3 at Alumni Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Admission to the match is free and it will be streamed on ACCNX.
NOTRE DAME vs. VIRGINIA TECH
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
Watch: ACCNX
Admission: FREE
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. Virginia Tech
THE VIRGINIA TECH SERIES
• The Irish and Hokies will meet on the pitch for the 16th time on Friday evening.
• Notre Dame holds a narrow lead in the series with a record of 8-6-1.
• The Irish claimed a victory in the most recent matchup, winning by a score of 1-0 in Blacksburg during the 2023 campaign on October 13.
• Five of the last six matchups between the two sides have been decided by one goal.
INSTANT IMPACT
• The freshman class has already made its presence felt on the Notre Dame roster, as the group has produced 18 points off six goals and six assists this season.
• Luke Burton has led the way from the striker position with three goals and two assists while making six starts up top for the Irish.
• Ren Sylvester has found his form with two goals and an assist, all coming over the last three matches.
• Alex Rosin has made five starts at left back and has proved capable of going forward in attack with a goal and three assists.
• Karson Baquero has played in each of the last four matches as a midfielder, including his first career start in the win over Hope.
SET-PIECE SUCCESS
• The Fighting Irish have scored nine goals off set pieces during the 2025 campaign.
• Three of the goals have come from free kicks, with Mitch Ferguson scoring a direct free kick and Diego Ochoa and Ferguson finishing from service into the box.
• The Irish have been even more lethal on corners, firing in six goals this season. Ferguson and Burton have each scored twice while Alex Rosin and Martin Von Thun have each recorded one.
BK THE GK
• Blake Kelly has gotten off to a great start to his sophomore season in goal for the Irish, posting four clean sheets.
• The shot stopper ranks second in the ACC in saves per game with a mark of 3.30 per outing.
• The sophomore has posted a save percentage of .786 during the 2025 campaign, ranking fourth in the ACC.
• Kelly started 12 matches for the Irish in 2024 and became the first true freshman goalie to start the season opener in the last 30 years for the program.
STRIKE FORCE
• The starting striker tandem of Wyatt Borso and Luke Burton has found its form over the last couple of weeks, as the two have combined for six goals and two assists.
• Borso ranks tied for second on the team in goals with three, scoring in three of the last five matches.
• Burton has recorded a point in five of the last six matches, scoring in wins over Pitt, Omaha and Hope and picking up assists in victories over Louisville, Wright State and Hope.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Eight players have scored the 16 goals for the Irish this season, as Mitch Ferguson (4), Wyatt Borso (3), Luke Burton (3) and Ren Sylvester (2) have each scored multiple times while Nolan Spicer, Diego Ochoa and Martin Vont Thun each found the back of the net once.
• Ten returning Irish players registered at least one point in their Notre Dame career, as the team returns 54 points from last year.
• Nine players that scored a goal during the 2024 campaign are back on this year’s team.
• Junior Jack Flanagan is the top returning goal scorer on the 2025 squad after firing in a career-high four goals during his sophomore campaign.
2025 CAPTAINS
• Mitch Ferguson and Wyatt Lewis will serve as the captains for this year’s Fighting Irish team and Blake Kelly will take on the role of assistant captain.
• Ferguson has appeared in 60 games over his Notre Dame career, scoring four goals and adding seven assists from the center back position.
• Lewis enters his third season with the Fighting Irish and has three goals and four assists as a holding midfielder.
• Kelly started 12 matches as a freshman in 2024, posting a record of 4-3-5 while recording 26 saves.
THE CHAD RILEY ERA
• McFarland Family Head Men’s Soccer Coach Chad Riley is in his eighth season in charge of the Notre Dame men’s soccer program in 2025.
• Riley became the first head coach in program history to lead the Fighting Irish to two College Cup appearances, coming during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
• Notre Dame has captured both an ACC regular season and tournament title under his direction, both firsts in program history.
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BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
BUTLER AND NORTH CAROLINA AGREE TO HOME-AND-HOME SERIES BEGINNING IN 2026-27
Butler and North Carolina have agreed to a men’s basketball home-and-home series that will feature games during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
The teams will play in Chapel Hill in either November or December of 2026 before the Bulldogs host the Tar Heels at Hinkle Fieldhouse in either November or December of 2027.
SERIES HISTORY:
The two programs have split six previous meetings.
The teams first met during the 1928-29 season with Butler winning 43-20 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The only other contest at Hinkle Fieldhouse was a UNC win Dec. 20, 1992.
UNC won the only meeting in Chapel Hill, Jan. 24, 1994.
The three most recent games have all been played on neutral courts and North Carolina has been ranked among the Top 10 nationally in each of the tips.
Butler posted wins at both the 2012 Maui Invitational and the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis.
The most recent tip between the two teams came in the Sweet 16 of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. UNC posted a 92-80 win in Memphis, Tenn.
ALSO UPCOMING IN 2026-27: Butler’s 2026-27 non-conference schedule will include a road game at Boise State (concluding a home-and-home series that begins this season at Hinkle Fieldhouse) in addition to the road contest at North Carolina.
2025-26 TICKET INFORMATION: Men’s basketball season tickets remain on sale, providing the best seating locations still available for the upcoming season. Contact the Butler Ticket Office at tickets@butler.edu or 317-940-DOGS (3647) to place your order. Five-game and/or three-game mini-plans as well as single-tickets are currently available at ButlerSports.com/BuyTickets.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL: Butler enters the 2025-26 season off an appearance in the inaugural College Basketball Crown. Coach Thad Matta’s Bulldogs have added five impact transfers in Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Yame Butler (Drexel), Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne), Drayton Jones (South Carolina State), and Yohan Traore (SMU). That group joins returners Finley Bizjack, who averaged 10.3 points per game for the Bulldogs last season; Jamie Kaiser Jr., who missed the entire 2024-25 season with an ankle injury; and Evan Haywood, who started both College Basketball Crown games. Butler also welcomes a Top 25 recruiting class.
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BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL
3-0 IN #MACTION, VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS NIU IN THURSDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN
MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State women’s volleyball defense turned in its best effort of the season to register a dominating 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-29) sweep of Northern Illinois in Thursday night #MACtion at Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals (7-8; 3-0 Mid-American Conference) limited the Huskies (9-3; 2-1 MAC) to a season-low .069 (27-20-102) attack percentage, with the guests hitting negative over the opening two sets.
“We have been putting a lot of emphasis on our defense in practice,” head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. “I give our block and Coach Bitting lot of credit tonight. We have been trying some different things from a scouting perspective and really locking in to allow our blockers to feel like they know exactly what is coming at them.”
Leading the charge at the net was junior middle Gwen Crull with four total blocks, including a pair of solo stuffs, to go along with a pair of kills. Fellow junior middle Camryn Wise added two blocks and eight kills, while hitting .471 (8-0-17). Combined, the Ball State defense limited NIU to a season-low 27 kills, 15 below its previous low of 42 versus both SIUE (Sept. 6) and Eastern Michigan (Sept. 26).
In addition to its strong defensive effort, Ball State was just as solid on offense, connecting for a .317 (45-12-104) rate of success. It’s the highest attacking mark NIU has allowed this season, with the previous best being a .257 from Stetson (Aug. 29).
Leading the charge from a percentage standpoint for the Cardinals was redshirt freshman Riley Whitlock who connected for kills on all five of her swings.
Overall, sophomore Carson Tyler provided numerous highlights on both ends of the court, collecting her eighth double-double of the season with match highs of 12 kills and 12 digs. She hit .240 (12-6-25) on the night and chipped in on a pair of blocks.
Graduate outside Noelle VanOort also tied for match-high honors with 12 kills and hit .286 (12-2-35), while adding five digs. In addition, junior setter Lindsey Green set the tone early in the match, serving Ball State out to a 6-0 advantage in the opening set with her first of three aces coming at the 5-0 mark following an NIU timeout.
