INDIANA SRN COACH CORNER WITH “COACH” KEITH MEYERS:
IHSAA COMMISSIONERS REPORT:
+++++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)
________________________________________________________________
+++++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:+++++
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
LOS ANGELES 3 MILWAUKEE 1 (LOS ANGELES LEADS SERIES 3-0)
TORONTO 8 SEATTLE 2 (SERIES EVEN 2-2)
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
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
EAST CAROLINA 41 TULSA 27
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
CINCINNATI 33 PITTSBURGH 31
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+++++
DETROIT 119 WASHINGTON 98
ORLANDO 132 NEW ORLEANS 125
HOUSTON 133 ATLANTA 115
CHICAGO 126 MINNESOTA 120
UTAH 132 PORTLAND 129
_______________________________________________________________
+++++NHL SCOREBOARD+++++
NEW JERSEY 3 FLORIDA 1
COLORADO 4 COLUMBUS 1
OTTAWA 4 SEATTLE 3
WINNIPEG 5 PHILADELPHIA 2
TORONTO 2 NY RANGERS 1 OT
MONTRÉAL 3 NASHVILLE 2 OT
NY ISLANDERS 4 EDMONTON 2
VANCOUVER 5 DALLAS 3
PITTSBURGH 4 LOS ANGELES 2
VEGAS 6 BOSTON 5
CAROLINA 4 ANAHEIM 1
_______________________________________________________________
+++MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER+++
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
______________________________________________________________
+++++TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES+++++
+++++MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL NEWS+++++
MAX SCHERZER’S SHARP OUTING PULLS JAYS LEVEL IN ALCS
SEATTLE — As Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider walked to the mound with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday, he knew what to expect.
The full “Mad Max” effect.
Before Schneider even reached the slope of the mound, Max Scherzer made it clear there was no way he was going to leave one out shy of qualifying for his first postseason victory since 2019.
Scherzer ended up going 5 2/3 innings in the Blue Jays’ 8-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners that evened the American League Championship Series at two wins apiece.
“I’ve been waiting for that all year, for Max to yell at me on the mound,” Schneider said. “I thought he was going to kill me. … It’s not fake. He has this ‘Mad Max’ persona, but he backed it up tonight. …
“He started the conversation with, ‘I’m good.’ And I said, ‘Are you sure?’ And I can’t really — you can probably read lips, but I told him to execute … and he did.”
Andres Gimenez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both homered for the second straight game as the Blue Jays won their second game in a row on the road to square the best-of-seven series after dropping the first two at home.
Gimenez drove in four runs, and he, Guerrero, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ernie Clement each had two of Toronto’s 11 hits.
Josh Naylor homered and went 3-for-3 for the Mariners, who will play host to Game 5 on Friday.
Scherzer (1-0) was charged with two runs on three hits in the 500th start of his major league career. He walked four and struck out five. The 41-year-old right-hander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, was making his first appearance since Sept. 24. A neck ailment kept him off the Blue Jays’ AL Division Series roster.
Scherzer said he was going over the options in his mind of how to attack the next hitter when he noticed Schneider on his way to the mound.
“I kind of went ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa.’ Like, I’m not coming out of this ballgame. I feel too good,” Scherzer said. “So we had a little conversation that basically I wanted to stay in the ballgame but just with some other words involved. I just knew I was strong, I knew I wanted the ball, I knew I could get outs in this situation. I just wanted to stay in. I wanted it.”
Toronto fell behind on Naylor’s leadoff homer to right-center field in the second inning before taking the lead in the third.
Kiner-Falefa opened the frame with a double down the left field line, and Gimenez followed with a homer to right off Luis Castillo (1-1).
With one out, Nathan Lukes and Guerrero singled before Alejandro Kirk walked to load the bases, prompting Mariners manager Dan Wilson to replace Castillo with left-hander Gabe Speier. The move backfired when Speier walked Daulton Varsho to give the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead.
Castillo yielded three runs on five hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out one.
“I think our guys have thrown the ball well all season long and have done that (in the postseason),” Wilson said. “This is two good teams going at it. This is what the championship series is all about. We will make our adjustments and continue to do that and continue to do the things that we do that make us successful as well.”
Kiner-Falefa led off the fourth with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gimenez and scored on George Springer’s double. Springer took third on a groundout before jogging home on a wild pitch by Matt Brash to make it 5-1.
The Mariners got a run back in the sixth after Jorge Polanco drew a two-out walk to end Scherzer’s night. Reliever Mason Fluharty walked Naylor before Eugenio Suarez lined a run-scoring single, with right fielder Addison Barger throwing out Naylor at third to end the inning.
Guerrero went deep to right-center with one out in the seventh off Eduard Bazardo to make it 6-2.
The Blue Jays tacked on two more runs in the eighth. Clement led off with a single and Barger walked. After a sacrifice bunt by Kiner-Falefa, Gimenez grounded a two-run single up the middle to extend the lead to 8-2.
Schneider struggled to explain how the visiting team has won each of the first four games in the series.
“Baseball. Weird. Who knows?” he said. “We played well here this year. I don’t know if the guys think about that. I think they just kind of turn the page to the next game. I can’t really explain it. We love playing at home. The first two games didn’t work out that way. But I love the way we have come back here the last two games and we got to keep it going (Friday).”
DODGERS TAKE GAME 3 OF NLCS, SEND BREWERS TO BRINK
LOS ANGELES — Tyler Glasnow struck out eight batters, Tommy Edman hit a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers took a commanding lead in the National League Championship Series with a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
Mookie Betts had an RBI double in the first inning and Roki Sasaki delivered his third save of the postseason as the Dodgers never trailed on their way to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Dodgers will aim for a sweep in Game 4 at home on Friday.
Glasnow gave up one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings with three walks. He has allowed one run total in three postseason appearances (13 1/3 innings).
Jacob Misiorowski had nine strikeouts in five innings of relief for the Brewers. Jake Bauers had an RBI single as the major leagues’ top team in the regular season moved one loss away from the offseason.
After having just one official at-bat with a runner in scoring position through the first two games of the series, Milwaukee went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position in Game 3.
The Dodgers did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard. Shohei Ohtani hit opener Aaron Ashby’s fifth pitch for a triple into the right field corner then scored one pitch later when Betts doubled to right-center.
The Brewers got even in the second inning when Caleb Durbin tripled to left and Bauers followed with an RBI single.
Misiorowski (2-1) dominated immediately after replacing Ashby in the first inning. He ended the frame with strikeouts of Edman and Teoscar Hernandez. Misiorowski allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk.
Will Smith singled with one out in the sixth against Misiorowski and Freddie Freeman followed with a walk. Edman’s single to center field scored Smith and moved Freeman to third. Freeman then scored when reliever Abner Uribe fired an errant pickoff throw to first base.
Things only got worse for Milwaukee when leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio departed during an at-bat in the seventh inning with a right leg injury.
Los Angeles’ bullpen did not allow a run as Alex Vesia (2-0) and Blake Treinen each went two-thirds of an inning, Anthony Banda pitched a scoreless eighth and Sasaki had a perfect ninth.
M’S TURN TO BRYCE MILLER, WITH BRYAN WOO IN RESERVE, FOR GAME 5
SEATTLE — The presumption around the Pacific Northwest was Bryan Woo would return from a pectoral strain to start Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays.
That won’t be the case.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson announced Thursday night that Bryce Miller, who won Game 1 in Toronto, would return to the mound instead with the best-of-seven series tied at two games apiece after the Blue Jays won 8-2 Thursday.
Miller was just 4-6 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 regular-season starts, but has pitched well in the playoffs, going 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA in two starts. He allowed only one run on two hits over six innings while winning the opener — the tally coming on a first-pitch homer by Blue Jays leadoff hitter George Springer in the bottom of the first.
The right-hander, going on four days’ rest, will need to shut down a Blue Jays offense that has scored 21 runs while winning the past two games in Seattle. Andres Gimenez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered in each of those contests.
“I’m ready to go, I’m excited and it will be a lot of fun to see what it feels like on the (T-Mobile Park) mound,” Miller said. “I think the last two weeks everything’s felt really good — the body, elbow. … Plus you factor in it’s (the) playoffs, the last two games have been on the road, so (I) get a little extra adrenaline. But it helps a lot when your body’s feeling good.”
Woo, who turned into the Mariners’ ace this season while the likes of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Miller spent time on the injured list, will be headed for the bullpen.
He compiled a 15-7 record and a 2.94 ERA in the regular season and earned his first All-Star selection. However, he last appeared in a game when he threw five scoreless one-hit innings against the Houston Astros on Sept. 19. He exited that outing due to pectoral inflammation, and he was left off the Mariners’ AL Division Series roster before he was added to the ALCS roster.
Woo hasn’t built up his arm sufficiently in side sessions to a point at which he would be at a full pitch count, so the decision was made to use him out of the bullpen.
“It’s a different kind of a role,” Wilson said of asking Woo to pitch in relief. He had a chance to do it in the All-Star Game, so maybe a little bit of experience coming out of a ‘pen.
“This is the time of year where you ask people to do things that they’re not as comfortable doing or they haven’t done as much. But he’s got a wealth of people that will help him. (Luis Castillo and) Logan Gilbert did it recently, they can help. So I think he’ll be in good shape and, again, I think he’s excited to get back out there.”
The Blue Jays will counter with right-hander Kevin Gausman, who is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in the postseason. He allowed two runs on three hits over 5 2/3 innings during a 3-1 loss in Game 1.
Gausman held the Mariners scoreless until Cal Raleigh homered with two outs in the sixth. Gausman was replaced after issuing a walk to the next batter, Julio Rodriguez, and a wild pitch by Brendon Little and an RBI single by Jorge Polanco made Gausman the hard-luck loser.
“You like his composure, you like the way he’s throwing the ball, you like his stuff, you like his heartbeat in big situations,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Gausman. “He’s pitched in huge games for us. He’s been, arguably, one of our, if not our best, pitchers throughout the year in the second half. But I think he’s just a guy that if you need a big outing from, he’s shown that he can rise to the occasion.”
Gausman is 2-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 12 career regular-season appearances (11 starts) against the Mariners. He is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two lifetime postseason outings vs. Seattle.
Miller owns an 0-1 record with a 6.97 ERA in two career regular-season starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays will be without outfielder Anthony Santander, who was removed from the postseason roster on Thursday because of a back injury, ending his season. Joey Loperfido took Santander’s spot.
“We’d obviously love to have (Santander) in there, but it’s part of the game and part of this point of the season,” Gausman said. “He’s really battled back to even get here. It’s next guy up. (The Mariners) aren’t going to feel bad that he’s not in there. They’ll probably be pretty happy, to be honest.”
DODGERS ASK SHOHEI OHTANI TO PITCH THEM TO SWEEP, WORLD SERIES RETURN
LOS ANGELES — After three dominant starting-pitching performances in the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to a unicorn with the chance for a sweep.
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani will get the start in Game 4 on Friday in an attempt to both pitch and hit the Dodgers past the Milwaukee Brewers with a trip to the World Series on the line.
Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 3-1 victory in Game 3 as right-hander Tyler Glasnow delivered eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings on Thursday. That followed a complete-game victory from right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 and eight dominating innings in Game 1 from left-hander Blake Snell.
The Dodgers’ offense has not provided all that much in the series, but huge run production hasn’t been needed. Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman had RBI hits on Thursday, with a third run scoring on a throwing error by Brewers reliever Abner Uribe.
Ohtani has been a part of Los Angeles’ offensive struggles, going 2-for-11 (.182) in the NLCS and 3-for-29 (.103) since the start of the NL Division Series. However, he led off Game 3 with a triple and scored on Betts’ double.
Ohtani’s only start on the mound in the postseason came in Game 1 of the NLDS, when he allowed three runs over six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies to earn the win. He permitted three hits and one walk while striking out nine.
Ohtani will pitch Friday on 12 days of rest.
“I don’t necessarily think that the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “Just on the pitching side, as long as I control what I can control, I feel pretty good about putting up results. On the hitting side, just the stance, the mechanics — it’s a constant work in progress.”
Ohtani has never faced the Brewers in his career as a pitcher.
A berth in the World Series would give the Dodgers a chance at becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000.
While the Dodgers’ offense has been lackluster, the Brewers have been even worse at the plate. Milwaukee has scored just one run in each of the three games and has amassed 10 total hits, with three coming from Caleb Durbin.
“Against these guys, it’s going to take more than what we’ve shown so far,” Durbin said. “Whether that’s just digging deeper, making an adjustment, we have to be better.”
Jake Bauers had an RBI single in the second inning of Game 3 as Milwaukee fashioned a 1-1 tie. However, the Brewers went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position after going 0-for-1 in those situations combined in the first two games.
“We just need a little spark, right? We’ve got to have a spark,” Bauers said. “We’ve got to have something that gets the energy up, and we’ve got to be better. That’s really the bottom line. We’ve got to be better as an offense.”
Once again, Brewers manager Pat Murphy declined to name a starting pitcher, but he could have veteran left-hander Jose Quintana pitch bulk innings in Game 4. Murphy was asked about scrambling the pitching roles during the most important time of the season.
“It’s life in the postseason, for sure,” Murphy said. “And everybody’s going to be critical of everything that doesn’t go perfect, you know what I mean? They were probably critical in the (NLDS), too. But we won. So there it is.”
SURGERY FOR YANKEES LHP CARLOS RODON, SS ANTHONY VOLPE TO IMPACT ’26 START
NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe and left-hander Carlos Rodon, an 18-game winner last season, are not likely to be ready for the start of the 2026 season because of surgeries this month.
Volpe, 24, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on Tuesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in his end-of-season press conference Thursday. His recovery time is a minimum of four months and Volpe is not permitted to dive — for fear of impacting the repair of his partially torn labrum — for at least six months.
Rodon, 32, had loose particles removed from his left elbow in addition to the reduction of a bone spur on Wednesday.
“I think they shaved out a bone spur,” Boone said. “He’ll go into an eight week of no throw which probably when you build in all the ramp up and the throwing program into getting him to be a starting pitcher, probably delays him a couple of weeks to start the season but everything went well yesterday.”
Rodon set a career high with 33 starts in 2025, posting a record of 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA. Rodon finished 10th in MLB with 203 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.05.
According to Inside Edge, his batting-average against at home was .154, best in MLB.
His season ended with a rough outing — two walks, a home run and six earned runs in 2 1/3 innings in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but New York won 9-6 with eight unanswered runs.
General manager Brian Cashman said last month the Yankees were optimistic about the shortstop position and believed Volpe could avoid offseason surgery.
Volpe fought his shoulder issue the final four months of the season and ended 2025 with a .212 batting average and 19 errors. He struck out 16 of his 26 at-bats in the playoffs. He had multiple cortisone injections during the season in an attempt to play through the injury.
Volpe won the Gold Glove at shortstop in 2023.
New York’s top infield prospect plays the same position, but 20-year-old George Lombard Jr. hit a combined .235 at two levels in the minors in 2025.
Rodon completed his third season with the Yankees and has started over 30 games in three of his past four seasons after a total of 33 between 2019-21 with the Chicago White Sox.
In 231 career games (226 starts) in the regular season, he’s 93-72 with a 3.73 ERA and 1,409 strikeouts.
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+++++NFL NEWS+++++
JOE FLACCO OUTPLAYS AARON RODGERS AS BENGALS EDGE STEELERS
CINCINNATI — Aaron Rodgers vs. Joe Flacco didn’t disappoint in the fourth-ever matchup of 40-year-old NFL quarterbacks.
Evan McPherson’s fourth field goal, from 36 yards with seven seconds remaining, lifted the Cincinnati Bengals past the Pittsburgh Steelers 33-31 on Thursday night.
The Bengals (3-4) snapped a four-game losing streak and won for the first time since Joe Burrow was injured on Sept. 14. The Steelers (4-2) fell for the first time this season on the road.
Flacco completed 31 of 47 passes for 342 yards and threw three touchdowns. Rodgers threw a pair of scores to tight end Pat Freiermuth, including a 68-yarder for the go-ahead TD with 2:21 to go to put the Steelers up 31-30. Rodgers finished with four touchdown passes, all to tight ends.
With Cincinnati star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson out with a hip injury, the 41-year-old Rodgers finished 22-of-32 passing for 244 yards and two interceptions. Jaylen Warren added 127 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Ja’Marr Chase had a team-record 16 catches on 23 targets for 161 yards and a touchdown. Running back Chase Brown was key in Cincinnati’s first-half rally with explosive runs of 37 and 27 yards. He finished with a season-high 108 yards on 11 carries.
Rodgers drew first blood by marching the Steelers 69 yards on eight plays in just over four minutes. Facing a third down, Rodgers scrambled to his left and then his right before throwing a strike to tight end Jonnu Smith in the end zone for a 10-yard score.
The Steelers controlled most of the first half and were threatening to add another touchdown when Warren ran it in from 18 yards out. But Steelers lineman Zach Frazier was called for holding and then Pittsburgh committed a false start on fourth down. The Steelers settled for a 41-yard Chris Boswell field goal that made it 10-0 with 10:26 left in the second quarter.
The game then began to turn for the Bengals. Flacco engineered a 10-play, 72-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown from Flacco to Chase.
Jordan Battle intercepted an Aaron Rodgers deep ball for Metcalf on Pittsburgh’s next possession, then Flacco drove the Bengals 76 yards, capped off by a 29-yard strike over the middle to Tee Higgins that put Cincinnati up 14-10.
Rodgers was intercepted again with 40 seconds remaining in the half by DJ Turner. Flacco drove the ball to the Pittsburgh 31 where McPherson converted a 49-yard field goal to put Cincinnati up 17-10.
The Bengals used the first seven minutes of the second half to drive to the Pittsburgh 5, where they settled for a 23-yard field goal and a 20-10 lead.
COWBOYS WR CEEDEE LAMB (ANKLE) READY TO RETURN IN WEEK 7
Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb plans to return to action on Sunday, ending a three-game injury absence.
Lamb, recovering from a high left ankle sprain, took limited practice reps on Thursday for the second day in a row, then declared himself fit to oppose the visiting Washington Commanders this week.
“I feel like I’m moving around, running around being me,” Lamb said, according to ESPN. “Happy as can be, obviously, just believing in my ankle. Obviously, I feel like it’s back to where I needed it to be.”
Lamb believed he was ready to return last week to face the Carolina Panthers, a game the Cowboys (2-3-1) lost 30-27.
“I feel like that’s why we took an extra week just to make sure that I had that comfort,” he said, per ESPN. “Just to make sure that I had that same explosiveness, just to make sure that I had that same stability.”
Lamb, 26, amassed 16 catches for 222 yards through the first three weeks of the season before getting hurt against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 21.
A Pro Bowl selection each of the past four seasons, Lamb topped 1,100 receiving yards in all of those campaigns. In 84 career games (79 starts), he has 512 receptions for 6,561 yards and 38 touchdowns.
49ERS TE GEORGE KITTLE PLANS TO RETURN FROM INJURY VS. FALCONS
The San Francisco 49ers might finally have some good news on the injury front.
Six-time Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle told reporters Thursday that he plans on playing Sunday night against the Atlanta Falcons. He was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday.
Kittle has been out since the season opener after the 49ers placed him on the injured reserve list with a right hamstring injury. He revealed to the media that his hamstring was fully torn, although it didn’t tear off the bone.
“I just felt like a rubber band snapped in my hamstring,” Kittle said. “I was like, ‘Ah, I’ve just got to go to the locker room after that one.’”
Kittle’s practice window opened this week, and he has a full 21 days to return. He said he wanted to wait until he was 100 percent before coming back, although the star pass-catcher acknowledged his status for Sunday depends on head coach Kyle Shanahan.
“It’s up to him,” Kittle said. “But, hopefully, I’m out there. Which I think I will be.”
Jake Tonges has filled in during Kittle’s absence, recording 25 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Tonges also made the game-winning catch against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.
Kittle’s impending return offers the 49ers a bit of respite from the injury bug. San Francisco has lost multiple stars for the season, including defensive lineman Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner. The 49ers have also been without key pieces such as starting quarterback Brock Purdy and receiver Brandon Aiyuk for large chunks of the campaign.
Purdy, who has missed the last two games after aggravating his toe injury, and Mac Jones (knee/oblique) were back on the field for the start of practice Thursday after being limited on Wednesday. Receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (calf) did not practice Thursday, along with defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (knee/hamstring).
Despite the bad injury luck, the 49ers (4-2) are tied atop the NFC West.
TYPHOON CONDITIONS IN CLEVELAND? WILD FORECAST FOR MATCHUP OF 1-5 TEAMS
Potential for challenging weather conditions on Sunday during the Browns-Dolphins matchup are increasing, with forecast models indicating sustained 25 mph winds and torrential downpours for the matchup of 1-5 teams on Sunday afternoon.
Wind gusts could reach 50 mph during the game and thunderstorms are possible according to AccuWeather.
Temperatures and humidity are likely to drop before sunrise and settle in the low 60s by the 1 p.m. ET kickoff. Heavy rain is expected starting at 4 a.m.
Weather Underground projects the rain chances at 90% on Sunday.
Will either offense show up?
Points have been a challenge for Cleveland. The Browns have eight total touchdowns in six games and 34 of the team’s 82 total points this season are courtesy of kicker Austin Szmyt.
Even after kicking a 53-yard field goal and making all three of his attempts on dicey footing at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh last week, the Browns are planning for the possibility of things being worse this week.
“I don’t know if you can do anything to truly recreate that type of situation,” said Bubba Ventrone, Browns associate head coach and special teams coordinator. “We work wet ball stuff with our operation. I know we’ll do that here later this week with our offense and defensive players. And then, honestly, I think that you prepare your team through these, I would say weather situations that can happen by practicing outside, practicing in the elements, practicing in the wind, the rain, the snow, all that stuff. Because ultimately you’re going to play in it at some point. So I think all the training that you’re doing in off season program training camp and have the opportunity to practice in those elements help you in those.”
Passing could be difficult for both teams with undersized touch passers Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) and Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel. Both teams rank in the bottom five in the NFL in rushing. Miami is No. 27, one spot ahead of the Browns, who average 90.7 rushing yards per game and rank 31st (next-to-last) in net yards per pass play with a 4.3-yard average. The Browns are also No. 31 in yards per play at 4.1.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said his charges are still wary of the Dolphins’ passing game because of Tagovailoa’s penchant for a quick trigger. NFL Next Gen Stats put Tagovailoa’s release time at 2.7 seconds from snap to release.
“It’s a really nice marriage of the scheme and his skill set, with how quickly he gets the ball out, how accurate he is when he gets the ball out,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I think he sees it really clearly. He can get the ball to all areas of the field and get the ball in the hands of the playmakers.”
But if Sunday’s weather forecast holds water and the field becomes soggy with gusty winds, Cleveland might get the edge from its defense.
The Browns are No. 3 in the NFL allowing 262.3 yards per game and 79.7 rushing yards per game. They lead the NFL in limiting opponents to 3.08 yards per carry this season.
QB KYLER MURRAY, WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. LIMITED; STATUS TBD VS. PACKERS
With a slew of skill-position players unavailable for the majority of practice on Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals are operating with several TBDs on the depth chart while preparing for the Green Bay Packers to swing by on Sunday afternoon.
Quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) were limited, while running back Emari Demercado (ankle) and WR Zay Jones (knee) did not practice on Thursday.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Murray is the starter when he returns in response to a question earlier in the week about backup Jacoby Brissett passing for 320 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 31-27 loss at Indianapolis.
Gannon said the Cardinals will “make sure he’s healthy enough to play” before asking Murray to take the field.
Murray is dealing with a foot sprain, and NFL Network projected he could miss multiple games. Murray was only able to practice on Friday last week before being ruled out on gameday.
Harrison wore a yellow non-contact jersey at Thursday’s practice. He left the Week 6 loss in the second quarter and did not return.
Jones caught 5 passes for 79 yards vs. the Colts, doubling his receptions from the first four games combined.
Murray is the Cardinals’ leading rusher this season with 173 yards and the next two on the list — Trey Benson and James Conner — are on injured reserve. Demercado, who has 90 yards on eight carries, had only one carry for one yard at Indianapolis before leaving the game with the injury. He was not on the field Thursday.
CARDINALS TRY TO SNAP 4-GAME LOSING STREAK WHEN THEY HOST PACKERS
Green Bay (3-1-1) at Arizona (2-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., EDT, Fox
BetMGM line: Packers by 6 1/2.
Series record: Packers lead 47-26-4.
Against the spread: Packers 2-3; Cardinals 3-3.
Last week: Packers beat Bengals 27-18; Colts beat Cardinals 31-27.
Last meeting: Packers beat Cardinals 34-13 on Oct. 13, 2024, in Green Bay.
Packers offense: overall (9), rush (12), pass (10), scoring (8).
Packers defense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (11), scoring (10).
Cardinals offense: overall (22), rush (17), pass (24), scoring (20T).
Cardinals defense: overall (24), rush (13), pass (28), scoring (14).
Turnover differential: Packers minus-1; Cardinals plus-1.
Packers player to watch
RB Josh Jacobs has rushed for two touchdowns and gained at least 150 yards from scrimmage in each of Green Bay’s past two games. He rushed for 93 yards on 18 carries and caught five passes for 57 yards against the Bengals despite dealing with an illness. Jacobs said after the game he had vomited on a couple of occasions during the game.
Cardinals player to watch
TE Trey McBride has been one of the few constants in an up-and-down season for the Cardinals’ offense. The fourth-year Colorado State product is on the way to another productive season with 37 catches with 347 yards and two touchdowns through six games.
Key matchup
The Cardinals have been a run-first team for much of third-year coach Jonathan Gannon’s tenure, but the Packers have the NFL’s best rushing defense. On top of that, Arizona’s top two running backs — James Conner (foot) and Trey Benson (knee) — are out with injuries.
Key injuries
Packers: DL Devonte Wyatt (knee) and K Brandon McManus (quadriceps) didn’t play against Cincinnati and didn’t practice Wednesday. DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) and OT Zach Tom (oblique/back) also didn’t practice Wednesday. WR Christian Watson has been practicing on a limited basis as he works his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. WR Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder) is on injured reserve and will miss a fourth straight game.
Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray (foot) and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) are part of a long injury list. Murray missed last week’s game. RB Emari Demercado (ankle) and WR Zay Jones (knee) were held out of Wednesday’s practice, which was a walkthrough. Rookie DL Walter Nolen III (calf) had his 21-day practice window opened in his return from the PUP list. He could be activated at any time over the next three weeks.
Series notes
The two teams have split the past 10 games going back to 2003. The first meeting in the series goes back to 1921, which is the second-oldest rivalry in NFL history.
Stats and stuff
The Packers have won their past 11 regular-season games against NFC West teams. … Packers coach Matt LaFleur (70-34-1) has reached 70 career wins in the shortest amount of time by any coach since Bill Cowher also got his 70th win in his 105th game in 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … The Packers are seeking their first road victory. They lost 13-10 at Cleveland and tied Dallas 40-40 in their first two road games. … The Packers are outscoring teams 24-0 in the first quarter of games. … The Packers are allowing a league-low 73 yards rushing per game. … Packers CB Keisean Nixon has nine passes defensed to rank second in the NFL, behind Cincinnati’s D.J. Turner (11). … Packers DE Micah Parsons has six quarterback pressures per game according to Next Gen Stats to match Pittsburgh’s Nick Herbig for the highest average in the league. … Lucas Havrisik probably would be Green Bay’s kicker on Sunday if McManus remains unavailable. Havrisik filled in for McManus against the Bengals and made both of his field-goal attempts, from 43 and 39 yards. … The Packers are converting an NFL-leading 52.3% of their third downs. … The Packers have forced only two takeaways all season. … This is Arizona’s only home game in a span of 40 days from Oct. 6 to Nov. 15. … All of Arizona’s six games this season have been decided by a touchdown or less. The team has lost four straight games by a combined nine points. … LB Mack Wilson Sr. leads the team with 50 tackles. … QB Jacoby Brissett started for the injured Murray in last week’s game vs. the Colts, completing 27 of 44 passes for 320 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. It was the fifth time in Brissett’s career he has thrown for at least 300 yards. … McBride has at least five catches in eight straight games going back to last season. … Edge rusher Josh Sweat has four sacks in three home games this season.
