INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 9 SCHEDULE
ALEXANDRIA (6-2) AT BLACKFORD (0-8)
ANDERSON (1-7) AT MARION (1-7)
ANDREAN (7-1) AT LOWELL (7-1)
ANGOLA (4-4) AT EASTSIDE (6-2)
ARSENAL TECH (3-5) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE (0-8)
ATTICA (2-6) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (2-6)
BATESVILLE (3-5) AT CONNERSVILLE (3-5)
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (6-2) AT COLUMBUS EAST (4-4)
BELLMONT (0-8) AT EAST NOBLE (8-0)
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (5-3) AT SOUTHPORT (1-7)
BLUFFTON (7-1) AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (2-6)
BREMEN (5-3) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (6-2)
BROWN COUNTY (1-7) AT TRINITY LUTHERAN
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (8-0) AT SCOTTSBURG (7-1)
CALUMET (5-3) AT GARY WEST (3-4)
CARMEL (7-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (4-4)
CARROLL (FLORA) (5-2) AT SHERIDAN (5-2)
CASCADE (8-0) AT WESTERN BOONE (5-3)
CASTON (2-6) AT WINAMAC (2-6)
CENTER GROVE (7-1) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (8-0)
CHARLESTOWN (6-2) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (1-7)
CHESTERTON (5-3) AT MERRILLVILLE (6-2)
CHURUBUSCO (6-2) AT FAIRFIELD (3-5)
CINCINNATI ELDER (OHIO) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (7-1)
CLOVERDALE (5-3) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (6-2)
CORYDON CENTRAL (2-6) AT SILVER CREEK (3-5)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (2-6) AT SPEEDWAY (0-8)
COVINGTON (5-3) AT RIVERTON PARKE (8-0)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (4-4) AT CLARKSVILLE (3-5)
DANVILLE (4-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-5)
EAST CENTRAL (7-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (5-3)
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (7-1) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (3-4)
EASTERN HANCOCK (5-3) AT LAPEL (8-0)
ELKHART (5-3) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (4-4)
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-7) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (6-2)
EVANSVILLE HARRISON (1-7) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-8)
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (4-4) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (5-3)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (8-0) AT CASTLE (6-2)
FAITH CHRISTIAN (2-6) AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (1-7)
FLOYD CENTRAL (7-1) AT NEW ALBANY (0-8)
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (1-7) AT HOMESTEAD (5-3)
FORT WAYNE LUERS (4-4) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (5-3)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (2-6) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (5-3)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (2-6) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (6-2)
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-8) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (6-2)
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-4) AT PARKE HERITAGE (5-3)
FRANKFORT (0-8) AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (3-5)
FRANKLIN (4-4) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (6-2)
FRANKTON (1-7) AT ELWOOD (2-6)
FREMONT (5-3) AT TOLEDO CHRISTIAN (OHIO)
FRONTIER (8-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-5)
GARRETT (3-5) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (1-7)
GREENCASTLE (4-4) AT SOUTHMONT (7-1)
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (4-4) AT NEW CASTLE (2-6)
GRIFFITH (7-1) AT WHEELER (7-0)
HAGERSTOWN (3-5) AT NORTHEASTERN (7-1)
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (5-3) AT BROWNSBURG (8-0)
HAMMOND CENTRAL (0-8) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (3-5)
HAMMOND MORTON (5-3) AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (3-5)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-6) AT BOONE GROVE (3-4)
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (3-5) AT LEBANON (7-1)
HERITAGE (5-3) AT JAY COUNTY (2-6)
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (4-4) AT OWEN VALLEY (2-6)
HERITAGE HILLS (7-1) AT BOONVILLE (4-4)
HIGHLAND (2-6) AT HOBART (6-2)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (3-5) AT NEW HAVEN (2-6)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (5-3) AT WARREN CENTRAL (5-3)
INDIANAPOLIS TEAM AT SOUTH DECATUR (2-5)
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (2-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (1-6)
JASPER (6-2) AT VINCENNES LINCOLN (3-5)
JENNINGS COUNTY (2-6) AT JEFFERSONVILLE (3-5)
JOHN GLENN (2-6) AT CULVER ACADEMY (2-6)
KNIGHTSTOWN (5-3) AT CENTERVILLE (6-2)
KNOX (8-0) AT BOWMAN ACADEMY (5-3)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (2-6) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (4-4)
LAKE CENTRAL (2-6) AT VALPARAISO (2-6)
LAKE STATION (6-2) AT RIVER FOREST (3-5)
LAKELAND (5-3) AT JIMTOWN (1-7)
LEO (7-1) AT DEKALB (6-2)
LOGANSPORT (6-2) AT RENSSELAER CENTRAL (6-2)
MACONAQUAH (8-0) AT ROCHESTER (7-1)
MADISON-GRANT (5-3) AT MISSISSINEWA (7-1)
MARTINSVILLE (3-5) AT PLAINFIELD (6-2)
MCCUTCHEON (2-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (7-1)
MICHIGAN CITY (6-2) AT CROWN POINT (8-0)
MILAN (3-4) AT MADISON (1-7)
MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-6) AT SOUTH BEND RILEY (3-5)
MITCHELL (0-8) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-8)
MONROVIA (3-5) AT INDIAN CREEK (5-3)
MOORESVILLE (4-4) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (2-6)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (5-3) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (7-1)
MUNSTER (2-6) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (1-7)
NEW PALESTINE (8-0) AT DELTA (3-5)
NOBLESVILLE (1-7) AT AVON (4-4)
NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (4-3) AT EASTERN GREENE (1-7)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (2-6) AT BEN DAVIS (2-6)
NORTH DECATUR (6-1) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (6-2)
NORTH HARRISON (3-5) AT PROVIDENCE (5-2)
NORTH KNOX (3-5) AT PAOLI (6-2)
NORTH MIAMI (6-2) AT TRITON (5-3)
NORTH POSEY (6-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (5-3)
NORTH PUTNAM (3-5) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (1-7)
NORTH WHITE (2-6) AT WEST CENTRAL (7-1)
NORTHRIDGE (2-6) AT WARSAW (5-3)
NORTHVIEW (7-1) AT LINTON (6-2)
NORTHWESTERN (4-4) AT NORTHFIELD (1-7)
NORTHWOOD (4-4) AT GOSHEN (2-6)
NORWELL (1-7) AT COLUMBIA CITY (4-4)
OAK HILL (5-3) AT EASTBROOK (8-0)
PARK TUDOR (4-4) AT PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (6-2)
PENN (8-0) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (8-0)
PERU (2-6) AT MANCHESTER (5-3)
PHALEN ACADEMY AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-5)
PIKE (3-5) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (6-2)
PIONEER (7-1) AT NORTH JUDSON (7-1)
PLYMOUTH (3-5) VS. CONCORD (7-1)
PORTAGE (0-8) AT LAPORTE (2-6)
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-8) AT WEST NOBLE (6-2)
PRINCETON (3-5) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (7-1)
RICHMOND (3-5) AT KOKOMO (2-6)
RUSHVILLE (2-6) AT GREENSBURG (1-7)
SALEM (4-4) AT WEST WASHINGTON (4-4)
SEEGER (7-1) AT NORTH VERMILLION (0-8)
SEYMOUR (2-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (7-1)
SHELBYVILLE (4-4) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (7-1)
SHENANDOAH (5-3) AT MONROE CENTRAL (4-4)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-6) AT NEW PRAIRIE (2-6)
SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-8) AT CULVER (2-6)
SOUTH DEARBORN (4-4) AT LAWRENCEBURG (7-1)
SOUTHERN WELLS (2-6) AT SOUTH ADAMS (5-3)
SOUTHRIDGE (4-4) AT FOREST PARK (3-5)
SOUTHWOOD (3-5) AT LEWIS CASS (5-3)
SPRINGS VALLEY (8-0) AT NORTH DAVIESS (8-0)
SULLIVAN (5-3) AT WEST VIGO (0-8)
SWITZERLAND COUNTY (6-1) AT TECUMSEH (4-4)
TAYLOR (5-2) AT DELPHI (2-6)
TELL CITY (4-4) AT SOUTH SPENCER (2-5)
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-8) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (1-7)
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (6-2) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (4-4)
TIPTON (4-4) AT BENTON CENTRAL (0-8)
TRI-COUNTY (1-7) AT NORTH NEWTON (4-4)
TRITON CENTRAL (7-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (5-3)
TRI-WEST (6-2) AT BEECH GROVE (5-3)
UNION COUNTY (1-7) AT TRI (4-4)
WABASH (1-7) AT WHITKO (1-7)
WASHINGTON (3-5) AT PIKE CENTRAL (0-8)
WAWASEE (1-7) AT MISHAWAKA (7-1)
WES-DEL (4-3) AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-8)
WESTFIELD (6-2) AT FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-4)
WHITELAND (6-2) AT GREENWOOD (2-6)
WHITING (2-6) AT LAVILLE (4-4)
WINCHESTER (7-1) AT UNION CITY (2-6)
WOODLAN (2-6) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (8-0)
YORKTOWN (6-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (0-8)
ZIONSVILLE (3-5) AT FISHERS (5-3)
HAMILTON HEIGHTS (4-4) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (2-6)
WESTERN (6-2) AT TWIN LAKES (6-2)
____________________________________
AP HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLLS
CLASS 6A
1. BROWNSBURG (9) 8-0 198
2. CARMEL 7-1 170
3. CROWN POINT (1) 8-0 162
4. CENTER GROVE 7-1 134
5. PENN 8-0 118
6. WESTFIELD 6-2 102
7. LAWRENCE NORTH 6-2 66
8. DECATUR CENTRAL 6-2 64
9. FISHERS 5-3 38
10. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 5-3 16
WARREN CENTRAL 5-3 16
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) 5-3 16
CLASS 5A
1. NEW PALESTINE (10) 8-0 200
2. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 8-0 174
3. LAFAYETTE JEFF 7-1 134
4. EAST CENTRAL 7-1 126
5. INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL 5-3 114
6. MERRILLVILLE 6-2 94
7. CONCORD 7-1 80
8. FLOYD CENTRAL 7-1 70
9. WHITELAND 6-2 60
10. PLAINFIELD 6-2 22
11. CASTLE 6-2 12
12. TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 6-2 10
13. BLOOMINGTON NORTH 5-3 2
MICHIGAN CITY 6-2 2
CLASS 4A
1. INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (6) 7-1 186
2. EAST NOBLE (4) 8-0 182
3. MISHAWAKA 7-1 148
4. HERITAGE HILLS 7-1 122
5. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 8-0 118
6. LEO 7-1 108
7. PENDLETON HEIGHTS 7-1 76
8. INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI 5-3 44
FORT WAYNE DWENGER 6-2 44
10. LOWELL 7-1 22
LEBANON 7-1 22
12. JASPER 6-2 16
13. NORTHVIEW 7-1 8
14. YORKTOWN 6-2 2
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 6-2 2
CLASS 3A
1. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (8) 8-0 190
2. GIBSON SOUTHERN 7-1 164
3. CASCADE (1) 8-0 160
4. KNOX (1) 8-0 148
5. MACONAQUAH 8-0 116
6. LAWRENCEBURG 7-1 104
7. MISSISSINEWA 7-1 68
8. SCOTTSBURG 7-1 60
9. TIPPECANOE VALLEY 6-2 40
10. GRIFFITH 7-1 30
11. TRI-WEST 6-2 14
12. EVANSVILLE MATER DEI 4-4 4
13. WEST NOBLE 6-2 2
CLASS 2A
1. ADAMS CENTRAL (10) 8-0 200
2. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 8-0 168
3. LAPEL 8-0 156
4. EASTBROOK 8-0 142
5. ANDREAN 7-1 116
6. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 7-1 84
7. TRITON CENTRAL 7-1 80
8. LINTON 6-2 54
9. WHEELER 7-0 52
10. BLUFFTON 7-1 24
11. ROCHESTER 7-1 16
12. ALEXANDRIA 6-2 4
WINCHESTER 7-1 4
CLASS 1A
1. SPRINGS VALLEY (8) 8-0 194
2. NORTH JUDSON 7-1 144
3. FRONTIER (1) 8-0 142
4. RIVERTON PARKE (1) 8-0 130
5. NORTH DECATUR 6-1 118
6. PROVIDENCE 5-2 92
SOUTH PUTNAM 6-2 92
8. PIONEER 7-1 82
NORTH DAVIESS 8-0 82
10. WEST CENTRAL 7-1 10
11. CARROLL (FLORA) 5-2 8
12. SOUTH ADAMS 5-3 4
13. MADISON-GRANT 5-3 2
________________________________________________________________
INDIANA FOOTBALL SECTIONAL CHANCES
(BASED ON RATINGS, DRAW AND HOME FIELD)
6A
SECTIONAL 1: CROWN POINT 66.16%
SECTIONAL 2: FW CARROLL 60.27%
SECTIONAL 3: CARMEL 74.56%
SECTIONAL 4: FISHERS 56.80%
SECTIONAL 5: BROWNSBURG 72.32%
SECTIONAL 6: DECATUR CENTRAL 52.60%
SECTIONAL 7: WARREN CENTRAL 86.49%
SECTIONAL 8: CENTER GROVE 69.49%
5A
SECTIONAL 9: MERRILLVILLE 75.74%
SECTIONAL 10: MICHIGAN CITY 37.83%
SECTIONAL 11: CONCORD 41.04%
SECTIONAL 12: LAFAYETTE JEFF 78.29%
SECTIONAL 13: NEW PALESTINE 57.83%
SECTIONAL 14: EAST CENTRAL 60.23%
SECTIONAL 15: BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 49.92%
SECTIONAL 16: FLOYD CENTRAL 52.68%
4A
SECTIONAL 17: HOBART 45.73%, LOWELL 44.79%
SECTIONAL 18: MISHAWAKA 39.95%
SECTIONAL 19: EAST NOBLE 46.50%
SECTIONAL 20: LEBANON 58.21%
SECTIONAL 21: PENDLETON HEIGHTS 49.26%
SECTIONAL 22: BISHOP CHATARD 52.63%
SECTIONAL 23: BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 43.03%
SECTIONAL 24: HERITAGE HILLS 76.91%
3A
SECTIONAL 25: KNOX 61.43%
SECTIONAL 26: TIPPECANOE VALLEY 32.73%
SECTIONAL 27: WESTERN 47.55%
SECTIONAL 28: MISSISSINEWA 36.21%
SECTIONAL 29: CASCADE 54.70%
SECTIONAL 30: LAWRENCEBURG 73.02%
SECTIONAL 31: INDIAN CREEK 78.47%
SECTIONAL 32: GIBSON SOUTHERN 62.93%
2A
SECTIONAL 33: ANDREAN 64.31%
SECTIONAL 34: SOUTHMONT 35.31%
SECTIONAL 35: ADAMS CENTRAL 48.81%
SECTIONAL 36: EASTERN GREENTOWN 28.79
SECTIONAL 37: INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 49.62
SECTIONAL 38: LAPEL 41.83%
SECTIONAL 39: LINTON 63.60%
SECTIONAL 40: BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 82.38%
1A
SECTIONAL 41: NORTH JUDSON 44.27%
SECTIONAL 42: PIONEER 37.03%
SECTIONAL 43: NORTH MIAMI 41.36%
SECTIONAL 44: SOUTH ADAMS 44.58%
SECTIONAL 45: SOUTH PUTNAM 53.59%
SECTIONAL 46: CLOVERDALE 44.04%
SECTIONAL 47: NORTH DECATUR 53.35%
SECTIONAL 48: NORTH DAVIESS 34.24%
___________________________________________________________________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SCORES:+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
___________________________________________________________________________
TOURNAMENT
CLASS 4A
1. LAKE CENTRAL (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CROWN POINT, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, LAKE CENTRAL, MUNSTER
2. CHESTERTON (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CHESTERTON, HOBART, MERRILLVILLE, PORTAGE, VALPARAISO
3. LAPORTE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
LAPORTE, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, PENN, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY
4. WARSAW COMMUNITY (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CONCORD, ELKHART, GOSHEN, NORTHRIDGE, WARSAW COMMUNITY
5. FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE (4) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
6. BELLMONT (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BELLMONT, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HOMESTEAD, HUNTINGTON NORTH
7. HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (4) | TICKETS | BRACKET
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), KOKOMO, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, MCCUTCHEON
8. ZIONSVILLE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CARMEL, FISHERS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, NOBLESVILLE, WESTFIELD, ZIONSVILLE
9. YORKTOWN (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ANDERSON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), MUNCIE CENTRAL, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, RICHMOND, YORKTOWN
10. WARREN CENTRAL (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECHNICAL, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS), WARREN CENTRAL
11. PLAINFIELD (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
AVON, BEN DAVIS, BROWNSBURG, PIKE, PLAINFIELD
12. SOUTHPORT (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CENTER GROVE, DECATUR CENTRAL, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, MOORESVILLE, PERRY MERIDIAN, SOUTHPORT
13. TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, MARTINSVILLE, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO
14. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
15. FLOYD CENTRAL (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, FLOYD CENTRAL, JEFFERSONVILLE, NEW ALBANY, PROVIDENCE, SEYMOUR
16. CASTLE (4) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CASTLE, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE NORTH
CLASS 3A
17. HIGHLAND (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CALUMET, EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HIGHLAND
18. LOWELL (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
HANOVER CENTRAL, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, KANKAKEE VALLEY, LOWELL, RIVER FOREST
19. MISHAWAKA MARIAN (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CULVER ACADEMIES, GLENN, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, PLYMOUTH, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
20. WAWASEE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
COLUMBIA CITY, FAIRFIELD, NORTHWOOD, TIPPECANOE VALLEY, WAWASEE, WEST NOBLE
21. FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ANGOLA, DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, GARRETT, LEO
22. NEW HAVEN (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
HERITAGE, MARION, MISSISSINEWA, NEW HAVEN, NORWELL
23. MACONAQUAH (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
LOGANSPORT, MACONAQUAH, NORTHWESTERN, PERU, TWIN LAKES, WEST LAFAYETTE, WESTERN
24. NEW CASTLE (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CONNERSVILLE, DELTA, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, JAY COUNTY, NEW CASTLE
25. FRANKFORT (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY, CRAWFORDSVILLE, DANVILLE COMMUNITY, FRANKFORT, GUERIN CATHOLIC, LEBANON, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS
26. INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC – DOWNTOWN
27. EDGEWOOD (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CASCADE, EDGEWOOD, INDIANAPOLIS GEORGE WASHINGTON COMMUNITY, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, SPEEDWAY
28. SHELBYVILLE (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BEECH GROVE, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, INDIAN CREEK, NEW PALESTINE, RONCALLI, RUSHVILLE CONSOLIDATED, SHELBYVILLE
29. SOUTH DEARBORN (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BATESVILLE, FRANKLIN COUNTY, GREENSBURG, JENNINGS COUNTY, LAWRENCEBURG, SOUTH DEARBORN
30. MADISON CONSOLIDATED (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, CHARLESTOWN, CORYDON CENTRAL, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, NORTH HARRISON, SCOTTSBURG, SILVER CREEK
31. PRINCETON (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
GIBSON SOUTHERN, JASPER, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, SOUTHRIDGE, VINCENNES LINCOLN, WASHINGTON
32. HERITAGE HILLS (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BOONVILLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, HERITAGE HILLS, MT. VERNON
CLASS 2A
33. BOONE GROVE (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
21ST CENTURY ACADEMY, ANDREAN, BOONE GROVE, HEBRON, LAKE STATION EDISON, LIGHTHOUSE CPC, WHEELER, WHITING
34. BREMEN (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BREMEN, CAREER ACADEMY, JIMTOWN, KNOX, LAVILLE, WINAMAC COMMUNITY
35. CENTRAL NOBLE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CENTRAL NOBLE, CHURUBUSCO, EASTSIDE, LAKELAND, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WESTVIEW
36. SOUTH ADAMS (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ADAMS CENTRAL, BLUFFTON, FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, SOUTH ADAMS, WHITKO, WOODLAN
37. NORTH MONTGOMERY (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BENTON CENTRAL, DELPHI COMMUNITY, NORTH MONTGOMERY, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, SEEGER, WESTERN BOONE
38. WABASH (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
EASTERN (GREENTOWN), LEWIS CASS, MANCHESTER, OAK HILL, ROCHESTER COMMUNITY, SOUTHWOOD, WABASH
39. TIPTON (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ELWOOD COMMUNITY, FRANKTON, LAPEL, SHERIDAN, TAYLOR, TIPTON
40. MADISON-GRANT (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, BLACKFORD, EASTBROOK, MADISON-GRANT, MUNCIE BURRIS, WAPAHANI
41. SOUTH VERMILLION (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PARKE HERITAGE, SOUTH PUTNAM, SOUTH VERMILLION, SOUTHMONT
42. UNIVERSITY (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
COVENANT CHRISTIAN, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, MONROVIA, PARK TUDOR, RIVERSIDE, UNIVERSITY
43. EASTERN HANCOCK (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CHRISTEL HOUSE, EASTERN HANCOCK, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA MEMORIAL, IRVINGTON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, KIPP INDY LEGACY, TRITON CENTRAL
44. HAGERSTOWN (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CENTERVILLE, HAGERSTOWN, NORTHEASTERN, SHENANDOAH, UNION COUNTY, WINCHESTER COMMUNITY
45. SOUTH RIPLEY (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
AUSTIN, BROWN COUNTY, SOUTH RIPLEY, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY
46. CLARKSVILLE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CLARKSVILLE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, EASTERN (PEKIN), MITCHELL, PAOLI, SALEM
47. SULLIVAN (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BARR-REEVE, EASTERN GREENE, LINTON-STOCKTON, NORTH KNOX, SOUTH KNOX, SULLIVAN, WEST VIGO
48. TECUMSEH (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, FOREST PARK, NORTH POSEY, PERRY CENTRAL, PIKE CENTRAL, SOUTH SPENCER, TECUMSEH, TELL CITY
CLASS 1A
49. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BOWMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, HAMMOND ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KOUTS, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, MORGAN TOWNSHIP, TRI-TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, WESTVILLE
50. PIONEER (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CASTON, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN, NORTH NEWTON, NORTH WHITE, PIONEER, SOUTH NEWTON, TRI-COUNTY, WEST CENTRAL
51. SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ARGOS, CULVER COMMUNITY, ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, OREGON-DAVIS, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), TRITON
52. LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BETHANY CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, FREMONT, HAMILTON, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN
53. COVINGTON (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ATTICA, COVINGTON, FAITH CHRISTIAN, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, NORTH VERMILLION, RIVERTON PARKE
54. CLINTON PRAIRIE (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN, CARROLL (FLORA), CLINTON CENTRAL, CLINTON PRAIRIE, FRONTIER, ROSSVILLE, TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN
55. NORTHFIELD (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
COWAN, DALEVILLE, NORTH MIAMI, NORTHFIELD, SOUTHERN WELLS, TRI-CENTRAL, WES-DEL
56. UNION (MODOC) (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BLUE RIVER VALLEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, MONROE CENTRAL, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, SETON CATHOLIC, UNION (MODOC), UNION CITY
57. INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
ANDERSON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN, MTI SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC-BROAD RIPPLE, TINDLEY
58. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (7) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, EMINENCE, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, VICTORY COLLEGE PREP
59. MORRISTOWN (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
EDINBURGH, KNIGHTSTOWN, MORRISTOWN, NORTH DECATUR, SOUTH DECATUR, SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE), TRI, WALDRON
60. HAUSER (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CROTHERSVILLE, HAUSER, JAC-CEN-DEL, MILAN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, RISING SUN, SHAWE MEMORIAL, TRINITY LUTHERAN
61. CLAY CITY (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BLOOMFIELD, CLAY CITY, CLOVERDALE, DUGGER UNION, LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), SHAKAMAK, WHITE RIVER VALLEY
62. LOOGOOTEE (6) | TICKETS | BRACKET
LOOGOOTEE, MEDORA, NORTH DAVIESS, ORLEANS, SHOALS, VINCENNES RIVET
63. BORDEN (8) | TICKETS | BRACKET
BORDEN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, HENRYVILLE, LANESVILLE, NEW WASHINGTON, ROCK CREEK ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH), WEST WASHINGTON
64. SPRINGS VALLEY (5) | TICKETS | BRACKET
CANNELTON, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, SPRINGS VALLEY, WOOD MEMORIAL
_________________________________
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER
REGIONAL SEMI-FINALS:
______________________________________
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER
REGIONAL SEMI-FINALS:
________________________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY +++
SECTIONAL SITES
OCTOBER 18
1. HIGHLAND (17) | 9:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
BOWMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, CALUMET, CROWN POINT, EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, HANOVER CENTRAL, HIGHLAND, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, LAKE CENTRAL, LIGHTHOUSE CPC, LOWELL, MUNSTER, WHITING
2. CHESTERTON (15) | 10:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
21ST CENTURY ACADEMY, ANDREAN, BOONE GROVE, CHESTERTON, HEBRON, HOBART, KOUTS, LAKE STATION EDISON, MERRILLVILLE, MORGAN TOWNSHIP, PORTAGE, RIVER FOREST, VALPARAISO, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, WHEELER
3. NEW PRAIRIE (17) | 10 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
CAREER ACADEMY, GLENN, LAPORTE, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, OREGON DAVIS, PENN, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), TRINITY GREENLAWN, TRI-TOWNSHIP, WESTVILLE
4. GOSHEN (@ OXBOW PARK) (12) | 10 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BREMEN, CONCORD, ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, ELKHART, FAIRFIELD, GOSHEN, JIMTOWN, LAVILLE, NORTHRIDGE, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE, WESTVIEW
5. RENSSELAER CENTRAL (14) | 10:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
BENTON CENTRAL, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN, FRONTIER, KANKAKEE VALLEY, KNOX, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, NORTH NEWTON, NORTH WHITE, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, SOUTH NEWTON, TRI-COUNTY, TWIN LAKES, WEST CENTRAL, WINAMAC
6. MANCHESTER (14) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ARGOS, COLUMBIA CITY, CULVER ACADEMIES, HUNTINGTON NORTH, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, MANCHESTER, NORTHFIELD, PLYMOUTH, ROCHESTER COMMUNITY, TIPPECANOE VALLEY, TRITON, WABASH, WARSAW, WHITKO
7. WEST NOBLE (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ANGOLA, CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), CENTRAL NOBLE, CHURUBUSCO, DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, EASTSIDE, FREMONT, GARRETT, HAMILTON, LAKELAND, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN, LEO, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WEST NOBLE
8. NEW HAVEN (@ HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY) (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE SNIDER, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HERITAGE, HOMESTEAD, NEW HAVEN, SMITH ACADEMY FOR EXCELLENCE, WOODLAN
9. DELTA (@ TAYLOR UNIVERSITY) (16) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ADAMS CENTRAL, BELLMONT, BLACKFORD, BLUFFTON, DELTA, EASTBROOK, JAY COUNTY, MONROE CENTRAL, NORWELL, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, SOUTH ADAMS, SOUTHERN WELLS, UNION (MODOC), UNION CITY, WAPAHANI, WINCHESTER COMMUNITY
10. MARION (@ INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY) (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, BLUE RIVER VALLEY, COWAN, DALEVILLE, ELWOOD COMMUNITY, FRANKTON, MADISON-GRANT, MARION, MISSISSINEWA, MUNCIE BURRIS, MUNCIE CENTRAL, OAK HILL, SOUTHWOOD, WEST-DEL, YORKTOWN
11. LOGANSPORT (16) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
CARROLL (FLORA), CASTON, CLINTON CENTRAL, CLINTON PRAIRIE, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), FRANKFORT, KOKOMO, LEWIS CASS, LOGANSPORT, MACONAQUAH, NORTHWESTERN, PERU, PIONEER, ROSSVILLE, TAYLOR, WESTERN
12. HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (13) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ATTICA, CRAWFORDSVILLE, DELPHI, FAITH CHRISTIAN, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, MCCUTCHEON, NORTH MONTGOMERY, SEEGER, SOUTHMONT, WEST LAFAYETTE
13. NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (16) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
CARMEL, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INDIANAPOLIS GEORGE WASHINGTON, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS), PARK TUDOR, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC – BROAD RIPPLE, TINDLEY, UNIVERSITY, WESTERN BOONE, ZIONSVILLE
14. TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO (17) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
CLAY CITY, CLOVERDALE, DUGGER UNION, GREENCASTLE, NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), NORTH VERMILLION, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, PARKE HERITAGE, RIVERTON PARKE, SHAKAMAK, SOUTH PUTNAM, SOUTH VERMILLION, SULLIVAN, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO, WEST VIGO
15. BEN DAVIS (15) | 9:00 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
AVON, BEN DAVIS, BETHESDA CHRISTIAN, BREBEUF JESUIT, BROWNSBURG, CASCADE, COVENANT CHRISTIAN, DANVILLE COMMUNITY, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, NORTH PUTNAM, PIKE, PLAINFIELD, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, SPEEDWAY, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS
16. NOBLESVILLE (13) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
ANDERSON, ANDERSON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, FISHERS, GUERIN CATHOLIC, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, LAPEL, LEBANON, NOBLESVILLE, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, SHENANDOAH, TIPTON, WESTFIELD
17. MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE) (17) | 9:45 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BEECH GROVE, EASTERN HANCOCK, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA MEMORIAL, KIPP INDY LEGACY, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, MORRISTOWN, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), NEW PALESTINE, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC, VICTORY COLLEGE PREP, WARREN CENTRAL
18. RUSHVILLE CONSOLIDATED (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BATESVILLE, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, CENTERVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, HAGERSTOWN, NEW CASTLE, NORTHEASTERN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, RICHMOND, RUSHVILLE CONSOLIDATED, SETON CATHOLIC, TRI, UNION COUNTY
19. SHELBYVILLE (@ BLUE RIVER PARK) (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
CENTER GROVE, DECATUR CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, INDIAN CREEK, MOORESVILLE, PERRY MERIDIAN, RONCALLI, SHELBYVILLE, SOUTHPORT, SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBY), TRITON CENTRAL, WALDRON, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
20. SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) (@ HANOVER COLLEGE) (16) | 9:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
AUSTIN, CHARLESTOWN, CROTHERSVILLE, HENRYVILLE, JAC-CEN-DEL, LAWRENCEBURG, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, MILAN, NEW WASHINGTON, RISING SUN, SCOTTSBURG, SHAWE MEMORIAL, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SOUTH DEARBORN, SOUTH RIPLEY, SWITZERLAND COUNTY
21. BROWN COUNTY (14) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BROWN COUNTY, COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EDGEWOOD, EMINENCE, GREENSBURG, HAUSER, JENNINGS COUNTY, MARTINSVILLE, MONROVIA, NORTH DECATUR, SEYMOUR, SOUTH DECATUR, TRINITY LUTHERAN
22. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (17) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, BLOOMFIELD, BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, EASTERN (PEKIN), EASTERN GREENE, LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, LINTON-STOCKTON, LOOGOOTEE, MITCHELL, NORTH DAVIESS, ORLEANS, SALEM, SHOALS, WEST WASHINGTON, WHITE RIVER VALLEY
23. CRAWFORD COUNTY (15) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BORDEN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, CLARKSVILLE, CORYDON CENTRAL, CRAWFORD COUNTY, FLOYD CENTRAL, JEFFERSONVILLE, LANESVILLE, NEW ALBANY, NORTH HARRISON, PAOLI, PROVIDENCE, SILVER CREEK, SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH), SPRINGS VALLEY
24. JASPER (13) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
BARR-REEVE, FOREST PARK, JASPER, NORTH KNOX, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, PERRY CENTRAL, PIKE CENTRAL, SOUTH KNOX, SOUTHRIDGE, TELL CITY, VINCENNES LINCOLN, WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON CATHOLIC
25. EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (@ ANGEL MOUNDS) (19) | 9:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
BOONVILLE, CASTLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, EVANSVILLE DAY, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE NORTH, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, GIBSON SOUTHERN, HERITAGE HILLS, MT. VERNON, NORTH POSEY, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, SIGNATURE, SOUTH SPENCER, TECUMSEH
________________________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TENNIS +++
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
_____________________________
+++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL UNIFIED FLAG FOOTBALL+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
_______________________________
+++MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL+++
MLB PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ALL TIMES ET
SUNDAY, OCT. 12
SEATTLE 3 TORONTO 1 (SEATTLE LEADS SERIES 1-0)
MONDAY, OCT. 13
SEATTLE 10 TORONTO 3 (SEATTLE LEADS SERIES 2-0)
LOS ANGELES 2 MILWAUKEE 1 (LOS ANGELES LEADS SERIES 1-0)
TUESDAY, OCT. 14
LOS ANGELES 5 MILWAUKEE 1 (LOS ANGELES LEADS SERIES 2-0)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
TORONTO 13 SEATTLE 4 (SEATTLE LEADS SERIES 2-1)
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
MIL VS. LAD, GAME 3 (TBS, TRUTV, HBO MAX)
TOR VS. SEA, GAME 4 (FOX/FS1/FOX DEPORTES)
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
MIL VS. LAD, GAME 4 (TBS, TRUTV, HBO MAX)
TOR VS. SEA, GAME 5^ (FOX/FS1/FOX DEPORTES)
SATURDAY, OCT. 18
MIL VS. LAD, GAME 5^ (TBS, TRUTV, HBO MAX)
SUNDAY, OCT. 19
SEA VS. TOR, GAME 6^ (FOX/FS1/FOX DEPORTES)
MONDAY, OCT. 20
LAD VS. MIL, GAME 6^ (TBS, TRUTV, HBO MAX)
SEA VS. TOR, GAME 7^ (FOX/FS1/FOX DEPORTES)
TUESDAY, OCT. 21
LAD VS. MIL, GAME 7^ (TBS, TRUTV, HBO MAX)
^(IF NECESSARY)
________________________________________________________________
+++COLLEGE FOOTBALL+++
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 8 SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
JACKSONVILLE STATE 38 DELEWARE 25
UTEP 35 SAM HOUSTON 17
_____________________________________________________________________________________
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
7:30 P.M. | TULSA AT EAST CAROLINA | ESPN
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
