“THE SCOREBOARD”
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 4 SCHEDULE
ALEXANDRIA (2-1) AT MISSISSINEWA (2-1)
ANGOLA (2-1) AT GARRETT (0-3)
AVON (3-0) AT BROWNSBURG (3-0)
BATESVILLE (3-0) AT RUSHVILLE (0-3)
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (2-1) AT NEW ALBANY (1-2)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, 54-0.
BEECH GROVE (3-0) AT TRITON CENTRAL (1-2)
BLACKFORD (1-2) AT EASTBROOK (1-2)
BLOOMINGTON NORTH (2-1) AT MOORESVILLE (2-1)
BOONE GROVE (1-2) AT GRIFFITH (3-0)
BOONVILLE (3-0) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-2)
BREBEUF JESUIT (2-1) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (2-1)
BROWN COUNTY (1-2) AT NORTH DECATUR (1-2)
BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (3-0) AT SALEM (1-2)
BYRON CENTER (MICH.) AT HAMMOND MORTON (1-2)
CALUMET CHRISTIAN AT WHITING (1-2)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-3) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE (1-1)
CARROLL (FLORA) (2-1) AT DELPHI (1-2)
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (2-1) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (3-0)
CASCADE (2-1) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (1-2)
CENTER GROVE (2-1) AT BEN DAVIS (2-1)
CHESTERTON (2-1) AT LAPORTE (1-2)
CLARKSVILLE (3-0) AT PROVIDENCE (0-3)
CLOVERDALE (2-1) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (2-1)
CORYDON CENTRAL (1-2) AT SCOTTSBURG (2-1)
COVENANT CHRISTIAN (2-1) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (0-3)
COVINGTON (1-2) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (0-3)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-3) AT SOUTH DECATUR (1-2)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (2-1) AT NORTH PUTNAM (1-2)
CULVER (1-2) AT WINAMAC (2-1)
CULVER ACADEMY (1-2) AT MCCUTCHEON (1-2)
DECATUR CENTRAL (2-1) AT MARTINSVILLE (0-3)
DEKALB (3-0) AT EAST NOBLE (3-0)
DELTA (1-2) AT YORKTOWN (2-1)
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (0-3) AT BOWMAN ACADEMY (1-1)
EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (3-0) AT TAYLOR (0-3)
EASTERN (PEKIN) (0-3) AT EDINBURGH (1-2)
EASTERN HANCOCK (3-0) AT NEW CASTLE (1-2)
EASTSIDE (3-0) AT FREMONT (3-0)
ELKHART (2-1) AT SOUTH BEND RILEY (1-2)
EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-3) AT CASTLE (2-1)
EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (3-0) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (3-0)
EVANSVILLE REITZ (3-0) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (1-2)
FAIRFIELD (2-1) AT LAKELAND (1-2)
FISHERS (0-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (1-2)
FLOYD CENTRAL (3-0) AT SEYMOUR (0-3)
FOREST PARK (3-0) AT TECUMSEH (2-1)
FORT WAYNE NORTH (1-2) AT FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (1-2)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (1-2) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-3)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-2) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (0-3)
FRANKLIN (2-1) AT WHITELAND (0-3)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (1-2) AT ZIONSVILLE (2-1)
FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-0) AT EAST CENTRAL (2-1)
FRANKTON (0-3) AT OAK HILL (0-3)
FRONTIER (1-2) AT FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-2)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (2-1) AT HENDERSON COUNTY (KY.)
GOSHEN (1-2) AT CONCORD (2-1)
GREENSBURG (2-1) AT LAWRENCEBURG (2-1)
HAMILTON HEIGHTS (0-3) AT TIPTON (3-0)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-1) AT WHEELER (3-0)
HANOVER CENTRAL (3-0) AT LOWELL (1-2)
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (1-2) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (1-2)
HENRYVILLE (0-2) AT TRINITY LUTHERAN (2-1)
HERITAGE HILLS (2-1) AT SOUTHRIDGE (1-2)
HIGHLAND (1-2) AT CALUMET (2-1)
HOMESTEAD (2-1) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (1-1)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (2-1) AT COLUMBIA CITY (2-1)
INDIAN CREEK (3-0) AT MONROVIA (1-2)
INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (0-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (2-1)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (1-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (3-0)
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (3-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (0-3)
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (1-2) AT ANDERSON (0-3)
INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-2) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (3-0)
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (2-1) AT PARK TUDOR (1-2)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (0-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH (0-3)
JASPER (1-2) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-3)
JAY COUNTY (2-1) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (2-1)
JENNINGS COUNTY (2-1) AT COLUMBUS EAST (1-2)
JIMTOWN (1-2) AT JOHN GLENN (1-2)
KANKAKEE VALLEY (0-3) AT HOBART (3-0)
KNIGHTSTOWN (2-1) AT UNION CITY (0-3)
KOKOMO (0-3) AT JEFFERSONVILLE (1-2)
LAKE CENTRAL (1-2) AT CROWN POINT (3-0)
LAKE STATION (1-2) AT WEST CENTRAL (2-1)
LAPEL (3-0) AT CENTERVILLE (1-2)
LAVILLE (1-2) AT BREMEN (3-0)
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (1-2) AT WARREN CENTRAL (3-0)
LEO (2-1) AT NEW HAVEN (0-3)
LEWIS CASS (1-2) AT MANCHESTER (1-2)
LOGANSPORT (3-0) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (2-1)
MACONAQUAH (3-0) AT WHITKO (0-3)
MADISON-GRANT (3-0) AT ELWOOD (1-2)
MARION (0-3) AT LEBANON (2-1)
MERRILLVILLE (2-1) AT PORTAGE (0-3)
MILAN (2-1) AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (1-2)
MISHAWAKA (2-1) AT WARSAW (3-0)
MITCHELL (0-3) AT EASTERN GREENE (1-2)
MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (0-3) AT SOUTH SPENCER (0-3)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (2-1) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (3-0)
MUNSTER (1-2) AT ANDREAN (2-1)
NEW PALESTINE (2-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (2-1)
NEW PRAIRIE (0-3) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (2-1)
NOBLESVILLE HOMESCHOOL AT PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (2-1)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (1-2) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (2-1)
NORTH DAVIESS (3-0) AT PIKE CENTRAL (0-3)
NORTH HARRISON (0-3) AT CHARLESTOWN (2-1)
NORTH MIAMI (1-2) AT NORTH JUDSON (3-0)
NORTH POSEY (3-0) AT TELL CITY (3-0)
NORTH WHITE (1-2) AT TRI-COUNTY (0-3)
NORTHEASTERN (1-2) AT WINCHESTER (1-2)
NORTHVIEW (3-0) AT WEST VIGO (0-3)
NORTHWOOD (1-2) AT PLYMOUTH (1-2)
NORWELL (2-1) AT BELLMONT (0-3)
OWEN VALLEY (2-1) AT EDGEWOOD (1-2)
PARKE HERITAGE (2-1) AT ATTICA (1-2)
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (3-0) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (1-2)
PERRY CENTRAL (1-2) AT PAOLI (1-2)
PERU (2-1) AT NORTHWESTERN (2-1)
PHALEN ACADEMY AT FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-2)
PIKE (0-3) AT CARMEL (1-2)
PIONEER (3-0) AT CASTON (3-0)
PLAINFIELD (2-1) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (2-1)
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-3) AT CHURUBUSCO (0-3)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (3-0) AT NORTH KNOX (1-2)
RIVER FOREST (1-2) AT GARY WEST (2-0)
RIVERTON PARKE (3-0) AT SEEGER (2-1)
ROCHESTER (2-1) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (3-0)
SHELBYVILLE (2-1) AT TRI-WEST (2-1)
SHENANDOAH (0-3) AT CONNERSVILLE (1-2)
SHERIDAN (1-2) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (2-1)
SILVER CREEK (1-2) AT MADISON (2-1)
SOUTH ADAMS (1-2) AT HERITAGE (3-0)
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-0) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (1-2)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (0-3) AT PENN (3-0)
SOUTH DEARBORN (1-2) AT RICHMOND (1-2)
SOUTH VERMILLION (1-2) AT NORTH VERMILLION (1-2)
SOUTHERN WELLS (1-2) AT WES-DEL (3-0)
SOUTHMONT (2-1) AT FRANKFORT (0-3)
SOUTHPORT (1-2) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-3)
SOUTHWOOD (0-3) AT NORTHFIELD (1-2)
SPEEDWAY (3-0) AT GREENWOOD (1-2)
SULLIVAN (2-1) AT LINTON (0-3)
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (2-1) AT DANVILLE (3-0)
TIPPECANOE VALLEY (2-1) AT KNOX (0-3)
TRI (2-1) AT MONROE CENTRAL (2-1)
TRI-CENTRAL (0-3) AT NORTH NEWTON (1-2)
TRITON (0-3) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-3)
TWIN LAKES (3-0) AT BENTON CENTRAL (0-3)
UNION COUNTY (1-2) AT HAGERSTOWN (3-0)
VALPARAISO (2-1) AT MICHIGAN CITY (0-3)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (2-1) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (3-0)
WASHINGTON (0-3) AT PRINCETON (1-2)
WAWASEE (0-3) AT NORTHRIDGE (3-0)
WEST LAFAYETTE (0-3) AT WESTERN (0-3)
WEST NOBLE (2-1) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (1-2)
WEST WASHINGTON (2-1) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (2-1)
WESTERN BOONE (1-2) AT GREENCASTLE (1-2)
WESTFIELD (3-0) AT NOBLESVILLE (2-1)
WOODLAN (2-1) AT BLUFFTON (3-0)
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
WEDNESDAY SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=9/9/2026
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER
WEDNESDAY SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=9/9/2026
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER
WEDNESDAY SCORES:https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=9/9/2026
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/cross-country
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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/girls/cross-country
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INDIANA BOYS TENNIS
https://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/tennis
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INDIANA GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
WEDNESDAY SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/flag-football/girls/scores/?date=9/9/2026
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
METS 15, MARLINS 14
RAYS 7, BRAVES 2
BREWERS 8, CUBS 6
DODGERS 14, REDS 1
ROYALS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2
PHILLIES 11, ASTROS 7
YANKEES 6, ROCKIES 1
TIGERS 7, TWINS 2
MARINERS 3, RANGERS 2
ATHLETICS 2, BLUE JAYS 0
ORIOLES 9, GUARDIANS 5
PIRATES 4, WHITE SOX 2
GIANTS 7, CARDINALS 6
PADRES 9, NATIONALS 2
ANGELS 6, RED SOX 4
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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
INDIANAPOLIS 9 OMAHA 1
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WNBA SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER SCOREBOARD
ORLANDO CITY 3 ATLANTA 2
CHARLOTTE 2 MONTREAL 1
DC UNITED 2 COLUMBUS 1
TORONTO 2 NASHVILLE 1
PHILADELPHIA 5 CINCINNATI 0
NEW ENGLAND 2 NY CITY 1
AUSTIN 1 COLORADO 1
CHICAGO 1 MIAMI 1
HOUSTON 2 SALT LAKE 1
DALLAS 2 MINNESOTA 1
LAFC 2 NY RED BULLS 0
PORTLAND 2 ST. LOUIS 2
SAN JOSE 3 SAN DIEGO 2
VANCOUVER 3 LA GALAXY 0
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10
FLORIDA A&M AT MIAMI | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11
VILLANOVA AT LOUISVILLE | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORFOLK STATE AT VIRGINIA | 7 P.M. | ACCNX
RICHMOND AT NC STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
RUTGERS AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
MISSOURI AT KANSAS | 8 P.M. | FOX
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12
OREGON AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN/DISNEY+
HOWARD AT INDIANA | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
ARIZONA STATE AT TEXAS A&M | 12 P.M. | ABC
OKLAHOMA AT MICHIGAN | 12 P.M. | FOX
PENN STATE AT TEMPLE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
WASHINGTON STATE AT KANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | TNT
EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OLD DOMINION AT VIRGINIA TECH | 12 P.M. | CW
WAKE FOREST AT PURDUE | 12 P.M. | FS1
SOUTH FLORIDA AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
APPALACHIAN STATE AT EAST CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
WOFFORD AT KENT STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
DICKINSON (PA) AT DAVIDSON | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
MARIST AT LAFAYETTE | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT GEORGIA | 12:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UT MARTIN AT WEST VIRGINIA | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
COLGATE AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
BUCKNELL AT VMI | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
STONY BROOK AT BALL STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
DUQUESNE AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WILLIAM & MARY AT LEHIGH | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
DRAKE AT UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
UTAH TECH AT MONTANA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
RICE AT NOTRE DAME | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
ALABAMA AT KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ABC/DISNEY+
ARIZONA AT BYU | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
UTAH STATE AT WASHINGTON | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT MINNESOTA | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
WEBER STATE AT COLORADO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UCF AT PITT | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN2
CAL AT SYRACUSE | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
DUKE AT ILLINOIS | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
EASTERN MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
MARYLAND AT UCONN | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
UTSA AT TEXAS STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CW
UL MONROE AT UAB | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ROBERT MORRIS AT AKRON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AT TOLEDO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SACRED HEART AT UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
WAGNER AT JAMES MADISON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UNLV AT NORTH TEXAS | 3:45 P.M. | ESPNU
UC DAVIS AT SMU | 4 P.M. | ACCNX
NORTHERN COLORADO AT WYOMING | 4 P.M. | MW+
MERCYHURST AT NEW MEXICO | 4 P.M. | MW+
ALABAMA STATE AT TROY | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
LAMAR AT IDAHO | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
DELAWARE AT VANDERBILT | 4:15 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
MOREHEAD STATE AT AUSTIN PEAY | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
UIW AT NORTHERN ARIZONA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
CAMPBELL AT FLORIDA | 5:30 P.M. | SECN+
MEMPHIS AT BOISE STATE | 6 P.M. | USA NETWORK
BUFFALO AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT OHIO | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB AT LIBERTY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SAN DIEGO AT IDAHO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA AT EASTERN KENTUCKY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT THE CITADEL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FRANKLIN AT BUTLER | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FURMAN AT MERCER | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MONMOUTH AT WESTERN MICHIGAN | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE AT GEORGIA TECH | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTHERN AT HOUSTON | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TOWSON AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 7 P.M. | SECN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT CINCINNATI | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN AT NEBRASKA | 7 P.M. | FS1
SOUTHERN UTAH AT COLORADO STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
TULSA AT SAM HOUSTON | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ILLINOIS STATE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 7 P.M. | MW+
SOUTH ALABAMA AT TULANE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WEST GEORGIA AT ARKANSAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA STATE AT KENNESAW STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT MARSHALL | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
LINDENWOOD AT MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
INDIANA STATE AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
VALPARAISO AT MURRAY STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH ALABAMA AT SE LOUISIANA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE AT MCNEESE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UT RIO GRAND VALLEY AT NICHOLLS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT TENNESSEE TECH | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT EAST TEXAS A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS BAPTIST AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW HAVEN AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SAN DIEGO STATE AT UCLA | 7:15 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT WISCONSIN | 7:15 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
OHIO STATE AT TEXAS | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
LOUISIANA TECH AT LSU | 7:30 P.M. | SECN+
TEXAS TECH AT OREGON STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
IOWA STATE AT IOWA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT CLEMSON | 7:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NAVY AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
FORDHAM AT COASTAL CAROLINA | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
CHARLOTTE AT OLE MISS | 7:45 P.M. | ESPN2
SOUTHERN MISS AT AUBURN | 7:45 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT BAYLOR | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
GRAMBLING AT TCU | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS SOUTHERN AT UTEP | 9 P.M. | MW+
CAL POLY AT SAN JOSE STATE | 9 P.M. | MW+
NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT AIR FORCE | 10 P.M. | FS1
NORTH DAKOTA AT PORTLAND STATE | 10 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS AT UTAH | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN
SACRAMENTO STATE AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MONTANA STATE AT NEVADA | 10:30 P.M. | CW
LOUISIANA AT USC | 11 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NEW MEXICO STATE AT HAWAI’I | 11:59 P.M. | MW+
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NFL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
SEATTLE 13 NEW ENGLAND 10
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
49ERS @ RAMS 8:35 PM NETFLIX MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026
BEARS @ PANTHERS 1:00 PM FOX BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM, CHARLOTTE
BUCCANEERS @ BENGALS 1:00 PM FOX PAYCOR STADIUM, CINCINNATI
SAINTS @ LIONS 1:00 PM FOX FORD FIELD, DETROIT
FALCONS @ STEELERS 1:00 PM FOX ACRISURE STADIUM, PITTSBURGH
BILLS @ TEXANS 1:00 PM CBS NRG STADIUM, HOUSTON
RAVENS @ COLTS 1:00 PM CBS LUCAS OIL STADIUM, INDIANAPOLIS
BROWNS @ JAGUARS 1:00 PM CBS EVERBANK STADIUM, JACKSONVILLE
JETS @ TITANS 1:00 PM CBS NISSAN STADIUM, NASHVILLE
DOLPHINS @ RAIDERS 4:25 PM FOX ALLEGIANT STADIUM, LAS VEGAS
COMMANDERS @ EAGLES 4:25 PM FOX LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD, PHILADELPHIA
CARDINALS @ CHARGERS 4:25 PM CBS SOFI STADIUM, INGLEWOOD
PACKERS @ VIKINGS 4:25 PM CBS U.S. BANK STADIUM, MINNEAPOLIS
COWBOYS @ GIANTS 8:20 PM NBC / PEACOCK METLIFE STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026
BRONCOS @ CHIEFS 8:15 PM ESPN / ABC GEHA FIELD AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM, KANSAS CITY
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TV / TIME (ET)
WEEK 1 THU, AUG 13 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOCAL (7:30 PM)
WEEK 2 SAT, AUG 22 VS. ATLANTA FALCONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
WEEK 3 SAT, AUG 29 VS. DETROIT LIONS LOCAL (1:00 PM)
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2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV / STREAMING
1 SUN, SEPT 13 VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00 PM CBS
2 SUN, SEPT 20 @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 8:20 PM NBC
3 SUN, SEPT 27 VS. HOUSTON TEXANS 1:00 PM CBS
4 SUN, OCT 4 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 9:30 AM NFL NET
5 SUN, OCT 11 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00 PM CBS
6 SUN, OCT 18 VS. TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM FOX
7 SUN, OCT 25 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS 1:00 PM CBS
8 SUN, NOV 1 @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00 PM CBS
9 SUN, NOV 8 VS. DALLAS COWBOYS 1:00 PM FOX
10 SUN, NOV 15 VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00 PM CBS
11 THU, NOV 19 @ HOUSTON TEXANS 8:15 PM PRIME VIDEO
12 SUN, NOV 29 VS. NEW YORK GIANTS 1:00 PM FOX
13 BYE WEEK
14 SUN, DEC 13 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00 PM FOX
15 SUN, DEC 20 @ TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM CBS
16 TBD – FLEX VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS TBD TBD
17 SUN, JAN 3 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00 PM FOX
18 TBD – FLEX GAME VS. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TBD TBD
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SEAHAWKS RALLY FOR 13-10 WIN BEHIND BACKUP, PRESSURE PATS INTO LATE PANIC
Josh Jobe intercepted Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the end zone with 21 seconds remaining as the Seahawks beat New England 13-10 in a Super Bowl rematch Wednesday night in Seattle.
Seattle picked off Maye on New England’s final three possessions to overcome a 10-0 deficit and the early exit of starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
Well within the field-goal range of Andy Borregales, who connected on a 50-yarder earlier in the game, the Patriots went for the win in the final minute rather than taking the game to overtime. New England converted on fourth down twice on the final drive. Maye hit wide receiver Mack Hollins for 11 yards on fourth-and-9 on the first play after the two-minute warning to move the chains, after the QB ran for 5 yards on fourth-and-2 earlier in the possession.
His third-and-5 toss was underthrown, and Jobe was in front of Hollins one step into the end zone.
Backup quarterback Drew Lock helped save the day for Seattle. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The Seahawks turned the tide in the fourth quarter with three interceptions and three sacks of Maye, who was rarely pressured in the first half. His first gamble of the game early in the fourth quarter was a deep pass intended for Romeo Doubs that was tipped in the air and intercepted by Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett.
Seattle turned the first takeaway of the game into points when Lock hooked up with Smith-Njigba on a short fourth-down completion. A play-fake froze the Patriots’ defense, and Lock fired to Smith-Njigba for a short gain, and the receiver turned upfield to open turf to do the rest for a game-tying 45-yard touchdown with 11:28 to play.
On the ensuing possession, Maye tried to go deep over the middle, but safety Julian Love leapt in front of wide receiver DeMario Douglas for another pick. The play came after Doubs dropped a pass for what would have been a clear first down on a crossing route.
The Seahawks drove inside the New England 5, but two incompletions and a delay-of-game penalty led to Seattle settling for a chip-shot field goal from Jason Myers with just under six minutes left in the game.
The Patriots lost wide receiver A.J. Brown to a right ankle injury early on their first drive in the third quarter.
Five plays into their title defense, Seattle had its script shredded. Darnold left the game with a hip injury after being dragged down for a sack by Dre’Mont Jones and didn’t return.
Seahawks first-time play-caller Brian Fleury was caught in the whirlwind with Lock, who played 38 total snaps last season, pushed into the primetime spotlight. Fleury was hired after Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
With the Seahawks trailing 10-0 and 5:30 left in the third quarter, Lock floated a pass down the right sideline to Cooper Kupp for the longest gain of the game to that point, a 24-yarder. Kupp adjusted to the underthrown pass and hauled it in with his right arm. Three plays later, Lock zipped a quick slant pass to his left and found Kupp for an apparent 7-yard TD, but it was negated by an illegal shift.
The Seahawks settled for a 30-yard field goal by Myers and trailed 10-3 with 3:13 left in the third quarter.
Maye finished 23 of 33 for 178 yards, one touchdown and the three picks.
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GAME CAPSULES
SAN FRANCISCO VS. LA RAMS
Thursday, September 10, 2026 | 8:35 PM ET | 10:35 AM AET (Friday)
Regular Season: SF leads series, 78-71-3 (LAR won 4 of past 5) Last meeting: 11/9/25: LAR 42 at SF 26
49ERS NOTES:
49ers made 4th playoff appearance in past 5 years last season.
• QB BROCK PURDY passed for 2,167 yards & 20 TDs in 9 games last year &
totaled 147 rush yards & 3 TDs. Had TD pass in 8 of his 9 games in 2025 &
threw for 295+ pass yards in 3 of his last 4 last season.
• RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY finished 2nd with 2,126 scrimmage yards (1,202
rush, 924 rec.) & 3rd with 17 TDs (10 rush, 7 rec.) in 2025 & became 6th player
since 1990 with 2,000+ scrimmage yards in 3 career seasons. Is 1 of 2 (HOFer
LaDanian Tomlinson) with 3 seasons with 2,000+ scrimmage yards & 15+ TDs.
Has 95+ scrimmage yards in all 6 career games vs. LAR. & has TD in 3 of his
last 4 vs. LAR.
• WR MIKE EVANS ranks 1st with 13,052 rec. yards & 2nd with 108 TD catches
since 2014. Has 81 games with TD catch, 10th-most all-time. Can make 1st
SF debut after spending last 12 seasons with TB. Can become 6th player all time with 10+ TD receptions in 7 career seasons.
• WR DEEBO SAMUEL recorded 72 catches for 727 yards & 5 TD receptions
with WAS in 2025. Had 334 receptions for 4,792 rec. yards & 22 TD catches
with SF from 2019-24.
• TE GEORGE KITTLE ranked tied-5th among TEs with 7 TD catches in 2025. Is 1
of 5 TEs all-time with 1,000+ rec. yards in 4 career seasons. Had 9 receptions
for 84 yards & TD in last meeting.