Fantasy tip
Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden hasn’t scored a touchdown yet this season, but he had a career-high 86 yards receiving against the Bengals and has made some big catches in clutch situations in Green Bay’s past two games. Any teams that have been keeping Golden on their benches so far this season might want to insert him into their starting lineups this weekend.
EAGLES EMERGE FROM SOBERING SELF-REFLECTION, EAGER TO SEE WHAT’S BEEN FIXED VS. WELL-RESTED VIKINGS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After their worst performance in more than a year, the Philadelphia Eagles have had some extra time to try to sort out their problems, iron out their inconsistencies and air out their feelings.
The defending Super Bowl champions will be quickly challenged to show they’ve made some strides.
The Eagles, after a humbling 34-17 defeat in prime time by the division-rival New York Giants and a 10-day break to reexamine their lineups, mindsets and schemes, play at Minnesota on Sunday.
“There was a little bit of rest and relaxation, and then there was a lot of trying to figure things out,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “We have a lot of thoughts, a lot of things that we want to put into action.”
The Vikings (3-2) are coming off even more time for rest and reflection, after splitting an historic two-game road trip to Europe and taking their much-needed bye week. They not only have multiple strengths that should match up well for them with some of the early season vulnerabilities that have been on display by the Eagles, but they’re much healthier as a team now after a series of injuries sidelined several key players.
The Eagles (4-2) must try to fix an offense that ranks third-worst in the NFL in total yards against a Vikings defense allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game in the league.
“They’re the defending champs,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “I’m not really looking at the numbers, just the history and the talent that’s there, the explosiveness that’s there. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”
Saquon Barkley, a 2,000-yard rusher in 2024, hasn’t come close to an 100-yard game yet. Quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t played like the Super Bowl MVP he was last season. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, both multiple-time 1,000-yard receivers, have both expressed discontent with their role. After the loss to the Giants, six-time Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson ripped the “predictability” of the offense.
“I feel like we’ve been very stagnant offensively,” Johnson said. “We’ve really put the defense in a bind the last two weeks.”
Wentz’s career comes full circle
One of the many injuries the Vikings have had to navigate was a high ankle sprain that has sidelined quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the last three games.
Carson Wentz has filled in admirably, having joined the team just six weeks ago, and Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has stressed his desire that McCarthy not only demonstrate he’s fully healthy but fully ready to resume running the offense before he’s reinstalled as the starter. That puts Wentz in position to face the team that drafted him second overall in 2016 and replaced him with Hurts five years later.
Having made Minnesota his sixth stop in six seasons, however, Wentz is too far removed from his time in Philadelphia to take any extra emotion into the game Sunday. Johnson, Hurts and left tackle Jordan Mailata are the only three offensive players still around from Wentz’s time.
“There are still guys in that organization, a lot of good people that I still have a lot of care for and respect for,” Wentz said, “but at the same time that feels like multiple lifetimes ago.”
Who’s snapping the ball?
The injury bug in Minnesota has hit the offensive line the hardest, but the patchwork group delivered a remarkable performance in the comeback win over Cleveland in London.
Most notable was the job done by fill-in center Blake Brandel, who was the starting left guard last season and originally a tackle who had never before played in the middle. Ryan Kelly, the original starter, is on injured reserve with a concussion. Backup Michael Jurgens was sidelined the previous game with a hamstring injury.
“The way Blake handled this game, I think we might be looking at a situation where this could be his best position of all five across the line,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said.
Hold on tight
The Vikings have lost four fumbles in five games, including two against the Browns that were big momentum killers. The first one set up a touchdown for the Browns.
“Ball security has to be a premium for the way we’re going to win games,” O’Connell said.
The last time the Vikings faced the Eagles, a 34-28 loss in Philadelphia in Week 2 of the 2023 season, they lost four fumbles.
Play-calling status quo
First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo has been an easy target for frustrated Eagles fans, but Sirianni refused to second-guess or micromanage his lieutenant.
“Not in this sport is it ever on one person, and we’re not in the business of assigning blame,” Sirianni said. “I know that we live in a world that wants to assign blame, point the finger, but that’s not the reality of what good teams do.”
Corner backs to the wall
The Eagles have only three interceptions in six games, just one by a defensive back: rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.
While Cooper DeJean’s performance has been steady since he capped his rookie season with an interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, the rest of the cornerbacks have been uneven at best, with neither Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson taking hold of the spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. That’s a recipe for trouble against a dangerous group of Vikings pass-catchers led by All-Pro Justin Jefferson.
“We’ve got to settle in and find somebody out there that we can rely on,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “I think we have the guys that can do that. We’ve just got to get them playing better.”
EAGLES TAKE AN UNFAMILIAR LOSING STREAK ON THE ROAD TO FACE THE REFRESHED VIKINGS
Philadelphia (4-2) at Minnesota (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM line: Eagles by 2.
Against the spread: Eagles 3-3; Vikings 3-2.
Series record: Eagles lead 16-15.
Last meeting: Eagles beat Vikings 34-28 in Philadelphia on Sept. 14, 2023.
Last week: Eagles lost at Giants 34-17; Vikings had bye, beat Browns 21-17 in London on Oct. 5.
Eagles offense: overall (30), rush (25), pass (29), scoring (15)
Eagles defense: overall (21), rush (26T), pass (12), scoring (19)
Vikings offense: overall (25), rush (21), pass (19T), scoring (12)
Vikings defense: overall (6), rush (24), pass (2), scoring (5)
Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Vikings minus-2.
Eagles player to watch
CB Cooper DeJean. After capping a promising rookie season with an interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl victory over Kansas City, DeJean is one of the few Eagles standouts who hasn’t had a noticeable drop-off in performance while serving as the anchor of a tenuous secondary. The Eagles have only three interceptions in six games and just one by a defensive back, rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.
Vikings player to watch
WR Jordan Addison. After being benched for the first quarter in London for missing a walk-through practice, Addison delivered the go-ahead touchdown catch with 25 seconds left to beat the Browns. He’s been targeted 14 times in two games since returning from a three-game suspension for an offseason drunken driving arrest and will undoubtedly continue to be a key part of the passing attack moving forward. Addison had a 62-yard touchdown reception against the Eagles in 2023.
Key matchup
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley vs. Vikings front. The 2024 AP Offensive Player of the Year award winner hasn’t come close to the rushing production he enjoyed during his 2,000-yard season while averaging a sluggish 3.4 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, the Vikings have slipped badly with their run defense after ranking second in the NFL last season in rushing yards allowed per game and fourth in yards per attempt. Injury absences of LB Blake Cashman and OLB Andrew Van Ginkel have played a significant part in the decline.
Key injuries
LG Landon Dickerson (ankle) missed the previous game along with backup TE Grant Calcaterra (oblique) and DT Jalen Carter (heel). CB Quinyon Mitchell (hamstring) was injured during the Giants game and didn’t return. Dickerson, Carter and Mitchell were all back at practice on Wednesday. … With Nolan Smith (biceps) on injured reserve for at least one more game and the unexpected retirement of Za’Darius Smith, the depth at edge rusher is thin behind starters Jalyx Hunt and Azeez Ojulari.
Vikings: Five original starters, QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle), RT Brian O’Neill (knee), LG Donovan Jackson (wrist) on offense and Cashman (hamstring) and Van Ginkel (neck), returned to practice on Wednesday after missing varying numbers of games. McCarthy’s status will be judged just as much on his readiness and mechanics as his foot, after missing a month’s worth of practices. … C Michael Jurgens (hamstring), who had taken over for sidelined starter Ryan Kelly (concussion), was also back in the mix after sitting out in London, but the Vikings could opt to keep Blake Brandel there after a successful debut at the position. … RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) must miss at least one more game on injured reserve.
Series notes
The Eagles last beat the Vikings in Minnesota in the wild-card round of the 2008-09 playoffs, a 26-14 victory at the Metrodome. They’re 4-0 in the playoffs against the Vikings. … The Vikings won in 2019 the only game to date between the teams at U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Eagles won Super Bowl 52 after beating the Vikings in Philadelphia in the NFC championship game after the 2017 season. … The Eagles have won nine of the past 13 matchups with the Vikings, including the only two between current coaches Nick Sirianni and Kevin O’Connell in 2022 and 2023.
Stats and stuff
The Eagles have lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three straight from Dec. 31, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024, including a wild-card round playoff loss at Tampa Bay. … The Eagles despite their loss last week are tied with Kansas City for the best road record (26-11) in the NFL since Sirianni was hired in 2021. … Sirianni is 8-0 against NFC North teams, including the playoffs. … Eagles QB Jalen Hurts threw his first interception of the season last week and just the second, counting the Super Bowl he won as MVP, in his past 15 games. Hurts did pass for a season-high 283 yards against the Giants. … Eagles WR DeVonta Smith had 131 yards and a touchdown on four catches in the previous matchup against the Vikings in 2023. … The Eagles lead the NFL in red zone scoring rate, with touchdowns on 14 of 16 trips inside the 20-yard line, the best by any NFL team through six games this century. … The Eagles have held opponents to the fourth-lowest completion rate (58.9 percent) in the league. … With McCarthy missing the past three games, Carson Wentz led the Vikings to two wins. Wentz was the second overall pick by the Eagles in the 2016 draft. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has eight catches of 20-plus yards this season and leads the NFL since 2020 with 140 such plays. … Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson had a season-high six receptions in the most recent game against the Browns. … Vikings CB Isaiah Rodgers, who has two defensive touchdowns, two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal over his first five games with the team, spent last season with the Eagles. … Vikings OLB Dallas Turner had a career-high seven tackles in the previous game against the Browns. … The Vikings have a plus-24 points differential in the last two minutes of both halves this season, second best in the NFL behind Tampa Bay. … The Vikings have held each opponent to 200 passing yards or fewer for the team’s best five-game average to start a season since 1993.
Fantasy tip
Eagles TE Dallas Goedert, who had nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown last week against the Giants, has been targeted 20 times by Hurts over the past two games. Goedert has a touchdown catch in four straight games.
VRABEL, PATS HEAD TO TENNESSEE LOOKING TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 4
New England (4-2) at Tennessee (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM NFL odds: Patriots by 7.
Against the spread: Patriots 4-2, Titans 2-4.
Series record: Patriots lead 26-19-1.
Last meeting: Titans beat the Patriots 20-17 in OT on Nov. 3, 2024, in Nashville.
Last week: Patriots beat Saints 25-19, Titans lost at Raiders 20-10.
Patriots offense: overall (16), rush (26), pass (6), scoring (11).
Patriots defense: overall (16), rush (4), pass (25), scoring (T-7).
Titans offense: overall (32), rush (31), pass (31), scoring (31).
Titans defense: overall (22), rush (25), pass (13), scoring (26).
Turnover differential: Patriots even; Titans minus-1.
Patriots player to watch
Drake Maye. The second-year quarterback is thriving in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system. Maye tied a career high with three touchdown passes last week at New Orleans. He has also had five straight games with a 100-plus passer rating after finishing with a 140.1 rating against the Saints. He enters this week second in the NFL with a 73.2 completion rate. Detroit’s Jared Goff is leading the league at 75.9.
Titans player to watch
Cam Ward. The No. 1 overall pick in the April draft is a big reason why the Titans fired Brian Callahan on Monday, wanting to see improvement out of the offense. Ward completed a career-high 26 passes last week for 222 yards. The rookie has more interceptions (four) than TD passes (3).
Key matchup
The Patriots pass defense against the rookie quarterback. New England is giving up 239 yards per game through the air and ranks last in the NFL in allowing 7.88 yards per pass play. Ward has shown a knack for throwing deep.
Key injuries
Patriots: S Jaylinn Hawkins (hamstring) and LBs Harold Landry (ankle) and Anfernee Jennings (ankle) all sat out the first practice of the week.
Titans: K Joey Slye (right calf) is limited in trying to return after missing last week. WR Calvin Ridley (hamstring) and CB L’Jarius Sneed (quadricep) did not practice Wednesday. OLB Arden Key (quadricep) also didn’t practice after missing last week’s game. DT T’Vondre Sweat (ankle) is practicing, working to return from injured reserve.
Series notes
This will be the first game Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will coach against the franchise that gave him his first head coaching job in 2018. Vrabel coached the Titans to their most recent playoff win in this series, a wild-card victory that was the last for Tom Brady in a Patriots’ uniform. These are two of the original AFL franchises, and this will be the second straight season the Patriots have visited the Titans. The Titans have won three of the past four games between these teams. That includes last season in the most recent game the Titans have won at Nissan Stadium. Mike McCoy will make his debut as the Titans’ interim head coach after Brian Callahan was fired Monday.
Stats and stuff
The Patriots have won three straight games. A victory this week will give New England its longest winning streak since a seven-game streak during the 2021 season. … New England is 3-0 on the road this season. It has started with a road record of 4-0 or better eight times in team history. … The Patriots are fourth in the NFL against the run, allowing 83.5 yards per game. … The Patriots are allowing just 3.46 yards per rush, the third-lowest mark in the NFL this season. … New England is the only team that has not given up 50 yards to a running back this season. It is the first time in team history that has occurred. … Marcus Jones leads the NFL this season with a 23.1 yards per return average … Patriots TE Hunter Henry ranks fifth among New England tight ends with 2,482 receiving yards. He needs 6 yards to move past Jim Whalen into fourth place. … WR Kayshon Boutte had his first NFL game with at least two touchdowns last week at New Orleans. … LB Robert Spillane had his third game this season with 10-plus tackles after finishing with a team-leading 11 total tackles last week. … Titans’ Jeffery Simmons is the third DT in the NFL in the past 17 seasons to have at least 4 1/2 sacks and eight tackles for loss in the first six games of a season. He has joined Geno Atkins (2012 and 2018) and Aaron Donald (2015). … Titans RB Tyjae Spears had 50 scrimmage yards last week. … WR Van Jefferson led the Titans with 75 yards receiving last week. … Elic Ayomanor is the only AFC rookie WR with 2 TD receptions. … TE Chig Okonkwo had a season-high six catches last week. … LB Cody Barton had his second interception of the season last week. LB Dre’Mont Jones had his first sack of the season last week. … CB L’Jarius Sneed had a career-high 10 tackles last week.
Fantasy tip
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs fared well against the Titans in his career. He has 38 catches (9.5 per game) for 446 yards (111.5 per game) and four receiving touchdowns in four games against Tennessee. That includes 12 catches for 148 yards and three TDs in his most recent game against the Titans (Sept. 19, 2022 with Buffalo).
FALCONS VISIT THE INJURY-RIDDLED 49ERS IN SEARCH OF A THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Atlanta (3-2) at San Francisco (4-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT, NBC.
BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 2.
Against the spread: Falcons 3-2; 49ers 3-3.
Series record: 49ers lead 48-33-1.
Last week: Falcons beat Bills 24-14; 49ers lost to Buccaneers 30-19.
Last meeting: Falcons beat 49es 28-14 at Atlanta, Oct. 16, 2022.
Falcons offense: overall (2), rush (1), pass (12), scoring (27).
Falcons defense: overall (1), rush (17), pass (1), scoring (7).
49ers offense: overall (6), rush (30), pass (1), scoring (24).
49ers defense: overall (15), rush (14), pass (18), scoring (15).
Turnover differential: Falcons plus-3; 49ers minus-5.
Falcons player to watch
Wide receiver Drake London took over the position against Buffalo when the Falcons were without two receivers who opened the season as starters. Darnell Mooney was held out with a hamstring injury and in a surprise, Ray-Ray McCloud was a healthy scratch because of what Raheem Morris said was a coach’s decision. London had 10 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.
49ers player to watch
LB Tatum Bethune. With four-time All-Pro Fred Warner out for the season with an ankle injury, Bethune is set to make his second career start for the 49ers. Bethune had played only three snaps on defense before stepping in for Warner last week. He had 10 tackles against Tampa Bay and now will call the defensive signals in Warner’s absence.
Key matchup
Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. 49ers LBs. Robinson leads the NFL with 822 yards from scrimmage after gaining 238 last week. Slowing him down will be a tough task for a Niners defense missing Warner, putting heavy pressure on Bethune and Dee Winters.
Key injuries
Falcons: LT Jake Matthews left Monday’s game with an ankle injury and his status is in doubt this week. Matthews has started 183 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. … Edge Jalon Walker (groin), CB Clark Phillips III (triceps, illness) and CB Billy Bowman Jr. (hamstring) also are dealing with injuries this week.
49ers: San Francisco could get TE George Kittle back after he’s missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. … QB Brock Purdy returned to practice on a limited basis this week but it’s unknown whether he will be back or miss his third straight game with a toe injury. … WR Ricky Pearsall (knee) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) could be sidelined again. … WR Jauan Jennings has been limited by injuries to his ankle, ribs and shoulder.
Series notes
The Falcons have won three of the past four meetings in the series. … Atlanta is 7-4 against San Francisco since leaving the NFC West during the 2002 realignment. … Niners coach Kyle Shanahan spent two seasons as OC in Atlanta and Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich played 10 seasons for the 49ers.
Stats and stuff
Both teams rank in the top six in yardage and the bottom 10 in scoring thanks in part to poor red zone play. Atlanta ranks 27th in the NFL by scoring TDs on 43.8% of red zone drives, while San Francisco is 28th at 42.9%. … The Falcons lead the NFL with 151.2 rushing yards per game and rank second in possession average, holding the ball 33 minutes, 8 seconds per game. … The ball-control offense is a big reason Atlanta also ranks first in total defense, giving up only 253.4 yards per game. … The Falcons, who rank second in total offense (378.8), are the only team in the NFL to rank in the top five in both total defense and total offense. … Atlanta’s 443 yards against Buffalo, including 335 yards in the first half, were the most for any NFL team in Week 6. … The Falcons’ improved defense has had 14 sacks, the team’s high total through five games since 2005. The total includes four sacks in Monday night’s 24-14 win over Buffalo. … The 49ers are averaging 291.5 net yards passing per game for their third-highest total through six games and 82.2 yards rushing for their second fewest. … San Francisco has fewer than 85 yards rushing in five straight games for the first time in franchise history. … The 49ers rank 30th in yards rushing per game at 82.2 and last in yards per carry at 3.06. … The Niners have gone an NFL-record 13 straight games without intercepting a pass, covering 404 straight attempts. … Christian McCaffrey has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season and can tie Roger Craig’s franchise record of seven straight to start a season set in 1988. McCaffrey can become the first player in the NFL with at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the first seven games of a season since Adam Thielen in 2018. … K Eddy Pineiro is 15 for 15 on FGs since signing with San Francisco in Week 2 and has the most makes without a miss for any kicker in his first five games with a team. … San Francisco rookie DE Mykel Williams had his first career sack last week.
Fantasy tip
San Francisco WR Kendrick Bourne has 15 catches for 284 yards the past two weeks but could have his share of the passing game reduced with Kittle expected back this week and Pearsall possibly returning. Bourne had only one career 100-yard receiving game before topping 140 in each of the past two games.
JAYDEN DANIELS WANTS A WIN OVER COWBOYS HE CAN CALL HIS OWN AS COMMANDERS TRY TO BOUNCE BACK
Washington (3-3) at Dallas (2-3-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM line: Commanders by 2.
Against the spread: Commanders 3-3; Cowboys 3-3.
Series record: Cowboys lead 79-49-2.
Last meeting: Commanders beat Cowboys 23-19 in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 5, 2025.
Last week: Commanders lost to Bears 25-24; Cowboys lost to Panthers 30-27.
Commanders offense: overall (13), rush (2), pass (23), scoring (7).
Commanders defense: overall (26), rush (20), pass (23), scoring (13).
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (15), pass (2), scoring (3).
Cowboys defense: overall (32), rush (29), pass (32), scoring (31).
Turnover differential: Commanders minus-3, Cowboys minus-2.
Commanders player to watch
WR Luke McCaffrey. After playing in his first 19 NFL games without a touchdown, the younger brother of 49ers star Christian McCaffrey has scored in three of the past four games. That includes a 33-yard TD catch in Week 6 — his only reception of the game. The third-round draft pick out of Rice in 2024 is averaging 31.5 yards on kickoff returns, the highest rate for anyone in the league with at least 10 runbacks.
Cowboys player to watch
QB Dak Prescott missed both Washington meetings last season after tearing a hamstring eight games in. He has found the form of 2023, when he was runner-up in MVP voting and beat the Commanders twice to improve to 11-2 against them in his career. Prescott has thrown at least three touchdown passes without an interception in three consecutive games. A fourth in a row would put him in the company of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Russell Wilson as the only quarterbacks to do that. He leads the NFL in completions (164) and is second in yards (1,617) and TDs passing (13).
Key matchup
The defenses won’t be on the field at the same time, but which struggling unit will get enough done to win the game? Dallas is 32nd in total defense, Washington is 26th. On paper, the Commanders have the edge because they’re a respectable 13th in scoring defense. The Cowboys are 31st in scoring, allowing 30.7 points per game. Both teams are having coverage issues in the secondary, which is good news for Prescott and Jayden Daniels.
Key injuries
Commanders: WR Terry McLaurin, Daniels’ favorite and best option, has missed the past three games with a quadriceps injury. … WR Noah Brown, another starter, was placed on injured reserve with knee and groin injuries, sidelining him at least another four games after he missed four already. .. RG Sam Cosmi has been out all season after tearing a knee ligament in the playoffs, but his 21-day practice window is open. He appears set to return against Dallas. … DE Dorance Armstrong, who spent his first six seasons with the Cowboys, is nursing a hamstring injury. He’s fifth in the NFL with 5 1/2 sacks.
Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb, rookie RG Tyler Booker and WR/KR KaVontae Turpin are trending toward returning after missing multiple weeks. Lamb and Booker have been out three weeks with high ankle sprains, and Turpin has a foot injury that sidelined him the past two games.
Series notes
Daniels didn’t beat Dallas during his dynamic rookie season in 2024. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 34-26 loss at home last November when the teams combined to score five touchdowns in the last five minutes. Daniels was watching when Marcus Mariota led the winning drive in a mostly meaningless regular-season finale last season. The Commanders were only playing for seeding after qualifying for the playoffs. Daniels didn’t play in the second half.
Stats and stuff
The Commanders have alternated wins and losses so far this season. … In each of Daniels’ four games — he missed two with an injured left knee — he has at least 200 yards passing and at least one TD pass, the first Washington quarterback to start a season that way since Kirk Cousins in 2014. … LB Von Miller is up to 133 sacks, moving him ahead of Lawrence Taylor and into 14th place since the NFL began officially recording the statistic in 1982. … LB Bobby Wagner is second in the NFL with 65 tackles. … Washington has just three takeaways this season; only two clubs have produced fewer. … The Commanders had three turnovers against the Bears, equaling their total from the season’s first five games. Daniels was responsible for two, an early interception and a late fumble on a botched handoff to RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The rookie seventh-round draft pick also lost his own fumble in that game, his second week in a row with a fumble. … Prescott is one game shy of Tony Romo’s club record of 67 games with a passer rating of at least 100. … RB Javonte Williams is tied for third in the NFL with five touchdowns rushing and fourth with 476 yards rushing. … TE Jake Ferguson has a touchdown catch in three consecutive games. Jason Witten, the club’s career leader in catches and yards receiving, is the only Dallas tight end with a longer TD streak. It was five in 2010. … If Lamb returns, he needs 51 scrimmage yards to be the fastest to 7,000 in club history. … CB Trevon Diggs has an interception in his past two home games.
Fantasy tip
Cowboys WR George Pickens has a five-game touchdown streak, with six total in that span. It’s already a career high. He has thrived in the three games Lamb has been sidelined, so the question will be how many targets he gets if Lamb returns.
RAMS AND JAGUARS MEET IN LONDON’S WEMBLEY STADIUM WITH A 5TH WIN AT STAKE
Los Angeles Rams (4-2) vs Jacksonville (4-2) in London
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. EDT, NFL Network.
BetMGM NFL odds: Rams by 3.
Against the spread: Rams 4-2, Jaguars 4-2.
Series record: Rams lead 5-1.
Last meeting: Rams beat Jaguars 37-7 on Dec. 5, 2021, in Los Angeles.
Last week: Rams beat Baltimore 17-3; Jaguars lost to Seattle 20-12.
Rams offense: overall (5), rush (22), pass (3), scoring (16).
Rams defense: overall (8), rush (15), pass (9), scoring (3).
Jaguars offense: overall (17), rush (11), pass (15), scoring (17).
Jaguars defense: overall (23), rush (8), pass (30), scoring (T7).
Turnover differential: Rams plus-3; Jaguars plus-8.
Rams player to watch
WR Davante Adams has scored at least one touchdown in each of his four games against Jacksonville. He has 30 catches for 460 yards and six TDs in four outings against the Jags, including three victories, and could be Matthew Stafford’s go-to option with leading receiver Puka Nacua dealing with an ankle injury.
Jaguars player to watch
Two-way rookie Travis Hunter is still looking for the first touchdown of his NFL career. Hunter has 20 receptions for 197 yards, including several eye-popping plays. He has played 257 of his 405 snaps (63%) on offense and could see more targets with Brian Thomas Jr. dropping passes and hesitating in traffic.
Key matchup
Rams LBs Jared Verse and Byron Young versus Jaguars OTs Walker Little and Anton Harrison. Verse has nine QB hits in the past two weeks, and Young ranks second in the NFL with 7 ½ sacks. They face a duo that had its hands full with Seattle’s DeMarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams last week; Trevor Lawrence was sacked a season-high seven times.
Key injuries
Rams: Nacua (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday and seems unlikely to suit up in London, but coach Sean McVay acknowledged the star wideout might be able to play even if he didn’t practice all week. RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) and backup RB Blake Corum (ankle) also missed practice. WR Tutu Atwell (hamstring) and LB Omar Speights (ankle) were limited, but McVay is optimistic both will play.
Jaguars: LB Devin Lloyd, the AFC defensive player of the month for September, didn’t make the trip because of a calf injury. Ventrell Miller will start in his place. C Robert Hainsey (hamstring) hopes to return after missing last week’s game.
Series notes
The Rams have won five of six meetings, including three consecutive lopsided affairs. Jacksonville’s only win came in overtime in 2009. The Jaguars have not topped 23 points in any of the previous six games.
Stats and stuff
Will Wembley deliver more scoring than other overseas games? No team reached 24 points in three consecutive weeks of international games. … First-year Jaguars coach Liam Coen spent four seasons (2018-20, 2022) working under McVay, so they should know each other’s strengths, weaknesses and tendencies well. … This is the first overseas meeting between the Rams and the Jaguars. The Rams are 2-2 in London, including a victory at Wembley Stadium in 2019. The Jaguars are 7-6, having played the most international games, the most in London (13) and the most at Wembley (11). … The Rams spent the week in Baltimore and will fly across the pond Friday, taking a much different approach to the international game. The Jaguars, meanwhile, landed Tuesday morning and practiced three days in London. … Stafford is one of two NFC QBs, along with Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, with a 95-plus rating in five games this season. … RB Kyren Williams has at least 50 yards from scrimmage in 34 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. He’s one of four players to score in 25 games since 2023. … LB Nate Landman had a career-high 17 tackles last week. … CB Darious Williams faces the team he spent two years (2022-23) with. … Trevor Lawrence is looking for his fourth consecutive game with a 90-plus QB rating. He has a 90-plus rating in five of his six international starts. He has at least one TD pass in six consecutive games in London. … RB Travis Etienne has 417 yards from scrimmage and three TDs in four international games. … DE Josh Hines-Allen has 3 1/2 sacks in his past four international games. … CB Greg Newsome, traded from Cleveland to Jacksonville last week, is playing his second game in three weeks in London. He will become the fifth player in NFL history to play in two international games with different teams in the same season.
Fantasy tip
Consider Rams TE Tyler Higbee a sleeper. He caught four passes for 40 yards and a TD in his return from a hip injury last week, and the Jaguars have allowed tight ends to catch 13 passes for 190 yards and two TDs over their past three games.
PANTHERS GOING FOR 3 WINS IN A ROW FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH BRYCE YOUNG AS QB WHEN THEY FACE 0-6 JETS
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Bryce Young’s arrival in Carolina came with huge expectations.
He was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, hoped by the Panthers to be the quarterback to help lead the franchise back to respectability, the playoffs and perhaps someday much more.
Well, small steps first.
The Panthers (3-3) head to New York to play the winless Jets (0-6) on Sunday and look to win three straight games for the first time with Young as their starting quarterback. They also haven’t had a .500 record this deep into a season since they were 5-5 in Cam Newton’s second stint with the team in 2021.