7 P.M. | LOUISVILLE AT NO. 2 MIAMI (FL) | ESPN
8 P.M. | NO. 25 NEBRASKA AT MINNESOTA | FOX
9 P.M. | SAN JOSE STATE AT UTAH STATE | CBSSN
10:30 P.M. | NORTH CAROLINA AT CALIFORNIA | ESPN
SATURDAY, OCT. 18
12 P.M. | PRINCETON AT BROWN | ESPN+
12 P.M. | FURMAN AT WOFFORD | N/A
12 P.M. | BUTLER AT DAYTON | N/A
12 P.M. | MERRIMACK AT HARVARD | N/A
12 P.M. | ROBERT MORRIS AT LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY | N/A
12 P.M. | STONEHILL AT YALE | N/A
12 P.M. | NO. 12 GEORGIA TECH AT DUKE | ESPN
12 P.M. | UCONN AT BOSTON COLLEGE | ACCN
12 P.M. | WASHINGTON AT MICHIGAN | FOX
12 P.M. | CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT BOWLING GREEN | CBSSN
12 P.M. | EASTERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI (OH) | ESPN+
12 P.M. | ARIZONA AT HOUSTON | FS1
12 P.M. | BAYLOR AT TCU | ESPN2
12 P.M. | ARMY AT TULANE | ESPNU
12 P.M. | NO. 10 LSU AT NO. 17 VANDERBILT | ABC
12:45 P.M. | NO. 14 OKLAHOMA AT SOUTH CAROLINA | SEC NETWORK
1 P.M. | HAMPTON AT VILLANOVA | N/A
1 P.M. | STONY BROOK AT MONMOUTH | N/A
1 P.M. | NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT INDIANA STATE | ESPN+
1 P.M. | DAVIDSON AT DRAKE | N/A
1 P.M. | STETSON AT PRESBYTERIAN | ESPN+
1 P.M. | BUCKNELL AT CORNELL | ESPN+
1 P.M. | DARTMOUTH AT FORDHAM | ESPN+
1 P.M. | COLGATE AT GEORGETOWN | N/A
1 P.M. | WEST VIRGINIA AT UCF | TNT/HBO MAX
1:30 P.M. | UT MARTIN AT GARDNER-WEBB | N/A
1:30 P.M. | EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT CHATTANOOGA | N/A
1:30 P.M. | SAMFORD AT VMI | N/A
1:30 P.M. | PENNSYLVANIA AT COLUMBIA | N/A
2 P.M. | TENNESSEE TECH AT LINDENWOOD | N/A
2 P.M. | SOUTH DAKOTA AT NORTHERN IOWA | ESPN+
2 P.M. | WESTERN CAROLINA AT THE CITADEL | N/A
2 P.M. | MARIST AT MOREHEAD STATE | N/A
2 P.M. | VALPARAISO AT ST. THOMAS (MN) | N/A
2 P.M. | HOLY CROSS AT RICHMOND | N/A
2 P.M. | KENT STATE AT TOLEDO | ESPN+
2:30 P.M. | BUFFALO AT UMASS | ESPN+
3 P.M. | SACRED HEART AT MONTANA | N/A
3 P.M. | EASTERN ILLINOIS AT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | N/A
3 P.M. | GRAMBLING AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | N/A
3 P.M. | LINCOLN (CA) AT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE | N/A
3 P.M. | PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT SOUTHERN | N/A
3 P.M. | YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | N/A
3 P.M. | VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT TEXAS SOUTHERN | N/A
3 P.M. | NORTH DAKOTA AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | N/A
3 P.M. | TROY AT ULM | ESPN+
3 P.M. | PURDUE AT NORTHWESTERN | BTN
3:30 P.M. | NEW HAMPSHIRE AT CAMPBELL | N/A
3:30 P.M. | ELON AT WILLIAM & MARY | N/A
3:30 P.M. | RHODE ISLAND AT UALBANY | N/A
3:30 P.M. | NO. 5 OLE MISS AT NO. 9 GEORGIA | ABC
3:30 P.M. | NO. 4 TEXAS A&M AT ARKANSAS | ESPN
3:30 P.M. | SMU AT CLEMSON | ACCN
3:30 P.M. | MICHIGAN STATE AT NO. 3 INDIANA | PEACOCK
3:30 P.M. | NO. 1 OHIO STATE AT WISCONSIN | CBS
3:30 P.M. | AKRON AT BALL STATE | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT OHIO | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | UNLV AT BOISE STATE | FS1
3:30 P.M. | WYOMING AT AIR FORCE | CBSSN
3:30 P.M. | COASTAL CAROLINA AT APP STATE | ESPN+
3:30 P.M. | ODU AT JAMES MADISON | ESPNU
3:30 P.M. | TEXAS STATE AT MARSHALL | ESPN+
4 P.M. | CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT WESTERN ILLINOIS | N/A
4 P.M. | ALCORN STATE AT FLORIDA A&M | N/A
4 P.M. | UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY AT LAMAR | N/A
4 P.M. | NO. 22 MEMPHIS AT UAB | ESPN2
4 P.M. | NO. 7 TEXAS TECH AT ARIZONA STATE | FOX
4:15 P.M. | MISSISSIPPI STATE AT FLORIDA | SEC NETWORK
5 P.M. | WEBER STATE AT PORTLAND STATE | N/A
5 P.M. | NORTHWESTERN STATE AT SE LOUISIANA | N/A
5 P.M. | CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AT WAGNER | N/A
5 P.M. | SOUTHERN MISS AT LOUISIANA | ESPN+
5:30 P.M. | HOWARD AT TENNESSEE STATE | N/A
5:30 P.M. | EAST TEXAS A&M AT INCARNATE WORD | N/A
6 P.M. | DUQUESNE AT MERCYHURST | N/A
6:30 P.M. | WASHINGTON STATE AT NO. 18 VIRGINIA | THE CW NETWORK
6:30 P.M. | NO. 8 OREGON AT RUTGERS | BTN
7 P.M. | IDAHO AT EASTERN WASHINGTON | N/A
7 P.M. | EASTERN KENTUCKY AT NORTH ALABAMA | N/A
7 P.M. | WEST GEORGIA AT TARLETON STATE | N/A
7 P.M. | HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT MCNEESE | N/A
7 P.M. | SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT MURRAY STATE | N/A
7 P.M. | NICHOLLS AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | N/A
7 P.M. | PENN STATE AT IOWA | PEACOCK
7 P.M. | MARYLAND AT UCLA | FS1
7 P.M. | HAWAII AT COLORADO STATE | SPECTRUM/MWN
7 P.M. | GEORGIA STATE AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | ESPN+
7 P.M. | NO. 16 MISSOURI AT AUBURN | ESPN OR SEC NETWORK (FLEX)
7 P.M. | NO, 21 TEXAS AT KENTUCKY | ESPN OR SEC NETWORK (FLEX)
7:30 P.M. | NO. 11 TENNESSEE AT NO. 6 ALABAMA | ABC
7:30 P.M. | NO. 20 USC AT NO. 13 NOTRE DAME | NBC/PEACOCK
7:30 P.M. | PITT AT SYRACUSE | ACCN
7:30 P.M. | FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT NO. 19 SOUTH FLORIDA | ESPNU OR ESPN+ (FLEX)
7:30 P.M. | UTSA AT NORTH TEXAS | ESPNU OR ESPN+ (FLEX)
8 P.M. | NO. 24 CINCINNATI AT OKLAHOMA STATE | ESPN2
8 P.M. | NO. 23 UTAH AT NO. 15 BYU | FOX
8:30 P.M. | ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT SOUTHERN UTAH | N/A
9 P.M. | NORTHERN COLORADO AT SACRAMENTO STATE | N/A
9:45 P.M. | NEVADA AT NEW MEXICO | FS1
10 P.M. | LAFAYETTE AT OREGON STATE | THE CW NETWORK
10:30 P.M. | FLORIDA STATE AT STANFORD | ESPN
____________________________________
+++NFL SCHEDULE+++
WEEK 7 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
PITTSBURGH AT CINCINNATI, 8:15 P.M. (PRIME VIDEO)
SUNDAY, OCT. 19
LA RAMS VS. JACKSONVILLE AT LONDON, 9:30 A.M. (NFLN)
NEW ENGLAND AT TENNESSEE, 1 P.M. (CBS)
MIAMI AT CLEVELAND, 1 P.M. (CBS)
LAS VEGAS AT KANSAS CITY, 1 P.M. (CBS)
CAROLINA AT NY JETS, 1 P.M. (FOX)
NEW ORLEANS AT CHICAGO, 1 P.M. (FOX)
PHILADELPHIA AT MINNESOTA, 1 P.M. (FOX)
NY GIANTS AT DENVER, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)
INDIANAPOLIS AT LA CHARGERS, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)
WASHINGTON AT DALLAS, 4:25 P.M. (FOX)
GREEN BAY AT ARIZONA, 4:25 P.M. (FOX)
ATLANTA AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)
MONDAY, OCT. 20
TAMPA BAY AT DETROIT, 7 P.M. (ESPN/ABC)
HOUSTON AT SEATTLE, 10 P.M. (ESPN+)
BYES: BALTIMORE, BUFFALO
_________________________________________________________________
NBA PRE-SEASON
BOSTON 110 TORONTO 108
CHARLOTTE 145 MEMPHIS 116
LA CLIPPERS 109 SACRAMENTO 91
DALLAS 121 LA LAKERS 94
_______________________________________________________________
NHL SCOREBOARD
BUFFALO 8 OTTAWA 4
DETROIT 4 FLORIDA 1
UTAH 3 CALGARY 1
CHICAGO 8 ST. LOUIS 3
_______________________________________________________________
+++MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
______________________________________________________________
+++TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES+++
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS
GUERRERO, SPRINGER SPARKS BLUE JAYS, WHO HIT 5 HRS AND CUT MARINERS’ ALCS LEAD TO 2-1 WITH 13-4 ROUT
SEATTLE (AP) — Tired in Toronto, the Blue Jays slugged in Seattle.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer woke up Toronto as the Blue Jays hit five home runs to rebound from an early deficit, routing the Mariners 13-4 Wednesday night and closing to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.
Toronto had 18 hits — all within the first three pitches of each at-bat.
“If they give us a first pitch, the pitch that we’re looking for, we’re going to attack and we’re going to be aggressive,” Guerrero said.
Seattle starter George Kirby gave up eight of the hits.
“I wasn’t really executing when they got the guys on base,” Kirby said. “And they’re really aggressive when that happens. They made some good swings.”
Julio Rodríguez’s two-run, first-inning homer off former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber put Seattle ahead and stirred thoughts of a possible sweep in the best-of-seven matchup by a team seeking its first World Series appearance.
Andrés Giménez then sparked the comeback with a tying, two-run homer in a five-run third against Kirby.
Springer, Guerrero, Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger also went deep as the Blue Jays totaled 2,004 feet of homers.
Guerrero had four hits, falling a triple short of the cycle, after going 0 for 7 as the Blue Jays lost the first two games at home.
“No one expected us to win the division, no one expected us to be here, and I think the guys take that to heart,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I said it when we left Toronto: I hope we find some slug in the air out here. Maybe we did.”
In the 2-3-2 format, teams that lost the first two games at home and won Game 3 on the road have captured the series three of 11 times.
A crowd of 46,471 at T-Mobile Park for Seattle’s first home ALCS game since 2001 saw the teams combine to match the postseason record of eight combined home runs, set by the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis in Game 3 of the 2015 NL Division Series and matched by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series.
Giménez hadn’t homered since Aug. 27 before his drive off a Kirby fastball.
“Definitely something changed for our offense,” Giménez said. “We come tonight with a mentality to attack.”
Kirby allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks, taking the loss.
“The first couple innings I thought he was dynamite,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “This is a team that’s going to hurt you if you make mistakes on the plate. It looked like there were a couple that they were able to get to.”
Kirby’s run-scoring wild pitch put Toronto ahead 3-2 and Daulton Varsho followed with a two-run double.
Springer homered in the fourth, tying Bernie Williams for fourth on the career list with his 22nd postseason homer. Guerrero hit his fourth of the postseason for a 7-2 lead on the first pitch of the fifth.
Kirk added a three-run homer in the sixth and is hitting .413 (19 for 46) with eight RBIs in 14 games at T-Mobile Park.
Bieber, who got the win, pitched shutout ball after the first and wound up allowing four hits in six innings — the longest outing by a Blue Jays starter in seven postseason games.
“Obviously didn’t start the way he would have wanted to, but that’s pretty much who he is,” Springer said. “He can battle back from anything.”
After the Blue Jays opened a 12-2 lead, Randy Arozarena connected in the eighth against Yariel Rodríguez for his first home run since Sept. 9 and Cal Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 home runs during the regular season, followed three pitches later with his third of the postseason.
“If there’s one thing we’ve done since I’ve been here, we bounce back together well as a team,” Mariners reliever Caleb Ferguson said. “We respond well when we kind of get smacked in the face a little bit.”
Up next
Seattle RHP Luis Castillo, who pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief against Detroit in Game 5 of the Division Series, starts Thursday against RHP Max Scherzer. The 41-year-old, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is 0-3 over eight postseason starts since the 2019 World Series opener and hasn’t started since Sept. 24.
REPORT: YANKEES SS ANTHONY VOLPE UNDERGOES SHOULDER SURGERY
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe underwent surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
The operation was reportedly performed Tuesday by team doctor Chris Ahmad.
Per the report, Volpe, 24, could be ready to play at the start of the 2026 regular season.
The shoulder had been bothersome since Volpe landed on it after attempting to make a diving play in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 3.
He had a cortisone shot and played through the injury but aggravated it early September. He had another shot and missed four games.
Volpe hit just .212 but hit 19 home runs and drove in 72 runs, both career highs, in 153 games.
“We grinded the whole way until today,” Volpe said of playing through the injury after the Yankees were eliminated in the American League Division Series. “I know I could have done a lot better.”
In the postseason, he was 5-for-26 batting (.192) with a home run and two RBIs.
In mid-September, general manager Brian Cashman gave his endorsement of Volpe, despite a drop-off in batting average and a lack of consistency.
“Yeah, I think he’s a good player,” Cashman said, per the Post. “This year notwithstanding, he’s got a lot of abilities that are positive. He’s had a tough stretch, but I think he’s someone we can count on, and we believe in.
“But acknowledging at the same time, this isn’t the season we expected or he expected. But that doesn’t change our viewpoint of what he’s capable of. I think he’s a really talented guy and I think he has a chance to be a positive impact on us.”
MAX SCHERZER EAGER FOR JAYS POSTSEASON DEBUT IN ALCS GAME 4
SEATTLE — This is why the Toronto Blue Jays signed Max Scherzer in the offseason.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is set to take the mound Thursday night as the Blue Jays try to even the best-of-seven American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners at two games apiece.
“I love it. This is what you play for,” the 41-year-old right-hander said. “You want to have the ball in this situation, you want to be pitching in the postseason.
“Every game in the postseason’s a must-win, so when you step on the field in these situations, you got to bring it, you got to have your ‘A’ game, you got to really be on top of your stuff. So they’re going to be as prepared as heck to go against me and try to beat me, and I got to do the same and find a way to navigate it.”
He will hope to get as much support on Thursday as the Blue Jays supplied for starter Shane Bieber on Wednesday. Andres Gimenez, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger homered as Toronto clobbered Seattle 13-4 in Game 3. Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh went deep for the hosts.
Scherzer, who was left off the Blue Jays’ AL Division Series roster because of a neck ailment, will be making his first appearance since Sept. 24.
He went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts, missing nearly three months due to an inflamed right thumb.
“I don’t want to sit here and go backwards and blame injuries for any way I pitched,” Scherzer said. “When I take the mound, I take the mound, and I have the attitude (that) I’m going to win no matter what.”
That’s the Scherzer his teammates have come to know and love.
“I expect Max to be Max in the aspect of just go out there and execute at a very, very high level,” fellow right-hander Chris Bassitt said.
Scherzer is 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA over his past eight postseason appearances since helping the Houston Astros win the World Series title in 2019. However, he has had success against the Mariners, going 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in nine career starts against them.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider hopes the time off will be beneficial for Scherzer.
“He kept himself ready to throw, obviously, with a number of pitches, but I think probably more so than even he was leading on to you or anyone, he needed a little bit of a break to feel good physically,” Schneider said. “It’s easy to trust a guy who has been through what he’s been through and done what he’s done.”
The Mariners feel much the same way about their Game 4 starter, Luis Castillo. The right-hander went 11-8 with a 3.54 ERA in 32 regular-season starts, and he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in the postseason.
Castillo pitched a total of six scoreless innings of one-hit ball against the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series, including coming out of the bullpen to get the victory in the decisive Game 5, which went 15 innings.
While Scherzer struggled down the stretch, going 0-3 with a 9.95 ERA in his final five starts before being shut down, Castillo went at least six innings in each of his last four regular-season starts, allowing no more than one run in any of them.
“Yeah, I’ve always said it, it’s a long season in baseball, there’s highs and lows,” he said. “You always have to go out there, keep your head up and just wait for those good moments to come. To me, it came at the right time, just because I knew it was an important part that needed to happen. For me, it was just kind of the start, you know, of something good to come.”
Castillo is 2-3 with a 4.68 ERA in six career starts against the Blue Jays, including a 1-1 mark with a 7.20 ERA in two outings this season. He also won at Toronto in Game 1 of a 2022 AL wild-card series, when he threw 7 1/3 inning shutout innings.
The bullpen options behind Castillo could include Mariners ace Bryan Woo. The team leader with 15 wins and a 2.94 ERA in the regular season, Woo has been sidelined since mid-September due to an inflamed pectoral muscle.
The Mariners left him off the AL Division Series roster but added him back for the ALCS, though he has yet to pitch. Woo threw batting practice on Monday, then sat in the bullpen during the Wednesday game.
“A good chance for him tonight to just get out there and get acclimated in case that’s a place where he comes out of later in the series,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “So a chance to just get comfortable out there and see what it’s like. So that’s really what it was about tonight for Bryan.”
METS BEGIN REBUILDING COACHING STAFF
The New York Mets announced two additions to manager Carlos Mendoza’s staff on Wednesday.
Kai Correa is the new bench coach and Jeff Albert will serve as director of major league hitting.
On Oct. 3, the Mets purged the coaching staff after tumbling from first place in the National League East all the way out of the postseason picture.
New York fired pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez, and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh. Bench coach John Gibbons resigned and catching coach Glenn Sherlock retired. Assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach Jose Rosado were granted permission to speak to other teams.
Correa, 37, was the Cleveland Guardians’ field coordinator/director of defense, baserunning and game strategy this season.
Albert, 44, spent the past three seasons as the Mets’ director of hitting development.
The Mets were 21 games over .500 on June 12 with the best record in baseball (45-24) and had a season-high 5 1/2-game lead in the division that day. By the time the All-Star break arrived, New York was 55-42 and trailed the Philadelphia Phillies by 1/2 game.
A 28-37 record following the break, including an eight-game skid from Sept. 6-13, left the Mets at 83-79 — 13 games behind the Phillies and out of the wild-card race.
DODGERS’ TYLER GLASNOW EAGER TO KEEP BREWERS’ BATS QUIET IN GAME 3
LOS ANGELES — After charging through America’s Dairyland with a pair of beefed-up pitching performances, the Dodgers play host to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
Six victories away from becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles in 25 years, the Dodgers now get three home games against the Brewers in order to produce two victories for an NL pennant.
Their 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series came on the back of pitching performances from left-hander Blake Snell in Game 1 and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2. The duo combined to allow one run on four hits over 17 of the 18 innings at Milwaukee to open the series.
Up next is right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who has made one start in the Dodgers’ 7-1 playoff run so far. The L.A.-area product made an impression by allowing two hits over six scoreless innings in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, when the Dodgers clinched their spot in the NLCS.
“Right now, all four (starting pitchers) are in a really good head space,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, after also announcing right-hander Shohei Ohtani as his Game 4 starter. “Physically they’re sound. And you feel good about those guys starting a game and pushing them. And they’re prepared for this.”
Less productive has been a shaky bullpen and the top of the order that includes three MVPs in Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. That trio is 4-for-24 (.167) in the series with one home run and three RBIs.
Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy carried the offense with home runs in a 5-1 victory in Game 2. Muncy now has the most postseason home runs in Dodgers history with 14, breaking a tie with Justin Turner and Corey Seager.
“I know from our standpoint offensively there are still some moments that we can take advantage of,” Muncy said. “I still think there’s another gear in there. But at the end of the day, we’re winning games.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy declined to name a starter for Game 3 and instead labeled it an all-hands-on-deck situation.
“We’re more depleted than the Dodgers are, but none of that matters,” Murphy said. “It’s about playing Thursday. Everybody will be available, with the exception of (Game 2 starter) Freddy (Peralta). And we’ll attack them.”
And yet, pitching might be the least of Milwaukee’s problems after six members of the Brewers’ staff combined to give up two runs in Game 1 and Peralta was charged with three runs in 5 2/3 innings of Game 2.
On offense, the Brewers not only have just five hits in the series, they have struck out 18 times and have just one at-bat in two games with a runner in scoring position. Jackson Chourio led off Game 2 with a first-pitch home run, but Milwaukee had just two more hits the rest of the way.
“We just have to continue to battle and find a way to get the offense going,” said the Brewers’ Christian Yelich, an L.A.-area native, who is 0-for-7 with a walk and three strikeouts in the NLCS. “I have to be better. We have to be better. Just facts. … Be ready to battle in Game 3.”
In going 6-0 against the Dodgers during the regular season, the Brewers did win two games started by Glasnow in July. But they scored just one earned run off him in 11 innings, with a combined 11 strikeouts.
________________________________________________________________________
NFL NEWS
WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 7
Below are the teams and players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season, including:
- Denver Broncos
- QB Patrick Mahomes
- QB Aaron Rodgers
- QB Drake Maye
- QB Sam Darnold
- QB Dak Prescott
- WR George Pickens
- RB Christian McCaffrey
- RB Bijan Robinson
- RB Josh Jacobs
- WR Justin Jefferson
- TE Trey McBride
DENVER BRONCOS
The Denver Broncos lead the NFL with 30 sacks this season, tied with the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs for the most sacks by a team in its first six games since 1990.
In Week 7 against the New York Giants (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), Denver can become the third team since 1990 with at least 35 sacks in their first seven games of a season, joining the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs (35 sacks) and 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35).
Additionally with five sacks on Sunday, the Broncos can become the third team ever with at least five sacks in five of its first seven games of a season, joining the 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 1986 Denver Broncos.
Denver has a +24-sack differential in their first six games (30 sacks, six sacks allowed) this season and can surpass the 1969 Los Angeles Rams (+26) for the best sack differential by a team in its first seven games of a season in NFL history.
The teams with the largest sack differential in its first seven games of a season in NFL history:
| TEAM | SEASON | SACKS | SACKS ALLOWED | SACK DIFFERENTIAL |
| L.A. Rams | 1969 | 36 | 10 | +26 |
| Miami | 1989 | 25 | 0 | +25 |
| L.A. Rams | 1988 | 38 | 13 | +25 |
| Tampa Bay | 2000 | 35 | 11 | +24 |
| San Francisco | 1971 | 29 | 6 | +23 |
| Washington | 1987 | 30 | 7 | +23 |
| Denver | 2025 | 30 | 6 | +24* |
| *in team’s first six games | ||||
PATRICK MAHOMES
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes totaled four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) with a 132.2 rating in the Chiefs’ Week 6 win, his 92nd regular season win as a starting quarterback since 2017.
With a win against Las Vegas on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Mahomes – who turned 30 years old last month – can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (92 wins) for the most regular-season wins ever by a player under the age of 31.
On Sunday, Mahomes can become the fourth player all-time with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in 60 games in his first nine career seasons, joining Russell Wilson (74 games), Dak Prescott (63) and Matt Ryan (61).
The players with the most games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in their first nine seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 74 |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 63 |
| Matt Ryan | Atlanta | 61 |
| Jared Goff | L.A. Rams, Detroit | 59 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 59* |
| *in ninth season | ||
AARON RODGERS
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers has 1,021 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and a 105.4 rating in his first five starts this season. He enters Week 7 with 63,973 career regular season passing yards, the sixth-most in NFL history.
On Thursday Night Football at Cincinnati (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Rodgers needs 116 passing yards to surpass Ben Roethlisberger (64,088 passing yards) for the fifth-most regular season passing yards all-time. .
The players with the most regular-season passing yards in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | PASSING YARDS |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 89,214 |
| Drew Brees | San Diego Chargers, New Orleans | 80,358 |
| Peyton Manning HOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 71,940 |
| Brett Favre HOF | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota | 71,838 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 64,088 |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Pittsburgh | 63,973* |
| *active | ||
DRAKE MAYE
New England quarterback Drake Maye has recorded at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in five consecutive games, including each of the Patriots’ three road games this season.
On Sunday at Tennessee (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Maye can become the third quarterback under the age of 24 with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his first four road starts of a season in NFL history, joining Dak Prescott (first six road starts in 2016 with Dallas) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (first five road starts in 1984 with Miami).
With at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in Week 7, Maye can become the third player under the age of 24 to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in six consecutive games in NFL history, joining Patrick Mahomes (seven consecutive games in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (six games in 1984).
The players under the age of 24 with at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in the most consecutive games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON(S) | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 2018 | 7 |
| Dan Marino HOF | Miami | 1984 | 6 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 2018-19 | 5 |
| Drake Maye | New England | 2025 | 5* |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 2016 | 5 |
| *active streak | |||
SAM DARNOLD
In his first three home starts with Seattle, quarterback Sam Darnold has 709 passing yards and six touchdown passes for a 127.0 passer rating.
On Monday night against Houston (10 p.m. ET, ESPN), Darnold can record the highest passer rating by a player in his first four home games with a team in NFL history, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (129.1 rating with St. Louis Rams).
The players with the highest passer rating in their first four home starts with a team in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PASSER RATING |
| Kurt Warner HOF | St. Louis Rams | 129.1 |
| Ryan Tannehill | Tennessee | 127.7 |
| Dave Krieg | Detroit | 125.5 |
| Matt Ryan | Atlanta | 125.2 |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco | 124.9 |
| Sam Darnold | Seattle | 127.0* |
| *in first three home starts | ||
DAK PRESCOTT & GEORGE PICKENS
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, since Week 4, has at least three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in three consecutive games.
On Sunday against Washington (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Prescott can become the third player in NFL history with at least three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in four consecutive games, joining Russell Wilson (five consecutive games in 2015 with Seattle) and Andrew Luck (four consecutive games in 2018 with Indianapolis).
Additionally, with three touchdown passes, Prescott can become the sixth player all-time with at least three touchdown passes in 40 games in his first 10 career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (48 games) and Dan Marino (48) as well as Patrick Mahomes (44, in ninth season), Aaron Rodgers (43) and Russell Wilson (41).
Dallas wide receiver George Pickens is tied for first in the NFL with six touchdown receptions , including a touchdown catch in each of his past five games.
In Week 7, Pickens can become the fifth player in the Super Bowl era with a touchdown reception in six of his first seven games with a team, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss (with New England) and Terrell Owens (with Philadelphia) as well as Donte’ Stallworth (with New Orleans) and Wes Welker (with Denver).
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey leads all running backs with 46 receptions and 444 receiving yards this season and became the first running back in NFL history with at least 50 receiving yards in each of his team’s first six games of a season
On Sunday night against Atlanta (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), McCaffrey can become the fifth running back all-time with at least 50 receptions and 500 receiving yards in six career seasons, joining Larry Centers (eight seasons), Tiki Barber (six), Keith Byars (six) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (six).
Since entering the NFL in 2017, McCaffrey has recorded at least 50 receiving yards in 46 games. With 50 receiving yards on Sunday night, he can tie Ronnie Harmon (47 games) for the third-most games with at least 50 receiving yards by a running back in the Super Bowl era. Only Larry Centers (55 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (50) have more.
The running backs with the most games with at least 50 receiving yards in the Super Bowl era:
| PLAYER | TEAMS | GAMES |
| Larry Centers | Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo, Washington | 55 |
| Marshall Faulk HOF | Indianapolis, St. Louis Rams | 50 |
| Ronnie Harmon | Buffalo, San Diego Chargers, Houston/Tennessee Oilers | 47 |
| Keith Byars | Philadelphia, Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets | 46 |
| Christian McCaffrey | Carolina, San Francisco | 46 |
BIJAN ROBINSON
Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson leads the NFL with 822 scrimmage yards this season, the fourth-most by a player in his team’s first five games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
On Sunday Night Football at San Francisco (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), Robinson can move into the top five for the most scrimmage yards by a player in his team’s first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
The players with the most scrimmage yards in their team’s first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | SCRIMMAGE YARDS |
| Marshall Faulk HOF | St. Louis Rams | 2000 | 1,083 |
| Tiki Barber | N.Y. Giants | 2004 | 989 |
| Priest Holmes | Kansas City | 2002 | 962 |
| O.J. Simpson HOF | Buffalo | 1975 | 942 |
| DeMarco Murray | Dallas | 2014 | 940 |
| Bijan Robinson | Atlanta | 2025 | 822* |
| *in team’s first five games | |||
JOSH JACOBS
Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs totaled 157 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 4 and 150 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 6.
On Sunday at Arizona (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Jacobs can become the fourth player ever with at least 150 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games within a single season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (four consecutive games in 2006 with the San Diego Chargers), Chris Johnson (three in 2009 with Tennessee) and Ricky Williams (three in 2002 with Miami).
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
Since entering the NFL in 2020, Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads all players with 7,881 receiving yards and ranks tied for fourth with 524 receptions.
With 119 receiving yards against Philadelphia on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Jefferson can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (8,375 receiving yards) and Torry Holt (8,156) as the only players with at least 8,000 receiving yards in their first six seasons in NFL history.
With five receptions in Week 7, Jefferson can surpass DeAndre Hopkins (528 receptions) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Jarvis Landry (564 receptions) has more.
The players with the most receptions in their first six seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RECEPTIONS |
| Jarvis Landry | Miami, Cleveland | 564 |
| DeAndre Hopkins | Houston | 528 |
| Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | 526 |
| Michael Thomas | New Orleans | 526 |
| Randy Moss | Minnesota | 525 |
| Justin Jefferson | Minnesota | 524* |
| *in sixth season | ||
TREY MCBRIDE
Arizona tight end Trey McBride ranks second among tight ends with 37 receptions this season.
Since entering the NFL in 2022, McBride ranks second among tight ends with 258 receptions and with eight receptions against Green Bay on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (265 receptions) for the second-most receptions by a tight end in his first four seasons in NFL history. Only Jimmy Graham (301 receptions) has more.
The tight ends with the most receptions in their first four seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | RECEPTIONS |
| Jimmy Graham | New Orleans | 301 |
| Antonio Gates HOF | San Diego Chargers | 265 |
| George Kittle | San Francisco | 264 |
| Mark Andrews | Baltimore | 263 |
| Tony Gonzalez HOF | Kansas City | 261 |
| Trey McBride | Arizona | 258* |
| *in fourth season | ||
AFC NORTH RIVALRY BETWEEN STEELERS AND BENGALS TAKES ON A TOUCH OF GRAY WITH RODGERS FACING FLACCO
Joe Flacco was asked during the preseason about continuing to play at 40 years old.
However, Flacco is a youngster compared to his counterpart, 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers.
Thursday night’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals will mark only the third regular-season game between 40-year-old starting quarterbacks.