• DL NICK BOSA ranks 8th with 64.5 sacks since 2019.
• LB FRED WARNER has 115+ tackles in 7 of his 8 career seasons. Aims for 3rd
in row vs. LAR with 12+ tackles & has PD in 2 of his last 3 vs. LAR.
• CB UPTON STOUT 1 of 2 rookies to record 80+ tackles (82) & 5+ (5) PD & FF
last season.
• DB DEOMMODORE LENOIR recorded 61 tackles, 4 TFL, 5 PD & 2 INT in 2025.
Has PD in 2 of his last 3 vs. LAR.
RAMS NOTES:
QB MATTHEW STAFFORD named 2025 AP NFL MVP. Led NFL with 4,707 pass
yards & career-high 46 TD passes in 2025, joined Tom Brady as only QBs ever
with 4500+ pass yards & 40+ TD passes in 3 career seasons. Aims for 3rd in
row vs. SF with 280+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes.
• RB KYREN WILLIAMS ranks 6th among RBs with 3,695 rush yards since
2023. Had 13 TDs (10 rush, 3 rec.) & career-high 1,533 scrimmage yards (1,252
rush, 281 rec.) in 2025. Has 2 TDs in 4 of his 5 career games vs. SF.
• WR PUKA NACUA led NFL with 129 receptions, ranked 2nd with career-high
1,715 rec. yards & tied-6th with 10 TD catches last season. Aims for 3rd in row
vs. SF with TD reception. Has 115+ rec. yards in 2 of his last 3 Week 1 games.
• WR DAVANTE ADAMS ranks 7th all time with 117 TD receptions. Led NFL with 14
TD catches in 2025 & became 5th player in NFL history with 10+ TD receptions
in 7 career seasons. Had 6 catches for 77 yards & TD in last meeting.
• DE MYLES GARRETT had 23 sacks in 2025 with Cle., most in single season
since 1982. Has sack in 79 career games, tied with HOFers DeMarcus Ware &
Reggie White for most games with sack in 1st 9 seasons since 1982. Named
2025 Defensive Player of the Year, 2nd career DPOY (2023).
• DT AARON DONALD returns to Rams after retiring in 2024. Franchise leader in
sacks (111) & TFL (176). Is 1 of 3 players to earn DPOY honors 3x (2017-18, 2020).
• LB NATE LANDMAN recorded career-high 132 tackles in 2025 & ranked tied2nd with 4 FFs. Aims for 3rd in row vs. SF with 10+ tackles.
• LB BYRON YOUNG had career-high 82 tackles & 12 sacks in 2025.
• DE KOBIE TURNER recorded 7 sacks & 9 TFL in 2025.
• CB EMMANUEL FORBES ranked tied-3rd with 18 PD last season. Had PD in 11
games in 2025.
• CB TRENT MCDUFFIE had FF, 7 PD & INT in 2025 with KC.
• S KAM CURL had career-high 122 tackles in 2025 & recorded 5 PD & 2 INTs.
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CHICAGO AT CAROLINA
Regular Season: CHI leads series, 9-3 (CHI won past 7 of past 8)
Last meeting: 10/6/24: CAR 10 at CHI 36
BEARS NOTES:
BEARS won NFC North in 2025 for 1st time since 2018.
• QB CALEB WILLIAMS set career-highs last season with 3,942 pass yards,
7th-most in NFL & 27 TD passes, 6th-most. Passed for 304 yards & 2 TDs in
last meeting.
• RB D’ANDRE SWIFT set career-highs with 1,386 scrimmage yards, 1,087 rush
yards & 9 rush TDs in 2025. Is 1 of 4 RBs with 6+ scrimmage TDs in each of
past 6 seasons. Had 120 scrimmage yards (73 rush, 47 rec.) & rush TD in last
meeting.
• RB KYLE MONANGAI finished 5th among rookies in 2025 with 783 rush yards.
• WR ROME ODUNZE has 1,395 career rec. yards & 9 TD catches since 2024.
Had 5 receptions in last meeting.
• WR LUTHER BURDEN III finished 3rd among rookie WRs last season with 652
rec. yards & 4th with 47 receptions.
• TE COLSTON LOVELAND ranked tied-2nd among rookies in 2025 with 6 TD
catches & 5th with 58 receptions & 713 rec. yards. Had TD catch in last 2 on
road in 2025.
• LB T.J. EDWARDS has 125+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 seasons.
• LB DEVIN BUSH set career-highs with 124 tackles, 3 INTs & 2 FFs in 2025
with Cle.
• DL MONTEZ SWEAT had 53 tackles, 10 sacks, 13 TFL, 3 FFs & FF in 2025. 1 of 3
DL (Maxx Crosby, James Pearce Jr.) with 10+ sacks & 5 PD in 2025.
• DL GRADY JARRETT had 39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, TFL & 3 PDs in 2025. Had PD in
2 of his last 3 in 2025.
• DB DILLON THIENEMAN can make NFL debut after being selected No 25
overall in 2026 NFL Draft.
• DB TYRIQUE STEVENSON is only player with 10+ PD, FF & INT in each of past 3
seasons. Had 2 PD in last meeting.
PANTHERS NOTES:
PANTHERS won NFC South in 2025 for 1st time since 2015 & became 10th
team in past 20 seasons (2006-25) with division title after beginning 1-3.
• QB BRYCE YOUNG set career highs with 3,011 pass yards & 23 TDs last
season. Had TD pass in 6 of his last 7 in 2025.
• RB CHUBA HUBBARD has 500+ rush yards in 4 of his 5 career seasons. Had
734 scrimmage yards (511 rush, 223 rec.) last season.
• WR TETAIROA MCMILLAN led all rookies last season with 1,014 rec. yards & 7
TD receptions, only rookie with 1,000+ rec. yards. Had TD catch in 2 of his last
3 at home in 2025. Named 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
• WR XAVIER LEGETTE has 860 career rec. yards & 7 TD receptions.
• WR JALEN COKER has 872 career rec. yards & 5 TD catches. Had 4 receptions
for 68 rec. yards in last meeting.
• DT DERRICK BROWN had 73 tackles, 5 TFL & 1st career FF in 2025. Recorded
10 tackles & 2 TFL in last meeting (11/9/23).
• LB JAELAN PHILLIPS can make Car. debut after totaling 28 tackles, 4 TFL, FF
& FR with Phi. & Mia. in 2025.
• LB DEVIN LLOYD can make Car. debut after totaling 74 tackles, 6 TFL, FR &
career-high 5 INTs, tied-most among LBs, with Jax. in 2025. Had 9 tackles &
TFL in last game vs. Chi (10/13/24, w/ Jax.).
• CB MIKE JACKSON recorded 68 tackles & ranked tied-1st in NFL with careerhigh 19 PD. Had 4 INTs last season, incl. his 1st career INT-TD.
• CB JAYCEE HORN had career-high 5 INTs in 2025, tied 2nd-most in NFL.
• S NICK SCOTT recorded career-high 109 tackles in 2025. Had 5 tackles & PD
in last meeting.
• S TRE’VON MOEHRIG recorded 103 tackles & led all DBs with career-high
14 TFL in 2025, most TFL by DB in single season since 2000. Aims for 3rd
season in row with 100+ tackles.
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TAMPA BAY AT CINCINNATI
Regular Season: TB leads series, 7-6 (CIN won past 3)
Last meeting: 12/18/22: CIN 34 at TB 23
BUCS NOTES:
QB BAKER MAYFIELD passed for 3,693 yards & 26 TDs in 2025. Aims for 6th
in row vs. Cin. with 2+ TD passes. Had TD pass in 16 of 17 games last season.
Since 2023, ranks 2nd in TD passes (95) & 3rd in pass yards (12,237). Is 3-0
with TB on Kickoff Weekend.
• RB BUCKY IRVING had 865 scrimmage yards (588 rush, 277 rec.) & 4 TDs (3 rec.,
1 rush) in 10 games last season. Had 70+ scrimmage yards in 8 of his last 9 in 2025.
• RB KENNY GAINWELL can make TB debut. Had 1,023 scrimmage yards (537 rush,
486 rec.) & 8 TDs (5 rush, 3 rec.) in 2025.
• WR CHRIS GODWIN recorded 33 receptions for 360 yards & 2 TDs in 9 games
in 2025. Had 8 receptions for 83 yards & TD in last meeting.
• WR EMEKA EGBUKA finished 2nd among rookies with 938 yards & tied-2nd
with 6 TD catches in 2025. Was only rookie to record 100+ rec. yards in 3
games last season.
• TE CADE OTTON recorded 59 catches for 572 yards & TD in 2025.
• NT VITA VEA had 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 7 TFL, FR & 2 PD in 2025.
• LB YAYA DIABY had 50 tackles, 7 sacks, 13 TFL & FF last season & had TFL in
3 of his last 4 in 2025.
• LB ALEX ANZALONE recorded 95 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 9 PD & INT in 2025. Can
make TB debut after spending last 5 seasons with Det. (2021-25). Had PD in
3 of his last 4 last season.
• LB RUEBEN BAIN can make NFL debut after being selected No. 15 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• LB SIRVOCEA DENNIS set career-highs in 2025 with 100 tackles, 3 sacks, 10 TFL, 5 PD & INT.
• CB JACOB PARRISH was 1 of 3 rookies (Xavier Watts; Jonas Sanker) in 2025
with 2+ INTs & FR.
• S ANTOINE WINFIELD JR. recorded 93 tackles, sack, 4 TFL, FF, FR, 8 PD & 2 INT
in 2025. Had PD in last meeting.
BENGALS NOTES:
QB JOE BURROW totaled 1,809 pass yards & 17 TD passes in 8 games last
season. Passed for 225+ yards in each of final 6 games of season & 2+ TD
passes in 5 of final 6 games. Completed 27 of 39 atts. (69.2 pct.) for 200
yards & 4 TDs vs. INT for 104.6 rating in last meeting.
• RB CHASE BROWN had career-high 1,456 scrimmage yards (1,019 rush, 437
rec.) & tied career-high 11 scrimmage TDs (6 rush, 5 rec.) in 2025. Tied 6th
among RBs with 100+ scrimmage yards last season (8).
• WR JA’MARR CHASE ranked 2nd in NFL with 7 games with 100+ rec. yards, 3rd
with 125 receptions, 4th with 1,412 rec. yards & had 8 rec. TDs last season.
Became 3rd player ever with 125+ receptions in multiple career seasons. Had
TD catch in last meeting.
• WR TEE HIGGINS ranked tied-2nd in NFL with career-high 11 rec. TDs & had 59
receptions for 846 yards in 2025. Had TD catch in last meeting.
• DT DEXTER LAWRENCE can make Cin. debut after spending 1st 7 seasons
with NYG. Had 3 tackles & FF in his last game vs. TB (11/24/24 w/ NYG).
• DT JONATHAN ALLEN can make Cin. debut. Had 68 tackles, 7 TFL, 3.5 sacks
& FR last season w/ Min.
• LB DEMETRIUS KNIGHT ranked 2nd among rookies in tackles (106) & games
with 5+ tackles (13) in 2025.
• LB BARRETT CARTER ranked 3rd among rookies with 102 tackles in 2025.
• CB DAX HILL had 85 tackles & tied career-high 11 PD last season.
• CB DJ TURNER led team with career-high 18 PD in 2025.
• S BRYAN COOK can make Cin. debut after spending 1st 4 seasons with KC.
Set career highs in tackles (82) & PD (6) last season. Had 6 tackles in his last
game vs. TB (11/4/24 w/ KC).
• S JORDAN BATTLE led team with career-high 112 tackles & had career-high
6 PD in 2025.
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NEW ORLEANS AT DETROIT
Regular Season: Series tied, 13-13-1 (NO won 2 of past 3)
Last meeting: 12/3/23: DET 33 at NO 28
SAINTS NOTES:
QB TYLER SHOUGH ranked 2nd among rookie QBs with 2,384 pass yards &
221 completions & 3rd with 10 TD passes in 2025. Had TD pass in 5 of his last
6 on road last season.
• RB TRAVIS ETIENNE JR. can make NO debut after recording 5,136 scrimmage
yards (3,798 rush, 1,338 rec.) & 32 TDs (25 rush, 7 rec.) in 5 seasons with Jax.
Recorded 1,107 rush yards & career-high 13 TDs (7 rush, 6 rec.) in 2025, his 3rd
career season with 1,000+ rush yards.
• WR CHRIS OLAVE set career-highs with 100 receptions for 1,163 yards & 9
TDs in 2025. Recorded 5 receptions for 119 yards in last meeting. Had TD
catch in 3 of his last 4 on road last season.
• TE JUWAN JOHNSON set career-highs in 2025 with 77 receptions, 5th-most
among TEs, & 889 rec. yards, 3rd-most.
• EDGE CHASE YOUNG recorded career-high 10 sacks in 2025. Co-led NFL with
3 FRs last season, including FR-TD. Recorded FR in 2 of his last 3 in 2025.
• EDGE CAMERON JORDAN recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025. Ranks 3rd with 175
TFL & tied-3rd with 12 FR among active players since 2011. Has 763 career
tackles & is 1 of 3 (Calais Campbell & Lavonte David) with 750+ tackles & 175+
TFL since 2000. Aims for 4th in row vs. Det with TFL.
• LB KADEN ELLISS recorded 107 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 10 TFL, FF, 6 PD & INT in
2025, his 3rd-consecutive season with 100+ tackles. Had 10 tackles & TFL in
last game vs. Det. (9/24/23 w/ Atl.).
• CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY had career-high 17 PD in 2025 & set career-highs
with 76 tackles, 3 TFL & 3 INTs. Recorded PD in 6 of his last 7 in 2025.
• CB QUINCY RILEY finished tied-4th among rookies in 2025 with 10 PD & had
34 tackles, FF & INT.
• S JUSTIN REID recorded 72 tackles, 6 PD, 2 TFL & INT-TD last season. Had PD
in 2 of his last 3 in 2025.
LIONS NOTES:
QB JARED GOFF finished 2nd with 4,564 pass yards & 34 TD passes in 2025,
his 5th career season with 4,500+ passing yards. Has TD pass in 23 straight
games, longest active streak in NFL. Became 4th player all-time with 65+
games (69) with passer rating of 100+ in his 1st 10 seasons. Ranks 1st with
39,622 pass yards & 4th with 256 TD passes since 2016. Aims for 6th in row
vs. NO with 200+ pass yards & TD pass.
• RB JAHMYR GIBBS finished 5th with 1,839 scrimmage yards (1,223 rush, 616
rec.) & 2nd with 18 TDs (13 rush, 5 rec.) in 2025. Became 4th RB since 2000
with 1,200+ scrimmage yards & 10 TDs in each of his 1st 3 seasons. Ranks 1st
with 49 TDs (39 rush, 10 rec.) & 3rd with 5,029 scrimmage yards (3,580 rush,
1,449 rec.) since 2023. Had rec. TD in 2 of his last 3 in 2025.
• WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN finished 5th with 117 catches for 1,401 rec. yards &
tied-2nd with 11 TD receptions in 2025. Became 1st player ever to record 100+
receptions in 4 of his 1st 5 seasons. Had TD catch in last meeting.
• WR JAMESON WILLIAMS recorded career-high 65 receptions for 1,117 rec.
yards & 7 TD catches in 2025, his 2nd consecutive season with 1,000+ rec.
yards. Had 70+ rec. yards in 5 of his last 6 in 2025.
• TE SAM LAPORTA ranks 3rd among TEs with 20 TD catches & 5th with 2,104
rec. yards since 2023. Had 9 catches for 140 yards & TD in last meeting.
• EDGE AIDAN HUTCHINSON ranked 4th with career-high 14.5 sacks in 2025 &
had career-high 4 FFs. Has 43 sacks & 5 INTs since 2022 & became 1st player
under age of 25 since 1982 with 35+ sacks & 5 INTs.
• LB JACK CAMPBELL finished 3rd in NFL with 166 tackles in 2025 & set career highs
with 5 sacks, 9 TFL, 3 FFs & 2 FRs. Recorded 8 tackles & 2 TFL in last meeting.
• CB BRIAN BRANCH recorded 75 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 5 TFL, FF, FR & 9 PD in
2025. Ranks 5th since 2023 with 38 PD. Had 7 tackles & INT in last meeting.
• CB D.J. REED had 46 tackles, FF, FR, 7 PD & 2 INTs in 2025.
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BUFFALO AT HOUSTON
Regular Season: HOU leads series, 7-5 (home team won past 7)
Last meeting: 11/20/25: BUF 19 at HOU 23
BILLS NOTES:
QB JOSH ALLEN completed 319 of 460 atts. (career-high 69.3 pct.) for 3,668
yards & 25 TDs with 102.2 rating & rushed for 579 yards & 14 TDs in 2025.
Became 1st player ever with 3,000+ pass yards, 20 TD passes & 10 rush TDs in
3 consecutive seasons & 3 career seasons. Surpassed Patrick Mahomes for
most combined pass & rush yards by player in 1st 8 seasons all-time (34,823).
Surpassed Cam Newton for most rush TDs by QB ever (79).
• RB JAMES COOK ranked 1st in NFL with career-high 1,621 rush yards, 4th with
career-high 1,912 scrimmage yards & had 14 scrimmage TDs (12 rush, 2 rec.)
last season. Had 12 games with 100+ scrimmage yards, tied-most in NFL in
2025. Has 110+ scrimmage yards in 5 of his past 6 on road, incl. playoffs. Had
129 scrimmage yards (116 rush, 13 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting.
• WR DJ MOORE can make Buf. debut after totaling 50 receptions for 682
yards & 6 TDs with Chi. in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Hou. with 6+
receptions & 50+ rec. yards.
• WR KHALIL SHAKIR led team in receptions (72) & rec. yards (719) & had 4
rec. TDs last season. Has 70+ receptions in each of past 2 seasons. Has 5+
receptions & 65+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 on road, incl. playoffs. Had 8
catches for 110 yards in last meeting.
• TE DALTON KINCAID led team with career-high 5 rec. TDs & had 39 receptions
for 571 yards in 12 games last season. Was 1 of 4 TEs with 2+ games of 5+
receptions & 100+ rec. yards in 2025 (2).
• LB GREG ROUSSEAU led team with 7 sacks & had 46 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 PD & FF
in 2025. Aims for his 4th in row with 0.5+ sack. Had 6 tackles in last meeting.
• S C.J. GARDNER-JOHNSON can make Buf. debut after totaling 66 tackles, 5
TFL, 4 PD, career-high 3 sacks, 2 INT & FF with Hou. & Chi. in 2025.
• S COLE BISHOP led team with career-high 85 tackles & set career highs in
sacks (2), TFL (4), PD (7) & INTs (3) last season.
TEXANS NOTES:
QB C.J. STROUD totaled 3,041 pass yards & 20 TDs (19 pass, 1 rush) in 2025,
3rd-consecutive season with 3,000+ pass yards. Aims for his 8th in row, incl.
playoffs, with TD pass. Completed 28 of 38 atts. (73.7 pct.) for 331 yards & TD
vs. INT with 97.6 rating in only career game vs. Buf. (10/6/24).
• RB DAVID MONTGOMERY can make Hou. debut after totaling 908 scrimmage
yards (716 rush, 192 rec.) & 8 rush TDs with Det. last season. Is 1 of 3 RBs (Derrick
Henry & Josh Jacobs) with 900+ scrimmage yards in each of past 7 seasons.
• WR NICO COLLINS led team in rec. yards (1,117) & had 71 receptions & 6 rec.
TDs last season, 3rd-consecutive season with 1,000+ rec. yards. Has 50+ rec.
yards in 15 of his past 16 at home, incl. playoffs.
• TE DALTON SCHULTZ led team with career-high 82 receptions & had 777 rec.
yards & 3 rec. TDs last season. Is 1 of 2 TEs (Travis Kelce) with 50+ receptions
& 500+ rec. yards in each of past 6 seasons.
• DE WILL ANDERSON tied 4th in NFL with 20 TFL & set career highs in tackles
(54) & sacks (12) in 2025. Had TFL in 15 games last season, tied-most (Brian
Burns) in NFL. Has 0.5+ sacks in 4 of his past 5, incl. playoffs. Had 6 tackles,
2.5 sacks & PD in last meeting.
• DE DANIELLE HUNTER ranked 3rd in NFL with 15 sacks last season, 7th career
season with 10+ sacks. Aims for his 7th in row, incl. playoffs, with sack. Had 2
sacks in last meeting.
• LB AZEEZ AL-SHAAIR led team with 103 tackles & set career high with 9 PD
in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Buf. with 7+ tackles & PD.
• LB HENRY TO’OTO’O totaled 93 tackles & set career highs in sacks (2.5), TFL
(9) & PD (4) in 2025. Had 7 tackles & sack in last meeting.
• CB KAMARI LASSITER set career highs in tackles (91), TFL (7) & PD (17) last season.
Had PD in 14 games last season, incl. playoffs, tied-most in NFL (Mike Jackson).
• S REED BLANKENSHIP can make Hou. debut after spending 1st 4 seasons with Phi.
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BALTIMORE AT INDIANAPOLIS
Regular Season: IND leads series, 9-6 (BAL won past 3 of past 4)
Last meeting: 9/24/23: IND 22 at BAL 19 (OT)
RAVENS NOTES:
QB LAMAR JACKSON totaled 2,549 pass yards, 349 rush yards & 23 TDs (21
pass, 2 rush) in 13 games in 2025. Has most rush yards by QB all-time (6,522).
Had TD pass in 6 of 7 on road last season, incl. 2+ TD passes in 4 road games.
Completed 22 of 31 atts. (71 pct.) for 202 yards & rushed for 101 yards & 2
TDs in last meeting.
• RB DERRICK HENRY ranked 2nd in NFL in rush yards (1,595) & rush TDs (16)
last season. Had 8 games with 100+ rush yards in 2025, 2nd-most in NFL.
Surpassed Adrian Peterson for 4th-most rush TDs in NFL history (122).
Joined HOFer Barry Sanders as only players ever with 5+ career seasons of
1,500+ rush yards (5). Joined HOFer LaDainian Tomlinson as only players ever
with 4+ career seasons of 15+ rush TDs (4). Aims for his 7th in row with 100+
scrimmage yards. Had 120 scimmage yards (102 rush, 18 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in
his last game vs. Ind. (12/3/23 w/ Ten.).
• WR ZAY FLOWERS led team & set career highs in receptions (86) & rec. yards
(1,211) & had 6 scrimmage TDs (5 rec., 1 rush) last season. Aims for his 5th in
row with scrimmage TD. Had 8 receptions for 48 yards in last meeting.
• TE MARK ANDREWS had 6 scrimmage TDs (5 rec., 1 rush) in 2025, becoming
5th TE ever with 5+ rec. TDs in 7 consecutive seasons.
• DE CALAIS CAMPBELL can make 1st Bal. appearance since 2022 after
totaling 43 tackles, 9 TFL, 6.5 sacks & 2 PD with Ari. in 2025.
• LB TREY HENDRICKSON can make Bal. debut. Since 2020, ranks 3rd in NFL
with 74.5 sacks.
• LB ROQUAN SMITH led team with 130 tackles. Is 1 of 4 with 100+ tackles in
each of past 8 seasons. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ind. with 12+ tackles.
• S KYLE HAMILTON totaled 105 tackles, 2nd-consecutive season with 100+
tackles. Had 9 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 TFL, FF & PD in last meeting.
• CB MARLON HUMPHREY had 13 PD last season. Aims for his 6th in row with PD.