“So proud of this group that just continues to fight and scratch and claw and just get it done,” coach Dave Canales said after the Panthers’ 30-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday.
There’s a feeling among the players that things are different now for a team that has a franchise-worst seven-year playoff drought, tied with Atlanta for the NFL’s second-longest active skid behind only the Jets. Young agreed with guard Damien Lewis, who posted on social media that he feels a culture change is underway in Carolina.
“I feel like we’re definitely continuing to build and grow in the right direction,” Young said. “I’m embracing the culture, embracing the ownership and all the little things, and I think us being able to come into our own, it’s been great. It’s been great to be a part of, and it’s been great to be a leader through it.
“So, you know, there’s still work to do. Still so much for us to build off of.”
The Panthers will have to solve their road woes if they hope to keep things rolling. Carolina is 0-3 away from Bank of America Stadium and been outscored 95-45 in those games.
Meanwhile, the Jets are 0-6 for the third time in franchise history and will try to avoid joining the 1996 and 2020 squads as the only teams to drop their first seven games.
Aaron Glenn is the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with six losses, and fans already frustrated with the team’s 14-year playoff drought are already losing patience.
“I understand how it looks on the outside, and the thing is, I told you guys and I told the fans, man, do not let go of the rope,” Glenn said. “The thing I know we’re doing is we’re trying to build a solid foundation so we can consistently try to win.”
Split backfield?
Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been dominant the past two weeks, racking up 389 yards on the ground and 473 yards from scrimmage — both franchise records for a two-game span.
But with regular starter Chuba Hubbard set to return this week from a calf injury, Dowdle could get fewer reps. Canales has remained quiet on his plans on who’ll receive the bulk of carries, but insisted Dowdle will remain part of the mix.
“I think he’s earned everything that he’s done in the last two weeks,” Canales said of Dowdle. “He’s earned the right to help this team, and he will. We’ll find a way to do that. How we do that specifically, I don’t wanna really share those details of it.”
Things can only go up
Justin Fields went 9 of 17 for just 45 yards and was sacked nine times, a result of holding onto the ball too long at times, in New York’s 13-11 loss to Denver in London last Sunday. The Jets also finished with a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing.
Still, Glenn is sticking with Fields as his starter, looking for the quarterback and coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s struggling unit to bounce back.
“I think I’ll just learn from my mistakes from last game,” Fields said, “and definitely play better this week, for sure.”
Wilson watch
Fields and the offense could have an even tougher time getting on track if star wide receiver Garrett Wilson is sidelined.
Wilson is dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of practice early in the week and Glenn said the Jets would see how he’d progress. The fourth-year receiver leads New York with 36 catches for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
But that’s not all: No. 2 wide receiver Josh Reynolds also might not play because of a hip ailment. That could leave the Jets with Allen Lazard, Tyler Johnson and rookie Arian Smith as the only healthy wide receivers on the active roster.
Coker’s return
Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker, who carved a niche last season as an undrafted rookie with 32 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns, is set to make his season debut as the team’s slot receiver.
Coker missed the first six games with a quadriceps injury suffered leading up to the season opener, which he called “really unfortunate timing.”
The Panthers have been careful to make sure Coker is completely healed and that his conditioning is at a point where he can play the entire game and be a contributor and not be on a snap count.
Edge rushers needed
The Panthers lost outside linebacker Patrick Jones II, one of their top pass rushers, for the season with a lower back injury this week.
Carolina is expected to turn to rookies Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, the team’s second- and third-round picks, to replace Jones. Both have shown promise, but are now expected to get expanded roles.
PANTHERS AIM FOR THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY AS WINLESS JETS SEEK TO AVOID 0-7 START
Carolina (3-3) at New York Jets (0-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Panthers by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Panthers 4-2; Jets 3-3.
Series record: Panthers lead 5-3.
Last meeting: Panthers beat Jets 19-14 on Sept. 12, 2021, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Last week: Panthers beat Cowboys 30-27; Jets lost to Broncos 13-11 in London.
Panthers offense: overall (18), rush (4), pass (27), scoring (19).
Panthers defense: overall (10), rush (9), pass (17), scoring (21).
Jets offense: overall (28), rush (5), pass (32), scoring (25).
Jets defense: overall (20), rush (23), pass (10), scoring (28).
Turnover differential: Panthers minus-4; Jets minus-7.
Panthers player to watch
RB Rico Dowdle. He had a franchise-record 473 yards from scrimmage the past two weeks in his first two starts since taking over for the injured Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard could return this week from a calf injury, but Dowdle is still expected to start and see the majority of carries after leading Carolina to back-to-back wins. His challenge will be tougher this week as he faces a New York defense that held Denver’s J.K. Dobbins to just 40 yards on 14 carries last week in London.
Jets player to watch
QB Justin Fields. Coach Aaron Glenn is sticking with Fields as his starting quarterback even after a dismal performance during which he was 9 of 17 for just 45 yards and was sacked nine times by Denver. The Jets finished with a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing. It’ll be interesting to see how long Glenn will continue to go with Fields if he struggles this week. Fields acknowledged this week he needs to be more aggressive in the passing game. If not, Tyrod Taylor could see some snaps.
Key matchup
Jets RB Breece Hall vs. Panthers’ run defense. Carolina has allowed just 50 yards rushing — 19 to Miami and 31 to Dallas — in the past two games. Both games rank among the top 10 best rushing defensive performances in franchise history. Hall enters this week ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing with 410 yards and is averaging a career-high 68.3 yards rushing per game.
Key injuries
Panthers: Hubbard returned to practice this week after missing two games and should be ready to play. … RT Taylor Moton (elbow) and DT Turk Wharton also returned to practice after sitting out last week. … WR Jalen Coker (quadriceps) is expected to see his first action after missing the first six games of the season.
Jets: WR Garrett Wilson is uncertain to play after injuring a knee against Denver. … WR Josh Reynolds didn’t practice early in the week with a hip issue. … LB Cam Jones and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers also sat out early in the week with hip injuries.
Series notes
The Panthers have won the past three meetings. … Carolina won the first matchup 26-15 for the first victory in team history during the Panthers’ inaugural season in 1995. Carolina was 0-5 before the win, highlighted by Sam Mills’ go-ahead 36-yard interception of Bubby Brister for a touchdown. … The Jets won the second matchup 48-21 in 1998 behind two TD runs by Curtis Martin and Vinny Testaverde’s two TD passes to Wayne Chrebet.
Stats and stuff
The Panthers are 0-3 on the road and have been outscored 95-45 away from home. … If the Panthers win, it will mark the first time they’ve won three straight with QB Bryce Young since he arrived as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. … Rookie Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina’s most productive wide receiver, caught his first two touchdown passes last week. … The Panthers have 455 yards rushing over the past two weeks, the most in the NFL. That’s the second most over a two-game span in franchise history. … Panthers rookie K Ryan Fitzgerald was selected the NFC special teams player of the week after making all three field goals, including a 55-yarder and a game-winner from 33 yards. … The Jets are 0-6 for the third time in franchise history and look to avoid joining the 1996 and 2020 squads as the only teams to drop their first seven games. … Glenn is the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with six losses. … New York’s 82 net yards of offense against Denver were the third fewest in franchise history. … The Jets are the first team to start 0-6 while averaging less than 150 net yards passing per game (144.2) since David Carr and the Houston Texans did it in 2005 (87.2). … Fields has thrown no interceptions in his first five starts this season, but has only four touchdown passes and 799 yards passing. … New York held Denver to 78 yards rushing last week — the first time the Broncos didn’t have 100 this season. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams’ 11 run stuffs are the most in the NFL among players with at least 100 snaps against the run.
Fantasy tip
Jets rookie TE Mason Taylor had just one catch for 2 yards last week, but should have a good chance to turn things around against the Panthers, who’ve allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends, per CBS Sportsline. The Panthers have allowed the past three tight ends they’ve faced — Hunter Henry, Darren Waller and Jake Ferguson — to score touchdowns.
RAIDERS VISIT CHIEFS FOR ANOTHER MATCHUP BETWEEN LONGTIME AFC WEST RIVALS
Las Vegas (2-4) at Kansas City (3-3)
Sunday 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Chiefs by 12.
Against the spread: Raiders 2-4; Chiefs 3-3.
Series record: Chiefs lead 75-55-2.
Last meeting: Chiefs beat Raiders 19-17 on Nov. 29, 2024, at Kansas City.
Last week: Raiders beat Titans 20-10; Chiefs beat Lions 30-17.
Raiders offense: overall (23), rush (23), pass (18), scoring (29t)
Raiders defense: overall (11), rush (10), pass (19), scoring (23)
Chiefs offense: overall (8), rush (14), pass (8), scoring (9)
Chiefs defense: overall (12), rush (19), pass (8), scoring (11)
Turnover differential: Raiders minus-4; Chiefs plus-4.
Raiders player to watch
DE Maxx Crosby had two sacks against the Titans and leads the NFL with 10 tackles for loss. Tracking down Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is a whole different challenge, but it’s one that Crosby seems to savor, a feeling that is mutual based on what both players have said. It certainly is a delight for fans to watch the two go at it.
Chiefs player to watch
WR Rashee Rice comes back from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy when he caused a high-speed crash on a Dallas highway in March 2024. He is also playing for the first time since tearing his ACL four games into last season, when Mahomes collided with him while trying to make a tackle following an interception.
Key matchup
The Chiefs wide receivers against the Las Vegas pass defense. Mahomes has been playing at an MVP-caliber level ever since getting Xavier Worthy back from a shoulder injury that he sustained in a Week 1 loss to the Chargers. Now, he has Rice joining a mix that also includes Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Key injuries
Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) could miss his third game in a row. The Chiefs are fully healthy.
Series notes
The Chiefs have won nine of the past 10 matchups and 14 of the past 16 going back to the 2017 season. The most recent Raiders win was at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day in 2023, which turned out to be the last time Kansas City lost that season. It won its last two regular-season games, then four playoff games, including the Super Bowl against San Francisco.
Stats and stuff
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty has forced 34 missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats, which is second in the league. That has resulted in 193 yards rushing, the third most. … The Raiders’ 37 tackles for loss are one behind leader Tampa Bay. … Las Vegas’ 10 passes defended by defensive linemen is easily the most. Indianapolis and New Orleans are next at six apiece. … The Raiders’ 240 yards rushing against Chicago on Sept. 28 is the highest total for an NFL team this season. … Crosby needs one sack to join Greg Townsend as the only Raiders with at least five sacks in each of his first seven seasons since the statistic has been kept in 1982. … WR Jakobi Meyers has multiple receptions in 30 consecutive games. … Bowers has caught at least two passes in his first 21 games, which ties the longest streak for a TE to open a career. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta set the record in 2023-24. … Las Vegas S Jeremy Chinn needs one sack to become the eighth defensive back since 1982 with six consecutive seasons with at least one. … K Daniel Carlson’s 214 made field goals are the second most since he entered the league in 2018. He is one behind Justin Tucker. … Mahomes is 12-2 against the Raiders with 33 TD passes in those games. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs two TDs to tie Priest Holmes (83) for most in franchise history. Kelce has a catch in an NFL-leading 180 straight games. … Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco has four TD runs in his past four games against Las Vegas. … Brown had two TD catches for Kansas City last week against Detroit. … Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu has a sack in back-to-back games.
Fantasy tip
As tempting as it might for Rice owners to put him into the starting lineup after waiting for six weeks, it might be worth waiting one more. The Chiefs are likely to ease him back into the mix, perhaps giving him 30 or so snaps against Las Vegas. With their passing attack already humming, there is no need to rush him back into full-time duty.
JUSTIN FIELDS PLANS TO BE A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THE PASSING GAME AS JETS SEEK FIRST WIN
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Justin Fields wants to start letting loose a little.
Good thing, too, since the New York Jets’ struggling offense can certainly use something different.
Fields is taking care of the football this season with no interceptions through his first five starts, a statistical oddity in what has been an otherwise rough go for the quarterback. The passing game has been anything but threatening during the Jets’ 0-6 start, with the team’s franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing in its 13-11 loss to Denver last Sunday in London a glaring example.
So, Fields thinks he might need to take a few more risks down the field, starting Sunday against Carolina.
“Yeah, most definitely,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been a little bit too conservative, in a sense. Probably just be a little bit more aggressive. I’ve always just been big on ball security and not putting the ball in jeopardy, but it comes to a point where you’ve just got to find that healthy balance between trying to maybe fit it in smaller windows and just letting it rip.”
Fields has thrown only nine of his 123 passes this season for 20 or more yards, while completing four of them for 108 yards and two touchdowns, according to Sportradar. That’s just 7.3% of his throws, nearly 4% fewer than the NFL average.
He’s 14 of 32 for 265 yards and the two scores on throws of 10 or more yards, making up 26% of his attempts vs. an average of 31.9% by league on similar passes.
“I think I can be more aggressive and throwing no interceptions is a great thing,” Fields said. “But taking some shots down the field and trying to stretch the field a little bit, I think that’s important for us as an offense to create explosive passes.”
Fields’ longest completion this season was a 33-yard touchdown toss to Garrett Wilson in the opener against Pittsburgh. Otherwise, it has been a lot of dink, dunk — and duck.
In the loss to Denver, he was sacked nine times, matching the number of completions he had while going 9 of 17 for a mere 45 yards.
“Everybody is going to throw picks, that’s just a part of playing quarterback,” Fields said. “I looked at myself at this past game and really over the season and kind of just told myself that I can be a little bit more aggressive. This Sunday, probably going to be a little bit more aggressive, but also not being reckless at the same time. So, just being smart when pushing the ball downfield.”
Coach Aaron Glenn acknowledged Fields took “a step back” last Sunday, but is sticking with him as the starter. He said it was Fields’ first truly bad game and several things contributed to it, including the quarterback holding onto the ball too long at times — a knock throughout his career — the offensive line not providing sufficient enough protection and receivers failing to get open enough.
Fields said he focused this week on his footwork, attributing that to many of his struggles against Denver.
“I think my feet, starting from the ground up, caused me to play a little bit slower, get through my progressions a little bit slower,” he said.
First-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand agreed with Glenn and also is on the same page with Fields about his new approach.
“I loved exactly what he said,” Engstrand said. “He said, ‘I can be more aggressive, but aggressive doesn’t mean reckless.’ And he’s exactly right. He can go ahead and push the ball down the field. He’s got confidence in his receivers that they’re going to go make a play.
“And I don’t have a problem whatsoever with him having that mindset going forward, saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to go on ahead and I’m going to just let this thing fly and our guys are going to go make a play,’ absolutely.”
Fields has been effective using his legs to make plays most of the season, ranking second among quarterbacks to Buffalo’s Josh Allen with 235 yards rushing despite missing Week 3 with a concussion.
Against Denver, Fields was mostly bottled up as the Broncos sniffed out designed runs with the quarterback getting 31 yards on seven carries, mostly on scrambles.
“The past couple of weeks, my legs haven’t been feeling the best,” Fields acknowledged. “I got kind of a huge contusion vs. Miami (in Week 4), so was working through that the past couple of weeks. But over time, I’m getting better and my legs are kind of getting back under me.”
With his right arm ready to join in on more of the playmaking.
“He’s responding great,” Engstrand said. “He’s ready to go.”
DOLPHINS, BROWNS LOOK TO GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN THEY MEET ON SUNDAY
Miami (1-5) at Cleveland (1-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
BetMGM line: Browns by 5 1/2.
Against the spread: Dolphins 3-3; Browns 2-4
Series record: Dolphins lead 13-9.
Last meeting: Dolphins won 20-3 in Cleveland on Dec. 29, 2024.
Last week: Dolphins lost to Chargers 29-27; Browns lost at Steelers 23-9
Dolphins offense: overall (26), rush (27), pass (21), scoring (19)
Dolphins defense: overall (30), rush (32), pass (20), scoring (29)
Browns offense: overall (27), rush (28), pass (26), scoring (32)
Browns defense: overall (3), rush (3), pass (7), scoring (21t)
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Browns minus-4.
Dolphins player to watch
RB De’Von Achane. The third-year running back is coming off a season-high 128 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns against the Chargers, which put him over 2,000 yards for his career. Achane has become one of Tua Tagovailoa’s primary playmakers and continues to be Miami’s most consistent player on either side of the ball.
Browns player to watch
DE Myles Garrett. The All-Pro pass rusher has gone three straight games without a sack and his 15.6% pressure rate is his second lowest since at least 2018 according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Garrett has faced chip blocks on 31.3% of his pass rushes, the second-highest rate in the league among edge rushers.
Key matchup
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins versus Dolphins run defense. Judkins is second among rookies with 383 yards and fifth in scrimmage yards with 445. He goes against a Miami run defense that is last in the league, allowing 168.5 yards rushing per game. Carolina’s Rico Dowdle rushed for a career-high 206 yards against the Dolphins in Week 5. And the Chargers’ Kimani Vidal had 124 yards last week. Neither began the season as starters.
Key injuries
Dolphins: LB Tyrel Dodson returned to practice Wednesday and is in line to play this week after a concussion sidelined him in Week 6. … DB Elijah Campbell (quad) and FB Alec Ingold (neck) did not practice Wednesday. C Aaron Brewer (pec) and LB Jordyn Brooks (neck) were limited.
Browns: DT Mike Hall (knee) has yet to play in a game this season. … TE David Njoku (knee), OT Jack Conklin (concussion) and WR Gage Larvadain (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Njoku’s status is day to day. … OT Cam Robinson (knee) and DT Shelby Harris (knee) were limited.
Series notes
Miami has won two straight and four of the past five. The Browns have a 7-6 edge in games played in Cleveland. Mike McDaniel, who was on the Browns staff in 2014, is 2-0 against Cleveland. Stefanski has dropped both meetings against Miami. The teams have met twice in the playoffs with the Dolphins winning both. One of the games was the 1972 AFC divisional round during Miami’s perfect season.
Stats and stuff
The Dolphins’ 1-5 start to the season is their worst since 2021, when Miami began 1-7 before finishing 9-8 and one game out of the AFC playoff picture. … Mike McDaniel’s regular-season record has fallen to 28-29. … Tua Tagovailoa leads the NFL in red zone passer rating (123.0) and ranks second in completion rate (74.1 percent) in that area. … RB De’Von Achane, who has totaled 382 carries for 2,097 rushing yards in his career, leads the NFL with 5.5 yards per rush since he entered the league in 2023. … LB Jordyn Brooks leads the NFL with 66 tackles (41 solo) entering Week 7. … LB Bradley Chubb is one of two NFL players this year with four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery (Danielle Hunter, Houston). … WR Malik Washington has totaled 69 receiving yards, 61 rushing yards and 636 yards in the return game. His 766 all-purpose yards this year are the fourth most in the NFL. … The Browns are off to a 1-5 start for the second straight year. … Cleveland has scored 17 points or fewer in 11 straight games, the second-longest NFL offensive drought since 2000. The Arizona Cardinals had a 13-game run in 2000 and ’01. … The Browns are 27-17 in Cleveland during Stefanski’s six seasons as coach. … QB Dillon Gabriel will make his first home start. … WR Jerry Jeudy had a career-high 12 catches for 94 yards the previous time the Browns faced the Dolphins. … TE Harold Fannin is second among rookies with 28 catches and fourth with 254 receiving yards. The third-round pick has two games with at least seven catches. … DE Myles Garrett is tied for fourth in the league with 8.0 tackles for loss. … CB Denzel Ward has 100 passes defensed, the most by any player in the NFL since 2018. … LB Carson Schwesinger leads NFL rookies with 49 tackles and has five games with at least eight. … The Browns defense has not allowed a 300-yard passer in 34 games, the longest active streak in the league.
Fantasy tip
TE Darren Waller has caught four touchdowns in three games with Miami. The four TDs are also tied for second in the league among tight ends.
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+++++++COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS+++++++
ETHAN GRUNKEMEYER READY FOR FIRST CAREER START AT IOWA AS PENN STATE TRIES TO SALVAGE SEASON
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Ethan Grunkemeyer was immediately swarmed by reporters as he emerged from the locker room after Penn State practice.
As bodies and cameras enveloped him on Wednesday night, the quarterback’s eyes glanced back toward his teammates. One shouted, “Yeah Grunk! Man of the hour!”
Grunkemeyer, who will make his first career start when the Nittany Lions visit Iowa on Saturday, finally allowed himself to smile.
“I definitely feel prepared,” the redshirt freshman said. “There’s definitely some things in this role that are a little bit different, but I think just (assistant coaches Danny O’Brien’s and Trace McSorley’s) understanding of our offense and just the quarterback position in general has really helped me this week. I feel super ready.”
With all the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) have been through over the last three weeks — falling from the No. 2 spot in the rankings with three-straight losses, then enduring the firing of longtime coach James Franklin — it’s a small sign of progress.
Starting quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury in Penn State’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Saturday. It’ll be up to Grunkemeyer to try to salvage a season that he and his teammates hoped would end with a deep playoff run.
Now, Grunkemeyer, an Ohio native, and the rest of the Nittany Lions have little room for error if they want to make any bowl game. After visiting Iowa, Penn State visits No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 and hosts No. 3 Indiana on Nov. 8.
Interim coach Terry Smith said the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Grunkemeyer has made the most of his first-team reps this week.
“Grunk’s looked really good,” Smith said. “He’s excited for the opportunity. We sat down and met (Tuesday), we had a really good conversation. Fortunately or unfortunately he and I have been thrust into a role that neither one of us saw coming for this week.”
As Smith said when he was introduced as Franklin’s replacement on Monday, the focus is on simply having fun again. There hasn’t been much of that all season in Happy Valley.
While Penn State hasn’t executed a bunch of long scoring plays or snagged big game-changing turnovers, there hasn’t been much energy on the sideline or in huddles when they have.
Grunkemeyer has noted the hanging heads and thousand-yard stares from his teammates over the last few weeks. He’s taken it upon himself to invigorate them.
“If the wide receivers make a big play, we’re going down there celebrating that,” Grunkemeyer said. “Coach Smith has really done a great job emphasizing that. If we get a big play, he wants to see you down there giving some props. Running back breaks a tackle and makes a play? Give them props. O-line pancake? Same thing. We’re definitely taking that to heart and really trying to work with it.”
But there’s plenty more to improve on.
Even before the Nittany Lions dropped out of title contention with consecutive losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern, Andy Kotelnicki’s offense was uneven and Jim Knowles’ new-look defense was leaky.
Through six games, Penn State sits 79th nationally in total offense. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions’ 22nd-ranked defense is just 71st when it comes to stopping the run.
Grunkemeyer has had a unique view of all of it from the sideline.
He completed eight of 11 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown when Penn State finally built big enough leads against its non-conference opponents. And while fans called for him to replace a struggling Allar, Grunkemeyer didn’t see the field the last three weeks until Allar was hurt on Penn State’s final possession against Northwestern.
It happened on a third-down play where Allar was sandwiched between two Wildcat defenders short of the line to gain. Grunkemeyer entered to try to keep the drive alive on a fourth-and-3, but was crushed by a pair of Wildcats to all but end the game.
Smith, a longtime Franklin assistant, knows a little bit about how his 20-year-old quarterback is feeling, being the man tabbed to lead the Nittany Lions back into bowl contention with half a season of football left.
’We have every bit of confidence in Ethan,” Smith said. “He has a strong arm, he is athletic, super smart kid. We’ve entrusted him. He’s been thrown in there just like I’ve been thrown in there, so we got something in common. He’s going to be ready.”
NO. 7 TEXAS TECH, ARIZONA STATE FACING QUARTERBACK QUESTIONS FOR DUEL IN THE DESERT
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — No. 7 Texas Tech has passed every test in dominating fashion so far this season, winning its first six games by an FBS-best 35.3 points to reach its highest ranking since 2008.
The Red Raiders’ next hurdle might be the most difficult one yet: Saturday at reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State.
“We’re expecting a really tough game,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “I’m really excited. This is going to be an incredible game and it’s going to be great for the Big 12.”
The key could come down to which team’s quarterback is healthiest.
Sam Leavitt helped lead Arizona State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) to the College Football Playoff for the first time last year, but didn’t play against Utah last week due to a foot injury. The Sun Devils never found their footing just below the Wasatch Range with backup Jeff Sims running the show, losing 42-10 to the physical Utes.
The good news is Leavitt could be back this week.
The second-year quarterback participated in practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, and coach Kenny Dillingham is hopeful Leavitt can return against the Red Raiders.
“I thought he moved around pretty good today,” Dillingham said after Tuesday’s practice. “Last week, he never left the pocket, so we didn’t really know. Today, he moved around in the pocket, which was a positive. He looked more like himself.”
Texas Tech’s quarterback situation is a little more iffy.
Behren Morton has left three games this season with injuries, the latest while being sacked in the second quarter of last Saturday’s 42-17 victory over Kansas. Morton suffered a similar hyperextended knee as he did in the Red Raiders’ opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and McGuire has listed him as day-to-day for the ASU game.
“That dude’s the toughest kid I’ve ever coached,” said McGuire, adding Morton feels better than he did after the season opener. “His pain tolerance and just toughness and care factor is really high.”
Stopping Dickey
With questions at quarterback, Texas Tech Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0) may rely more heavily on Cameron Dickey.
That might spell trouble for the Sun Devils.
Dickey ran for a 71-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage against Kansas last week, finishing with 263 yards and two scores on 21 carries. He is second in the Big 12 and 14th nationally with 591 yards rushing and has scored eight touchdowns.
Dickey is also a threat in the passing game with 10 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Tackling Tyson
Texas Tech has one of the nation’s best defenses, ranking fourth nationally in scoring defense and ninth in total defense.
The Red Raiders’ primary focus on Saturday will likely be on Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson.
The preseason All-American is a difficult matchup for any defense at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and an ability to make acrobatic catches in traffic, even against double teams. Tyson leads the Sun Devils with 47 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns.
Sack-happy Raiders
With Leavitt’s mobility potentially limited, the Sun Devils will have to put a priority on protecting him against one of the nation’s best defensive lines.
Leavitt has a knack for extending plays with his legs, but will be facing a defense that’s fifth nationally with 21 sacks and had a school-record nine against Kansas. Outside linebacker David Bailey has been a menace to opposing offenses all season, leading the nation with 8.5 sacks, including three last week.
NO. 4 TEXAS A&M TAKES UNBEATEN RECORD ON ROAD TO FACE ARKANSAS
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — For only the second time this season, No. 4 Texas A&M is hitting the road.
The Aggies (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) visit Arkansas (2-4, 0-2) on Saturday afternoon to start a three-game road trip.
For the first time since 2020 and second since 2013, the programs will meet on a campus rather than AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko would rather play at the home of the Dallas Cowboys than visit the Razorbacks.
“The thing from a coaching perspective is when you have to go on the road, you’d rather go play at a neutral site,” Elko said. “When you have an opportunity to play at home, you’d rather play at home. It just kind of is what it is. You’ve just got to deal with it.”
One of two unbeaten teams in the SEC, the Aggies are looking to improve to 7-0 overall for the first time since 1994. The Razorbacks are hoping to end a four-game losing streak.
Texas A&M has won 12 of the past 13 meetings.
Petrino’s back
When Arkansas fired coach Sam Pittman on Sept. 28, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino was named the Razorbacks’ interim head coach.
Petrino on Saturday will roam the sideline in Fayetteville as Arkansas’ coach for the first time since Nov. 12, 2011. His Razorbacks teams from 2008-11 were 3-0 against the Aggies.
Petrino has been on the other side, too — he was Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator in 2023.
Loss of Moss
The Aggies will be without top rusher Le’Veon Moss on Saturday after he sustained an ankle injury last week that Elko said will keep him out for a significant period. Moss had five carries for 46 yards, highlighted by a 22-yard touchdown run, before he was injured in the second quarter against Florida. He leads the Aggies with 70 carries for 389 yards and six touchdowns.
With Moss out, the Aggies will make Rueben Owens II, a sophomore who is second on the team with 327 yards rushing, their primary ball carrier. He had 51 yards rushing and scored his first touchdown of the season last Saturday, a week after he had a career-high 142 yards rushing in a win over Mississippi State.
“It’s good for him that he’s now hitting his groove,” Elko said.