Green dished out a match-best 26 assists and added five digs, while freshman setter Reese Axness was credited with 13 assists, five digs and Ball State’s only other ace in the match.
Rounding out Ball State’s top contributors were sophomore middle Tiffany Snook with six kills, three digs and a pair of blocks, and sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter with nine digs.
NIU was led by seven kills from Ava Grevengoed who also tied for team-high honors with eight digs. Grevengoed also served up three of the Huskies six aces, the only statistical category the guest from DeKalb led in during its final MAC regular season matchup versus Ball State.
Up next, the Ball State women’s volleyball team hosts Western Michigan Friday night at 6 p.m. for Alumni Night. In addition to honoring its alumni in attendance during the match, all fans can enter for a chance to win a Ball State Spirit Prize Pack.
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BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
CARDINALS SCORE TWICE IN THE SECOND HALF FOR 2-0 WIN AT OHIO
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ball State soccer team rode a pair of second half goals by Addie Chester to a 2-0 win over Ohio on Thursday afternoon at Chessa Field.
The Cardinals (5-4-2, 2-2-1 Mid-American Conference) won for the second time in three road MAC games with the decision over the Bobcats (3-6-4, 1-2-3).
Chester got the scoring started early in the second half when she blasted a shot off the left foot from outside the box that went inside the left post to give the visitors a 1-0 edge in the 48th minute.
About 20 minutes later, the senior broke away for another goal after a long pass off a free kick from Kate Pallante was headed by Emily Roper to Chester who scored two goals in a game for the third time this season. Chester now has eight goals on the year and 20 for her collegiate career.
Pallante was credited with the assist and made three saves in goal on the way to her first career solo shutout.
Chester tallied three total shots, while Roper, Izzy Ross, Tori Monaco and Jess Fernau also put shots on goal that forced the Ohio goalkeeper to make saves. Delaney Ahearn, Kira Verburg and Jordyn Klaasen joined Pallante as Cardinals playing the full 90 minutes.
Ohio recorded more shots (18-8), but Ball State had more on goal (6-3). The Bobcats generated more corner kicks (9-2) and were whistled for more fouls (9-8) and offsides violations (6-0).
The Cardinals will next return home and host Western Michigan at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL
SYCAMORES TAKE TO THE ROAD FOR FIRST MVC ROAD CONTESTS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball hits the road this weekend for the first MVC matches of the 2025 season
The Sycamores travel to Southern Illinois on Friday at 7 p.m. and will play at Evansville on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.
Indiana State enters the weekend with a 4-1 record over the last five matches, swinging a combined .291 as a team. Ava Robart leads with 77 kills (77-24-179, .296), followed by Kira Holland (68-29-227, .172). Ella Scott leads the team in hitting percentage (aside from Hardersen’s lone match) at a .407 clip (42-5-91). Emily Weber (114) and Avery Hales (108) are splitting time as the primary setter. Chloe Gilley (70) and Kira Holland (68) are the two digs leaders. Three Sycamores have 10+ blocks (Kimora Whetstone 17, Ella Scott 12, Curry Kendall 10).
The Sycamores are looking to beat Southern Illinois for the first time under head coach Ashlee Pritchard, as SIU has won the last five in a row dating back to the start of the 2022 season. Against Evansville, Indiana State swept the Aces last year, cutting a five-match losing streak.
Statistical Leaders through 14 Matches (Top 2)
Kills
Kira Holland – 201 (.166, 3.87 per set)
Ava Robart – 169 (.245, 3.25 per set)
Digs
Chloe Gilley – 173 (3.33 per set)
Kira Holland – 135 (2.6 per set)
Assists
Emily Weber – 302 (5.81 per set)
Avery Hales – 200 (5.0 per set)
Blocks
Kimora Whetstone – 45 (.87 per set)
Ella Scott – 37 (.71 per set)
Aces
Ella Scott – 21
Ava Robart – 17
Milestone Tracking
Last weekend, Emily Weber last weekend eclipsed 2,500 career assists against her former team, Illinois State, on Sept. 26.
Entering the upcoming weekend, there are two Sycamores to keep an eye on: Ella Scott and Kira Holland. Scott enters with 495 career kills, while Holland enters with 472 career digs.
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EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL
VOLLEYBALL SET FOR TWO WEEKEND MATCHES
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In its second weekend of Missouri Valley Conference action the University of Evansville volleyball team plays host to Belmont and Indiana State inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. UE welcomes the Bruins at 6 p.m. on Friday before facing the Sycamores on Saturday at 5 p.m. with both matches being carried on ESPN+.
Recapping the Weekend
– Last weekend marked the opening two MVC contests with UE dropping a 3-0 home match to Bradley before putting up a fight in a 3-1 loss at Southern Illinois
– Hinsley Everett led UE with 13 kills against the Salukis while Holland Morris and Chloe Cline added eight kills apiece
Top 20
– Ainoah Cruz averaged 6.25 digs in the series against USI and continues to rank among the nation’s best with her season average of 4.90 per frame
– Her average ranks second in the MVC and 17th in the nation
– Cruz eclipsed the 1,000-dig mark earlier this season against UAB and is on the cusp of moving into the top 10 in program history
– Her top performance of the season came against PFW where she recorded 31 digs
Moving up the Charts
– Senior Kora Ruff is just 30 assists away from moving into the top three in UE program history
– With 3,426, Ruff is closing in on Allana McInnis’ total of 3,456
– Ruff continues to rank second in the MVC with her average of 7.68 assists per game
– Her season-high of 44 assists came against PFW while she had 41 on two occasions
Top Effort
– Entering the road match at SIU, Holland Morris had seven kills in her career
– Against the Salukis Morris surpassed that tally with a career-best eight kills
– She made her season debut against Bradley and picked up a kill
Scouting the Opposition
– Belmont enters Friday’s match with a 10-3 record after splitting their MVC matches last weekend
– After defeating Murray State by a 3-1 final, Belmont fell at Indiana State in four sets
– Brooke Gilleland leads Belmont with 3.38 kills per frame
– The Sycamores begin the weekend with a 7-7 mark following a split last week; ISU fell to Illinois State before defeating Belmont
– Kira Holland leads ISU with 3.87 kills/set
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EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL
FULL MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE COMPLETE
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Missouri Valley Conference has announced the league portion of its 2025-26 men’s basketball schedule.
Complete 2025-26 UE Men’s Basketball Schedule
With the league set to compete with 11 schools this season, the schedule for each team will be 20 games with everyone facing all league opponents both at home and on the road.
On Dec. 16, the University of Evansville faces Belmont in its league opener before welcoming Drake on the 21st. UE makes a swing through Illinois to face Bradley (Dec. 29) and Illinois State (Jan. 1) before returning home to take on UNI (Jan. 4) and Murray State on the 7th.
Other home games for the Purple Aces include Bradley (1/13), Southern Illinois (1/25), Indiana State (2/3), Illinois State (2/9), UIC (2/18), and the regular season finale versus Valparaiso on the 28th of February.
Game times will be announced at a later date. Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now. We offer great seats that fit with every family budget. For questions or more information on how we can help you and your family create long lasting memories with us at the Ford Center this season, please call Logan Belz at the UE Ticket office 812-488-2623.
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SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
EAGLES DOWN HUSKIES FOR FIRST OVC WIN
EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer wins its first Ohio Valley Conference contest of the season, 4-1, against Houston Christian University at Strassweg Field Thursday night.
This decisive win marked the team’s largest positive goal differential since a 6-0 victory over Missouri University of Science and Technology in 2019. Additionally, the four goals scored were the most for USI since the 2023 season finale against Lindenwood University.
USI came out of the gate on fire, dominating the offensive half of the field. The Eagles opened the scoring in the 20th minute of the match, as freshman Tony Murphy connected with freshman Edin Cvorovic for the first goal of the game and Cvorovic’s first of his career.