COLTS NOTES:
QB DANIEL JONES totaled 3,101 pass yards, 24 TDs (19 pass, 5 rush) & 100.2
rating in 2025. Had 200+ pass yards, TD pass & 100+ rating in each of his 6
games at Lucas Oil Stadium last season. Completed 19 of 27 atts. (70.4 pct.)
for 173 yards & 2 TDs with 112.1 rating in his last game vs. Bal. (10/16/22 w/ NYG).
• RB JONATHAN TAYLORled NFL in scrimmage TDs (20) & ranked 3rd in scrimmage
yards (1,963) last season. Had 2+ scrimmage TDs in 5 games in 2025, tied-most
among RBs (Jahmyr Gibbs & Derrick Henry). Is 1 of 6 in NFL history with 2+
seasons of 1,500+ scrimmage yards & 20+ scrimmage TDs. Had TD in 6 of his
8 games at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2025. Had 169 scrimmage yards (116 rec., 53
rush) & 2 scrimmage TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in his last game vs. Bal. (10/11/21).
• WR ALEC PIERCE set career highs in receptions (47) & rec. yards (1,003) &
had 6 rec. TDs last season. Has 85+ rec. yards & 2+ rec. TDs in 2 of his past 3.
• WR JOSH DOWNS totaled 58 receptions for 566 yards & 4 TDs in 2025.
• WR KEENAN ALLEN can make Ind. debut after totaling 81 receptions for 777
yards & 4 TDs with LAC in 2025.
• TE TYLER WARREN led rookies in receptions (76) & ranked 3rd in rec. yards
(817) & had 5 scrimmage TDs (4 rec., 1 rush) last season. Had 5+ receptions in
8 games in 2025, most among all rookies.
• CB SAUCE GARDNER had 9 PD in 11 games with NYJ & Ind. in 2025. Has PD in 6
of his past 7. Had PD in his last game vs. Bal. (9/11/22 w/ NYJ).
• S CAM BYNUM led team with career-high 4 INTs & had 81 tackles, 8 PD, 3 TFL, sack,
FF & FR last season. Had 12 tackles & INT in only career game vs. Bal. (11/7/21 w/ Min.).
• DE LAIATU LATU led team with career-high 12 TFL & 8.5 sacks & set career
highs in tackles (45), PD (5) & INTs (3) in 2025. Has sack in 3 of his past 4.
• DT DEFOREST BUCKNER totaled 47 tackles, 9 TFL & 4 sacks in 10 games in
2025. Had TFL in 3 of his past 4.
• DT GROVER STEWART totaled 55 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 PD, FF, INT & 0.5 last season.
################
CLEVELAND AT JACKSONVILLE
Regular Season: JAX leads series, 12-8 (CLE won past 3)
Last meeting: 9/15/24: CLE 18 at JAX 13
QB DESHAUN WATSON can make 1st start since 2024. Totaled 1,148 pass yards
& 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) in 7 starts in 2024. Is 7-0 with 1,559 pass yards (222.7
yards/game) & 11 TDs (8 pass, 3 rush) with 94.6 rating as starter vs. Jax.
• RB QUINSHON JUDKINS ranked 3rd among rookies with 827 rush yards in
2025. Led team with 998 scrimmage yards & 7 rush TDs last season. Had 3
games with 100+ scrimmage yards last season, tied 2nd-most among rookies.
• WR JERRY JEUDY totaled 50 receptions, 602 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs last
season. Has 5+ catches & 60+ rec. yards in each of his 2 career games vs. Jax.
• WR KC CONCEPCION (No. 24 overall) & WR DENZEL BOSTON (No. 39 overall)
can make NFL debut after being selected in 2026 NFL Draft.
• TE HAROLD FANNIN led team in receptions (72), rec. yards (731) & rec. TDs (6)
as rookie last season. Has rec. TD in 4 of his past 5.
• DE JARED VERSE can make Cle. debut after totaling 58 tackles, 11 TFL, careerhigh 7.5 sacks, career-high 3 FFs & PD with LAR in 2025. Has TFL in 4 of his
past 5, incl. playoffs. Had sack in only career game vs. Jax. (10/19/25 w/ LAR).
• DT MASON GRAHAMhad 49 tackles, 7 TFL, 4 PD & 0.5 sacks as rookie in 2025.
• LB CARSON SCHWESINGER led all rookies with 146 tackles & 11 TFL in 2025.
Had 10+ tackles in 7 games last season, tied 5th-most by rookie since 2000.
Has 10+ tackles in 6 of his past 7.
• LB QUINCY WILLIAMS can make Cle. debut after totaling 82 tackles, 8 TFL, 7
PD & 3.5 sacks in 13 games with NYJ last season. Spent 1st 2 seasons with
Jax. (2019-20). Has TFL in 2 of his past 3 vs. Jax.
• CB TYSON CAMPBELL set career highs in tackles (86) & PD (18) last season.
Spent 1st 4 seasons with Jax. & was traded to Cle. in Week 6 of 2025.
• CB DENZEL WARD leads NFL with 104 PD since 2018.
• S GRANT DELPIT had 80 tackles & career-high 3 sacks in 2025. Had 6 tackles
& 2 TFL in last meeting.
JAGS NOTES
QB TREVOR LAWRENCE ranked 5th in NFL with career-high 29 TD passes &
6th with 4,007 pass yards in 2025. Became 4th player with 25+ TD passes &
9+ rush TDs in single season. Has 200+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes in 7 of his
past 8, incl. playoffs. Aims for his 4th in row at home, incl. playoffs, with 3+ TD
passes. Had 220 pass yards & 45 rush yards in last meeting.
• RB BHAYSHUL TUTEN had 386 scrimmage yards (307 rush, 79 rec.) & 7
scrimmage TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) as rookie last season. Has TD in 3 of his past 4.
• WR BRIAN THOMAS had 728 scrimmage yards (707 rec., 21 rush), 48 catches
& 3 scrimmage TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in 2025. Had 94 rec. yards in last meeting.
• WR JAKOBI MEYERS had 75 receptions for 835 yards & 3 TDs in 2025. Has
5+ catches in 3 of his past 4.
• WR PARKER WASHINGTON led team & set career highs in receptions (58) &
rec. yards (847) & had career-high 5 TD catches in 2025. Has 6+ receptions,
105+ rec. yards & TD catch in 3 of his past 4, incl. playoffs.
• WR/CB TRAVIS HUNTER had 28 receptions for 298 yards & TD & had 15
tackles & 3 PD in 7 games as rookie in 2025.
• TE BRENTON STRANGE set career highs in receptions (46), rec. yards (540) &
rec. TDs (3) last season. Has 5+ catches & TD catch in 2 of his past 3.
• DT ARIK ARMSTEAD had 7 TFL & 5.5 sacks in 2025. Has TFL in 3 of his past
4 vs. Cle.
• DE JOSH HINES-ALLEN led team with 8 sacks & had 49 tackles, 12 TFL & 3
PD last season. Has 4+ tackles & sack in 2 of his past 3, incl. playoffs. Had 4
tackles, sack & PD in last meeting.
• DE TRAVON WALKER had 8 TFL last season. Aims for his 6th in row with TFL.
• LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN led team with 143 tackles & had career-high 11 PD in
2025. Has 100+ tackles in 6 consecutive seasons, 5th-longest streak among
active players. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cle. with 7+ tackles & TFL.
###############
ATLANTA AT PITTSBURGH
Regular Season: PIT leads series, 16-2-1 (PIT won past 5)
Last meeting: 9/8/24: PIT 18 at ATL 10
FALCONS NOTES:
QB TUA TAGOVAILOA totaled 2,660 pass yards & 20 TD passes in 2025 with
Mia. Led NFL with 4,624 pass yards in 2023 (w/ Mia.). Aims for 3rd in row vs.
Pit with 250+ pass yards & TD. Can make Atl. debut.
• QB MICHAEL PENIX JR. passed for career-high 1,982 yards & 9 TDs last
season. Had TD pass in 5 of his last 6 games in 2025.
• RB BIJAN ROBINSON led NFL with career-high 2,298 scrimmage yards (1,478
rush, 820 rec.) in 2025 & ranked 2nd among RBs with 79 receptions. Has
5,648 scrimmage yards, most by player under age of 24 in NFL history. Can
become 5th player ever with 1,800+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his 1st 4 career
seasons. Can become 4th RB with 50+ receptions in each of his first four
career seasons.
• WR DRAKE LONDON totaled 68 receptions for 919 yards & 7 TD catches in
2025. Has 850+ rec. yards in all 4 career seasons.
• WR ZACHARIAH BRANCH can make NFL debut after being selected in 3rd
round in 2026 NFL Draft.
• TE KYLE PITTS set career-highs in receptions (88) & TD catches (5) in 2025 &
ranked 2nd among TEs with 928 rec. yards. Ranks 4th among TEs with 3,579
rec. yards since entering the NFL in 2021. Had 50+ rec. yards in 5 of his last 6
games in 2025. Had TD catch in last meeting.
• LB DIVINE DEABLO recorded career-high 5 TFL last season & had 73 tackles
& FR. Had sack in last game vs. Pit. (10/13/24 w/ LV).
• CB A.J. TERRELL had 68 tackles, 12 PD & 2 FFs in 2025. Had PD in 5 of his last 6 games.
• S XAVIER WATTS ranked tied-2nd in NFL with 5 INTs & tied-1st among rookies
with 11 PD in 2025.
• S JESSIE BATES had 98 tackles, 6 PD & FF in 2025 & became 4th DB since
2000 with 3+ INTs in 7 of his 1st 8 career seasons. Has 54 tackles, FR & 7 PD
in 11 career games vs. Pit.
STEELERS NOTES:
QB AARON RODGERS ranks 4th in NFL all-time in TD passes (527) & 5th in
completions (5,696) & pass yards (66,274). Totaled 3,322 pass yards & 25
TDs (24 pass, 1 rush) in 2025. Has 220+ pass yards & TD pass in 4 of his past
5 games. Completed 27 of 33 atts. (81.8 pct.) for 327 yards & 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs
with 147.5 rating in his last game vs. Atl. (10/5/20 w/ GB).
• RB JAYLEN WARREN led team with career-high 1,291 scrimmage yards (958
rush, 333 rec.) & had career-high 8 scrimmage TDs (6 rush, 2 rec.) in 2025.
Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3.
• WR DK METCALF led team in rec. yards (850) & rec. TDs (6) & had 59
receptions last season. Has TD catch in each of his 4 career games vs. Atl.
Had 4 catches for 99 yards & TD in his last game vs. Atl. (10/20/24 w/ Sea.).
• WR MICHAEL PITTMAN JR. can make Pit. debut after totaling 80 receptions
for 784 yards & career-high 7 TDs with Ind. in 2025.
• RB RICO DOWDLE had 1,373 scrimmage yards (1,076 rush, 297 rec.) in 2025,
his 2nd consecutive season with 1,000+ rush yards. Can make PIT debut.
• LB T.J. WATT totaled 55 tackles, 10 TFL, 8 PD, 7 sacks, 3 FFs, 2 FRs & 2 INTs
in 2025. Since entering NFL in 2017, leads all players in FF (36) & ranks 2nd in
sacks (115) & TFL (136). Has sack in 2 of his 3 career games vs. Atl.
• DT CAMERON HEYWARD led all DL with 78 tackles last season. Has 5+ tackles
in 5 of his past 6.
• LB PATRICK QUEEN led team with 120 tackles in 2025, 5th-career season
with 100+ tackles. Has 5+ tackles in 10 of his past 11, incl. playoffs.
• LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 9.5 sacks, 15 TFL & FF in 2025.
• CB JOEY PORTER JR. led team with career-high 14 PD last season.
• CB JALEN RAMSEY had 88 tackles, 8 PD, 4 TFL, career-high 3 sacks & INT in
2025. Has PD in 2 of his past 3. Had 2 tackles, 2 PD & INT in his last game vs.
Atl. (9/18/22 w/ LAR).
#################
NY JETS AT TENNEESSE
Regular Season: TEN leads series, 24-21-1 (NYJ won past 4 of past 5)
Last meeting: 9/15/24: NYJ 24 at TEN 17
JETS NOTES:
QB GENO SMITH can make 1st NYJ start since 2016. Totaled 3,025 pass yards
& 19 TD passes last season with LV. Since 2022, ranks 5th in NFL with 15,251
pass yards. Has 70+ comp. pct. & TD pass in each of his past 2 Week 1 games.
Completed 17 of 23 atts. (73.9 pct.) for 174 yards & TD in his last game vs. Ten.
(10/12/25 w/ LV).
• RB BREECE HALL led team with 1,415 scrimmage yards (career-high 1,065
rush, 350 rec.) & 5 scrimmage TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) in 2025. Has 90+ scrimmage
yards in each of his past 3 Week 1 games. Had 114 scrimmage yards (62 rush,
52 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting.
• RB BRAELON ALLEN can make 1st appearance since Week 4, 2025. Had 2
scrimmage TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in last meeting.
• WR GARRETT WILSON has 5+ receptions in each of his past 3 Week 1 games
& 50+ rec. yards & TD catch in each of his past 4 on road. Had 4 catches for
57 yards in last meeting.
• WR ADONAI MITCHELL set career highs in catches (33) & rec. yards (453)
last season.
• WR OMAR COOPER (No. 30 overall) & TE KENYON SADIQ (No. 16 overall) can
make NFL debut after being selected in 2026 NFL Draft.
• EDGE WILL MCDONALD had career-high 30 tackles, 10 TFL & 8 sacks last
season. Had 3 sacks & FF in last meeting.
• LB JAMIEN SHERWOOD led team with 154 tackles in 2025, 2nd-consecutive
season with 150+ tackles. Had 9 tackles, TFL & PD in last meeting.
• LB DEMARIO DAVIS can make 1st NYJ start since 2017. Totaled 143 tackles
last season, 9th-consecutive season with 100+ tackles. Leads active NFL
players with 11 seasons of 100+ tackles.
• S MINKAH FITZPATRICK can make NYJ debut after totaling 74 tackles, 6 PD &
4 TFL last season with Mia.
TITANS NOTES:
QB CAM WARD led rookies with 3,169 pass yards, 323 completions & tiedmost with 15 TD passes in 2025. Had 8 games with 200+ pass yards last
season, most among rookies. Had 2 TD passes in 4 of his past 5 games.
• RB TONY POLLARD totaled 1,288 scrimmage yards (1,082 rush, 206 rec.) &
5 rush TDs last season. Is 1 of 3 RBs (Saquon Barkley & Derrick Henry) with
1,200 scrimmage yards & 5+ rush TDs in each of past 4 seasons. Aims for his
3rd in row vs. NYJ with 100+ scrimmage yards.
• WR CARNELL TATE can make NFL debut after being selected No. 4 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• WR CALVIN RIDLEY had 87 scrimmage yards (77 rec., 10 rush) & 2 scrimmage
TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in last meeting.
• WR WAN’DALE ROBINSON can make Ten. debut after spending 1st 4 seasons
with NYG. Totaled 92 catches for career-high 1,014 rec. yards & 4 rec. TDs
last season.
• WR ELIC AYOMANOR totaled 41 receptions & 515 rec. yards as rookie last season.
• TE GUNNAR HELMtotaled 44 receptions & 357 rec. yards as rookie last season.
• DT JEFFERY SIMMONS can play in his 100th career game. Set career highs in
TFL (17) & sacks (11) in 2025.
• DE JERMAINE JOHNSON can make Ten. debut after spending 1st 4 seasons
with NYJ (2022-25). Had 5 TFL & 3 sacks in 2025.
• DE JACOB MARTIN set career highs in tackles (39) & sacks (5.5) last season.
Had sack in his only game vs. NYJ (11/28/21 w/ Hou.).
• LB CODY BARTON led team with career-high 11 PD & totaled 81 tackles & 3
INTs in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYJ with 10+ tackles.
• LB CEDRIC GRAY ranked 5th in NFL with career-high 160 tackles last season.
Had 10+ tackles in 3 of his past 4 games.
• S AMANI HOOKER totaled career-high 81 tackles & had 8 PD in 2025.
##############
ARIZONA AT LA CHARGERS
Regular Season: LAC leads series, 11-5 (LAC won past 2 of past 3)
Last meeting: 10/21/24: LAC 15 at ARI 17
CARDS NOTES:
QB JACOBY BRISSETT set career-highs with 3,366 pass yards & 23 TD
passes in 2025 & had 94.1 rating. Had 200+ pass yards & TD in all 12 starts
last season. Ranked 2nd with 3,366 pass yards as starting QB from Weeks
6-18. Has TD pass in 2 of his past 3 games vs. LAC (w/ Ind., Cle., NE).
• RB JEREMIYAH LOVE can make NFL debut after being selected No. 3 overall
in 2026 NFL Draft.
• RB TYLER ALLGEIER recorded career-high 8 rush TDs in 2025 w/ Atl.
• WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. ranks 6th among qualified WRs (100+ receptions)
with 14.5 yards per reception since entering NFL in 2024.
• WR MICHAEL WILSON recorded career-high 78 receptions for 1,006 rec.
yards & 7 TD catches in 2025.
• TE TREY MCBRIDE had 126 receptions in 2025, most by TE in single season
in NFL history. Became 1st TE all-time with 110+ receptions in multiple career
seasons (111 catches in 2024). Has 347 career receptions, most by TE in his
1st 4 seasons in NFL history & can surpass Jimmy Graham (386) for most
receptions by TE in his 1st 5 seasons all time.
• ILB MACK WILSON had 60 tackles, 3 TFL, FF, 6 PD & INT in 2025.
• OLB JOSH SWEAT ranked tied-5th among LBs with career-high 12 sacks in
2025 & had 13 TFL, 4 FF, FR & 2 PD. 1 of 4 LBs with 10+ sacks, FF & FR last season.
• CB DENZEL BURKE co-led all rookies with 11 PD last season & had 3 INTs, 2ndmost among rookies.
• S BUDDA BAKER leads all safeties with 1,003 tackles since entering NFL in
2017, 1 of 5 safeties since 2000 with at least 1,000 career tackles. Had 8+
tackles in 6 of his last 7 games in 2025. Aims for 3rd in row vs. LAC with 5+
tackles.
• S DADRION TAYLOR-DEMERSON had career-high 6 PD & 2 INTs in 2025. Had 9+
tackles in 2 of his last 3 games last season.
CHARGERS:
CHARGERS have won 6 of past 7 Week 1 games.
• HC JIM HARBAUGH is 6-0 in season-opening games.
• QB JUSTIN HERBERT totaled 3,727 pass yards & 28 TDs (26 pass, 2 rush),
becoming 3rd QB all-time with 3,000+ pass yards & 20+ TD passes in each of
1st 6 seasons. Surpassed HOFer Peyton Manning for most completions by QB
in 1st 6 seasons in NFL history (2,285). Aims for his 4th in row with 65+ comp.
pct., 210+ pass yards & TD pass. Completed 27 of 39 atts. (69.2 pct.) for 349
yards in last meeting.
• RB OMARION HAMPTON totaled 737 scrimmage yards (545 rush, 192 rec.)
& 5 scrimmage TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) in 9 games as rookie last season. Has
scrimmage TD in 3 of his past 4.
• WR LADD MCCONKEY totaled 66 receptions for 789 yards & 6 TDs in 2025.
• WR QUENTIN JOHNSTON totaled 51 receptions for 735 yards & 8 TDs last
season, 2nd-consecutive season with 50+ receptions, 700+ rec. yards & 8+
rec. TDs. Aims for his 3rd in row with 95+ rec. yards.
• TE DAVID NJOKU has 4,062 career rec. yards since 2017. Can make LAC debut.
• LB KHALIL MACK totaled 32 tackles, 6 TFL, 5.5 sacks & 4 FFs in 2025. Is only
player with 5+ sacks in each of past 11 seasons. Is 1 of 2 since 1982 (HOFer
Kevin Greene) with 35+ sacks with 3+ teams. Has TFL in each of his 6 games
at SoFi Stadium last season. Has TFL in 3 of his 4 career games vs. Ari.
• LB TULI TUIPULOTU set career highs in sacks (13) & TFL (20) & had 45 tackles,
3 PD, 2 FFs & FR last season. Has sack in 3 of his past 4, incl. playoffs.
• LB DAIYAN HENLEY totaled 101 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 PD & set career highs in sacks
(3.5) & INTs (2) in 2025, 2nd-consecutive season with 100+ tackles. Aims for his
3rd in row, incl. playoffs, with 10+ tackles. Had 4 tackles & PD in last meeting.
• S DERWIN JAMES totaled 94 tackles, 7 PD, 6 TFL, 3 INTs & 2 sacks in 2025.
Has 8+ tackles & INT in 2 of his past 3. Had 8 tackles in last meeting.
###############
MIAMI AT LAS VEGAS
Regular Season: MIA leads series, 20-18-1 (MIA won 4 of past 5)
Last meeting: 11/17/24: MIA 34 vs. LV 19
DOLPHINS NOTES:
QB MALIK WILLIS can make Mia. debut. Has 846 pass yards & 7 TDs (4 rush,
3 pass) in 6 career starts. Aims for his 3rd start in row with 200+ pass yards,
TD pass, rush TD & 120+ rating.
• RB DE’VON ACHANE led team with career highs in scrimmage yards (1,838) &
scrimmage TDs (12) in 2025, becoming 5th RB since 2000 with 10+ scrimmage
TDs in each of 1st 3 seasons. Had 100+ scrimmage yards in 10 games last
season, tied 4th-most in NFL. Has 105+ scrimmage yards in 7 of his past 8.
Had 105 scrimmage yards (73 rush, 32 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting.
• RB JAYLEN WRIGHT set career highs with 332 scrimmage yards (288 rush,
44 rec.) & 2 rush TDs last season.
• WR CALEB DOUGLAS can make NFL debut after being selected in 3rd round
of 2026 NFL Draft.
• WR MALIK WASHINGTON set career highs with 427 scrimmage yards (317
rec., 110 rush) & 4 scrimmage TDs (3 rec., 1 rush) in 2025. Has scrimmage TD
in 2 of his past 3.
• WR JALEN TOLBERT can make Mia. debut after totaling 18 receptions for
203 yards & TD catch in 13 games with Dal. in 2025.
• TE GREG DULCICH totaled 26 receptions for 335 yards & TD in 10 games last season.
• DL ZACH SIELER totaled 47 tackles, 10 TFL, 5.5 sacks, FR & PD in 2025. Has
TFL in 5 of his past 6. Had 4 tackles & sack in last meeting.
• EDGE JOSH UCHE can make Mia. debut after totaling 19 tackles, 2 TFL, sack
& PD in 12 games with Phi. in 2025.
• LB JORDYN BROOKS led NFL with 183 tackles & had career-high 13 TFL, 3.5
sacks, 3 PD, FF & FR last season. Had 10+ tackles in 9 games in 2025, tiedmost in NFL. Had PD in 3 of his past 4. Had 13 tackles & TFL in last meeting.
• LB JACOB RODRIGUEZ can make NFL debut after being selected in 2nd round
of 2026 NFL Draft.
RAIDERS NOTES:
QB KIRK COUSINS can make LV debut after totaling 1,644 pass yards & 10 TD
pass in 8 starts with Atl. in 2025. Ranks 3rd among active QBs in TD passes
(298) & 4th in pass yards (44,700). Has TD pass in 6 of his past 7. Completed
21 of 31 atts. (67.7 pct.) for 173 yards in his last game vs. Mia. (10/26/25 w/ Atl.).
• RB ASHTON JEANTY led rookies in scrimmage yards (1,321) & rush yards (975)
& tied 2nd-most in scrimmage TDs (10) last season. Had 100+ scrimmage
yards in 4 games in 2025, most among rookies. Aims for his 4th in row with
70+ scrimmage yards.