Third-down success
The Aggies have allowed opponents to convert only 2 of 33 third-down opportunities in their three SEC games this season. They limited Florida to 1 of 10 on third-down conversions after Mississippi State converted just 1 of 10 the week before. Those performances came after they kept Auburn from converting any of its 13 chances in the conference opener.
“We’ve got to continue to keep people off schedule,” Elko said. “We’ve got to continue to bring that rush every week. You’re one week away from it all going away. But, obviously, it’s been a pretty good stretch for us.”
Dual-threat quarterbacks
Arkansas’ Taylen Green and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed rank third and fourth, respectively, among SEC quarterbacks in passing yards, but that is far from the full scope of their impact.
In addition to 1,490 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, Reed has rushed for 186 yards and three scores. Green has thrown for 1,654 yards and 14 touchdowns, and added 504 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
“I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the country,” Elko said of Green. “He’s got the ability to hurt you in so many different ways.”
Petrino was around Reed daily during his stint with the Aggies.
“He’s got tremendous quickness and speed,” Petrino said of Reed. “He’s kind of a play maker. He moves around and makes plays. He keeps his eyes downfield.”
Common opponent
Texas A&M and Arkansas have both faced Notre Dame this season.
The Aggies topped the Irish 41-40 on Sept. 13 in their lone road game to this point. Texas A&M used a 13-play, 74-yard drive capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Reed to take the lead with 13 seconds remaining.
The Razorbacks fell at home to Notre Dame 56-13 on Sept. 27, and Pittman was fired the next day.
BIG 12 THIS WEEK HAS ‘HOLY WAR’ IN UTAH AND TOP 2 PASSERS ON SAME FIELD IN LONGEST TEXAS RIVALRY
Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:
Game of the week
No. 23 Utah (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) at No. 15 BYU (6-0, 3-0), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)
The Holy War between the instate rivals about 50 miles apart is a Big 12 game for just the second time. Will Ferrin’s 44-yard field goal with 3 seconds left gave BYU a 22-21 win last year, when Utah’s debut in the Big 12 marked their first time in the same conference together since the Mountain West in 2010. This will be the first meeting with both in the Top 25 since an overtime win by BYU in 2009.
With true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier and Big 12 rushing leader LJ Martin (108.7 ypg), BYU is 6-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history. Dual-threat transfer quarterback Devon Dampier and the Utes are coming off a 42-10 home win over then-No. 21 Arizona State. Utah has already matched its overall and Big 12 win totals from last year.
Utah is second in the Big 12 in scoring offense (39.5 ppg) and scoring defense (13.8 ppg). BYU is third in both categories (37.5 ppg and 14.7).
The undercard
Baylor (4-2, 2-1) at TCU (4-2, 1-2), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN2)
The nation’s top two passers will be on the same field for the 121st meeting in the most-played rivalry game in the state of Texas. Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson tops the list at 343 yards passing per game and 19 TD passes. He has completed 158 of 248 passes (63.7%) for 2,058 yards, and is the only 2,000-yard passer in FBS. TCU’s Josh Hoover is 139-of-215 passing (64.7%) for 1,893 yards, ranking second with 315.5 yards per game and 18 TDs. TCU has a 59-54-7 series lead after winning eight of the last 10 meetings.
Impact players
— Houston senior tight end Tanner Koziol has multiple receptions in 18 consecutive games and his team-high 30 catches this season are the second-most for an FBS tight end. The Cougars are 5-1 for the first time since 2021.
— Linebacker Jake Golday is the Big 12’s leading tackler with 56 tackles (9.3 per game) for No. 24 Cincinnati, which takes a five-game winning streak to Oklahoma State.
— Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson has scored a touchdown in seven consecutive games. The latest was a 3-yard TD run after six consecutive games catching a TD pass.
Inside the numbers
West Virginia (2-4, 0-3) or UCF (3-3, 0-3) will get its first Big 12 win this season when they meet Saturday, and one of the reunited coaches will get his first win in a Big 12 game. The Mountaineers were in the Big East when Rich Rodriguez left in 2007. The Knights were in the American when Scott Frost departed after a 13-0 season in 2017. … Cincinnati’s offensive line has allowed only one sack. … Texas Tech is the first Big 12 team to win each of its first three conference games by at least 24 points since Baylor in 2015. … Arizona’s defense has eight interceptions, only one off last season’s total.
QB uncertainty
Arizona State in its Big 12 debut last season lost its first conference game 30-22 at Texas Tech, but the Sun Devils went on to win the league and make the 12-team College Football Playoff. Both teams go into a rematch Saturday with uncertainty about their starting quarterbacks. The Red Raiders are off to their best start since 2013, even with Behran Morton exiting early last week for the third time this season because of injury. Sam Leavitt missed Arizona State’s lopsided loss at Utah because of a right foot injury, but was practicing this week.
NO. 20 USC’S MATCHUP WITH NO. 13 NOTRE DAME HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK’S BIG TEN SCHEDULE
Things to watch this week in the Big Ten Conference:
Game of the week
No. 20 Southern California (5-1) at No. 13 Notre Dame (4-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
The Trojans are coming off a 31-13 victory over then-No. 15 Michigan, while Notre Dame has won four straight. USC’s lone loss came on a field goal as time expired, while Notre Dame’s two defeats were decided by a combined four points.
USC is looking for a marquee victory for its playoff resume and beating its old rival on the road would do the tric, even thought it’s a nonconference game.
Notre Dame has beaten USC six of the last seven seasons and enters this one as a 9 1/2-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The undercard
Washington (5-1, 2-1) at Michigan (4-2, 2-1), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)
After failing to win a road game last season, Washington is 2-0 away from home this year with victories at Washington State and Maryland. A trip to the Big House gives the Huskies their biggest road test of the season thus far.
These two teams have met each of the last two years. Michigan captured its 2023 national title by beating Washington 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game. Washington beat the Wolverines 27-17 at home last year.
BetMGM favors Michigan by 5 1/2 points.
Impact players
— Indiana LB Aiden Fisher had 1 1/2 of the third-ranked Hoosiers’ six sacks in a 30-29 triumph at No. 8 Oregon. At the time of the game, Oregon was ranked third and Indiana seventh. Before this game, Oregon had allowed only one sack all season.
— Southern California RB King Miller, a freshman walk-on, got pressed into duty due to multiple injuries and responded by rushing for 158 yards against Michigan.
— Washington QB Demond Williams threw for 402 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran for 136 yards and two more scores in the Huskies’ 38-19 victory over Rutgers. He was the 16th player in Bowl Subdivision history to have at least 400 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game.
Inside the numbers
Indiana’s No. 3 ranking is its highest in history. … Washington is outscoring teams 80-10 in the fourth quarter this season. … No. 1 Ohio State is allowing just 6.8 points per game to lead all FBS teams in scoring defense. The Buckeyes next face Wisconsin, which scores 15.5 points per game to rank 131st overall and last among Power Four teams. … Nebraska is attempting to win back-to-back road games in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2006. The Cornhuskers are playing at Minnesota on Friday after winning 34-31 at Maryland last week. … UCLA scored 38 consecutive points in its 38-13 triumph over Michigan State last week. The Bruins hadn’t reeled off that many consecutive points against an FBS team since a 41-0 victory at Oregon State in 2015.
Get to know him
Terry Smith will make his debut as Penn State’s interim head coach Saturday when the Nittany Lions visit Iowa six days after the firing of James Franklin.
Smith, a former Penn State wide receiver, has been part of his alma mater’s coaching staff since 2014 while working primarily with cornerbacks. He also had been associate head coach and defensive recruiting coordinator since 2021. He will try to help Penn State snap a three-game skid that includes losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern.
NO. 6 ALABAMA HAS A KNACK FOR CLOSING OUT TIGHT GAMES, A TRAIT THAT WAS MISSING LAST YEAR
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — No. 6 Alabama sure knows how to finish.
The Crimson Tide have closed out all three of their Southeastern Conference games with big plays in crunch time. It’s the kind of repeated resolve that could bode well against 11th-ranked Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
“This is a tough team, and all we do is fight,” quarterback Ty Simpson said. “Three Top 25 games and they all come down to the wire. That’s hard to do. That’s what Alabama is. We’re going to keep swinging and make sure that we play together.”
The last three meetings in the rivalry known as the “Third Saturday in October” have been one-possession games in the fourth quarter. Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC) came up short in last year’s 24-17 loss in Knoxville, getting outscored 24-10 in the second half and mustering only 3 yards over its last four possessions.
But the Tide believe this year will be different.
“We feel more confident in general as a team,” linebacker Deontae Lawson said. “I think we got that edge that we need. It helps us when we’re on the road. We preached all year to be elite in critical situations.”
Coach Kalen DeBoer preaches it weekly, even daily. And the Tide seem to listen.
With 5:22 remaining last week at then-No. 14 Missouri, DeBoer showed ultimate trust in his team. Up 20-17 and facing a fourth-and-8 play, DeBoer asked his offense to make a play. Simpson hit Lotzeir Brooks for 29 yards to extend the drive. Four plays later, Alabama found the end zone to extend its lead to 27-17.
DeBoer’s defense sealed the victory in the final minute when Dijon Lee intercepted a pass. Simpson described those moments as “unbreakable.”
The defense came up huge the previous week in a 30-14 victory against then-No. 16 Vanderbilt, forcing two turnovers that led to 10 points.
And the week before that, the unit held Georgia to zero fourth-quarter points in a 24-21 win while Alabama’s offense did enough to ice the game.
Even more impressive about Alabama’s recent run of closeouts is two of the three came on the road against ranked opponents; Alabama’s two road wins match last season’s total. And there’s a palpable difference in confidence between this year and last.
DeBoer’s confidence shows in his aggressive decisions. Alabama went 3 for 3 on fourth-down attempts against Missouri. And the Tide have attempted (16) and converted (10) more fourth downs than any SEC team.
The message from DeBoer has been clear: He’s playing to win and he trusts his players to execute on both sides of the ball.
“There’s a feeling you have, a belief you have,” DeBoer said. “A lot of it is on the body language and on the execution and just feel. When you got a quarterback with some guys around him that can go make plays, you got to let him play.
“You can’t be reckless, but we’re going to play to win. We’ve done that quite a bit this season already and want to continue to play to win.”
It helps that the outcomes have gone their way.
“I think this is probably some of the best team football I’ve ever been a part of,” DeBoer said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s a team sticking together. It’s a team covering for each other. I think there’s a toughness that we have. We talk about toughness wins — that’s mental, physical to emotional toughness.”
NO. 5 OLE MISS HAS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ‘ANOTHER STEP’ IN CRUCIAL SEC SHOWDOWN AGAINST NO. 9 GEORGIA
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A No. 5 ranking in the AP Top 25 confirms coach Lane Kiffin’s assessment that Mississippi has “done some good things” this season.
Kiffin says finding a way to win on Saturday at No. 9 Georgia would take that progress to another level.
“You know, this is the elite,” said Kiffin of Georgia (5-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference). “This isn’t coachspeak, It’s stats, or facts. This is the elite program in college football.”
Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0) took a 28-10 home win over Georgia last season. Kiffin says winning at Georgia is more difficult.
Georgia had a 33-game home winning streak under coach Kirby Smart end with a 24-21 loss to then-No. 17 Alabama on Sept. 27. It was the Bulldogs’ first home loss since 2019.
Georgia, which won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, is 10-0 at home against top-10 teams under Smart.
“There’s another step that’s, you know, can you go beat an elite program like we were able to do last year in Georgia, but now do it at their place?” Kiffin said. “So it’s a great opportunity.”
The Bulldogs relied on dominant defense to win the national championships. This year’s team has earned a reputation for toughness, including from quarterback Gunner Stockton.
Resilient Dogs
Smart likes his team’s ability to be resilient, including in last week’s 20-10 win at Auburn when Georgia trailed 10-0.
“We haven’t started real well at times, and that can be attributed to a lot of factors, but … we have played really physical and out-conditioned and out-executed teams down the wire, which is a great trait to have,” Smart said. “But we’ve certainly got to play better earlier in games.”
Leaning on Chambliss
The Rebels also showed comeback skills last week as quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score in a 24-21 win over Washington State. Ole Miss trailed 14-10 late in the third quarter.
Smart said Chambliss is an “explosive” dual-threat challenge.
“He’s quick, he’s fast, he’s tough, he’s got great lower body, great instincts,” Smart said. “There’s a difference in being a fast guy and being a runner. He’s patient behind blocks, quick when he needs to be. Some guys can only run perimeter runs well, some can only run internal well. He runs both.”
Bad memory
Ole Miss fans surged onto their home field following last season’s win over the Bulldogs.
Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson said that memory provides motivation for Saturday.
“I feel like the players that returned that played last season have a chip on their shoulder, so you could say that,” Wilson said.
Big-game atmosphere
ESPN’s Gameday will be in Athens for the matchup.
“This is one of the games why you transfer here, to play in these big games,” said Ole Miss wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, a transfer from Oklahoma State who led the Rebels with six receptions for 63 yards in last week’s win over Washington State.
Contrast of running games
Missouri transfer Kewan Lacy has emerged as the dominant lead running back for Ole Miss. Lacy, a sophomore, has 126 carries for 587 yards and eight touchdowns. Chambliss is second on the team with 61 carries for 287 yards.
Lacy, who had 24 carries for 142 yards against Washington State, said he’s preparing for “just the physicality” of the Georgia defense.
“It’s going to be a real chippy game,” Lacy said. “So just coming out with the right mindset and being physical all four quarters.”
Georgia’s running game has been more balanced, with Chauncey Bowens recently gaining more playing time while Nate Frazier has made five starts. Each has 60 carries while Stockton is close behind with 48 carries.
Bowens was slowed by a calf injury against Auburn. Smart confirmed the injury was “kind of nagging” Bowens and said the freshman “has done everything” in practice.
BADGERS COACH LUKE FICKELL FACING PLENTY OF HEAT AS NO. 1 OHIO STATE HEADS TO WISCONSIN
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — No. 1 Ohio State’s drive toward a potential second straight national championship includes a visit this week to an old friend going through a career crisis.
Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell played for Ohio State from 1993-96 and worked on the Buckeyes’ staff for 16 years, including a one-season stint as interim head coach in 2011. Now he occupies one of the hottest seats in college football.
Fickell’s Badgers (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) carry a four-game skid into Saturday’s game with the top-ranked Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0). Wisconsin has lost 27-10 to Maryland and 37-0 to Iowa in its last two home games, leading to chants of “Fire Fickell” and speculation about his job security.
“For me to sit here and worry about all those other things, there’s not enough time in the day,” Fickell said. “There’s not enough energy in the day. The focus for me and our staff is on the guys inside that locker room and doing everything we can to make sure we keep that thing rolling, they’ve got the right mindset, they understand what we’ve got to do, we’ve got to do together. We’ve got to put our best product out there on Saturday.”
Ohio State has outscored its first six opponents by an average margin of 30 points. Wisconsin has dropped its last four contests by an average margin of 23 points.
Even so, the Buckeyes are taking nothing for granted.
“Well, they play hard,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “And they’re well coached. I think maybe the easy thing to do is to look at their record or look at maybe what happened last week and think otherwise. But that’s not the case. This is a team that has good players and is playing very hard.”
BetMGM Sportsbook favors Ohio State by 25 1/2 points. According to the Bet Labs database, before this week Wisconsin had never been more than a 19-point underdog (for a 52-21 loss at Ohio State in 2022) since at least 2005, which is as far back as its tracking goes.
“You’ve just got to realize what an opportunity it is,” Wisconsin cornerback Ricardo Hallman said. “These are the types of opportunities that you pray for, the situation you want to be in. And no matter if the outside world gives you, I go into (it with) the mindset that anybody is beatable. We’re just not going to lay down because they’re Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the country. You’re going to go out there, play your best ball, live up to these moments.”
Surging Smith
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith has a touchdown reception in five straight games as the sensational sophomore tries to match his streak from last year, when he caught a touchdown pass in seven consecutive games.
His seven touchdown catches this season put him in a tie for second place among all Bowl Subdivision players. San Jose State’s Danny Scudero has an FBS-leading eight touchdown receptions.
Statistical mismatch
Ohio State is allowing just 6.8 points per game to lead all FBS teams in scoring defense. The Buckeyes’ 34-16 triumph over then-No. 17 Illinois last week marked the first time anyone had scored in double figures against them.
Wisconsin averages 15.5 points per game to rank 131st out of 136 FBS schools and last among Power Four programs.
Wisconsin’s QB uncertainty
Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s season-opening starting quarterback, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ first game and has played only one full series since. Fickell had no update on Edwards’ status during his weekly news conference Monday and didn’t indicate who might start if the Maryland transfer is unavailable.
Danny O’Neil took over for Edwards initially and has completed 70.6% of his passes for 640 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions. Hunter Simmons, who has started Wisconsin’s last two games, has completed 55.9% of his passes for 329 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Streaking in different directions
Ohio State has won 10 straight games, matching Memphis for the longest active streak of any FBS team. Wisconsin has lost its last nine games against Power Four programs.
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+++++NBA NEWS+++++
HORNETS WAIVE G SPENCER DINWIDDIE
The Charlotte Hornets waived guard Spencer Dinwiddie on Thursday, just three months after signing him to a one-year contract.
The Hornets didn’t release details, but ESPN reported the Hornets needed to release a guaranteed salary ahead of the season opener next week. Dinwiddie’s guaranteed deal, signed July 13, is worth $3.6 million, per Spotrac.
Dinwiddie, 32, averaged 11.0 and 4.4 assists in 79 games (30 starts) last season with the Dallas Mavericks.
For his career, Dinwiddie is averaging 13.0 points and 5.1 assists in 621 games (345 starts) with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers and Mavericks. He averaged a career-best 20.6 points per game in 2019-20 with Brooklyn.
Dinwiddie was selected in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Pistons.
REPORT: HAWKS, TRAE YOUNG WON’T REACH EXTENSION BEFORE OPENER
The Atlanta Hawks retooled their roster around standout guard Trae Young this offseason, but will not come to terms on a contract extension with the four-time All-Star before the season opener, The Athletic reported on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Young will make $46 million this season, the final guaranteed season of his five-year, $215.2 million deal. He can be a free agent next summer if a deal isn’t agreed upon, though he is eligible to re-sign with Atlanta during this season. Young has a player option for $49 million for the 2026-27 campaign.
He’s not the only Hawks star to put the team on hold as Wednesday’s regular-season opener versus Toronto approaches.
Big man Kristaps Porzingis, the headliner among the Hawks’ offseason acquisitions, will hold off on a potential extension until after this season, he told The Athletic earlier this week. Atlanta acquired the veteran forward/center and a 2026 second-round draft pick from the Boston Celtics in June in exchange for forward Georges Niang and a 2031 second-round pick (belonging to Cleveland).
The Hawks also brought in 3-point specialist Luke Kennard on a one-year contract and shored up their defense by acquiring Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Atlanta sent a 2027 second-round pick (via the Cavaliers) and cash to Minnesota in the swap.
Attempting to avoid the play-in tournament for the first time since 2022-23, Atlanta also will rely on talented young players like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu.
In addition to Young, Porzingis and Kennard are eligible for free agency next summer. Daniels is up for an extension, though he would have to sign it by Monday. If not, he’ll become a restricted free agent next summer, though the Hawks firmly believe he will remain in Atlanta, per The Athletic.
Young, the No. 5 overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, led the league in 2024-25 with 11.6 assists per game along with averaging 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 76 games (all starts). Over 483 career games (all starts) spanning seven seasons, the Lubbock, Texas, native has posted averages of 25.3 points, 9.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.
PISTONS G JADEN IVEY SIDELINED FOR START OF SEASON AFTER KNEE PROCEDURE
BUCKS G AJ GREEN REACHES 4-YEAR, $45M EXTENSION
Guard AJ Green has agreed to a four-year, $45 million fully guaranteed contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Green’s representation, ProMondo Sports, told ESPN of the news on Green, who entered the NBA as an undrafted player during the 2022-23 season.
Green, 26, recorded career highs in points (7.4), rebounds (2.4) and assists (1.5) in 73 games (seven starts) last season.
He is a 42.1% shooter from 3-point range and 86% shooter from the foul line.
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G CARTER HART TO JOIN GOLDEN KNIGHTS
The Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday announced that goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the organization.
Hart became eligible to sign with an NHL team after he was one of five players acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 when they were members of Canada’s World Junior Championship gold-medal team.
The NHL ruled the players — Hart, forwards Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton, and defenseman Cal Foote — were eligible to sign an NHL contract no sooner than Oct. 15, and eligible to take part in games no sooner than Dec. 1. McLeod has since signed with Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
“Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization,” the team said in a statement. “The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”
Hart joins a Golden Knights squad that features goaltenders Adin Hill and Akira Schmid. Hill, however, sustained a lower-body injury during Vegas’ 4-2 victory against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Hart, 27, posted a 96-93-29 record with six shutouts, a 2.94 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 227 career games (218 starts) with the Flyers. He was selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
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NHL ROUNDUP: COLE CAUFIELD’S OT WINNER LIFTS HABS PAST PREDATORS
Cole Caufield scored the tying goal with 20 seconds remaining in the third period and tallied again with three seconds left in overtime, fueling the host Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson used his body to make a save at one end of the ice after Montreal pulled its goalie for an extra attacker. He then wired a stretch pass to Caufield, who beat Juuse Saros with a wrist shot from the left circle to level the contest.
Caufield capped the comeback by one-timing a centering feed from captain Nick Suzuki for his second multi-goal performance in as many games and his fifth goal in the past three contests overall. Oliver Kapanen scored early in the third period, Hutson had two assists and Jakub Dobes made 17 saves for the Canadiens, who recorded their fourth win in a row since dropping their opener.
Nashville’s Steven Stamkos scored a goal in the second period and defenseman Nick Perbix tallied in the third for his second goal in as many games.
Maple Leafs 2, Rangers 1 (OT)
Auston Matthews scored 58 seconds into overtime as Toronto defeated visiting New York for its second win in a row.
Matthew Knies also scored and Nylander had two assists, though goaltender Anthony Stolarz was the difference-maker for the Maple Leafs, stopping 28 shots.
Juuso Parssinen scored for the goal-challenged Rangers, who had been shut out in their two previous games. Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves.
Senators 4, Kraken 3 (SO)
Dylan Cozens scored the tying goal with 1:46 left in regulation and Ottawa rallied to beat visiting Seattle in a shootout.
Shane Pinto and David Perron also scored in regulation for the Senators, who recovered after suffering an 8-4 loss Wednesday at Buffalo and snapped a three-game skid. Claude Giroux added two assists and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves.
Chandler Stephenson scored his first two goals of the season and Shane Wright also scored for the Kraken. Brandon Montour had two assists and Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves in his first start of the season.
Islanders 4, Oilers 2
Bo Horvat collected his second career hat trick as New York snapped its season-opening three-game losing streak with a win over Edmonton in Elmont, N.Y.
Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who avoided the first 0-4-0 start in franchise history. David Rittich made 31 saves in his New York debut.
Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers, who fell to 1-1-0 on a five-game Eastern Conference road trip. Stuart Skinner recorded 21 saves.
Devils 3, Panthers 1
Timo Meier had a goal and an assist to help New Jersey rally for a win against visiting Florida.
Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils, who have won three in a row. Jake Allen made 21 saves.
Evan Rodrigues scored, and Daniil Tarasov made 30 saves for the Panthers, who have lost three straight after winning their first three games.
Avalanche 4, Blue Jackets 1
Goals by Cale Makar and Brock Nelson 72 seconds apart sparked visiting Colorado to a comeback victory over struggling Columbus.
Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for the Avalanche, who posted four unanswered goals to remain unbeaten in regulation (4-0-1). Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves.
Ivan Provorov was the goal-scorer for the Blue Jackets, who have only one victory and two points to show for their first four games. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 32 shots.
Jets 5, Flyers 2
Mark Scheifele scored two goals on a record-tying night as visiting Winnipeg topped Philadelphia.
Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves to earn for Winnipeg, which has won three straight. Vladislav Namestnikov, Morgan Barron and Tanner Pearson also scored and Kyle Connor logged two assists. Scheifele scored on a wrister midway through the second and then added a power-play goal in the third.
The second tally brought Scheifele into a tie with Blake Wheeler for the most points in Jets franchise history (812). Scheifele holds the club record for goals with 341. Samuel Ersson made 10 saves for Philadelphia, which got goals from Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov.
Canucks 5, Stars 3
Filip Chytil, Brock Boeser and Max Sasson scored in a span of 3:26 during Vancouver’s four-goal second period, and the visitors rallied for a victory over Dallas.
Vancouver trailed 2-0 after one period, but broke out in the second to hand Dallas its first loss this season. Conor Garland capped the second-period scoring and assisted on Quinn Hughes’ empty-netter to help the Canucks avoid a third straight defeat in the opener of a five-game trip. Thatcher Demko stopped 28 shots.
Mavrick Bourque, Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston each scored for the Stars. Dallas’ Jason Robertson recorded two assists for his 400th career point and Casey DeSmith made 21 saves.
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++++++INDIANA SPORTS NEWS AND RELEASES++++++
+++++INDIANA PACERS+++++
GAME PREVIEW: PACERS AT SPURS
The Indiana Pacers round out their preseason slate on Friday as they travel to San Antonio for a rematch with the Spurs. The Pacers played the Spurs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday in their third preseason contest, but fell 124-108.
Bennedict Mathurin put on a show in that matchup as he rode a hot shooting streak to a game-high 31 points. He finished the contest shooting 11-for-12 from the floor, including a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range.
Andrew Nembhard is Indiana’s default playmaker in lieu of Tyrese Haliburton, and he recorded a game-high eight assists in Monday’s game. Nembhard’s ability to score and create for others has been on full display in the preseason as he steps into a lead guard role for the Blue and Gold.
Pascal Siakam’s long range shot has also proven to be effective in Indiana’s rehearsal runs – he knocked down three of his five attempts on Monday. He continues to be a reliable source of offense for the Pacers.
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama scored 27 points in Monday’s game, and looks to dazzle the Pacers’ defense again on Friday. Indiana’s interior was punished by the length of Wembanyama, who shot 9-for-13 from the floor (6-of-9 from inside the painted area).
As the game against the Spurs marks Indiana’s final preseason game, the Pacers will gear up for the regular season opener on October 23rd following Friday’s contest. Indiana hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder in an NBA Finals rematch to open the regular season.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard, G – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Isaiah Jackson
Spurs: G – Devin Vassell, G – Julian Champagnie, F – Keldon Johnson, F – Harrison Barnes, C – Victor Wembanyama
Injury Report
Pacers: TBA
Spurs: TBA
Last Meeting
Oct. 13, 2025: The Pacers fell to the Spurs 124-108 in a preseason matchup on Monday as Victor Wembanyama’s 27 points carried San Antonio past Bennedict Mathurin and the Pacers.
Mathurin notched 31 points – 27 in the first half on 9-for-9 shooting – for Indiana, and led all scorers, but the Pacers were dominated in the paint and plagued by turnovers. The Blue and Gold committed 24 turnovers that turned into 26 points for the Spurs, and were outscored 50-28 in the paint.
Indiana knocked down 19 3-pointers on 46.3 percent shooting from deep, but San Antonio won the free throw differential and shot an impressive 47.8 percent from the floor.
Noteworthy
Indiana’s matchup with San Antonio on Friday marks the conclusion of the Pacers’ preseason slate.
The Pacers and Spurs participated in the NBA’s Paris games last season. The clubs travelled to France for two matchups, and split the two games, 1-1.
Tyrese Haliburton was teammates with San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes and De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento from 2020-22.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle will miss Friday’s preseason game for personal reasons. Assistant Lloyd Pierce will serve as acting head coach.
Broadcast Information (Where to Watch and Listen to Pacers Games >>)
TV: FanDuel Sports Network – San Antonio broadcast team
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Tickets
The Pacers will host Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 2025 NBA Finals rematch for Opening Night presented by Kroger at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 PM ET.
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+++++INDIANA FOOTBALL+++++
INDIANA UNIVERSITY AND FOOTBALL COACH CURT CIGNETTI AGREE TO NEW EIGHT-YEAR CONTRACT THROUGH 2033
Bloomington, Ind. – Indiana University and IU Football Coach Curt Cignetti have agreed to terms on a new eight-year contract with an average annual compensation of approximately $11.6 million. Cignetti’s new contract runs through November 30, 2033.