The Eagles kept the pressure on the Huskies, as junior Will Kirchhofer gathered the ball at midfield, finding sophomore Ahiro Nakamae up the sidelines, who then found Murphy in the box for his second goal of the season. USI led 2-0 for the first time this season.
USI was not done for the first 45, freshman Gian Colassaco found freshman Nolan Stevens open outside of the box for the final score of the half. USI went into the break up 3-0, despite being behind in total shots, nine to seven.
In the first half, Southern Indiana tallied five shots on goal compared to Houston Christian’s four. Freshman Jacob English made four impressive saves, including a diving grab in the 36th minute, helping preserve USI’s lead.
The second half saw the Houston Christian defense tighten, limiting USI’s opportunities. The Eagles capitalized on a 65th-minute free kick from Cvorovic, who found junior Pablo Juan open in the box for a fourth team goal, putting them up 4-0.
The Huskies battle back late, sneaking one into the net at 70:50 to cut the lead to three. HCU had multiple opportunities late in the game, but failed to capitalize. English made some miraculous saves late in the match, keeping Houston Christian from gaining momentum.
For the game, USI was outshot 24-10 and 8-6 on goal despite the season high in goals scored. Nine different Eagles recorded shots, with five on goal, a season high in both. The Huskies were able to force 10 corner kicks compared to the Eagles’ four. English tallied seven saves on the night, three in the second half, compared to the two by HCU goalkeepers.
Looking ahead, the Eagles aim to continue their momentum this weekend against the University of the Incarnate Word Sunday morning at Strassweg Field. Admission to Sunday’s match is free, thanks to ProRehab. Fans can also watch on ESPN+ with a subscription.
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SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
SCREAMING EAGLES TO HOST DIG PINK GAME FOR OVC HOME OPENER
EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Volleyball is set to host Eastern Illinois University in its Ohio Valley Conference home opener Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. in Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles.
Friday’s match is Dig Pink Night, to support breast cancer awareness. Fans are encouraged to wear pink, and the first 400 fans in Liberty Arena will get a free breast cancer awareness bracelet. The first 50 students will receive an Archie’s Army crossover bag.
Admission to the two games and all USI Volleyball home games this season will be free courtesy of ProRehab. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ for subscribers.
The Screaming Eagles return home in search of their first OVC win after a series on the road at Morehead State, falling to 0-2 in conference play in the opening weekend.
In the first match at MSU, the Eagles came in strong for a dominant 25-15 first set, which ended with a 10-point serving run from senior Bianca Anderson. While losing the match, USI managed to put up 14 blocks as a team, the highest total in a game for USI since 2023. The blocks were led by junior McKenzie Murphy, who contributed a career-high 10 total.
Over the two games, the offense production was led by junior Ashby Willis, who recorded 17 kills, followed by fellow junior Leah Coleman and freshman Carley Wright, who each had 15.
Two-time OVC Setter of the Week honoree, Aysa Thomas, dished out 47 assists, 32 digs, and nine blocks in her first OVC series. The freshman led the team in digs, breaking her previous career-high by two digs for 17 total.
About Eastern Illinois:
The Panthers have started their season 8-4, landing them second in the OVC standings after the first weekend of conference play. Their most recent wins were against Lindenwood, who was picked to finish second in the conference. Eastern Illinois senior Catalina Rochaix was named the OVC Setter of the Week for her performance against Lindenwood, tallying 90 assists for 11.25 per set, with 18 digs and six kills. Sophomore libero Ariadna Pereles tallied 37 digs in the Lindenwood series. The former OVC Defensive Player of the Week ranks second in the conference for digs. Sophomore Destiny Walker leads the Panthers in kills for the season, recording 33 in the recent series and 167 in the season.
EIU leads the series 5-2 against USI. However, the Eagles have the most recent win, sweeping the Panthers in the 2024 season 3-0.
To get updates as USI Volleyball hosts its first OVC opponent in Liberty Arena, fans can follow USI Athletics on Facebook, Instagram, and X for game coverage and online at usiscreamingeagles.com.
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VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES MEN’S BASKETBALL LEAGUE SLATE
The Missouri Valley Conference has announced the league slate for the 2025-2026 men’s basketball season, which this year features a full double-round robin format as each squad will play each of the other 10 teams twice as part of a 20-game Valley gauntlet.
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team will tip off league play on Sunday, Dec. 21 by hosting Murray State at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Beacons will play back-to-back road games to close out the calendar year of 2025 and ring in 2026 by visiting UNI on Monday, Dec. 29 and Southern Illinois on Thursday, Jan. 1.
The first two home games of 2026 will be against teams from the Land of Lincoln as Valpo hosts UIC (Sunday, Jan. 4) and Illinois State (Wednesday, Jan. 7) before a swing trip to Kentucky and Tennessee with stops at Murray State (Saturday, Jan. 10) and Belmont (Tuesday, Jan. 13).
A sequence of three straight home games begins on Saturday, Jan. 17 vs. UNI, the lone Saturday home game in conference play this season. It continues as Valpo welcomes Southern Illinois (Wednesday, Jan. 21) and Belmont (Wednesday, Jan. 28). The team will make bus trips to Indiana State (Saturday, Jan. 31) and Bradley (Tuesday, Feb. 3) before coming back home against instate foe Evansville on Friday, Feb. 6.
Valpo visits defending league champion Drake on Monday, Feb. 9 before heading to Illinois State on Thursday, Feb. 12. The Beacons are home for two as they host Indiana State (Sunday, Feb. 15) and Bradley (Wednesday, Feb. 18) before making the quick trip to UIC on Saturday, Feb. 21. The final home game of the season will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 25 vs. Drake before the regular season concludes on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Evansville.
The State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, known as Arch Madness, will take place on March 5-8 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Last season, Valpo made a run to the semifinal round at the conference tournament, capping a season that saw the Beacons over double their win total from the previous year.
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VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER RETURNS HOME FOR RARE SATURDAY MATCH
Valparaiso (3-5-3, 0-1-2 MVC)
Saturday, Oct. 4 – UNI (3-4-3, 0-1-2 MVC) – 5 p.m.
Next Up in Valpo Soccer: The Valpo soccer team continues MVC play with a single match this week, returning home to Brown Field Saturday evening to host UNI on Youth Soccer Day.
Previously: The Beacons earned a pair of draws in Valley action last week, battling Illinois State to a scoreless tie last Thursday night before recording another point with a 1-1 draw Sunday at UIC.
Looking Ahead: Next week is another single-match week for Valpo, which makes the trip to Terre Haute Sunday afternoon, Oct. 12.
Following the Beacons: This week’s match will be carried on ESPN+. All home matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+ as part of The Valley on ESPN, while select road fixtures will also have live video available.
Head Coach John Marovich: In his 18th season at the helm of the Valpo program, John Marovich holds a 139-136-52 (.505) record both overall and at Valpo as a head coach. The 2014 Horizon League Coach of the Year and the head of the 2022 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, Marovich holds Valpo’s all-time records for both victories and winning percentage.
Series Notes: Valpo holds a 7-5-2 advantage in the all-time series over the Panthers and is 4-4-2 against UNI since joining the Valley. The Beacons had been unbeaten in four straight against the Panthers until last season’s meeting, a 4-0 UNI victory in Cedar Falls. The last meeting on Brown Field came Oct. 19, 2023, a 2-0 Valpo win.
Scouting the Opposition: UNI comes into Saturday’s contest at 3-4-3 overall and sits level with Valpo in the MVC table at 0-1-2 in Valley action. The Panthers drew with Indiana State (3-3) and Murray State (1-1) to open MVC play before falling 4-1 at Belmont last time out. Macy Smith has scored a team-best four goals this year, while Olivia Knoepfle has a team-high nine points (3g, 3a). Kennedy Buntenbach has seen the majority of time in goal and owns a 1.66 GAA with a .692 save percentage.