New Orleans’ Drew Brees won both regular-season games against Tampa Bay and Tom Brady in 2020. But Brady sent Brees into retirement when the Buccaneers beat the Saints in an NFC divisional round game.
“Yeah, it’s one thing you guys can’t talk about this week in terms of me being older, at least, but it’s pretty neat,” Flacco said. “I’ve been in a locker room my whole life, so, you know, age isn’t something that I think about. I just view myself as one of those 20-something-year-olds in the locker room. So, it’s not something I really think about, but I think one day, when you look back on it, it’s just one of those things that’ll be pretty cool to be able to have a matchup like this.”
At the beginning of the season, Flacco thought this matchup would happen when the Browns faced the Steelers last Sunday. Flacco was replaced as Cleveland’s starter after four games and then traded to Cincinnati last Tuesday, which stunned most people, including Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
With Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sidelined until at least mid-December after toe surgery on Sept. 19, many expected them to make a move after Jake Browning was ineffective in his three starts. Few expected it to come from a division rival.
“(Browns general manager) Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us, because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings,” Tomlin said on Monday.
This will be the fourth matchup between Rodgers and Flacco. Rodgers has won the previous three.
“I think it’s great for all the old guys. I know that when I watch other sports, maybe it’s because I’m the older guy, but I tend to pull for the older guys to win,” Rodgers said. “I’ve known Joe for a long time. He’s been great coming to my charity event. He’s had a great career, and it’s fun that we’re both still playing.”
Rodgers has helped lead the Steelers to a 4-1 start and first place in the AFC North. He is second in the AFC with a 105.4 passer rating, along with 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
A key to Rodgers’ success this season is that his average time to throw is 2.57 seconds, second quickest in the league and his quickest since at least 2016. He has completed 81.1% of his attempts on passes under 2.5 seconds and is averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, which is second best.
He will be facing a Bengals defense that allows a league-high 7.7 yards per attempt on quick passes and eight touchdowns, second most.
Flacco hasn’t had much practice time with the Bengals, but he has developed a quick rapport with star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers in his Cincinnati debut, but most of that came in the second half after Cincinnati fell behind 10-0 at halftime.
Flacco and the Bengals (2-4) will try to snap a four-game losing streak and stay within striking distance of the Steelers. Flacco has faced the Steelers 25 times in his career, including the playoffs, with 24 starts.
“He knows their style of play. He knows their level of aggression on defense and played against most of their guys over there,” coach Zac Taylor said. “Obviously, he’s played them more than anybody has in this league that is currently playing, so I think he’s got a great sense of what it takes to win.”
Quick start needed
Cincinnati is hoping to get off to a better start. It has been outscored 79-9 in the first half during the four-game skid and is one of three teams without a first- or second-quarter touchdown in that span.
“You’ve got to be willing and ready to just play the patient game as well. I think we’ve got to be efficient on early downs. And I think if we do that, then we’ll give ourselves a chance to be successful early on in the football game,” Flacco said.
Going big
The Steelers gave their secondary a makeover in the offseason, with all moves designed to help them match up better against Cincinnati’s dynamic tandem of Chase and Higgins.
Donte Jackson (5-foot-10), Damontae Kazee (5-11) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (6-1) are gone. Jalen Ramsey (6-1), Juan Thornhill (6-0) and Darius Slay (6-0) joined Joey Porter Jr. (6-2) to give Pittsburgh a physical and veteran defensive backfield the team believes is better suited to take on maybe the best wide receiver duo in the league, no matter who the quarterback is.
“You’d better have some corners taller than me if you’re dealing with the likes of Tee Higgins and people like that,” said the 5-foot-11ish Tomlin, who was a wide receiver during his college days at William & Mary.
Chase and Higgins have been a problem for the Steelers throughout their careers, combining for 78 catches for 1,194 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 appearances against Pittsburgh.
Thursday road woes
No team has played on Thursday nights (Thanksgiving Day excluded) more often than the Steelers since the league began playing on Thursdays semi-regularly in 1980.
And no team over the past 15 years has lost more Thursday night road games than Pittsburgh, which is 1-9 on Thursdays since 2009. That includes a 0-6 mark against AFC North opponents Baltimore and Cleveland. This will be the first Thursday meeting between the Bengals and Steelers in Cincinnati, and the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach doesn’t appear to be lingering on his team’s Thursday night road shortcomings.
“I’m only concerned about 2025,” he said. “I got my (butt) kicked in a lot of ways over the last 19 years.”
AFC NORTH LEADER PITTSBURGH TRAVELS TO REELING CINCINNATI FOR THURSDAY NIGHT MATCHUP
Pittsburgh (4-1) at Cincinnati (2-4)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video.
BetMGM line: Steelers by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Steelers 3-2; Bengals 2-4
Series record: Steelers lead 71-40.
Last meeting: Bengals won 19-17 in Pittsburgh on Jan. 4.
Last week: Steelers beat Browns 23-9; Bengals lost at Packers 27-18
Steelers offense: overall (29), rush (29), pass (25), scoring (14)
Steelers defense: overall (25), rush (16), pass (27), scoring (16)
Bengals offense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (30), scoring (29t)
Bengals defense: overall (31), rush (28), pass (31), scoring (30)
Turnover differential: Steelers plus-7; Bengals minus-4.
Steelers player to watch
OLB Nick Herbig. The 2023 fourth-round pick is blossoming in his third season. Thrust in a larger role after Alex Highsmith went down with an ankle injury in Week 2, Herbig has 4 1/2 sacks over his past three games and forced his way into more playing time even with Highsmith back healthy. While Herbig is a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, he makes up for it with speed off the edge and an ability to get into the opposing backfield with frequency.
Bengals player to watch
QB Joe Flacco. After being traded from Cleveland last Tuesday, Flacco passed for 219 yards with two touchdowns and a 90 passer rating in his Bengals debut. Flacco has 5,028 passing yards against the Steelers, his most against any opponent. He had a pair of TD passes and a 105.9 rating in a victory against Pittsburgh last season while he was with the Indianapolis Colts.
Key matchup
Steelers OLB T.J. Watt versus Bengals offensive line. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Watt has faced a league-high 68 chip blocks this season. However, he has the most pressures (eight) and is tied for the most sacks (two) when chip blocked. Cincinnati’s offensive line has chip blocked 84 times this season, eighth most in the league.
Key injuries
Steelers: WR Calvin Austin III (shoulder) is likely to miss his second straight game and special teams ace Miles Killebrew is out with a knee injury.
Bengals: DE Shemar Stewart (ankle) has been sidelined the past three games but coach Zac Taylor says there is a possibility the first-round pick could be back this week. … TE Mike Gesicki (pectoral) was placed on injured reserve … DE Trey Hendrickson (back bruise) and WR Charlie Jones (ribs) are questionable. TE Tanner Hudson is in the concussion protocol.
Series notes
The teams split the season series last season with the road team winning each time. Pittsburgh has won four of the past six after Cincinnati swept the season series in 2021. This is the third time, and first since 2008, that the teams are facing each other in a Thursday night game. The previous two were in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have a 9-6 edge in prime-time matchups. Mike Tomlin has a 27-10 record against the Bengals, including a playoff win in 2015, while Taylor is 5-7 when facing the Steelers.
Stats and stuff
The Steelers can take firm control of the AFC North with a victory, though Thursday nights have been a problem through the years, particularly on the road. Pittsburgh is 1-9 in its past 10 Thursday night contests when forced to travel, including an 0-6 mark against AFC North opponents over that span. … Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers has been far more successful on Thursdays, throwing 42 touchdowns against five interceptions while going 13-5 on Thursday nights during his 21-year career. His 13 victories on Thursdays are second most by a QB in NFL history, one behind Tom Brady’s record of 14. … Rodgers is 116 yards shy of passing Ben Roethlisberger for fifth in passing yards in NFL history. Rodgers is at 63,973. Roethlisberger threw for 64,088 yards during his 18-year career with the Steelers. … Pittsburgh WR DK Metcalf’s 18.7 yards per reception leads the NFL among qualified receivers. Metcalf also has a touchdown catch in four straight games. … Pittsburgh’s offense isn’t piling up eye-popping totals but has taken advantage of its opportunities inside the red zone. The Steelers have turned 71% of their red zone possessions into touchdown, tied for sixth best in the league. … The Steelers’ new-look offensive line has stayed healthy and taken several steps forward since the opener. Pittsburgh has allowed just one sack over its past three games, including none last week against Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns. … The Steelers have a plus-34 turnover margin since the start of 2023, tops in the NFL. Pittsburgh is plus-7 on turnovers this season and has given the ball away just three times through five games. Only Tampa Bay and Kansas City have fewer. … The Steelers are 11-11 against Flacco and sacked him 58 times, the most any opponent has taken down Flacco in his well-traveled career. … Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell has been near automatic against Cincinnati in his 10-year career. Boswell has converted 45 of 48 field-goal opportunities and made all 38 of his extra points when facing the Bengals. … This is the third time in Zac Taylor’s seven seasons as coach the Bengals have had a losing streak of at least four games. … The Bengals have been outscored 140-55 during their four-game skid. … Cincinnati has a 10-9 record in Thursday night games, including 7-2 at home. … The Bengals will wear their all-white combination, including white helmets. They have a 4-1 mark with that look. … The offense has scored 10 touchdowns in 13 red zone trips. The 76.9% rate leads the AFC. … WR Tee Higgins has six straight home games with a TD. … OT Orlando Brown Jr. has allowed 4 1/2 sacks. … DE Trey Hendrickson had 3 1/2 sacks in the previous meeting against Pittsburgh. … LB Demetrius Knight is third among NFL rookies in tackles with 46. … S Jordan Battle has 29 run tackles, most among defensive backs in the league. … Cincinnati has a 16.4% blitz rate, second lowest in the league.
Fantasy tip
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase had 10 catches for 94 yards and his 50th career TD last week. He has 13 games with double-digit catches, second most by a player in his first five seasons. Chase needs 107 yards to reach 6,000 in his career.
JAGUARS PLAN TO MAKE ROOKIE TRAVIS HUNTER THE NO. 1 TARGET ‘MORE OFTEN’ BEGINNING IN LONDON
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a plan that could reduce Brian Thomas Jr.’s drops: throw more to two-way rookie Travis Hunter.
Coach Liam Coen said Wednesday the Jaguars (4-2) would like to get Hunter more involved beginning Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams (4-2) at Wembley Stadium in London.
“Our job as an offensive staff is to make sure we’re putting him in the progression and putting him in the position to be (target) No. 1 a little bit more often in some ways,” Coen said.
Jacksonville’s passing attack was designed to play through Thomas, who caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie last season. But the former LSU standout has dropped six passes this season and short-armed at least three more attempts thrown over the middle.
Thomas has talent, no doubt, and the Jaguars are trying to help him work through whatever issues he’s dealing with that could be causing his inconsistency and hesitancy.
He set up go-ahead touchdowns with long receptions in wins against Houston and Kansas City. But he had crucial drops late in losses to Cincinnati and Seattle.
Hunter, meanwhile, has played primarily in the slot in three-receiver sets. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado, the second overall draft pick in the NFL draft, has a knack for making tough catches and making defenders miss when he has the ball in his hands.
“I’ve just got to continue to be consistent for the quarterback and for the coaches so they can trust me more,” said Hunter, who is making his first visit to London.
He has 20 receptions for 197 yards while playing 63% of the team’s offensive snaps. He made a leaping catch between two defenders against Kansas City and an equally impressive one against Houston two weeks earlier. He was targeted twice more on plays that looked as if they would be touchdowns before defenders turned them into interceptions.
“When he is the primary, we’ve got to throw and catch,” Coen said. “We’ve got to make sure that we identify it, find him, be able to be at the right spot at the right time. … I think it’s a combination of a lot of those things that ultimately can all be controlled.”
Finding the right usage for Hunter has been a challenge all season, especially with him splitting time between offense and defense. But the Jaguars agree that getting him more chances on offense is a much-needed next step.
“Sometimes we might not give him as many touches as we wanted to or we planned to, and the game just unfolds a little bit differently,” quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “That’s just football.
“But it’s definitely something that we are consistently trying to do because I think we’ve all seen how special he is when he gets the opportunities downfield or just catches the ball underneath and can make people miss and turn those 5-yard passes into 25-yard gains because he’s so good with the ball in his hands.”
CHIEFS’ OFFENSE GETS A BOOST AS RASHEE RICE RETURNS FROM SUSPENSION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will finally get to see what their offense looks like when Rashee Rice joins fellow wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown on the field for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Rice returned to practice Wednesday after his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a punishment that was handed down for causing a high-speed wreck on a Dallas highway in March 2024 that injured several people.
He rejoins an offense that just scored 30 points on the Detroit Lions last week and is starting to find its swagger again.
“He’s going to want to be out there every single play. That’s the mentality he has,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “It’s going to be our job as coaches and teammates to build him back the right way, but it’s going to be hard to keep him off the field.”
That’s a good problem given how long the Chiefs have waited to get their top three wide receivers on the field together.
It was the vision of Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid going back more than a year, when they signed Brown in free agency and drafted Worthy in the first round. But the plan went amiss almost from the start, when Brown hurt his shoulder on the first play of preseason — last preseason — and it kept him out until December.
By that time, Rice had torn ligaments in his knee, sidelining him the rest of the season. The freak injury occurred when Mahomes threw an interception and was trying to make a tackle, and instead collided with his wide receiver’s right knee.
After undergoing surgery, Rice managed to get back on the field for the Chiefs’ offseason program, and he was able to take part in training camp. But then the NFL handed down its suspension, keeping Rice away from the team for the first six weeks.
Worthy hurt his shoulder in the season opener, causing him to miss a couple of games as well.
Now, all three of the wide receivers are healthy and available, and it seems the biggest question is whether there are enough opportunities to go around. The Chiefs also have gotten good production from JuJu Smith-Schuster, and tight end Travis Kelce has had a resurgent season after spending the past eight months getting into better shape.
“Everybody eats,” Worthy said with a smile, pointing out that Rice’s return also means “more eyes going to somebody else.”
“I feel like everybody in this offense can make a play or go win one on one. It’s another explosive guy,” Worthy added.
Rice brings a different look to the offense than Brown or Worthy. He has the size and physicality to catch passes near the line of scrimmage and make yards after contact. It’s a similar set of skills to Smith-Schuster, though Rice is younger and faster.
“Listen, I think he’s excited to be back in and going,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who declined to say whether he’d have any snap count on Rice in his first game back. “You know, I think getting through practices here will be good for him to get back in the swing of things. We’ll see how everything goes from there. He’s been working hard. He’s in good shape.”
While the Chiefs expect to have their full complement of wide receivers, they could be without left tackle Josh Simmons for the second consecutive game. He was a late scratch from last week’s win over Detroit with what the team called “personal reasons,” and Reid declined to address his status when asked about it multiple times Wednesday.
“Veach is handling everything there,” Reid said. “We’ll leave it at that.”
Simmons’ absence means Jaylon Moore is expected to start again at left tackle. He signed a two-year, $30 million deal in free agency with the expectation of starting before the Chiefs drafted Simmons in the first round. Now, he is getting his chance.
“He’s a competitive kid,” Reid said. “He did come here to step in, and he’s always ready. He practices a third of the practices because (offensive line coach) Andy (Heck) rotates him in there. I thought he did a nice job the other night. He played well. We have a lot of trust in him. Most of all, the guys around him have a lot of trust in him.”
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JOEY AGUILAR PROVING TO BE ALL NO. 11 TENNESSEE COULD HAVE WANTED FROM TRANSFER PORTAL
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Joey Aguilar stayed on the ground after a long run and the Tennessee fans held their breath until he sat up.
Then they started chanting “Joey! Joey!”
The quarterback who came through the transfer portal from Appalachian State via a short detour to UCLA has been everything they could have wanted. Aguilar quickly picked up the offense, which is humming at coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo pace as the No. 11 Vols go into Saturday’s showdown at sixth-ranked Alabama.
Heupel, who won a national title and was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy playing quarterback for Oklahoma in 2000, said Wednesday that Aguilar came in humble and ready to compete and worked to earn the trust of his new teammates after arriving in mid-May. Aguilar’s experience helped.
“He’s handled it at a really high level,” Heupel said. “Certainly, a lot more comfortable than when we first started.”
Heupel likes Aguilar’s work ethic, aggressiveness and how the quarterback remains even-keeled from series to series.
“What I love about him, whether it’s a good play, bad play, good series, bad series — same demeanor coming off on the sideline,” Heupel said.
Aguilar threw for 221 yards and a touchdown and ran for 59 yards in last week’s 34-31 win over Arkansas. But it was the way he ran that had Heupel and more than 100,000 fans on the edge of their seats.
On one run, Aguilar crashed into the communication system on the Razorbacks’ sideline, cutting off headset communications for the rest of the game. Late in the game, Aguilar finished a 28-yard sprint up the middle of the field and came down with the football stuck in his midsection.
“That ball was deep in my stomach,” said Aguilar, who was able to smile recalling the moment an hour later. “That took the air out of me, for sure.”
Heupel appreciated the run to help seal the win: “I want him to get down once the play is over.”
That isn’t how the 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback is wired. This is the same person who thought about leaving football behind and becoming a firefighter. In 2020, his junior college season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic and he had no Division I offers.
He started at City College of San Francisco, Diablo Valley College and then Appalachian State for two years before trying to use his last year of eligibility at UCLA. When Nico Iamaleava left the Vols for the Bruins in April, Aguilar completed the “trade” by signing with Tennessee as a graduate transfer.
Aguilar is off to a strong start. He has completed 64.8% of his passes (118 of 182) for 1,680 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has been intercepted five times, an area of concern coming into the season after he was picked off 14 times last season. He also has run for 117 yards and two more scores.
He ranks 12th in the country averaging 280 yards passing per game, just ahead of Alabama’s Ty Simpson (279.67). Tennessee also leads the nation in scoring with 48.2 points a game.
At least one opposing coach, fired last weekend, thought Tennessee won the portal quarterback flip-flop.
“(Aguilar) is playing better than (Iamaleava), significantly better,” said Trent Dilfer, a former NFL quarterback before his Alabama-Birmingham team lost to the Vols. “He makes quicker decisions. Sees the field a lot better. Has played a lot better football. Is tremendously accurate when he’s comfortable.”
Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) goes to Tuscaloosa having won two of the last three against Alabama (5-1, 3-0) in the rivalry nicknamed the Third Saturday in October. This game will impact the College Football Playoff path for both teams and the Heisman Trophy odds.
On paper, Aguilar faces a stingy Alabama defense with the Crimson Tide allowing only 136.5 yards passing per game, which ranks third in the country. Simpson will be throwing against a Tennessee defense giving up 257.8 yards passing per game — last in the Southeastern Conference and 121st nationally.
“Joey’s path was Joey’s path,” Heupel said. “He’s continued to grow, get better and is doing a great job for us.”
ALABAMA RB JAM MILLER (CONCUSSION) QUESTIONABLE VS. TENNESSEE
Alabama running back Jam Miller is in concussion protocol and is questionable for Saturday night’s Southeastern Conference showdown between the No. 6 Crimson Tide and No. 11 Tennessee in Tuscaloosa.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed Wednesday that Miller sustained the injury late in last weekend’s 27-24 win at then-No. 14 Missouri.
Miller has rushed 58 times for 267 yards and one touchdown in three games this season. The senior was sidelined for Alabama’s first three games after breaking his collarbone during fall camp.
Over four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Miller has gained 1,638 yards from scrimmage with 13 touchdowns in 43 games.
If Miller can’t go, Kevin Riley (183 yards) and AK Dear (85 yards) likely will see more action when Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC) and Tennessee (5-1, 2-1) meet.
FLORIDA STATE EAGER TO HALT SLIDE IN ENCOUNTER VS. STANFORD
The good vibes of Florida State’s season-opening upset of Alabama and 3-0 start are gone.
The Seminoles (3-3, 0-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) will look to snap a three-game losing streak on Saturday night when they travel to Northern California to meet Stanford.
Florida State’s latest setback came last weekend at home vs. Pitt as a 10 1/2-point favorite.
“We had a lot of missed opportunities in that game,” Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said.
With the 34-31 defeat, Florida State has lost eight straight ACC games and is 1-10 in conference play since the start of last season.
Stanford (2-4, 1-2) will look to extend that streak on Saturday night in an unusual ACC game that will be a first-time matchup for these programs.
Since beating Boston College on Sept. 13, the Cardinal have lost their last two ACC games, at Virginia and at SMU, by a combined score of 82-30.
Saturday’s 34-10 loss at the Mustangs, though, was closer than the final score indicated. Three plays after the Cardinal had a touchdown nullified with 6:52 remaining due to a penalty, Ben Gulbranson had a pass intercepted and returned 96 yards for a touchdown.
It was an untimely moment for Gulbranson’s first interception since Sept. 6. After he threw no touchdown passes and three interceptions in Stanford’s first two games, he had six scoring strikes without a pick before this misstep.
“I didn’t get on the plane thinking, ‘Wow, that team’s a lot better than us,’” Stanford interim coach Frank Reich said. “… There’s still a lot that needs to happen, but if we can somehow get a touchdown there and get it to a one-score game, I’m feeling like momentum is on our side and this thing is about to get interesting.”
Florida State’s defense added two interceptions vs. Pitt to bring its season tally to eight, second most in the ACC. However, the Seminoles also allowed a season-high 321 passing yards against the Panthers.
After a strong start, Florida State has allowed eight TD passes in its last three games. The Seminoles’ defense ranks 13th (out of 17) in the ACC with 11 passing TDs allowed and is tied for 11th in yards per pass attempt allowed (7.4).
NO. 19 USF PUTS HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSE ON LINE VS. POTENT FLORIDA ATLANTIC
No. 19 South Florida is riding high after a dominant win over previously undefeated North Texas a week ago.
As the Bulls prepare for their homecoming game against Florida Atlantic, the Owls and their high-flying offense will look to spoil the party when the American Conference foes meet Saturday night in Tampa, Fla.
South Florida (5-1, 2-0) was tested last week when it visited the Mean Green. After being down 21-14 with six minutes left in the first half, the Bulls rattled off four touchdowns in a row to blow the game open before winning 63-36.
The Bulls moved up five spots in the AP poll after their commanding second-half performance, good for their highest ranking since the 2017 season. The win over North Texas also helped improve their case to be awarded as the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff.
Despite all of the early-season success and the new-found expectations for the team, Bulls coach Alex Golesh is reiterating to his players to just keep trudging ahead against Florida Atlantic (3-3, 2-1).
“I’m so big on being process-driven in what you do because then you don’t gauge opponents, you don’t gauge situations, you just put your head down and you work,” Golesh said Tuesday. “We don’t have to do anything extraordinary, we just have got to do the little things better than everybody else, and if we continue to strive to do that, we’ll continue to get better.”
The Bulls are led under center by Byrum Brown, who leads the team in both passing and rushing yards. Brown has put up 1,439 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air and 364 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Brown, in his fourth year with the Bulls, was benched during his team’s last meeting with Florida Atlantic in 2023. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown and added 46 yards rushing.
“One of their big strengths, especially offensively, is continuity. Coach Golesh has been there for three years now, his quarterback’s been with him for three years now. I don’t think people really understand what kind of impact that makes on a football program,” Florida Atlantic coach Zach Kittley said. “That’s just their strength overall, just some continuity and leadership at the quarterback position.”
While Brown is having a productive resurgence with South Florida, it’s a newcomer for Florida Atlantic who is giving it hope heading into this weekend’s game.
Caden Veltkamp, a transfer from Western Kentucky, quietly is having a productive season for the Owls. He leads the American Conference in completions (165), passing yards (1,781), passing touchdowns (14) and has led Florida Atlantic to the fourth-best passing offense in the country at an average of 322.8 yards per game.
The Owls also are coming off of a high-scoring affair, dropping 53 points and nearly 500 total yards on UAB in a 20-point win last week. Florida Atlantic will have to put it all together against a top-tier opponent this weekend, something the Owls have yet to do.
“We have a tough schedule … if you play in the American Conference, you have a tough schedule regardless,” Kittley said. “It’s tough every week.”
This will be just the seventh time these two teams have faced off, with South Florida leading the series 4-2. Florida Atlantic has won two of the last three meetings.
JAYDEN MAIAVA, NO. 20 USC BRACE FOR NO. 13 NOTRE DAME
Coach Lincoln Riley and No. 20 Southern California had little time to enjoy their big win over Michigan last week.
That is because the Trojans’ next test might be even tougher.
Southern California (5-1) will look to knock off a ranked opponent for the second week in a row when it faces No. 13 Notre Dame (4-2) on Saturday evening in South Bend, Ind.
Riley said his players could not get comfortable after rolling to a 31-13 win at home over then-No. 15 Michigan. Jayden Maiava passed for 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Trojans, and King Miller rushed for 158 yards and a score.
“Now, it’s on to the next,” Riley said. “When you play our schedule, there’s not too much time to celebrate. We know we’ve got another big football game coming up.”
The Trojans will play a Notre Dame squad that has won four straight contests after dropping its first two games of the season. The Fighting Irish allowed 98 points in their first three games combined, but they have allowed only 27 total points in their past three.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said the key to continued success will be physicality.
“This game’s going to be about velocity,” Freeman said. “I often say, ‘We got to get bloody.’ It’s got to be that type of mindset. This (has) got to be a physical, bloody game that isn’t about, ‘How can we outsmart them?’ This is going to be, ‘How do we outphysical this group, and how do we play with that mindset to win this game?’”
Maiava has passed for 1,852 yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions for Southern California. His top target is Makai Lemon, a highly touted NFL prospect who has caught 44 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns.
Notre Dame is led on offense by CJ Carr, who has passed for 1,622 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. The Fighting Irish feature a one-two punch in the backfield with Jeremiyah Love (530 rushing yards, eight TDs) and Jadarian Price (422 rushing yards, seven TDs).
This will be the 95th all-time meeting between the programs. Notre Dame leads the series 52-37-5, including a 29-13-2 advantage at home.
The teams met last season, with Notre Dame holding on for a 49-35 win on Nov. 30 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Price (111 rushing yards, 1 TD) and Love (99 rushing yards, 1 TD) led the Fighting Irish, and Lemon caught nine passes for 133 yards for Southern California.
Notre Dame knows it again will be a challenge to stop Lemon. The main reason: Lemon’s versatility in how he can beat a defense.
“You want to play zone, he’ll find a way to find open space,” Freeman said. “If you want to get on-body, what we call it, he can run by you. He can make you miss. He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s got great ball skills. There’s not a simple answer or solution to defending him.”
MARYLAND EAGER TO TURN THINGS AROUND AT RESURGENT UCLA
After challenging UCLA not to be a “one-hit wonder,” Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper shifts his team’s focus to a third straight win when it hosts Maryland on Saturday in Pasadena, Calif.
UCLA (2-4, 2-1 Big Ten) resurrected its season from an 0-4 start, winning the last two under Skipper’s direction. Skipper was tasked with replacing DeShaun Foster, fired after a 35-10 loss at home to New Mexico in Week 3.
Following a 17-14 loss at Northwestern in Skipper’s first game as the interim head coach on Sept. 27, UCLA stunned Penn State in a 42-37 contest. Last week, the Bruins rolled at Michigan State, 38-13.
“When you’re taking over something and you’re no, everything you say is important,” Skipper said following Monday’s practice. “Each week presents different challenges. This week’s (theme) is the standard’s the standard and don’t get bored with success.”
Highlighting UCLA’s turnaround in recent weeks has been the play of quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He has not thrown an interception in the last three weeks after giving one up in each of the three prior games, and against Michigan State tossed a season-high three touchdowns.
Iamaleava faces a Maryland defense that leads the nation with 12 interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns. No single player has intercepted more than two passes, with the team’s dozen spread among nine different defenders.
The Terrapins (4-2, 1-2) picked off Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola three times, with Dontay Joyner returning one 67 yards for a score. Joyner, Jalen Huskey and La’khi Roland are Maryland’s three defenders with multiple interceptions.
The pick-six wasn’t enough for Maryland to hold off the Cornhuskers, however. The Terrapins surrendered a touchdown with 68 seconds remaining to fall 34-31.
The Terps are on the mirror-opposite trajectory of UCLA, having opened 4-0 but since losing two straight. Last week’s home setback vs. Nebraska followed a 24-20 home loss to Washington in which Maryland gave up three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
“A lot of reason for frustration for us the last couple of weeks, not being able to finish,” Terps coach Mike Locksley said on Tuesday. “But there’s also a lot of optimism in our program … because I know this team is different than any team I’ve had the chance to coach here.”
Locksley pointed to the Maryland offense having a narrow “margin for error.” Freshman quarterback Malik Washington has thrown 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions, but the Terps rank among the nation’s worst offenses in the run game with fewer than 100 yards per contest.
EFFECTIVE OFFENSES FACE TOP DEFENSES AS LOUISVILLE MEETS NO. 2 MIAMI
Louisville and second-ranked Miami have had their share of shootouts over the years. Both teams can still score, but the Friday matchup in Miami Gardens, Fla., also will feature the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top two defenses.
Since 2019, the teams have combined to score 326 points in their past four meetings, including a 52-45 victory by Miami last season in Louisville. Entering Friday, the Cardinals (4-1, 1-1 ACC) are scoring 36 points a game, one more than the Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0).
Those offenses will be tested. The Cardinals have the nation’s 12th-best defense and lead the conference, yielding just 262 yards per game. Right behind them in the ACC are the Hurricanes, whose 276.4 yards rank 16th nationally.
Louisville’s offense, however, has not been a smooth-running machine all season.
The Cardinals have turned the ball over at least once in each game, and quarterback Miller Moss has thrown pick-sixes in each of the past two games.
On top of that, a botched pitch to running back Isaac Brown led to a scoop-and-score by Virginia in Louisville’s last game two weeks ago. The two defensive scores were key to the Cavaliers beating the Cardinals 30-27 in overtime even though Virginia gained only 237 total yards.
Louisville also has a banged-up offensive backfield. As a result, a ground game considered a strength for the Cardinals entering the season has been limited to 107 yards on 61 carries through two conference games.
The backs now face a Miami defense that has held opponents to 87.4 yards a game, the 14th fewest nationally, and 2.8 yards per carry, tied for 12th best.
“We need to find ways to run the ball more effectively and be able to put some pressure on the defense that way, instead of having to throw the ball quite as much,” Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm said.
Still, Louisville has been able to put points on the board as Moss, a transfer from Southern California, has thrown for 984 yards on 90-of-131 passing over the past three games.
Injuries in the running game have set up more opportunities for receivers. Senior Chris Bell has set career highs in receptions and yards in back-to-back games, most recently catching 12 passes for 170 yards and two scores against Virginia. Caullin Lacy, who has punt-return touchdowns 75 and 93 yards, ranks second nationally with an average of 151.4 all-purpose yards per game.
If Brown can return to top form from a lower leg injury he has nursed for about a month, he also would provide big-play capabilities. He has scored three touchdowns, with the shortest of those going for 31 yards.
“They’ve got probably more of an abundance of proven playmakers on their football roster right now, and certainly, they find a way to get them the ball,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.
Miami, too, has a bevy of playmakers, including quarterback Carson Beck. The Georgia transfer, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, tops the ACC and ranks fifth nationally with a 73.4% completion rate. He has thrown for 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns with only three interceptions, but he is set to face the country’s eighth-best passing defense that is allowing just 150.4 yards per game.
Freshman receiver Malachi Toney is coming off his best game, a seven-catch, 107-yard, two-touchdown performance the last time the Hurricanes played, a 28-22 win at Florida State two weeks ago.
CINCINNATI EMERGES AS A BIG 12 CONTENDER WITH ITS 1ST AP POLL RANKING IN NEARLY 3 YEARS
CINCINNATI (AP) — In its third season in the Big 12, Cincinnati has the look of a Power Five program on and off the field.
The No. 24 Bearcats are on a five-game winning streak and ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in nearly three years. Besides the 5-1 record, they are tied with No. 7 Texas Tech and 15th-ranked BYU atop the conference at 3-0.
“I think we’ve played well all year. The key was bringing back the core nucleus of our team last year and adding a few pieces. It’s been a good gel, good mesh. The challenge is to keep doing that,” coach Scott Satterfield said in his office overlooking the field at the Sheakley Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center. The football program moved into the $134 million building in June.
It has been a steady climb for Cincinnati, which was the first non-Power Five team to make the College Football Playoff in 2021. Before this week, the last time the Bearcats were ranked was when it was No. 21 on Nov. 20, 2022.
The Bearcats joined the Big 12 in 2023 and went 3-9 and 1-8 in conference play. They started 5-2 last season before ending the year on a five-game losing streak. A win at Oklahoma State Saturday night would not surpass UC’s conference wins from last year; it would make them bowl eligible for the first time since 2022.