“At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti,” said Indiana University President Pamela Whitten. “Put simply, Cig is a winner. From last year’s College Football Playoff appearance to this year’s top-3 national ranking, the IU Football program’s success has been tremendous. Curt and Manette Cignetti are home in Indiana and we are delighted that the Cignetti family will be Hoosiers for many years to come.”
“We are committed to investing in IU Football in such a way that we can compete at a championship level, and the No. 1 priority in doing that is ensuring that Coach Cignetti is the leader of our program,” said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson. “His accomplishments during the last season and a half have been nothing short of remarkable. As much as anyone, he believed in what was possible with our program, and he’s turned that belief into reality. This is a great day for IU Football and Indiana University. I look forward to working alongside Coach Cignetti for many years to come.”
In his first two years in Bloomington, Cignetti has elevated IU Football to an unprecedented level of success. IU is 17-2 since Cignetti’s arrival, including an 11-1 record against Big Ten foes. Cignetti earned National and Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 2024 after guiding IU to an 11-1 regular season, a runner-up finish in the Big Ten, and IU’s first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff. He’s followed up the best season in IU Football history with an even better start to the 2025 season. IU is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten, and its current No. 3 national ranking is the best in program history. IU owns a pair of top-10 wins this season against No. 9 Illinois and No. 3 Oregon. The win at Oregon last weekend represented IU Football’s second-ever win against a top-5 ranked team, and its first-ever road win against a top-5 foe.
The IU program’s on-the-field success has been accompanied by a significant transformation among the IU fan base as well. IU Football sold out its final four Big Ten games in 2024, along with the entire 2025 Big Ten Conference slate.
The Hoosiers return to action Saturday when they host Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.
NO. 3 INDIANA TRIES TO IGNORE THE NOISE BY FOCUSING ON MICHIGAN STATE AND THE OLD BRASS SPITTOON
Indiana running back Roman Hemby has had plenty of experiences during his first four college seasons.
He’s ready to tackle a different one Saturday.
One week after celebrating perhaps the biggest victory in Hoosiers history and just six days after ascending to the highest ranking in school history, No. 3 Indiana heads home to face struggling Michigan State.
On paper, it looks like a mismatch. The reality is Hemby and his teammates know better.
“I feel like we’re in the business where we know Big Ten football is Big Ten football and everyone is capable of beating everybody,” he said. “I say this all the time, we’d be doing a disservice to ourselves if we kind of got up for certain opponents and treated different opponents lightly. We’re attacking this game as if it’s our Super Bowl.”
That perspective helped keep Indiana’s historic first season under coach Curt Cignetti on track, and it’s helped fuel what so far has been an even more impressive run this year.
The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0) remain perfect at home under Cignetti, winning a school record 12 straight. They are the only FBS unbeaten with multiple wins over top 10 foes — 63-10 over then-No. 9 Illinois and 30-20 at then-No. 3 Oregon — and the only team with a perfect mark to post a road win over a top five team. Indiana is even getting first-place votes.
Next up: The reeling Spartans (3-3, 0-3).
Michigan State has lost three straight, including last week’s embarrassing 38-13 blowout against UCLA — a loss that has raised questions about Michigan State’s effort while casting a shadow over coach Jonathan Smith’s future at the school.
If anybody understands what the Spartans are up against, it’s Smith, the former Oregon State coach who went 2-4 against the Ducks but never won at Eugene.
“It’s been impressive. Just look at this season, they have back-to-back road wins, tough places to compete,” Smith said. “Offensively, they’re challenging. Defensively, they can beat you. So they’ve done a really nice job. They’re one of the best teams in the country.”
And yet the Hoosiers remain focused this week.
Yes, a second straight victory over rival Michigan State would allow Indiana to retain the Old Brass Spittoon for the first time since a three-game winning streak from 1967-69. Still, Hemby and his teammates don’t need that as motivation.
All they want to do is keep winning.
“We have a veteran group where a lot of us have been in this situation before,” Hemby said. “We know what it takes, we know what we’re capable of and we know we have to put that product on the field every time.”
The Mendoza line
Smith’s defense has a lot to contend with this week, starting with Indiana’s efficient three-back rotation, two receivers among the nation’s the top 10 in touchdown receptions and an offensive line that has allowed only six sacks this season.
The biggest challenge, though, might be containing Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The transfer from California responded to his second interception of the season, a pick-six that allowed Oregon to tie the score, with yet another TD drive. At the halfway point, Mendoza ranks fourth nationally with 17 TD passes and fifth in passer rating at 183.4.
“He’s playing at a really high level. Quick release, good decision-maker, willing to run the ball,” Smith said. “They can run it, they can throw it, they’re physical up front, good receiver play — that helps Mendoza.”
Questionable
Smith may not know who his starting quarterback will be until at least Friday.
The Spartans starter, Aidan Chiles, could not finish either the past two games because of injuries. Last week, he left in the third quarter following a helmet-to-helmet hit some thought should have resulted in a targeting call. Chiles stayed down briefly before going to the injury tent and coming out without a helmet.
“Optimistic,” Smith said when talking about Chiles’ status for Saturday. “But we’ll find out at the end of the week.”
Redshirt freshman Alessio Milivojevic replaced Chiles each of the past two weeks.
Rolling with Bones
The emergence of playmaking, fourth-year linebacker Isaiah Jones has been one of Indiana’s biggest surprises this year.
In the locker room, though, everybody knows him by another name — Bones Jones. It seems an apt description for the guy who leads the team with 4 1/2 sacks, ranks third in tackles with 32 and picked off his first pass last week to seal the win at Oregon.
“That’s (defensive coordinator Bryant) Haines all the way, big UFC guy,” Jones said. “I thought it was just a linebacker thing. In the summer, I was walking through the weight room, and (defensive tackles) coach (Pat) Kuntz came walking through and was like ‘Bones Jones’ and I was like ‘Where did you hear that?’ He goes, ‘Oh, that’s how Haines refers to you in the meeting rooms.’ I was like, ‘Alright, Bones Jones it is.’”
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+++++INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER+++++
HOOSIERS HOST HANOVER FOR SENIOR DAY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men’s soccer (9-3-1, 3-3-0 B1G) welcomes NCAA Division III opponent Hanover College (10-2-2, 5-0-0 HCAC) to Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium Friday (Oct. 17) for Senior Night.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Fans unable to attend can watch the match via the B1G+ digital platform. Indiana will honor nine senior student-athletes on the field prior to the start of the match: Palmer Ault, Luka Bezerra, Holden Brown, Cristiano Bruletti, Ben Do, Cooper Johnsen, Noah Joseph, Seth Stewart and Jack Wagoner. The program will also honor senior managers Brendan Cleary and Jackson Scheumann.
KICKING OFF
• Indiana’s 2025 senior class has recorded 49 victories, three Big Ten Championships and has finished each season in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 or better, reaching the NCAA College Cup final as freshmen in 2022.
• A member of the MAC Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List, Palmer Ault’s 11 goals mark the most by a Hoosier since Victor Bezerra’s 12 during the 2020-21 campaign. Bezerra was a finalist for national player of the year award that season.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
• Hanover owns a sparkling 10-2-2 record this season and has won all five of its Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference matches. The Panthers have scored three goals for every goal allowed.
• Head coach Matt Wilkerson leads the Panthers in his 14th season, sporting a 147-76-34 record during his time in Hanover.
• Senior midfielder Patricio Campos leads the Panthers with 12 goals and four points this season. Sophomore forward Andrew Pavlisko has scored six goals to go along with a team-high six assists.
SERIES HISTORY
• Friday’s match marks the first-ever meeting between Indiana and Hanover.
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+++++INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL+++++
INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – EXHIBITION 1 VS. MARIAN
Opening Tip
• Indiana University opens its 126th season of competition in men’s basketball with an exhibition matchup against Marian at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 17, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
•The contest will be streamed on B1G+ with Nick Rodecap (PxP), Graham Nash (analyst), and Ava Wegenke (sideline) on the call.
• Second-year Marian head coach Pat Knight, the son of IU Athletics Hall of Famer Bob Knight, appeared in 112 games for the Hoosiers from 1991-95. He was a student-athlete on two Big Ten championship teams in Bloomington.
Game Information
Oct. 17, 2025 • 7:30 PM ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: B1G+ (Nick Rodecap, Graham Nash, Ava Wegenke)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 4-0 (all exhibition games)
Last Meeting: IU 106, MU 64 on Nov. 1, 2024, in Bloomington
Series History
• For the fourth-straight preseason, the Hoosiers and Knights will compete in the exhibition schedule. Indiana holds a 4-0 advantage in the series against Marian.
• Three Hoosiers scored in double figures a season ago, led by 19 points from Bryson Tucker. Malik Reneau (18 points) and Oumar Ballo (16) enjoyed a size advantage inside to pace the IU paint presence. The trio combined to shoot 24-of-28 from the floor.
• In addition to Indiana’s connection with Marian head coach Pat Knight, the Knights are led by Director of Athletics Steve Downing. The 1973 IU graduate was Coach Knight’s first All-American and was named Big Ten MVP. He was inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
Portal Combat
• The Hoosiers underwent a complete overhaul of the roster during the offseason with 10 transfer additions. The class ranked third in the Big Ten Conference and 10th nationally according to 247Sports.
• The class is headlined by top-125 national portal acquisitions in redshirt senior forward Tucker DeVries (West Virginia), fifth-year senior guard Lamar Wilkerson (Sam Houston), senior forward Reed Bailey (Davidson), junior guard Nick Dorn (Elon), sixth-year senior guard Tayton Conerway (Troy), and junior guard Jasai Miles (North Florida).
• The 10-man portal class made 554 starts in NCAA Division I basketball prior to joining the Hoosiers. IU is the only program to bring in at least 10 transfers with 30-plus collegiate starts.
• Four players enter the season having made at least 80 career 3-pointers while shooting better than 35.0% from behind the arc. Redshirt senior forward Tucker DeVries has drilled 276 triples at a 36.7% clip, while fifth-year senior guard Lamar Wilkerson has buried 202 collegiate 3s at a 40.0% rate. Junior forward Nick Dorn is a 35.6% career shooter with 134 makes, and redshirt senior guard Conor Enright has canned 88 3-pointers at 37.1%.
• Indiana joins Baylor, Memphis, Miami (Fla.), UCF, West Virginia, and Xavier as the only high-major programs to return zero points from the 2024-25 roster.
Darian DeVries Deep Dive
• Indiana head men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries was announced as the 31st head coach in program history on March 18, 2025.
• Prior to Indiana, DeVries spent one season in Morgantown as the head coach of West Virginia. He inherited a roster that returned only two players and 2.8 percent of its scoring from a 2023-24 roster that finished 9-23. The Mountaineers more than doubled its previous season’s win total, going 19-13 overall and 10-10 in the Big 12. WVU earned a series of signature victories this season, including three wins over top-10 teams (No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Gonzaga, and No. 7 Kansas).
• His first head coaching stint began in 2018-19 at Drake, a program that had been to one NCAA Tournament in the previous 47 years, had five 20-win seasons in its 112-year history, and was a combined 40-87 (31.5%) in the six years prior to his arrival. His Drake teams won at least 20 games each year, including 25 or more in each of his final four seasons. During those final four seasons at Drake the Bulldogs were one of only three Division I programs (Gonzaga and Houston) to win at least 25 games each season. His teams won MVC postseason tournament championships in his final two seasons, led the league in scoring offense twice, and he finished his Drake career with a 150-55 record.
• DeVries began his coaching career at Creighton, where he spent 20 years (17 as an assistant coach) as a member of the Bluejays’ staff under Dana Altman and Greg McDermott. The program went a combined 460-211 during his 20 seasons and earned 19 postseason berths, including 12 NCAA trips.
Active Division I Head Coaches by Winning%
Mark Few (Gonzaga) – .830 (741-152)
Bill Self (Kansas) – .758 (816-261)
John Calipari (Arkansas) – .752 (835-275)
Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) – .744 (198-68)
Randy Bennett (St. Mary’s) – .717 (562-222)
Darian DeVries (Indiana) – .713 (169-68)
Rick Pitino (St. John’s) – .712 (762-308)
Chris Jans (Mississippi State) – .710 (206-84)
Tom Izzo (Michigan State) – .709 (737-302)
*minimum 100 wins, Division I games only
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+++++++INDIANA VOLLEYBALL++++++
LATE POINTS EVADE HOOSIERS IN THURSDAY SETBACK
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – In front of a fantastic crowd of over 6,400 people, the Indiana volleyball team (14-3, 5-2 B1G) saw sets slip away late as it fell in four to top-15 Purdue. IU had a chance to take an advantage in the match but couldn’t find crucial points in games three and four as Purdue worked a 3-1 victory (25-19, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21) on Thursday (Oct. 16) evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Head coach Steve Aird agreed to exchange a true home match for a contest in Indianapolis against IU’s in-state rival. He wanted the opportunity to immerse his young program in a big environment on a national stage. The Hoosiers got every bit of that experience with a NCAA Tournament-type feel to Thursday’s regular season contest.
IU found its offense in spurts throughout the match, hitting .262 with 55 kills in four sets. Following the second set, IU was hitting north of .350. That mark teetered off as Purdue increased serving and defensive pressure. Senior opposite Avry Tatum led all Hoosiers with 15 kills. Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager had 14 kills while freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray went for a career-high 10 kills (.643 hitting percentage).
The Hoosiers out dug Purdue (50-40) but struggled in serve-receive. Purdue pushed and pulled its servers and found big runs from serving specialist Sienna Foster. IU was aced 10 times and was also blocked on 11 occasions. Purdue committed just three reception errors and had just seven attacking errors after set two.
After an injury to sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema in the second set, IU struggle to find its block in the contest. The Hoosiers had just six blocks – led by three from Gray – in four games. Boersema finished with three kills on five swings. Senior middle blocker Madi Sell provided five kills in reserve. Freshman setter Teodora Kričković matched a career high with 49 assists.
IU will look to shake off back-to-back defeats on Sunday (Oct. 19) afternoon against Ohio State. The two sides will meet at Noon on the Big Ten Network at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington. The match will start a run of three-straight contests inside IU’s home venue.
How it Happened
• Purdue was fantastic in the battle of serve and pass. After going to the short serve early, the Boilermakers pivoted and found the seams with flat, heavy balls. They had 10 aces on the night, provided by six different players. They were aced just three times in return and settled into passing patterns in the final two sets.
• IU’s offensive numbers were good through two sets but dropped off over games three and four. IU had at least 12 kills in all four sets but never sided out above 64 percent in the match. Purdue outside hitter Kenna Wollard found her touch after being benched in the second set. She had a match-high 18 kills.
Top Hoosier Performers
#13 Tatum, Avry
15 kills
#10 Kričković, Teodora
49 assists, 10 digs, 1 block
#23 Gray, Victoria
10 kills, .643 hitting percentage, 3 blocks
Notes to Know
• Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosted just over 6,450 people in Thursday’s match in Indianapolis. It was the first-ever volleyball match played inside the professional basketball arena. For IU, it was the largest announced home crowd attendance since playing a match at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in 2008 with over 8,000 fans.
• Freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray provided a career-high 10 kills in the defeat to No. 12 Purdue. She’s the first IU middle blocker with at least 10 kills in a match since Ava Vickers at Washington (10) in 2024. Gray also had three blocks and is now tied for the team lead on the season with 59 rejections (1.13 per set).
• Senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum had her 13th match with at least 15 kills during her time at IU. In the process, she took her career tally to 994 through four years of college volleyball. She’s now just six kills away from passing 1,000 kills – a mark she can reach on Sunday against Ohio State.
• This was the first match this season where the Hoosiers lost while hitting above .250. Freshman setter Teodora Kričković matched a career high with 49 assists and had her third career double-double (49 assists, 10 digs). All five primary attackers finished with at least five kills.
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++++++INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER++++++
HOOSIERS FALL AT NO. 16 MICHIGAN STATE
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Indiana women’s soccer fell 2-0 in their final road match of the regular season to No. 16 Michigan State. The Spartans scored twice late in the first half and the Hoosiers were unable to find their footing the rest of the way.
With the loss, The Hoosier record sits at 4-5-6 overall and 1-3-5 in Big Ten play.
KEY MOMENTS
The Hoosiers played on the defense for most of the first half. They played high pressure defense in the box through the majority of the first half.
Michigan State opened the scoring in the 41st minute and again in the 44th minute to lead 2-0 at halftime.
Graduate goalkeeper Sally Rainey recorded three saves in her time in goal for the Hoosiers, but the offense was unable to find opportunities through the Michigan State defense.
Junior midfielder Kennedy neighbors took a shot from just outside the box, but couldn’t find the net to close the game in a 2-0 defeat
NOTABLE
Jacobson (1) and Rainey (3) combined for four saves.
All four shot attempts for IU were on goal.
UP NEXT
IUWS will return home for the final two games of the regular season. They will first welcome Penn State to Bloomington, Ind. on Sunday, Oct. 19. The match is set to start at 2 pm. from Bill Armstrong Stadium.
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++++++INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS+++++++
DUNAC AND VADYALA PICK UP WINS IN ITA REGIONAL QUALIFYING ROUND
KNOXVILLE, Ten.. – Junior Elisabeth Dunac won a pair of matches to advance the round of 16 for qualifying singles action on day one of the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championship on Thursday afternoon.
Dunac knocked off Butler’s Brooke Arington and Purdue’s Fatima Gutierrez in straight sets this afternoon. Freshman Mansi Vadyala was also successful in the round of 64 with a win over Sofia Mazzucato from Xavier, 6-3, 6-1.
Tomorrow’s doubles action will feature all eight Hoosier who traveled to the event, beginning at 9 a.m. Main draw singles action gets underway after with Nicole Teodosescu, Ameia Sorey and Hi’ilani Williams.
Day 1 Singles Results
Qualifying Singles
Round of 64
Elisabeth Dunac def. Brooke Arington (Butler), 6-3, 6-2
Saskia Soome (SEMO) def. Chase Boyer, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
Mansi Vadyala def. Sofia Mazzucato (Xavier), 6-3, 6-1
Luca Bohlen (Austin Peay) vs. Magdalena Swierczynska, 6-4, 6-4
Round of 32
Elisabeth Dunac def. Fatima Gutierrez (Purdue), 6-2, 6-3
Rutuja Chaphalkar (MTSU) def. Mansi Vadyala, 6-3, 6-7
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++++++PURDUE VOLLEYBALL+++++++
MONON SPIKE STAYS IN WEST LAFAYETTE
INDIANAPOLIS – In the first-ever volleyball match at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the first-ever meeting with both Purdue and Indiana ranked in the AVCA poll, the No. 12 Boilermaker volleyball squad came out on top behind a 3-1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-20, 25-21) final score. With the win, Purdue retains the rights to the Monon Spike trophy, a feat the Boilermakers have won for 21 of head coach Dave Shondell’s 23 seasons with the program.
With the win, Purdue improves to 14-3 (5-2 Big Ten) while Indiana falls to 14-3 (5-2 Big Ten). The match, hosted in Gainbridge Fieldhouse by Indiana, gave Purdue its sixth road win of the year (6-0 away, 4-0 neutral).
The Boilermakers and Hoosiers will meet one more time in the regular-season finale at Mackey Arena on Saturday, November 29 at 7 p.m. ET.
Up next, Purdue will travel to Rutgers for a Sunday matinee. The match is slated to start at 1 p.m. ET on B1G+.
Monon Spike Notes
Purdue won the Spike for the second consecutive year
Purdue in Spike matches under HC Dave Shondell: 21-2
All-time program record in Spike matches: 38-13
Boiler Notes
Purdue improves to a 5-2 record vs. top-25 opponents
The Boilermakers are 42-11 in their complete series history against the Hoosiers, including 32-19 all-time away.
In Set 1, Purdue out-hit Indiana .385% to .214%, including five Purdue blocks, Kenna Wollard hitting .500% (7-1-10).
Dior Charles led the way in efficiency, totaling eight kills with just one error on 13 attacks for a .538 attack %. The performance included a perfect 5-for-5 in Set 3 to power Purdue to the set win.
Purdue set a season-high 11 service aces in the win—two shy of entering the record book for a four-set match. In total, six Boilermakers recorded at least one ace.
Sienna Foster led the way with a career-high three aces
Kenna Wollard totaled 18 kills on a .308 hitting clip in addition to two solo blocks and one assisted.
Taylor Anderson dished out 40 assists and was one dig shy of a double-double as her performance was complimented by two block assists and three kills.
Overall, Purdue out-blocked Indiana 11-6.
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+++++++PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER+++++++
BOILERS DROP 1-0 MATCH TO PENN STATE
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue soccer put together a gritty performance Thursday night but came up short in a 1–0 loss to Penn State at Folk Field.
Despite matching the Nittany Lions in shots on goal (3–3) and holding a slight edge in possession (51%), the Boilermakers couldn’t find the equalizer after conceding late in the first half. Purdue drops to 5-9-3 on the season and 2-6-1 in conference play.
The decisive moment came in the 32nd minute when Penn State’s Amelia White finished a cross from Molly Martin, putting the visitors ahead 1–0.
Offensively, Purdue kept the pressure on. The Boilermakers outshot Penn State 12–9 and earned several quality looks but could not find the finish.
Goalkeeper Emily Edwards recorded two saves in another steady performance, anchoring a back line that included Zoe Cuneio, and Lauren Adam.
UP NEXT
The Boilers will take on Northwestern on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. ET airing on the Big Ten Network. The match marks the final home regular-season game for the Boilers.
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+++++NOTRE DAME HOCKEY+++++
KNUBLE, NELSON, TO COMPETE AT 2025 SPENGLER CUP
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Five additional names have been added to the United State Collegiate Select hockey team roster set to participate at the 2025 Spengler Cup, featuring a pair of familiar names to South Bend locals in junior forwards Danny Nelson and Cole Knuble.
Both forwards are coming off career years during their sophomore campaign and were each named to Notre Dame hockey’s leadership team prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. Nelson was named co-captain at the beginning of October while Knuble will serve as an alternate for the Irish this season.
Last year, Knuble led the team in scoring, boasting a career-high 39 points off 12 goals and a team-best 27 assists. The now-junior has appeared in 72 career games for the Gold and Blue ices, amassing 60 points throughout his time in Indiana and owns six game-winning goals. At the conclusion of the season he was named Second Team All-Big Ten.
Nelson, has spent the past two Christmas breaks competing for Team USA at the World Junior Championships and will don the Red, White, and Blue again this holiday season as a member of the Selects Team. As a sophomore, Nelson tallied 13 goals and 13 assists and ranked among the top scorers in the Irish program for 2024-25. In addition to his scoring prowess, Nelson was among the nation’s best at the face-off dot, registering a success rate of 57.2-percent from the circle which was fourth in the country.
Knuble, Nelson, and the rest of the United State Collegiate Select team are set to compete at the Spengler Cup in late December. The full team will be comprised of 25 student-athletes from across the NCAA.
SHEAHAN ERA OPENS INSIDE COMPTON FAMILY ICE ARENA WITH STATEMENT WIN
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — A four-goal second period spurred a statement win for the Irish to open a new era of Irish hockey inside Compton Family Ice Arena as Notre Dame took down St. Lawrence, 8-2, Thursday night. A coach known for his offensive style of play, Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Brock Sheahan made his official debut behind the Irish bench at home. The eight-goals, which came unanswered Thursday night, mark the most by the Irish squad since a January 2022 clash with Boston College.
The Skating Saints jumped out to an early lead, notching two on breakaways in the opening minutes of play before the Irish found their offensive pressure. After letting up two early goals, the Irish peppered the SLU net in shots but could not break the netminder in the crease and trailed by two at the first media break.
A tripping call in the neutral zone saw the Irish head to the penalty box at 9:28 of the opening period. Despite skating shorthanded for two minutes, Pano Fimis, Sutter Muzzatti and Michael Mastrodomenico each saw chances at the SLU net but could not convert.
Cole Knuble picked the pocket at 15:19 of the opening period and cut the Saints’ lead in half off assists from Brennan Ali and Fimis.
The score would remain 2-1 for the duration of the period as the Irish headed to the locker room down by one after 20 minutes of play.
Early into the second the Irish looked to have evened the tally when Knuble shelved his shot over the glove of Mason Kucenski in the SLU crease but it was waved off by the referees and play continued. At the next stoppage the play was reviewed and the call was upheld, no goal.
The Irish were called for a cross-check at 11:18 of the second and were tasked with skating a man-down once again. The Saints won the ensuing draw but Danny Nelson tipped a pass into the neutral zone and raced up ice with Carter Slaggert on his wing for a chance on net. His shot, backhanded, sailed high as the Irish continued to try to close the one-goal deficit.
The team managed to kill off the rest of the cross-checking and spark an offensive push which saw Evan Werner knot things up with his first goal in an Irish sweater.
Another cross-checking call plagued the Irish late in the second period as they were forced to kill off their third straight penalty at 15:13 of the middle frame.
The game-tying goal proved to be what the Irish needed as they poured on four goals in a matter of five minutes to close out the period and take a 5-2 lead into the third period.
The offensive surge continued in the third, outshooting their opponent 20-4 in the final 20 minutes and scoring three more times for the 8-2 final.
Cole Brown and Evan Werner both found the back of the net for the first time in an Irish sweater Thursday night, with Werner capitalizing on an open door sho, beating the Saints’ netminder blocker side to tie the game up. Brown’s tally came at 11:55 of the third when the rookie forward batted in his own rebound to make it a 7-2 game.
KEY STATS
Caeden Carlisle and Cole Brown each tallied their first collegiate points in the team’s home-opener Thursday. Carlisle registered the primary assist on Danny Nelson’s eventual game-winning tally at 17:22 of the second before Brown found twine for the first time halfway through the third.
Evan Werner notched his first career goal with the Irish while adding three assists to his scoresheet, matching his personal best.
With 14 draws at the face-off circle, Pano Fimis went 13-1 for a 92.9-percent count as the Irish finished the night at 63.6-percent.
Six individuals boasted multiple points on the night, led by Werner’s four points off a goal and three assists. Axel Kumlin (1-2-3) and Cole Knuble (2-1-3) each registered three points in the contest while Danny Nelson (1-1-2), Henry Nelson (1-1-2), and Paul Fischer (0-2-2) all tallied two points.
With a goal in the final minute of the second period, Sutter Muzzatti now owns three goals on the season and leads the team in the category.
UP NEXT
The Irish close out the weekend series against the Saints Friday night with a 7pm puck drop slated inside Compton Family Ice Arena as part of a six-game homestand.
The team returns to their home ice next weekend when they host Robert Morris, Oct. 24-25.
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++++++NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER++++++
MATCH 14 PREVIEW: #6 NC STATE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame wraps up the home portion of its regular-season schedule at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 17 at Alumni Stadium, as the Irish welcome No. 6 NC State for a big ACC matchup. Senior Night festivities will take place prior to the contest. Admission is free.
NOTRE DAME vs. NC STATE
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
Admission: Free
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. NC State
THE NC STATE SERIES
• The Irish and Wolfpack will meet on the pitch for the ninth time on Friday.
• Notre Dame leads NC State in the series with a mark of 5-2-1.
• The Irish defeated the Wolfpack by a score of 3-1 during the 2023 season, the most recent meeting in the matchup.
• Five of the eight matches between the two sides have been decided by one goal or ended in a draw.
• The Irish have recorded a clean sheet in three of the last five matchups in the series.
INSTANT IMPACT
• The freshman class has already made its presence felt on the Notre Dame roster, as the group has produced 22 points off seven goals and eight assists this season.
• Luke Burton has led the way from the striker position with three goals and two assists while making eight starts up top for the Irish.
• Ren Sylvester has found his form with two goals and two assists, all coming over the last four matches.
• Alex Rosin has made six starts at left back and has proved capable of going forward in attack with two goals and three assists.
• Karson Baquero has played in five matches as a midfielder, recording an assist in the win over Green Bay.
SET-PIECE SUCCESS
• The Fighting Irish have scored 11 goals off set pieces during the 2025 campaign.
• Three of the goals have come from free kicks, with Mitch Ferguson scoring a direct free kick and Diego Ochoa and Ferguson finishing from service into the box.
• The Irish have been even more lethal on corners, firing in eight goals this season. Ferguson, Burton and Rosin have each scored twice while Wyatt Borso and Martin Von Thun have each recorded one.
BK THE GK
• Blake Kelly has been a mainstay in goal for the Irish during his sophomore season, posting four clean sheets.