• WR TRE TUCKER set career highs in receptions (57), rec. yards (696) & rec.
TDs (5) in 2025.
• WR JALEN NAILOR can make LV debut after setting career highs in receptions
(29) & rec. yards (444) & totaling 4 rec. TDs with Min. in 2025.
• TE BROCK BOWERS led team in receptions (64) & rec. TDs (7) & had 680 rec.
yards in 12 games last season. Surpassed Sam LaPorta for most receptions
by TE in 1st 2 seasons (176). Had TD catch in 3 of his past 4. Had career-high
13 receptions for 126 yards & TD in last meeting.
• TE MICHAEL MAYER set career highs in receptions (35) & rec. yards (328) &
had TD catch in 13 games last season.
• DE MAXX CROSBY ranked 2nd in NFL with career-high 28 TFL & had 73
tackles, 10 sacks, 6 PD & 2 FFs last season. Is 1 of 3 players (HOFer Jared
Allen & Aaron Donald) with 10+ TFL in each of 1st 7 seasons since 2000. Had
TFL in 13 games last season, tied 3rd-most in NFL. Has sack in 3 of his past 4.
Aims for his 7th in row with TFL. Had 5 tackles in last meeting.
• DE KWITY PAYE can make LV debut after totaling 39 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks &
PD with Ind. in 2025. Had TFL in his last game vs. Mia. (9/7/25 w/ Ind.).
• LB NAKOBE DEAN can make LV debut after totaling 55 tackles, 7 TFL, careerhigh 4 sacks, career-high 2 FFs & PD with Phi. in 2025.
###############
GREEN BAY AT MINNESOTA
Regular Season: GB leads series, 66-60-3 (MIN won 3 of past 4)
Last meeting: 1/4/26: GB 3 at MIN 16
PACKERS NOTES:
QB JORDAN LOVE totaled 3,381 pass yards & 23 TD passes in 2025 & ranked
6th with 101.2 rating. Had TD pass in 7 of his 8 road games last season & has
TD pass in 4 of his last 5 vs. Min.
• RB MARSHAWN LLOYD has appeared in 1 career game in 2024 & can make
1st appearance since.
• WR CHRISTIAN WATSON recorded 35 receptions for 611 yards & 6 TDs in
10 games in 2025. Since 2022, ranks 2nd among qualified players with 17.0
yards per catch.
• WR JAYDEN REED had 19 receptions for 207 yards & TD catch in 7 games in
2025. Has recorded 1,857 rec. yards & 15 TD receptions since 2023.
• TE TUCKER KRAFT recorded 489 receiving yards & 6 TDs in 8 games last
season. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Min. with 50+ rec. yards & 3rd in row on road
with TD catch.
• LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN had 125 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 TFL, FF & 5 PD in 2025, his 4th
consecutive season with 125+ tackles. Is 1 of 3 LBs (Bobby Wagner, Roquan
Smith) with active streak of 125+ tackles in 4+ seasons.
• DT JAVON HARGRAVE had 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 4 TFL, FF & FR in 2025.
• LB EDGERRIN COOPER recorded career-high 117 tackles in 2025 & had 4 TFL,
2 FF & FR. Had 8+ tackles in 4 of his last 5 games last season. Has TFL in 2 of
his last 3 vs. Min.
• LB ISAIAH MCDUFFIE had 80 tackles, sack, 3 TFL, PD & INT in 2025.
• LB LUKAS VAN NESS has 81 tackles, 17 TFL, FF & FR in 43 career games.
• CB KEISEAN NIXON finished tied-6th with career-high 17 PD in 2025.
• S XAVIER MCKINNEY recorded 102 tackles, FF, 2 INT & 10 PD last season. Had
PD in 2 of his last 3 in 2025.
• S EVAN WILLIAMS recorded career high 89 tackles, 4 TFL, FR & 3 INT in 2025.
Had INT in Week 12 meeting last season.
VIKINGS NOTES:
QB KYLER MURRAY can make Min. debut. Has 20,460 pass yards & 121 TD
passes in 87 career games. Ranks 4th among QBs since 2019 with 3,193 rush
yards.
• RB AARON JONES had 8,016 scrimmage yards (5,940 rush, 2,076 rec.) & 63
TDs (45 rush, 18 rec.) in 7 seasons with GB (2017-23). Ranks 7th since 2017
with 9,875 scrimmage yards (7,178 rush, 2,661 rec.). Aims for 4th in row vs.
GB with 50+ scrimmage yards.
• WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON recorded 1,048 rec. yards in 2025, his 6th
consecutive season with 1,000+ rec. yard. Can join Mike Evans as only players
with 1,000+ rec. yards in each of their 1st 7 career seasons. Has 579 career
receptions for 8,480 rec. yards, both most by player in his 1st 6 seasons in
NFL history. Had 8 catches for 101 yards in last meeting & has 85+ rec. yards
in 3 of his last 4 vs. GB.
• TE T.J. HOCKENSON ranks 4th among TEs since 2019 with 4,440 rec. yards &
5th with 433 receptions. Has 65+ rec. yards in 2 of his last 3 vs. GB.
• DL JALEN REDMOND had career-high 6 sacks & 5 PD in 2025.
• DL CALEB BANKS can make NFL debut after being selected 18th overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• LB BLAKE CASHMAN had career-high 144 tackles in 2025. Was 1 of 2 (Devin
White) to record 4 games with 15+ tackles last season. Has 10+ tackles & TFL
in 3 of his last 4 vs. GB.
• LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL had 7 sacks, 11 TFL, career-high 10 PD in 2025. Aims
for 3rd in row vs. GB with TFL & PD.
• CB BYRON MURPHY had 71 tackles, 7 PD & 2 INTs in 2025. Has PD in 3 of his
last 4 vs. GB.
• S JOSH METELLUS had 86 tackles, 6 PD & 2 INTs in 2025. Aims for 5th season
in row with INT. Had 12 tackles in last meeting.
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WASHINGTON AT PHILADELPHIA
Regular Season: WAS leads series, 90-86-5 (WAS won 2 of past 3)
Last meeting: 1/4/26: WAS 24 at PHI 17
COMMANDERS NOTES:
QB JAYDEN DANIELS passed for 1,262 yards & 8 TDs in 7 games last season.
Has 19 TDs (14 pass, 5 rush) vs. 3 INTs for 98.9 rating in 12 career road starts.
Recorded career-high 5 TD passes & threw for 258 yards in last game vs. Phi.
(12/22/24).
• RB JACORY CROSKEY-MERRITT finished 4th among rookies in rushing yards
(805) & 3rd in rush TDs (8) in 2025.
• RB RACHAAD WHITE had 790 scrimmage yards (572 rush, 218 rec.) in 2025
with TB. Has 1,000+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his last 3 seasons.
• WR TERRY MCLAURIN recorded 582 rec. yards & 3 TD catches in 10 games
last season. Has 1,000+ rec. yards in 5 of his last 6 seasons.
• WR STEFON DIGGS ranks 3rd with 943 receptions, 4th with 11,504 rec. yards
& 6th with 74 TD receptions since 2015. Had 1,013 rec. yards & 4 TD catches
in 2025 with NE. Has 100+ rec yards in 2 of his last 3 vs. Phi.
• TE CHIG OKONKWO recorded 194 catches for 2,017 yards & 8 TD receptions
in 4 seasons with Ten. (2022-25). Can make Was. debut.
• DL DARON PAYNE had 46 tackles, 7 TFL & FF in 15 games in 2025. Has TFL in
2 of his last 3 vs. Phi.
• LB SONNY STYLES can make NFL debut after being selected No. 7 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• LB FRANKIE LUVU recorded 86 tackles, 5 TFL & 2 FFs last season & has 85+
tackles in each of his last 4 seasons. Has 7+ tackles in 3 of his last 4 vs. Phi.
• LB K’LAVON CHAISSON set career-highs with 7.5 sacks & 10 TFL in 2025 with NE.
• CB MIKE SAINRISTILL had 77 tackles, TFL & 12 PD in 2025 & has PD in 3 of his
last 4 vs. Phi.
• S JEREMY REAVES recorded career-high 81 tackles, 5 TFL & 7 PD in 2025.
Had 6 tackles, 2 PD & INT in last meeting.
• S NICK CROSS had 120 tackles, 5 TFL, FF & INT in 2025.
EAGLES NOTES:
EAGLES won NFC East for 2nd consecutive season last year.
• QB JALEN HURTS had career-high 25 TD passes & had 8 rush TDs in 2025.
Has 10+ rush TDs in 4 of his last 5 seasons, most such seasons ever by QB.
Has 63 career rush TDs, 3rd-most by QB. Passed for 185 yards & 2 TDs in last
meeting.
• RB SAQUON BARKLEY ranks 2nd with 8,356 rush yards & 3rd with 11,007
scrimmage yards (2,651 rec. yards) since 2018 & became 6th player in NFL
history with 7,500+ rush yards & 2,500+ rec. yards in his 1st 100 games. Aims
for 7th in row vs. Was. with 115+ scrimmage yards & TD.
• WR DEVONTA SMITH recorded 77 receptions for 1,008 rec. yards & 4 TD
catches in 2025, his 3rd career season with 1,000+ rec. yards.
• WR MAKAI LEMON can make NFL debut after being selected No. 20 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• TE DALLAS GOEDERT recorded career-high 11 TD catches in 2025, tied-most in
NFL among TEs. Ranks 5th among TEs since 2018 with 4,676 rec. yards & tied5th with 35 TD catches. Had TD catch in Week 16 meeting last season.
• LB ZACK BAUN recorded 123 tackles, 7 TFL, FF, FR & career-high 2 INTs in
2025. Had 6+ tackles in 15 games last season.
• LB JALYX HUNT had INT & FR in last meeting.
• LB JONATHAN GREENARD had 38 tackles, 3 sacks, 10 TFL, FF & 3 PD in 2025.
Can make Was. debut.
• DT JORDAN DAVIS recorded career-highs with 4.5 sacks, 6 PD & 9 TFL in
2025.
• DB COOPER DEJEAN set career highs in tackles (85) & PD (16) & had 1st 2
career INTs. Had 4 PD & INT in Week 16 meeting.
• CB RIQ WOOLEN can make Phi. debut after spending last 4 seasons with Sea.
(2022-25). Ranks tied-2nd since 2022 with 53 PD.
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DALLAS AT NY GIANTS
Regular Season: DAL leads series, 78-47-2 (DAL won past 9 of past 10)
Last meeting: 1/4/26: DAL 17 at NYG 34
COWBOYS NOTES:
QB DAK PRESCOTT ranked 1st in completions (404), 3rd in pass yards (4,552) &
4th in TD passes (30) in 2025. Became 6th player ever with 3+ TD passes in 40
career games in his 1st 10 seasons. Aims for 14th in row in primetime with 20+
completions & 6th in row with 250+ pass yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 4 of past 5
on SNF & 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 vs. NYG.
• RB JAVONTE WILLIAMSrecorded career-highs in 2025 with 1,338 scrimmage yards
(1,201 rush, 137 rec.) & 11 rush TDs. Had 130 scrimmage yards (97 rush, 33 rec.) & rush
TD in last game vs. NYG (9/14/25). Aims for 3rd in row in primetime with rush TD.
• WR CEEDEE LAMB had 75 catches for 1,077 rec. yards in 2025. Has 571 career
receptions for 7,416 rec. yards [1 of 2 players (Justin Jefferson) in NFL history
with 550+ receptions & 7,000+ rec. yards] in 1st 6 career seasons. Has 5+ catches
in 15+ consecutive primetime games, tied 2nd-longest streak in NFL history. Aims
for 4th in row with 100+ rec. yards on SNF.
• WR GEORGE PICKENS had career-highs with 93 catches for 1,429 rec. yards & 9
TD receptions in 2025. Has 100+ rec. yards & TD catch in 2 of past 3 on SNF.
• TE JAKE FERGUSON set career-highs with 82 catches & 8 rec TDs in 2025.
• OLB VON MILLER ranks 1st with 138.5 sacks, tied-2nd with 177 TFL & tied-6th
with 27 FFs since 2011. Had 9 sacks & 6 TFL in 2025.
• DT QUINNEN WILLIAMS recorded 53 tackles, 10 TFL & INT last season (w/ Jets &
Dal.). Aims for 3rd in row vs. NYG with TFL (w/ Jets & Dal.).
• OLB RASHAN GARY can make Dal. debut. Has 271 tackles, 46.5 TFL, 7 FF & 8 FR
in his career. Has FR & FF in 5+ career seasons. Had 3 tackles & FR in last meeting
vs. NYG (11/16/25 w/GB).
• S JALEN THOMPSON had 95 tackles, sack, 2 TFL, FF & 6 PD in 2025. Can appear in
his 100th career game Week 1.
• DB CALEB DOWNS can make NFL debut after being selected No. 11 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
GIANTS NOTES:
QB JAXSON DART led all rookies with 24 TDs (15 pass, 9 rush) last season.
His 9 rush TDs in 2025 were 2nd-most by rookie QB in Super Bowl era (Cam
Newton – 14). Ranked 3rd among rookie QBs with 2,272 pass yards. Passed
for 230 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his last 4 at
home. Aims for 3rd in row in primetime with TD pass.
• RB CAM SKATTEBO recorded 410 rush yards & 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in 8
games last season. Had rush TD in last matchup (9/14/25).
• WR MALIK NABERS has 1,475 rec. yards & 9 TD catches in 19 career games.
Had 167 rec. yards & 2 TDs in last game vs. Dal. (9/14/25) & has 115+ rec. yards
in 2 of his last 3 vs. Dal.
• TE ISAIAH LIKELY can make NYG debut. Has 135 receptions for 1,568 rec.
yards & 15 TDs in 63 career games.
• LB BRIAN BURNS ranked 2nd in 2025 with career high 16.5 sacks & 3rd with
career high 22 TFL. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL vs. Dal. Has sack in 4 of his
last 5 in primetime & aims for 7th in row with TFL in primetime. Is 1 of 3 with
15+ TFL in each of past 4 seasons.
• LB ARVELL REESE can make NFL debut after being selected No. 5 overall in
2026 NFL Draft.
• OLB ABDUL CARTER had 4 sacks, 7 TFL, 2 FFs & 2 FRs in 2025, 1 of 2 rookies
(Alfred Collins) with 2+ FFs & 2+ FFs last season.
• LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS ranked 3rd among LBs in 2025 with 4 INTs & had
112 tackles, sack, 3 TFL, FR & 9 PD with Chi. Had 15 tackles, 2 PD & 2 INT in
last game vs. Dal. (9/21/25 w/ Chi.). Aims for 9th in row in primetime with 6+
tackles. Can make NYG debut.
• CB PAULSON ADEBO had 73 tackles, TFL, 8 PD & INT in 2025. Has PD in 2 of his
last 3 in primetime. Aims for 4th in row vs. Dal. with PD.
• S JEVON HOLLAND had 59 tackles, 5 PD & INT in 2025.
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DENVER AT KANSAS CITY
Regular Season: KC leads series, 73-58 (DEN won past 4 of past 5)
Last meeting: 12/25/25: DEN 20 at KC 13
BRONCOS NOTES:
BRONCOS led NFL with 68 sacks last season.
• QB BO NIX tied 3rd in NFL with career-high 388 completions & set career high
with 3,931 yards & 25 TD passes in 2025, becoming 4th player ever with 25+
TD passes in each of 1st 2 seasons. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with 290+
pass yards & TD pass. Is 3-1 with 1,013 pass yards (253.3 yards/game) & 8 TDs
(7 pass, 1 rush) with 108.8 rating vs. KC.
• RB J.K. DOBBINS can make 1st appearance since Week 10, 2025. Totaled 809
scrimmage yards (772 rush, 37 rec.) & 4 rush TDs last season. Aims for his
5th in row in Week 1 with rush TD.
• RB RJ HARVEY led rookies with 12 scrimmage TDs (7 rush, 5 rec.) & had 896
scrimmage yards (540 rush, 356 rec.) last season. Has 60+ scrimmage yards
& TD in 5 of his past 6. Had 76 scrimmage yards (43 rush, 33 rec.) & rec. TD
in last meeting.
• WR COURTLAND SUTTON led team in receptions (74), rec. yards (1,017) & rec.
TDs (7) in 2025, 3rd-career season with 1,000+ rec. yards. Has TD catch in 2
of his past 3 on MNF. Aims for his 5th in row vs. KC with 4+ receptions.
• WR JAYLEN WADDLE can make Den. debut after spending 1st 5 seasons with
Mia., totaling 373 receptions, 5,039 rec. yards & 26 rec. TDs.
• TE EVAN ENGRAM totaled 50 receptions & 461 rec. yards last season,
becoming 3rd TE ever (George Kittle & Jeremy Shockey) with 40+ receptions
in each of 1st 9 seasons.
• LB ALEX SINGLETON led team with 135 tackles in 2025, 5th-career season
with 100+ tackles. Has 6+ tackles in 5 of his 6 career games vs. KC.
• LB NIK BONITTO led team with career-high 14 sacks last season, 2nd
consecutive season with 10+ sacks.
• CB PAT SURTAIN II totaled 47 tackles & 12 PD in 2025, 5th consecutive
season with 10+ PD, longest active streak in NFL.
CHIEFS NOTES:
HC ANDY REID has 17 wins in season-opening games, most among active HCs.
• QB PATRICK MAHOMES totaled 3,587 pass yards & 27 TDs (22 pass, 5 rush)
last season. Surpassed Matthew Stafford as fastest player ever to reach
35,000 reg. season pass yards (123 games) & Aaron Rodgers as fastest
player ever to reach 250 TD passes (116 games). Tied 2nd-most TD passes
(267) & has 3rd-most pass yards (35,939) ever by QB in reg. season in 1st 9
seasons. Is 36-8 with 12,191 pass yards (277.1 yards/game) & 91 TDs (85 pass,
6 rush) with 99.4 rating in 44 career starts vs. division. Aims for his 5th in
row on MNF with 290+ pass yards. Has 250+ pass yards & TD pass in 6 of his
past 7 vs. Den.
• RB KENNETH WALKER can make KC debut after totaling 1,726 scrimmage
yards (1,340 rush, 386 rec.) & 9 rush TDs with Sea. last season, incl. playoffs,
& being named SB LX MVP. Totaled 103 rush yards & rush TD in his last game
vs. Den. (9/8/24 w/ Sea.).
• WR RASHEE RICE totaled 53 receptions, 571 rec. yards & 6 scrimmage TDs
(5 rec., 1 rush) in 2025. Had 5+ receptions in 4 of his 5 games at home last
season.
• TE TRAVIS KELCE led team in receptions (76) & rec. yards (851) & had 5 rec.
TDs last season. Joined HOFer Jerry Rice as only players ever with 800+
rec. yards in 12 consecutive seasons. Has 2nd-most rec. yards in primetime
games in NFL history (4,331). Needs 45 rec. yards to surpass Jason Witten
(13,046) for 2nd-most rec. yards by TE all-time. Has 60+ rec. yards & TD catch
in 2 of his past 3 vs. Den.
• DT CHRIS JONES led team with 7 sacks in 2025. Aims for his 3rd in row vs.
Den. with sack.
• LB NICK BOLTON led team with 154 tackles, 4th-career season with 100+ tackles.
• CB L’JARIUS SNEED can make 1st KC appearance since 2023.
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: METS BLOW 8-0 LEAD, EMERGE WITH 15-14 WIN OVER MARLINS
Francisco Lindor slugged a three-run homer in a critical seventh inning and Christopher Morel went 3-for-4 with three RBIs against his former team as the New York Mets completed a three-game sweep of the host Miami Marlins with a 15-14 win on Wednesday night.
Tobias Myers got the final two outs to earn his second save of the season after the Marlins scored six of the game’s final seven runs to nearly rally from a six-plus-run deficit for the second time in the game.
New York, which led 8-0 in the third inning, blew that lead when Miami scored three runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth. But the Mets responded with six runs in the seventh, including Lindor’s homer and an RBI single by Morel.
The Mets have won four straight games and are 21-12 since selling at the trade deadline. Miami was led by Joe Mack, who went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs. Jakob Marsee went 4-for-5 with three RBIs for the Marlins, who have lost six of their past seven games.
Rays 7, Braves 2
Griffin Jax pitched five strong innings while leading Tampa Bay to a second straight win at Atlanta, clinching a series victory in the matchup of division-leading teams.
Making his second start since returning from the injured list with right elbow discomfort, Jax (7-10) allowed one run on two hits to end a three-start losing streak. Victor Mesa Jr. hit a solo homer and Jorge Mateo had a two-run single, both in the second inning.
Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez (4-4) came off the injured list, having recovered from right knee inflammation, to make his first start since July 26. He worked 4 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits.
Brewers 8, Cubs 6
Jackson Chourio had three hits, including one of three home runs in the first two innings for the Brewers, as Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep of visiting Chicago.
Christian Yelich and William Contreras also homered for the Brewers, who stretched their National League Central lead over the second-place Cubs to 10 games. Logan Henderson (10-3) went five-plus innings, allowing one unearned run and two hits.
Chicago scored five runs in the ninth, capped by a two-run double from Michael Conforto, but still took its fourth loss in a row. Kevin Gausman (9-12) surrendered seven runs, six earned, on eight hits in four innings.
Dodgers 14, Reds 1
Mookie Betts hit an early two-run home run and Yoshinobu Yamamoto fanned 10 in seven strong innings as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to a season-high seven games with a victory over visiting Cincinnati.
Teoscar Hernandez contributed two hits and two RBIs as the Dodgers won with designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) out of the lineup again. Freddie Freeman (knee) also was out, too. Yamamoto (13-8) gave up one run on three hits. Betts and Kyle Tucker each had three hits.
Elly De La Cruz extended his home run streak to five games as the Reds fell to 0-3 on a six-game trip. Rhett Lowder (6-10) allowed seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Royals 5, Diamondbacks 2
Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning and Kansas City avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of visiting Arizona.
Carter Jensen also homered for the Royals. Kansas City starter Daniel Lynch IV (5-5) allowed two runs over five innings, and Nate Pearson pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save.
Nolan Arenado homered for one of his two hits for the Diamondbacks, who had won four straight. Arizona starter Zac Gallen returned from the injured list and gave up two runs, one earned, and four hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Phillies 11, Astros 7
Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam for his major-league-leading 44th home run, highlighting Philadelphia’s victory over visiting Houston.
Bryce Harper and Trea Turner drove in two runs apiece for the Phillies, who are 3-3 on a seven-game homestand. Cristopher Sanchez (17-5) got the win despite surrendering six runs and 10 hits in six innings.
Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith homered for the Astros, who could not hold an early 4-0 lead. Reliever Bryan King (2-5) was charged with four runs, three earned, without recording an out. AJ Blubaugh served up Schwarber’s sixth-inning slam that capped a six-run inning.
Yankees 6, Rockies 1
Rookie George Lombard Jr.’s third-inning grand slam was more than enough for host New York to beat Colorado for its fifth win in seven games.
At 21 years, 99 days, Lombard became the second-youngest Yankee to hit a grand slam, trailing only Mickey Mantle. It was also the Yankees’ first grand slam of the season. New York starter Will Warren (10-6) allowed one run on four hits in six innings.
Connor Norby homered and had a double for the Rockies, who have lost three in a row. Tomoyuki Sugano (12-9) allowed five runs on four hits in six innings.
Tigers 7, Twins 2
Colt Keith hit a two-run homer in the first inning and host Detroit never looked back, rolling to a win over Minnesota.
The Tigers snapped their seven-series losing streak as Dillon Dingler drove in two runs, while John Peck scored a run and drove in another. Detroit starter Keider Montero gave up two runs in four innings. He was taken out due to the birth of his child.