Rebuilding jobs have become Satterfield’s forte. He helped guide Appalachian State from the Football Championship Subdivision to FBS and then went to Louisville after struggles in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“I’ll say it’s hard and tiresome. But it is rewarding when you see the fruits of the labor,” Satterfield said. “We were not there the first year, and we gained on it the second year. One thing we’re most proud of here is that, despite the era of many people moving, we remain a highly connected team. You’re almost flipping rosters every year, but the hardest thing is staying connected.
“When things get tough — like we’ve had the last couple of weeks — where you get some adversity, if you got a team this tight and then you can see through all that, and I think that’s where we’re at.”
The Bearcats are led by quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who has passed for 1,448 yards and 14 TDs with one interception, along with five rushing scores. The junior leads the Big 12 with an average of 14.63 yards per completion.
The passing game was bolstered through the transfer portal. Cyrus Allen (Texas A&M/Louisiana Tech) leads the team in receptions (27) and touchdowns (five) while Caleb Goodie has a team-high 354 receiving yards.
Joe Royer, a first-team All-Big 12 selection last year, is the only tight end in the country with two receptions of at least 60 yards.
The Bearcats also have a strong rushing attack with fifth-year senior Evan Pryor and transfer Tawee Walker.
“We can go to the run game and have two different backs that can stretch the field horizontally and vertically, and then to go with that high-level pass game as well that can make the defense drop out and open up some run lanes, and then vice versa,” Sorsby said.
The defense, which features lineman Dontay “The Godfather” Corleone, has been solid. Corleone is one of five players from the 2021 CFP team still on Cincinnati’s roster.
The Bearcats showed their mettle in wins at Kansas and then-14th-ranked Iowa State.
UC had four touchdowns nullified due to penalties against the Jayhawks, but rallied for a 37-34 win on Walker’s 2-yard touchdown with 29 seconds remaining.
One week later, against the Cyclones, the Bearcats had 97 yards on three plays in one series wiped out by penalties. After punting, the Cincinnati defense got a turnover on downs when Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the UC 16. Three plays later, Sorsby connected with Goodie for an 82-yard touchdown to put the Bearcats up by 16 points.
Cincinnati has a favorable schedule the rest of the way. It doesn’t face Texas Tech or Arizona State. The two biggest tests will be at No. 23 Utah on Nov. 1 and then hosting BYU three weeks later.
Saturday night’s game should also show how far the Bearcats have come in two years. UC lost 45-13 to Oklahoma State in 2023.
“We’ve been able to build out our team the way we like, tough, gritty, hard-nosed players that play fast, that play physical,” Satterfield said. “You feel a lot better about going to Stillwater this year than you did two years ago, with what we have on that plane that we’re going to be taking over there.
“Believing is something that is hard to get, but you get that through hard work, through adversity, all the things that we’ve gone through the last two years. We love this team and our guys, and we’ve been saying this since media days. It’s a different team with a different mindset.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 8: NO. 5 MISSISSIPPI-NO. 9 GEORGIA TOPS LIST OF FIVE TOP 25 MATCHUPS
This is one of those weekends when college football fans must be judicious allotting time for yardwork or running errands.
Their best option might be to plop down in front of their screens and take in a Week 8 schedule highlighted by a season-high five matchups of Associated Press Top 25 teams on Saturday.
The day starts with No. 10 LSU visiting No. 17 Vanderbilt and No. 5 Mississippi playing at No. 9 Georgia. In prime time, No. 11 Tennessee is at No. 6 Alabama, No. 20 Southern California visits No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 23 Utah makes the short trip to No. 15 BYU.
Two ranked teams are in action Friday night, with a one-loss Louisville going to No. 2 Miami and No. 25 Nebraska playing at Minnesota.
There are a couple of sneaky-good games, too: No. 12 Georgia Tech, which has lived on the edge while starting 6-0, plays on the road against a Duke team that’s won three straight since a 1-2 start. No. 7 Texas Tech visits defending Big 12 champion Arizona State, which is in desperation mode after getting blown out at Utah. Both teams’ quarterbacks are battling injuries.
Best game
No. 5 Mississippi (6-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 9 Georgia (5-1, 3-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Funny thing about this top-10 matchup is there’s an aura around both teams that something’s a bit off.
Mississippi, nearly a five-touchdown favorite at home against middling Washington State last week, was lethargic and didn’t secure its 24-21 win until it held off the Cougars on the game’s final series.
Georgia won 20-10 at Auburn in a game that easily could have gone the other way had officials ruled Tigers QB Jackson Arnold scored a touchdown rather than fumbled at the goal line late in the first half. The Bulldogs have trailed at the half in three of their four SEC games.
Under the radar
UNLV (6-0, 2-0 MWC) at Boise State (4-2, 2-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
The Rebels have been trying to knock Boise State off the summit of the Mountain West for going on three years. The teams have met in the last two conference championship games, as well as a regular-season game last year, and the Broncos have won them all. In fact, Boise State has won nine in a row in the series.
UNLV is 6-0 for the first time since 1974 and clings to College Football Playoff hopes despite its light schedule. This will be the Rebels’ toughest game — they are an 11-point underdog — and if they win they would be in position to run the table the rest of the regular season. If that happens, they just might play Boise State again in the MWC championship game.
Heisman watch
Quarterbacks Carson Beck of Miami, Ty Simpson of Alabama and Fernando Mendoza of Indiana have separated themselves from the pack entering the second half of the season.
Beck and Simpson are 7-to-2 co-favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and Mendoza is next at 11-to-2.
Beck comes off an open date to play a challenging home game Friday night against Louisville, which also was idle last week after its first loss of the season, against Virginia. Simpson will be in the spotlight at home against Tennessee, and Mendoza will have an opportunity to put up big numbers at home against Michigan State.
Numbers to know
18.4% — Sam Houston’s third-down conversion rate, worst through a Week 7 since Colorado State’s 16.9% in 2022.
28 — Western Michigan’s nation-leading sacks through seven games, nine more than its 13-game total in 2024.
42 — Memphis’s FBS-leading streak of games in which it has scored at least 20 points.
54 — Iowa penalties since start of 2024 season, 10 fewer than the next-closest team.
2006 — Last year Nebraska won back-to-back road games. The Cornhuskers won at Maryland last week and visit Minnesota on Friday.
Hot seat
Hugh Freeze is 14-17 at Auburn, and the Tigers would start 0-4 in SEC play a third straight year if they lose to No. 16 Missouri at home. That won’t fly in War Eagle country.
The Tigers (3-3) opened with a solid road victory over Baylor and predictably lopsided wins over Ball State and South Alabama. Facing four straight Top 25 opponents to begin SEC play was never going to be easy. But the Tigers’ struggle to move the ball — four TDs over the last three games — seems inexcusable for a coach who arrived three years ago with the reputation for being an offensive wizard.
Freeze’s buyout would be $15.4 million if he is fired after the season.
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NBA NEWS
NBA MEMO TARGETS FAN BEHAVIOR, REMINDING TEAMS TO ADDRESS UNRULY ACTS PROACTIVELY
The NBA has reminded teams to prioritize addressing inappropriate fan behavior at games this season.
In a memo sent to all 30 clubs, the league told teams that it wants “consistent and vigilant enforcement of the NBA Fan Code of Conduct … to deter and address fan misconduct at NBA games and events.”
A copy of the memo was obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.
Fan behavior has been a hot topic across sports for some time. Among the notable incidents in the NBA last season: some fans in Dallas were ejected for their reactions in the days following the team’s decision to trade longtime Mavericks star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves ejected a fan from a playoff game for racially charged comments directed toward Golden State’s Draymond Green.
Golf’s Ryder Cup was marred this year by hateful chants from some fans toward Rory McIlroy and other members of the European team, which defeated the U.S. to retain that trophy. In baseball, Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox was heckled by a fan about his mental health struggles which were chronicled in a Netflix series — the fan was ejected — and two other fans at Yankee Stadium were ejected from a World Series game last year after one pried a foul ball out of the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts.
The NBA, in the memo, told teams that arena staff “must be trained to identify behavior that violates NBA rules and to respond proactively.” The NBA, like many leagues, also has a video detailing a code of conduct for fans played in every arena before each game.
“It is critical that teams and arenas vigorously enforce the Code of Conduct and not tolerate any misconduct that impacts our players, fans, or otherwise disrupts the game,” the league said.
The NBA season opens Tuesday with a pair of games: Houston at defending champion Oklahoma City, then Golden State visiting the Los Angeles Lakers.
REPORT: RUSSELL WESTBROOK, FORMER MVP, JOINS SACRAMENTO KINGS IN HIS 18TH NBA SEASON
Former MVP Russell Westbrook is joining the Sacramento Kings.
Westbrook’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, confirmed the deal to ESPN. Schwartz did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
The 36-year-old Westbrook is entering his 18th season in the league. He’s the all-time leader with 203 triple-doubles and ranks 20th in NBA history with 26,205 points and eighth with 9,925 assists. He holds career averages of 21.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists.
The nine-time All-Star began his career with Oklahoma City and teamed up with Kevin Durant to help the Thunder become a league power. After Durant left to join the Golden State Warriors, Westbrook was named the league MVP the following season — the first of his three straight averaging a triple-double. He also won two scoring titles and two All-Star MVP awards before leaving the Thunder.
He has bounced around since, having played for Houston, Washington, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets.
Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists for Denver last season. He remains beloved in Oklahoma City, sometimes even being cheered at Thunder games during the Western Conference semifinals last season while playing for the Nuggets.
NIKOLA JOKIC CONSIDERS NUGGETS A ‘DARK HORSE’ DESPITE BEING A TOP CONTENDER TO DETHRONE THUNDER
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic considers the Denver Nuggets a dark horse in the race for an NBA title.
Technically speaking, of course, they’re not. Far from it, even.
The Nuggets are only slightly behind the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder as a favorite to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy at the end of the season. One thing’s for sure: There’s plenty of horsepower in the Northwest Division, with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves a strong contender, too. Portland and Utah are up-and-comers with youthful lineups.
“They are definitely the hunted one and they’re playing good,” Jokic said of the Thunder. “Hopefully we can be the — how do you say it? The silent knight? Silent horse? Dark horse.”
In the league’s annual preseason polling of general managers, three of the top four seeds in the West are expected to come out of the Northwest (the Houston Rockets were the exception, as the third seed). All paths to the NBA title, though, lead through Oklahoma City, where NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates aren’t ready to hand over anything.
“It would suck to lose the NBA championship in 2026,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s the new focus. That’s the new goal. … Hopefully we look up and we’ve accomplished the same thing we just accomplished.”
One of the summer’s highlights for Gilgeous-Alexander was taking the NBA trophy back home to Hamilton, Ontario, where he received the key to the city.
“I couldn’t imagine as a kid the Larry O’Brien coming to Hamilton,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who was voted the NBA Finals MVP after the Thunder beat Indiana in a thrilling series that went seven games. “It was special.”
Here’s a look at each Northwest Division team in a predicted order of finish:
Oklahoma City Thunder
The defending champions might be even better this season.
Oklahoma City signed stars Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to extensions in the offseason, positioning the Thunder to be title contenders for the foreseeable future. Gilgeous-Alexander is just hitting his prime at age 27.
Nearly everyone returns from the team that went 68-14 in the regular season before winning the championship. That includes defensive stoppers Lu Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace, rebounding machine Isaiah Hartenstein, proven scorers Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe and all-around energy players Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets will have a new look after losing to the Thunder in a second-round series that went seven games. They traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and orchestrated another deal with Sacramento for big man Jonas Valanciunas. Denver also added Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown, who was a key piece when the Nuggets won the title in 2023.
They also have Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP who averaged a triple-double last season.
And perhaps less theatrics after letting go of coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth with three games remaining in the regular season.
The Nuggets made interim coach David Adelman the full-time coach and divvied up the front-office duties between Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace. The offseason was a home run.
“We hope we’re going to stay healthy and we hope we’re going to figure out the playing with each other,” Jokic said. “I think we’re going to be good.”
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves stayed as committed to their current core as any team in the NBA over the summer, re-upping with Julius Randle and Naz Reid to run back the squad that reached a second straight Western Conference finals. Seven of their top eight players have returned, with elevated backcourt roles coming for recent first-round draft picks Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark. Everything goes through Edwards, who focused during the offseason on rounding out his game with an eye toward improving his ballhandling and defense.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers have worked hard to develop their young core, including Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara. It was partly in interest of that group’s development that the team pushed for a possible play-in spot last season rather than tank in favor of draft position. They fell short, but now Portland looks to take that next step.
The team traded away Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton, and brought in steady veteran Jrue Holiday and a familiar face, nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard, who spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Blazers. There’s a catch, though. Lillard is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and won’t play this season, so he’ll serve as more of a player-coach. One intriguing addition is draft pick Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China who has turned heads with both his height and passing ability.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz are going through a rebuild that requires patience.
They do have Lauri Markkanen — for now, anyway. Markkanen, who agreed to a five-year, $238 million contract renegotiation and extension in August 2024, continues to be the subject of trade speculation.
First-round draft picks Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. will learn on the fly. The Jazz, who turned in the worst record in the NBA last season at 17-65, lost three of their top scorers in John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton.
ACHILLES TENDON INJURIES FROM POSTSEASON HAVE CREATED MAJOR CHANGES IN CENTRAL DIVISION
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Two of the Achilles tendon injuries that shook up the 2024-25 postseason also reshaped the NBA Central Division landscape for the upcoming regular season.
Not only did Indiana lose two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the season after he tore his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers saw Myles Turner leave for division rival Milwaukee in free agency. The Bucks gained the ability to fit Turner into their salary cap by waiving Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles tendon during Milwaukee’s first-round playoff loss to Indiana.
The unavailability of Haliburton and the loss of Turner create major obstacles for Indiana in its bid to repeat its success from last season.
“There will be some adjustments as we start and keep moving forward,” said Indiana’s Rick Carlisle, who needs seven wins to become the 11th coach in league history with 1,000 coaching victories. “Tyrese is really such an unusually important player to us on the one hand. On the other hand, our core principles we want to keep the same. Most of it begins with hard play and fast, hard play, so we’ll make adjustments.”
Indiana’s upheaval leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers as clear favorites to win a second straight Central Division title. Two-time All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell leads a team that went 64-18 to lead the Eastern Conference.
The next step is to make a deeper postseason run after two straight second-round exits.
“We’re here with renewed energy because we know the talent we have,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We know we’re in that group of four to six that have a chance at winning this thing.”
Milwaukee’s addition of Turner is part of a roster overhaul that has occurred since last season’s trade deadline as the Bucks look to bounce back from three straight first-round playoff losses.
“I think ultimately we’re a faster, more athletic, more versatile offensively and defensively suited team,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said.
Here’s a look at each Central Division team in predicted order of finish:
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers are one of the favorites to win the East with their core four of Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. Garland will be sidelined for at least the first two months after toe surgery, while Max Strus will also be out at least one month due to foot surgery.
Mobley, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had career highs in points (18.5) and assists (3.2) per game last season while expanding his perimeter game to go along with his drives to the lane.
Cleveland was confined by the salary cap, but it did add some valuable bench pieces in Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr. and Thomas Bryant. Atkinson says Ball has been a valuable resource in discussing some strategies on offense and defense.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks want to replicate what worked for them when they surged late last season while Lillard was out with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. That means surrounding two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo with shooters, attempting more 3-pointers and playing at a faster pace.
Milwaukee wants the ball in Antetokounmpo’s hands as much as possible as he builds on the playmaking role he adopted when Lillard was hurt.
The Bucks believe Turner’s combination of rim protection and 3-point shooting ability makes him an ideal complement to Antetokounmpo and provides what they lost when 7-footer Brook Lopez signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are learning to regroup without Turner or Haliburton, who will miss the entire season. Indiana also won’t have backup point guard T.J. McConnell for most of the first month due to a hamstring injury.
That will test Indiana’s depth, which was the Pacers’ biggest strength during their run to the NBA Finals.
Turner’s absence doesn’t just hurt Indiana from a defensive standpoint. It also takes away a stretch-5 3-point shooter. Haliburton ranked third in the NBA in assists last season after leading the league in that category in 2023-24.
Without those two players, the Pacers will need another big season from Pascal Siakam, who led the Pacers in scoring (20.2) and rebounding (6.9) last season.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons surprised the NBA with their turnaround last season after having the league’s worst record the previous two years.
They won’t sneak up on anyone this season.
Cade Cunningham leads the way, bouncing back from an injury-stunted start of his career after Detroit drafted him No. 1 in 2021.
The Pistons didn’t attempt to sign or keep high-priced free agents or to acquire expensive veterans in trades because they don’t know if Cunningham’s surrounding cast will be part of the team’s long-term future.
It’s a big year for center Jalen Duren and guard Jaden Ivey because they’re eligible for contract extensions.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls opted to stand pat rather than go bold this past summer despite finishing 39-43 for the second straight season and missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.
Their most notable moves were re-signing Josh Giddey, trading Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro and drafting Noa Essengue out of the French Basketball League with the No. 12 pick, yet executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas continues to preach patience. That’s a tough ask for a frustrated fan base.
The Bulls have just one playoff appearance since Karnisovas was hired before the 2020-21 season, and they’ve been knocked out of the play-in tournament by Miami the past three years.
WITH LAKERS’ DONCIC, WARRIORS’ BUTLER SET TO PLAY FULL SEASONS, LA AND GOLDEN STATE PLAN TO CONTEND
Luka Doncic is doing his best to bring the Los Angeles Lakers closer, planning a recent visit to the Porsche Driving Experience for some team bonding.
Golden State star Jimmy Butler is finding ways to build camaraderie, too, holding a recent retreat at his home in San Diego ahead of training camp.
The success of Doncic and Butler in their first full seasons with new teams will go a long way in determining how things go in the wild Western Conference, with the Lakers and Warriors eyeing a championship.
They are set to battle for Pacific Division superiority, and the midseason acquisitions of Doncic and Butler should provide each franchise with additional stability and leadership alongside superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
“You don’t become a team overnight,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “It’s a long season. The more guys can do that off the court, I think the better team we’ll be.”
Doncic, fresh off a three-year maximum contract extension worth $165 million keeping him with the team through 2028, can’t wait to play alongside James and Co. for a full season.
“This is one of the best organizations in the world. It’s the first time for me to get a whole preseason, and I’m just excited to play for the Lakers,” Doncic said, adding he’s more comfortable now.
“Coming into a new team, it’s kind of hard to get the leadership up, but that’s what the preseason is for. I had a great time with the national team, kind of worked on my leadership role, so I feel way more comfortable.”
Butler hosted his teammates for a retreat he considered an important part of the Warriors getting to know him even better, away from basketball.
“He has the wine cellar of an emperor,” Draymond Green declared.
“It was important for me to welcome — those are guys, like my family — (them) into my home and have a good time,” Butler said, “and let them in a little bit of my life.”
The Warriors added veteran center Al Horford after finally being able to build a roster following forward Jonathan Kuminga’s three-month contract stalemate. Guard Gary Payton II returns and Curry’s younger brother, Seth, is another veteran addition.
“That team has championship aspirations, and they should,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “It will be fun to see them.”
The Sacramento Kings received a blow when forward Keegan Murray injured his left thumb in an exhibition game Oct. 10 against Portland that required surgery and will sideline him more than a month.
Here’s a look at each team in the Pacific Division in predicted order of finish:
Los Angeles Lakers
James begins his record 23rd NBA season in unfamiliar territory: For the first time in his life, he isn’t the most important player on his team.
The top scorer in NBA history appears to be focused on making it work with Doncic, not on retirement or on moving to a more immediate title contender. Redick is confident this partnership will thrive, particularly if the Lakers can get enough practice time early in the season to meld the superstars’ games.
The Lakers’ supporting cast appears to be improved after adding center Deandre Ayton, shutdown defender Marcus Smart and versatile Jake LaRavia. Austin Reaves will be highly motivated in a contract year — if he declines his 2026-27 player option, as expected. But everyone realizes the defending division champions will go as far as Doncic and James can carry them.
Golden State Warriors
The addition of Horford stepping in to complement Green will be key after Kevon Looney’s departure to New Orleans as the Warriors aim for another championship while Curry, Butler, Green and coach Steve Kerr are still together.
Golden State is versatile and deep again, with Buddy Hield, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski offering Kerr options in his backcourt rotation alongside Curry and Butler — both of whom could need regular rest days. Payton brings a defensive punch off the bench for a team that lost in five games to Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals after Curry went down with a hamstring injury in a Game 1 win.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have one of the oldest teams in the league — much like the aging Warriors — with James Harden (36) and new additions Chris Paul (40) and Brook Lopez (37). Only 28-year-old newcomer John Collins is under 30. With age comes experience, but they’ll need to avoid the injury bug over an 82-game season plus the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard is healthy to start the season after playing just 37 games last season while recovering from a knee injury. The Clippers filled their biggest need by trading for Collins and signing Lopez to back up big man Ivica Zubac.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns experienced an extensive makeover during the offseason, hiring first-time NBA head coach Jordan Ott and building a roster around four-time All-Star Devin Booker. Phoenix hopes guards Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks – acquired in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Rockets – can form a steady backcourt with Booker. The team also acquired center Mark Williams in a draft day trade with the Hornets and is banking that better health can unlock his considerable potential. Rookie center Khaman Maluach is an intriguing prospect but might need time to develop considering he’s still just 19 years old. He was taken with the No. 10 selection.
Sacramento Kings
Three years after ending the NBA’s longest playoff drought, the Kings are once again trying to figure out how to get back to the postseason. In his first full season as an NBA head coach, Doug Christie wants his players to prioritize defense and display grittiness on both ends of the court.
First-year Sacramento general manager Scott Perry’s offseason signing of Dennis Schroder was the first step toward trying to make that approach a success. Fresh off an MVP performance for Germany in the FIBA EuroBasket, Schroder isn’t a top-flight defender but plays with a tenacity the Kings have been missing on the defensive end. Schroder’s arrival also allows Zach LaVine to move back to his customary shooting guard position after running the point for much of 2024-25 since being acquired in a multi-team trade that sent point guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio.
That should open things up for the rest of the Kings’ offense. Three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, a double-double machine, anchors a frontcourt featuring DeMar DeRozan and Murray. The bench has some punch with perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk and guard Keon Ellis.
ROCKETS HAVE NEW STAR IN DURANT AS SOUTHWEST DIVISION ADDS A PHENOM IN FLAGG TO GO WITH WEMBANYAMA
Kevin Durant is back in Texas, Victor Wembanyama is back after major shoulder surgery and the Dallas Mavericks aren’t saying when Kyrie Irving might be back from a knee injury so he can join Anthony Davis and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
The defending Southwest Division champion Houston Rockets added Durant — a one-and-done star for the Texas Longhorns almost 20 years ago — in a blockbuster trade with Phoenix, not long after losing to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Wembanyama missed most of the last half his second season with the San Antonio Spurs after getting diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot condition that is potentially life-threatening. Surgery was the chosen path back to the court for the 21-year-old French star, who is now listed at 7-foot-4 instead of 7-3.
The Mavericks enter their first full season without Luka Doncic after converting a 1.8% chance to win the draft lottery and getting Flagg, a one-year wonder at Duke 14 years after Irving followed the exact same path to the NBA.
Dallas lost in the play-in tournament a year after reaching the NBA Finals, losing Davis for almost two months when he went down with an injury in the 10-time All-Star’s debut a week after the widely panned trade that sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Irving was lost for the season when he tore his left ACL in early March.
Durant didn’t win a playoff game in two-plus seasons with the Suns, who decided on a major reset in a deal that landed them 2021 No. 2 pick Jalen Green and a bevy of draft picks.
Now the four-time scoring champion joins a team looking for its first playoff series victory since 2020. It’s the fifth stop for the 15-time All-Star since leaving the Longhorns to be the No. 2 pick in 2007.
“We always got so much support here from me playing at Texas, so I always felt the love every time I came back to Houston,” said Durant, who won two NBA titles with Golden State. “So to put on a Rockets jersey, I know it’s going to go to the next level.”
Wembanyama’s health scare gave him a new appreciation for life. He spent part of the offseason visiting NASA in Houston and training with monks in China. Not to mention adding some bulk to his unique, wiry frame. He’s listed at 240 pounds.
“This is my best summer so far,” Wembanyama said. “I can tell the progress is just incredible. I feel better, I look stronger and the scale says I’m heavier. So everything is a green light.”
It seems unlikely Irving will play before the calendar turns to 2026, and Davis will have protective eyewear for the rest of his career following offseason surgery to repair a detached retina.
If the 32-year-old Davis can avoid a penchant for long-term injuries and Flagg lives up to the hype that helped soothe the hard feelings many Mavs fans had over the trade, Dallas could chart a promising near-future quickly after many thought they had squandered it by trading a then-25-year-old superstar in his prime.
“Same thing as last year when I got traded and I had a press conference,” Davis said of his message for fans. “The goal is still to bring a championship here. I think we have a good ballclub. I think our biggest thing as a team is our health. I’m happy to be here. I’m excited to be here. And I want to win here.”
Here’s a look at each Southwest Division team in a predicted order of finish:
Houston Rockets
A season-ending knee injury to Fred VanVleet just before camp dampened the Rockets’ title hopes and left them searching for answers at point guard. They could use different lineup configurations with VanVleet out, including moving 6-7 forward Amen Thompson to point guard to make a big starting five that would include Durant and center Alperen Sengun, both at 6-11, along with forwards Jabari Smith Jr. (6-10) and Tari Eason (6-8). Even with this lineup, Houston needs point guard Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in 2024, to take a step forward to make up for the loss of VanVleet after the former Kentucky standout played sparingly last season.
Dallas Mavericks
Flagg, who was The Associated Press men’s basketball player of the year while leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four, joins a team with two title-winning top overall picks in Irving and Davis, along with Klay Thompson, a four-time champion with the Warriors. “You couldn’t ask for a better situation,” said coach Jason Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who won a title as a player with the Mavericks in 2011. “When you talk about wisdom, you have quite a few people who have been in that seat as coaches or as players. We’re not asking him to carry the weight of the Dallas Mavericks. We’re asking him to be Cooper Flagg. And that’s pretty special.”
San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama led the NBA with 176 blocks last season despite being limited to 46 games by the shoulder issue, and defense is a clear priority even as the team upgraded on offense. “This is a non-negotiable,” Wembanyama said. “It’s not something you can’t do. If you want to be a part of our team and we’re going to hold each other accountable, we know the coach is going to hold us accountable, your status is defense and that is non-negotiable.” The Spurs almost won the lottery again two years after landing Wembanyama, settling for Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick. Coach Mitch Johnson enters his first full season after replacing Gregg Popovich. The five-time NBA champion moved into the front office after stepping away following a stroke five games into last season.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis will rely on the tandem of two-time All-Stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. surrounded by a mixture of new teammates. Morant and Jackson have been the core for years. The front office traded the third member of that group, sending Desmond Bane and to Orlando in June. The Grizzlies will need to weather the early season as key players recover from offseason ailments. That includes Jackson and 7-4 center Zach Edey, who had ankle stabilization surgery in June. Coach Tuomas Iisalo no longer has the “interim” tag. He was the replacement when Taylor Jenkins was fired late in his sixth season.
New Orleans Hornets
Much will hinge on whether oft-injured star power forward Zion Williamson can stay in the lineup. Joe Dumars, the club’s new executive vice president of basketball operations, decided to double down on Williamson as franchise player as he tries to turn around a team that went 21-61 last season. Dumars, an NBA champion as a player and general manager in Detroit, wants Williamson to take more responsibility as a leader. Dumars’ offseason additions include two players who won championships with Golden State in guard Jordan Poole and center Kevon Looney. New Orleans drafted Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick.
NOBODY IN THE SOUTHEAST WAS OVER .500 LAST YEAR. ALL 5 TEAMS EXPECT TO BE BETTER THIS SEASON
The Southeast Division set records last season. They weren’t good records.
Orlando won the division at 41-41. That means the other Southeast teams — Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte and Washington — were, obviously, under the .500 mark. Combined, the winning percentage of the five teams was .378.
Since the league began splitting up teams by both conferences and divisions in 1970, there’s never been a division with a worse combined record than the Southeast last year. (The Central Division in 1970-71 held the record for more than a half-century, after combining for a .384 winning percentage that season.)
The Southeast teams were outscored by a combined 1,824 points — another record. Washington alone was outscored by 909 points in games against teams from the other five divisions — also a record. Charlotte won 19 games, Washington won 18, and that made the Southeast the first division in a decade to have two teams fail to win at least 20 games.
“We want to be better than that,” Charlotte coach Charles Lee said. “I want to be better than that.”
That seems to be the credo in Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and Washington as well.
This is not a new thing. The Southeast hasn’t exactly been teeming with great records for about a decade now.
There has been only one Southeast team in the last 10 years — Miami in 2021-22 — to win more than 50 games (or in the years where the schedule was shortened by COVID-19, to finish on pace to win 50 games in the traditional 82-game slate). The Atlantic, Central, Northwest and Pacific divisions all had multiple 50-win teams last season alone, while the Southwest Division had a 52-win Houston team and a 48-win Memphis club atop its standings.
The division races don’t mean a great deal anymore; it’s been years since a division champion was assured of perks like home-court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs, with all that hinging now on standing within a conference.
But it is notable that last season Orlando became the NBA’s first division champion to not finish above .500 since Milwaukee won what was then the Western Conference’s Midwest Division with a 38-44 mark in 1975-76.
The Magic are considered the favorites, which makes sense given their young core of talent — Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner leading that group — and how injuries derailed much of Orlando’s season a year ago.
“When I think about the landscape of a conference or a division, I don’t look at year to year. I look at the long-range prospects of where each team is heading, what they’re trying to build,” Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. “And I think the East is really strong. I think that there are a lot of teams that are about to pop — and hopefully we’re one of them.”
A look at the Southeast, in predicted order of finish:
Orlando Magic
The Magic enter the season with high expectations after bolstering a talented roster by adding Desmond Bane to join star players like Banchero and Wagner. Injuries hampered the Magic last season, though they still won the division but were bounced out of the playoffs by Boston in the first round. The goal is a deep playoff run and coach Jamahl Mosley has offensive balance, elite defense and depth needed to accomplish that.
Atlanta Hawks
Coach Quin Snyder understands the expectation for the Atlanta Hawks to end their four-year run of play-in tournament appearances. The Hawks had a strong offseason, adding Kristaps Porzingis, the versatile Nickeil Alexander-Walker and shooter Luke Kennard. Trae Young, the reigning NBA assists leader, and Dyson Daniels, last season’s most improved player and runner-up as top defensive player, return in the backcourt.
Miami Heat
The Jimmy Butler trade happened last season, but the Heat never really got on track after that move. Andrew Wiggins — the centerpiece of the haul Miami got when the Butler deal was executed — was in and out of the lineup because of injuries, and the Heat were dismantled by Cleveland in Round 1 of the playoffs. Tyler Herro is dealing with offseason surgery, but the Heat still have Bam Adebayo to anchor the defense and added Norman Powell for scoring.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets need LaMelo Ball to stay on the court if they’re to have a chance to reach the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The talented, but injury-prone point guard has missed 53% of Charlotte’s games over the past three seasons. The good news for the Hornets is shooting guard Brandon Miller is back from wrist surgery, giving the team another scoring option alongside Ball and Miles Bridges. Center continues to be an area of need.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards have won 33 games over the past two seasons, but after landing Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the 2024, the lottery bumped them down to sixth this year in what was considered a more talent-rich draft. There is certainly plenty of youth on the roster, with Sarr (20 years old), Bub Carrington (20), Bilal Coulibaly (21) and Kyshawn George (21) having made a combined 221 starts last season.
KNICKS APPEAR TO BE THE BEST OF THE ATLANTIC DIVISION WITH UNCERTAINTY IN BOSTON AND PHILADELPHIA
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks see an opportunity and aren’t shy about their intentions of taking it.
“Knicks will be the No. 1 seed in the East,” Carmelo Anthony said.
OK, so it’s former players who are talking big. The current Knicks won’t say much about the expectations on them for this season, leaving that to others such as Anthony, the Hall of Famer who is now an NBC Sports studio analyst.
And he’s right to like their chances. For the first time since Anthony led the NBA in scoring for a team that won 54 games in 2012-13, the Knicks should be the best team in the Atlantic Division.
With Jayson Tatum sidelined and other key players gone, the Boston Celtics look nothing like the team that won the NBA title just two seasons ago. The Philadelphia 76ers, too reliant on players such as Joel Embiid and Paul George who can’t be counted on to stay healthy, are too risky a pick.
The Toronto Raptors are too far away, though much closer than the Brooklyn Nets. That leaves the Knicks, with All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns in their starting five and a bench that’s been upgraded, as the class of the division.