• The shot stopper ranks second in the ACC in saves per game with a mark of 3.46 per outing.
• Kelly started 12 matches for the Irish in 2024 and became the first true freshman goalie to start the season opener in the last 30 years for the program.
STRIKE FORCE
• The starting striker tandem of Wyatt Borso and Luke Burton has found its form over the last few weeks, as the two have combined for eight goals and two assists.
• Borso leads the team in goals with five, scoring in five on the season which is a career high.
• Burton has recorded a point in five of the last nine matches, scoring in wins over Pitt, Omaha and Hope and picking up assists in victories over Louisville, Wright State and Hope.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Eleven players have scored the 22 goals for the Irish this season, as Wyatt Borso (5), Mitch Ferguson (4), Luke Burton (3), Alex Rosin (2) and Ren Sylvester (2) have each scored multiple times while Nolan Spicer, Jack Flanagan, Stevie Dunphy, KK Baffour and Diego Ochoa and Martin Vont Thun each found the back of the net once.
• Ten returning Irish players registered at least one point in their Notre Dame career, as the team returns 54 points from last year.
• Nine players that scored a goal during the 2024 campaign are back on this year’s team.
• Flanagan is the top returning goal scorer on the 2025 squad after firing in a career-high four goals during his sophomore campaign.
2025 CAPTAINS
• Mitch Ferguson and Wyatt Lewis will serve as the captains for this year’s Fighting Irish team and Blake Kelly will take on the role of assistant captain.
• Ferguson has appeared in 63 games over his Notre Dame career, scoring seven goals and adding eight assists from the center back position.
• Lewis enters his third season with the Fighting Irish and has three goals and four assists as a holding midfielder.
• Kelly started 12 matches as a freshman in 2024, posting a record of 4-3-5 while recording 26 saves.
THE CHAD RILEY ERA
• McFarland Family Head Men’s Soccer Coach Chad Riley is in his eighth season in charge of the Notre Dame men’s soccer program in 2025.
• Riley became the first head coach in program history to lead the Fighting Irish to two College Cup appearances, coming during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
• Notre Dame has captured both an ACC regular season and tournament title under his direction, both firsts in program history.
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+++++++NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S TENNIS+++++++
ITA MIDWEST REGIONALS UNDERWAY
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Notre Dame women’s tennis program hit the road to the University of Illinois for a fall season staple – the ITA Midwest Regionals. The event is being held at the Atkins Tennis Center from Thursday, Oct. 16 – Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The Fighting Irish had one representative trying to earn her way through qualifying on Thursday. Freshman Jessica Kovalcik won her first match 6-0, 7-5 vs. Nia Cooper of UIC, but then hit a road block in the next round, suffering a 6-4, 7-6(3) defeat to Michigan’s Laura Maser.
Now, both the singles & doubles main draws will commence on Friday. The Fighting Irish will have six student-athletes competing in the singles main draw starting at 2 p.m. ET.
Prior, three doubles pairings will kick off the day starting at 10 a.m. The duo of Bianca Molnar and Bojana Pozder enter the weekend with a 5-2 record and will earn a first round bye.
FRIDAY SINGLES MAIN DRAW SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
Esther Vyrlan vs. Wisconsin’s Kaede Usui – 2 p.m.
Akari Matsuno vs. Michigan State’s Hanna Tsitavets – 3:30 p.m.
Bianca Molnar vs. Ohio State’s Audrey Spencer – 3:30 p.m.
Sophia Holod vs. Chicago State’s Camila Sanchez – 3:30 p.m.
Bojana Pozder vs. Michigan’s Laura Maser – 2 p.m.
Mari-Louise Van Zyl vs. Wisconsin’s Lucie Urbanova – 2 p.m.
FRIDAY DOUBLES MAIN DRAW SCHEDULE
Matsuno/Holod vs. Western Michigan’s Smitek/Khotko – 10 a.m.
Kovalcik/Van Zyl vs. DePaul’s Pehlivan/Sechi – 10 a.m.
Pozder/Molnar – first round bye
R32: Pozder/Molnar – 11 a.m.
NOTRE DAME SINGLES QUALIFYING RESULTS
R64: Jessica Kovalcik (ND) def. Nia Cooper (UIC), 6-0, 7-5
R32: Laura Maser (MICH) def. Jessica Kovalcik (ND), 6-4, 7-6(3)
__________________________________________________________________
+++++++NOTRE DAME MEN’S TENNIS+++++++
LEE MAKES IT EIGHT IRISH IN MAIN DRAW OF ITA MIDWEST REGIONALS
CHICAGO – The ITA Midwest Regionals got underway in Chicago, as fourNotre Dame Men’s tennis players attempted to earn their way out of qualifying and into the Main Draw. Of the hopeful Irish competitors, junior Evan Lee emerged victorious, winning both his matches to join Sebastian Dominko, Chase Thompson, Peter Nad, Perry Gregg, Kyran Magimay, Guiseppe Cerasuolo and Luis Llorens Saracho in Friday’s Round of 64.
That means eight total Irish will kick things off in the Singles Main Draw on Friday. ITA Midwest Regionals is hosted by DePaul University and is scheduled to run through October 20 at the XS Tennis Village.
To earn his bid into the Main Draw, Lee won both his matches in straight sets, starting with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Victor Dorojan of UIC. Then Lee punched his ticket with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Chen Hui Ho of Western Michigan.
FRIDAY MAIN DRAW SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
Sebastian Dominko vs. Toledo’s Hanamichi Carvajal – 3 p.m.
Chase Thompson vs. Youngstown State’s Alex Maulouet – 3 p.m.
Evan Lee vs. Michigan State’s Vuk Radjenovic – 3 p.m.
Peter Nad vs. UIC’s Mihailo Savic – 4:15 p.m.
Perry Gregg vs. Michigan State’s David Saye – 5 p.m.
Kyran Magimay vs. Illinois’ Adam Jilly – 6 p.m.
Giuseppe Cerasuolo vs. Ohio State’s Preston Stearns – 6:30 p.m.
Luis Llorens Saracho vs. Ohio State’s Loren Byers – 7:30 p.m.
Doubles Main Draw will also commence on Friday, starting in the Round of 64. Below is the schedule for all Irish competitors.
Dominko/Thompson – bye first round. R32 slated for Noon ET
Balthazor/Patrick vs. Wisconsin’s Fullerton/Beduhn – 10 a.m.
Becker/Lee vs. DePaul’s Vialle/Pardo Cano – 10 a.m.
Llorens Saracho/Nad – bye first round. R32 slated for 1 p.m.
Gregg/Magimay vs. Marquette’s Roegner/St-Laurent – 11:30 a.m.
NOTRE DAME SINGLES QUALIFYING RESULTS
R64: Evan Lee (ND) def. Victor Dorojan (ILL), 6-4, 6-4
R32: Evan Lee (ND) def. Chen Hui Ho (WMU), 6-4, 6-3
R64: Nicholas Patrick (ND) def. Emil Dapcevic (UIC), 6-2, 6-3
R32: Alexander Antonopoulos (WMU) def. Nicholas Patrick (ND), 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
R64: Adrian Dibildox (ISU) def. Noah Becker (ND), 6-2, 6-2
R64: Nolan Balthazor (ND) def. Tristan Stine (CSU), 6-3, 6-2
R32: Christian Capacci (ISU) def. Nolan Balthazor (ND), 7-6(3), 6-4
Consolation: Noah Becker (ND) def. Matias Olivero (TOL), 6-3, 7-6(5)
ABOUT ITA MIDWEST REGIONALS
The two singles finalists and the doubles champion from each regional will automatically qualify for the NCAA Individual Championships, set to take place at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 18-23, 2025.
The following teams will be represented at the ITA Midwest Regionals: Chicago State, Cleveland State, DePaul, Illinois State, Marquette, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio State, UIC, Illinois, Michigan, Notre Dame, Toledo, Wisconsin, Western Michigan and Youngstown State.
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+++++++NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL+++++++
IRISH WELCOME #6 PITT, #8 SMU TO PURCELL PAVILION THIS WEEKEND
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Riding a three-game win streak, the Notre Dame Volleyball team welcomes home a pair of top-10 opponents to Purcell Pavilion this weekend. The Irish host No. 6 Pittsburgh Friday night at 6:30 p.m. before No. 8 SMU comes to town Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and admission is free. It’s the first time since the 2000 season that the Irish will face back-to-back top-10 teams at home (#4 Nebraska, #3 UCLA).
Notre Dame is coming off back-to-back wins over Virginia and Virginia Tech last weekend. Sydney Helmers led the charge for the Irish, finishing with 36 kills over the two matches, including a career-high 19 in the four-set win over Virginia Tech.
The Irish are 4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, tied for sixth in the conference. It’s the best start to conference play since the 2021 season for Notre Dame.
Friday’s match against Pittsburgh is the annual ‘Irish Wear Green’ Game. All fans are encouraged to wear green in their support of Notre Dame volleyball. Sunday’s game will be the third edition of this season’s poster series, with postgame autographs available following the match.
HISTORY VS. PITTSBURGH
This is the 44th all-time meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame leads the series 25-18.
The last win for the Irish in the series was on October 16, 2020. Notre Dame pulled off a reverse sweep, 22-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-20, 17-15
From 1992-2002, the Irish won 15-straight against the Panthers.
HISTORY VS. SMU
This is only the second meeting between Notre Dame and SMU. The Mustangs won the inaugural matchup last season in three sets in Dallas on October 25, 2024.
In last year’s matchup, Morgan Gaerte tallied eight kills and two blocks.
THE GAERTE PARTY
The All-ACC Preseason Selection broke the school record for kills in a match against Illinois with 34. Kathy Cunningham’s record of 33 kills had stood for over 37 years. Those 34 kills are tied for the most in a single match so far this season in the country with Racquel Frazier of Hampton.
She is the just the third player in Irish history to have three consecutive games of 20 or more kills.
Gaerte is third in the conference and is 23rd nationally with 4.44 kills per set. In points per set, she is fourth in the ACC and 22nd in the country with 5.05
The sophomore has had double-digit kills in every single game so far this season (14-consecutive)
FRESH FACES
The Irish welcome five freshmen to the team, bringing the Irish to a roster size of 20.
The freshman class consists of Maya Baker (S), Maya Evens (DS/L), Mae Kordas (OH/O), Chichi Nnaji (OH), Sophia Thornburg (OH).
Baker, who was a two-time Max Preps All-American, leads the team with 255 assists, is fourth on the team with 71 digs and has 12 aces.
The Irish pair a duo of former high school teammates in the incoming freshman class. Maya Evens and Mae Kordas both played together at Cathedral Catholic High School in Carlsbad, California. The duo was part of two Open State Championships (2022, 2024).
Evens has played in 47 sets as libero and leads the team with 172 digs on this season. She also has 50 assists.
Kordas had the best game of her early career at California. In her home state, she had a career-high nine kills, five digs and five blocks in the three set sweep over the Golden Bears.
Chichi Nnaji and Sophia Thornburg were high school teammates in Dallas, Texas at the Ursuline Academy of Dallas. Thornburg was named to the Prep Volleyball Top 100 National List for the Class of 2025 while both spent time working with the USAV National Team Development Program.
Nnaji has made an early impact in a short time. She is fourth on the team with 48 kills and has 28 total blocks for 62.5 points.
The Irish added one player from the portal, outside hitter Sydney Helmers from Texas. She was a member of the 2023 National Champion team as a freshman for the Longhorns. The junior has 122 kills, 78 digs and is tied for second on the team with 12 service aces this season.
Over the weekend against Virginia and Virginia Tech, Helmers had 36 kills, 17 against Virginia and a career-high 19 versus Virginia Tech.
___________________________________________________________________
+++++++BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL+++++++
BUTLER TO OPEN 2025-26 SEASON FRIDAY NIGHT, HOSTING NOTRE DAME IN EXHIBITION TIP
Butler vs. Notre Dame
Exhibition
Friday, Oct. 17 • 7PM
Hinkle Fieldhouse • Indianapolis, Ind.
TV/Stream: None
Radio/Audio: Fuego 92.7FM, Butler Sports App & ButlerSports.com • @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
The Series (Even though this exhibition won’t count toward the series record): Notre Dame Leads, 72-31
Last Meeting: March 21, 2015
First Meeting: Jan. 27, 1909
Matta of Facts
• This is the front end of a home-and-home exhibition agreement between the Bulldogs and Notre Dame as Butler will travel to South Bend for an exhibition during the 2026-27 season.
• Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry spent four seasons (2007-11) as a member of Butler’s coaching staff, including the program’s runs to both the 2010 and 2011 national championship games.
• Shrewsberry’s son Braeden is a member of the Notre Dame roster as is Brady Stevens, the son of former Butler coach Brad Stevens.
• Butler’s roster includes 11 newcomers in addition to Jamie Kaiser, Jr., who missed all of last season due to an ankle injury.
• Junior Finley Bizjack returns for the Bulldogs after starting 30 games a season ago; sophomore Evan Haywood started the final two games of the 2024-25 season.
• Bizjack scored a career-best 30 points in Butler’s season finale, a loss to Boise State in the quarterfinals of the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas. Bizjack went a career-high 6-for-9 from three-point range in that game.
• Bizjack joins newcomers Jalen Jackson, Michael Ajayi, Drayton Jones, and Yame Butler as players on this season’s Butler roster who have each scored 30 or more points in at least one game of their respective collegiate careers.
• Four of Butler’s newcomers have earned all-conference first team honors at a previous institution: Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne; 2024-25 Horizon League), Ajayi (Pepperdine; 2023-24 West Coast Conference), Jones (South Carolina State; 2024-25 MEAC), and Yohan Traore (UC Santa Barbara; 2023-24 Big West).
• Butler returns only 15.3 percent of its scoring from a season ago (400 of their 2,616 points during the 2024-25 season). Bizjack accounts for 350 of those 400 returning points.
• Haywood’s first two career starts came in the team’s two games at the 2025 College Basketball Crown. He scored 23 of his 48 points on the season in those two games.
• Thirty-one (31) BIG EAST players averaged double figures in scoring last season; Bizjack is one of only seven who return for the 2025-26 season — Zuby Ejiofor (SJU), Solo Ball and Alex Karaban (UConn), Malik Mack (Georgetown), CJ Gunn (DePaul), and Chase Ross (Marquette).
• Thad Matta has averaged 24.3 wins per season and has won 70.1 percent of his games as a head coach in his 20 seasons on the bench.
• Butler’s five-member freshman class — Jackson Keith, Efeosa Oliogu-Elabor, Jack McCaffery, Azavier “Stink” Robinson, and Bryson Cardinal was ranked No. 25 nationally by ESPN. Both McCaffery and Robinson were included among ESPN’s Top 100 prospects in the class.
• Butler was 14-5 when leading at halftime last season (and 1-14 when trailing after 20 minutes).
• Butler was 10-1 when scoring 80 or more points last season with the only loss coming in the season finale (100-93 to Boise State in the College Basketball Crown quarterfinals).
• Butler’s entire coaching staff returns from last season.
• Butler committed an average of only 13.6 fouls per game last season, the 13th-fewest total among teams nationally.
• A point of emphasis this season will be forcing more turnovers as Butler opponents turned the ball over only 7.74 times per game on average last season, a mark that was 354th nationally.
• Butler committed only one turnover in the regular season finale at Creighton March 8. Villanova also had only a single turnover in their Dec. 21 game at Creighton. Prior to the two occurrences this season, the last BIG EAST team to have only one turnover in a game was Louisville, which had one turnover Feb. 7, 2007 against Georgetown (Rick Pitino was the coach of that Louisville team).
• The Bulldogs defeated Northwestern and No. 25 Mississippi State in taking the 2024 Arizona Tip-Off title over Thanksgiving.
Notes on the Butler-Notre Dame Series
• Butler and Notre Dame have played 103 times previously in the regular season and postseason.
• The teams have not met since March 21, 2015 when Notre Dame posted a 67-64 overtime win in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
• The teams have not played on campus since Feb. 15, 1995, which was a 76-60 Butler win at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• The first game played at Hinkle Fieldhouse featured Butler hosting Notre Dame March 7, 1928 (a 21-13 overtime win by the Bulldogs).
• Tony Hinkle’s final game as the head coach at Butler came against Notre Dame at Hinkle Fieldhouse Feb. 23, 1970 as a sold-out crowd of 15,000 fans were on hand. Austin Carr scored 50 points for the Fighting Irish in Notre Dame’s 121-114 win.
• Butler and Notre Dame first met Jan. 27, 1909.
• The only other meeting between the 1995 game at Hinkle and the 2015 NCAA Tournament game was a neutral-site contest as part of the NIT Season Tip-Off (Preseason NIT) at (then) Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis Nov. 13, 2006. Butler won that match-up, 71-69.
Bulldog Legend Gordon Hayward Named Executive Basketball Advisor for Butler Men’s Basketball
Butler Athletics Hall of Famer and 14-year NBA standout Gordon Hayward will provide additional leadership within the Bulldog men’s basketball program in the role of Executive Basketball Advisor.
Hayward will volunteer his time in the newly-created position, working alongside head coach Thad Matta, General Manager/Director of Player Personnel Tony Bollier, and Vice President/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker on the program’s highest-level initiatives. Hayward will lean on his NBA experience to advise on talent evaluation and recruitment, player development, and team culture. He will serve in a mentorship role to student-athletes within the program, focusing on leadership and professional development.
Hayward, who was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022, retired from the NBA in 2024 after a successful 14-year career. Drafted by the Utah Jazz with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft after leading Butler to the national championship game, Hayward would average 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during his professional career. He was an All-Star in 2017 with Utah before signing with the Boston Celtics and his former Butler coach Brad Stevens as a free agent that summer. Following his seven seasons in Utah, he spent three seasons in Boston, three full seasons in Charlotte, and split his final 2023-24 season between Charlotte and Oklahoma City.
Hayward starred at Butler for two seasons (2008-09 and 2009-10) before starting his successful NBA career. Hayward was selected as the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA West Regional in 2010, leading the Bulldogs to the program’s first Final Four appearance. At the Final Four, he was chosen as a member of the All-Tournament Team. He earned All-Horizon League first-team honors in each of his two seasons and was the 2010 Horizon League Player of the Year. In just two seasons, he scored 992 points and had 512 rebounds. Hayward earned Academic All-America third-team honors in 2009-10.
Butler University Upgrades Iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse with Dynamic LED Video
Technology consultant Anthony James Partners (AJP) provided design, procurement, and construction administration services for the upgrades, supporting Butler in selecting SNA Displays to manufacture and install more than 2,700 square feet of LED video display technology, including a center hung display system, baseline LED ribbons, multiple courtside tables, and other digital signage.
The centerpiece of the project is a new LED center hung display consisting of four curved, 14-foot-tall video screens seamlessly connected to create a continuous 360-degree video surface. Each side features a 4 mm pixel pitch for increased pixel density and clarity. The center hung also includes custom static lettering along the top ring of the structure and a team-branded Bulldog logo facing downward toward the playing surface.
Other video signage includes 3-foot-high LED ribbons along the second-level fascia at both ends of the Fieldhouse, two 19-foot-long vomitory displays between the second and third levels, and eight new courtside mobile scorer’s tables equipped with LED screens. For recruitment and training purposes, the project also features two new ASPECT™ all-in-one 16:9 video screens from SNA Displays in an adjacent practice facility, directly integrated into the new control management system.
Butler and North Carolina Agree to Home-and-Home Series Beginning in 2026-27
Butler and North Carolina have agreed to a men’s basketball home-and-home series that will feature games during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
The teams will play in Chapel Hill in either November or December of 2026 before the Bulldogs host the Tar Heels at Hinkle Fieldhouse in either November or December of 2027.
The two programs have split six previous meetings. The teams first met during the 1928-29 season with Butler winning 43-20 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler posted wins at both the 2012 Maui Invitational and the 2014 Battle 4 Atlantis. The most recent tip between the two teams came in the Sweet 16 of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. UNC posted a 92-80 win in Memphis, Tenn.
Butler Athletics and Nike Extend Long-Standing Partnership
Butler Athletics and Nike have announced a multi-year contract extension that will continue to provide Bulldog student-athletes with industry-leading apparel and equipment.
“Nike continues to be one of the most iconic brands in all of sports, and Butler is proud to continue our long-standing partnership,” said Butler Vice President/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker. “Attaching Butler Athletics to the industry leader in apparel and equipment continues an incredible experience for our student-athletes and loyal fans. We are excited to work with Nike and BSN Sports for years to come.”
As part of the multi-year agreement, Nike will continue to serve as the official apparel provider for Butler Athletics, outfitting all teams with high-quality performance gear and team uniforms. BSN SPORTS, a leading distributor of sporting goods apparel and equipment, will facilitate a portion of the partnership.
Butler’s partnership with Nike dates back to the 1990s with the Bulldog Basketball programs, while the department-wide relationship began in 2007.
Butler fans are able to continue to purchase officially licensed Butler Nike apparel as part of the agreement.
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++++++IU INDY VOLLEYBALL++++++
IU INDY SET TO HOST YOUNGSTOWN STATE
INDIANAPOLIS- The IU Indy volleyball team will host the Youngstown State Penguins on Friday, Oct. 17 at 6:00 PM and on Saturday, Oct.18 at 2:00 PM inside The Jungle. The Jags are currently on a five game winning streak with their most recent win being over Robert Morris last weekend. They hope to keep that streak alive against Youngstown State this weekend.
The Jaguars are heading into this match 11-8 overall with a 5-2 Horizon League mark. Senior Morgan Ostrowski leads the Horizon League in hitting percentage with a mark of .374 while freshman Jillian Tippmann sits at seventh with a percentage of .270. Tippmann is also fourth in the league in kills with 254 and has an average of 3.79 per set. Junior Grace Purichia leads the conference in assists with 779 and an average of 10.82 per set.
The Penguins are coming into the Jungle 7-11 overall and 2-5 in conference play. This past weekend they fell short against Horizon League opponent Wright State. As a team the Penguins are ranked second in hitting percentage behind IU Indy with an average of .221. Senior Abbie Householder is currently ranked second in total points with 312 and averages 4.33 points per set.
The Jaguars are 13-11 all-time against the Penguins after going 1-1 against them last year. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+ while tickets are be available online.
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+++++++IU INDY WOMEN’S SOCCER+++++++
WOMEN’S SOCCER FALLS ON THE ROAD TO HORIZON LEAGUE LEADERS
MILWAUKEE – The IU Indianapolis women’s soccer team found sledding heavy against the top team in the Horizon League on Thursday night (Oct. 16) as the Jaguars fell at Milwaukee, 6-0. The host Panthers tallied twice in the game’s opening 15 minutes and deposited four goals before intermission in coasting to the 6-0 win.
Six different Panthers scored a goal as the hosts finished with a 22-12 shot margin and 9-1 advantage in corner kicks.
Milwaukee’s Lola Wojcik tallied the game-winner in the 12th minute and Kristina Karlof doubled the advantage in the 14th minute.
The Panthers (10-4-2, 7-0-1 HL) got scores from Jenni Andjelic in the 30th minute and Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett in the 35th minute to blow the game open.
Junior midfielder Lindsey Castillo led the Jaguar attack with three shots, all on target, and Caroline Kelley attempted two. Given the final margin, the Jaguars (3-10-2, 2-4-1 HL) played 21 total players with senior defender Kailyn Smith playing a team-high 83 minutes.
Sarah Bambrick yielded the four first half scores before Arissa North was beaten for a pair of goals in the second half. The duo combined to make three stops.
The Jaguars will continue the two-game trip on Sunday (Oct. 19) when they travel north to Green Bay for a 1:00 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN+.
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++++++BALL STATE FIELD HOCKEY++++++
FH CELEBRATES SENIOR DAY FRIDAY AGAINST BELLARMINE; TRAVELS TO MIAMI SUNDAY
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State field hockey team will celebrate its five seniors Friday when it hosts Bellarmine in Mid-American Conference action at 1 pm ET in the Briner Sports Complex. The Cardinals will then close out the weekend on Sunday when it travels to rival Miami for a 1 pm ET start in Oxford.
Ball State enters the weekend with a 3-12 overall record and a 1-4 conference ledger. Bellarmine comes to Muncie with two wins both in MAC play against Longwood (2-1) and Ohio (1-0 S/O). Miami stands at 9-4 on the year and 4-1 in the league.
Ball State and Bellarmine have met a total of nine times with the Cardinals leading the all-time series 6-3. Last year, the Cardinals defeated the Knights in Louisville, Ky., by a score of 2-1 on Nov. 1 with veteran Emma van Hal earning goal for BSU that contest.
After Friday, BSU travels to rival Miami on Sunday. The game will mark the 79th meeting all-time between the Cardinals and the RedHawks, with Miami leading the all-time series 53-25. Ball State will look to snap a 22-game losing streak to the seven-time defending MAC regular season champions.
Prior to Friday’s game against Bellarmine, the Cardinals will recognize their five seniors, Grace Clokie, Christine Ditizio, Maddie Summitt, Jessica Rochat and Emma van Hal.
The Cardinals will host their last home game of the season next Friday on Oct. 24 against Appalachian State at 1 pm ET.
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+++++++BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL+++++++
8-0 IN #MACTION, WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WINS FIVE-SET THRILLER AT BOWLING GREEN
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio. – – In a battle of the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference standings, the Ball State women’s volleyball team came out on top with a thrilling 3-2 (25-21, 21-25, 28-26, 24-26, 15-12) victory over Bowling Green Thursday evening at the Stroh Center.
After the team’s traded 25-21 victories in the opening two sets, the Cardinals (12-8; 8-0 MAC) used a service ace from junior setter Lindsey Green to cap a hard-fought 28-26 third set victory. Unfortunately, the Falcons (12-8; 6-2 MAC) took a back-and-forth battle in the fourth by a score of 26-24.
That set up a deciding fifth frame which saw BGSU take an 8-7 lead at the court switch and pull ahead 11-9 late. However, two kills from sophomore outside Carson Tyler surrounding a Bowling Green attack error gave the guests a 12-11 edge. The Ball State block then forced two more attack errors, giving the Cardinals three match point attempts at 14-11. It would only take two, as Tyler’s match-high 24th kill ended the set at 15-12 and the contest at 3-2.
Overall, Ball State’s block came up big in the victory, out-blocking a Bowling Green squad which entered the match leading the league in blocking average. Led by a match-high six total blocks from junior middle Camryn Wise and five from junior middle Gwen Crull, the Cardinals tallied 12.0 blocks to BGSU’s 11.0.
The edge at the net, along with an 8-to-5 advantage in service aces, turned the tide for Ball State which saw Bowling Green tally 69 kills to the Cardinals’ 63.
Along with their solid blocking numbers, Wise and Crull each smashed nine kills in the win, while graduate outside Noelle VanOort added 10 for her 16th match in double figures this season. Meanwhile, Tyler has smashed double-digit kills in all 20 matches this year and in 26 straight outings going back to last season.
Much as she has done all season, Tyler also turned in a solid effort on defense by leading the Cardinals with 15 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. She also added four total blocks and served up two aces, while hitting .327 (24-6-55).
Green would lead Ball State’s setter duo with 28 assists, one more than freshman Reese Axness who also chipped in 10 digs for her third double-double in the last four matches. Axness also served up an ace, while Green tallied two.
Other key contributors in the match were graduate opposite Christyn Ashby with seven kills and four blocks, along with sophomore libero Sophie Ledbetter with 13 digs and a pair of service aces.
On the other side of the net, Edyta Waclawczyk led the Bowling Green attack with 20 kills, while Avery Hobson tallied 18. In her first league match of the season, reigning MAC Player of the Year Lauryn Hovey added 12 kills and 17 assists, while falling one dig shy of a triple double with nine. Sydnie Hernandez led all players with 26 digs.
Ball State and Bowling Green will battle once again Friday, with another 6 p.m. first serve at the Stroh Center.
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+++++++BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER+++++++
FRESHMAN’S FIRST CAREER GOAL IS THE GAME-WINNER FOR SOCCER OVER TOLEDO
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State soccer team got a game-winning goal from Jess Fernau to beat Toledo 2-1 on Thursday afternoon at the Briner Sports Complex.
The Cardinals (8-5-2, 5-3-1 Mid-American Conference) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Addie Chester scored with the left foot on an assist by Tori Monaco in the 27th minute. The visiting Rockets (3-5-6, 0-4-4 MAC) responded early in the second period with a goal in the 56th minute to tie the contest.