Kody Clemens and Josh Bell homered for the Twins. Starter Zebby Matthews (9-10) lasted just 2 1/3 innings, permitting five runs on two hits.
Mariners 3, Rangers 2
Prized prospect Kade Anderson pitched six quality innings to earn his first major league victory as Seattle defeated visiting Texas.
Anderson (1-1) allowed one run on six hits. Cole Young hit a tiebreaking two-run double for the Mariners, who leveled the three-game series at one win apiece.
Rangers starter Cody Bradford (0-5) went four innings and gave up three runs on four hits. Texas’ Jake Burger and Corey Seager hit solo homers.
Athletics 2, Blue Jays 0
Rookie Henry Bolte belted a solo homer and five pitchers combined on a shutout, fueling the Athletics to a victory over Toronto in West Sacramento, Calif.
Max Muncy had two of the four hits recorded by the A’s, who have won six of their past eight games. Reliever Scott Blewett (2-0) tossed two innings, and Elvis Alvarado handled the ninth for his sixth save.
Bolte went deep in the third inning against Michael Lorenzen (3-12), who permitted two runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. The Blue Jays lost for the third time in four games.
Orioles 9, Guardians 5
Dylan Beavers drove in three runs during Baltimore’s eight-run third inning and the Orioles went on to defeat visiting Cleveland.
Beavers produced a two-run double and an RBI single during the big inning, and Leody Taveras rapped two singles in the frame. Coby Mayo added a solo homer in the sixth. Baltimore starter Shane Baz (6-15) went 5 2/3 innings for the win, yielding five runs on six hits.
Chase DeLauter’s two-run homer in the first inning and Nathaniel Lowe’s two-run blast in the sixth were highlights for the Guardians. Cleveland starter Foster Griffin (15-5) lasted 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits.
Pirates 4, White Sox 2
Esmerlyn Valdez hit a solo home run and Konnor Griffin had a two-run single to lift visiting Pittsburgh past Chicago.
The Pirates won a bullpen game to clinch their fifth straight series victory. Brandon Eisert (3-2), who began the season with the White Sox, pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings against his former team. Mason Montgomery handled the ninth for his 11th save.
Munetaka Murakami belted a solo home run for the White Sox, who have lost five of seven. Davis Martin (9-7) permitted one run and four hits in five innings.
Giants 7, Cardinals 6
Jung Hoo Lee tied the game with a two-run double, Shay Whitcomb plated the go-ahead run with a double on the next pitch and San Francisco erupted for six runs in the eighth inning to complete a three-game home sweep of St. Louis.
Bryce Eldridge totaled three RBIs and was one of three Giants who collected two hits, joining Lee and Christian Koss, helping San Francisco record its first home sweep of the season.
Leo Bernal hit a three-run homer and Nolan Gorman added two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals. George Soriano (6-5) gave up two runs while getting just one out in the eighth.
Padres 9, Nationals 2
Jackson Merrill went 4-for-5, homered twice, tripled and drove in six runs to lead host San Diego to a win over Washington.
The Padres won their fourth straight and completed a three-game sweep. Kyle Hart (1-3) earned the victory after tossing 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief.
Keibert Ruiz homered for the Nationals, who have lost seven in a row. Jackson Kent (1-4) surrendered five runs and eight hits in three-plus innings.
Angels 6, Red Sox 4
Zach Neto, Jose Siri and Denzer Guzman homered as Los Angeles started a rare winning streak with a win at Boston.
The Angels earned two wins in the three-game series, and they logged back-to-back victories for the first time since beating the Texas Rangers on Aug. 12-13. Los Angeles starter Ryan Johnson (4-8) pitched six innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Ben Joyce yielded a run in the ninth inning but earned his fourth save.
Roman Anthony hit a two-run homer for Boston, which also received a solo home run from Wilyer Abreu. Jarren Duran amassed two hits and two runs.
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GOLF NEWS
U.S. OVERHAULS RYDER CUP QUALIFYING TO EMPHASIZE RECENT RESULTS
The United States is overhauling its qualification system for the 2027 Ryder Cup, eliminating the previous year’s results and moving away from a points structure tied to prize money.
The PGA of America announced Wednesday that the race for six automatic spots on captain Jim Furyk’s team will not begin until The American Express tournament in January 2027. Qualifying will span 31 events and conclude following the BMW Championship in August.
Under previous systems, performances in select tournaments during the year before a Ryder Cup, including the majors and Players Championship, contributed toward the points standings in addition to current-year performance.
That won’t be the case this time.
“I have worked diligently with our team and am pleased to implement a new qualifying process for the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup Team,” Furyk said. “We possess an exceptional mix of veterans and rising stars, and this system will help us identify the strongest players in September 2027.”
The revamped formula assigns fixed point values based on each tournament’s strength rather than on the amount of money earned, as in previous systems.
Major championship winners will receive 3,000 points, followed by 2,850 for the Players Championship. Winners of PGA Tour Signature events and the first two FedEx Cup playoff tournaments will earn 2,250, while champions at standard full-field Tour events receive 1,500.
U.S. players who make the cut and complete those tournaments will also receive points based on their finishing position. Opposite-field events won’t count.
The top six eligible Americans following the BMW Championship will qualify automatically. Furyk will fill the other six spots on the roster with captain’s selections during the week after the Tour Championship.
The Americans are trying to win on European soil for the first time since 1993 when they visit Adare Manor in Ireland next September.
Furyk said earlier this year that the dramatic changes in PGA Tour purses made prize money a less reliable way to compare performances across different events.
The 2027 Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 17-19.
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GOLF GLANCE: U.S. DEFENDS SOLHEIM CUP; RORY MCILROY HIGHLIGHTS IRISH OPEN FIELD
The Solheim Cup will be contested for the first time in the Netherlands, while Rory McIlroy highlights a strong field assembled for the Irish Open at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel.
LPGA TOUR
THIS WEEK
Solheim Cup, s’Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, Sept. 11-13
Course: Bernardus Golf (Par 72; 6,557 Yards)
Defending Champion: United States
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV/Streaming: Thursday’s Opening Ceremony: 11 a.m.-noon ET; Friday-Saturday: 1:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; 5 a.m.-noon (All times Golf Channel)
X: @TheSolheimCup
NOTES
This is the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup. The United States holds an 11-8 all-time lead and broke a three-event winning streak by Team Europe with their 15.5-12.5 win at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2024. Europe has not lost a Solheim Cup on home soil since 2015 in Germany. … Angela Stanford (U.S.) and Anna Nordqvist (Europe) will serve as the team captains. Nordqvist announced her retirement from the LPGA Tour last month. … Nelly Korda has accounted for 23 of the 41 career victories worldwide by members of the American team, which returns nine players from its 2024 team. Team Europe features four rookies, led by world No. 8 Lottie Woad. … The competition will consist of four foursome matches followed by four four-ball matches each on Friday and Saturday. Sunday will consist of 12 singles matches. … The Solheim Cup is being contested in the Netherlands for the first time.
Last Tournament: FM Championship (Ruoning Yin)
Next Tournament: NW Arkansas Championship, Rogers, Ark., Sept. 25-27
DP WORLD TOUR
THIS WEEK
Irish Open, Doonbeg, Ireland, Sept. 10-13
Course: Trump International Golf Links & Hotel (Par 70, 6,838 Yards)
Purse: $6M (Winner: $1.02M)
Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy
Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Friday: 1-2 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (CNBC); Sunday: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (CNBC)
X: @DPWorldTour
NOTES
This is the third event of the “Back 9” leading up to the DP World Tour playoffs. … World No. 2 McIlroy highlights a strong 138-player field that includes Ireland’s Shane Lowry and three-time LIV Golf individual champion Jon Rahm. … United States president Donald Trump plans to make an appearance during the tournament as part of a two-day visit to Ireland. First designed by Greg Norman and opened by Padraig Harrington in 2022, the venue was bought by The Trump Organization in 2014. … The course features three par-5, 10 par-4 and five par-3 holes. The front nine plays with the prevailing wind while the back nine predominantly plays into it.
Last Tournament: Omega European Masters, Crans Montana, Switzerland, Sept. 3-6 (Thriston Lawrence)
Next Tournament: BMW PGA Championship, Surrey, England, Sept. 17-20
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
THIS WEEK
Sanford International, Sioux Falls, S.D., Sept. 11-13
Course: Minnehaha Country Club (Par 70, 6,747 Yards)
Purse: $2.2M (Winner: $330,000)
Defending Champion: Retief Goosen
Charles Schwab Cup Leader: Stewart Cink
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday: 2-5 p.m. ET; Saturday: 2:30-5 p.m.; Sunday: 1:30-5 p.m. (All times Golf Channel)
X: @ChampionsTour
NOTES
Five events remain before the start of the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs. … Steven Alker has won each of the past two tournaments to climb to fourth in the standings behind Cink, Zach Johnson and Padraig Harrington. … Steve Stricker holds the tournament scoring record of 16-under 194 set in 2023.
Last Tournament: The Ally Challenge (Alker)
Next Tournament: Pure Insurance Championship, Monterey Peninsula, Calif., Sept. 18-20
PGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: Season Concluded
FedEx Cup Champion: Scottie Scheffler
Next Tournament: Biltmore Championship Asheville, Asheville, N.C., Sept. 17-20
LIV GOLF
THIS WEEK: Season Concluded
Season Champions: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Legion XIII
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TOP INDIANA PRESS RELEASES/HEADLINES
COLTS FOOTBALL
(COLTS RELEASE)
The Colts opened Week 1 with a clean bill of health, with every member of the team’s 53-man roster participating in Wednesday’s practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
Four players were listed as limited: Safety AJ Haulcy (ankle), tight end Drew Ogletree (neck), wide receiver Alec Pierce (heel) and center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (illness).
Pierce on Wednesday said he’s “every day getting better” as he works back from an offseason surgery that kept him on the PUP list through late August. On Monday, head coach Shane Steichen said Pierce is “on track” to play in Week 1.
Haulcy, the 2026 third-round pick who’s listed as a starting safety on the Colts’ unofficial depth chart, missed the last few weeks of practice with an ankle injury.
The Colts will hold practices Thursday and Friday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center before kicking off the 2026 regular season Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium.
COACH SHANE STEICHEN: https://www.colts.com/video/indianapolis-colts-head-coach-shane-steichen-midweek-update-colts-vs-baltimore-ravens-press-conference-media-availability
QB DANIEL JONES: https://www.colts.com/video/indianapolis-colts-quarterback-daniel-jones-colts-vs-baltimore-ravens-week-1-press-conference-media-availability
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INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians ran away with Game 2 of the series, 9-1, against the Omaha Storm Chasers on Wednesday night at Victory Field. Nick Yorke led the charge with four RBI, one short of his career high. RHP Noah Davis (S, 1) and RHP Noah Murdock (W, 1-2) each collected season-firsts, the save and win, respectively.
The Indians (37-28, 68-72) were hot off the bat, scoring five runs in the first inning. Enmanuel Valdez and Jack Brannigan each drove in a run, and Yorke capped off the frame with a three-run home run, sending it 403 feet over the center-field wall.
Nick Cimillo tacked on a pair of runs in the third inning, 7-0, with an RBI double.
Indianapolis chased Omaha’s (30-33, 63-74) starter Henry Williams (L, 5-5) out of the game in the fourth inning. With two outs, Valdez launched a solo shot for his 18th home run of the year. Brannigan followed with a triple, and Yorke brought him home with an RBI single to extend the lead to 9-0.
Storm Chasers’ first baseman Jorge Alfaro plated their lone run of the contest to make it 9-1, rocketing a 110.8 MPH RBI single to left field.
Davis made his third relief appearance of the year and entered in the seventh inning. He tossed the final three innings and did not allow a run to secure his first save since doing so on Aug. 27, 2025, with St. Paul at Toledo. Murdock pitched a scoreless third and fourth innings to earn his first Triple-A win of the season.
The Indians and the Storm Chasers meet again at 6:35 PM ET on Thursday night as they continue Indianapolis’ final homestand of the 2026 season. Hard-throwing right-hander Antwone Kelly (5-6, 4.24) will take the bump for the Indians, facing Omaha’s southpaw John Means (0-0, 3.00).
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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 14-ranked Purdue volleyball squad (3-2) served up an efficient 3-0 sweep over IU Indy (25-10, 25-9, 25-16), featuring a season-high 11 team aces, 13 total blocks and a .389 team clip in just one hour and two minutes.
The Boilermakers bounced back from the loss to now-No.11 TCU, beginning the match against IU Indy with 10 unanswered points. The run began thanks to middle Bianka Lulić, who started for the first time this season and went on to serve a career-high four service aces, with 21 serves just a set and a half into the match.
The one-hour and two-minute match was the fastest in over three years.
A well-balanced Purdue stat sheet included seven Boilermakers with a kill, all with two errors or fewer. Moreover, Grace Heaney and Lily Bosworth went perfect, seeing five kills and three kills, respectively.
Defensively, Purdue out-blocked IU Indy, 13-3 and held the Jaguars to a -.056 hitting clip. Meanwhile, Taylor Anderson dished out two assists as the squad hit .389 on the night – improving each set until the team finished with a .421 attack % in Set 3.
UP NEXT
No. 14 Purdue heads to the Bahamas tomorrow to prepare for the first-ever volleyball match played outside the United States with the Paradise Invitational, hosted at Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. Purdue is set to open the tournament on Saturday, September 12 vs. Houston at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+. No. 8 SMU vs. No. 3 Kentucky will follow. The losers from each match will face off at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2, followed by the winners at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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NOTRE DAME MEN’S GOLF
GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team opened the 2026-27 season at the fifth-annual Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club which began on Monday, Sept. 7 and concluded on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Notre Dame finished tied for second after the three round tournament, firing a 13-under 839. Georgia Tech won the event with a score of 18-under 834 and tied Texas (13-under 839).
The Fighting Irish were the most consistent team in the field, as they were the only program to finish all three rounds under par as a team.
Individually Jacob Modleski led the way for Notre Dame, picking up his first top-five finish of the season with a 6-under 207 to finish fifth. Teammate Liam Pasternak was just behind, tying for sixth overall with a 5-under 208.
Peyton Blackard also finished in the top 15 for the week with a 2-under 211 to tie for 14th place.
ROUND ONE
The Fighting Irish got off to a strong start in their opening round of the 2026-27 campaign, carding a 4-under 280 on Monday. Notre Dame was in third after the first round of action, trailing Georgia Tech (12-under 272) and the hosts Michigan State (5-under 279).
Modleski set the tone for the Irish, posting a score of 3-under over the first 18 holes of play, highlighted by an eagle on the 553-yard, par five sixth hole. The senior was tied for fourth on the individual leaderboard after the first round.
Blackard was also in the red following the first day of play, recording a 1-under 70. Mike Qiu, Liam Pasternak and Rocco Salvitti each finished the first round at even par with 71s to round out a solid opening day.
ROUND TWO
Notre Dame attacked the course on Tuesday, as Modleski, Qiu, Pasternak and Blackard combined to record 13 birdies during the second day of action at the tournament. The team’s round of 7-under 277 was the second-best round of the day, moving the Irish into a tie for second place with No. 15 Texas at 11-under and just one back of No. 25 Georgia Tech.
Modleski matched his opening round score with another 3-under 68 to move to 6-under for the tournament, placing him tied for second on the leaderboard with two other competitors and just one shot behind the leader. The Noblesville, Indiana, product finished the day with four birdies and just one bogey.
Qiu joined Modleski on the leaderboard, also finishing with a 3-under 68 on the round to jump into 8th place overall. The junior totaled four birdies with just one bogey on Tuesday to move up the leaderboard.
Pasternak also finished under par for the day, carding a 1-under 70. The sophomore tallied two birdies and 15 pars with a steady performance on day two. Blackard and Salvitti each recorded second-round scores of even par with 71s.
ROUND THREE
The Irish finished the season-opening tournament with a 2-under 282 to close out the event, putting Notre Dame in the red for all three rounds.
Pasternak shot the low round of the day for the Irish, saving his best round for last with a 4-under 67. The sophomore posted six birdies on the day and moved up to finish tied for sixth in the individual competition with a 5-under for the week.
Blackard matched his best round of the tournament with a 1-under 70 on Wednesday afternoon to finish the 2-under over the three rounds. Modleski had a tough start to his round with back-to-back bogeys but battled back to shoot even par for the round to finish 6-under for the week. Qiu rounded out the Irish that scored on Wednesday with a 3-over 74 to finish the tournament at even par.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back in action next week at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at the Oviinbyrd Golf Club in Foot’s Bay, Ontario. Day one of competition starts on Sunday, Sept. 13 and the invite wraps up on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
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BUTLER XC
The 2026 Butler cross country season is set to begin Friday in East Lansing, Mich., as the Bulldogs make the drive north to compete in the Spartan Invitational hosted by Michigan State.
Friday serves as Butler’s 2026 opener after the team decided not to compete at last weekend’s Fighting Illini Invitational due to the expected high temperatures.
The women’s 6k begins at 9 a.m., followed by the men’s 8k at 9:30 a.m. The Forest Akers East Golf Course utilized for Friday’s meet will also host the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Nov. 13.
The Butler men are ranked No. 16 nationally in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason poll that was announced Sept. 1.
Head coach Matt Roe’s Bulldogs return three men who ran at the 2025 NCAA Championships, headlined by William Zegarski, who finished 66th nationally. He is joined by Brendan Thomas and Matteo Rosio among that group. Redshirt junior Sean Byrnes was part of the Bulldogs’ 2024 squad at the national championships.
“We will hold out our four men who have national championship experience, along with three men who we expect to factor into our top seven moving forward,” said Roe. “That said, there might be an individual from this weekend’s meet who could be elevated into next week’s elite meet at Indiana State. It will be fun to see how it all plays out. We have a significant group of fit guys right now who are eager to earn the opportunity to help the team at the national level.”
Bulldog men expected to compete Friday in East Lansing include returners Kyle Grove and Asher Propst. They are joined by a number of Bulldogs making their cross country debut for the program: graduate transfer Connor Latouf, redshirt freshmen Eli Ilg and Owen Whitney, and true freshmen Caelan D’Onofrio, Kayden Elliott, Sam Hopp, John Libs, and Mick Temple.
Butler’s women finished sixth at the 2025 BIG EAST Championships and return several of their top performers from a young roster a season ago in Hannah Moore and Mckenna Mazeski; they are joined by a talented incoming recruiting class.
“This is a new-look team on the women’s side,” said Roe. “We have several freshmen making their Butler debuts along with a few key returners. Friday will be the first competitive step in what will be an exciting new era for our program.”
Among that group expected to make their respective Butler debuts Friday in Michigan are Callie Bentley, Emily Berger, Hana Boggess, Susanne Estepp, and Caterina Perego. Poppy Healy will make her Butler cross country debut after arriving in Indianapolis mid-year for the 2026 track season.
Live results for Friday’s races will be available through Superior Timing.
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IU INDY MEN’S SOCCER
DeKALB, Ill. – The IU Indianapolis men’s soccer team had its three-game winning streak snapped as the Jaguars dropped their Horizon League opener at Northern Illinois on Wednesday night (Sept. 9), 2-0. The host Huskies scored a pair of second half goals after the teams battled to a scoreless opening 45 minutes.
The two NIU (4-2, 1-0 HL) goals came in a less than six-minute span early in the second half with Luka Vasic and Tomasz Slawek finding the back of the net. Roman Khela collected assists on both scores with tallies coming in the 49th and 55th minutes.
NIU finished with a 17-7 shot advantage while both sides earned 11 corner kick opportunities.
“It’s a tough test coming to Northern Illinois and the boys felt that today,” head coach Keegan Boom said. “There were moments today where we liked what we saw and certainly some moments we will review and go to the training ground to improve. The mindset for us now has to be controlling what we can control and focus on the next game, which comes quickly.”
The Jaguars were on the front foot early, getting an early attempt from senior Jose Antonio Herrera and a trio of corner kicks in the opening stages of the contest. However, NIU tilted the field in their favor as the half wore on, finishing the first half with 64 percent of the possession and an 8-2 shot margin.
The Jaguars saw their defensive scoreless stretch of 385 minutes snapped early in the second half when Vasic tallied his third goal of the season. Moments later, Slawek got a shot past IU Indy rookie goalkeeper Peter Field for his first score of the year.
IU Indy’s best attempts of the contest came largely from Herrera while senior back Jago Thompson-Roberts put an attempt on frame off a corner kick in the 81st minute. Herrera attempted a team-high four shots while Thompson-Roberts and Santiago Sanchez also had shots on goal.
Field recorded six saves for the Jaguars.
The Jaguars will return home to kickoff a three-game homestand, beginning with Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday (Sept. 12) at 5:00 p.m. at Carroll Stadium. Saturday’s contest will be streamed on ESPN+ as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) calls the action.
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IU INDY VOLLEYBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The IU Indy Jaguars lost to Purdue 3-0 on Wednesday, with set scores of 10-25, 9-25 and 16-25. The Jaguars were held to just 20 kills, while Purdue finished with 28 kills and a .389 percentage.
The Jags spent the first set chasing after Purdue scored the first 10 points before Bailey Sinish put the Jags on the board with a kill from Grace Purichia. Elle Patterson, Jillian Tippmann and Amanda Stephens added kills for the Jags, and Sinish teamed with Chloe Macias on a block as Purdue went on to take the set 25-10.
The Jags got even at 2-2 on Laura Roeder’s service ace to open the second set, but Purdue followed with nine straight points to put the Jags behind 11-2. Tippmann, Lila Britt and Macias supplied kills later in the set, while Patterson added a service ace and Macias joined Tippmann on a late block. Purdue won the set 25-9.
IU Indy responded with its strongest offensive showing of the night in the third set. The Jaguars recorded 10 kills in the frame and stayed within striking distance early, including an 8-6 advantage midway through the set. Purdue answered with a run to regain control before closing out the match, 25-16.
Tippmann led the Jags with six kills and added a block assist. Purichia finished with 17 assists and three digs. Roeder recorded a team-high eight digs and added two service aces, while Macias posted three kills on a .250 hitting percentage with two block assists.
The Jags will now travel to San Antonio for the Roadrunner Classic at UTSA. IU Indy will face East Texas A&M, Gonzaga and UTSA in the three-match weekend.
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BALL STATE FOOTBALL
MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State welcomes the Stony Brook Seawolves to Scheumann Stadium on Saturday to celebrate Family Weekend and open a five-game slate of home games during the 2026 college football season.
— Saturday’s game against the Seawolves is sponsored by the ROTC. Tailgate parking lots opens at 10 a.m. A 2 p.m. kickoff is preceded by Charlie Town fan festivities that open at 11:30 a.m., with the Cardinal Walk game day tradition welcoming the Cardinals into the stadium at 11:45 a.m.
— Fans for Saturday’s game are encouraged to wear white for a WHITE OUT. A military flyover commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and first responders are honored as part of a Hometown Heroes ticket offer. The first of five limited-edition collector buttons will be given away at stadium entrances, while supplies last.
— Ball State battles against the FCS Seawolves, one week after falling to FBS No. 1-ranked Ohio State, last Saturday. The Cardinals have won their home opener the past three seasons, and in 15 of the past 16 since 2010. The only blemish was a 37-30 defeat to Western Michigan in 2022.
— Ball State crossed midfield against the Buckeyes on six occasions last Saturday, led largely by the quarterbacking of fourth-year transfer Keldric Luster. He finished 18-of-33 passing for 89 yards and one interception. He ran nine times for a net 10 yards. His top passing target against Ohio State was tight end Tate Hoover who corralled five receptions for 20 yards.