They have been building smartly under Leon Rose and had their big breakthrough in May when they upset the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, when Tatum went down with a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will keep him sidelined for at least some of this season. That sent the Knicks to the East finals for the first time since 2000, where they lost to Indiana.
They fired Tom Thibodeau after that series and replaced him with Mike Brown, a fellow two-time winner of the NBA Coach of the Year award. They also signed Jordan Clarkson, the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year award winner.
The Knicks have won at least 50 games each of the last two seasons, but finished well behind Boston in the Atlantic both times. But with Tatum hurt and Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford all playing elsewhere, the Celtics’ four-year run atop the division will likely be over.
“We’re not as talented as we were. So we have to have an edge to us,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “We have to have a mentality to us. We’ve got to play and bring the fight to teams a little more than we have in the past. So, I don’t think we have a choice.”
The Knicks, whose division title in that 2012-13 season is their only one in the last 30 years, are best positioned to replace Boston at the top.
“We’re excited with what this team has and what this team can be,” swingman Josh Hart said.
Here’s a look at each Atlantic Division team in a predicted order of finish:
New York Knicks
Brown wants the Knicks to play faster than they did under Thibodeau and create more situations where Brunson doesn’t need to have the ball in his hands as often, so the offense can be less predictable. He also needs to decide whether Hart returns to the starting lineup or New York stays with center Mitchell Robinson and has Towns playing as a power forward. Whatever he decides, the Knicks have the experience and firepower to make it work.
Philadelphia 76ers
With Embiid limited to 19 games, George 41 and Tyrese Maxey 52 last season, the 76ers went from a team with high expectations to a dismal 24-58 finish, near the bottom of the East. The good news is Philadelphia ended up getting the No. 3 pick in the draft and took VJ Edgecombe from Baylor, who could be an impact rookie and help them persevere whenever the injuries do pop up.
Boston Celtics
It’s unknown if or when Tatum could play this season. In the meantime, the Celtics still have Brown and Derrick White from the team that won the 2024 NBA championship, along with Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard to anchor a youthful roster that president of basketball operation Brad Stevens and coach Joe Mazzulla believe can keep the Celtics competitive while Tatum is on the mend. So a good season is still possible in Boston, though it won’t be easy with how much the Celtics have lost.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors will finally get Brandon Ingram on the floor this season after he was unable to play after they acquired him from New Orleans last season because of a sprained left ankle. Adding the former All-Star and Most Improved Player award winner to a lineup headlined by Scottie Barnes should help the Raptors be much better than their 30-52 finish in 2024-25.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets became the first team in NBA history to make five first-round picks in the draft, and their five rookies (No. 8 Egor Demin, No. 19 Nolan Traore, No. 21 Drake Powell, No. 26 Ben Saraf and No. 27 Danny Wolf) are all expected to play. So the Nets, who didn’t have a single player 30 or older when they opened camp, should be one of the worst teams in the league, no matter how much scoring they get from Cam Thomas or Michael Porter Jr., the former starting forward for the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship team they acquired in an offseason trade.
AGENTS: KINGS F KEEGAN MURRAY TO SIGN 5-YEAR, $140M EXTENSION
The Sacramento Kings and forward Keegan Murray have agreed to a contract extension, his agents at Priority Sports announced on Wednesday.
The extension of his rookie deal is for five years and $140 million, according to ESPN, locking him in place through the 2030-31 season.
Murray, 25, was the No. 4 overall pick of the Kings out of Iowa in the 2022 NBA Draft. He then burst onto the scene, canning a rookie-record 206 3-pointers while averaging 12.2 points per game in 80 appearances (78 starts).
After being named to the All-Rookie team for his efforts, Murray improved upon his scoring average in his second and third seasons, averaging 15.2 and 12.4, respectively.
His third season was considered something of disappointment as he shot a career-low 34% from 3-point range, though he remained the team’s top option as a defender on the wing.
His career averages stand at 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Murray has play 233 out of 246 games since joining the Kings, including 231 starts, but underwent surgery on his left thumb and will miss at least the first 10 games of the season. He suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb during a preseason game.
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NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: SABRES DOUBLE UP SENATORS FOR FIRST WIN
Jason Zucker scored two power-play goals as part of Buffalo’s four-goal second period and the host Sabres earned their first victory of the season, beating the Ottawa Senators 8-4 on Wednesday.
Ryan McLeod and Jack Quinn both also scored twice for the Sabres, who opened the campaign with three consecutive losses. Alex Tuch produced one goal and one assist, and Jiri Kulich added a goal. Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon made 32 saves. Josh Doan and Zach Benson both collected three assists, while Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson each had two helpers.
Jake Sanderson notched a goal and an assist for the Senators in their first game since receiving news that captain Brady Tkachuk will be out for a month or more due to a right hand injury.
Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle, Shane Pinto and Lars Eller also scored, and Jordan Spence had a three-assist outing. Leevi Merilainen stopped 19 shots as the Senators took their third straight defeat since an opening win.
Blackhawks 8, Blues 3
Lukas Reichel had his first career two-goal game plus an assist as visiting Chicago routed St. Louis.
Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi added a goal and an assist apiece for the Blackhawks, who won their second straight game after starting the season 0-2-1. Frank Nazar, Jason Dickinson and Ryan Greene also scored for Chicago. Connor Bedard earned three assists, Alex Vlasic had two assists, and Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom made 23 saves.
Jake Neighbours produced a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have been outscored 13-2 while losing their two home games. Dylan Holloway and Tyler Tucker also scored. Blues goaltender Joel Hofer allowed seven goals on 22 shots. Jordan Binnington came on in relief and stopped six of the seven shots he faced.
Red Wings 4, Panthers 1
Mason Appleton opened the scoring and added an empty-netter, while Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat contributed two assists each as host Detroit collected its third straight victory in a win over Florida.
Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen had the other goals for the Red Wings and Cam Talbot made 20 saves to earn his third consecutive win to begin the season.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 of 23 shots for the Panthers and Brad Marchand scored the lone goal. Florida has dropped the first two games of a five-game road trip.
Mammoth 3, Flames 1
After dominating much of the game, Utah weathered a late push from Calgary to hang on for a win in Salt Lake City.
Barrett Hayton, JJ Peterka and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth in their home opener. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves.
Rasmus Andersson got the goal for the Flames, who lost their fourth straight in regulation after winning their season opener. Devin Cooley stopped 29 shots.
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+++TOP INDIANA SPORTS NEWS/RELEASES+++
COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS SIGN QB BRETT RYPIEN TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The Colts on Wednesday signed quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad. The roster move comes after the Colts placed backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. on injured reserve on Monday; Richardson sustained a fractured orbital bone during pregame band work on Sunday.
Head coach Shane Steichen said on Monday that Richardson will “miss some time” but didn’t have a specific timeline for his return. Richardson will miss a minimum of four games while on injured reserve.
Rypien was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie in 2019. Rypien spent time on both the Broncos practice squad and active roster for the four seasons he was in Denver, appearing in eight games and starting three of them. In 2023, Rypien signed with the Los Angeles Rams and appeared in two games (one start) before he was waived. From there, he spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets. He was with the Chicago Bears for the 2024 preseason but was released prior to the start of the season. Rypien then signed with the Minnesota Vikings, but did not appear in a game in 2024.
Most recently, Rypien was a member of the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster in September following starting quarterback Joe Burrow’s injury, but was released after the Bengals traded for Joe Flacco.
In 11 career games played (four starts), Rypien has 98 completions for 950 yards and four touchdowns, with nine interceptions.
“Excited about him, obviously a guy that’s been doing it for a long time,” head coach Shane Steichen said Wednesday. “Heard a lot of great things about him. He was in Minnesota there for a little bit with Daniel (Jones). Daniel’s got great things to say about him and his preparation, his work. Obviously played some good ball there in Denver.”
Mark Rypien, Brett’s uncle, was also an NFL quarterback. A sixth-round draft pick in 1986, Mark spent most of his career with the Washington Redskins (Commanders). In 2001, Mark unretired and signed with the Colts after not playing since 1998 and was the backup to Peyton Manning. Mark appeared in a total of four games that season for the Colts.
The Colts currently have Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard on their 53-man roster; Steichen said Leonard will serve as the team’s backup for Week 7.
As a member of the practice squad, Rypien must be elevated to the Colts’ gameday roster in order to be active. Per NFL rules, an emergency third quarterback must be on a team’s 53-man roster and cannot be elevated from the practice squad to active roster.
PRACTICE NOTEBOOK: KENNY MOORE II RETURNS TO PRACTICE AHEAD OF WEEK 7 VS. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Cornerback Kenny Moore II (Achilles) returned to practice on Wednesday as a limited participant, marking the first time Moore has participated in practice since sustaining his Achilles injury in Week 3.
Moore’s injury, originally believed to be a calf injury, was one neither he nor the Colts training staff wanted to take any chances with in returning to practice too early.
“It’s a confusing place to have an injury,” Moore said last week. “Because it starts to become a calf thing, but you don’t want it to become a calf thing and then everything just starts working up your body. So there’s a lot we put our bodies through to even get back to where we want to be mentally and physically to be good enough to say, ‘Hey, I can go again.'”
Over the last three weeks, Moore has put in the work and is now in a position where he is able to return to the field. Head coach Shane Steichen said Moore would go through individual work and participate in some drills during Wednesday’s practice.
Moore’s return to the practice field was an especially welcome sight as cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr., who sustained a concussion during pregame warmups in Week 6, remains in concussion protocol and did not participate in practice on Wednesday.
In the Colts’ 31-27 win over the Arizona Cardinals in on Sunday, with both Moore and Ward out, defensive coordinator had to turn to Mekhi Blackmon, Johnathan Edwards and Chris Lammons as his starting cornerbacks. And while the secondary was able to come up with a few crucial plays to help win the game, the overall defensive performance wasn’t up to Anarumo’s standards.
“I just think you’re losing a Pro Bowl-type player,” Anarumo said about Ward. “And anytime you take a guy like that off the field, you’re certainly going to maybe not be as good at that particular position, but that’s – it is what it is. So, we just have to manage that part of it and be creative from a coaching standpoint to help the guys that are in there – younger, older, it doesn’t matter. But Mooney is an elite corner in our league and when you lose players like that, it’s certainly – it bothers you, it bothers the team, but nobody cares. The other teams don’t care. So, we have to be prepared and ready to go and move forward with who we have.”
Wide receivers Ashton Dulin and Josh Downs also did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
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INDIANA FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: MICHIGAN STATE (WEEK 8)
Setting The Scene
• After two games on the road, No. 3/3 Indiana returns home for Homecoming on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. ET kick against Michigan State on Saturday.
• The two programs first played in 1922, with the first edition of the Old Brass Spittoon rivalry taking place in 1950. Indiana has won three of the last five meetings.
• Michigan State leads the all-time series, 50-19-2. Indiana won last year’s matchup, 47-10, in East Lansing. The 37-point differential marked the largest margin of victory for the Hoosiers in the series.
• This will be the 15th consecutive season the two programs face off, dating back to 2011, and the 67th time for the Old Brass Spittoon.
News & Notes
• The 17 victories since the beginning of the 2024 season are the most in any two-year span in program history and rank tied for No. 5 nationally over that span. The 11 Big Ten wins during that span are tied for the most in a two-year stretch in IU history. MORE ON PAGE 5
• Indiana is 6-0 to start a season for the third time in program history after a 30-20 win at No. 3/2 Oregon (10/11) in Week 7. It is the second-straight season Indiana has started 6-0 to mark just the first time in program history consecutive seasons were started at 6-0 or better.
• Indiana’s win in Eugene is its second-ever win over a top-5 opponent (No. 3 Purdue, 1967) and the first over a top-5 opponent on the road.
• The Hoosiers are 37-27-1 all-time as a ranked team, which includes a 30-20-1 mark in Big Ten play.
• Indiana’s win snapped Oregon’s previously nation-leading 18-game home winning streak at Autzen Stadium.
• Oregon had allowed just 1.0 sack entering the game and Indiana finished with 6.0 sacks in the game. It was the most by a team against Oregon since Ohio State in the 2024 College Football Playoff (8.0).
• The Indiana defense held Oregon to its fewest yards of total offense under head coach Dan Lanning and fewest yards since 2021 (Utah; 221).
• Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards on 20-of-31 passing with a touchdown at No. 3/2 Oregon. He threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt on an 8-yard connection to give Indiana a 27-20 lead with 6:23 left. MORE ON PAGE 8
• Roman Hemby had his fifth multi-rushing touchdown and sixth multi-touchdown game of his career with his two scores against the Ducks. With 25 yards receiving he is now the only active FBS player with 2,500 yards rushing and 1,000-yards receiving in his career. MORE ON PAGE 9
• Elijah Sarratt has a catch in all 44 games of his career and is the nation’s active leader for consecutive games with a reception. Sarratt had the go-ahead touchdown reception in the fourth quarter at Iowa in Week 5 and at Oregon in Week 7. MORE ON PAGE 10
• Sarratt is tied for first in the Big Ten with seven receiving touchdowns and Omar Cooper Jr. is tied for No. 3 with six.
• Aiden Fisher had his 10th career game with double-digit tackles, racking up 13 stops and a career-high 1.5 sacks. His efforts against the Ducks earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Rolijah Hardy recorded the first double-digit tackle game of his career with 12 tackles. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Isaiah Jones had his first career interception when he picked off Dante Moore in the fourth quarter. He also tied a career-high eight tackles and marked back-to-back weeks with eight stops. MORE ON PAGE 13
• Jones leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (10) and is tied for second in the conference in sacks (5).
• Louis Moore had his second consecutive game with an interception when he picked off Dante Moore in the fourth quarter. MORE ON PAGE 16
COMPLETE GAME NOTES: https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/PDF/fb/2025/25-10-18-Notes_Michigan_State.pdf
MICHIGAN STATE NOTES:
• Michigan State travels to Bloomington to face No. 3/3 Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 3:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. The game will be streamed live on Peacock with Dan Hicks (play-by-play), Jason Garrett (analyst) and Zora Stephenson (sidelines) on the call. • MSU went 3-0 to open the season with home nonconference victories against Western Michigan, Boston College and Youngstown State, but has lost its first three Big Ten games. The Spartans fell on the road at No. 25 USC (Sept. 20) and Nebraska (Oct. 4) before losing to UCLA last Saturday in East Lansing. • Following its 30-20 win at No. 3/2 Oregon last Saturday, Indiana (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) moved up to No. 3 in this week’s AP Poll, the highest ranking in program history. The Hoosiers also own a Top 10 win over No. 9 Illinois at home on Sept. 20. • Saturday’s game marks the 72nd meeting between Michigan State and Indiana. The Spartans lead the all-time series against the Hoosiers, 50-19-2, including a 24-10-1 record in Bloomington. • IU beat MSU in East Lansing last season on Nov. 2, 47-10, but Michigan State has won 12 of the past 16 games in the series. The Spartans won the last matchup in Bloomington, 24-21, on Nov. 18, 2023. • Since 1950, the winner of the Michigan State-Indiana game has been presented the Old Brass Spittoon. The brass spittoon came from one of Michigan’s earliest trading posts and is widely believed to be more than 200 years old. Legend has it that the spittoon was around when both institutions were founded – Indiana in 1820 and MAC in 1855. The trophy was initiated by the junior and senior classes and student council at Michigan State, and soon accepted by the Indiana Student Senate. Since 1950, Michigan State leads the series, 50-16-1. • Sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh leads the Spartans with 29 receptions for 340 yards (56.7 ypg; 11.7 avg.), including a team-best four touchdown catches. Marsh had a season-high seven receptions for 77 yards against UCLA with a 5-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter. The Detroit, Michigan, native ranks among the Big Ten leaders in TD catches (tied for seventh with four), receptions (tied for 10th with 29; 4.8 pg) and receiving yards (20th with 56.7 pg).
OFFENSE:
RED ZONE EFFICIENCY • Michigan State has scored on 22 of its 23 trips to the red zone this season, good for a .957 percentage, which ranks second in the Big Ten and 14th in the FBS. The Spartans have scored 18 touchdowns in the red zone, including 11 rushing TDs, along with four fi eld goals. MSU’s TD percentage in the red zone (.783) ranks first in the Big Ten and 10th in the FBS. ►JUNIOR QB AIDAN CHILES RANKS AMONG BIG TEN LEADERS IN TOTAL OFFENSE • Junior Aidan Chiles has started 18 consecutive games at quarterback for the Spartans. Now in his second season at MSU, Chiles is completing 61 percent of his passes (87-of-142) for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions. Chiles had his 10-game streak of at least one passing TD snapped at Nebraska. He currently ranks among the Big Ten leaders in points responsible for per game (seventh with 14.3 ppg), passing touchdowns (10th with nine), passing efficiency (10th with 138.2 rating), rushing TDs (10th with five) and total offense (15th with 200.8 ypg). ►OMARI KELLY PROVING TO BE A PRODUCTIVE ALL-AROUND THREAT FOR MSU • Senior wide receiver Omari Kelly, who is in his fi rst season at MSU after transferring from Middle Tennessee State, leads the team in receiving yards (347; 57.8 ypg) and all-purpose yards (470; 78.3 ypg). He is also second with 24 receptions. Kelly ranks 19th in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (57.8) and tied for 18th in receptions per game (4.0), while also ranking second in the Big Ten in punt returns (19.7 avg.). ►MATT GULBIN ANCHORING THE OFFENSIVE LINE • Graduate senior center Matt Gulbin, a Wake Forest transfer who joined the program in 2025, has taken every snap on offense this season for the Spartans (396). He is graded the second-best center in the FBS by Pro Football Focus (80.5). Gulbin is currently on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the nation’s best center. ►MAKHI FRAZIER LEADS GROUND GAME IN FIRST YEAR AS STARTER • Sophomore running back Makhi Frazier leads the team and ranks 11th in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 63.8 yards per game (4.4 per carry) with two touchdowns. In his fi rst collegiate start, Frazier ran for 103 yards and a touchdown against Western Michigan, then followed up with 81 yards on 17 carries in Week 2 against Boston College. In the Big Ten opener at USC, Frazier had 61 yards on 14 carries.
DEFENSE:
JORDAN HALL LEADS TEAM, RANKS AMONG BIG TEN LEADERS IN TACKLES • Junior co-captain linebacker Jordan Hall leads the team and ranks tied for ninth in the Big Ten with 45 tackles (7.5 pg). He recorded a career-high 15 tackles, including nine solo stops, in the win over Boston College on Sept. 6 to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. Hall had his first career interception to go along with eight tackles at Nebraska on Oct. 4.
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PURDUE FOOTBALL
GAME 7 PREP: PURDUE TRAVELS TO NORTHWESTERN
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – At the halfway point through the 2025 season, the first under head coach Barry Odom, Purdue Football remains on the road for another Big Ten matchup. The Boilermakers make the short trip north to face Northwestern on the shores of Lake Michigan. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
QUICK HITS
Purdue wraps up a stretch of playing three of four games away from home.
The Boilermakers are coming off a tough loss on the road to Minnesota, 27-20, in which they outgained the Golden Gophers 456-262 throughout the contest.
Purdue leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally in net punting with a 45.2 average.
The Purdue defense has only surrendered six touchdown passes this year, including just three in three Big Ten games.
Purdue is 10-for-13 (77%) on fourth down, the second-best conversion rate in the country among teams that have successfully converted at least 10 fourth down attempts.
With 453 yards against No. 22 Illinois and 456 yards at Minnesota, the Boilermaker offense has eclipsed 450 yards in back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since November 2021 (481 at Ohio State, 473 versus Northwestern).
The Boilermakers have scored at least 27 points in four of their six games this season after only reaching that mark twice throughout the entire 2024 campaign.
The Boilermakers have beaten the Wildcats 53 times throughout history, their second-most over a Big Ten opponent (77 wins over Indiana).
Last week, Purdue bottled up the Golden Gophers’ run game to just 30 yards, the fewest allowed by Purdue since 11 yards in a win over Virginia Tech in 2023. It marked the sixth game since 2000 that Purdue allowed 30 yards or fewer on the ground and just the third against Big Ten competition.
Devin Mockobee is currently ranked in the program Top 10 in several career categories: 100-yard rushing games (4th), rushing yards (4th), rushing touchdowns (9th) and all-purpose yards (10th).
Michael Jackson III leads the Big Ten in receptions in league games, averaging 8.3 per contest. That includes his 14-catch output at No. 22 Illinois, the most catches by a player in a B1G game this season.
Ryan Browne made his collegiate debut in the Boilermakers’ last meeting at Northwestern (Nov. 18, 2023). As a true freshman, he split series with Bennett Meredith and finished with 104 passing yards and 85 rushing yards.
Browne’s 281.8 yards of total offense per game are fourth-most in the Big Ten and rank 23rd in the country. Browne has been even better in B1G contests, averaging 299.0 yards per game to rank third in the conference.
Averaging 9.2 tackles per game, sophomore linebacker Charles Correa ranks third in the Big Ten and 20th nationally in tackle average.
OFFENSIVE SURGE
With offensive coordinator Josh Henson calling the plays, Purdue has moved the ball up and down the field this season.
The Boilermakers have averaged more than 400 yards of total offense (408.7), an improvement of 100-plus yards from the 2024 season. The difference has been led by quarterback Ryan Browne, who ranks third in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally with 281.8 yards of total offense per game.
The offense has averaged 422.0 yards in conference games, ranking third in the Big Ten. Purdue joins USC as the only two teams to rank in the Top 7 of the conference in both passing and rushing. The Boilermakers are fourth in passing (270.0 ypg) and seventh in rushing (152.0 ypg).
After racking up 453 yards against No. 22 Illinois, the Purdue offense recorded a season-high 456 yards at Minnesota. It marked the first time that the Boilermakers reached 450 yards of total offense in back-to-back Big Ten games since November 2021 (481 at Ohio State, 473 versus Northwestern).
Averaging nearly 27 points per game, Purdue has scored at least 27 points in four of the team’s six games. The 2024 Boilermakers reached the 27-point plateau just twice throughout the entire season, averaging 15.8 points per game.
RUNNING WILD
Purdue has averaged 202 yards per game on the ground over the past two contests.
Against Minnesota, the Boilers set a season high with 253 yards on the ground, their most since 263 yards at Oregon State last season.
Mockobee led the rushing attack with 98 yards, just two yards shy of his third 100-yard game against the Golden Gophers.
Ryan Browne added 61 yards on the ground on eight carries, and Malachi Singleton tacked on a career-high 73 yards on five rushes. Both quarterbacks had rushing touchdowns. The 134 yards on the ground were the most by Purdue quarterbacks since Rob Henry rushed for 132 yards at Northwestern in 2010.
Browne and Singleton also became the first quarterback duo at Purdue to both rush for 50 yards in a game since at least 1995.
Browne, Singleton and Mockobee were the first trio with 60+ yards on the ground since Raheem Mostert, Akeem Hunt and Austin Appleby did it against Minnesota in 2014.
STOPPING THE RUN
While Purdue ran for 253 yards at Minnesota, the defense limited the Golden Gophers to only 30 yards on the ground.
It marked the sixth game since 2000 that Purdue allowed 30 yards or fewer on the ground and just the third against Big Ten competition.
FROM GEORGIA TO PURDUE
In the offseason, the Purdue wide receiver room welcomed a pair of Georgia transfers who have become an important part of the Boilermaker offense.
After making the move north, Michael Jackson III and Nitro Tuggle have combined for 52 catches for 636 yards and four touchdowns through the first half of the season.
Jackson leads the Boilermakers in receptions (36) and receiving yards (354), while Tuggle ranks second in both categories, 16 and 282, respectively, and his three receiving touchdowns are a team best.
Averaging 8.3 catches per conference game, Jackson leads the Big Ten. Tuggle has been a big play threat, ranking fourth in the league with 17.7 yards per reception.
Scoring a touchdown against Notre Dame, Tuggle became the first Purdue wide receiver to find the end zone in three straight games since Charlie Jones (Cincinnati Bengals) accomplished the feat during his 2022 All-American season.
Jackson hauled in a career-high 14 receptions against No. 22 Illinois, the only Big Ten player to reach that mark this season. It was also the most catches by a Boilermaker since Rondale Moore (Minnesota Vikings) caught 15 passes against Minnesota (Nov. 20, 2020).
SWARM THE BALL
Purdue has four players with at least 40 tackles this season, tied for the most in the country with Oregon State: Charles Correa (55), Mani Powell (45), Myles Slusher (43) and Tahj Ra-El (42).
The Boilermakers are the only Power 4 team to have four players rank in the Top 15 of their respective conference in tackles. Correa ranks third, Powell is ninth, Slusher is 12th and Ra-El is 13th.
Correa and Powell led the attack against No. 22 Illinois, recording 15 and 14 tackles, respectively. They became the first pair of Purdue teammates to have at least 14 tackles in the same game since the Boilermakers’ 2021 Music City Bowl win over Tennessee (Chris Jefferson, Jaylan Alexander and Kieren Douglas).
TACKLING MACHINE
Making the move with head coach Barry Odom from Las Vegas to West Lafayette, sophomore linebacker Charles Correa has made an immediate impact for the Boilermaker defense.
Correa has made 55 tackles through the first five games of the season, averaging 9.2 per game to rank third in the Big Ten and 20th nationally.
He was the first Boilermaker underclassmen with at least 49 tackles through five games since Ja’Whaun Bentley in 2015.
Correa is the first Boilermaker since at least 1995 to record 10 or more tackles in four of the first five games and just the 14th Big Ten player to do so in that span.
Only eight other players throughout the country have recorded four 10-plus tackle games this year.
With four double-digit tackle games, Correa is tied for seventh-most in a season at Purdue since 1995.
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NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
MOORE NAMED THE SPORTING NEWS MIDSEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Sophomore cornerback Leonard Moore has been named to The Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team for his performance through the first half of the regular season.
Moore, already with three interceptions on the season, has posted five passes defended, 12 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in just four games played. With Moore’s help, Notre Dame ranks tied for second in the nation in total interceptions (11) and eighth in the country in turnover margin (1.00).
Two of Moore’s interceptions came in the same game vs. Boise State, a career-best performance. For his performance that week, he was named the Walter Camp FBS Defensive Player of the Week and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Defensive Back of the Week. He became the first Notre Dame player to have multiple interceptions in the same game since 2023 (Xavier Watts).
The 2024 FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, Moore entered the 2025 season with several accolades, as he was named to the Preseason All-America First Team lists by Walter Camp, The Sporting News, the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. He has also been named to patch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
USC GAME NOTES
THE GREATEST INTERSECTIONAL RIVALRY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL ••• USC and Notre Dame…two renowned brands…two iconic football programs…it doesn’t get any better. ••• USC travels to South Bend to challenge the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 96th meeting of the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football. It will be shown live nationally on NBC. ••• The game is a battle between schools with glorious gridiron heritages. The winner gets year-long possession of the jeweled Shillelagh. WINNING TRADITIONS ••• USC and Notre Dame have two of the top gridiron heritages in the country. ••• The schools have both won 11 national titles (USC in 1928-31-32-39-62-67-72-74-78-2003-04 and Notre Dame in 1924-29-30-43-46-47-49-66-73-77-88). ••• Notre Dame is fourth in all-time victories among Division I-A schools and USC is tenth. ••• USC has played in 56 bowls (with 36 wins, not including 1 win and 2 appearances vacated due to NCAA penalty), while Notre Dame has been in 44 bowls (with 23 wins). ••• Both schools have produced Heisman Trophy winners (USC has 8 [the most of any college football program], Notre Dame 7). USC’s Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Caleb Williams and Notre Dame’s Angelo Bertelli, John Lujack, Leon Hart, John Lattner, Paul Hornung, John Huarte, Tim Brown. ••• Notre Dame has had 204 All-American first teamers, while USC claims 177. ••• USC holds the record for most players (6) selected as the top pick of the NFL Draft, while Notre Dame has had 5 players drafted at the No. 1 spot. ••• Both schools are well-represented in the various halls of fame: USC has 47 inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame (including 36 players) and Notre Dame has 56 (including 50 players), and in the Pro Football Hall of Fame USC holds 18 members (including a record 14 players) and 14 from Notre Dame (13 players). ••• Both programs have had legendary coaches (USC’s Gloomy Gus Henderson, Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll, and Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy and Ara Parseghian). USC AND NOTRE DAME BOTH RANKED ••• In USC-Notre Dame games in which both teams are ranked by AP, Notre Dame holds a 18-14-2 edge not including 1 USC win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 18-15-2). ••• The last time the teams met when both were ranked was in 2023, a 48-20 victory by No. 21 Notre Dame over No. 10 USC in South Bend. SERIES ••• Notre Dame leads the series with USC, which began in 1926, 52-37-5 (not including Troy’s 2005 victory that was later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 52-38-5). ••• Including that 2005 vacated game, USC has won 12 of the last 22 meetings and 15 of the last 28 (including 8 in a row from 2002 to 2009). ••• Since 1967, USC has gone 26-27-3 (not including the 2005 vacated game; original record: 27-27-3). ••• In South Bend, USC is 13-29-1 (not including the 2005 vacated game; original record: 14-29-1), with 2 other USC losses in Chicago. ••• USC has lost in its last 6 trips to South Bend (its longest streak since dropping 7 consecutive there from 1983 to 1995), but Troy had won the previous 5 times there and 6 of the previous 8. ••• In its last 13 games against the Irish, USC is 4-9. SHILLELAGH ••• The winner of the USC-Notre Dame game gets year-long possession of the jeweled Shillelagh. ••• The foot-long shillelagh—a Gaelic war club made of oak or blackthorn saplings from Ireland—has ruby-adorned Trojan heads with the year and game score representing USC victories, while emerald-studded shamrocks stand for Notre Dame wins. For tie games, a combined Trojan head/shamrock medallion was used. ••• The first Shillelagh was retired after the 1989 game when it ran out of space for the medallions and a second one is now in use. ••• There are now 52 shamrocks, 38 Trojan heads and 5 combined medallions on the shillelaghs (1 USC win was later vacated due to NCAA penalty). A WIVES TALE ••• If it had not been for the persuasiveness of a young bride in 1925, the Trojan-Irish series may never have been established. The series came about because of a discussion between two wives. USC’s graduate manager, Gwynn Wilson was a forerunner to the modern-day athletic director. He and his bride, Marion, got on the Sunset Limited train to Lincoln, Nebraska where Notre Dame was going to play the Cornhuskers. Mission: a USC-Notre Dame home-and-home series. Wilson didn’t get to meet with Rockne though, until after the game when they all got on a train to Chicago. “He told me that he couldn’t meet USC because Notre Dame was traveling too much,” Wilson said. “I thought the whole thing was off but as Rock and I talked, Marion was with Mrs. Rockne, Bonnie, in her compartment. Marion told Bonnie how nice Southern California was and how hospitable the people were.” “Well, when Rock went back to the compartment, Bonnie talked him into the game. But if it hadn’t been for Mrs. Wilson talking to Mrs. Rockne, there wouldn’t have been a series.” SORRY BIG NOON–DAVE PORTNOY MAY CALL OUT SICK THIS WEEK… ••• …because USC decisively defeated No. 15 Michigan 31-13 in front of a sold out crowd in the Coliseum. ••• It was USC’s first AP Top-15 win since 2024 season opener versus No. 13 LSU in Las Vegas. ••• It was USC’s first AP Top-15 home win since Nov. 26, 2022 versus No. 13 Notre Dame. ••• It was USC’s first AP Top-15 conference win since Sept. 20, 2019 versus No. 10 Utah (30-23 at the Coliseum). ••• This was the largest margin of victory over a ranked team since beating No. 23 Stanford by 25 in 2019. ••• The Trojans are now 7-5 all-time against the Wolverines. ••• USC’s 31 points were the second most the Trojans have scored in the series against Michigan. ••• USC’s 224 rushing yards were the most Michigan has given up since 2022 against Ohio State (252 yards). ••• USC had 489 total yards of offense, the most total yards Michigan has given up this season and the most against the Wolverines since 2022 when Ohio State recorded 492 total yards of offense. ••• For Michigan, it was largest margin of defeat versus an unranked opponent since losing by 25 at unranked Illinois in 2009. ••• USC averaged 7.2 yards per play. Michigan hadn’t allowed more than 7 yards per play in a game since its College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia in December 2021. ••• USC’s 31 points tied for the second-most points allowed in a game under Sherrone Moore (Michigan gave up 31 points to No. 3 Texas and 38 points to No. 1 Oregon in 2024). ••• It was also the most points Michigan allowed to an unranked opponent in the Moore era. ••• The Trojans have led at the half in five of their six games this season. USC is 5-0 when leading at the half. ••• USC had nine different receivers record catches in the game, marking the third time this season the Trojans have had catches from nine or more players. ••• USC committed a season-low three penalties for 31 yards. ••• USC is the only school in the Big Ten to score more than 30 points in every game this season. ••• USC ranks No. 9 on the ESPN Football Power Index.