Fernau hit the bottom of the crossbar with a shot in the 73rd minute that bounced down and narrowly crossed inside the goal line before bouncing out to give the Cardinals the 2-1 edge. The score was the freshman’s first of her collegiate career.
Ball State outshot Toledo 11-5, including 6-1 in the first half. Fernau took three of the shots, while Chester, Delaney Caldwell and LG Moncrief had two looks each.
Goalkeeper Kate Pallante went the distance and made a save to earn the win. Delaney Ahearn, Grier Isaacson, Kira Verburg and defending MAC Defensive Player of the Week Jordyn Klaasen joined Pallante in playing the full 90 minutes.
The hosts generated more corner kicks (4-3) and committed fewer fouls (12-10) and offsides violations (5-1) on the day.
Ball State will next play at Bowling Green at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
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++++++INDIANA STATE CROSS COUNTRY++++++
SYCAMORES SET FOR SPLIT-SQUAD WEEKEND AT MISSOURI, BRADLEY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State cross country sets its sights on a pair of Midwest meets Friday, as the Sycamores will take part in the Pre-National Invitational and the Bradley Pink Classic.
The Pre-National Invitational women’s 6k starts at 11 a.m., with the men’s 8k to follow at 11:45 a.m. The Bradley Pink Classic men’s 8k is slated for 2:30 p.m., with the women’s 6k to follow at 3:15 p.m. Both meets will feature a live stream, with the Pre-National Invitational being aired on SEC Network+ and the Bradley Pink Classic airing on ESPN+.
Who’s In The Field?
Indiana State will compete against Arkansas, BYU, Boston College, Bryant, Cal Poly, Chattanooga, Clemson, Colorado State, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Idaho State, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Liberty, Loyola Chicago, Miami (Ohio), Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, Montana State, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Purdue, Quinnipiac, Santa Clara, Saint Louis, San Francisco, South Dakota State, Tennessee, Texas, Utah State, Villanova, Wichita State, Wyoming and Youngstown State at the Pre-National Invitational.
The Sycamores will also face around 25 Division I men’s and women’s institutions at the Bradley Pink Classic, including five MVC foes.
Schedule Update
Due to the threat of inclement weather in the Columbia area, the Pre-National Invitational at Missouri’s Gans Creek Cross Country Course was moved up to Friday. The meet had originally been scheduled to take place Saturday.
Race times for the women’s 6k and men’s 8k remain at 11 and 11:45 a.m., while the open sections for both genders were eliminated due to the schedule adjustment.
Last Time Out
Indiana State cross country posted a strong showing at the Joe Piane Invitational, overcoming warm weather and top competition at the Burke Golf Course. The Sycamores placed seventh in the men’s gold division race and were leading the pack for long stretches of the race. Indiana State placed 15th in the women’s blue division race, which featured a plethora of nationally and regionally ranked foes.
Ryan York paced the Blue and White on the men’s side, with his 8k time of 24:31.5 representing a career-best time and earning him a top-10 finish for the first time in his career. York placed seventh in the field and also ran a top-20 8k time in program history, while Ryan Handy clocked a time of 25:05.0 to place in the top 35. Brittney Burak led the way for the Trees on the women’s side with a time of 17:10.5 and was joined in the top 60 overall by Peyton Smith with a time of 17:13.1.
Climbing The Charts
Indiana State continued its assault on the program record books at the Joe Piane Invitational, as six Sycamores recorded program top-20 times in their respective events in South Bend.
Brittney Burak (fifth, 17:10.5), Peyton Smith (seventh, 17:13.1) and Sawyer DeWitt (10th, 17:36.6) all cracked the top 10 5k times in program history, while Hadley Gradolf (15th, 17:44.9) and Gnister Grant (18th, 17:49.0) both moved into the top 20 in program history in the event. Program 5k record holder Emma Gresham also ran a time of 17:46.8 at Notre Dame.
Ryan York also ran a career-best 8k time of 24:31.5 at Notre Dame, earning him his first career top-10 finish and putting him 16th in program history in the event.
Trees In The Polls
Indiana State moved in an upward trajectory in the most recent set of USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Rankings. The Sycamores checked in at No. 12 in the region on the women’s side, a two-spot improvement from the previous region rankings. The Sycamore men also finished ahead of a regionally-ranked team from the previous rankings in Eastern Michigan at the Joe Piane Invitational.
The Sycamores have been ranked as high as No. 8 in the region this season on the women’s side and have been inside the top 15 in every region ranking since the first meet of the 2024 season. The Trees will look to continue their success in the rankings after picking up a pair of top-five team finishes on both the men’s and women’s side to start the 2025 campaign.
Split-Squad Sycamores
Indiana State will feature a split squad Friday, with 16 Sycamores set to compete at the Pre-National Invitational and 10 slated to compete at the Bradley Pink Classic.
Representing the Blue and White at the Pre-National Invitational on the men’s side will be Chris Angeles, Emerson Fayman, Ryan Handy, Will Kozlowski, Parker Mimbela, Brandon Mueller, Mason Nobles and Ryan York. Brittney Burak, Sawyer DeWitt, Hadley Gradolf, Gnister Grant, Emma Gresham, Halle Miller, Alli Steffey and Peyton Smith will represent the Trees on the women’s side at Missouri.
Alex Alvarez, Tommy Claxton, Xander Fackler, Jcim Grant and Jocqael Thorpe will compete for the Sycamores on the men’s side at the Bradley Pink Classic, while Kamilla Gibson, Hallie Mimbela, Ada Sabo, Robyn Schemel and Eve Schurr will compete for the Trees on the women’s side at Bradley.
Back at Pre-Nats
The Pre-National Invitational is a welcome return to Indiana State’s schedule, with the Sycamores last taking part in the event in 2019, a year which the Trees were meet hosts and went on to host the national championships.
Indiana State’s last Pre-National Invitational appearance outside of Terre Haute came in 2018 at Wisconsin. The Sycamores have never competed at Missouri’s Gans Creek Cross Country Course since the facility opened in 2019.
Up Next
Indiana State makes the short trip down US-41 to compete in the MVC Cross Country Championships October 31 in Evansville, Indiana.
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++++++INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER++++++
SYCAMORES HIT THE ROAD TO FACE BELMONT IN MVC PLAY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State travels to Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, October 18, when the Sycamores face Belmont in a Missouri Valley Conference matchup. Kickoff is programmed for 5 p.m. ET, with live coverage on ESPN+ and live stats available through GoSycamores.com.
The Sycamores (6-4-5, 2-1-2 MVC) come into this game riding the momentum of a convincing 3–0 victory over Valparaiso on Saturday at home. ISU controlled the match from start to finish, outshooting the Beacons 17–8 and limiting Valpo to just four on-target attempts. Goalkeeper Delaney Timmons earned her fifth shutout of the season, recording four saves to keep the clean sheet.
The Sycamores struck first when Kaitlynn Long buried a rebound off a blocked attempt, giving ISU an early lead. Indiana State doubled its lead shortly after the break and then sealed the victory in the 80th minute with a composed finish from Lina Fasquelle. Through that display, ISU showed balance and control, able to press forward while maintaining a solid defensive stance.
Belmont (3-4-6, 1-2-2 MVC) enters the weekend looking to bounce back after a narrow 1-2 loss to Evansville in their last outing. Their organized back line and patient buildup in possession make them a challenging opponent, one that will test Indiana State’s attacking movement and tempo on Sunday.
This matchup offers ISU the chance to continue building momentum in conference play. After a dominant performance over Valparaiso, the Sycamores will aim to replicate their attacking efficiency and defensive consistency against Belmont. A strong result here would further affirm Indiana State’s standing in the MVC as they push toward the final stretch of the season.
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+++++++INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL+++++++
SYCAMORE VOLLEYBALL HOSTS NORTHERN IOWA, ENTERING ON A 42-MATCH MVC WIN STREAK
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball returns to ISU Arena on Friday night, hosting Northern Iowa at 6 p.m.
Northern Iowa has dominated the MVC since the start of 2022, entering Friday’s match on a 42-match MVC winning streak, dating back to the start of the 2023 season. Since the start of 2022, UNI is 59-1 in league play, with the lone loss coming at the hands of Drake in Des Moines on Drake’s senior night at the end of the 2022 season.
In the last five matches, two Sycamores are hitting above .200 individually:
Kimora Whetstone (.321, 25-7-56)
Hadley Hardersen (.247, 40-16-97)
Kira Holland leads the team in kills through the last five with 54; Emily Weber in assists with 103, Chloe Gilley in digs with 78, and Ella Scott in total blocks with 14.
Milestone Tracking
Avery Hales enters the match with 982 assists. She averages 4.96 assists per set this season.
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+++++++PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S SOCCER+++++++
FIRST-PLACE ‘DONS HOST GREEN BAY ON SATURDAY FOR SENIOR DAY
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Saturday is Senior Day for the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s soccer program. The Mastodons will put their undefeated 6-0-5 record on the line against Green Bay. The Phoenix were the preseason pick to win the league. All kids K-12 are free.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (6-0-5, 3-0-2 Horizon League) vs. Green Bay (4-6-1, 1-3-1)
When: Saturday, Oct. 18 | 3 p.m. ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats:Link
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: Link
All-Time Series: Purdue Fort Wayne leads 7-4-3. The series dates back to 2002. The ‘Dons have won the last two meetings, including a 2-0 win in Fort Wayne last season.
About the Phoenix
Green Bay is winless in their last four games, and have lost their last three. Their lone league win this season was a 1-0 decision at Northern Kentucky. Five players have found the back of the net for the Phoenix to account for their 11 goals on the year. Dubem Obilo and Kazuki Okazaki have started all 11 games for the Phoenix.
Today… is Senior Day
Andrew Hollenbach, Angel Rodriguez, Abe Arellano, Iann Topete, Eliam Mier, Marco Valencia, Christian Leon, Bryan Aguirre, Shane Anderson, Brandon Nunez and Marcos Soria will be honored by prior to the game.
Hefner is Home
The Mastodons are 11-2-6 at the Hefner Soccer Complex since the start of the 2023 season.
RPI
The NCAA’s updated RPI rankings that came out on Thursday have the ‘Dons at 127.
Senior Class
Since the start of 2022, the Mastodons own a .491 winning percentage (22-23-14). It is the best four-year winning percentage in the program’s NCAA Division I era. The Mastodons’ .635 (13-6-7) mark at home since 2022 is the program’s best four-year home record. Marco Valencia, Abe Arellano, Christian Leon, Eliam Mier, Ameer Shetiah and Stefan Iricanin have been at Purdue Fort Wayne since 2022.
Double-Digit ‘Dons
Shane Anderson (18) and Iann Topete (14) are first and second in the league in points. Anderson is tied for ninth with Romain Lopez (2018) for most points in a season during the program’s Division I era.
Nice Start
The Mastodons have opened the season 6-0-5. It is the longest undefeated stretch to start a season in program history. At 11 games, it is also the longest undefeated streak in the program’s Division I era history. The last time a Mastodon team put a streak together like this was the 1999 NCAA Division II Tournament bound ‘Dons that had a 14-match unbeaten streak which included a 10-match win-streak.
No Losses
The ‘Dons are the only team in the Horizon League and one of only eight teams in the nation without a loss on the season. The seven other teams without a loss are: Bryant, Portland, Maryland, Vermont, Duke, South Florida and Drake.
Region-aly Speaking
Purdue Fort Wayne is ranked No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches North Region Poll.
OPOTW
Iann Topete had a debut weekend to remember for the Mastodons. He scored twice vs. DePaul to help the ‘Dons earn a 3-3 tie against the Blue Demons. His play helped him earn the Horizon League’s Offensive Player of the Week honor on Aug. 25.
OPOTW X2
Shane Anderson earned his first career Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22. He picked up the honor after a pair of goals at Wright State, including the game winner in the 85th minute.
DPOTW
Sep Habibi picked up his first career Defensive Player of the Week accolade on October 13 after a shutout win over IU Indy the Saturday prior.
‘Dons & Ends
– Iann Topete and Shane Anderson are tied for the league lead in goals with six.
– Sep Habibi has a 0.762 goals against average on the season, best in the league and 31st in the nation. He has five shutouts, 30th in the nation, and one combined shutout this season.
– Shane Anderson has six assists on the year, tied for 19th in the nation.
– Shane Anderson is tied for first in the league lead in shots with 40.
– At 6.73, the Mastodons are 19th in the nation in shots on goal per game.
– 11 different Mastodons have either a goal or an assist on the season.
– TopDrawerSoccer’s recent top 100 players of 2025 list has Shane Anderson at No. 48.
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.
All Eyes on ‘Dons
The department’s sixth annual Party at the Pitch on September 10 drew a record crowd of 1,062. It is the third time the ‘Dons have drawn over 1,000 for the event.
Coming Up
The ‘Dons head to Cleveland State on Oct. 25.
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++++++EVANSVILLE CROSS COUNTRY++++++
CROSS COUNTRY SET TO HOST ANGEL MOUNDS INVITATIONAL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men’s and women’s cross country teams return to the course on Friday morning for the first of three consecutive home meets at the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course. Evansville, along with USI, serve as the hosts for the meet, and welcome a competitive field that includes Austin Peay, Bellarmine, Brescia, Central State, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, IU Indianapolis, Lipscomb, Morehead State, Murray State, Northern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, SIU Edwardsville, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana, Tennessee Tech, Transylvania, UT Martin, Vincennes, and Western Kentucky
The event begins at 9 AM with the men’s 8k, followed by the women’s 6k at 9:50. Live results can be found here.
Last Time Out
Evansville’s Samuel Lea (Worcester, United Kingdom/Worcester Sixth Form College) and James Cruse (Melbourne, Australia) put together a banner day for Aces cross country on September 26 at the Gans Creek Classic, breaking a 43-year old program record in the 8K. Lea’s time of 24.14.4 is the fastest in program history, while Cruse’s mark of 24:22.4 is good for second place on UE’s all-time 8K list.
Lea finished 32nd overall and Cruse finished 42nd overall in the 253-runner field. In addition to Lea and Cruse, Rafael Rodriguez (Segovia/Spain Colegio Claret) placed inside UE’s Top 15 8K times, slotting in at 14th with a time of 24:55.9. As a team, the men finished 19th out of 26 teams.
On the women’s side, Chase Hayes (Noblesville, Ind. Western) posted the seventh-best 6K in program history at 22:10.80, finishing 90th in the 236-runner field. UE finished 22nd out of 26 teams in the Women’s Black Invitational race.
Meet Information
Friday’s meet will be hosted at the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course (8215 Pollack Avenue, Evansville, IN 47715) with a cash-only admission fee of $5.
Located on the banks of the Ohio River in southwest Indiana, Angel Mounds is on the site of a historic Mississippian Native American village. Within its nearly 600 acres, Angel Mounds is home to an interpretive center, nature preserve, hiking and biking trails, an 18-hole disk golf course, and a top-tier cross country course. Angel Mounds State Historic Site is home to the cross country programs at both the University of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana.
The flat and fast course is divided into 2k and 3k loops to accommodate 5k, 6k, 8k, and 10k courses. 15-20 feet of elevation change per loop. The course has hosted events such as the NCAA DII Cross Country Midwest Regional, NCAA DII Cross Country National Championship, NCAA DI Cross Country Great Lakes Regional, Great Lakes Valley Conference Cross Country Championship, and Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championship. Later this fall, the course wil host the Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championship (October 31) and the NCAA DI Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Great Lakes Regional (November 15).
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+++++++EVANSVILLE MEN’S GOLF+++++++
UE GOLF TEAMS DEFEAT USI IN BATTLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY
MT. VERNON, Ind. – Thursday’s Battle of the Expressway saw the University of Evansville golf teams edge USI by a 9-8 final in match play at Western Hills Country Club.
Evansville’s victories on the day included:
Denzel Rai 4&3 over Ingtawan Wangrunruchasri
Omar Khalid 4&3 over Chandler Ornelas
Mason Taylor 2UP over Alex Peck
Elizabeth Mercer 5&4 over Tora Timinsky
Luke Price 3&2 over Wade Worthington
Adeline Wittmer 3&2 over Camryn Luthy
Jamison Ousley 1UP over Carter Goebel
There were also four matches that were halved:
Julian Kiessling vs. Jairen Stroud
Kate Petrova vs. Alexis Wymer
Chris O’Donnell vs. Weston Hardy
Andrew Rottschalk vs. Ben Christian
UE took the victory by a close 9-8 final to complete the day.
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++++++SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL++++++
EAGLES RETURN HOME FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MATCH AGAINST LITTLE ROCK
EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Volleyball is back in Liberty Arena Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. for two Ohio Valley Conference matchups against the University of Arkansas Little Rock.
Friday’s match is Mental Health Awareness night, where fans are encouraged to wear green to support the importance of mental health. Admission to the two games and all USI Volleyball home games this season will be free courtesy of ProRehab. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ for subscribers.
The Screaming Eagles are coming off a tough-fought series at Southeast Missouri State University, where they split the series, taking both matches to a fifth set. USI won the first match 3-2 in their first five-set challenge of the 2025 season, completing a reverse-sweep against the Redhawks.
For her performance in the SEMO series, setter Aysa Thomas was named the OVC Freshman of the Week for the second time in a row. Thomas recorded 98 assists, 45 digs, and four aces against the Redhawks. She picked up a career-high 26 digs in game two, helping the Eagles to their first triple-digit dig match (101) since the 2024 season opener.
Tying Thomas’ 26 in digs in match two at SEMO was sophomore libero Audrey Small. Leading the team in digs per set on the season at 4.13, Small has helped the Eagles move to second in the NCAA for 17.92 per set.
Leading the offense for the Screaming Eagles at SEMO were juniors Ashby Willis and Leah Coleman. Willis recorded 42 kills in the series, while Coleman tallied 29. Coleman made a big impact in the fifth set of the SEMO win, landing six kills in the 15-point set. Freshman Carley Wright set a career-high 13 kills in the second game, bringing her series total to 24 kills.
Scouting the Opponent:
Little Rock, which currently remains undefeated in OVC play after winning its first six conference games, sits at the top of the OVC standings. Little Rock is on its best OVC start since the 2014 season. In their last two matches, the Trojans completed a series sweep of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, dropping just one set to the Cougars. Friday’s match marks the seventh time USI has met Little Rock. The Trojans lead the series 4-2, taking the last two matches in four sets.
Leading the Trojan offense is junior outside Bella Cherry, who has tallied 221 kills so far in 2025, averaging a hitting percentage of .158. Cherry tallied 23 kills in the SIUE series. In the back row, junior libero Andrea Roman leads the OVC with 340 digs and 5.15 digs per set. Roman picked up 35 digs in the SIUE series. Head Coach Van Compton is in her 38th season at Little Rock, holding a 598-520 record.
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++++++SOUTERN INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY++++++
SCREAMING EAGLES RETURN TO XC COURSE FRIDAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country returns to the course Friday when the Screaming Eagles co-host the Angel Mounds Invitational.
Friday marks the first of two meets at Angel Mounds that USI will co-host this season. USI, the University of Evansville and the Evansville Regional Sports Commission also host the NCAA Division I Great Lakes Region Championships November 14.
In addition to USI and UE, the Angel Mounds Invitational features more than 20 schools and will see six different NCAA Division I conference represented along with all three NCAA Divisions, the NAIA and junior college ranks.
The list of competing teams includes Austin Peay (ASUN), Bellarmine (ASUN), Brescia (NAIA RSC), Central State (DII SIAC), Cincinnati (Big 12), Eastern Kentucky (ASUN), UE (MVC), IU Indianapolis (Horizon), Lipscomb (ASUN), Morehead State (OVC), Murray State (MVC), Northern Kentucky (Horizon), Southeast Missouri State (OVC), SIU Edwardsville (OVC), Southern Illinois (MVC), USI (OVC), Tennessee Tech (OVC), Transylvania (DIII HCAC), UT Martin (OVC), Vincennes (JUCO) and Western Kentucky (Conference USA).
USI last competed at the Gans Creek Classic September 26 in Columbia, Missouri. The Screaming Eagles finished 11th out of 26 teams in the men’s black invitational competition and 10th out of 26 teams in the women’s black invitational race.
Junior Alex Nolan paced the Screaming Eagles’ men with an 18th-place finish in the more than 250-competitor field. He finished the eight-kilometer course in 24 minutes, 1.5 seconds, a time that ranks sixth all-time at USI. Nolan garnered OVC Runner of the Week honors for the third time this year following the effort.
On the women’s side, junior Ellie Hall paced the Screaming Eagles with a 10th-place finish out of more than 235 competitors. She finished the 6k course in 20:58.5, a mark that ranks eighth all-time at USI. Hall also earned OVC Runner of the Week honors after claiming USI’s top spot for the first time this season.
Friday’s meet starts with the men’s 8k at 9 a.m., followed by the women’s 6k at 9:50 a.m. Admission to the event is $5 and is cash only at the gate.
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+++++++SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER+++++++
USI’S STREAK SNAPPED AT TENNESSEE TECH ON THURSDAY
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer dropped a 2-0 decision at Tennessee Tech University Thursday night, ending the Screaming Eagles’ 10-game unbeaten streak and undefeated run in Ohio Valley Conference play.
USI Women’s Soccer (6-6-4, 3-1-3 OVC) had gone without a setback since August 28 before Thursday’s game at Tennessee Tech (4-6-7, 4-0-3 OVC). Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles recorded their seventh consecutive result to move to within a point of first in the OVC. USI is four points back of first with two regular-season games left.
In Thursday’s match, the Screaming Eagles had six shots with a pair on goal. Redshirt junior midfielder Emma Thurston led USI with two shots, including one on goal. In goal, redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland had her second-highest saves total of the season with six saves Thursday, facing 13 shots and eight on goal by Tennessee Tech.
The first 20 minutes of action on Thursday saw both teams look to settle in. Tennessee Tech had the only shot in the 20 minutes, which Markland saved. However, the Golden Eagles found the net to take a 1-0 lead with their second shot in the 22nd minute when a shot just went off the tips of Markland’s gloves and off the crossbar into the goal.
Tennessee Tech became more aggressive with its shooting chances as the first half wore on. Markland snagged a couple of more saves in the middle of the half. Nearly five minutes after Tennessee Tech’s goal, USI graduate midfielder Maggie Duggan had a threatening shot on goal from inside the box that was saved. Despite some attacking pressure by the Screaming Eagles later in the first half, Duggan’s shot wound up being USI’s only shooting attempt in the first 45 minutes, as USI trailed by one at the break.
In the second half, USI was awarded a free kick just past the 53-minute mark. Thurston took a shot looking for a tying goal that just missed above the crossbar and the top-left corner. Thurston had another attempt a few minutes later saved by Tennessee Tech’s goalkeeper.
USI had multiple shots blocked in the middle of the second half in search of an equalizer. While the Screaming Eagles kept pushing to find some momentum in the attacking half, Tennessee Tech’s defense maintained the one-goal lead into the late minutes. Then, with only a minute left, the Golden Eagles added an insurance goal off an initial save by Markland to seal the 2-0 decision.
USI Women’s Soccer closes out its regular-season home schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Lindenwood University, which sits a point in front of USI in the conference standings. 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. Admission to Sunday’s game is free courtesy of ProRehab. Sunday’s match can also be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
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+++++++SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER+++++++
USI EXTENDS UNBEATEN STREAK TO FIVE WITH 1-1 DRAW
MACOMB, Ill.- University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer recorded its first road result of the season with a 1-1 draw against Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, on Thursday afternoon.
The Screaming Eagles extended their unbeaten streak to five games, which ties the longest since the 2019 season. Over the streak, the team has tallied 11 goals, the most in any five-game stretch since returning to Division I.
The Leathernecks came out of the gate hot. They snuck one into the Eagles’ goal less than two minutes into the match. Following the first goal, the two teams battled defensively and held each other scoreless for the rest of the first 45.
At halftime, USI trailed Western Illinois 1-0. The Eagles recorded three shots, all on goal. Sophomore David Davila, along with freshman duo Edin Cvorovic and Joaquin d’Escoto, tallied the team’s shots on goal, but the Leathernecks’ goalkeeper stopped each.
USI came out of the break firing, tying the game in the 58th minute as Cvorovic found Davila in the box for the team’s first goal. The Eagles’ defense stifled the Leathernecks for the entire second half, limiting them to five shots with three on goal.
In the match, USI was outshot 10-8 and 6-5 on goal, while also trailing in corners 7-6. Corovic’s assist to Davila was the only one in the match. Between the posts, freshman Jacob English nabbed a game-high five saves, while only allowing a single goal.
The Eagles continue their road trip in Charleston, Illinois, on Sunday with a matchup against Eastern Illinois University. The team then returns to Strassweg Field on October 25 for Senior Day, when the team hosts OVC-leading Lindenwood University.
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++++++VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER++++++
SOCCER TAKES ON SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SUNDAY
Valparaiso (3-7-3, 0-2-2 MVC)
Sunday, Oct. 19 – at Southern Illinois (9-3-2, 3-2-0 MVC) – 1 p.m.
Next Up in Valpo Soccer: The Valpo soccer team is on the road once again this weekend, traveling to Carbondale, Ill. for a Sunday matchup with Southern Illinois.
Previously: The Beacons dropped an in-state matchup at Indiana State last Sunday by a 3-0 final.
Looking Ahead: Valpo plays its final two home matches of the regular season next week, hosting Belmont Thursday night and Murray State for Senior Day Sunday afternoon.
Following the Beacons: This week’s match will be carried on ESPN+. All home matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+ as part of The Valley on ESPN, while select road fixtures will also have live video available.
Head Coach John Marovich: In his 18th season at the helm of the Valpo program, John Marovich holds a 139-138-52 (.502) record both overall and at Valpo as a head coach. The 2014 Horizon League Coach of the Year and the head of the 2022 MVC Coaching Staff of the Year, Marovich holds Valpo’s all-time records for both victories and winning percentage.
Series Notes: It’s a brief series with a Salukis program which played its first matches in 2019 and played its first MVC matches in the spring of 2021. Valpo owns a 2-1-2 advantage in the all-time series, but the one defeat came last season on Brown Field – a 2-0 SIU victory.
Scouting the Opposition: Southern Illinois enters Sunday’s match with a 9-3-2 overall record this season and sits in a tie for second place in the MVC standings on nine points, having gone 3-2-0 through its first five conference fixtures. The Salukis suffered one of those losses last time out, falling 1-0 at Murray State. 10 different players have combined to net 23 goals for SIU, led by four goals from Dana Nadda. Sophia Schlicklin has a team-best eight goal involvements, with three goals and five assists.
The Senior Scores: Senior Molly O’Rear found the back of the net for the fourth time this season, matching her freshman year total, as she opened the scoring against UNI. O’Rear is tied for fifth among MVC players in goals, tied for the team lead and seventh among MVC players in assists (3) and tied for fourth in points (11). She now has 15 goal involvements for her career – eight goals and seven assists.
Cool as Coleman: Junior Tatum Coleman delivered the assist on O’Rear’s goal versus the Panthers last time out. After going her first two seasons at Valpo without tallying a point, Coleman has five this season with one goal and three assists, the latter tied for team-high honors.
Fit to Be Tied: After entering the final week of September having only drawn two out of their last 37 matches dating back to the 2023 campaign, the Beacons came away with ties in consccutive matches against Illinois State and UIC. It was the first time Valpo has tied back-to-back contests since that 2023 season, when it actually finished with draws in three consecutive MVC fixtures.
Nil-Nil: If it seems like it had been a while since Valpo’s last 0-0 draw prior to its result against Illinois State, you weren’t imagining things. It had been almost two full years since the Beacons’ last scoreless tie – Sept. 28, 2023 against Missouri State. And prior to that, you had to go to Oct. 6, 2022, also against the Redbirds in Normal.
Desiderio Delivers: Freshman Kiara Desiderio continued her standout season at UIC, as the rookie found the back of the net early in the draw with the Flames for her sixth goal of the campaign. Her six goals are good for third in the Valley, are the most of any MVC freshman and are tied for fifth-most nationally by a freshman. She also ranks third among Valley players with 13 points as well.