Fit to Be Tied: After entering last week having only drawn two out of their last 37 matches dating back to the 2023 campaign, the Beacons came away with both matches last week with ties. It was the first time Valpo has tied back-to-back contests since that 2023 season, when it actually finished with draws in three consecutive MVC fixtures.
Nil-Nil: If it seems like it had been a while since Valpo’s last 0-0 draw prior to last Thursday’s result against Illinois State, you weren’t imagining things. It had been almost two full years since the Beacons’ last scoreless tie – Sept. 28, 2023 against Missouri State. And prior to that, you had to go to Oct. 6, 2022, also against the Redbirds in Normal.
Desiderio Does It Again: Another match, another goal for freshman Kiara Desiderio, as the rookie found the back of the net early last time out at UIC for her sixth goal of the campaign. Her six goals are good for third in the Valley, are the most of any MVC freshman and are tied for third-most nationally by a freshman. She also ranks third among Valley players with 13 points as well.
More on Kiara: Desiderio has been honored twice by the MVC this season, being named MVC Player of the Week Sept. 16 and MVC Freshman of the Week Aug. 26. She was the first Valpo freshman to earn one of the non-freshman weekly awards from the MVC since Nikki Coryell was a two-time Defensive Player of the Week in the spring of 2021 as a rookie. She owns a pair of braces this year, striking for two goals apiece in wins over Western Illinois and Purdue Fort Wayne.
Freshman Scoring Chart: Desiderio’s goal against UIC moved her into a tie for fifth place for goals scored by a freshman in program history, joining Vanesa Abad (2014) with six. Kendall Brown (2005) and Sarah Jewell (2006) share the program record for goals by a freshman with 10, while Lisa Springs (1998) and Rachel Hoaglin (2009) tallied seven goals apiece in their respective rookie campaigns.
Strong Defense: The work of the Beacons’ back line stood out last week, as Valpo surrendered just seven combined shots on goal over the two matches. Senior goalkeeper Kate Sheridan allowed just one goal over the pair of contests, recording the second clean sheet of her career in the scoreless draw with Illinois State.
O’Rear in the Top Ten: Desiderio is joined by senior Molly O’Rear among the Valley’s top-10 in points, as O’Rear sits in a tie for sixth with nine points, having tallied three goals and three assists. The senior is also tied for seventh in the MVC in assists with her three helpers, joined by teammate Martha Goddard among others.
A Helping Foot: Goddard, who is tied for team-high honors with three asists, tallied those assists in three consecutive matches Aug. 24-31. The three assists are the most by a Valpo freshman since Cierra Welch tallied three in 2019, while Goddard is the first Valpo player with a helper in three straight contests since Grace Rogers closed out the 2017 season with an assist in each of Valpo’s final three matches.
Quick Starts: Desiderio wasted no time getting on the scoresheet Sunday at UIC, finding the back of the net with just 3:34 having ticked off the clock. It was the quickest goal by a Valpo player since Addy Joiner scored 1:42 into the Beacons’ match at Murray State on Oct. 20 last season.
Meanwhile, of Valpo’s five goals in its nonconference finale at Western Illinois, four of them came in quick succession in the first half, as the Beacons found the back of the net in the sixth, eighth, 11th and 20th minutes to put four on the board inside a third of an hour. Valpo set a new program standard for the earliest into a match it has hit the back of the net four times, while it was the quickest Valpo has put three on the board since opening up with three goals in 6:02 at Green Bay Oct. 31, 2014.
A Big Win: The Beacons rolled to a 5-1 victory in their nonconference finale at Western Illinois, the five-goal output the program’s largest since winning by an identical 5-1 scoreline against Chicago State Aug. 31, 2023. It was the program’s largest road win since beating Youngstown State 6-0 Sept. 26, 2015.
A Youthful Side: For the second straight season, the Beacons have the vast majority of minutes being played by underclassmen. Through the season’s first 11 matches, 83.3% of the minutes played by field players have come from underclassmen, including 42.6% by Valpo’s freshman class.
Weekly Awards: Valpo already has three MVC weekly award winners this year, as Desiderio’s pair of honors are joined by Goddard’s Freshman of the Week award Sept. 2. It is the first time Valpo has had multiple different players named MVC Freshman of the Week in the same season since Abby White, Dana Fish and Addy Joiner earned the honor once apiece during the 2021 season – that trio would go on to be instrumental in the 2022 MVC regular season championship side and the 2023 MVC Tournament championship team.
First Timers: With Tatum Coleman scoring in the win at Western Illinois, that makes five of the Beacons’ six goal scorers who have netted their first collegiate goal this year. Molly O’Rear is Valpo’s only goal scorer this season who came into the year with a collegiate goal to her credit.
Valley Adjustments: The round-robin Missouri Valley Conference slate has been shortened by one match this season, as with the departure of Missouri State, the MVC has a nine-game conference schedule for its 10 teams. In addition, the conference tournament will feature the top-six teams in the regular season standings, an adjustment from what was previously an eight-team field.
Preseason Honoree: Senior Molly O’Rear represented the Beacons as she earned preseason First Team All-MVC accolades. O’Rear has been a constant presence in the midfield for Valpo over her first three seasons, appearing in 56 matches and making 49 starts while playing a total of 3,579 minutes. She was an MVC All-Freshman Team selection as a rookie in 2022, when she scored four goals and tallied a pair of assists. O’Rear was a vital component of the program’s MVC regular season title in 2022 and the team’s MVC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
Who’s Back: 13 position players and one goalkeeper who saw action in 2024 for Valpo return in 2025, including seven regular starters.
Who’s Gone: The Beacons will need to replace nearly half of their minutes played from last season, most notably the departure of graduate Addy Joiner, who finished her decorated career among the program’s all-time leading goal scorers.
Who’s New: Chomping at the bit to be the next group of Beacons to get Valpo back to among the MVC’s best are 11 newcomers to the roster in 2025. The group of first-year players on Union Street include seven true freshmen and four transfers – three from other Division I programs and one from junior college.
Looking Back at Last Year: The Beacons finished the 2024 campaign with a 4-13-1 overall record, including a win over eventual Horizon League regular season and tournament champion Milwaukee. Beset by injuries, Valpo had 41% of its field minutes played by freshmen during the 2024 season – only one other MVC program had more than 25% of its field player minutes played by freshmen.
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UINDY FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL WELCOMES JEWELL ON FAN APPRECIATION WEEKEND
GAME 6
vs. William Jewell Cardinals (2-2, 0-2 GLVC)
Fan Appreciation Weekend at Key Stadium
Saturday // October 4 // 6 p.m.
The No. 19 UIndy football team is set to host the Cardinals of William Jewell College this weekend, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 4. The game is the centerpiece of a busy three-day stretch for UIndy Athletics dubbed Fan Appreciation Weekend. A purchase of a football ticket gets fans free admission to seven other Greyhounds sporting events from Friday through Sunday.
UIndy owns an 11-1 all-time record versus Jewell, including wins in each the last nine contests. In those 12 matchups, the Greyhounds have compiled an average margin of victory of 31.1 points. Nevertheless, last year’s meeting went to overtime, with the Hounds pulling out a 23-20 victory—UIndy’s first overtime game since September of 2021 and first overtime win since October of 2014. Facing a three-point deficit late in the game, the Greyhounds got a 32-yard game-tying field goal from Ian Burr with 50 seconds left, and later a 16-yard touchdown reception from Jon Lewis to walk it off in OT.
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MARIAN FOOTBALL
GAMEDAY GUIDE: 14TH-RANKED MARIAN TRAVELS TO MADONNA IN WEEK FIVE
INDIANAPOLIS – Coming off a thrilling 52-42 shootout victory against then No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan, the newly-minted No. 14 Marian Knights go on the road, traveling to Madonna University this Saturday. Marian’s contest this week is their second road game of the season, with kickoff in Livonia set for 1:00 p.m.