USC • NOTRE DAME CONNECTIONS ••• USC has 0 players from the state of Indiana, while Notre Dame has 8 players from the state of California. ••• Notre Dame DL Elijah Hughes played at USC in 2023-24. He recorded a total of 15 games, with 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the two years. ••• USC P Sam Johnson and Notre Dame CB DeVonta Smith played at Alabama together in 2021, the year the program won the national championship. ••• USC TE Lake McRee and Notre Dame WR Jaden Greathouse are both from Austin, Texas. ••• USC DT Kash Amos, Notre Dame WR Will Pauling and Notre Dame DL Christopher Burgess Jr. are all from Chicago, Ill. ••• USC WR Corey Simms, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame CB Christian Gray and Notre Dame DL Gabriel Rubio are all from Saint Louis, Mo. ••• USC WR Corey Simms and Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love prepped together at Christian Brothers College. ••• USC CB DJ Harvey and Notre Dame S Jalen Stroman played at Virginia Tech together in the 2021-22 seasons. ••• USC LB Nick De Fina and Notre Dame QB Tyler Buchner are both from San Diego, Calif. ••• USC RB Eli Sanders and Notre Dame LB Madden Faraimo are both from Oceanside, Calif. ••• USC OL Elijah Paige and Notre Dame CB Cree Thomas are both from Phoenix, Ariz. ••• USC CB Marcelles Williams, USC DT Kobe Pepe and Notre Dame LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asu all prepped together at St. John Bosco HS in Bellflower, Calif. ••• USC LB Elijah Newby and Notre Dame WR Matt Jeffrey are both from Cheshire, Conn. and prepped together at Cheshire Academy. ••• USC LB Ta’Mere Robinson and Notre Dame DL Donavan Hinish are both from Pittsburgh, Pa. ••• USC QB Dylan Gebbia and Notre Dame DL Junior Tuihalamaka prepped together at Bishop Alemany HS. in Los Angeles, Calif. ••• USC CB Kevin Longstreet and Notre Dame DL Jared Dawson both previously played at Louisville in 2023. ••• USC DT Keshawn Silver and Notre Dame Noah Burnette both previously played at North Carolina in 2022. ••• Notre Dame LB Madden Faraimo’s brother, Matt, was a setter on the USC men’s volleyball team from 2017-20.
••• USC General Manager Chad Bowden served as Notre Dame’s general manager from 2021-24. While there, Bowden was named the 2024 Football Scoop Player Personnel Director of the Year. Bowden’s transfer portal efforts helped Notre Dame land the No. 15 class in the On3 2024 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. ••• USC Assistant General Manager Dre Brown worked for Notre Dame’s recruiting office in many roles from 2021-2023. The Irish recruited the No. 6 class in the nation in 2022 according to On3 and Rivals. ••• USC Assistant Athletic Director of Recruiting Operations Zaire Turner served as Notre Dame’s Director of Player Personnel from 2022-24. While there, Turner helped construct three unanimously ranked Top 12 recruiting classes from 2023-2025. In 2024, she was named a 247Sports 30 Under 30 for advancing Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts. She was the second-ever female to hold a Director of Player Personnel role in college football. ••• USC Director of Recruiting Weston Zernechel was a team manager and received his bachelor’s degree in sport industry from Ohio State in 2015, the same year that current Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator, Chris Ash, held the role of Ohio State Co-Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach. ••• USC Recruiting Analyst Logan Snead previously worked as a recruiting intern at Notre Dame in 2024. ••• USC Assistant Director of Clinical and Sport Psychological Service Dr. Niki Sims served in a similar role at Notre Dame from 2017-20. ••• USC Senior Associate Athletic Director Lindsay Jaffe served as assistant athletic director for sport services at Cincinnati while Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman served as defensive coordinator / linebackers coach at Cincinnati from 2019-20.
NOTRE DAME SCOUTING REPORT ••• No. 16 Notre Dame football didn’t attain a two-score lead over NC State until midway through the third quarter, but the Irish pulled away with a 36-7 victory in Notre Dame Stadium. ••• QB CJ Carr finished 19-of-31 passing (61.3%) for 342 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT. ••• TE Eli Raridon (7 catches for 109 yards) and WR Will Pauling (4 catches for 105 yards) became the first Notre Dame duo to surpass 100 receiving yards since a Fiesta Bowl loss on Jan. 1, 2022. ••• The Irish rushed for a total of 11 yards in the first quarter and just 59 yards in the first half. ••• Notre Dame ended the game with 143 yards on 39 carries for an average of 3.7 yards per carry — the worst average for the Irish since 3.5 yards per carry against Texas A&M on Sept. 13. ••• RB Jeremiyah Love led the Irish in rushing with 18 carries for 86 yards and 2 TDs with 54 of those yards coming in the second half. ••• RB Jadarian Price finished with 15 carries for 66 yards. ••• Notre Dame sacked NC State QB CJ Bailey 4 times and intercepted him 3 times. ••• The Wolfpack rushed 28 times for 51 yards. That’s the fewest rushing yards Notre Dame has allowed in a game since Purdue totaled 38 on Sept. 14 of last season.
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NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
IRISH AND SAINTS TO MEET FOR FIRST HOME SERIES OF SEASON
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team will face off against St. Lawrence this week for their first home matchup of the season, with puck drop set for Thursday night at 7pm and again on Friday at 7pm. This meeting marks the fifth all-time contest between the two programs.
The teams last met to open the 2024-25 season, when Notre Dame skated to a 4-1 victory over the Saints. The win highlighted a strong offensive effort from the Irish, led by Cole Knuble, who netted the game-winner. Danny Nelson also scored, while team captains Michael Mastrodomenico, Paul Fisher, and Axel Kumlin each recorded assists in the victory.
Across the four all-time meetings, Notre Dame has won three of the four matchups, able to outscore St. Lawrence 21-8, including last season’s prominent win at Appleton Arena in Upstate New York. Thursday marks the chance to continue this success and secure the Irish’s first victory within their home territory.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: St. Lawrence (Thur. and Fri.)
Location: South Bend, Ind.
Schedule: Thur. 7pm | Fri. 7pm
TV: Peacock
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame
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NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
BASKETBALL IS BACK THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT BUTLER
INDIANAPOLIS – Basketball in October?! You bet. The Notre Dame men’s basketball program has scheduled two preseason exhibitions to help get fine-tuned for the November 3 season opener. Both exhibition opponents are nearby programs the Irish know quite well. Up first, Notre Dame travels to Hinkle Fieldhouse for a Friday night bout against Butler. That match will tip off at 7 p.m. ET (will not be streamed/broadcast, but can be heard live on WSBT Radio with Conor Clingen calling the game).
There have been 103 games played between the Irish and Bulldogs, with the series starting in 1909. The Irish have been pretty dominant overall in the series, up 72-31. However, it’s been 20 years since ND’s last trip to Hinkle – Feb. 15, 1995.
The lowdown on Butler: The Bulldogs enter the 2025-26 season off an appearance in the inaugural College Basketball Crown. Coach Thad Matta added five 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.
Of course, Coach Shrewsberry has a strong connection with Butler, serving as an assistant coach under Brad Stevens during their back-to-back runs to the national championship game in 2010 and 2011. Shrewsberry and Stevens compiled an 87-21 record together with two Horizon League regular-season and two tournament titles.
Up Next: The second exhibition will see the Irish play at home against DePaul on October 24. There have been 106 total games against one another on the hardwood, with the Irish up in the series 62-44. The last time the Blue Demons took the trip down I-90 to South Bend was back on Nov. 24, 2018 – a 95-70 Irish victory.
CORE NUCLEUS INTACT
For Notre Dame and Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry, retention and player development has been key. For the second consecutive year, the Fighting Irish return the highest scoring by percentage of any ACC school at 55.1 percent. The next highest being Virginia Tech at 44.9 percent.
Leading those returners is one of the best backcourt duos in the ACC – junior guards Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry. Approaching their third year together on the court, the duo combined for a league-best 35.3 ppg.
KNOW THE NAME – MARKUS BURTON
If you don’t know the name Markus Burton, you should. The 6-0 junior guard, who is playing in front of his hometown, recorded a sensational sophomore season and is poised to have an even bigger junior campaign.
Burton averaged 21.3 ppg last year, which ranks third nationally amongst returners.
1. PJ Haggerty, Kansas State – 21.7
2. Jaron Pierre Jr., SMU – 21.6
3. Markus Burton, ND – 21.3
4. Terrence Brown, Utah – 20.6
5. Nick Martinelli, NW – 20.5
Before last season, the last Irish player to average 20+ points in a season was Luke Harangody (21.8 ppg) in the 2009-10 season. Furthermore, Burton joined David Rivers as the only Irish players to average 20+ points and 3+ assists in a season. Burton averaged a team-best 3.0 apg last season.
During ACC play, Burton averaged 23.5 ppg, which led the league as well. His 423 points in ACC play broke the program record he set his freshman season. He now boasts 722 career ACC points, which already ranks him fifth all-time at ND.
Furthermore, Burton finished last year as one of the hottest shooters in the country. Over his last four games of the regular season – 31.5 ppg on 46.9 percent shooting, 11-22 (.500) from three & 39-46 (.848) from the line.
MASTER OF THE MIDRANGE
Burton is most dangerous when attacking the basket and utilizing his quickness. He shot 46.9 percent from two-point range overall. More specifically, he was 44.6 percent from the midrange and 46.4 percent from the paint. Burton’s true shooting percentage climbed to 54.8 percent, and his turnover rate dropped to 14.7 percent.
And more likely than not, Burton will get fouled attacking the basket, and last season, he was the team’s best free-throw shooter. He converted 84.8 percent from the stripe, which ranked 6th in the ACC. He drew 5.3 fouls per 40 minutes.
If that wasn’t enough, Burton improved from beyond the arc from year one to year two. He went from a 30.0 percent shooter from three as a freshman to 37.5 percent as a sophomore. In ACC play, Burton converted 40.2 percent from deep.
BRAEDEN, YEAR ‘3’
Braeden’s sophomore campaign was shortened by seven games with a lower-abdomen injury, but he certainly showed the world that he added to his game. He averaged 14.0 ppg, which was up from his freshman year’s 10.2. He also shot 41.3 percent from the floor, which also marked an improvement.
The 6-4 guard connected on 2.8 threes per game on a .369 clip – both ranked third in the ACC. In ACC play, he knocked down 40.0 percent from deep, which ranked fifth. Shrewsberry’s sweet spot? He converted 45.5 percent from corner threes (15-for-33).
Furthermore, Braeden shot 48.7 percent from two-point range. Specifically, he shot 43.2 percent from the midrange and 44.9 percent from the paint.
Like Burton, Shrewsberry ended on an extreme high note. He totaled 49 points over the last three games before his injury. He netted 16 points at BC, 12 points vs Louisville and a team high 21 points vs. SMU. Braeden averaged 16.3 ppg over that three-game span on 16-39 shooting (.410), plus 11-24 from beyond the arc (.458).
BIG PRESENCE INSIDE WITH THE ADDITION OF TOWT
The nation’s top rebounder from last year transferred to South Bend and will be paired with a top-5 scorer in the country in Markus Burton. Transferring in from Northern Arizona, Carson Towt led the nation with 12.4 rebounds per game last season. Notre Dame is the only school in the country to have players on the top-10 returning scorers and rebounders list.
Towt was a 2025 Second Team All-Big Sky selection and a unanimous Big Sky All-Defensive Team member.
Towt set a Big Sky conference single-season rebounding record, grabbing 423 rebounds across 34 games. The 423 rebounds also led the country.
The 6-8 forward averaged a nation’s best 8.9 defensive rebounds per game and 3.5 offensive boards per game – the latter ranked 14th nationally.
Towt broke a 63-year record, reeling in a career 1,044 rebounds. He also amassed 1,199 career points.
Last season, Towt averaged 13.4 points per game and produced 20 double-doubles, which ranked sixth in the nation. He shot .569 overall from the field, which ranked second in the Big Sky and 26th nationally
HIGHEST RATED ND RECRUIT CLASS IN MODERN HISTORY TAKES THE FLOOR
Last November, Coach Shrewsberry made a splash when he signed the highest rated recruiting class in program history (in modern recruiting era). The now freshmen class was ranked fourth in the nation by 247Sports, fifth by ESPN, fifth by Rivals and sixth by ON3. It’s also the top-rated class in the state of Indiana; second overall in the ACC.
The class is comprised of Tommy Ahneman, Ryder Frost, Brady Koehler and Jalen Haralson – the latter (at the time of his signing) was the highest rated recruit for Notre Dame in the modern era.
Haralson became the 20th McDonald’s All-American in program history and the first of the Shrews Era.
Frost was on Paul Biancardi’s 2025 top shot-makers list. In 2024, he led the UA summer circuit in three-point percentage, converting 45.2 percent.
Koehler was a 2025 AP Indiana Boys Basketball All-State First Team selection. He attended Coach Shrews’ high school and averaged 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals.
Ahneman was the top-ranked prospect in the state of Minnesota and led Cretin-Derham to a Class 4A Station runner-up finish as a senior. He averaged 16.3 points and 10.6 rebounds.
A PROGRAM OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
In the first note, we mentioned that Coach Shrews maintained his core nucleus, spearheaded by Markus and Braeden. In this section, we look at the other returners.
6-6 guard Sir Mohammed was slowed as a freshman as he worked through a lower-body injury. He ultimately played in 23 games, with eight starts, and shot 51.1 percent from two.
6-11 forward Garrett Sundra shot 53.3 percent from the field and 72.7 percent from two in 21 games. He was 8-of-20 (.400) from three-point range.
6-5 guard Cole Certa recorded a few clutch moments down the stretch of last season. In a 76-72 win over Pitt, Certa recorded all 12 of his points in the 2nd half but it all stemmed from a 125-second period in which he drained 3 triples. Then, down one with 18 seconds left vs. Stanford, Certa drained a corner three right in front his bench for the eventual 56-54 win.
Rounding out the returners are senior forward Kebba Njie and junior guard Logan Imes. Njie is the only player on the current roster to play four years under Coach Shrewsberry (freshman year at Penn State). Last season, Njie shot a career-best 55.5 percent from the floor. Imes played in 26 games and shot 46.4 percent from two.
2025-26 SCHEDULE NOTES
The Blue & Gold will hit the road for the first time of the season when they travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State on Nov. 16. This marks the start of a home-and-home series, with the Buckeyes traveling to South Bend for the 2026-27 season.
Year three of the ACC/SEC Challenge is approaching and for the first time, Notre Dame men’s basketball will get to host a challenge game inside Purcell Pavilion. The Fighting Irish will host the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Notre Dame trails in the all-time series to Missouri, 2-7. The two programs have not clashed on the hardwood since Nov. 21, 2011. Mizzou has not visited South Bend since Jan. 12, 1994.
Thanksgiving week marks a return to the Players Era Men’s Championship in Las Vegas. The Irish will clash with both Kansas and Rutgers with a third opponent TBD. ND and KU have not squared off since 1988.
The last road non-con will be a trip to TCU on December 5, beginning another home-and-home with the Horned Frogs returning the trip to Purcell for 2026-27. It’ll be the program’s first trip to Fort Worth with a 5-0 mark in the all-time series.
In terms of the ACC schedule – Notre Dame will kick things off with their first West Coast trip, taking on Stanford then Cal. The Irish will also make its first ACC trip to SMU on Feb. 10.
The Irish can receive a big home crowd boost with four of its last six inside Purcell Pavilion. Those home games include Georgia Tech, Duke, NC State and Stanford.
NOTRE NOTABLES.
Markus Burton was voted a Preseason First Team All-ACC selection. He’s the first Irish player to earn First Team preseason honors since senior forward John Mooney in 2019. Notre Dame was voted to finish 10th in the ACC in the preseason poll.
USA Today ACC Preseason Poll predicted the Irish to finish in 8th place. They also placed Burton on its Preseason All-ACC First Team.
The analytics metrics site, Bart Torvik, predicted Markus Burton to finish third in the country in scoring for the 2025-26 season, averaging 20.4 ppg.
Notre Dame posted a +20 in 876 minutes with Burton on the floor, including an impressive offensive rating of 111.4 points per 100 possessions.
Notre Dame’s 2026 recruiting class currently ranks 11th in the country by 247 Sports.
Last season, the 14-point comeback at BC was the largest come-from-behind victory in the Coach Shrews era.
Last season, Notre Dame earned its first-ever win in Charlottesville after a 74-59 victory over Virginia. Coach Shrewsberry has now defeated Virginia twice in three matchups.
THE BEND
The Fighting Irish basketball programs announced a new black and gold jersey, “The Bend.” A jersey that pays tribute to the characteristics and history of South Bend.
TYING IN TO OUR TOWN
The “Bend” script across the chest, which was inspired by the marquee “South Bend” wall on the side of Madison Oyster Bar in the heart of downtown.
The numbers – a custom font inspired by classic Studebaker cars, which got their start here in South Bend.
The side of the shorts – the lines running up the side of the uniform pull directly from the South Bend flag, which gives a nod to the St. Joseph River.
The Irish will first wear The Bend jerseys against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 7.
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BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
UCONN DEFEATS BUTLER
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler women’s soccer team dropped a mid-week conference match to UConn by the final score of 2-0. The Bulldogs (4-4-5, 1-3-2 BIG EAST) outshot the Huskies, 14-13, but failed to find the back of the net on three shots that were on frame. UConn (8-3-3, 4-1-2 BIG EAST) used a first-half goal from Chioma Okafor and a second-half goal from Se-Hanna Mars to secure the victory.
Butler hosts Seton Hall on Saturday, October 18, when the Bulldogs will also celebrate TOPSoccer Night.
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IU INDY CROSS COUNTRY
CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS BOUND FOR ANGEL MOUNDS INVITATIONAL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The IU Indianapolis men’s and women’s cross country teams will have their final tune-up before the upcoming Horizon League Championships when they compete at the Angel Mounds Invitational on Friday (Oct. 17).
The men’s 8,000m race is slated to begin at 9:00 a.m. CT, followed by the women’s 6,000m race at 9:50 a.m.
The Jaguars will compete against a decidedly Midwestern field that includes Austin Peay, Bellarmine, Brescia, Central State, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Lipscomb, Morehead State, Murray State, Northern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, SIU Edwardsville, Southern Illinois, Tennessee Tech, Transylvania, UT Martin, Vincennes, Western Kentucky and host schools Evansville and Southern Indiana.
This year marks the last season Angel Mounds will be used for competitive cross country after having hosted multiple NCAA Division II National Championships, along with a number of high school and collegiate meets each season. The course is slated to host the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships later this fall, followed by the NCAA Great Lakes Regionals in November.
Both the IU Indy men’s and women’s cross country teams look to leave one last regular season mark this weekend. Head coach Antonio McDaniel’s women’s squad is paced by veterans Julie Smith, Carina Alanis and Grace Bragg, along with sophomore Ella Colclesser. At the most recent Joe Piane Invitational on Oct. 3, Smith led the way in the 5K event with a time of 18:12.9, followed by Bragg, Colclesser, Alanis and Hannah Robbins. Smith owns the team’s quickest 6K of the season as well, having run 21:38.3 at the Rumble in the Fort back on Sept. 20. Colclesser, Bragg, Alanis and Robbins also rounded out the team’s top five at that event too.
On the men’s side, interim head coach Justin Amburgy’s team finished fourth at the Joe Piane Invitational, paced by a group of underclassmen. Sophomore Joey LaPatra led the way with a time of 24:55.3 while redshirt sophomore Luke Shappell was just behind him at 24:55.6. Three other underclassmen filled out the scoring five in Nick Cook, Eli Oetken and Sam Grimes. The previous outing, it was Shappell who led the way, followed by Cook, LaPatra, Riley Nixon and Ashman.
LaPatra’s 24:55.3 8K time at Notre Dame is the team’s quickest of the season.
Friday’s meet will be a homecoming for a number of Jaguars – namely Nolan King (Evansville Central) of the men’s squad and Carson Parks (Reitz Memorial) of the women’s team.
A full recap and results will be posted to IUIndyJags.com following Friday’s events.
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BALL STATE FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: CARDINALS HOST AKRON IN 98TH HOMECOMING GAME
MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State battles the University of Akron for the first time since 2021. The Zips haven’t visited Scheumann Stadium since homecoming in 2016. The Cardinals hope for their first home win over the Zips since 2014, when Akron visits Muncie as part of Ball State’s 98th homecoming weekend.
— Ball State seeks its fourth straight homecoming victory, having beaten Connecticut (2022), Central Michigan (2023) and Northern Illinois (2024) in the past three seasons. A four-game streak would be the Cardinals’ longest since a seven-game run from 1992-98. Ironically, that seven-game streak was ended by the Zips (31-9 in 1999) who are, inconveniently, 3-0 all-time against the homecoming Cardinals (1976, 1999, 2016).
— Fans are encouraged to WEAR RED this week to match the Cardinals on the field! Tailgate lots open at 11:30 a.m., with the Cardinal Walk slated for 1:15 p.m. and CharlieTown open for pregame festivities at 1:30.
— The Cardinals stumbled during a 42-0 defeat last week at Western Michigan. With a four-game win streak under their belt and in first place in the Mid-American Conference, the Broncos scored 21 points in each half and limited Ball State to just five first downs.
— Ball State defensive end Nathan Voorhis was stellar against Ohio two weeks ago and remains second in the country with 1.33 sacks per game. His 8.0 sacks overall are also second among total sacks, after registering 3.5 sacks and another QB hurry in the win over the Bobcats.
— With six games remaining, Voorhis’ eight sacks are within reach of Ball State’s official single-season record of 11.5, and its all-time mark of 13. Voorhis also is third on the team in overall tackles (26), trailing Alfred Chea (30) and Ashton Whitner (27).
— Offensively, Qua Ashley and Kiael Kelly remain the Cardinals’ rushing leaders with 333 and 273 net rush yards this season. Kelly’s 725 passing yards this season already have doubled his 608 career pass yards entering the season.
WHAT A WIN MEANS:
— Ball State will run its homecoming win streak to four games, its longest since a program-record seven straight wins between 1992 and 1998..
— Ball State will win three consecutive home games for the first time since a 2022 homecoming win over UConn capped a home streak beginning with Murray State and Northern Illinois.
INSIDE THE SERIES: AKRON
— Saturday’s visit by the Zips marks the fourth time that Ball State has hosted Akron as part of its annual homecoming festivities, including their last visit to Scheumann Stadium on Oct. 22, 2016. In fact, the Zips are 3-0 on Ball State’s homecoming date, winning in 1976, 1999 and 2016.
— Akron’s 31-9 win in the 1999 Ball State homecoming snapped the program’s longest homecoming win streak at seven games.
— Ball State and Akron have played to a 12-12-1 stalemate over the first 25 games of their series.
TIGHT IN THE MAC
— Ten of Ball State’s past 14 games in the MAC have been decided by six points or less. Ten of the last 13 have been decided by seven or less.
— Six out of eight Ball State games in the Mid-American Conference last year were decided by six points or less — five of those by three points or less.
— Last season’s only games not decided by six points or less were the season’s final two games following a coaching change.
— The 2024 campaign marked the first time in program history with six or more MAC games decided by 6 points or fewer.
LIMIT THE FLAGS
— Ball State is the MAC’s leader in fewest penalties (26), fewest penalty yards (209), fewest penalties per game (4.33) and fewest penalty yards per game (34.83).
MAC Rk | FBS Rk
Fewest Penalties — 1st | 12th
Fewest Penalties/Gm — 1st | 12th
Fewest Penalty Yds — 1st | 9th
Fewest Penalty Yds/Gm — 1st | 11th
VOORHIS LEADING DEFENSIVE LINE SURGE
— Nathan Voorhis (pronounced VORR-is) has had a sack in four of Ball State’s six games, and boasts six sacks in the Cardinals’ two home games, alone.
— His 3.5 sacks against Ohio set a career-high and his eight total sacks through six games (1.33 per game) are tied for second among all FBS players.
CARDINALS’ ALL-TIME SACKS LEADERS
— Current sack leader Nathan Voorhis boasts 8.0 sacks on the year, already more than last year’s leader, Riley Tolsma, who had 5.5.
— Voorhis is already just the sixth Ball State player since 2000 to record at least eight sacks in a season. His current total of 8.0 matches the season total of All-MAC defender Sidney Houston in 2023.
— Voorhis is on pace to challenge Ball State’s all-time sack leaders. The stat has been an official NCAA statistic since 2000, placing Anthony Winbush as the Cardinals’ “NCAA-recognized official” record-holder with 11.5 sacks in 2017.
— Ball State has maintained sack statistics since 1978, however, with Kelly George (1982) and Craig Newburg (1981) both owning their place in the Cardinals’ record book with 13 in those seasons.
— Voorhis is one of 17 Ball State players ever to record at least eight sacks in a season — though surely the first to do so in the season’s first five games.
CARDINALS AMONG MAC & FBS SACK LEADERS
— As a team, Ball State’s 2.5 sacks per game (15 total) rank fourth in the MAC and 34th nationally.
BETTER CALL SAUL
— Transfer punter Adam Saul ranks ninth in the MAC and 64th nationally with a 41.8-yard punting average.
— Saul owns six punts of at least 50 yards this year, including a 55-yard boot at UConn, a 62-yard kick against Ohio and his career-long 67-yarder at Purdue.
— Nine of his 38 punts have landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
— His 62-yarder against Ohio landed at the Bobcats’ 1-yard line and on their first play from scrimmage after the punt, Ball State recorded a safety to pull within 14-12 in an eventual upset win.
— Saul was called on for 10 punts twice this season, at Auburn and again at Western Michigan.
BALL STATE BY THE NUMBERS
4-4 – Kiael Kelly’s record in the MAC as QB1. He was 3-3 during a six-game stretch in 2023, and 1-1 to begin the 2025 campaign.
8 – FBS-leading sacks by Nathan Voorhis, through six games, are the most by a Cardinal since Sidney Houston had eight in the 2023 season.
97 – Ball State is 57-38-2 in its 97-game homecoming history. The first homecoming game was played in 1926, with no games in 1929 or 1943.
193 – Kiael Kelly (1,171) is 193 yards from replacing Riley Neal (1,363) in second place among career rushing leaders by a Ball State QB.
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BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES #MACTION AT BOWLING GREEN
THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL: The Ball State women’s volleyball team closes the first half of the 2025 Mid-American Conference season this week with a pair of matches at defending MAC regular season champion Bowling Green … The Cardinals and the Falcons are slated to square off at 6 p.m. both Thursday and Friday at the Stroh Center.
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Fans unable to attend this week’s matches in person have several ways to follow the #MACtion … Both contests will be broadcast live on ESPN+ … Live stats will be available courtesy of Bowling Green athletics … Updates from the matches will also be provided on the team’s X feed and Instagram story: @BallStateWVB.
MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATION: Ball State women’s volleyball team received 102 points in the league’s annual coaches’ poll, trailing only defending regular season champion Bowling Green (119) … With coaches unable to vote for their own teams, BGSU earned 10 of the 12 votes to win the MAC regular season title, with the Cardinals claiming the other two … The Falcons were also selected as the favorite to win the MAC Volleyball Championship with 10 votes, while Buffalo and Central Michigan each garnered one vote.
PRESEASON HONORS: In addition to the team rankings, the MAC announced its annual Preseason All-MAC Team … Representing Ball State are sophomore outside Carson Tyler and sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter … Tyler was named the 2024 MAC and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year after ranking first on the team and seventh in the league with a 3.34 kills-per-set average last season … Ledbetter earned a nod on the 2024 MAC All-Freshman team after leading the squad and ranking 10th in the MAC with a 3.68 digs-per-set average.
BALL STATE ALL-TIME: Ball State enters Thursday’s match at Bowling Green with a 1045-666-2 (.611) all-time record in women’s volleyball … Ball State became the 44th program in NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball history to reach 1,000 wins with a sweep of Central Michigan on Sept. 22, 2023 … All-time, the Cardinals have captured 12 MAC West Division Championships, 10 MAC Regular Season Championships and eight MAC Volleyball Championship titles … Ball State has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including three of the last six seasons … BSU has also earned two bids into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
WHEN IN WORTHEN: The Cardinals boast a 328-103 (.761) all-time record inside Worthen Arena, including an 84-41 (.672) mark against non-conference foes and a 244-62 (.797) ledger versus league foes … Overall, no MAC opponent owns a winning record inside Worthen Arena, as the Cardinals have at least a .630 winning percentage against all league schools on its current home floor … Up next in Worthen will be Ohio (Oct. 24-25) who is 7-13 (.350) all-time in the building.
BALL STATE IN THE MAC: With a perfect 7-0 record in MAC play this season, Ball State maintains its status as the winningest program in league play with a 466-225 (.674) all-time MAC mark … Western Michigan is second on the list, five matches behind the Cardinals at 461-230 (.667), while this week’s opponent Bowling Green is currently third at 409-282 (.592).
MORE ABOUT THE 7-0 START TO #MACtion: The 2025 season marks the eighth time in program history the Cardinals have won at least its first seven MAC matches of the year … The last time was in 2023 when Ball State got off to a 9-0 start, on its way to a 15-3 league finish … The Cardinals have boasted two perfect MAC seasons, going 18-0 in 1993 and 17-0 in 1994 … BSU also won the first 10 matches of the 1997 campaign, the first nine matches in 2000, the first eight matches in 2002 and the first seven in 2001.
SCOUTING BALL STATE:
• The Cardinals enter the week with an 11-8 overall record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in Mid-American Conference play … The lone remaining undefeated team in #MACtion, Ball State earned a 3-0 sweep at Miami Tuesday, before picking up a pair of home wins over Toledo by scores of 3-2 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday.
• Thanks to its 3-0 record last week, the Cardinals climbed 26 spots in the latest NCAA RPI Rankings, coming in at 51 this week after ranking 77th in the initial rankings … Ball State is the highest ranked MAC team, with Bowling Green coming in second at 85.
• Ball State enters the week as one of the nation’s top terminating teams, ranking second nationally with 1,053 total kills … Only Towson has more kills than the Cardinals at 1,087 … 336 of Ball State’s kills, which is third nationally, have come from the arm of sophomore outside Carson Tyler who also ranks first in the MAC and 27th nationally with a 4.36 kills-per-set average.
• In addition, the Cardinals lead the MAC and rank 42nd nationally with a .259 team attack percentage … Junior middle Camryn Wise is first in the league and 66th nationally with a .373 rate of success, while junior setter Lindsey Green ranks 61st nationally with 586 total assists and owns a 7.71 assists-per-set average.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN:
• The Falcons enter the week with a 12-7 overall record, including a 6-1 mark in MAC play … After opening last week with a 3-1 setback at Toledo, Bowling Green responded with a 3-1 Thursday victory and a 3-0 Friday win at Northern Illinois.
• Bowling Green ranks second in the MAC in the NCAA RPI Rankings at 85, also climbing 26 spots from its initial ranking of 111 … BGSU’s best win so far this season is a 3-1 victory over No. 82 Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 12.
• The Falcons enter the week as one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking 51st nationally with a 2.48 blocks-per-set average, while limiting opponents to a .171 attack percentage which is 30th nationally … In fact, BGSU’s 178.5 total blocks are ninth among all NCAA Division I programs.
• Bowling Green has three players ranked in the top 230 nationally in blocks-per-set average, led by Kendall Williams in 91st at 1.21 … Helen Wilford is 141st at 1.11, while Jessica Andrews is 228th at 1.02.
• The Cardinals currently hold a 47-24-1 lead in the all-time series versus Bowling Green despite three straight wins by the Falcons … Last season, BGSU swept a two-match series in Worthen Arena by scores of 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 30-28, 17-25, 15-11) on Sept. 27 and 3-0 (25-12, 25-23, 25-13) on Sept. 28 … Ball State’s last win in the series was a 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 25-21) win at the Stroh Center Oct. 7, 2023 … BSU is 21-7 all-time in matches played in Bowling Green.
BALL STATE QUICK HITS:
• Sophomore outside Carson Tyler has been one of the nation’s top attackers so far this season, ranking third nationally with 336 kills for a MAC-best 4.36 kills-per-set average … She has reached double-digit kills in all 19 matches so far this season, including a career-high 29 kills in last Friday’s win over Toledo (Oct. 10), 28 kills versus Cincinnati (Sept. 18), 26 kills versus James Madison (Sept. 14) and 21 kills at UConn (Sept. 5) … Last season, Tyler averaged 3.34 kills per set to become the first player in program history to earn AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year accolades.