— The Cardinals’ defense did not stop the top-ranked Buckeyes, but sustained a pass rush that netted a pair of sacks and six tackles for loss. Second-year LB Lucas Szymborski and fifth-year sniper Quentavius Scandrett paced the defense with six tackles, apiece. Safety Sterling Smith and linebacker Gavin Forsha each had five tackles. Sacks were recorded by Anthony Pinnace and Jared Badie, and Cedric Franklin II notched a third-period interception.
— Placekicker Brody Boehm made the best of his first college field goal attempt, booming a 54-yard kick through the uprights for Ball State’s only points against top-ranked Ohio State. Boehm’s 54-yarder was the longest by a Ball State kicker since 2014, and is tied as the third-longest in program history. Not to be outdone, punter Cole Stumbaugh excelled in his first college experience as punter. Ball State’s holder last year and this year, Saturday at Ohio State marked his first punting duties and he performed to the tune of 43.8 yards per punt on eight kicks. He landed four inside the 20-yard line with a long of 64.
WHAT A WIN MEANS:
— The Cardinals will win their opening home game for the fourth straight season, and for the 16th time in the past 17 years.
— The Cardinals will win for the fifth time in six home games during the Mike Uremovich era.
SERIES NOTES AND TOP STORYLINES
INSIDE THE SERIES: STONY BROOK
— The Cardinals and Seawolves have never played on the gridiron.
EDUCATION: ABOUT STONY BROOK
— Located in America’s heartland, Ball State has competed in NCAA Division I sports for over 50 years. Stony Brook, though, joined the Division I ranks in 1999 and has played in the I-AA or FCS classification since that time.
— A member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), the Seawolves’ only win over an FBS opponent was against Army (23-3) in 2012.
— Stony Brook is located at the geographic midpoint of Long Island, roughly 60 miles east of Manhattan and 60 miles west of Montauk, at the tip of Long Island’s peninsula.
HOME OPENERS
— Since 2000, Ball State is 19-7 in home openers at Scheumann Stadium, losing just once since 2010. The only blemish was a 37-30 defeat to Western Michigan in 2022.
— Ball State has downed Indiana State, Missouri State and New Hampshire the past three seasons, and has won 15 of the past 16 overall.
LIMIT THE FLAGS
— Ball State was whistled for three penalties (15 yards) at Ohio State, and begins the season ranked in the FBS top ten in both categories again — ninth in fewest penalties; seventh in fewest yards.
— The MAC leader for almost the entire 2025 season in fewest penalties (56), fewest penalties per game (4.67), fewest penalty yards (466) and fewest penalty yards per game (38.83), the Cardinals finished second or third in the MAC in all four categories.
MAC Rk | FBS Rk
Fewest Penalties 2nd 12th
Fewest Penalties/Gm 3rd 22nd
Fewest Penalty Yds 2nd 12th
Fewest Penalty Yds/Gm 2nd 13th
OFFENSIVE NOTES & STORYLINES
DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE “BOWLING BALL” QB
— Social media pundits had fun with Ball State’s QB announcement before the season opener, noting that the 5-10, 250-lb. Keldric Luster may resemble a sturdy, tough-to-tackle bowling ball.
— Making his first college start, in what was the 10th appearance of his career, Luster finished 18of-33 passing for 89 yards against the Buckeyes. He had one interception.
— He routinely evaded rushers and extended plays at OSU, despite not collecting more yardage. Perhaps his biggest highlight was eluding a rusher and avoiding a loss by hurdling another defender to get back to the line of scrimmage.
— Luster was named the starting QB during a position meeting on Thursday, Aug. 20, one day ahead of a Friday scrimmage. He transfers from Texas State after a year with the Bobcats and two at SMU, where he totaled nine games over his first three seasons.
— At 5-10 and 250 pounds, the robust signal caller makes his first college start on Saturday. One of Luster’s biggest QB characteristics is a powerful, hard-throwing arm that fires strikes to his receivers.
RUNNING BACK TANDEM
— The Cardinals’ most experienced runner is fourth-year tailback TJ Horton, who also doubles as Ball State’s top kick returner.
— Horton was fifth in the MAC in kickoff return yards last season (24.5 yds per return). He boasts 287 yards on 83 carries over the past two years out of the backfield.
— He carried six times for a net of four yards at OSU, and caught four passes for six yards.
— If Horton is the “lightning” of the running back duo, Jalen Bonds could be tabbed as its “thunder.” Not necessarily a big back, Bonds is Ball State’s biggest ball carrier and his rugged frame helped him emerge as the Cardinals’ top ball carrier in the final three games of 2025.
— Bonds had nine yards on three carries at Ohio State, and caught a pass for six yards.
— Bonds was utilized as both a rusher and receiver over just three games last year. He gained 77 yards rushing and 52 receiving overall. After receiving four carries in his college debut against Eastern Michigan last year, he rushed for 58 yards and caught passes for 54 yards at Toledo, to record the most scrimmage yards (112) by a Ball State freshman since Carson Steele in 2021.
— Bonds became the 10th Ball State freshman since 2000 to eclipse 110 scrimmage yards in a game.
— New to the mix in 2026 is Kansas transfer Johnny Thompson Jr., a fourth-year player who bears speed like Horton and should see plenty of reps. Thompson carried twice, for three yards, at Ohio State.
— Former Purdue transfer Elijah Jackson rounds out the veteran rotation in the backfield. Late game duty netted a team-high 20 rushing yards last week on just two carries.
— Freshmen Char-rese Breveard and Anthony McMullen Jr., round out the Cardinals’ backfield.
RECEIVING DEPTH
— Third-year Donovan Hamilton, fourth-year Isaiah Thacker and fifth-year Jamarion McDougle are the Cardinals’ most veteran returning receivers, but added to the mix this year is a host of speedy transfers including Corey Thompson Jr. (UNLV/Utah State), CJ Nelson (Eastern Illinois) and Jabari Smith (Florida Atlantic).
— McDougle was targeted the most among Cardinals receivers at Ohio State, thrown to four times, with a pair of receptions for 16 yards. Hamilton, Thacker, Nelson and Elisha Durham each had one catch.
— Hamilton emerged as the Cardinals’ top receiver last season. A local product from Indianapolis, Hamilton transferred from Purdue and recorded the Cardinals’ season-high with seven catches at UConn last September.
— Speed was a recruiting focus with this class of transfers, and this year’s depth promises to provide ample targets for Cardinals QBs.
ACTIVE AND VERSATILE TIGHT ENDS
— Ball State will employ multiple tight ends, in a variety of sets, using the position as much as a blocking fullback as a route-running pass catcher.
— Tate Hoover, an athletic offensive linemen (center) in high school and a fullback at Hutchinson CC, leads the tight ends unit. He played in all 12 games last year and started in seven — catching just one pass (9 yards).
— Hoover led all receivers at Ohio State, pulling down five catches for 20 yards, and narrowly missing on a long flea-flicker reception.
— Other candidates to see significant time in 2026 are transfers Alex Scherle and Sean Ward, from Rice and Dartmouth, respectively. Second-year player Mason Riggins and fourth-year Leo Collins should also be active in the rotation.
— Last year, it was a routine occurence for six different tight ends to log minutes by the end of the Cardinals’ first offensive series. Nearly every active tight end will participate on various special teams units.
OFFENSIVE LINE CONTINUITY
— Ball State started the same offensive line in each of the first six games, and in 8 of 12 overall last season, led by Hood and Cook at tackles in every game, and Mosier at center. Cook has been termed by Ball State coaches as the line’s most solid and reliable blocker.
— Only the interior line has changes this season, with Mosier shifting to guard and out for the first few weeks. Third-year player and former walk on Grant Haworth is tabbed to start at center, ahead of Dartmouth transfer Maxwell Wentz.
— Mosier is expected to shift to left guard, with third-year returner Zach Bandy, though both were injured and missed the Ohio State game.
— The right guard position could see rotation between a pair of transfers — Jacob Jeudy from Div. II Concord and Misa Sandoval from Vanderbilt. At Ohio State though, Sandoval started at left tackle, with Jeudy and second-year player Brady Barrowman splitting time at right guard.while playing a few snaps at right guard. He was injured all of 2024 and played much of 2023 as a blocking tight end. During that 2023 season, he also saw snaps at left guard and both tackles.
— Mosier wears No. 73 usually, but he was used so frequently as a blocking TE in 2023 that he began wearing No. 90 when he reported in that role. Ball State rosters were updated at midseason to reflect him wearing No. 73/90.
DEFENSIVE NOTES & STORYLINES
FEWEST DEFENSIVE STARTER RETURNING
— The Cardinals are just one of 13 FBS teams with two or fewer starters returning on its defensive unit from 2025:
0 – Colorado, Iowa State, North Texas, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Washington State 1 – Troy, San Diego State, San Jose State 2 – Arizona State, Ball State, Cincinnati, UTSA
TURNOVER CARDS: FIRST FIVE VS. LAST SEVEN
— Over last season’s last seven games, the Ball State defense forced TWELVE turnovers (9 INTs, 3 FRs), compared to just ONE in its first five games.
— The Cardinals continued their turnover streak with Cedric Franklin’s interception at Ohio State, marking an eighth straight game in which the Cardinals have forced a turnover.
VOORHIS RECENTLY WITH NEW YORK JETS
— Among the departed from last year’s defense was MAC sacks leader Nathan Voorhis (pronounced VORR-is) who finished fourth among FBS leaders in sacks per game (1.00) and whose 12 sacks finished one shy of Ball State’s single-season record of 13.
— Voorhis was an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets, but was waived last week.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES & STORYLINES
COACH U: “WE BEAT THEM ON SPECIAL TEAMS”
— Last week’s 56-3 defeat against top-ranked Ohio State did not come without a couple of Ball State successes, namely its punter and kicker. Notably, head coach Mike Uremovich also praised punt and kickoff coverage teams.
— Boehm was impressive in his college debut, drilling a 54-yard kick in the second quarter that was the nation’s second-longest kick in the season’s opening weekend. It matched the thirdlongest kick in Ball State history and was the program’s longest since Scott Secor’s 55-yarder in 2014 against Central Michigan.
— Similarly, Cole Stumbaugh boomed eight punts for a 43.8-yard average. He planted four inside the Buckeyes’ 20-yard line and had no touchbacks.
— His long kick of 64 yards is the seventhlongest in the FBS through one week of play. 8 Among players with six punts or more in the opening week of play, Stumbaugh’s 43.8-yard average ranks 13th nationally.
FREAKS LIST
— Local product Brody Boehm, who attended Missouri in 2024-25 before transferring to Ball State, close to his home in nearby Westfield, is due to handle placekicking chores for the Cardinals.
— He enters his first year as the starter as the only kicker selected among 101 members of The Athletic’s 2026 Freak’s List by Bruce Feldman. The only player selected from the Mid-American Conference, he was just one of two specialists chosen nationally.
— His family story is compelling, helping “coach” his older brother Ben, who has Down syndrome and has become a world-class Special Olympics powerlifter. Nicknamed “Ironman,” Ben won gold and bronze medals in recent world championships conducted in Romania and Iceland.
BALLSTATESPORTS.COM/CARDSKICKCANCER
— Started in 2025 with Britton, Stumbaugh and Holmer, Ball State specialists initiated a “Cards Kick Cancer” initiative in which fans and supporters can pledge support for every point scored by the Cardinals kicking unit.
— Last year’s Ball State initiative, done exclusively by the players and with minimal promotion, raised over $3,000. Ball State fans and supporters can learn more and contribute by visiting: BallStateSports.com/CardsKickCancer.
— The idea was initiated by Britton, whose younger brother Behren is a leukemia survivor. This year, the initiative is supported by Boehm and the rest of Ball State’s specialists.
— All funds support the “Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation” that fights childhood cancer. Alex Scott’s inspiring story has evolved into a Foundation that has raised more than $300 million for childhood cancer and funded over 1,500 research projects that have saved the lives of kids fighting cancer with no treatment options available.
HEART OF THE CARDINAL
— Based on the “Cards Kick Cancer” initiative and a regular, year-round display of community service, last year’s special teams trio — Caden Britton, Cole Stumbaugh and Carson Holmer — was presented the “Heart of the Cardinal” award at Ball State SportsLink’s 2026 Chirpies Awards Show, an annual presentation of Ball State athletics’ best and brightest performances from the previous year.
ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM AND WUERRFEL TROPHY NOMINEE
— Based on community service and the “Cards Kick Cancer” initiative, long snapper Caden Britton is this year’s Ball State nominee for both the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and the Wuerrfel Trophy. As only one player per school is eligible for nomination, Britton represents the Ball State specialists who have collaborated on fundraising and community service in consecutive years.
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BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL
THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL: The Ball State women’s volleyball team returns to the road this weekend for three matches at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational … The two-day event will see the Cardinals battle Stetson (11 a.m.) and host Campbell (6 p.m.) Friday … BSU’s last match will be a 1 p.m. showdown with Furman Saturday.
FOLLOW THE ACTION: Live stats will be available for all three matches courtesy of Campbell … In addition, Friday’s evening match versus the host Fighting Camels will be broadcast live on FloSports (PPV) … Updates from the matches will also be provided on the team’s X feed and Instagram story: @BallStateWVB.
MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS: The Ball State women’s volleyball team was picked to finish second in the league in the MAC’s annual preseason coaches’ poll … The defending regular season champion Cardinals earned 91 points and three first place votes, trailing only defending tournament champion Toledo (92 points / seven first place votes) … The Rockets also had a slight edge over Ball State in the MAC Women’s Volleyball Championship projections, earning six votes to the Cardinals’ five.
PRESEASON ALL-MAC: Ball State placed three student-athletes on the Preseason All-MAC Team … Representing the squad were senior middles Gwen Crulland Camryn Wise, along with junior defensive specialist/libero Sophie Ledbetter … All three were First Team All-MAC selections last season after helping guide the Cardinals to the league’s regular season title with a 17-1 MAC ledger.
BALL STATE ALL-TIME: Ball State enters the Fairfield Inn & Suites Dunn Campbell Invitational with a 1060-668-2 (.613) all-time record in women’s volleyball … Ball State became the 44th program in NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball history to reach 1,000 wins with a sweep of Central Michigan on Sept. 22, 2023 … All-time, the Cardinals have captured 12 Mid-American Conference West Division Championships, 11 MAC Regular Season Championships and eight MAC Volleyball Championship titles … Ball State has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including three of the last six seasons … BSU has also earned two bids into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).
BALL STATE IN THE MAC: With a 17-1 record in Mid-American Conference play last season, Ball State maintains its status as the winningest program in league play with a 476-226 (.678) all-time MAC mark … Western Michigan is second on the list, six matches behind the Cardinals at 470-232 (.670).
WHEN IN WORTHEN: The Cardinals boast a 332-104 (.761) all-time record inside Worthen Arena, including an 84-41 (.672) mark against non-conference foes and a 248-63 (.797) ledger versus league foes … No MAC opponent owns a winning record inside Worthen Arena, as the Cardinals have at least a .630 winning percentage against all league schools on its current home floor.
SCOUTING BALL STATE:
• After an impressive showing at the Tru by Hilton Beavercreek Invitational, which included wins over preseason favorites in Conference USA (Western Kentucky), the Atlantic 10 (Dayton) and Horizon League (Wright State), the Ball State women’s volleyball team received six votes in this week’s American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 Coaches Poll … Prior to Monday, the last time the Cardinals received votes in the poll was the first regular season poll of 2022.
• Thanks to their solid play last weekend at Wright State’s Nutter Center, the Cardinals swept the Mid-American Conference weekly honors … Junior libero Sophie Ledbetter was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week and the fourth time in her collegiate career … Junior outside hitter Audrey Geer was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career … Senior Lindsey Green and junior Reese Axness combined to be named the MAC Setter Pair of the Week for the first time this season and the fifth time in their careers.
• As a team, the Cardinals enter the weekend ranked third nationally in both digs per set (17.26) and assists per set (13.89), while holding the 12th spot among all NCAA Division I programs in kills per set (14.37) … After hitting above .300 in all three matches last weekend, the Cardinals are also 47th nationally in hitting percentage (.265).
• Looking at the offensive numbers, the Cardinals are doing it with a very balanced attack as five players have collected at least 25 kills through the first five matches of the season … Four of those attackers have reached double-digit kills in at least two matches, led by Audrey Geer with double figures in all five of Ball State’s outings so far this season.
BALL STATE QUICK HITS:
• Ball State enters the Campbell Invitational as one of just 21 undefeated teams in the nation this season … The Cardinals are also the lone unblemished MAC program after Western Michigan suffered a 3-0 setback at Michigan State Tuesday.
• Sophie Ledbetter enters the weekend ranked first in the MAC and 11th nationally with a 4.89 digs-per-set average … She has been credited with double-digit digs in all five matches so far this season, starting with her season-high 26 in the season-opening reverse sweep of Notre Dame (Aug. 28) … With 93 total digs so far this season, Ledbetter is five digs shy of becoming the 22nd player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs.
• With double-digit digs in all three matches last weekend, Sophie Ledbetter raised her career total to 56 matches in double figures … With the effort, Ledbetter climbed two spots into 13th in program history for matches with double-digit digs … She needs five more matches in double figures to break into the top 10 on BSU’s all-time list.
• Audrey Geer was named the MVP of the Tru by Hilton Beavercreek Classic after posting kill/dig double-doubles in all three matches, raising her season total to four … She tied for team-high honors with a 4.10 kills-per-set average, while ranking second on the squad with a 3.70 digs-per-set average … Geer currently ranks fourth in the MAC with a 3.42 kills-per-set average and 10th in the league with a 3.05 digs-per-set average.
• Including her two seasons at Marshall, Audrey Geer has smashed 479 career kills, leaving her 21 shy of 500 … She has notched double-digit kills in 27 collegiate matches and owns a career high of 17 kills versus Appalachian State on Nov. 11, 2024 … In addition, she has collected double-digit digs in 23 career matches and is 41 shy of 500 in that category at 459 … She has double-figure digs in 23 career matches, while boasting 17 career kill/dig double-doubles.
• Ava Smith has also shined in her first season with the Cardinals, leading the squad and ranking third in the MAC with a 3.53 kills-per-set average … She has smashed double-digit kills in four matches so far this season, paced by a career-best 19 kills in the win over Western Kentucky (Sept. 3) … Including her two seasons at Marshall, Smith has 282 career kills with double digits in 10 career matches.
• Ava Smith has also been a solid addition in the backcourt, ranking third on the team with a 2.74 digs-per-set average, including her first three career kill/dig double-doubles … Smith’s 52 digs so far this season more than double her previous career total of 48 and give her an even 100 entering the Campbell Invitational.
• Lindsey Green and Reese Axness continue to split duties in the 6-2 offense, combining to lead the Ball State offense to a .265 hitting percentage so far this season, which is 47th nationally … Their efforts have also helped the Cardinals rank third in the nation in assists-per-set average (13.89) … Green leads the duo and ranks fifth in the MAC with a 6.63 assists-per-set average, while Axness comes in at 5.53 assists per set … In addition, the pair have combined for three assist/dig double-doubles, with two from Green and one from Axness.
• The Cardinals welcomed a familiar face back to the lineup opening weekend, as redshirt senior middle hitter Madison Buckley returned to the court for the first time since the 2024 season … A First Team All-MAC selection two years ago, Buckley ranks fourth on the squad with 40 kills and a 2.11 kills-per-set average this season … In addition, she leads the squad and ranks ninth in the league with a .377 hitting percentage, paced by a .551 (11-1-18) effort in the win over Xavier (Aug. 29).
• Junior opposite Tiffany Snook has also been a solid attacking option for the Ball State offense this season, ranking third on the squad with a 2.42 kills-per-set average … She has blasted double-digit kills in three matches, raising her career total to 16, led by a season-high 12 kills in the reverse sweep at Notre Dame (Aug. 28).
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INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.- Due to expected thunderstorms affecting the field conditions and concerns about player safety and welfare, the Thursday night match between Indiana State and Morehead State has been adjusted to a morning start.
Kickoff is now set for 11 a.m. ET. Live stats for the match will be available on gosycamores.com, and the game will stream live on ESPN, giving fans multiple ways to follow along as Indiana State looks to continue its strong start to the 2026 campaign.
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INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball brings an even 3-3 record into the first home matches of this season this Thursday and Friday, hosting Milwaukee in both matches.
The home opener on Thursday, September 10 is set for 6 p.m. ET, while first serve on Friday, September 11 will be at 5 p.m. ET – both to air on ESPN+.
About Milwaukee
The Milwaukee Panthers also enter the contest 3-3, but they’re on a three-game win streak after sweeping their last tournament. MKE defeated UIC 3-0, Montana State 3-2, and St. Thomas 3-1. Middle blocker/opposite #3 Annie Eschenbach is coming off a Horizon League Player of the Week bid from the tournament with a team-high 41 kills and added eight blocks, hitting .360. She leads the team with 2.86 kills per set, followed by #6 Josie Noble. Numbers 5 Milica Tomic and 17 Emma Duffy split the setting duties, while #12 Bella Lipski (1.05) and Noble (1.00) lead in blocks per set.
Recapping Missouri State
Indiana State went 1-2, downing Northwestern State in the tournament opener before falling to Little Rock and Missouri State
In the Northwestern State match, the Sycamores won in five sets. Since the start of the 2022 season, Indiana State was 2-36 when trailing in a match 2-1. The Sycamores were down 2-1 in the Northwestern State match before coming back to get the victory. The last time Indiana State won a match when trailing 2-1 was October 7, 2021 against Missouri State
Lily Mueller hit .429 with 18 kills and eight blocks
Taylor Knuth saw her most action on the court as a Sycamore, playing in nine sets over the weekend to hit .458 with 13 kills and picked up three blocks
Hadley Hardersen recorded her second triple-double of her career. This gives her the only two triple-doubles in the program since 2007
The Trees by the Numbers
Ava Robart (2.58) edged out Kira Holland to lead in kills per set (2.56) entering the MKE series
They sit 13th and 14th, respectively, in league standings
Ava Robart sits second in the league in total aces (12) and third in the league in aces per set (0.50)
Lily Mueller, coming off her first All-Tournament Team selection, leads the team in blocks per set (0.84)
Her number places her 10th in the league
Both Emmy Sher (3.80) and Kira Holland (3.00) are the only two about 3.00 digs per set for the Sycamores
Sher enters sixth in the MVC
As a team, Indiana State is allowing the second-fewest team kills per set in the league (10.72)
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INDIANA STATE FOOTBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State football continues the 2026 season on the road this weekend as the Sycamores travel to Eastern Illinois on Saturday, September 12. Kickoff at O’Brien Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Preview
About the Matchup
Saturday night’s contest features the 92nd meeting all-time between Indiana State and Eastern Illinois and the eighth in the last 10 years. Eastern Illinois holds the 46-41-4 all-time advantage in the series, while Indiana State has won four of the seven in the Curt Mallory coaching era, including last season’s 38-14 win against the Panthers at Memorial Stadium.
The Sycamores built a 17-0 halftime lead last season on September 6, 2025, as Indiana State utilized strong early play from quarterback Elijah Owens (9-for-10, 67 passing yards, 1 TD, 50 rushing yards), before an injury put Keegan Patterson on the field. The Sycamores continued to ride the momentum with Patterson going 11-of-17 for 111 yards and a pair of scores, while Braxton Sampson and Logan Wilson combined for six TFL, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in the win.
The Indiana State win snapped a two-game losing streak to EIU, including a 27-20 defeat the last time the Sycamores traveled to Charleston, Ill. and O’Brien Stadium.
Against the Ohio Valley Conference
Indiana State has lined up against four current members of the Ohio Valley Conference, including their 2026 season-opener against SEMO two weeks ago. The Sycamores have an all-time record of 66-78-4 against current members of the OVC.