THE GAME, THE NOTES, THE SERIES
Marian’s matchup at Madonna will be the fourth all-time meeting on the gridiron, with the Knights holding an all-time series record of 4-0. The two teams have played against each other three times, with Marian winning one game by forfeit in the 2021 spring season. This marks the third road matchup for Marian in the series, and is the first game between the two teams since 2023.
In the last meeting between the teams, Marian won 41-0, with Zach Bundalo throwing three touchdowns against the Crusaders. Four offensive skill players saw action in the shutout victory, with Keagan La Belle scoring a touchdown in the game while running for a team-high 73 yards. La Belle also caught a 12 yard pass, while Riley Palmeter had one catch for four yards and Jake Reichard caught two balls for 55 yards. RJ Griffin completed one pass in backup quarterback duties, and rushed three times for four yards. Defensively, Deon Pettiford had 1.5 sacks in the last meeting, while James Ralph and JT Downey each had one sack to lead the returning Knights.
The Knights will enter the game riding off a 52-42 victory, with Marian coming out on top against Indiana Wesleyan for the first time since 2021. The win saw the Knights grab a victory for the first time in a game in which an opponent scored 42 points, while the victory also came against the fifth-most total yards yielded in single game history. Tristan Polk scored the game-winning touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in the game, helping the senior quarterback log his fourth-career game-winning or game-tying drive. Polk is the reigning MSFA Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week.
Jake Reichard once again is in a position to make program history this week, needing four receptions to become the 10th player all-time to log 100 career receptions. Reichard enters with 96 career receptions, which ranks 11th all-time, and enters with 1657 career receiving yards, needing four yards to pass Brandon Dillon for eighth all-time. The wide receiver’s next career receiving touchdown will also move him into the top-10 all-time in touchdown grabs, and will put him in a tie with Tirae Spence with 12 career scores.
WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG
Those fans unable to attend Saturday’s game can watch live through the Madonna Crusader YouTube Network, listed above. The Knights’ broadcast duo of Scott McCauley and Zach Graves will be calling an audio-only broadcast of the game at a remote location, streamed live through the ISC Sports Network. Fans can also find live statistics at marianstats.com. Live updates of the game will be posted periodically on the official Marian Athletics Twitter/X page, @MUKnights, along with the team page of @MarianUFootball.
TICKETS AND TAILGATING
Fans can purchase tickets at the gate on Saturday, as well as online now. Ticket prices start at $11. With Madonna playing their games at Livonia Stevenson High School, there is no tailgating or alcohol allowed on school property. No pets are allowed on the premises.
LOCATION LOCATION
Saturday’s game will be the third in series history played at Madonna. This year marks the first at Madonna’s new home field, Livonia Stevenson High School. The school is located at 33500 Six Mile Road, Livonia, Michigan, 48152.
Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. from Livonia, Michigan, as the Knights and Crusaders meet for the first time since 2023.
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+++SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES+++
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
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+++SPORTS EXTRA+++
+++TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY+++
Oct. 3
1942 — With a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Whirlaway becomes the first horse to amass more than $500,000 in lifetime earnings.
1951 — Bobby Thomson hits a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the New York Giants a dramatic 5-4 playoff victory and the National League pennant.
1971 — Billie Jean King wins the Virginia Slims-Thunderbird tournament in Phoenix to become the first women tennis player to win $100,000 in one year.
1973 — The formation of the World Football League is announced.
1974 — Frank Robinson signs a $175,000-a-year player-manager contract with the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black manager in major league history.
1974 — Future Basketball Hall of Fame guard Jerry West (“Mr. Clutch”) retires after 14 NBA seasons with the LA Lakers; West has 25,192 career points; averages 29.1 ppg in 153 playoff games.
1976 — Future Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Hank Aaron singles in his last MLB at-bat & drives in his 2,297th run as Milwaukee Brewers lose, 5-2 vs. Detroit Tigers.
1981 — Southern California’s Marcus Allen rushes for 223 yards against Oregon State, his fourth straight 200-plus rushing game.
1981 — After a year’s inactivity, American boxer Mike Weaver outpoints countryman James ‘Quick’ Tillis in 15 rounds in Chicago to retain his WBA heavyweight title.
1990 — George Brett, Kansas City Royals, become the first player in MLB history to win a batting title in three different decades.
1993 — The Toronto Blue Jays become the first team in American League history to have teammates finish 1-2-3 in the batting race. John Olerud leads the league with a .363 batting average, Paul Molitor finishes at .332 and Roberto Alomar at .326.
1995 — Former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O.J. Simpson found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman in Los Angeles, California.
1997 — Sixty-nine-year-old Hall of Famer Gordie Howe skates the first shift with the Detroit Vipers in their International Hockey League opener, becoming the only professional in his sport to compete in six decades.
1998 — Ricky Williams rushes for a school-record 350 yards and five touchdowns to set NCAA records with 65 career rushing touchdowns and career points by a non-kicker (394) as Texas defeats Iowa State 54-33.
1999 — St Louis 1st baseman Mark McGwire hits his 65th homer of the season in a rain shortened 9-5 win over Cubs at Busch Stadium; wins 2nd straight HR title over Sammy Sosa, who hits his 63rd HR in same game.
2001 — San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds Is walked for the 171st time in 11-8 win at Houston; breaks Babe Ruth’s 1923 MLB single-season record for walks.
2004 — Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki finishes the season with a MLB record 262 single-season hits.
2004 — New England Patriots win their 18th consecutive NFL game, beating Buffalo Bills, 31-17 at Ralph Wilson Stadium; Tom Brady 17-for-30 for 298 yards & 2 TDs.
2009 — Aqib Talib has three interceptions in Tampa Bay’s 16-13 loss at Washington.
2010 — Angel McCoughtry scores 18 points as the United States wins gold at the women’s basketball world championship with an 89-69 victory over the Czech Republic.
2010 — Josh Scobee kicks a 59-yard field goal — the eighth-longest field goal in NFL history and longest in franchise history — as time expires to give Jacksonville a 31-28 victory over Indianapolis.
2012 — Star Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo scores his first Champions League hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win against Ajax in Amsterdam.
2015 — Leonard Fournette highlights his third straight 200-yard game with a 75-yard touchdown run, and No. 9 LSU defeats Eastern Michigan 44-22. Fournette has 233 yards and three touchdowns to become the first player in the history of the Southeastern Conference to rush for 200-plus yards in three straight games.
2015 — Max Scherzer pitches his second no-hitter this season for Washington, striking out a team-record 17 and leading the Nationals over the NL East champion New York Mets 2-0 for a doubleheader sweep.
2021 — Tom Brady becomes the NFL’s all-time leader in career passing yardage eclipsing Drew Brees’ high of 80,358.
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Oct. 4
1895 — Horace Rawlins wins the first U.S. Open. Rawlins beats Willie Dunn with 36-hole total of 173 at the Newport Golf Club in Newport, R.I.
1927 — John Longden rides the first official winner of his career, named Hugo K. Asher, in Salt Lake City.
1940 — Fritzie Zivic scores a 15-round decision over Henry Armstrong to win the world welterweight title in New York. Armstrong had 20 successful title defenses.
1964 — Mary Wills captures the LPGA championship with a two-stroke victory over Mickey Wright.
1964 — Kansas City’s Bobby Hunt ties an AFL record with four interceptions as the Chiefs post a 28-7 victory over the Houston Oilers.
1969 — Mississippi’s Archie Manning becomes the first player in college football history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game as the Rebels fall short in a 33-32 loss at Alabama. Manning passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns while adding 104 yards rushing yards and three touchdowns.
1980 — Alabama’s 45-0 win over Kentucky at Legion Field gives coach Paul “Bear” Bryant his 300th career coaching victory.