• With double-digit kills in all 19 matches this season, Carson Tyler has raised her career total to 41 matches … She needs two more matches in double figures to break into the top 20 in program history at 43 … In addition, Tyler is one of just nine players in program history to register 20-or-more kills in at least 10 career matches, with last Friday’s match versus Toledo being her 11th.
• A six-rotation player, Carson Tyler is currently second on the squad with 194 digs this season … She has recorded kill/dig double-doubles in 11 matches this season, with her latest coming in last Friday’s 3-2 win over Toledo … Tyler registered career-high 19 digs in the win at Marquette (Sept. 12) and collected 18 versus Cal Poly (Aug. 31) and James Madison (Sept. 14) … Tyler also leads Ball State’s primary passers with a .968 reception percentage, successfully passing 419 of the 433 serves she has faced … Tyler also led the Cardinals’ primary passers with a .963 reception percentage last season by successfully passing 650 of the team-high 675 serves she faced.
• Graduate outside Noelle VanOorthas made quite an impact during her first seven weeks playing for the Cardinals, smashing 241 total kills, collecting 157 digs and hitting .244 (241-77-673) … A member of the Golden Gopher Invitational All-Tournament Team, VanOort has tallied double digit kills in 15 of BSU’s 19 matches, including a season-high 20 kills twice … Throw in 97 matches with double-figure kills during her career at Indiana Tech and VanOort has been credited with at least 10 kills in 112 collegiate matches … She has also raised her collegiate total to 11 matches with 20+ kills, including a 20/20 effort Nov. 5, 2022, with 23 kills and 25 digs versus Siena Heights.
• Noelle VanOort has been just as solid on defense through the first seven weeks, earning double-digit digs seven times, including a season-high 23 vs. Cincinnati (Sept. 18) … The effort has raised her career total to 97 matches with double-digit digs, including her 90 at Indiana Tech … It also helped her raise her collegiate kill/dig double-double total to 74, including six with Ball State and 68 with the Warriors.
• Prior to arriving at Ball State, Noelle VanOort finished her four-year playing career at Indiana Tech (2021-24) as a two-time NAIA Third Team All-American … Her 1,724 career kills ranked second in program history, while her 1,648 career digs were sixth … She also set the program standard with 282 career service aces … She has continued to find success in her first five weeks playing for the Cardinals and enters the week with 1965 kills, 1805 digs and 293 aces over her collegiate career.
• With 20 kills each in the Aug. 31 match versus Cal Poly, Noelle VanOortand Carson Tyler became the first Ball State duo to record 20-or-more kills in the same match since the 2007 season … Brittany May and Julie Breivogel were the last players to do so with 21 and 20 kills, respectively, in an Oct. 5, 2027 match versus Western Michigan.
• Sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter paces the Ball State defense with 309 digs and a 4.01 digs-per-set average this season … The total currently ranks second among MAC defenders, while the average is third … Ledbetter has recorded double-digit digs in 17 of BSU’s 19 matches, upping her career total to 40 … The effort includes a career-high tying 27 digs versus Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 20) and 26 digs in the season-opener versus St. Thomas (Aug. 29).
• Sophie Ledbetter earned her first collegiate double-double versus Cal Poly (Aug. 31), handing out 10 assists to go along with her 14 digs.
• Junior Lindsey Green and freshman Reese Axness have combined to lead the Ball State offense to a .259 attack percentage so far this season which is first in the MAC and 42nd nationally … The mark includes a .284 rate of success over the team’s seven MAC matches … Green, who dished out a career-high 51 assists twice this season, currently ranks eighth in the MAC with a 7.71 assists-per-set average, with her 586 total assists ranking 61st nationally … She also leads the squad with 22 service aces … Axness, meanwhile, enters the week with a 4.37 assists-per-set average and has served up 10 aces.
• Junior middle Gwen Crull has turned up the offensive heat over the last four weeks, reaching double-digit kills for the first six times in her collegiate career … Her best match came last Tuesday at Miami (Oct. 7), when she smashed a career-high 13 kills and hit .522 (13-1-23) … She has also collected 12 kills on two occasions; vs. Cincinnati (Sept. 18) and at Akron (Sept. 26) … During Ball State’s current seven-match winning streak, Crull is second on the squad with a .420 (56-9-112) attack percentage, which ranks third in the MAC during the span … She also leads the squad with a 0.82 blocks-per-set average this season, including a team-high 11 solo blocks.
• Junior middle Camryn Wise enters the week leading the Mid-American Conference with a .373 attack percentage … She has hit .300-or-better in 13 of the team’s 19 matches, paced by a season-high .579 (12-1-19) rate of success at Marquette (Sept. 12) … Looking at just league matches, Wise’s mark jumps up to .423 with just five errors on 97 swings, to go along with 46 kills … Wise has hit at least .385 in six MAC outings, starting with a .545 (6-0-11) effort at Buffalo (Sept. 25).
• Sophomore Tiffany Snook is starting to find her grove on the right side, ranking third on the squad in league play with 63 kills and a 2.42 kills-per-set average … The effort included a career-high 17 kills and a .433 (17-4-30) attack percentage in last Friday’s win over Toledo (Oct. 10) … She also secured 11 kills at Akron (Sept. 26) and has registered at least six kills in all seven of Ball State’s league matches.
• Ball State has stepped up its game from the service line since starting league play, averaging 1.48 aces per set in #MACtion … Six different players have served up at least one ace in league play, led by eight apiece from Reese Axness, Sophie Ledbetter and Carson Tyler … Ball State averaged just 1.12 aces per set prior to MAC play.
• Roster Update: Senior opposite Madison Buckley and redshirt junior outside attacker Aniya Kennedy will both miss the 2025 season as medical redshirts … Buckley was a 2024 First Team All-MAC selection after ranking second on the team in total blocks (90.0) and third in total kills (276) last season … Kennedy, the 2023 MAC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-MAC selection, ranked second on the squad with 279 kills last season and chipped in 43 total blocks.
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BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER PREPARING TO PLAY TOLEDO AT HOME ON THURSDAY AND AT BOWLING GREEN SUNDAY IN STRETCH RUN OF MAC SEASON
The Ball State soccer team is set to host Akron on Thursday and play at Bowling Green on Sunday as it enters the stretch run of the season.
Links to the video streams and live stats for the 4 p.m. Thursday match and 1 p.m. Sunday contest can be found above and on the schedule page. Thursday’s promotions at the Briner Sports Complex are Fraternity / Sorority Day and Oktoberfest.
The Cardinals (7-5-2, 4-3-1 Mid-American Conference) swept a pair of matches against MAC foes in Eastern Michigan (1-0 on Oct. 9) and Akron (3-0 on Oct. 12) coming into Thursday’s matchup with the Rockets.
Toledo (3-4-6, 0-3-4 MAC) tied 1-1 with Ohio last Sunday and fell 1-0 at Miami (OH) the Sunday prior in its most recent two games.
Mark Batman is in his third season as the head coach of the Rockets, who were picked to finish tenth in the 13-team MAC preseason coaches poll.
Toledo limits fouling and puts shots on goal, ranking fourth in the league in fewest fouls per game (9.46) and shot accuracy (.504). The Rockets are ninth in the MAC in scoring offense (0.92 goals per game) and seventh in goals-against average (1.08).
Senior goalkeeper Agnes Stenlund is fifth in the league in both total saves (50) and saves per game (3.85), while senior forward Kaema Amachree’s .517 shot accuracy is third in the MAC and two game-winning goals fifth in the league.
Bowling Green (7-1-6, 2-0-5 MAC) most recently took 1-1 draws with Miami and Eastern Michigan the last two Sundays. The only loss so far this year for the Falcons came back on Aug. 17 in a 1-0 setback to Illinois.
Chris Fox is in his second season in charge at Bowling Green, and the team was picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll.
The Falcons boast the second-best goals-against average (.643, No. 26 in NCAA Division I) and save percentage (.842, No. 34) in the MAC, while their 1.43 goals per game mark is third in the league.
Sophomore goalkeeper Payton O’Malley is second in the conference in goals-against average (.649, No. 29 in Division I) and save percentage (.839, No. 40). Junior forward Emma Stransky paces the Falcons with six goals but has been whistled for the most yellow cards in the MAC (four).
Next up for Ball State after these two matches is the home finale on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m., against Miami.
SCORCHING HOT SCORING BY SUBS: The trio of Emily Roper, Kaelyn Valleau and Annika Klauss provided a spark off the bench in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Akron, as each scored in a 10-minute stretch late in the first half.
Roper found the back of the net in the 34th minute before Valleau and Klauss scored their first goals of the season in the 40th and 43rd minutes, respectively.
ROAD RUNNERS: Ball State improved its record in road contests to 6-2 thanks to last Thursday’s 1-0 decision at Eastern Michigan.
The Cardinals are the only team in the MAC with more than four wins in away games this year.
BRACE FOR IMPACT: Senior Addie Chester scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Ohio on Oct. 2 to increase her season total to eight goals.
The Muncie, Ind., native tallied a pair of scores for the third time this year with the effort after also doing so on Aug. 24 at Eastern Illinois and on Sept. 7 against Butler.
Chester paces the Mid-American Conference in goals (eight) and points (20) so far this season. She also leads the league in goals per game (0.57) and points per game (1.43).
Chester has upped her career totals to 20 goals (18 at Ball State) and 20 assists (12) and ranks eighth in both of those categories in program history.
CALDWELL CAREER MILESTONE LOOKOUT: Senior forward Delaney Caldwell recorded goals in the season opener vs Purdue on Aug. 17, on Sept. 18 vs Central Michigan and Sept. 25 at Buffalo, but is within striking distance of setting a program record in another category.
Caldwell is three assists away from tying Ehren Reagor’s program record of 18 in a career, while she is two goals away from cracking the Top 5 in that career category as well.
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INDIANA STATE SWIMMING
INDIANA STATE OPENS 2025-26 REGULAR SEASON AT MISSOURI STATE THIS WEEKEND
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State swimming and diving opens up the 2025-26 schedule this weekend as the Sycamores head to Springfield, Mo. taking on fellow MVC member Missouri State in a two-day meet at the Hammons Student Center Pool. Competition is set to begin on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. ET, while Saturday’s competition is set to begin at 10 a.m. ET. Results will be available on MeetMobile.
“We’re looking forward to finally getting into our competition schedule this weekend,” head coach Josh Christensen said. “This is a bit later than we normally have our first meet, but that’s allowed us to be really consistent with our training through the early part of the Fall. Missouri State is going to provide us a very challenging meet. They are a talented, well coached team that we have a lot of respect for. I’m excited to see how we respond and compete as a team.”
Friday Competition Schedule
400 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 50 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 500 Free, 200 Free Relay, 3M Springboard
Saturday Competition Schedule
200 Medley Relay, 1000 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 Free Relay, 1M Springboard
The Sycamores head into their first competition of the 2025-26 season after hosting a pair of exhibition meets. Indiana State competed in their annual intrasquad competition with the Blue-Gray Meet on September 26, while welcoming back their alumni in a competition this past Friday night at the Vigo County Aquatic Center.
Indiana State looks to build off the first Missouri Valley Championship in program history after claiming the conference title this past spring in Waukee, Iowa. The Sycamores recorded six event championships on their way to scoring a program-record 1440.5 points over the four-day event. Head coach Josh Christensen (Coach of the Year), diving coach Teresa Hall (Co-Diving Coach of the Year), and Jecza Lopez (Diver of the Year) received several of the conference’s pre-eminent awards as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Early Sycamore standouts in the pool include the return of Missouri Valley Champion Claire Parsons (200-yard, 1650-yard) champion, while Jecza Lopez (1M & 3M Springboard) headlines the conference’s divers. Sara Keefe, Sahara Visscher, Kaleigh Kelley, Gemma Dilks, Ali Pearson, Erin Cummins, and Haley Halsall have all posted early season success in the pool with individual wins in the exhibition slate.
Additional highlights for the season to date includes the emergence of freshman Grace Cummings in the distance squad, placing seventh in the Indiana State Performance List in the 1000-yard Freestyle, while Keefe made her debut sitting eighth in the 100-yard Backstroke Performance List this season.
The Sycamore diving team has also seen marked improvement over the early meets with Brenna Woodruff exceeding her top marks from the 2024 season, while Bree Cleary and Sophia Dansereau also made their debuts on the Performance List.
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INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORE TRIO NAMED TO MVC’S PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State senior guard Kennedy Claybrooks, sophomore forward Amerie Flowers and sophomore guard Tierney Kelsey were named to the 2025-26 MVC Players to Watch list, as announced Wednesday morning by the conference office.
Claybrooks, a 5-6 guard from Memphis, Tennessee, joined the Sycamore program after spending the 2024-25 season at Southeast Missouri State. The senior was on pace for her most productive season at the collegiate level, averaging 9.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in seven games for the Redhawks. Claybrooks shot better than 45 percent from both the field and 3-point range last year, and she is no stranger to MVC competition. In three games against MVC schools last year, she averaged 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Claybrooks spent her first two seasons at Texas State, appearing in 44 games off the bench and averaging 2.6 points, 1.4 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game while playing in just over 10 minutes per game.
Flowers, a 6-2 forward from Willowbrook, Illinois, joined the Sycamore program after spending the 2024-25 season at McLennan Community College. The sophomore averaged 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in her debut season as a collegiate player, while shooting better than 40 percent from the field for a McLennan team that reached the second round of the NJCAA Division I National Championship. Flowers scored in double-figures nine times last season, including in McLennan’s first round win at the NJCAA Tournament, and pulled down five or more rebounds on 14 occasions during the 2024-25 campaign.
Kelsey, a 5-6 guard from Memphis, Tennessee, joined the Sycamore program after spending the 2024-25 season at Jackson State. The sophomore guard appeared in all 30 games off the bench for the Tigers last season and averaged 3.6 points, 1.3 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game, despite playing less than 15 minutes per contest. Kelsey shot 35.9 percent from 3-point range during the 2024-25 season, knocking down multiple 3-pointers in three different games. She also scored in double-figures on three occasions, and dished out three or more assists in five games.
Indiana State opens its 2025-26 season November 3 at IU Indy, with the Sycamores’ home opener set for November 11 against Eastern Illinois. Head Coach Marc Mitchell enters his second season at the helm of the Sycamores, with Indiana State posting its best offensive numbers in 15 years during his debut campaign with the Blue and White. The Trees feature a new-look roster in 2025-26, with 14 newcomers representing nine different states joining the program.
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INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
HARDING, WAGNER SELECTED AS MVC PLAYERS TO WATCH
ST. LOUIS – Indiana State men’s basketball graduate student Markus Harding and junior Camp Wagner were selected as 2025-26 MVC Players to Watch, announced on Wednesday morning from the league office.
Harding, playing 18.0 minutes per game last season, played in 29-of-32 games averaging 6.4 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game. He started in all 29 games available. Harding’s season high of 16 points occurred twice last season, most recently at home against Northern Iowa where he made 4-of-7 from three in only 21 minutes on the court.
Wagner, playing 26.6 minutes per game last season, played in 31-of-32 games. He led the 2024-25 Sycamores in three-point percentage shooting 38.5% (min. 75 attempts), finishing third in the MVC in the category. His 2.7 threes per game was also third in the league. He closed out the last four games of the season shooting nearly 44% from downtown, highlighted by a season-high 31 points at Belmont, making 9-of-18 triples. Both the 31 points and nine made threes were career highs for the then-sophomore, as he tied the Indiana State men’s basketball program single-game three-point recorded with the nine made threes.
Indiana State tips off the regular season on Monday, November 3 at Charlotte and will host Illinois Tech in the home opener on Thursday, November 6.
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EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
LUEBBERS PALMER, NORKUS, RUNNER LAND ON MVC PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Valley Conference announced its women’s basketball “Players to Watch” list for the upcoming season this morning, including three University of Evansville student-athletes – Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky./Randall K. Cooper), Kylee Norkus (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), and Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind./Hamilton Heights). All three Aces selected are sophomores, serving as key pieces of Evansville’s exciting young core.
Luebbers Palmer lands on the list after a stellar freshman campaign that saw her play in 24 games with 11 starts. Luebbers Palmer scored 6.5 points per game in her first season of collegiate basketball and was at her best in MVC play, scoring in double figures six times against conference opponents. She notched her first double digit scoring effort against Missouri State (1/17/25), scoring 15 points, before earning MVC Freshman of the Week honors by scoring 14 points against Bradley (2/13) and a season-high 17 points in 34 minutes against Illinois State (2/15).
Norkus receives preseason recognition after impressing in four games as a freshman last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Norkus started the first four games of the season, scoring an average of 10 points per game while grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game. Before going down against Lindenwood, Norkus played 33, 39 and 37 minutes in the Aces’ first three games and helped Evansville pick up wins over Wright State (11/10/24) and SEMO (11/14).
The reigning MVC Freshman of the Year, Runner lands on the list after one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in UE program history. One of two Aces to start all 32 games last season, Runner led the team with 1,072 minutes played and led MVC freshmen and ranked eighth in the MVC with 15.5 points per game. Runner was among the most prolific free throw shooters in the country, leading the MVC and finishing fifth in the country in free throws made (206) and free throw attempts (250). Runner also averaged 2.8 assists per game, while her 89 assists were the most by an Evansville freshman since Dakota Weatherford in 2013-14. A dynamic scorer, Runner scored in double figures in 30 games and had eight performances of 20-plus points, including putting up a season-high 30 against Lindenwood (11/18/24). In MVC play, Runner upped her scoring to 17.8 points per game.
The 2025-26 season begins on October 28th with an exhibition against Roosevelt at Meeks Family Fieldhouse before opening the regular season at SEMO on November 6. The first regular season contest at Meeks Family Fieldhouse comes on November 20, when the Aces play host to IU Indy.
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 Meeks Family Fieldhouse this season, please call Logan Belz at the UE Ticket office 812-488-2623.
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PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL
WVB HOSTS CLEVELAND STATE IN ACTION-PACKED WEEKEND
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball hosts its annual Pink Out match on Friday (Oct. 17) as a part of its series against Cleveland State.
Game Day Information
Who: Cleveland State Vikings
When: Friday-Saturday, October 17-18
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Live Stats: Link
Watch:Link (Friday only)
Match Notes: Link
Attendance Challenge
The Purdue Fort Wayne or Indiana Fort Wayne student who attends the most Mastodon home athletics events this year will win an iPad at the end of the 2025-26 school year! Make sure to check in and get your QR code scanned at the game to start tracking your attendance.
Promotions
• Friday’s match is the Mastodons’ annual Pink Out, supporting breast cancer research with the Vera Bradley Foundation and Lutheran Health Network.
• Saturday’s match is Free Youth Day, with free admission for anyone in grades K-12.
Know Your Foe
Cleveland State is 2-16 and 0-7 in Horizon League play, seeking its first win since September 18. Bryn VanVleet and Laken Voss are the Vikings’ best hitters, both averaging between 2.70 and 2.90 kills per set, but have not been efficient with .078 and .143 hitting percentages, respectively.
Series History
Purdue Fort Wayne leads the series 7-6, but the two teams split last season with a 3-0 win each way. Riley Rosneck had 10 kills with a .421 clip in the Mastodons’ win.
League Leader
Riley Rosneck has the best kills (4.03) and points per set (4.42) marks in the Horizon League this season.
She Means Business
Haiden Means has the highest aces per set mark in Horizon League play with 0.44 aces per set.
That’s My(a) Middle
Mya Plemons has 77 blocks this season, which leads the Horizon League and is a top-60 mark nationally.
When Life Gives You Plemons
Mya Plemons has a .345 career hitting percentage, the second-best in program history and the best in the rally scoring era. With another four attempts this season, she will qualify to have the best percentage for a season in the rally scoring era (.361)
Last Time Out
Oakland took a pair of victories from the Mastodons in Rochester, Michigan.
Next Time Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will hit the road for a pair of league matches at Northern Kentucky (Oct. 24-25).
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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS NORTHERN KENTUCKY
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team will host Northern Kentucky on Thursday (Oct. 16) at 7 p.m. for family day at the Hefner Soccer Complex. The family night deal features four tickets for $10.
Game Day Information
Who: Northern Kentucky Norse
When: Thursday, October 16 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: Link
Tickets: Link
Know Your Foe
Northern Kentucky is 7-2-5 on the season, 4-1-1 during Horizon League contests. The Norse are second in the HL in goals per game (6.33), assists per game (2.33) and goals allowed per game (.50) during league contests. Megan Molner leads the Horizon League in game-winning goals (3) during league play, earning her a Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week nod (Sept. 22). Senior Meghan Belrose is second in HL contests in assists per game (.667). Grad Student Lilly Yordy was the first Norse player to win a Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week selection this season (Sept. 2), after scoring two goals and assisting on two during the prior week’s two matches. Senior keeper Megan Gessner lies second in league standings in shutouts (4), goals against average (.516) and saves per game (.857) during HL play this season.
Series History
Northern Kentucky leads the series history 7-2-1 series history lead over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Norse won last year’s meeting 1-0 in Highland Heights, Kentucky.
Fab 50
Head Coach Jason Burr secured his 50th victory with the Mastodons after the win over Indiana Tech (Sept. 3). 24 of the victories have came within the last four seasons.
Assisted By Gallagher
Following Morgan Gallagher’s two assist match in the 6-0 victory over Indiana Tech (Sept. 3), she climbed to sixth in program history for career assists with 9. The junior assisted on her third goal of the season, 10th in her career, in a 3-1 loss at Oakland.
3. 11 – Tylar Allison (2009-12)
4. 10 – Morgan Gallagher (2023-25)
10 – Shacina Hersey (2000-03)
10 – Kelsey Gallagher (2019-03)
7. 9 – Morgan Reitano (2019-23)
Count ‘Em
Jordan Imes secured her eight shutout of her career against Indiana Tech (Sept. 3). The keeper continues to scale the program record book, needing only one more shutout to be tied for third. The grad student finished last season with six shutouts, tied for second in program history for a single-season.
1. 17 – Samantha Castañeda (2020-23)
2. 10 – Sam Pavlika (2012-14)
3. 9 – Shannon Lynn (2004-06)
4. 8 – Jordan Imes (2023-25)
Imes also breached the program’s top 10 career saves list after claiming four in the Party at the Pitch contest against Ball State (Sept. 10).
8. 194 – Lorah Pund (2018-20)
9. 164 – Jordan Imes (2023-25)
10. 148 – Haley Lydon (2015-18)
Imes On The Prize
Jordan Imes was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 18) after the first week of the season. The keeper earned her first shutout of the year against Akron (Aug. 14), the only Horizon League keeper to refuse a goal in the first week of play.
New Challenge
The Purdue Fort Wayne or Indiana Fort Wayne student who attends the most Mastodon home athletics events this year will win an iPad at the end of the 2025-26 school year! Make sure to check in and get your QR code scanned at the game to start tracking your attendance.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons lost 3-0 to Robert Morris (Oct. 12) at the Hefner Soccer Complex. The ‘Dons took seven shots on goal during the match, Mary McArdle took a team-high two.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will travel to Cleveland State on Sunday (Oct. 19).
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SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
USI HITS THE ROAD TO TENNESSEE TECH ON THURSDAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer heads back on the road for an Ohio Valley Conference showdown Thursday against Tennessee Tech University at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
USI Women’s Soccer (6-5-4, 3-0-3 OVC) enters Thursday’s action in a three-way tie for second in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with 12 points alongside Tennessee Tech (3-6-7, 3-0-3 OVC) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Tennessee Tech has held the upper hand in the first three all-time meetings against USI, winning each of the last three seasons by a multiple-goal differential. Last season, the Golden Eagles won 4-1 at USI.
The Screaming Eagles have already clinched their berth in the OVC postseason tournament with three regular-season games to go. USI clinched its spot in the OVC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season last Sunday following a 1-0 win against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The win against the Cougars also gave USI its most wins in a season since moving to Division I in 2022. The 1-0 victory, USI’s sixth straight OVC result, added to a program-best start to OVC play since joining the conference in 2022 and extended the Eagles’ unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
USI has gone 6-0-4 in its last 10 matches, claiming six victories at home with four draws on the road. The current streak is a program best since 1998, when USI went unbeaten in 12 consecutive matches – a program record – and saw the team start the season 11-0-1 and finish 18-3-1 toward an NCAA II Tournament quarterfinals appearance. During the current streak, USI has outscored the opposition 16-4.
Last Sunday, the Screaming Eagles topped the SIUE Cougars after senior forward Emerson Grafton scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute for her team-best fourth goal of the season. It was Grafton’s third game-winner on the year, a team best since 2021. Grafton scored the goal on a diving header off a double-assist by sophomore forward Josie Pochocki and redshirt junior midfielder Emma Thurston. USI outshot SIUE 16-6 overall and 4-2 in shots on goal.
Grafton’s goal on Sunday was the 20th of the season by the Screaming Eagles. The 20 goals tie USI’s best team total in a season during the program’s D-I era, as the Eagles netted 20 just last season in 2024. USI has scored a goal in five consecutive games entering Thursday.
As a team, USI ranks third in the OVC with goals and 58 points on the season. USI is tied for first in the conference with 18 assists. USI is also third with 188 shots and 12.5 shots per game.
Individually, Grafton paces the Screaming Eagles with 11 points off a team-high four goals and three assists. Grafton is in the top 10 in the OVC in shots (31), goals (4), assists (3), game-winning goals (3), and points (11). Senior forward Peyton Murphy is second on the team with nine points off three goals and three assists. Redshirt sophomore forward Eva Boer and Pochocki also have three goals this season. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland has a 1.23 GAA with 40 saves and six shutouts, which is third in the OVC.
Tennessee Tech has won three of its last four matches heading into Thursday’s kickoff. The Golden Eagles have outscored their opposition 15-4 in the last four games. Tennessee Tech is second in the OVC in goals (21) and tied for first with USI in assists (18).
Last time out, Tennessee Tech earned a 1-1 draw against the University of Tennessee at Martin. Following a scoreless first half, the Skyhawks took a 1-0 advantage just over four minutes into the second half. The Golden Eagles equalized the match with a goal in the final 90 seconds. Tennessee Tech outshot UT Martin 18-8. Each team had eight shots on goal.
Sophomore forward Natalie Howard has led the Golden Eagles’ attack this season with 12 points off a team-high five goals and a pair of assists. Graduate midfielder Lucia Cuadra, who leads the squad with 26 shots, has 11 points off four goals and three assists. Senior forward Katie Toney, who scored the tying goal on Sunday against UT Martin, has three goals alongside redshirt junior midfielder Allison Lee. Senior goalkeeper Maggie Conrad has a 1.57 GAA with 69 saves and two shutouts in 16 starts.
After Thursday’s road match, USI Women’s Soccer closes out its regular-season home schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Lindenwood University. Sunday will be USI’s cancer awareness game at Strassweg Field, as fans are encouraged to join the team in wearing pink to help spread awareness in the fight against cancer.
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SOUTHERN INDIANA GOLF
USI GOLF SQUARES OFF AGAINST EVANSVILLE ON THURSDAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s and Men’s Golf will match up against the University of Evansville in the Battle of the Expressway Thursday at Western Hills Country Club (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) for another edition of the crosstown clash. The matches begin teeing off at 9 a.m. The last grouping will tee off near 11 a.m.
The matchup will follow a Ryder Cup-style singles format with each Screaming Eagle facing off with a Purple Ace one-on-one, looking to win more holes than the other. The 17 matches (10 men, seven women) will take place with a point being awarded to the winner of each. A tie will result in a point being halved. The trophy will be awarded to the team that has won the most points overall after the men’s and women’s scores have been tallied together.
USI and Evansville competed last year with the Aces winning in the fall in a combined score of 13-5 (7.5-2.5 men, 5.5-2.5 women). The spring match-up, which followed a different format, ended in a combined 4.5-4.5 tie with USI winning a tie-breaker.
Tee times Thursday are as follows:
Match 1 – 9:00 am – Men’s Match – USI – Ingtawan Wangrunruchasri / UE – Denzel Rai
Match 2- 9:07 am – Men’s Match – USI – Chandler Ornelas / UE – Omar Khalid
Match 3 – 9:14 am – Women’s Match – USI – Fernanda Vera / UE – Jane Grankina
Match 4 – 9:21 am – Men’s Match – USI – Jairen Stroud / UE – Julian Kiessling
Match 5 – 9:28 am – Women’s Match – USI – Alexis Wymer / UE – Kate Petrova
Match 6 – 9:35 am – Men’s Match – USI – Alex Peck / UE – Mason Taylor
Match 7 – 9:42 am – Women’s Match – USI – Tora Timinsky / UE – Emily Mercer
Match 8 – 9:49 am – Men’s Match – USI – Wade Worthington / UE – Luke Price
Match 9 – 9:56 am – Women’s Match – USI – Brianna Kirsch / UE – Trinity Dubbs
Match 10 – 10:03 am – Men’s Match – USI – Hunter Reynolds / UE – Miguel Sobrado
Match 11 – 10:10 am – Women’s Match – USI – Camryn Luthy / UE – Adeline Wittmer
Match 12 – 10:17 am – Men’s Match – USI – Weston Hardy / UE – Chris O’Donnell
Match 13 – 10:24 am – Women’s Match – USI – Valeria Lopez de Haro Juste / UE – Haley Hughes
Match 14 – 10:31 am – Men’s Match – USI – Ben Christian / UE – Andrew Rottschalk
Match 15 – 10:38 am – Women’s Match – USI – McKenna Lowe / Mia Cruz
Match 16 – 10:45 am – Men’s Match – USI – Sam Gargis / UE Daniil Romashkin
Match 17- 10:52 am – Men’s Match – USI Carter Goebel / UE Jamison Ousley
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SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER
EAGLES SET TO BATTLE LEATHERNECKS
EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer kicks off its two-game road trip with a battle against Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, on Thursday afternoon.
Thursday’s match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
The Screaming Eagles (2-7-3, 1-1-3 OVC) are on a four-game unbeaten streak, the longest the team has had since transitioning to Division I in 2022. The streak currently has USI fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference with six points, four behind Liberty University in third and one ahead of Western Illinois in fifth.
Sophomore David Davila was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday following his three goals over two games. Davila scored both of the team’s goals in the come-from-behind draw against Liberty on October 9 and scored the equalizing goal in the team’s draw against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Davila’s award marked the second consecutive week that the Eagles were honored by the conference. Impressively, freshman Edin Cvorovic was named OVC Co-Offensive Player of the Week the week before Davila’s award, marking the first time the team had earned back-to-back honors in the OVC.
Last time out, USI took on SIUE at Strassweg Field. The Eagles fell behind early when the Cougars scored 22:31 into the game, then again at 30:33. USI fought back when freshman Kadiri Bello scored his first goal of the season, assisted by freshman Chase Smith, in the 37th minute.
USI entered the half down 2-1, and was outshot 12-2 through the first half. The Eagles’ defense locked up the Cougars in the second half, holding them scoreless on just five total shots. Davila brought the score even in the 74th minute, creating his own opportunity. The score held at 2-2 through the final buzzer, giving USI one point in the standings.
Western Illinois enters Thursday’s matchup off a 1-0 loss at Houston Christian University on Sunday. The Leathernecks were even in shots with the Huskies at 12-12, but HCU snuck one into the goal in the 58th minute.
Senior Liam Gainey leads WIU, with five goals scored this year, including two in the team’s match against the University of Illinois Chicago. The Leathernecks also have junior Xavier Gagon, who was awarded the OVC Offensive Player of the Week on September 9 after a week he scored two goals on seven shots.
After Thursday’s match, USI travels to Charleston, Illinois, on Sunday for a matchup with Eastern Illinois University before returning to Strassweg Field for Senior Day on October 25 against Lindenwood University.
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VALPO VOLLEYBALL
SECOND-PLACE VOLLEYBALL BACK AT ARC THIS WEEKEND
Valparaiso (14-5, 5-1 MVC)
Friday, Oct. 17 – Belmont (13-4, 4-2 MVC) – 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18 – Murray State (3-12, 1-5 MVC) – 5 p.m.
Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: After playing 17 of its first 19 matches of the season away from home, the Valpo volleyball team comes home to the ARC for four home matches in a nine-day span, starting with contests Friday against a Belmont squad which enters the weekend right behind Valpo in the conference standings and Saturday versus Murray State.
Previously: The Beacons concluded their four-match road stretch with two more victories last week, sweeping a UIC squad picked to finish second in the MVC this year before earning a gritty five-set victory despite playing shorthanded at Southern Illinois.
Looking Ahead: Valpo stays at home next week, with rematches against UIC (Oct. 21) and Southern Illinois (Oct. 25) on the docket.