The Sycamores fell in the season opener to SEMO on August 28, 2026, as Indiana State was unable to rid their second half momentum in falling to the Redhawks, 23-21. Trailing 17-7 in the third quarter, Elijah Owens turned it on with a touchdown pass to Jayden Reed, before setting up a second Indiana State touchdown with a 43-yard completion to BJ Wuest to swing the advantage back to the Sycamores with the 21-20 lead. However, Indiana State was unable to answer a late SEMO field goal in taking the season-opening loss.
Indiana State is 41-46-4 all-time against EIU, 5-5 against SEMO, 1-1 against Tennessee Tech, and 19-26 against Western Illinois.
Quarterback Takedowns
Indiana State’s three sacks in the 2026 season have all been the first quarterback sacks by Robert Beasley, Peter Eyabi, and Micah McNair in their Sycamore career. The Sycamore trio have highlighted a defensive presence that currently ranks 48th in the NCAA FCS in sacks per game (1.5).
First Sacks at Indiana State
Peter Eyabi – vs. SEMO (2nd Quarter, 12-yard Loss)
Robert Beasley – at Purdue (2nd Quarter, 8-yard Loss)
Micah McNair – at Purdue (4th Quarter, 8-yard Loss)
Sycamores in the FCS Top 25 Statistical Leaderboards
Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, the Sycamores are making their mark on the NCAA FCS statistical standings sitting inside the Top 40 in multiple team and Top 50 in multiple individual categories.
Team Rankings
1st – 4th Down Conversion Pct Defense (0.000)
1st – Fumbles Lost (0)
1st – Red Zone Offense (1.000)
15th – Passing Yards per Completion (14.46)
25th – Passing Offense (253.0)
25th – Team Passing Efficiency (154.45)
28th – Rushing Defense (115.0)
33rd – Completion Pct (0.648)
35th – Turnovers Lost (2)
38th – 3rd Down Conversion Pct (0.444)
Individual Rankings
1st – Field Goal Percentage (Sebastian Lopez – 100.0%)
15th – Receiving Touchdowns (Jayden Reed – 2)
16th – Total Tackles (Nic Yatsko – 10.5)
25th – Punting (Spencer Conrad – 42.2)
31st – Field Goals per Game (Sebastian Lopez – 1.00)
32nd – Completion Percentage (Elijah Owens – 65.3%)
32nd – Solo Tackles (Nic Yatsko – 5.00)
34th – Yards per Pass Attempt (Elijah Owens – 7.94)
40th – Total Offense (Elijah Owens – 230.0)
42nd – Passing Efficiency (Elijah Owens – 141.4)
44th – Passed Defended (Kaleb Harris – 1.00)
44th – Passing Yards per Completion (Elijah Owens – 12.16)
45th – Completions per Game (Elijah Owens – 16.00)
45th – Total Touchdowns (Jayden Reed – 2)
50th – Passing Yards (Elijah Owens – 389)
50th – Tackles for Loss (Kaleb Harris – 1.25)
Owens Enters Top 10
Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens is about to enter rare air in the Sycamore career annals as the redshirt junior quarterback is on the brink of becoming just the eighth player in program history to sit in the Top 10 in both career total offensive yards and career passing yards. He enters the weekend against EIU with 3,628 career offensive yards (10th all-time) and 2,733 career passing yards (11th all-time) with sights set on moving even higher this year.
Top 10 Career Offensive Yards
1. Jeff Miller (1982-85) 7,519 yards
8. Ronnie Fouch (2011-12) 4,182 yards
9. Julian Reese (2001-02) 4,109 yards
10. Elijah Owens (2023-pres.) 3,467 yards
Top 10 Career Passing Yards
1. Mike Perish (2012-14) 6,716 yards
7. Julian Reese (2001-02) 2,961 yards
8. Kevin Cox (1993-96) 2,885 yards
9. Kyle Frondorf (1986-88) 2,778 yards
10. Blayne Baggett (2005) 2,741 yards
Elijah Owens (2023-pres.) 2,733 yards
Scoring Touchdowns
Indiana State has found a new big play receiving threat in freshman Jayden Reed as the wide receiver heads into the third week of the 2026 season looking to continue a touchdown streak. Reed hauled in scores of 25 yards (SEMO) and 45 yards (at Purdue) over the first two weeks of the 2026 season and leads the Sycamores with seven receptions for 114 yards on the year.
Reed is one of three Sycamores to score their first touchdown in the Indiana State Blue & White to date this season, joined by running backs Ashton Hayes (SEMO) and Max McCool (at Purdue).
First Indiana State Touchdowns
Ashton Hayes – 4th Quarter vs. SEMO (1-yard TD Run)
Jayden Reed – 4th Quarter vs. SEMO (25-yard TD Reception)
Max McCool – 4th Quarter at Purdue (1-yard TD Run)
Big Play Threats
Two games into the season and the big play potential from the Indiana State offense has never been more apparent as five different Sycamores have recorded a catch of at least 40 yards this year. After BJ Wuest (43) and Torey French (42) all posted long receptions in the opener against SEMO, Jayden Reed (45), Thomas Amankwaa (55), and Tyler Nansel (41) also eclipsed the mark this past Friday at Purdue.
Just six wide receivers combined for 13 receptions of 40 or more yards in the 2025 with Rashad Rochelle accounting for eight of them.
40-plus yard receptions in 2026
55 yards – Thomas Amankwaa (4th Quarter at Purdue)
45 yards (TD) – Jayden Reed (4th Quarter at Purdue)
43 yards – BJ Wuest (3rd Quarter vs. SEMO)
42 yards – Torey French (1st Quarter vs. SEMO)
41 yards – Tyler Nansel (2nd Quarter vs. Purdue)
First Starts in 2026
Over the first two games of the 2026 season, Indiana State has featured several players making their initial starts in the Sycamore Blue and White.
First Starts Against SEMO – Andy Hertlein (OL), BJ Wuest (WR), Devin Johnson (DB), Mason Keifer (DL), Prinz Guitian (OL), Ashton Hayes (RB), Tyler Nansel (TE), Anthony Walk Jr. (DB).
First Starts Against EIU – Aaron Ball (RB), Jayden Reed (WR), Justice Musser (OL), Micah McNair (LB)
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PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S SOCCER
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Jackson Liley notched a hat trick on Wednesday evening (Sept. 9) as the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s soccer team wrapped up its non-league slate with a 5-0 victory over Defiance at the Hefner Soccer Complex.
Liley’s hat trick is the first for a Mastodon since the 2024 season.
The Mastodons move to 2-2 with a 2-0 mark at home with the victory. Horizon League play begins on Saturday (Sept. 12) with a trip to in-state rival IU Indy.
While Purdue Fort Wayne only converted on five goals, they threatened virtually all night. There were 10 corner kicks in the first half alone, and the ‘Dons finished with 16.
The Mastodons finally broke the nil-nil stymie with a goal in the 22nd minute when Daven Arias found the net. Aidan Antcliff sent a long ball from the defensive half to Max Titterington on the left wing. Arias controlled the rocket into the box and sent it into the lower right corner. It was Arias’ first goal of his career.
Purdue Fort Wayne’s next two goals came by penalty kicks. Brandon Razo converted in the 42nd minute for his third goal in as many games. Then Liley scored in the 53rd minute for his second goal in the last two games.
Liley scored again in minute 83 when Antonio Tiscareno handled a loose ball from the Defiance defender and found Liley on the left side. Liley put the capper on his match with another goal with 13 seconds remaining.
Sep Habibi, David Valencia and Tegan Gumbs split duties between the sticks for the Mastodons to earn the shutout. It’s the second shutout in as many games for the ‘Dons.
Defiance falls to 0-5-1, while Purdue Fort Wayne heads into HL play on Saturday at IU Indy with a 2-2 mark.
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EVANSVILLE MEN’S GOLF
RIVERSIDE, Iowa – In the second tournament of the 2026 fall season, the University of Evansville men’s golf team tied for 13th place at the ANF Fall Classic at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. With Tuesday’s action halted due to darkness, the teams complete the second round before playing the final 18 holes on Wednesday.
Julian Kiessling was the top finisher for the Purple Aces as he tied for the 42nd position. Following rounds of 76 and 80 to start the tournament, Kiessling registered a 4-under 68 in the final round. He finished the event at 8-over.
Next up for UE was Bryce Conlee. Completing his three rounds at 11-over, he tied for 57th. Highlighting his efforts was a 1-under 71 in Tuesday’s first round. Finishing the event at 16-over was Andres Rodriguez. He tied for 67th with his low score being an even 72 in the second 18 holes.
Fourth on the squad was Luke Price. His final tally checked in at 21-over with his top effort being a 5-over 77 in the second round. Denzel Rai and Miguel Sobrado tied for 82nd at 30-over. Rai’s low score of 9-over came in the first round while Sobrado wrapped up the second 18 holes at 2-over-par.
Carter White of North Dakota State was the medalist. Carding a 7-under 65 in round two, he wrapped up the tournament at 9-under to defeat a second-place tie by one stroke. Iowa took the team championship with a huge effort in the last round. As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 15-under to defeat Western Kentucky by four shots.
UE returns to action on Sept. 26 at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational in Muncie, Ind.
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EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A home-and-home series against Tennessee State is on tap for the University of Evansville volleyball team. The Purple Aces and Tigers meet up at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening in Nashville before squaring off on Saturday at 4 p.m. inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
Over the weekend, UE competed at the Miami/Best Western Invitational. Freshman Carsyn Kelley was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 8.27 assists and 3.09 digs per set. She finished with at least 22 assists and 8 digs in each of the Aces three contests. Her top performance came against Kansas City where she recorded career highs in assists (40) and digs (18).
Wren Jones led the team with 2.55 kills per frame in the tournament. After recording nine kills in the match against Purdue Fort Wayne, Jones posted her top tally of the season with 14 versus the Kangaroos.
Along with the career outings from the freshmen, sophomore Makenzie Miller put together her top collegiate performance. In Friday’s match at Miami Ohio, Miller finished with 9 kills to go along with two block assists. The tally surpassed her previous high of 8 kills, which came on two occasions including the Sept. 1 match versus SEMO.
Tennessee State fell to 0-7 with a 3-0 loss to North Alabama on Tuesday evening. Leading the way for the Tigers is Wiktoria Jakubik with 2.29 kills per set with Sydney Robinson just behind her with a season average of 2.24 kill.
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EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team hits the road Thursday, traveling to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to take on Middle Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Last Time Out
Evansville earned its second win of the season Thursday night, defeating Austin Peay 2-0 at Arad McCutchan Stadium. Brielle LaBerge opened the scoring in the 41st minute, receiving a pass from Selena Di Luciano before firing a 30-yard shot into the top-left corner for her first goal of the season.
The Aces controlled play in the second half, holding a 12-2 advantage in shots. LaBerge added her second goal of the night in the 73rd minute, converting a penalty kick to complete the first brace of her career. Bri Chirpich recorded three saves to earn her first clean sheet of the season as Evansville secured its second shutout of the year.
Following the performance, LaBerge was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, earning her second MVC weekly honor of the season. Through four matches, she ranks fifth in the MVC with 1.25 points per game. Her two goals against Austin Peay marked the first multi-goal performance by an Ace since Taylor Johnson in 2024.
Series History
Thursday marks the eighth all-time meeting between Evansville and Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders lead the all-time series 5-2-0, while the teams are tied 2-2-0 when playing in Murfreesboro. The teams last met in 2021 in Murfreesboro, with Evansville earning a 3-2 overtime victory.
Scouting Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee brings a 5-1-2 record into Thursday’s match. The Blue Raiders most recently defeated Alabama A&M, 5-0, on Sunday in Huntsville, Ala.
Freshman forward Ania Dedham leads Middle Tennessee with four goals and nine points this season.
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SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer hits the second leg of its four-game road stretch on Thursday, when the Screaming Eagles head to Cleveland State University for a 5 p.m. CT kickoff in Cleveland, Ohio.
USI Women’s Soccer (0-5-2) is looking to snap a three-match skid and collect its first win of the season. Thursday is USI’s third road game of the season. The Screaming Eagles are 0-1-1 in their previous two road matches, including a 3-1 loss to start the current road stretch last Sunday at Eastern Michigan University.
In Sunday’s contest against Eastern Michigan, USI led 1-0 at halftime before Eastern Michigan charged back with three second-half goals. USI freshman forward Liza Anderson scored her first career goal in the first half to snap a 304-minute scoreless streak for USI. Sophomore goalkeeper Merrick Schwalbach recorded a career-best six saves on Sunday. Eastern Michigan led 19-2 in total shots and 9-1 in shots on goal.
Anderson’s goal on Sunday matched her with junior defender Emma Schut in season tallies. Graduate forward Payton Seymour paces the squad this season with 11 shots. Junior forward Josie Pochocki tops the team with five shots on goal and is second behind Seymour with 10 total shots. In goal, Schwalbach has a 1.57 GAA with 29 saves and two clean sheets.
Cleveland State (0-6-0) has dropped six consecutive matches to begin the season, all of which were shutouts and losses by two or more goals. The Vikings have yet to score through 540 minutes played this season, while allowing 19 goals. Last time out, Cleveland State fell 4-0 to St. Bonaventure University on Sunday.
Fifth-year senior forward Sidney Nicholas leads the Vikings with 11 shots and seven on goal. Junior forward True Benshoff is second with eight shots and four on target. Between the posts, fifth-year senior goalkeeper Hayleigh Lewis and freshman keeper Summer Swords have split time in goal. Lewis has played most of the minutes so far, but Swords has started and played every minute in the last two matches. Both goalkeepers have goals-against averages over three, with seven saves.
USI and Cleveland State are meeting for only the second time all-time on Thursday, as Cleveland State won at USI 2-0 last season despite the Screaming Eagles outshooting the Vikings, 21-7 overall and 9-3 in shots on goal.
Thursday’s match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Live stats and additional coverage are available at usiscreamingeagles.com.
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VALPO MEN’S GOLF
Junior Rob Politza (Lemont, Ill. / Lemont Township) turned in one of the best rounds in the proud history of the Valparaiso University men’s golf program, leading the Beacons on the final day of the ANF Fall Classic, hosted by the University of Iowa at the par-72, 7481-yard Blue Top Ridge in Riverside, Iowa. This tournament used a 6-count-5 format.
How It Happened
Politza posted a 66 (-6) in Round 3, climbing 24 spots on the leaderboard to crack the top 15. He finished 15th of 86 with a 54-hole score of 215 (-1) as his Round-3 score marked a jarring 13-stroke improvement from his Round-2 output. Politza had just one boxed-in number on his Round-3 scorecard while carding birdie on seven of the 18 holes.
Politza tied his career best of 66, which came in the third round of the MVC Championship on April 28 of last season. This marks the second straight tournament where he has needed just 66 strokes to get through the final round. In relation to par, his previous personal best was 5-under before he went 6-under on Wednesday. At -6, Politza tied for ninth in program history in 18-hole score in relation to par. Only Anthony Delisanti (six times), Jared Magoline and Nick Seitz have had rounds better than 6-under.
Redshirt senior Ryan Somerville (Aurora, Ontario / Aurora) was second on the team in Wednesday’s round with a 73 (+1), bringing his 54-hole total to 220, tied for 30th. Somerville and freshman Tyler Samaan (Elgin, Ill. / Burlington) shared the team lead in Round 2, which finished up on Wednesday after being halted late in the round on Monday due to darkness, at 72 (E).
The Beacons had by far their best team score of the tournament in Round 3 at 371 (+11), finishing at 1139 for the event with five scores counting in each round. The Beacons finished ahead of Eastern Illinois, Evansville and Chicago State on the team leaderboard.
The host Hawkeyes took the team title, while North Dakota State’s Carter White was the medalist at 9-under.
Thoughts from Head Coach Dave Gring
“While it was great to get the competitive season started and our first tournament under the belt, our team has a lot of work to do this fall to play better. Our scoring was very poor, with only four rounds of par or better for the 18 rounds we played over the past two days. Our birdie production improved with each of the three rounds, but we had too many bogeys and big scores, which were a result of poor tee shots and missing greens in regulation. I thought our chipping and putting was decent, but we need to improve proximity of our shots to the hole to give us more opportunities for birdies.”
“Some highlights for the tournament included Ryan and Tyler both having even par scores for Round 2, with Tyler making four birdies and Ryan making three. Another bright spot was three eagles on the Par-5, fourth Hole in Round 1 by Adam, Rob and Ryan. We had 16 birdies as a team in today’s final round, so that was a big improvement over the first two rounds. Rob played very well for us in both Rounds 1 and 3. He had three birdies and an eagle in Round 1 and he had seven birdies in today’s final round. His ball-striking was very solid all weekend, and it was terrific to see him rolling in 13 birdies and an eagle over the three rounds. In today’s final round, Rob hit 13 greens in regulation, his strokes gained stats were all positive and he had 26 putts.”
Up Next
The Beacons will head to Houston for the Bayou City Collegiate Classic, which begins on Monday, Sept. 21 at Westwood GC. A link to live scoring will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
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VALPO VOLLEYBALL
Valparaiso (4-2, 0-0 MVC)
at CSU/Akron Invite
Thursday, Sept. 10 – vs. Coppin State (1-5) – 5:30 p.m. CT
Friday, Sept. 11 – at Cleveland State (3-3) – 4 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 12 – at Akron (1-5) – 10 a.m. CT
Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: After a weekend at home, the Valpo volleyball team returns to the road this week for an invitational co-hosted by Cleveland State and Akron. The Beacons will take on Coppin State at Akron Thursday evening before facing the hosts over the next two days.
Previously: Valpo posted a 1-2 record as it hosted the Popcorn Classic last weekend, beating Oakland and falling to Cincinnati and Michigan, taking a set from the latter team. Jordyn Gove represented Valpo on the All-Tournament Team.
Looking Ahead: The Beacons’ final early-season tournament takes them to western New York next week, for a tournament co-hosted by Canisius and Niagara, where they will also face Le Moyne.
Following the Beacons: Valpo’s match against Cleveland State Friday afternoon is slated for ESPN+ broadcast, while all tournament matches will have live stats available via ValpoAthletics.com.
Series History: Coppin State – First meeting.
Cleveland State – Valpo holds a 22-17 advantage in the all-time series with Cleveland State, a series in which the vast majority of the meetings came as conference foes, whether in the North Star Conference (1988-91), the Mid-Continent Conference (1992-93) or the Horizon League (2007-16). In their only meeting since Valpo joined the MVC, the Beacons earned a 3-1 win at CSU in this very tournament in September 2022.
Akron – Akron and Valpo have split 10 matchups in program history, with most of them coming while the two programs were in the North Star Conference (1988-91). The Beacons earned a 3-1 win over Akron at this tournament in 2022, and most recently swept the Zips to open the 2023 season at the EIU Volleyball Invitational.
Scouting the Opposition: Coppin State – The Eagles enter the tournament with a 1-5 record, most recently falling to Navy (3-1), Penn (3-2) and Stony Brook (3-2) last weekend at Navy. Coppin State has won the MEAC and advanced to the NCAA Tournament two of the last three years, doing so last year with a 23-12 overall record and a 13-1 mark in MEAC matches.
Cleveland State – The Vikings enter this week’s action with a 3-3 record, most recently going 1-2 last weekend at Mercyhurst, where they beat the hosts (3-1) while losing to Siena (3-1) and Morehead State (3-1). Cleveland State was picked to finish eighth in the Horizon League preseason poll.
Akron – The Zips are 1-5 in 2026, losing matches last weekend in Indianapolis to Marshall (3-0), Butler (3-0) and IU Indy (3-2). Akron was picked to finish seventh in the MAC preseason poll.
A Lethal Attack: Valpo’s win over Oakland last weekend came in large part due to the Beacons’ efficiency on the attack. Valpo hit .320 with 70 kills in the win over the Golden Grizzlies – the kill total is tied for second in a four-set match by Valpo in the 25-point era, ironically matching a total against Oakland back on Nov. 21, 2015, while the hitting percentage ranks fourth in a four-set match in the 25-point era. Valpo outkilled Oakland by a 70-38 margin, the program’s biggest advantage in that department since being +33 (76-43) in a win over Wake Forest Sept. 6, 2008. The Beacons’ .320 hitting percentage was the fifth-best in program history when compiling at least 70 kills.
Setting It Up: The Beacons ran a 5-1 in that win over Oakland, and sophomore Olivia Wagner took full advantage playing all the way around at setter. Wagner dished out 57 assists, tied for second-most in a four-set match by a Valpo player in the 25-point era and just one shy of the record. Her assist total was the program’s highest since Victoria Bulmahn tallied 57 assists at Drake March 1, 2021. Wagner was efficient as well, ending the night with a setting percentage of .514. Wagner’s 57 assists more than doubled her collegiate career total, as she entered the night with 55 assists to her name. She also recorded a career-high 10 digs to finish with her first collegiate double-double.
Career Bests: On the other end of Wagner’s sets more often than not were Ava Helming and Jordyn Gove, and both juniors took full advantage. Helming posted a career-high 24 kills, surpassing her previous best set on opening weekend — the fifth effort of at least 20 kills of her career. She just missed the program’s top-five chart for a four-set match in the 25-point era and tallied the most by a Valpo player in any length match since Gretchen Kuckkan put up 25 kills against Northern Illinois Sept. 3, 2022 — ironically, also part of that year’s Popcorn Classic. Not far behind Helming was Gove, who also went past a career high set on opening weekend as she hit .340 with 22 kills. Helming and Gove became the first pair of Valpo players to each hit 20 kills in the same match since Feb. 14, 2021 against Southern Illinois, when Jaclyn Bulmahn notched 23 kills and Jillie Grant 22.
All Six Rotations: Almost exclusively a front-row player over her first two seasons, Helming played all six rotations in the matches against Oakland and Michigan, and saw career-best back row numbers as well. The junior racked up 12 digs in the win over Oakland, doubling her previous career best and tying for team-high honors, and then added eight digs against Michigan in the tournament finale.
Keep Killing It: Outside of her 22-kill, 12-dig effort in the win over Oakland, Gove tallied six kills and eight digs versus Cincinnati and a team-best 19 kills on .286 hitting and a team-high 11 digs against Michigan to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team. For the weekend, Gove hit .297 with 4.27 kills/set and 2.82 digs/set After entering the season with a career high of 16 kills, Gove has surpassed that mark three times in the season’s first six matches, while her season average of 3.86 kills/set ranks second in the MVC.
Back Row Bests: All four of Valpo’s DSs have seen action in at least half of the sets so far this season, and a pair of them set career bests in the back row last weekend. Danica Goch surpassed her previous high of seven digs with 10 digs in the win over Oakland, while Mia Liberti took advantage of her role as libero against Michigan to match her career high of eight digs.
Capturing Crowns: Part of the volleyball program’s winning tradition has been a penchant for capturing tournament titles, and that continued with the Beacons claiming the Chattanooga Classic on opening weekend. Valpo has won 37 in-season tournament titles since the start of the 2002 campaign. The team has won at least one tournament in 19 of those 25 seasons, and multiple tournaments 11 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states, with this past weekend’s win being the program’s fourth in that time frame in the state of Tennessee.
Fighting From Behind: The most dramatic of the three wins on opening weekend was easily Valpo’s season opener against UAB. The Beacons rallied from down 1-0 and 2-1 to earn the 3-2 victory in the opener, the first time they have twice overcome a one-set deficit to win a match since doing so in a win at Belmont Oct. 19, 2024. Then, the final set featured 10 tie scores and also saw Valpo trail 12-9 before rallying to win in extra points – the first time the Beacons have had a fifth set go to extra points since prevailing 17-15 in the decisive frame against Missouri State Oct. 12, 2024.