1987 — The NFL continues the regular-season schedule with replacement players while the players’ association strikes. Average attendance is 16,947, down from 57,205 the first week and 59,824 the second week.
1991 — Edmonton Oilers trade captain Mark Messier (on the team for all 5 Stanley Cups) to the NY Rangers in exchange for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice & Louie DeBrusk; Messier leads Rangers to Cup 2 seasons later.
1991 — The San Jose Sharks surrender 52 shots and lose 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks in their first NHL regular-season game.
1998 — Atlanta scores three touchdowns in a 48-second span of the third quarter — the quickest trio of TDs since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 — and routs Carolina 51-23.
2001 — SF Giants slugger Barry Bonds hits his 70th home run in 10-2 win v Houston; ties Mark McGwire for the most MLB home runs in a single season.
2003 — B.J. Symons of Texas Tech tosses a Big 12-record eight touchdown passes and tops 500 yards passing for the third straight game when the Red Raiders beat Texas A&M 59-28.
2010 — The Europeans reclaim the Ryder Cup winning 14½-13½. The Americans rally from a three-point deficit to tie the score, but Graeme McDowell beats Hunter Mahan in the final singles match.
2012 — The NHL cancels the first two weeks of the regular season, the second time games had been lost because of a lockout in seven years. Unable to work out how to split $3 billion in hockey-related revenues with the players’ association, the NHL wipes out 82 games from Oct. 11-24.
2014 — Jared Goff throws for 527 yards and five touchdowns as California holds on to beat Washington State 60-59. WSU quarterback Connor Halliday breaks the NCAA passing record with 734 yards and six touchdowns for Washington State and sets the NCAA passing yardage record for all levels, breaking the mark of 716 set by David Klingler of Houston in 1990.
2015 — Drew Brees hits C.J. Spiller with a short pass that the running back turns into an 80-yard touchdown — the 400th of the Saints quarterback’s career — on the second play of overtime, and New Orleans won for the first time this season, 26-20 over the Dallas Cowboys.
2015 — Adam Vinatieri makes a 27-yard field goal in overtime to lift Indianapolis to a 16-13 victory over Jacksonville. Vinatieri converts all three field-goal attempts and one PAT to become the first player in NFL history to score at least 1,000 points with two different teams.
2017 — Sylvia Fowles scores 17 points and breaks her own WNBA Finals record by grabbing 20 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Lynx to their fourth championship in seven years with an 85-76 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 5.
2018 — Tom Brady becomes the 3rd NFL quarterback to record 500 career touchdown passes.
2022 — NY Yankees slugger Aaron Judge breaks Roger Maris’s A.L. single season HR record when he slams his 62nd homer in a 3-2 loss against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
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Oct. 5
1900 — Britain’s Harry Vardon wins the U.S. Open golf title, beating J.H. Taylor with a 313 total at the Chicago Golf Club.
1985 — Eddie Robinson becomes college football’s winningest coach as Grambling beats Prairie View A&M 27-7. It’s Robinson’s 324th career victory, one more than Paul “Bear” Bryant had before he retired from Alabama after the 1982 season.
1991 — Fresno State ties an NCAA record for most points in a quarter, with 49 in the second period as it pounds New Mexico 94-17. Fresno State’s Derek Mahoney ties an NCAA record with 13 extra points.
1994 — The NBA shortens the 3-point distance to a uniform 22 feet.
1996 — Byron Hanspard rushes for 287 yards, his fifth straight 200-yard game this season, to lead Texas Tech to a 45-24 win over Baylor.
2001 — Barry Bonds sets a new mark for home runs in a single season, hitting Nos. 71 and 72, but San Francisco is eliminated from the playoffs with an 11-10 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2001 — The Mariners win their 115th game of the year to become the winningest team in American League history, passing the record the Yankees set three years earlier.
2004 — 7-time All-Star and 6-time NBA Champion forward Scottie Pippen announces his retirement from the NBA and the Chicago Bulls.
2005 — Daniel Alfredsson scores twice in the final 6 minutes of regulation and once during the first shootout in NHL history, leading Ottawa to a 3-2 win over Toronto.
2006 — Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers becomes the 15th player with 600 goals in the NHL when he scores twice in a 5-2 win over Washington.
2008 — Peyton Manning turns a colossal collapse by the Houston Texans into a stunning victory for the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts score 21 points in a late span of 2:10 — two touchdowns thanks to fumbles by Sage Rosenfels — then intercepts Rosenfels’ last-ditch comeback attempt for a 31-27 win.
2013 — Eighth-ranked Florida State stays undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 63-0 victory over No. 25 Maryland. Maryland matches the largest losing margin by a ranked team. UCLA beat No. 11 Texas 66-3, on Sept. 13, 1997.
2013 — Marcus Mariota throws five touchdown passes and runs for two scores as No. 2 Oregon routs Colorado 57-16. The Ducks reach the 50-point plateau for a school record fifth straight time. Oregon have scored at least 55 points in all of its games under first-year coach Mark Helfrich.
2014 — Brian Hoyer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin with 1:09 left rallies the Cleveland Browns from a 25-point deficit to beat the Tennessee Titans 29-28. It’s the largest comeback in league history by a road team.
2014 — Denver’s Peyton Manning was 31 of 47 for a career-high 479 yards with four TDs, including the 500th of his career, along with two interceptions to help the Broncos beat Arizona 41-20.
2015 — San Jose Sharks forward Raffi Torres is hit with the longest suspension in NHL history when the league banned him for the first 41 games of the season for an illegal check to the head of Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg during an Oct. 3 preseason game.
2017 — Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Simmonds and Brandon Saad each record a hat trick in his team’s season opener. It’s the first time four different players score at least three goals in his season opener in 100 years, since the NHL’s first two games back in 1917.
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Oct. 6
1926 — Babe Ruth becomes first MLB player to hit 3 home runs in a World Series game as NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 10-5 in Game 4.
1928 — Leo Diegel wins the PGA championship, beating Al Espinosa 6 and 5.
1956 — Oklahoma blanks Kansas 66-0 to set a modern college football winning streak of 32 straight. The Sooners had the previous record of 31 set 1948-50. The victory is also a conference record of 54 straight wins.
1963 — Baseball World Series: LA Dodgers edge NY Yankees, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium for 4-0 series sweep; MVP: Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax.
1973 — Washington’s Chris Rowland ties an NCAA record with four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, but still loses to California, 54-49.
1976 — Roland Erickson of the Minnesota North Stars has four assists in his first NHL game, a 6-5 loss to the New York Rangers.
1980 — Marvin Hagler wins the world middleweight title, beating Alan Minter in three rounds at Wembley Arena in London.
1985 — San Francisco’s Joe Montana passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns and sets an NFL record with 57 passes attempted and no interceptions in a 38-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
1990 — Stacey Robinson sets an NCAA quarterback rushing record with 308 yards and scores five touchdowns to lead Northern Illinois to a 73-18 victory over Fresno State.
1993 — Michael Jordan announces his retirement after nine seasons in the NBA.
2000 — Marty McSorley is found guilty of assault with a weapon for his two-fisted stick attack on an opponent by a Canadian court. McSorley is convicted for the Feb. 21 blow that sent Vancouver Canucks forward Donald Brashear sprawling to the ice.
2001 — Maurice Hicks runs for a record 416 yards and four touchdowns, but it isn’t enough as Morgan State defeats N. Carolina A&T 52-42. Hicks breaks the Division I-AA single-game rushing record of 409 yards set by Charles Roberts of Sacramento State in a 1999 game against Idaho State.
2001 — Middle Tennessee State beats Idaho 70-58 as the teams set a Division I record for total points scored in a game. The teams combine for 1,445 yards of offense.