Following the Beacons: Both matches this week are scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+, while Friday’s match will also have a radio broadcast on WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso). Live stats are also available for both matches via ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Carin Avery: In her 24th season as head coach at Valpo, Carin Avery is the all-time winningest head coach across all sports in the history of Valpo Athletics. She has won 521 matches (521-262, .665) at the helm of the program and has led Valpo to three league regular season and three league tournament titles. The program has made seven postseason appearances under Avery, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to the championship match of the 2021 NIVC. Avery has coached 61 All-League recipients over her tenure at Valpo, which has spanned three different conferences. She is Valpo’s all-time leader in both victories and winning percentage, and owns a 576-286 (.668) record overall as a head coach.
Series History: Belmont – Valpo holds a 5-1 edge in the series over the Bruins, including a 4-1 record since Belmont joined the Valley. In last season’s lone meeting in Nashville, the Beacons pulled off an epic comeback to come away with the victory, as trailing two sets to one and 23-17 in the fourth, they ended the fourth set on a 9-1 run and then blitzed Belmont in the fifth set, 15-4.
Murray State – Valpo owns an 8-2 advantage in the all-time series over the Racers, including a 4-2 mark since Murray State joined the MVC. Two of those victories for the Beacons came last season, as Valpo took a 3-1 win at Murray in the lone regular season meeting – Carin Avery’s 500th win in charge of the Valpo program – and then matched the result in the opening round of the MVC Tournament.
Scouting the Opposition: Belmont – The Bruins come into Friday’s match just behind Valpo in the MVC standings, with a 4-2 record in Valley play and a 13-4 overall record. Belmont was swept by Illinois State last weekend, but rebounded with a sweep of Indiana State. Brooke Gilleland leads the MVC and ranks among the national leaders with 0.64 aces/set and is also fourth in the Valley with 3.61 kills/set, while Erin McMullen ranks among the MVC’s best in hitting percentage (.363, 3rd) and blocks (0.98/set, 7th).
Murray State – The Racers are 3-12 on the year overall and 1-5 in MVC play, but earned their best result of the season last time out as they topped Illinois State in five sets last Saturday. Ella Vogel paces the Racers and ranks second among Valley players with 3.77 kills/set.
The Road is Our Home: Two weeks, four matches on the road, no problem for the Beacons, who returned to Valpo with four straight road wins to improve to 5-1 in MVC play. The four road victories came within an nine-day span, the second time in the last three years the Beacons have accomplished that feat, as they did so in 2023 as well – prior to that, the last time they did so was in 2008.
So This is the ARC?: When Valpo steps on the court at the ARC Friday night, it will be just the Beacons’ third home match of the season, as they have played 17 of the season’s first 19 matches away from home. By calendar date, Oct. 17 will be the latest date into a season that Valpo has played just its third home match since 1996, when the team’s third home match came on Nov. 8 as it played just four home matches total that season. After playing just two home matches in the first month and a half of the season, the Beacons will play four home matches in a nine-day span.
Go the Distance: Giving the fans their money’s worth seemed to be a theme of Valpo’s recent road swing, as three of the Beacons’ four wins (Illinois State, Bradley, Southern Illinois) went the full five sets. You have to go back to early 2021 to find the last time Valpo won three matches in a four-match span by 3-2 finals, part of a stretch to open the season where it won five times in five sets over the first eight matches. The Illinois State and Bradley matches came on back-to-back nights – it had been since 1992 since Valpo won 3-2 in back-to-back conference matches (Oct. 17 vs. Green Bay; Oct. 27 at UIC) and since 1988 since it had done so on consecutive days (Oct. 21 vs. Marquette, Oct. 22 vs. Green Bay).
0-2 to 3-2: The most recent win at Southern Illinois came in dramatic fashion, as the Beacons trailed two sets to none, and then after rallying to force a fifth set, trailed 5-2 in the decisive frame. It was the 26th time in Coach Avery’s time at the helm of the Valpo program that it has forced a fifth set after trailing 2-0, and the 15th time it has completed the comeback, winning 3-2.
Record-Setting Attack: The Beacons blew a program record out of the water in that win over SIU, hitting at a .340 clip in Saturday’s victory with 71 kills and just 17 attack errors – easily the best hitting percentage in a five-set match in program history. Valpo’s previous high in a five-set match in the 25-point era was .306, while its previous high in a five-set match in any era was .311. The Beacons, who finished a match hitting above .300 for the fifth time this year, hit .294 or better in all five sets.
Defense Steps Up Late: The key to the come-from-behind win at SIU was the Beacons’ defense stepping up late in the match. After the Salukis hit .385 over the first three sets, they hit just .019 over the final two sets. Looking back over the fifth sets from Valpo’s three 3-2 wins over the last two weeks, combined the Beacons hit .342 in those fifth sets while holding their opponents to .171 hitting.
Extinguishing the Flames: Given the recent nature of the series between the two programs, it was notable that the only non-five set result from the recent road swing was a 3-0 Valpo win at UIC. The Beacons had not beaten the Flames since UIC joined the Valley prior to the 2022 campaign (0-8) and had dropped all nine sets over the three matches played in Chicago in that time frame. Error avoidance was at the forefront of last Tuesday’s win, as the Beacons committed just five non-block attack errors over the three sets, while the Flames committed 16.
5-1: Approaching the midway point of the conference season, the Beacons sit in second place in the MVC standings with a 5-1 record and could move two games up on third place if they defeat Belmont Friday night. Notably, the 5-1 start comes having played each of the top four teams in the preseason poll once apiece in that stretch. It is the second time Valpo has been 5-1 through six MVC matches since joining the Valley (2018).
Digging It and Killing It: The Beacons rank among the nation’s best on both sides of the ball this season. Valpo currently sits second in the MVC rankings with 16.66 digs/set, a mark which ranks 18th nationally, while it is second in the Valley and 21st nationally with 13.92 kills/set. Notably, that latter mark would be the program’s best kills/set average in a season since 2015.
The Right Stuff: Sophomore right side Ava Helming has been pacing the Beacons’ attack all season long and took it to another level last week, earning MVC Player of the Week honors in the process for the second time in her career. She opened by tying for match-high honors with 15 kills on .520 hitting in the sweep at UIC, and replicated that performance exactly in the win at SIU. She is the first Valpo player since Mallory Januski in September 2022 to hit at least .500 with double-figure kills in consecutive matches, and the first to hit at least .500 with 15 or more kills in consecutive matches since Allison Sears in October 2008. Helming, who has led Valpo in kills 12 times this season, ranks sixth in the MVC with 3.37 kills/set and has raised that mark to 3.77 kills/set in Valley play, good for fourth in the conference.
Warren Racks Them Up: There has been no rest for recent Valpo opponents when Helming has rotated out, because senior Sam Warren has been right there to step in at the right pin. Warren has been in double figures in kills in five of Valpo’s six MVC matches, including a career-high tying 17 last time out in the win at Southern Illinois. She also had a pair of 16-kill efforts in the wins at Illinois State and Bradley.
An Eye on the Record Books: While she “only” had 26 digs over Valpo’s two wins last week, Emma Hickey continues to be poised to move up various record books. The senior enters this weekend with 2,455 career digs, which at her career pace, it’ll be a photo finish for her to perhaps catch Taylor Root for second place in program history. Other charts to keep an eye on include the MVC career leaders – where she is currently 27 shy of former Missouri State standout Emily Butters for 6th – and the NCAA career leaders – where she is 83 away from the top-25 all-time. Hickey leads all active NCAA players (all divisions) in career digs and owns 664 more digs than any other active Division I player.
Still Underclassmen: It’s easy to forget, given the number of returnees this year’s Beacon squad features, that a large number of those returnees are still just sophomores. 76.6% of the team’s kills and 77.6% of the team’s blocks have come courtesy of the underclassmen.
Players of the Week: With Helming’s honor this week, five different Beacons has combined for seven weekly awards from the MVC office this season. Emma Hickey was named Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this year and seventh time in her career after the Illinois State/Bradley road weekend as she averaged 5.60 digs/set and 1.70 assists/set while not committing a serve reception error on 39 attempts. Jessica Pickett was named Player of the Week for the first time in her career and Hickey was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week after splitting the Drake/UNI opening weekend of conference play – Pickett hit .391 over the pair of matches with 2.88 kills/set and 1.50 blocks/set, while Hickey averaged 6.25 digs/set and committed just one serve reception error on 45 attempts. Hickey was recognized as Defensive Player of the Week for the first time this year following the opening weekend of the season, which saw her earn All-Tournament Team honors at the USI Invitational as she averaged 6.60 digs/set and committed just one serve reception error on 49 attempts. On Sept. 15, the Beacons boasted a pair of award winners: Lilly Merk was named Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career after averaging 1.50 blocks/set, highlighted by a 12-block effort in Valpo’s upset bid at Northwestern, while Keira Lucas was tabbed Freshman of the Week as she averaged 2.44 kills/set on .302 hitting and 2.00 digs/set while committing just one serve reception error on 49 attempts at the Lehigh Steel Classic.
Capturing Crowns: Valpo continued its penchant for winning in-season tournament titles under Carin Avery this season, claiming a share of the crown at the USI Invitational and sweeping its way to the Lehigh Steel Classic title. Valpo has won 36 in-season tournament titles in Avery’s time as head coach. The team has won at least one tournament in 18 of her seasons, and multiple tournaments 12 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states.
All-Tournament Accolades: Over the course of Valpo’s four early-season tournaments, six players combined to earn a total of nine All-Tournament Team honors.
– Leatherneck Classic: Emma Hickey, Lilly Merk
– Lehigh Steel Classic: Kadence Brumitt (MVP), Addy Kois
– EMU Tournament: Ava Helming, Merk
– USI Invitational: Helming, Hickey, Sam Warren
New-Look Conference Slate: With MVC membership down to 11 volleyball programs, the conference schedule has been pared back to 16 matches this season, meaning there will be four teams each team plays only once. Valpo’s matchups against Drake and UNI on opening weekend were its lone looks at the Iowa-based schools this season, while the Beacons will also face Evansville and Indiana State just once apiece. In addition, the MVC Tournament will feature just six teams this season after previously featuring eight programs.
MVC Success: Valpo is looking to continue its run of success in conference play again this season, as the program has finished in the top-half of the Valley standings in each of its eight years in the conference, the only MVC program to accomplish that feat. Going back further, Valpo has posted top-half conference finishes in 22 of Avery’s 23 seasons – as well as qualifying for the conference tournament in each of her 23 seasons – and 31 of the last 32 years overall.
Looking Back at Last Year: Valpo is coming off an 18-win season in 2024, a campaign highlighted by the amount of production generated by the team’s youth. Jessica Pickett set program freshman records for hitting percentage and blocks, while Ava Helming had the third-most kills by a freshman in Avery’s tenure as both rookies earned spots on the MVC All-Freshman Team. On the more veteran side, Emma Hickey became the fastest player in program history and tied for the fastest in MVC history to reach 2,000 career digs.
Who’s Back: In a nutshell, everybody who could be. All 16 players who ended last season on the Beacons squad with remaining eligibility return for Valpo in 2025. That group accounted for 78.1% of the kills, 84.4% of the service aces, 78.0% of the digs and 93.9% of the blocks from the 2024 season.
Who’s Gone: Valpo graduated just two players from last year’s squad: Abby Boyle and Elise Swistek. Swistek’s production will be the big piece to replace, as she closed her time at Valpo as one of just 10 players in program history to surpass 1,000 kills (1,018; 19th) and 1,000 digs (1,479; 12th).
Who’s New: The Beacons welcome two freshmen to the large group of returnees this year. Keira Lucas is an outside hitter who was a three-time All-State honoree at Northview [Ind.] H.S., while Olivia Wagner is a setter who helped lead Lakeville South [Minn.] H.S. to the 2024 Minnesota Class AAAA state championship.
Winning Tradition Continues: The Beacons secured a winning 2024 season as they completed the campaign with an 18-14 record, the 21st winning season in 23 years under head coach Carin Avery. Valpo has won 20 or more matches in 18 of Avery’s 23 seasons as well, and has averaged 22 wins per season in Avery’s tenure.
Young But Mighty: Legendary college basketball coach Al McGuire is credited for having said “The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.” If that’s the case for last year’s class of Valpo volleyball freshmen, opponents are in for a rough time this season. Last year’s freshman class accounted for 59.1% of the team’s kills, 31.1% of the aces and 73.6% of the blocks in the 2024 campaign. That comes out to a total of 58.7% of the team’s points accounted for by freshmen last season, a mark which ranked third nationally among D-I programs, trailing only Mississippi Valley State and Le Moyne – two programs which combined for just eight wins, compared with the Beacons’ 18 victories. Prior to last season, none of Avery’s teams in her time at Valpo had freshmen account for even 30% of the team’s points.
Digging Deep: Valpo continued its long tradition of strong back row play last fall, finishing the 2024 campaign 19th nationally with an average of 17.20 digs/set. The program has ranked among the top-30 nationally in digs/set in every season since 2009, including 14 seasons among the top-20 and four seasons among the top-10 – highlighted by the 2017 campaign in which Valpo led the nation with 20.03 digs/set. Other top finishes include fourth nationally in the spring 2021 season (20.37/set), a fourth-place rank in 2010 and a sixth-place finish in 2015. Since the move to 25-point scoring, only seven teams have averaged more than 20 digs/set over the course of a season, and Valpo is the only program to have done it twice. 2018 saw Valpo lead the nation with 2,613 total digs – a mark which set a program single-season record and a Division I record in the 25-point era. Valpo also boasts two of the top-10 athletes in D-I history in career digs – Rylee Cookerly (2nd; 3,175) and Taylor Root (10th; 2,752).
Libero on Lockdown: Senior Emma Hickey has been quite simply one of the nation’s most prolific liberos since stepping on campus prior to the 2022 campaign. She’s ranked among the top-15 nationally in digs/set in each of her first three seasons, ending last season in third position with 5.72 digs/set. Her 715 total digs last year were sixth-most in a single season in program history.
The Pickett Fence: Sophomore Jessica Pickett made a big impact at the net in her first season of collegiate volleyball last year. An MVC All-Freshman Team honoree, Pickett ranked third in the Valley in blocks/set (1.14, 139 total) and fourth in hitting percentage (.331). She set Valpo freshman records for both hitting percentage and total blocks – her hitting percentage ranked third overall and second in the 25-point era in Valpo’s single-season record book, while he block total ranked eighth overall and third in the 25-point era.
At the Helm(ing): Sophomore Ava Helming joined Pickett as an MVC All-Freshman Team honoree last season for her strong work on both sides of the net at the right pin as a rookie. Helming ranked second on the team with 293 kills and 78 blocks – her 293 kills is tied for third-most by a freshman under head coach Carin Avery, while 78 blocks ranks sixth by a freshman under Avery. The only other freshman to rank among the top-10 in both kills and blocks by a rookie in the Avery era was another right side in Morgan Beil, who developed into a three-time All-Horizon League performer.
Next Stop, 600: Head coach Carin Avery reached yet another milestone last October, winning her 500th match in charge of the Valpo program with the Beacons’ win at Murray State. Valpo’s all-time winningest coach in any sport, Avery’s 500th win came in her 752nd match in charge of the program. Avery is the second current MVC coach to win at least 500 matches at their current institution, joining UNI’s Bobbi Petersen.
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UINDY WOMEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF LANDS AT #10 IN FIRST NATIONAL POLL
INDIANAPOLIS—Scoreboard released its first set of the NCAA Division II women’s golf national rankings on Tuesday, with the Greyhounds featured at No. 10 in the year’s first poll.
UIndy is one of three teams from the Midwest region to appear in the top 10, Grand Valley State and Findlay being the other two at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively.
The Greyhounds have gotten off to a strong start in the 2025 fall season, with two top three finishes in three outings. The team began the season with a second place finish at the team’s home event, the UIndy Fall Invitational, and claimed a third place finish against a loaded field at the William Beall Fall Classic.
The team will look continue its great run of form when they travel to Mystic River Golf Club in Farmington, PA for the Intercollegiate at Nemacolin.
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UINDY MEN’S TENNIS
GAGGIOFATTO, AYLLON PRADO PREPARE TO COMPETE IN ITA CUP
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Two Greyhounds are set to represent the UIndy men’s tennis program in the singles draw of the ITA Cup tomorrow, Oct 16, in Rome, Ga.
Formerly known as the Small College Nationals, the ITA Cup is considered the marquee individual event for Division II tennis. The competition pools each Regional Champion into the draw of 16, with the additional slots filled by an At-Large selection.
Asier Ayllon Prado received an automatic bid to one of the most storied events amongst the ranks of Division II after winning the singles draw at Midwest Regional Championship.
Tadeo Gaggiofatto, the runner-up of the Midwest Regional Championship, earned an at-large bid after defeating five seeded opponents en route to his championship run.
Ayllon Prado opens the tournament against fourth-seeded Kelly Giese of Lubbock Christian at 9 AM in the top half of the bracket, while Gaggiofatto prepares for a 9 AM battle with Midwestern State’s Germano Setti in the bottom half.
Winners of their first round match will continue in the main draw until a national champion is crowned within that draw. Each player is guaranteed at least three matches while at the ITA Cup with the back draw feeding into a compass draw.
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MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TABBED SECOND IN CL PRESEASON POLL
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2025-2026 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-League Team on Wednesday, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Saint Francis was named the preseason favorite by a narrow margin over Marian, after posting a 26-5 overall record last season and a 15-3 mark in league play. The Cougars led the preseason poll with 12 points, followed by Marian (14), Indiana Wesleyan (27), Huntington (32) and Spring Arbor (40) in the top-five.
Marian finished third a season ago behind Indiana Wesleyan and Saint Francis, but finished as the Crossroads League Tournament Runner-Up after defeating the Cougars in the CL Semifinals. Marian reached the NAIA Quarterfinals last season, and carried a record of 27-8 on the season while going 15-3 in CL play.
In addition to the preseason poll, the league released the preseason first and second teams in the league. Abbey McNally was dubbed as the Crossroads League Preseason Player of the Year, coming off an NAIA All-American First Team season and as the league’s reigning Player of the Year. McNally finished the year averaging a double-double, scoring 19.4 points per game while grabbing 12.7 rebounds per game.
Taylor Double joined McNally on the preseason first team list, coming off a First Team All-Crossroads League season a year ago. Kenna Kirby, Olivia Faust, Madisyn Bailey, and Kiley McNally were each named to the preseason second team. Kirby was a 2024-25 Second Team honoree, while Faust was named to the Honorable Mention Team. Bailey was the runner-up last season for CL Freshman of the Year, and was on the CL Freshmen Team.
Marian’s season will tip on November 1 in the PE Center against the University of Pikeville.
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MARIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL PICKED FIFTH IN 2025-26 CL PRESEASON POLL
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2025-2026 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-League Team on Wednesday, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Marian was picked to finish fifth in the upcoming Crossroads League season, a four-place improvement following the Knights’ ninth place finish in the 2024-25 season. The 2025-26 season will be the second under head coach Pat Knight, who returns nine players from last season while adding an influx of talent in six new Marian men’s basketball players.
Indiana Wesleyan was voted as the preseason favorite, after going 22-10 overall last season with a 10-8 mark in league play. The Wildcats were followed by Grace, Bethel, Spring Arbor and Marian in the preseason poll’s top-five.
Aidan Franks and Dylan Moles were named to the All-Crossroads League Preseason Team, taking up two of the 10 spots on the preseason team. Franks is coming off a season in which he was named the Crossroads League Freshman of the Year, averaging 14.3 points per game as the second-leading scorer for Marian a season ago. Moles was Marian’s leading scorer last year at 14.8 points per game, and is coming off a sophomore campaign where he was named to the CL Honorable Mention Team.
Marian tips their season on Friday night with an exhibition contest at Indiana University, before beginning the regular season next Saturday at Wilberforce.
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MARIAN MEN’S SOCCER
KNIGHTS DEMOLISH NO. 3 PILOTS IN SHUTOUT WIN
Indianapolis, Ind.- The Marian men’s soccer shuts out No. 3 Bethel in a defensive showdown Wednesday evening. The Knights move to 8-3-4 overall on the year and 3-1-2 in the Crossroads League after the win.
The Knights struck first with Joao Antonio Rocha, Gustavo Nunes, Josh Wesseling, and Kyohei Kuroda all recording shots early in the first half of play. Bethel took their first chance, but were quickly followed up by a shot from Donovan Dolittle. The pilots recorded a pair of shots and Matthew Loo wrapped up the half with a shot high ending the first half with a 0-0 tie.
Bethel opened up the second half with the first shot, but Wesseling and Doolittle followed up with two more shots. Before Nunes charged, recording the first goal of the game to take the lead. Each team recorded two more shots with Foslyn Grant and Alexis Lopez taking the chances for Marian. The Pilots attempted to tie the game with four more shots, but came up short, allowing the Knights to take the 1-0 shutout win.
Gustavo Nunes led the Knights with the game winning goal and three shots. Josh Wesseling and Donovan Doolittle each recorded a pair of shots through the evening. Kyohei Kuroda, Joao Antonio Rocha, Matthew Loo, Alexis Lopez, and Foslyn Grant each recorded one shot. In goal, Mateo Garcia-Galen recorded the win through the evening.
Marian will be back in action on Saturday, October 18th as they travel to Spring Arbor to take on the Cougars at 2pm.
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MARIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER
KOGER’S BRACE PROPELS KNIGHTS SHUTOUT WIN OVER BETHEL
Mishawaka, Ind.- The Marian women’s soccer team records another shutout win on the season beating Bethel 3-0 Wednesday evening. The Knights move to 13-0-1 on the season and 5-0-1 in the Crossroads League.
Marian’s offense shined in the first half recording 12 shots to two from the Pilots. Olivia Parmer and Marian Corro Celma opened up the game each recording a shot before Katie Koger took advantage of a Penalty Kick to get the Knights on the board. Parmer and Jordan Love each recorded another shot before Koger got on the board once more to take the two point lead. Corro Celma, Koger, Laney Harshany, Sienna Mullen, and Allie Tredway each recorded shots unit came up short ending the have with a 2-0 lead over Bethel.
The Knights offense continued to shine, recording six shots to one from the Pilots. Koger, Mullen, Tredway, and Taylor Wert all recorded a shot early in the half. Wert extended the lead over Bethel with her first goal of the day in the 63rd minute increasing the margin to three. Parmer recorded the final shot of the game, but came up short. ending the game with a 3-0 shutout.
Katie Koger led the team in goals with two and shots with four. Taylor Wert recorded one goal and two shots while Olivia Parmer recorded three shots. Marian Corro Celma, Sienna Mullen, Laney Harshany, and Allie Tredway all recorded two shots while Jordan Love recorded one. In goal, Lily Ames took the win recording one save.
Marian will be back in action on Saturday, October 18th as they host No. 13 Spring Arbor at home at 7pm closing out homecoming festivities.
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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. 16
1897 — Michigan beats Ohio State 34-0 at Ann Arbor, the first meeting between theses storied rivals.
1909 — In his 4th title defense Jack Johnson KOs Stanley Ketchel in the 12th round at Mission St Arena, Colma, California to retain his heavyweight boxing crown.
1932 — After a 0-0 tie earlier in the season, the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 2-0.
1946 — Detroit’s Gordie Howe scores a goal and gets into two fights in his first NHL game. The Red Wings tie the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-3.
1964 — Babe Parilli of the Boston Patriots passes for 422 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-43 tie with the Oakland Raiders.
1968 — Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos give black power salutes during the medal ceremonies of the 200-meter race and are later banned for life from all Olympic competition by the IOC.
1971 — Norm Ullman of the Toronto Maple Leafs records his 1,000th point in a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers. Ullman gets two assists to become the fourth NHL player to reach the milestone.
1976 — Tony Franklin of Texas A&M kicks two field goals over 60 yards for an NCAA record. The distances are 65 and 64 yards as the Aggies beat Baylor 24-0.
1977 — The Denver Broncos intercept seven passes off Ken Stabler of the Oakland Raiders in a 30-7 victory.
1977 — The Minnesota Vikings beat the Chicago Bears 16-10 in overtime with the only successful fake field goal in NFL overtime.
1987 — Mike Tyson retains his undisputed heavyweight title with a seven-round knockout of Tyrell Biggs in Atlantic City, N.J.
1999 — Fourth-ranked Virginia Tech hangs a record-setting 62-0 loss on No. 16 Syracuse. It’s the worst shutout loss by a ranked team in the history of The Associated Press poll.
1999 — Mount Union beats Otterbein 44-20 for its 48th consecutive victory, surpassing Oklahoma’s 42-year-old all-division mark of 47 in a row.
2004 — 17-year old Lionel Messi makes his league debut for FC Barcelona in a 1-0 win against cross-town rivals Espanyol.
2004 — Mount Union beats Marietta 57-0 for its 100th consecutive regular-season victory. The Purple Raiders’ last regular-season loss was on Oct. 15, 1994, at home against Baldwin-Wallace.
2011 — Danell Leyva becomes the first American man gymnast to win a gold medal at the World Championships since 2003. Leyva wins the parallel bars title to become the first gold medalist for the U.S. since Paul Hamm claimed the floor exercise and all-around titles in 2003.
2011 — Dan Wheldon, 33, dies in a fiery 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when his car flew over another on Lap 13 and smashes into the wall just outside turn 2.
2017 — Louisville’s Athletic Association officially fires coach Rick Pitino nearly three weeks after the school acknowledged that its men’s basketball program is being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe. The association, which oversees Louisville’s sports programs and is composed of trustees, faculty, students and administrators, vote unanimously to oust the longtime Cardinals coach following a board meeting.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
+++TV SPORTS+++
(ALL TIMES EASTERN)
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND/OR BLACKOUTS
Thursday, Oct. 16
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)
4 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 AFL: Hawthorn at Port Adelaide
6 a.m. (Friday)
FS2 — AFL: Geelong at West Coast
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7:30 p.m.
ESPN — Tulsa at East Carolina
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
7 p.m.
ACCN — Wake Forest at Clemson
SECN — LSU at Mississippi
11 p.m.
BTN — Minnesota at Washington
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
7 p.m.
BTN — Purdue at Indiana
9 p.m.
BTN — Michigan at Northwestern
GOLF
3 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, First Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
10 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The BMW Ladies Championship, Second Round, Pine Beach Golf Links, Haenam, South Korea
3 a.m. (Friday)
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Second Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
NBA BASKETBALL
7:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — Preseason: Huston at Atlanta
_____
Friday, Oct. 17
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)
4 a.m.
FS2 AFL: Hawthorn at Port Adelaide
6 a.m.
FS2 — AFL: Geelong at West Coast
10 p.m.
FS2 — AF: Sydney at Melbourne
Midnight
FS2 — AFL: Adelaide at North Melbourne
4 a.m. (Saturday)
FS2 — AFL: St. Kilda at Carlton
AUTO RACING
1:25 p.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas
4 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: The Love’s RV Stop 225, Playoffs – Round of 8, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
5:25 p.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Qualifying, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas
11:55 p.m.
FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Australia Grand Prix – Sprint Race, Victoria, Australia
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
4 p.m.
BTN — Northwestern at Rutgers
6:30 p.m.
ACCN — Duke at Boston College
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — Louisville at Miami
8 p.m.
FOX — Nebraska at Minnesota
9 p.m.
CBSSN — San Jose St. at Utah St.
10:30 p.m.
ESPN — North Carolina at California
COLLEGE HOCKEY (MEN’S)
6:30 p.m.
ESPNU — Michigan St. at Boston U.
COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)
6 p.m.
BTN — UCLA at Michigan
8 p.m.
ACCN — Duke at Clemson
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
7 p.m.
SECN — Alabama at Georgia
8 p.m.
BTN — UCLA at Wisconsin
9 p.m.
ESPNU — Hawaii at Long Beach St.
10 p.m.
BTN — Penn St. at Washington
GOLF
3 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Second Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Dominion Energy Charity Classic, First Round, The Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
10 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The BMW Ladies Championship, Third Round, Pine Beach Golf Links, Haenam, South Korea
3 a.m. (Saturday)
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Third Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
HORSE RACING
2 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
1 a.m. (Saturday)
FS1 — The Everest: From Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
NBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
NBATV — Preseason: Denver at Oklahoma City
10:30 p.m.
NBATV — Preseason: Sacramento at L.A. Lakers
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
ESPN — WNBA Finals: Phoenix at Las Vegas, Game 7 (If Necessary)
_____
Saturday, Oct. 18
AUTO RACING
12:55 p.m.
ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Sprint Race, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas
4 p.m.
CW — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The United Rentals 250, Playoffs – Round of 8, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
4:55 p.m.
ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Qualifying, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas
11:55 p.m.
FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Australia Grand Prix, Victoria, Australia
AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)
4 a.m.
FS2 — AFL: St. Kilda at Carlton
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Noon
ABC — TBA
ACCN — UConn at Boston College
CBSSN — Cent. Michigan at Bowling Green
ESPN — Georgia Tech at Duke
ESPN2 — Baylor at TCU
ESPNU — Army at Tulane
FOX — Washington at Michigan
FS1 — Arizona at Houston
12:45 p.m.
SECN — TBA
1 p.m.
TNT — West Virginia at UCF
TRUTV — West Virginia at UCF
3 p.m.
BTN — Purdue at Northwestern
3:30 p.m.
ABC — Mississippi at Georgia
ACCN — SMU at Clemson
CBS — Ohio St. at Wisconsin
CBSSN — Wyoming at Air Force
ESPN — Texas A&M at Arkansas
ESPNU — Old Dominion at James Madison
FS1 — UNLV at Boise St.
PEACOCK — Michigan St. at Indiana
4 p.m.
ESPN2 — Memphis at UAB
FOX — Texas Tech at Arizona St.
4:15 p.m.
SECN — Mississippi St. at Florida
6:30 p.m.
BTN — Oregon at Rutgers
CW — Washington St. at Virginia
7 p.m.
FS1 — Maryland at UCLA
PEACOCK — Penn St. at Iowa
7:30 p.m.
ABC — Tennessee at Alabama
ACCN — Pittsburgh at Syracuse
NBC — Southern Cal at Notre Dame
PEACOCK — Southern Cal at Notre Dame
7:45 p.m.
SECN — TBA
8 p.m.
ESPN2 — Cincinnati at Oklahoma St.
FOX — Utah at BYU
9:45 p.m.
FS1 — Nevada at New Mexico
10 p.m.
CW — Lafayette at Oregon St.
10:30 p.m.
ESPN — Florida St. at Stanford
FIGURE SKATING
3:30 p.m.
NBC — 2025 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: The Grand Prix de France, Angers, France
GOLF
3 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Third Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Second Round, The Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
11 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The BMW Ladies Championship, Final Round, Pine Beach Golf Links, Haenam, South Korea
3 a.m. (Sunday)
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Final Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
HORSE RACING
Noon
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
NHL HOCKEY
3 p.m.
NHLN — Florida at Buffalo
7 p.m.
NHLN — Seattle at Toronto
SOCCER (MEN’S)
USA — English Premier League: Nottingham Forest at Chelsea
10 a.m.
USA — English Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion at Newcastle United
12:30 p.m.
NBC — English Premier League: Fulham at Arsenal
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
12:30 p.m.
CBS — NWSL: Orlando at Washington
7:30 p.m.
ION — NWSL: Kansas City at Houston
_____
Sunday, Oct. 19
AUTO RACING
2 p.m.
NBC — NASCAR Cup Series: The YellaWood 500, Playoffs – Round of 8, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.
3 p.m.
ABC — Formula 1: The MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, Del Valle, Texas
COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)
5 p.m.
ACCN — Virginia Tech at North Carolina
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
Noon
ACCN — Stanford at Miami
3 p.m.
ESPNU — Texas Tech at Arizona
5 p.m.
ESPNU — Tennessee at Vanderbilt
SECN — Auburn at Georgia
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
1 p.m.
ESPN — Pittsburgh at Louisville
SECN — Alabama at Georgia
2 p.m.
ACCN — North Carolina at Syracuse
3 p.m.
ESPN — Florida at Kentucky
SECN — LSU at Missouri
8:30 p.m.
ESPN — Oklahoma at Texas
GOLF
3 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The DP World India Championship, Final Round, Delhi GC, New Delhi, India
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Final Round, The Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
NFL FOOTBALL
9:30 a.m.
NFLN — L.A. Rams vs. Jacksonville, London
1 p.m.
CBS — Regional Coverage: Miami at Cleveland, New England at Tennessee, Las Vegas at Kansas City
FOX — Regional Coverage: New Orleans at Chicago, Philadelphia at Minnesota, Carolina at N.Y. Jets
4:05 p.m.
CBS — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Giants at Denver OR Indianapolis at L.A Chargers
4:25 p.m.
FOX — Regional Coverage: Washington at Dallas OR Green Bay at Arizona
8:20 p.m.
NBC — Atlanta at San Francisco
SOCCER (MEN’S)
9 a.m.
USA — English Premier League: Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur
11:30 a.m.
USA — English Premier League: Manchester United at Liverpool
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
5 p.m.ESPN — NWSL: Portland at Angel City