More on Kiara: Desiderio has been honored twice by the MVC this season, being named MVC Player of the Week Sept. 16 and MVC Freshman of the Week Aug. 26. She was the first Valpo freshman to earn one of the non-freshman weekly awards from the MVC since Nikki Coryell was a two-time Defensive Player of the Week in the spring of 2021 as a rookie. She owns a pair of braces this year, striking for two goals apiece in wins over Western Illinois and Purdue Fort Wayne.
Freshman Scoring Chart: Desiderio’s goal against UIC moved her into a tie for fifth place for goals scored by a freshman in program history, joining Vanesa Abad (2014) with six. Kendall Brown (2005) and Sarah Jewell (2006) share the program record for goals by a freshman with 10, while Lisa Springs (1998) and Rachel Hoaglin (2009) tallied seven goals apiece in their respective rookie campaigns.
A Helping Foot: Martha Goddard, who is tied for team-high honors with three assists, tallied those assists in three consecutive matches Aug. 24-31. The three assists are the most by a Valpo freshman since Cierra Welch tallied three in 2019, while Goddard is the first Valpo player with a helper in three straight contests since Grace Rogers closed out the 2017 season with an assist in each of Valpo’s final three matches.
Quick Starts: Desiderio wasted no time getting on the scoresheet at UIC, finding the back of the net with just 3:34 having ticked off the clock. It was the quickest goal by a Valpo player since Addy Joiner scored 1:42 into the Beacons’ match at Murray State on Oct. 20 last season.
Meanwhile, of Valpo’s five goals in its nonconference finale at Western Illinois, four of them came in quick succession in the first half, as the Beacons found the back of the net in the sixth, eighth, 11th and 20th minutes to put four on the board inside a third of an hour. Valpo set a new program standard for the earliest into a match it has hit the back of the net four times, while it was the quickest Valpo has put three on the board since opening up with three goals in 6:02 at Green Bay Oct. 31, 2014.
A Big Win: The Beacons rolled to a 5-1 victory in their nonconference finale at Western Illinois, the five-goal output the program’s largest since winning by an identical 5-1 scoreline against Chicago State Aug. 31, 2023. It was the program’s largest road win since beating Youngstown State 6-0 Sept. 26, 2015.
A Youthful Side: For the second straight season, the Beacons have the vast majority of minutes being played by underclassmen. 83.0% of the minutes played by field players this year have come from underclassmen, including 42.2% by Valpo’s freshman class.
Weekly Awards: Valpo has three MVC weekly award winners this year, as Desiderio’s pair of honors are joined by Goddard’s Freshman of the Week award Sept. 2. It is the first time Valpo has had multiple different players named MVC Freshman of the Week in the same season since Abby White, Dana Fish and Addy Joiner earned the honor once apiece during the 2021 season – that trio would go on to be instrumental in the 2022 MVC regular season championship side and the 2023 MVC Tournament championship team.
Valley Adjustments: The round-robin Missouri Valley Conference slate has been shortened by one match this season, as with the departure of Missouri State, the MVC has a nine-game conference schedule for its 10 teams. In addition, the conference tournament will feature the top-six teams in the regular season standings, an adjustment from what was previously an eight-team field.
Preseason Honoree: Senior Molly O’Rear represented the Beacons as she earned preseason First Team All-MVC accolades. O’Rear has been a constant presence in the midfield for Valpo over her first three seasons, appearing in 56 matches and making 49 starts while playing a total of 3,579 minutes. She was an MVC All-Freshman Team selection as a rookie in 2022, when she scored four goals and tallied a pair of assists. O’Rear was a vital component of the program’s MVC regular season title in 2022 and the team’s MVC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
Who’s Back: 13 position players and one goalkeeper who saw action in 2024 for Valpo return in 2025, including seven regular starters.
Who’s Gone: The Beacons will need to replace nearly half of their minutes played from last season, most notably the departure of graduate Addy Joiner, who finished her decorated career among the program’s all-time leading goal scorers.
Who’s New: Chomping at the bit to be the next group of Beacons to get Valpo back to among the MVC’s best are 11 newcomers to the roster in 2025. The group of first-year players on Union Street include seven true freshmen and four transfers – three from other Division I programs and one from junior college.
Looking Back at Last Year: The Beacons finished the 2024 campaign with a 4-13-1 overall record, including a win over eventual Horizon League regular season and tournament champion Milwaukee. Beset by injuries, Valpo had 41% of its field minutes played by freshmen during the 2024 season – only one other MVC program had more than 25% of its field player minutes played by freshmen.
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+++++++VALPO WOMEN’S TENNIS+++++++
TENNIS BEGINS ITA MIDWEST REGIONAL
The Valparaiso University tennis team was represented on Thursday, the first day of action at the 2025 ITA Midwest Regional, hosted by the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
How It Happened
Three Beacons played in the opening round of singles qualifying on Thursday. Sophomore Andrea Delgado (Richmond, Texas / Foster [Dallas Baptist]), junior Jolene Fernandes (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and sophomore Lacey Tanner (Fort Pierce, Fla. / Florida Virtual School) all dropped their opening-round matches against the likes of Northern Illinois, Marquette and DePaul. Tanner nearly took a set from the Blue Demons, but lost a lengthy breaker 9-7.
Senior Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Westside) earned an automatic berth in the singles main draw, which will begin on Friday.
Doubles activity is slated to begin Friday as well, with Tanner/Silva facing SIUE, Delgado/Rogers against Western Michigan and Fernandes/Steven clashing with Big Ten foe Wisconsin.
Up Next
The ITA Midwest Regional hosted by Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Ill. continues on Friday at the Atkins Tennis Center. Main draw singles Round of 64 and main draw doubles Round of 64 will occur on Friday.
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+++++++MARIAN FOOTBALL+++++++
GAMEDAY GUIDE: NO. 11 MARIAN HOSTS FRANCISCAN RIVALS NO. 24 SAINT FRANCIS
INDIANAPOLIS – Coming off a two-game road trip and a thrilling shootout win over Taylor last time out, the Marian football team is ready to come home for their conference opener, welcoming in Franciscan rival Saint Francis in the 21st edition of the Franciscan Bowl. The game airs exclusively on the ISC Sports Network this Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
THE RIVALRY
Marian saw a lengthy winning streak against Saint Francis come to an end last year in the upsetting 31-28 defeat at Ascension St. Vincent Field, adding another great chapter in the rivalry. Saturday will be the 21st meeting between the Knights and Cougars, with Marian holding a record of 12-8 in the series, including wins in eight of the last 10 meetings. This year’s game should live up to the hype of the rivalry, with both teams ranked in the NAIA Top-25, as Marian enters No. 11 and Saint Francis at No. 24.
KEY NOTES
Marian is led by their running game, highlighted by the No. 4 rusher in the NAIA Keagan La Belle. La Belle enters the game coming off a 236-yard performance at Taylor. Tristan Polk is playing clean football as Marian’s signal caller, averaging over 230 total yards of offense per game in addition to 17 total touchdowns.
Logan Carrington snagged his fifth interception of the season last week, climbing to No. 6 all-time in program history with nine interceptions. Carrington is second in the NAIA in interceptions this season.
Marian boasts a top-10 scoring offense this year at 46.2 points per game.
Saint Francis has a balanced attack leading to their No. 25 scoring offense, but rely on quarterback Josh Kulka, who is fifth in the NAIA in touchdown passes with 17 this season.
This will be the first MSFA Midwest League game for both the Knights and Cougars
This Saturday sees former Marian offensive coordinator Adam Sherman coach his first Franciscan Bowl matchup as the head coach at Saint Francis. Sherman served as the MU offensive coordinator from 2008-2012, helping Marian to their 2012 NAIA National Championship.
Last week, head coach Ted Karras Jr earned his 70th career victory as a head coach at Marian University
KNIGHTS COME HOME
Since 2015 Marian is undefeated on homecoming, holding a 9-0 record in the annual game. The Knights won their last homecoming game by a high-scoring count of 45-40 against Olivet Nazarene. The Knights racked up 545 yards of offense in last year’s homecoming game.
WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG
Those fans unable to attend Saturday’s game can watch live on the ISC Sports Network, as Scott McCauley and Zach Graves have the call. All home games are televised with six camera angles, and single-game live stream passes cost $9.99. Fans can also purchase a season pass of Marian football at a discounted price on a per-game basis, running at $24.99. Passes for this weekend’s game can be purchased now, while the season pass is live. All home games of the 2025 season can be viewed with the season pass purchase. Live statistics will be available at marianstats.com, and updates of the game will be posted on the Marian Knights and Marian Football Instagram and X pages. Fans can follow at @MUKnights and @MarianUFootball.
TICKETS
Tickets for Saturday’s home-opening game are on sale now, with general admission ticket pricing starting at $10. Be sure to get your ticket ahead of the game to avoid lines entering the stadium.
TAILGATING
Tailgate spots are filling fast for this weekend. Be sure to grab your spot! For any questions, reach out to Nick Torres on the Marian advancement team. Cash parking is available for $10. Lots open at 10:00 a.m.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
During this week’s homecoming game, the Knights will honor their 2025 Wall of Fame inductee class of Lakan Hasser-Smith ’16, Emily Gwaltney ’13, Wes Stowers ’19, and Gar King ’89. These four former Knights will be honored during the M-Club Wall of Fame inductee dinner on Friday night, and then honored at the field during halftime of Saturday’s game.
The Knights’ 2015 NAIA Championship team will also be honored at halftime, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 2025 national championship team.
POSTGAME EVENTS
Following the football game, third-ranked Marian women’s soccer will take on No. 13 Spring Arbor at Ascension St. Vincent Field. Kickoff is currently scheduled for 7:00 p.m.., with the game time likely being adjusted due to rain.
Mass will take place following the game at 4:30 p.m.
WEATHER
Saturday’s forecast looks to be the last hot day of the year, with highs approaching 82 degrees. There is a strong chance of rain following the game, while the presence of weather may loom for a second time this year during a Marian home game.
Kickoff from Saturday is at 1:05 p.m. from Ascension St. Vincent Field, as the Knights and Cougars dust off the longest-played rivalry game in Marian program history.
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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. 17
1948 — The Green Bay Packers intercept seven passes off Bob Waterfield in a 16-0 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
1954 — Adrian Burk of the Philadelphia Eagles passes for seven touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over the Washington Redskins. Burk completes 19 of 27 passes for 232 yards and his longest touchdown pass is 26 yards.
1960 — The National League formally awards franchises to the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc. headed by Joan Payson and a Houston, Texas, group headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, Craig Cullinan and R.E. Smith.
1964 — Quarterback Jerry Rhome is responsible for 56 of Tulsa’s 58 points with seven touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in a 58-0 shutout of Louisville.
1974 — The Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Black Hawks 4-3 at the Capital Centre to earn the first victory in franchise history.
1989 — The Calgary Flames tie an NHL record by scoring two goals, both short-handed, in 4 seconds and also three goals in a 27-second span during the third period to pull into an 8-8 tie with the Quebec Nordiques.
1991 — Paul Coffey of the Pittsburgh Penguins becomes the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history. Coffey gets two assists in an 8-5 victory against the New York Islanders at the Civic Arena, giving him 1,053 career points (309 goals and 744 assists). Coffey passes longtime Islanders star Denis Potvin.
1991 — Angel Cordero Jr. becomes the 3rd jockey to win 7,000 races.
1992 — Jari Kurri of the Los Angeles Kings scores his 500th goal in an 8-6 win over the Boston Bruins. Kurri becomes the first European-trained player and 18th player overall to reach the mark.
2000 — Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 448th career victory as Colorado beats Washington 4-3 in overtime. Roy snaps a tie with Terry Sawchuk, who held the mark since 1970. Sawchuk earned his 447th victory in his 968th game, while Roy wins No. 448 in his 847th game.
2015 — Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, overtaking club legend Raul with his 324th goal in a 3-0 win over Levante.
2015 — Jalen Watts-Jackson scoops up a flubbed punt attempt and lumbers 38 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game, giving No. 7 Michigan State a shocking 27-23 win over No. 12 Michigan at the Big House.
2017 — Boston’s Gordon Hayward breaks his left ankle just five minutes into the season, a grisly injury that overshadows Kyrie Irving’s return to Cleveland and the Cavaliers’ 102-99 win over the shocked Celtics.
2021 — The Chicago Sky defeat the Phoenix Mercury 81-74 to win their first WNBA Championship three games to one. The Sky’s Kahleah Copper is named Finals MVP.
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Oct. 18
1912 — Black boxer Jack Johnson arrested for violating the Mann Act for “transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes” due to his relationship with white woman Lucille Cameron, allegedly a prostitute. Later convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to a year in prison.
1924 — Harold “Red” Grange accounts for six touchdowns in Illinois’ 39-14 win over Michigan. Grange returns the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. He follows with touchdown runs of 66, 55 and 40 yards in the first 12 minutes of the game. Grange later passes for another touchdown and returns another kick for a touchdown.
1953 — Woodley Lewis of the Los Angeles Rams has 120 yards in punt returns, including a 78-yard touchdown return, and 174 yards in kickoff returns in a 31-19 victory over the Detroit Lions.
1968 — Bob Beamon of the United States shatters the world record in the long jump at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Beamon’s leap of 29 feet and 2 1-2 inches betters the mark by one foot, 9 3-4 inches. The previous record, 27-4 3-4, was held by Soviet jumper Igor Ter-Ovanesyan and Ralph Boston.
1969 — Mike Adamle rushes for 316 yards as Northwestern beats Wisconsin 27-7.
1974 — Chicago center Nate Thurmond, in his first game with the Bulls, records the NBA’s first quadruple-double. Thurmon has 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks in the Bulls’ 120-115 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Stadium.
1977 — Reggie Jackson hits three consecutive home runs, all on the first pitch, to lead the New York Yankees to the World Series championship over Los Angeles in six games.
1978 — Dave Gall becomes the first jockey to win eight races during a single program. He rides in 10 consecutive races for the day at Cahokia Downs in Alorton, Ill., finishing second and fifth in his two losing efforts.
1981 — Joe Danelo of the New York Giants kicks six field goals in a 32-0 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
1992 — Miami and Washington are tied for No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 football poll. It’s the first tie at the top in 51 years and the third since the poll started in 1936.
1997 — Willamette’s Liz Heaston, a junior, becomes the first woman to play in a college football game when she kicks two extra points in a 27-0 win over Linfield College in the NAIA.
2002 — New Zealand’s Michael Campbell wins the longest match (43 holes) in World Match Play history in the morning, then defeats Ian Woosnam later in the day to reach the semifinals. Campbell’s 10-foot birdie putt at the seventh sudden-death hole beats Nick Faldo, the longest match in the event’s 39-year history by three holes.
2005 — Boston’s Brian Leetch becomes the seventh defenseman — and 69th player — in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points with a goal and an assist in the Bruins’ 4-3 loss to Montreal.
2009 — Tom Brady, Patriots, throws six touchdown passes — five in one quarter, an NFL mark, in a 59-0 win in the snow against Tennessee.
2013 — Grambling cancels its football game against Jackson State after Grambling’s disgruntled players refuse to travel to Jackson for the game on Oct. 19.
2015 — The Green Bay Packers stop San Diego on fourth-and-goal from the 3 with 15 seconds left and overcome a career day by Philip Rivers to hold off the Chargers 27-20. Rivers sets career highs with 43 completions, 65 attempts and 503 yards passing with two touchdowns.
2016 — Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa became the 44th NHL player to reach 500 career goals. The 37-year-old Hossa slid a power-play backhander through the legs of Philadelphia goaltender Michal Neuvirth at 5:04 of the second period, giving the Blackhawks a 4-0 lead. Chicago won 7-4.
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Oct. 19
1940 — Alabama snaps Tennessee’s defensive scoreless streak of 71 quarters but still loses 27-12. Tennessee hadn’t allowed a point since Oct. 29, 1938, when it beat LSU 14-6.
1957 — Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadians scores his 500th career goal in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks.
1960 — After 13 years in Minneapolis, the Lakers opened their inaugural season in Los Angeles with a 140-123 loss at Cincinnati.
1966 — Bobby Orr makes his NHL regular season debut for the Boston Bruins.
1985 — Robbie Bosco of Brigham Young passes for 585 yards in a 45-23 victory over New Mexico.
1985 — Dale Klein of Nebraska ties an NCAA record with seven field goals in a 28-20 victory over Missouri.
1986 — Lloyd Burruss of Kansas City intercepts three passes and returns two for touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a 42-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers.
1994 — Duke beats North Carolina 3-2 in women’s soccer to end the Tar Heels’ unbeaten streak of 101 games.
1997 — Pittsburgh goaltender Tom Barrasso makes 22 saves to earn his 300th career victory with a 4-1 win over Florida. Barrasso becomes the first American-born goaltender and 13th overall to record 300 wins.
1997 — Sandy Alomar of the Cleveland Indians hits the 700th World Series home run.
2002 — Avon Cobourne becomes the fifth Division I-A rusher with four 1,000-yard seasons as West Virginia beats Syracuse 34-7. Cobourne has 108 yards in the game for 1,002 yards this season.
2012 — The National Hockey League announces the cancellation of the 2012-13 regular-season schedule through November 1. A total of 135 regular-season games are now lost from Oct. 11 through Nov. 1.
2014 — Peyton Manning breaks Brett Favre’s NFL record of 508 career touchdown passes and he throws four TD passes in Denver’s 42-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The record-breaker was an 8-yarder to Demaryius Thomas with 3:09 left in the first half. Manning reaches the milestone in his 246th regular-season game. Favre needed 302.
2014 — DeMarco Murray becomes the first running back in NFL history to start a season with seven straight 100-yard games in a 31-21 win over the New York Giants. Murray, with 128 yards and a touchdown, breaks Hall of Famer Jim Brown’s 56-year-old record.
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Oct. 20
1923 — Zev, winner of the 1923 Kentucky Derby, beats England’s Papyrus, winner of the 1923 Epsom Derby, in a $100,000 match race at Belmont Park. The race, the International Special, marks the first time an English champion is sent to the U.S. to race. The race is so popular that it is broadcast on the radio, a first.
1944 — Michigan State and Maryland attempt one pass, the fewest in college football history. The Terrapins threw the pass, while the Spartans did not attempt a pass and Michigan State wins the game 8-0 in College Park, Md.
1963 — Jim Brown sets NFL single-season rushing record, 1,863 yds.
1963 — Clem Daniels of the Oakland Raiders rushes for 200 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-26 victory over the New York Jets.
1968 — American Dick Fosbury using his unconventional technique wins the men’s high jump gold medal at the Mexico City Olympics; “Fosbury Flop” becomes accepted as the most efficient technique.
1972 — The Buffalo Braves score an NBA record 58 points in the fourth quarter, but still lose to the Celtics at Boston Garden, 126-118.
1976 — The Philadelphia 76ers acquire Julius Erving from the New York Nets for $3 million.
1984 — Rueben Mayes of Washington State rushes for 216 yards and scores four touchdowns to overcome a 28-7 halftime deficit and lead the Cougars to a 49-42 victory over Stanford.
1994 — George McCandless, 83, becomes the oldest harness driver to win a pari-mutuel race when he guides Kehm’s Scooter to victory in the fourth race at Freehold (N.J.) Raceway.
2004 — Just three outs from getting swept in the AL championship series three nights earlier, the Boston Red Sox finally beat the New York Yankees, winning Game 7 in a 10-3 shocker to become the first major league team to overcome a 3-0 postseason series deficit.
2010 — Vancouver enforcer Rick Rypien is suspended indefinitely, pending a hearing, for grabbing a fan in the Canucks’ loss in Minnesota on Oct. 19. The NHL later sentences Rypien to a six-game suspension.
2012 — Kasey Carrier of New Mexico sets a Mountain West Conference record 338 yards rushing and has three TDs in a 28-23 loss to Air Force.
2013 — Tim Cahill scores the fastest goal in MLS history, and the New York Red Bulls beat the Houston Dynamo 3-0. Cahill puts New York ahead 8 seconds into the game. The previous fastest goal in MLS history was Dwayne De Rosario’s score 11 seconds into a 2003 game.
2016 — Nneka Ogwumike’s short jumper with 3.1 seconds left gives the Los Angeles Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx for their first title in 14 years in the deciding game of the WNBA Finals.
2024 — The New York Liberty win their first WNBA Championship with a 67-62 OT victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5; MVP: NYL C Jonquel Jones.
Oct. 21
1950 — Tom Powers of Duke scores six touchdowns — three rushing, three receiving — in a 41-0 victory over Richmond.
1956 — Billy Howton of the Green Bay Packers catches seven passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-17 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
1961 — Eddie Arcaro wins the Jockey Club Gold Cup for a record 10th time. His mount, Kelso, wins his second straight Gold Cup.
1967 — The expansion Seattle SuperSonics win their first NBA game, a 117-110 overtime victory over San Diego.
1973 — Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams becomes the first NFL player to record two safeties in a 24-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
1975 — Carlton Fisk breaks up a thrilling contest with a homer in the 12th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds and force a seventh game in the World Series.
1979 — Chicago Bulls guard Sam Smith scores the first 4-point play in NBA history during a 113-111 loss to the Bucks at Milwaukee.
1980 — The Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series for the first time in their 98-year history, defeating the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in six games.
1998 — The New York Yankees win 3-0 at San Diego, sweeping the Padres for their record 24th World Series championship.
2006 — Two rookie pitchers start the World Series for the first time. Anthony Reyes pitches into the ninth inning to help St. Louis cruise past Detroit and Justin Verlander 7-2 in Game 1.
2006 — Michigan State rallies from a 35-point, third-quarter deficit to beat Northwestern 41-38 in the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I-A history. Brett Swenson kicks the winning 28-yard field goal with 13 seconds left following an interception by Travis Key.
2007 — Rob Bironas kicks an NFL-record eight field goals, the last a 29-yarder with no time left to give Tennessee a 38-36 win over Houston. Bironas adds two extra points to set the NFL record for most points by a kicker, with 26. The Texans, trailing 32-7, survive backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels’ four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. Rosenfels’ fourth touchdown pass, a 53-yarder to Andre’ Davis to put Houston up 36-35 with 57 seconds to play, ties an NFL record.
2007 — New England’s Tom Brady passes for 354 yards and a team-record six touchdowns in a 49-28 victory over Miami.
2012 — Tamika Catchings scores 25 points to help the Indiana Fever win their first WNBA title with an 87-78 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.
2015 — Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets finish a playoff sweep of the Chicago Cubs with an 8-3 victory to reach the World Series. Murphy homers for a record sixth consecutive postseason game.
2017 — Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov extend their season-opening points streaks to nine games, sending the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1.
_____
Oct. 22
1933 — Primo Carnera retains the world heavyweight title with a 15-round decision over Paolino Uzcudun in Rome.
1950 — The Los Angeles Rams beat the Baltimore Colts 70-27.
1961 — Erich Barnes of the New York Giants ties an NFL record by returning an interception 102 yards for a touchdown in a 17-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
1966 — Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins scores his first goal.
1975 — The 10-team World Football League, citing lack of television and season ticket support, disbands before the 12th week of a 20-week season.
1975 — The Cincinnati Reds beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-3 at Fenway Park Four games to three to win the World Series.
1976 — Twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale play together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first and only pair of brothers to play for the same NBA club.
1984 — Future Pro Football HOF quarterback Ken Stabler retires after 17 seasons in the NFL with Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints.
1994 — Alcorn State’s Steve McNair becomes the NCAA’s career yardage leader with 15,049, surpassing the old mark set by Brigham Young’s Ty Detmer, who had 14,665. McNair’s 649 yards also breaks his own Division I-AA single-game record as he leads the Braves to a 41-37 win over Southern.
2000 — Bengals running back Corey Dillon rushes for an NFL single-game record 278 yards in a 31-21 victory over the Denver Broncos. Dillon betters Walter Payton’s 27-year-old mark by three yards.
2001 — New York routs Seattle 12-3 in Game 5 to win the AL pennant for the 38th time. The Yankees become the first team since their predecessors in 1960-64 to win four straight pennants.
2005 — Mount Union drops a regular-season game for the first time since 1994, losing 21-14 to Ohio Northern in a Division III matchup. The Purple Raiders, winners of 110 straight regular-season games, had not lost a regular-season game since they were beaten 23-10 by Baldwin-Wallace on Oct. 15, 1994.
2012 — Lance Armstrong is stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling’s governing body following a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accuses him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.
2014 — Serena Williams is routed 6-0, 6-2 by Simona Halep in the WTA Finals round-robin, one of the most one-sided losses in the 18-time Grand Slam champion’s career. The last time Williams managed to win just two games in a WTA Tour or Grand Slam match was in 1998 when she was 16.
2016 — Kyle Hendricks outpitches Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras homers early and the Chicago Cubs won their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.
2016 — Baker Mayfield has seven touchdown passes and 545 yards to help No. 16 Oklahoma beat Texas Tech 66-59 in the game that breaks the NCAA record for combined offensive yards with 1,708 yards.
2016 — Leonard Fournette breaks LSU’s single-game rushing record on just his first eight carries as the No. 25 Tigers beat No. 23 Mississippi 38-21. Fournette finishes with 284 yards rushing in his first action since aggravating a left ankle injury on Sept. 24. He averages 17.8 yards on 16 carries and his touchdowns go for 78, 76 and 59 yards.
2017 — The Phoenix Suns fire coach Earl Watson just three games in to the NBA season.
2020 — The National Hockey League announced the annual NHL All Star Game and Skills Competition would be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2024 — LeBron and Bronny James become the first father-son duo in NBA history to appear in a game together as L.A. Lakers beat Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103.
_____
Oct. 23
1921 — Green Bay Packers play 1st APFA (forerunner to NFL) game; beat Minneapolis Marines, 7-6 at Hagemeister Park, Green Bay, Wis.
1945 — Jackie Robinson signs a contract with the Montreal Royals, minor league farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1949 — Don Doll of the Detroit Lions intercepts four passes in a 24-7 victory over the Chicago Cardinals.
1960 — Jim Martin of Detroit becomes the first kicker to kick two field goals over 50 yards in a game as the Lions beat the Baltimore Colts 30-17.
1964 — Joe Frazier dominates German Hans Huber for an easy points win to capture the boxing heavyweight gold medal in Tokyo.
1971 — Greg Pruitt rushes for 294 yards on 19 carries to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to an NCAA record 711 yards rushing and a 75-28 pounding of Kansas State.
1976 — Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett rushes for 180 yards in a 45-0 rout over Navy to become the top career rusher in NCAA history with 5,206 yards.
1988 — Dan Marino passes for 521 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions as the Miami Dolphins lose to the New York Jets 44-30. Marino completes 35 of 60 passes as he produces the second-best single-game total yardage in NFL history.
1993 — The Toronto Maple Leafs break the NHL record for most victories at the start of the season, winning their ninth straight game by beating the second-year Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0.
1999 — Florida State’s Bobby Bowden gets his 300th win with a 17-14 win over his son, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. With the victory Bowden joins Bear Bryant, Pop Warner, Joe Paterno and Amos Alonzo Stagg as the only major college coaches to reach 300 victories.
2000 — The New York Jets, trailing 30-7 at the end of the third quarter, come back to beat the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime on Monday night. The Jets score four touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
2005 — San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson is held to a career-low 7 yards rushing on 17 carries and fails to score in the Chargers’ 20-17 loss at Philadelphia, ending his NFL record-tying streak of games with a touchdown at 18.
2008 — Carolina’s Brandon Sutter gives one of hockey’s most famous families another milestone, scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh. The 19-year-old Sutter, son of New Jersey Devils coach Brent Sutter, is the ninth member of the Sutter family to play in the NHL.
2011 — Tim Tebow rallies the Broncos for two touchdowns in the final 2:44 of the fourth quarter to force overtime, and Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal gives Denver an improbable 18-15 victory over the stunned Miami Dolphins. The Broncos appeared beaten when they trailed 15-0 with 5:23 left and took over at their 20.
2016 — Jay Ajayi ties an NFL record by surpassing 200 yards rushing for the second game in a row, helping the Miami Dolphins rally past the Buffalo Bills 28-25. Ajayi rushes for 214 yards in 29 carries after totaling 204 yards a week earlier in a win over Pittsburgh.
2019 — All Star point guard Kyrie Irving pours in 50 points, setting a new NBA record for points on debut with a new team as his Brooklyn Nets go down 127-126 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
____________________________________________________________________________
+++TV SPORTS+++
(ALL TIMES EASTERN)
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND/OR BLACKOUTS
_____
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