2001 — Michigan’s victory, combined with Yale’s 32-27 loss to Dartmouth, gives the Wolverines the record for all-time wins in all divisions at 809.
2003 — Indianapolis, led by Peyton Manning, becomes the first team in NFL history to win after trailing by 21 or more points with less than 4 minutes left in regulation. Mike Vanderjagt’s 29-yard field goal with 3:47 left in the extra period gives the Colts a 38-35 victory over Tampa Bay.
2007 — Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree sets the NCAA record for touchdown receptions by a freshman with a 32-yard scoring catch in a 42-17 win over Iowa State. Crabtree scores three times against the Cyclones, giving him 17 for the season.
2010 — Roy Halladay pitches the second no-hitter in postseason history, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Game 1 of the NL division series.
2013 — Tiger Woods beats Richard Sterne, 1 up, to give the Americans the 18 points they need to win the Presidents Cup for the fifth straight time. It’s the third straight Presidents Cup that Woods wins the cup-clinching match.
2013 — Matt Prater kicks a 28-yard field goal as time expires and Peyton Manning and Denver overcome the first 500-yard passing game in Dallas history for a 51-48 victory over the Cowboys. Tony Romo throws for 506 yards and five touchdowns for Dallas, but he is intercepted by Danny Trevanthan inside the Dallas 30 to set up Prater’s winning kick. It’s the second-highest scoring game in regulation since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. Manning finishes with 414 yards and four scores for Denver.
2017 — The Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Dallas Stars 2-1 in franchise’s inaugural season opener. James Neal scores both of the Knight goals in the third period and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stops 45 of 46 shots for the win.
2023 — American Simone Biles wins all-round gold at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, – becoming the most decorated gymnast ever with 34 world and Olympic medals.
Oct. 7
1904 — Jack Chesbro registers his 41st victory of the season as New York defeats Boston 3-2.
1916 — Georgia Tech, coached by John Heisman, beats Cumberland 222-0 in the most lopsided college football game in history.
1933 — Baseball World Series: NY Giants beat Washington Senators, 4-3 at Griffith Stadium to clinch 4 games to 1 series victory.
1935 — Baseball World Series: Detroit Tigers beat Chicago Cubs, 4-3 at Navin Field for 4 games to 2 series win; Tigers win first championship in 5 WS appearances.
1945 — The Green Bay Packers score 41 points in the first quarter in a 57-21 win against the Detroit Lions.
1950 — Baseball World Series: New York Yankees beat Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium to sweep series, 4-0 for 13th WS title in team history; MVP: NY 2B Jerry Coleman.
1952 — Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-2 at Ebbets Field in Game 7 to tie own record 4th straight WS; MVP: NY 1B Johnny Mize.
1962 — Judy Kimball wins the LPGA championship with a four-stroke victory over Shirley Spork.
1967 — Tulsa wide receivers Ricky Eber and Harry Wood have the best day by a receiving duo in college football history. Eber has 20 receptions for 322 yards and three touchdowns, while Wood grabs 13 passes for 318 yards and three scores in Tulsa’s 58-0 win over Idaho State.
1970 — Willie Shoemaker wins his 6,033rd race to pass Johnny Longden as the winningest jockey. His first race was won on April 20, 1949.
1984 — Walter Payton breaks Jim Brown’s career rushing mark of 12,312 yards and Brown’s career mark of 58 100-yard rushing games in a 20-7 victory over New Orleans. Payton breaks the record on Chicago’s second play from scrimmage in the second half.
1985 — Lynette Woodard, captain of the women’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, is chosen to be the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
1995 — Coach Eddie Robinson gets his 400th victory as Grambling beats Mississippi Valley State 42-6.
2000 — Zamir Amin of Menlo College sets an NCAA all-divisions record, passing for 731 yards in the Division III school’s 37-32 loss to Cal Lutheran. Amin, 39-of-66 with four TDs and three interceptions, breaks the mark of 716 set by David Klingler of Division I-A Houston against Arizona State on Dec. 2, 1990.
2001 — San Diego’s Rickey Henderson becomes the 25th player with 3,000 hits with a bloop double in a 14-5 loss to Colorado.
2001 — Barry Bonds wraps up his record-breaking season with his 73rd homer and shatters the slugging percentage record that Babe Ruth had owned for 81 years. He finishes with a slugging percentage of .863, easily surpassing the mark of .847 that Ruth set in 1920.
2006 — Denis Hopovac’s fifth field goal of the game, in an NCAA record-tying seventh overtime, gives North Texas a 25-22 victory over Florida International. The other two seven-overtime games involved Arkansas — against Mississippi in 2001 and Kentucky in 2003.
2011 — Minnesota Lynx beat the Atlanta Dream 73-67 to complete a three-game sweep of the WNBA championship series.
2012 — Drew Brees finishes 29 for 45 for 370 yards with four TD passes and an interception in New Orleans’ 31-24 win over San Diego. Brees breaks the NFL record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game. His 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson eclipses the mark of 47 consecutive games set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-60.
2017 — Jarvion Franklin runs in from the 12 to give Western Michigan a 71-68 victory over Buffalo in a record-tying seven overtimes with a record-breaking 139 total points.
2017 — Backup Khalil Tate rushes for 327 yards, an FBS record for a quarterback, and accounts for five touchdowns to help Arizona hold off Colorado 45-42.
2017 — Alex Ovechkin scores four goals to become the first player in 100 years with back-to-back hat tricks to open a season, and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1.
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Oct. 8
1933 — Cliff Battles of the Boston Redskins becomes the first NFL player to gain more than 200 yards rushing with 215 yards in a 21-20 win over the New York Giants.
1949 — Walt Pastuszak has five of Brown’s 11 interceptions in a 46-0 rout of Rhode Island.
1950 — Bill Grimes of the Green Bay Packers gains 167 yards on 10 carries in a 44-31 loss to the New York Yankees.
1956 — Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitches the only perfect game in World Series history, a 2-0 triumph over Brooklyn.
1966 — Jerry DePoyster of Wyoming becomes the first player in college football to make three field goals of 50 yards or more in a game. DePoyster connects on two 54-yard tries and a 52-yarder in the Cowboys’ 40-7 rout of Utah.
1961 — Paul Hornung scores 33 points, with four touchdowns, six extra points and a field goal, to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 45-7 romp over the Baltimore Colts.
1977 — No. 7 Alabama beats No. 1 Southern California 21-20 in Los Angeles. USC fullback Lynn Cain scores with 38 seconds remaining but the 2-point attempt fails.
1992 — Doug Smail scores two goals and the expansion Ottawa Senators rock the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 — the first regular-season NHL game by an Ottawa franchise in 58 years.
1993 — The Anaheim Mighty Ducks, before 17,174 at the Arrowhead Pond, lose 7-2 to the Detroit Red Wings in their first NHL game.
1995 — Dolphin’s Dan Marino breaks Tarkenton’s NFL career completions record.
1997 — Adam Oates reaches 1,000 points with three goals and two assists as the Washington Capitals post a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders.
2005 — Baylor wins a Big 12 road game for the first time in the league’s 10-year history, beating Iowa State 23-13. The Bears had been 0-37 on the road in the Big 12 Conference.
2006 — Randy Moss’ 22-yard TD catch between two defenders 51 seconds before halftime is the Oakland receiver’s 100th touchdown reception. He’s becomes the seventh receiver in NFL history with 100 TD catches.
2011 — Howard scores all its points in the fourth quarter, including 16 in the final 1:27 to beat 29-28 Florida A&M. Parker Munoz caps the improbable comeback by hitting a 21-yard field goal with 4 seconds left following FAMU’s Damien Fleming fumble on the 28-yard line.
2015 — Tampa Bay’s Jason Garrison scores his second goal of the game at 2:17 of the extra period to lead the Lightning past the Philadelphia Flyers in the first 3-on-3 overtime game in NHL history. T
2016 — Will Worth and Navy stuns No. 6 Houston, romping to a 46-40 victory. Worth runs for 115 yards and throws two scoring passes for the Midshipmen. Navy hadn’t beaten a top 10 team since 1984, when it topped then-No. 2 South Carolina in Annapolis.
2017 — Aaron Rodgers throws a 12-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams with 11 seconds remaining, lifting Green Bay over the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in another thriller nine months after the Packers’ divisional playoff victory on the same field.
2018 — Drew Brees’ 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tre’Quan Smith makes him the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing and sends the New Orleans Saints well on their way to a 43-19 victory over the Washington Redskins. Brees enters the game needing 201 yards to eclipse Peyton Manning’s previous mark of 71,940 yards. He finishes 26 of 29 for 363 yards and three touchdowns.
2018 — Red Sox utility Brock Holt becomes the first MLB player to hit for the cycle in a postseason game.
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Oct. 9
1928 — Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3 at Sportsman’s Park to become first to sweep consecutive World Series; Babe Ruth hits smashes 3 HRs for Yanks.
1934 — Baseball World Series: St Louis Cardinals rout Detroit Tigers, 11-0 at Navin Field to clinch 4 games to 3 series victory and 3rd championship.
1943 — Bob Hoernschemeyer throws six touchdown passes, an NCAA record for a freshman, to lead Indiana past Nebraska 54-13.
1965 — The United States wins the Ryder Cup 19½-12½ at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer clinches the title, beating Peter Butler 2 up. It’s the 13th victory for the Americans in this event, which began in 1927. Britain, a three-time winner, last won in 1957.
1966 — Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles claim first championship in franchise history; edge LA Dodgers, 1-0 at Memorial Stadium for 4-0 sweep; MVP: Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson.
1974 — The Washington Capitals lose their first NHL game, 6-3 to the Rangers at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
1982 — Al Del Greco kicks six field goals for all of Auburn’s points in an 18-3 triumph over Kentucky.
1983 — Buffalo’s Joe Ferguson passes for 419 yards and five touchdowns in an 38-35 overtime win against Miami. Uwe Von Schamann of the Dolphins misses two field goals in the overtime and Joe Danelo ends the game with a 36-yard field goal.
1988 — Dennis Eckersley saves all four games in a championship series.
1991 — The San Jose Sharks gain their first NHL victory, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-3.
1993 — Minnesota’s Scott Eckers passes for 402 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in his first college start, sending the Gophers past Purdue 59-56.
1993 — Carey Bender rushes 33 times for 417 yards, setting an NCAA all-division single-game rushing record, in Coe’s 69-7 Division III victory over Grinnell.
2004 — Texas Tech beats Nebraska 70-10, the worst lost in the Cornhuskers’ storied 114-year history.
2004 — Texas loses to Oklahoma 12-0, getting shut out for the first time in 282 games and ending the longest streak in the country.
2005 — Chris Burke hits a home run in the bottom of the 18th inning and Roger Clemens pitches three scoreless innings of relief in Houston’s 7-6, series-ending victory over Atlanta in the NLDS. The longest postseason game in history takes 5 hours, 50 minutes.
2010 — Mike Brinkley passes for six touchdowns and Armond Smith runs for five scores to lead Union (Ky.) to an 84-55 victory over Bethel (Tenn.) in an NAIA game.
2010 — Derek Stepan becomes the fourth player to score three times in his NHL debut to lead the New York Rangers to a season-opening 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
2011 — Sebastian Janikowski kicks four field goals, including three from at least 50 yards (54, 55, 50), in Oakland’s 25-20 win over Houston. Houston’s Matt Schaub throws for 416 yards and two touchdowns.
2011 — The NHL returns to Winnipeg, but Carey Price stops 30 shots and the Montreal Canadiens dampen a city celebration with a 5-1 victory over the Jets.
2012 — Jerry Sandusky is sentenced to at least 30 years in prison in the child sexual abuse scandal that shamed Penn State and led to coach Joe Paterno’s downfall.
2015 — Sepp Blatter, hoping to return to power as FIFA president, is banned for 90 days, essentially ending his 17-year reign as the leader of soccer’s governing body. UEFA President Michel Platini also gets a 90-day ban following an investigation of financial misconduct at FIFA in a Swiss criminal case.
2016 — Tom Brady returns from his four-game “Deflategate” suspension, passing for 406 yards and three touchdowns to Martellus Bennett in the New England Patriots’ 33-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
2022 — Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen secures his second consecutive World F1 Drivers C’ship after finishing in front of Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc in the Japanese GP at Suzuka.
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+++TV SPORTS+++
(ALL TIMES EASTERN)
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND/OR BLACKOUTS
Friday, Oct. 3
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)
5 a.m.
FS2 — AFL: Essendon at Melbourne
1 a.m. (Saturday)
FS2 — AFL: Sydney at North Melbourne
3 a.m. (Saturday)
FS2 — AFL: Brisbane at Gold Coast
5 a.m. (Saturday)
FS2 — AFL: Western at Port Adelaide
AUTO RACING
5:25 a.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore
8:55 a.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore
11:05 a.m.
FS2 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: Practice, Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Concord, N.C.
12:10 p.m.
FS2 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: Qualifying, Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Concord, N.C.
3:30 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Race at Charlotte ROVAL, Playoffs – Round of 8, Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, Concord, N.C.
2:55 a.m. (Saturday)
FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Indonesia Grand Prix – Sprint Race, Tenggara, Indonesia
5:25 a.m. (Saturday)
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
3 p.m.
BTN — Maryland at Ohio St.
6:30 p.m.
ACCN — Wake Forest at Louisville
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
CBSSN — W. Kentucky at Delaware
ESPN2 — Charlotte at South Florida
7:30 p.m.
ESPNU — Columbia at Princeton
10 p.m.
FS1 — New Mexico at San Jose St.
10:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Colorado St. at San Diego St.
ESPN — West Virginia at BYU
COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)
8 p.m.
ACCN — Pittsburgh at Duke
BTN — Maryland at UCLA
10 p.m.
BTN — Indiana at Washington
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
7 p.m.
SECN — Kentucky at Mississippi
8 p.m.
FOX — Nebraska at Penn St.
GOLF
7 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Second Round, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Noon
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: The Compliance Solutions Championship, Second Round, The Patriot Golf Club, Owasso, Okla.
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS, First Round, Timuquana Country Club, Jacksonville, Fla.
4 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Sanderson Farms Championship, Second Round, The Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Miss.
7 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei, Third Round, Hoakalei Country Club, Oahu, Hawaii
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S)
7:30 p.m.
NBATV — The Border League: Dynamic Prep (Texas) vs. St. John Bosco (Calif.), Las Vegas
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
NBA BASKETBALL
5:30 a.m.
NBATV — Preseason: Melbourne United vs. New Orleans, Melbourne, Australia
10 p.m.
NBATV — Preseason: Phoenix at L.A. Lakers
NHL HOCKEY
7 p.m.
NHLN — Preseason: Buffalo at Pittsburgh
SOCCER (MEN’S)
3 p.m.
USA — English Premier League: Fulham at AFC Bournemouth
6:45 p.m.
FS2 — 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup Group Stage: New Zealand vs. Japan, Group A, Valparaiso, Chile
6:55 p.m.
FS1 — 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup Group Stage: Egypt vs. Chile, Group A, Nunoa, Chile
TENNIS
6 a.m.
TENNIS — Beijing-WTA Quarterfinal 3 & 4; Shanghai-ATP 2nd Round
12:30 a.m. (Saturday)
TENNIS — Beijing-WTA Semifinals; Shanghai-ATP 2nd Round
6 a.m. (Saturday)
TENNIS — Beijing-WTA Semifinals; Shanghai-ATP 2nd Round
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
ESPN — WNBA Finals: Phoenix at Las Vegas, Game 1