Playing Their Aces: The Beacons had their serving game on point right from the start, racking up 14 service aces in the season-opening win over UAB – second-most by a Valpo team in the 25-point era for a five-set match and fourth-most in this era for any length match. Leading the way was Rylee Bumgardner, as the freshman had five aces in her collegiate debut – tied for second individually by a Valpo player in the 25-point era in a five-set match.
All-Tournament Honors: Through two weekends, the Beacons have had four players receive All-Tournament Team accolades:
Valpo – Jordyn Gove
Chattanooga – Gove (MVP), Ava Helming, Maggie Uhwat
Making Debuts: Maggie Uhwat was one of two transfers to see her first official action as a Beacon on opening weekend, as fifth-year senior setter Maddie Kmetz handed out 24 assists over parts of seven sets across the three matches. In addition, a quartet of freshmen made their collegiate debuts as well – libero Rylee Bumgardner, setter Mia McCall, middle Maddie Steele and outside/right side Sarah Pippin.
Looking Back at Last Year: Valpo is coming off a 21-9 campaign in 2025, including a 12-4 mark in MVC play – good for a tie for second place in the conference standings, the program’s best finish since joining the Valley. Emma Hickey was named MVC Libero of the Year, MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region and a Second Team Academic All-American as she wrapped up her career ranked 17th in NCAA D-I history in career digs, while Sam Warren and Ava Helming joined Hickey as First Team All-MVC honorees.
Preseason Picks: Valpo was picked to finish third in the MVC in 2026 in the preseason polling of the conference’s head coaches, trailing only UNI and Drake – it is the program’s highest preseason projection since joining the Valley in 2017. Junior Ava Helming was honored as a preseason All-MVC honoree as well.
Who’s Back: The Beacons return 10 letterwinners from last year’s 21-win squad, a group which accounted for 50.3% of the team’s kills, 49.7% of the service aces, 46.3% of the blocks and 39.6% of the digs in 2025.
Who’s Gone: Valpo lost six seniors to graduation, most notably a pair of First Team All-MVC honorees in Emma Hickey and Sam Warren, as well as setter Addy Kois, who closed her career 10th in program history in career assists. The Beacons also had two players transfer out as well.
Who’s New: This year’s squad features seven newcomers – five true freshmen and a pair of transfers.
Winning Tradition Continues: The Beacons secured a winning 2025 season as they completed the campaign with an 21-9 record, the program’s 22nd winning season in the last 24 years. Valpo has won 20 or more matches in 19 of those 24 seasons as well.
Top Half Finishes: The Beacons finished the 2025 regular season in a tie for second place in the MVC standings with Drake, trailing only UNI in the final table. Valpo has now finished in the top-half of the Valley standings in each of its nine years in the conference, the only MVC program to accomplish that feat. Going back further, Valpo has posted top-half conference finishes in 32 of the last 33 seasons.
Digging Deep: Valpo continued its long tradition of strong back row play last fall, finishing the 2025 campaign 20th nationally with an average of 16.50 digs/set. The program has ranked among the top-30 nationally in digs/set in every season since 2009, including 15 seasons among the top-20 and four seasons among the top-10 – highlighted by the 2017 campaign in which Valpo led the nation with 20.03 digs/set. Other top finishes include fourth nationally in the spring 2021 season (20.37/set), a fourth-place rank in 2010 and a sixth-place finish in 2015. Since the move to 25-point scoring, only seven teams have averaged more than 20 digs/set over the course of a season, and Valpo is the only program to have done it twice. 2018 saw Valpo lead the nation with 2,613 total digs – a mark which set a program single-season record and a Division I record in the 25-point era. Valpo also boasts two of the top-10 and three of the top-20 athletes in D-I history in career digs – Rylee Cookerly (2nd; 3,175), Taylor Root (10th; 2,752) and Emma Hickey (17th; 2,665).
Libero Dominance: Hickey’s Libero of the Year accolade continued a remarkable string of accomplishments by Valpo liberos. Since the position was introduced to NCAA volleyball, Valpo has had six regular liberos – all six of whom have claimed at least one conference Libero/Defensive Player of the Year award: Sara Silcox was the 2003 Mid-Con Libero of the Year, Brittany Malicoat was the 2007 and 2008 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, Taylor Root was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Morganne Longoria earned the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2016 and Rylee Cookerly was MVC Libero of the Year in 2019 and spring 2021. In all, the six liberos have combined for 10 major conference awards.
We’ve Played in That Before: All four of this season’s early tournaments are at locations the Valpo program has previously played. Valpo opened the 2015 campaign by winning the Chattanooga Classic in its only previous appearance and went a perfect 3-0 at its previous appearance at the Akron/CSU co-hosted tournament in 2023. Valpo also went 3-0 at a tournament co-hosted by Niagara in 2007, but the co-host that year was Buffalo, while this year’s is Canisius. And of course, Valpo has plenty of experience playing in tournaments on its home floor – this season’s Popcorn Classic marks the 33rd in-season tournament Valpo has hosted in program history.
At the (Helm)ing: Junior right side Ava Helming is back for more after a stellar first half of her collegiate career. After earning MVC All-Freshman Team honors as a rookie, Helming took a leap forward last season to finish as a First Team All-MVC honoree. She led the Beacons with 364 kills and led all qualified players with a .323 hitting percentage – those numbers rank 10th and eighth, respectively, among Valpo players in a single season in the 25-point era, while she also moved into sixth in both kills/set (3.25) and points/set (3.58) in that era. Helming ranked eighth in the MVC in kills/set, eighth in points/set and 12th in hitting percentage. She hit double figures in kills 23 times, including 11 efforts of at least 15 kills, and paced Valpo in kills on 15 occasions.
Don’t Hit it at Pickett: Junior middle Jessica Pickett continued to be a dominating presence at the net last year defensively. Despite missing six matches due to injury, Pickett racked up 95 blocks, with her average of 1.14 blocks/set ranking second in the MVC and moving her into second in program history for a single season in the 25-point era. Pickett has racked up 234 blocks in her first two collegiate seasons, a number which has her on pace to finish her career second in program history in the category. She is no slouch on the attack either when she gets chances out of the middle, as she ranked ninth in the MVC with a .302 hitting percentage.
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VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER
Valpo (2-4-1, 0-0-0 MVC)
Thursday, Sept. 10 – Oakland (1-3-1) – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 13 – Southern Indiana (0-5-2) – 1 p.m.
Next Up in Valpo Soccer: The Valpo soccer team closes out the nonconference campaign this week with a pair of home matches on Brown Field, hosting Oakland Thursday evening and Southern Indiana Sunday afternoon. The latter match will serve as the program’s Senior Day match.
Previously: The Beacons split their two matches last week, earning a 2-0 road win at Purdue Fort Wayne before falling 2-0 at the hands of perennial NCAA Tournament program Milwaukee.
Looking Ahead: Valpo opens the Missouri Valley Conference schedule next Sunday, Sept. 20 as it hosts defending MVC regular season champion Drake.
Following the Beacons: Both of this week’s matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and live stats for both matches will be available at ValpoAthletics.com. 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 19th season at the helm of the Valpo program, John Marovich holds a 143-143-54 (.500) 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 is Valpo’s all-time leader in victories.
Series Notes: Oakland – The Golden Grizzlies own a 12-5-2 advantage in the all-time series, which includes stretches where the programs shared conference affiliation in the Mid-Continent Conference (1999-2006) and the Horizon League (2013-16). Last season, in the first meeting between the two programs in six years, Valpo and Oakland played to a 1-1 draw in Rochester – each side converted a penalty kick in the tie, with Molly O’Rear scoring for the Beacons.
Southern Indiana – The Beacons and Screaming Eagles are meeting for the second time, with USI prevailing last season in Evansville by a 2-0 final in the first meeting.
Scouting the Opposition: Oakland – The Golden Grizzlies enter Thursday’s match at 1-3-1 on the season, most recently playing to a scoreless draw with Rochester Christian despite a 42-2 advantage in shots. Oakland has been held scoreless since a 3-0 season-opening win over Mercyhurst. OU was picked in fifth place in the Horizon League preseason poll.
Southern Indiana – The Screaming Eagles enter the week at 0-5-2 on the season, with a matchup against Cleveland State Thursday prior to their visit to Brown Field on Sunday. USI was picked in third place in the OVC preseason poll.
Celebrating the Seniors: Valpo will honor its senior class on Sunday prior to its match against USI, recognizing seven team members in their final season with the Beacons: Alex Arnold, Daisy Boardman, Tatum Coleman, Julianna De Simone, Eve Miller, Emma Paraskos and Carly Stewart.
On the Horizon: Valpo’s match against Oakland on Thursday marks its third straight contest against a Horizon League foe, following matchups with Purdue Fort Wayne and Milwaukee last week. This is actually the second straight season the Beacons have played three straight against teams out of the Horizon League, as the 2025 schedule opened with Detroit Mercy, Oakland and Purdue Fort Wayne. It is also the second time this season Valpo has played three consecutive fixtures against teams out of the same conference, as the season opened with OVC foes Eastern Illinois, SIUE and Western Michigan.
Looking For Nonconference Success: With a pair of wins this week, the Beacons would close out their nonconference slate at .500 with a 4-4-1 record. That would mark the fifth time in the last seven seasons that Valpo has finished .500 or better in the nonconference schedule.
Home Sweet Home: It will be nearly a month before Valpo’s next road trip, as the Beacons close nonconference play with a pair of home matches before opening the MVC schedule with two matches on Brown Field. It is the first time Valpo will have played four straight home matches since playing five in a row back in the Eastgate Field days in September and October 2008. The 28-day stretch between games away from home will be the longest such stretch in program history.
Weather or Not: Maybe it’s a good thing the Beacons won’t be traveling for a while, as inclement weather seems to follow them around on the road. Valpo had a delay of around two hours for lightning last week in its match at Purdue Fort Wayne, already the third time this season it has dealt with a lightning delay in a road fixture – the start of the season opener at Eastern Illinois was delayed a half hour, while the match at SIUE featured a lightning delay of around 45 minutes late in the first half.
Rock On, Raco: Freshman Sofia Raco has made an immediate impact on the Beacons’ attack in her rookie season. Raco tallied an assist in each of the first two weekends of action, and most recently scored the eventual match-winning goal in Valpo’s victory at Purdue Fort Wayne last Thursday. Raco’s four points are tied for third-most on the team.
Brace Yourself: Sophomore Martha Goddard did a lot of things last year as a rookie on her way to MVC All-Freshman Team honors, but she added a new accomplishment to her resume in the Western Illinois win. Goddard stepped up to a penalty kick and dispatched it for her first goal of the season in the 67th minute, and then capped the scoring with a 75th-minute strike for her first career brace. She added her team-high third goal of the year last week in the win at Purdue Fort Wayne, giving her six goals for her collegiate career.
Clean Sheet: Junior goalkeeper Salange Bell boasted 16 shutouts in goal in her two seasons at Montclair State, but picked up her first clean sheet at the D-I level last week, blanking Purdue Fort Wayne. Bell went on to make a season-high seven saves last time out at Milwaukee.
A Big Win: Valpo’s 4-0 victory over Western Illinois was the program’s largest margin of victory and most goals scored since downing the Leathernecks 5-1 last season. It also marked the program’s largest home victory since a 5-1 win over Chicago State Aug. 31, 2023.
Stringing Together Multiple Goals: The Beacons found the back of the net eight times over a three-match stretch, bookending the four-goal performance against WIU with multiple goals against SIUE and Detroit Mercy. It is the first time Valpo has scored at least two goals in three straight contests since doing so in a three-match stretch in MVC play versus Evansville, Belmont and Murray State in October 2022.
A Rare Defeat: The Beacons’ loss to Detroit Mercy was notable in that they fell despite finding the back of the net twice. Valpo entered the day 31-0-3 in its previous 34 matches when scoring at least two goals. Prior to the loss to the Titans, the last time Valpo had dropped such a match came in a 3-2 defeat at Indiana State Oct. 5, 2019.
Back-to-Back: Sophomore Brylie Walos entered the second weekend of play without a collegiate goal to her credit and having taken just 10 shot attempts in 19 career matches, but she made sure she wouldn’t exit the weekend that way. Walos found the back of the net in the eighth minute against Western Illinois for the eventual match-winner, and followed against UDM with a 71st-minute goal which brought the Beacons to within 3-2. She is the first Valpo player to net a goal in consecutive matches since Molly O’Rear did so against Western Illinois and Drake mid-September last season.
One, Two, Three Goal Involvements: Junior Ashley Trippeer came into the WIU match with one goal and no assists across her 37 collegiate matches before playing a part in three of Valpo’s four goals in the win. Trippeer delivered the primary assist on Walos’ match-winner, scored her second collegiate goal in the 13th minute and registered the assist on Goddard’s second goal to make it three goal involvements on the evening. Trippeer is the first Valpo player with a multi-assist match since Molly O’Rear did so at Western Illinois last year, and the first with three goal involvements in a match since O’Rear and Kiara Desiderio did so in the aforementioned match.
Just Helping Out: Junior Alyssa Thomas tallied one assist apiece in each of her first two collegiate seasons, but has outdone her career total already this season. Thomas assisted on Valpo’s second goal in the draw at SIUE, on the match-winning goal in the win over WIU and on the Beacons’ first goal against Detroit Mercy. She is the first Beacon to accomplish that since Martha Goddard did so last year in nonconference play — prior to that, you have to go back to 2017 to find a Valpo player with helpers in three consecutive contests.
Picking Up Where She Left Off: It’s no surprise to see sophomore Kiara Desiderio celebrating goals, and she has done so twice already this season, giving the Beacons the lead in the 81st minute at SIUE in the eventual draw and getting Valpo on the board late in the first half against Detroit Mercy. Desiderio now has nine goals in 24 collegiate matches, including seven in 15 matches in nonconference action. The sophomore also picked up an assist on Valpo’s second goal versus UDM, the third time in her career she has had multiple goal involvements in a match.
Preseason Honoree: Coming off a rookie campaign in which she was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, sophomore Kiara Desiderio was named to the Preseason All-MVC Team. Desiderio, who became Valpo’s first Freshman of the Year since joining the Valley and was also a Second Team All-MVC choice, kicked off her Beacon career with a team-high seven goals in 2025 — tied for third-most by a freshman in program history. She ranked third in the MVC in goals and fifth in points (15), while also being tied for seventh nationally in goals by a freshman.
Who’s Back: The Beacons return 16 players who saw action on the pitch last season, including eight regular starters. That group accounted for 73.4% of the team’s minutes played by field players in 2025, including six players who played over 1,000 minutes – led by junior Ashley Trippeer, who played 1,397 minutes.
Who’s Gone: Valpo graduated four seniors from last year’s squad and had five other offseason departures. Notably, Second Team All-MVC honoree Molly O’Rear and starting goalkeeper Kate Sheridan were among the group of seniors.
Who’s New: The Beacons welcome nine new players to the program this season: seven true freshmen, one Division I transfer and one Division III transfer.
Good as Goddard: Sophomore forward Martha Goddard returns for her second season in the Brown and Gold after a strong rookie campaign. An MVC All-Freshman Team selection, Goddard tallied three goals and recorded five assists, the latter mark matching the program record for assists by a freshman. She was tied for second in the MVC in assists and tied for fourth on Valpo’s overall single-season chart. Goddard became the first Valpo player to register an assist in three consecutive contests since 2017.
Looking Back at Last Year: Valpo posted a 5-8-4 overall record in 2025 and went 2-4-3 in MVC play, earning eight more points in the Valley than the previous season despite playing one fewer conference game and raising its winning percentage 162 points year-over-year. The Beacons scored 21 goals while surrendering 28 goals, improving their goal differential by 21 goals over 2024. This all came with the vast majority of field player minutes coming from underclassmen, as the 2025 Beacons had 41.2% of their field player minutes played by freshman and 42.3% by sophomores. Kiara Desiderio was named the MVC Freshman of the Year and was joined by Molly O’Rear on the Second Team All-MVC, while Martha Goddard joined Desiderio on the MVC All-Freshman Team.
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VALPO FOOTBALL
Valparaiso (1-0, 0-0 PFL)
at Murray State (0-2, 0-0 MVFC)
Game #2 Saturday, Sept. 12, 6 p.m. CT
Roy Stewart Stadium (16,800) – Murray, Ky.
This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will hit the road for the first time in 2026 as the Beacons make their way to Murray, Ky. to clash with the Racers under the lights of Roy Stewart Stadium. The Beacons started the season in the win column in Week 0 before enjoying a bye week last week. This starts a sequence of back-to-back road games against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.
Previously: Valpo opened the season with a 59-13 trouncing of Lawrence Tech, sparked by a huge day on special teams that featured an FCS-record-tying three punt return touchdowns and a pair of blocked punts. Chris Gundy had two of the punt-return scores, ripping off returns of 59 and 41 yards. Quarterback Rowan Keefe went 10-of-16 through the air for two scores before exiting with Valpo owning a sizable advantage. Bryson Winbush’s 56-yard touchdown catch was the longest play from scrimmage of the day.
Glancing Ahead: Valpo will continue a stretch of consecutive games against MVFC teams next week by visiting Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET / noon CT and is part of Indiana State’s Family Weekend. The game against the Sycamores will represent Valpo’s nonleague finale.
Series Notes: Valpo and Murray State will get together on the gridiron for just the second time ever and the first time since 2003. The Racers beat Tom Horne’s team 34-0 to open the 2003 season, the lone matchup between the two teams. Valpo would go on to win its most recent PFL championship that season.
Following the Beacons: Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ with Casey Roehl (play-by-play) and Drayton Charlton-Perrin (analyst). The radio call of the game featuring the longtime duo of Todd Ickow (36th season) and Brandon Vickrey (11th season) will air on WVUR, 95.1 FM Valparaiso, ValpoAthletics.com and the TuneIn Radio app. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on Instagram and X. Links to live video and stats can be found on ValpoAthletics.com. This season, nine of the 11 games will be on ESPN+ with the remaining two games airing on YouTube.
Scouting the Racers
Started the season with a 28-14 loss to Eastern Illinois before falling 38-14 at Middle Tennessee last week.
Coming off a 1-11 season and 1-7 conference mark, but finished 2025 on a high note with a 31-17 victory at Indiana State to close out the campaign.
Under the direction of head coach Jody Wright, who is in his third season.
Strong Start?
With a win on Saturday, Valpo would be off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2000, when the season started with road victories at Tri-State and Hope before Valpo went on to garner its first Pioneer Football League Championship.
The Beacons have already started the season in the win column for the second straight year. You have to go back nearly two decades for the last time Valpo started consecutive seasons at 1-0, the 2006 and 2007 campaigns under head coach Stacy Adams.
Valpo is seeking its first win in the first road game of the season since the Spring 2021 campaign, a victory at Butler.
The Beacons last won a road opener during a traditional fall season in 2006, a 54-0 win at Wisconsin Lutheran.
Valpo vs. The Valley
This will mark Valpo’s 14th game against a Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent since the start of the 2010 season. In that time, the Beacons have matched up with North Dakota State, North Dakota (twice), Western Illinois (twice), Illinois State (twice), UNI and Youngstown State (five times).
Valpo is seeking its first win over an MVFC opponent. A 28-21 loss at Illinois State in 2022 is the team’s closest-ever game against an MVFC squad.
This marks the 16th straight year (excluding the Spring 2021 campaign) where Valpo has played a “guarantee game” (a road game that is not part of a home-and-home series). This year, the Beacons have two such contests as Week 3 at Indiana State also falls into that category.
A Special Day on Special Teams
The Beacons had three punt-return touchdowns in the Week-0 victory over Lawrence Tech – two of the traditional variety by Chris Gundy and one that was a blocked punt picked up in the endzone by Bertrand Berry II. Valpo became just the fourth team in the history of Division-I FCS with three punt-return touchdowns in a game and the first since Sept. 22, 2011, when Hampton did so against Virginia State.
Gundy became the first player in program history with multiple punt-return touchdowns in a season, let alone in a single game.
This season’s Beacons already rank tied for second in program history in punt-return TDs in a season. This marks the first time since 2000 that Valpo has had three or more punt-return touchdowns in a season. This season is already tied for second in program history with the 2000 season, behind only four punt return TDs in 1993.
Gundy totaled 108 punt-return yards on three returns. For reference, that would have ranked fifth nationally in FCS for all of last season. Although Valpo had a prolific 2025 season in the return game, most of that was on kickoffs as opposed to punts. The Beacons have already surpassed their total punt return yards from the 2025 season (73). Valpo had one punt-return TD last season, Frank Bartell on Aug. 30, 2025 vs. Virginia Lynchburg.
Valpo’s 152 punt return yards vs. Lawrence Tech would have ranked second nationally in FCS all of last season.
Valpo had two blocked punts all of last season and already has two this season.
Freshman punter Will Orlando averaged 41.3 yards per punt on three attempts in his collegiate debut, including a long of 50.
Kicker Luke Scoma went 7-for-7 on PATs, the most PATs by a Beacon in a single contest since Brian Bartholomew drilled eight on Nov. 6, 2021 vs. Presbyterian.
Gundy Recognized
After his aforementioned huge performance in the punt-return game in Valpo’s season opener vs. Lawrence Tech, Chris Gundy was tabbed Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week.
Gundy also received Honorable Mention for National Special Teams Player of the Week from STATS Perform FCS.
Valpo boasted multiple PFL Special Teams Player of the Week awards in 2025, most recently Nic Lendino on Nov. 16 for his role in the victory over Stetson.
Winning By a Wide Margin
Valpo defeated Lawrence Tech 59-13 in Week 0, the team’s second victory by 45 points or more in as many seasons under head coach Andy Waddle after beating Virginia Lynchburg 67-10 last season.
The 46-point win over Lawrence Tech marked the program’s third-largest margin of victory since 1970, behind only last season’s game against Virginia Lynchburg (57) and a 48-point walloping of Missouri Baptist in 2014.
The 46-point gap in Week 0 represented the 16th most lopsided win in program history and the ninth most lopsided since 1932.
National Notes
Valpo was the only FCS program nationally to block multiple punts in the first week of the season.
Valpo ranked fifth nationally in kickoff return average after Week 0.
Valpo ranked sixth nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 83.0 through Week 0.
Valpo ranked sixth nationally in scoring offense during the first week of the season with 59 points.
Valpo ranked fifth nationally in pass efficiency for the first week of the season at 58.74.
Valpo ranked second in sacks through Week 0 with six.
Gundy was one of two players nationally in FCS with multiple punt-return touchdowns in Week 0, joining Jayden Hibbler of UIW.
Notes Wrapping Up Week 0 – Valpo 59, Lawrence Tech 13
The Valpo defense recorded six sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Redshirt junior Max Samuel was the team’s leading tackler with seven stops including four solos and two tackles for loss.
Jason Salman recorded the team’s first interception of the season and his first in a Valpo uniform. He also had one while playing for Marietta in 2024.
Rowan Keefe went 10-of-16 through the air for 133 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions before Noah Ehrlich came in and went 4-for-6 for 27 yards plus two carries for 18 yards and a touchdown.
Marty O’Keeffe had a team-high three receptions including his first collegiate touchdown. Bryson Winbush had two grabs for 58 yards with the bulk of his damage coming on a 56-yard TD, quite the play for his first collegiate catch.
Redshirt freshman Ashton Allen led the rushing attack with nine carries for 56 yards. Valpo had three rushing scores from three different players – Noah Ehrlich, Michael Rumoro and Cedric Benning III. Ehrlich and Benning both scored in their Valpo debuts, while Rumoro enjoyed his first rushing touchdown as a Beacon as well. He did have one receiving score a year ago.
Valpo racked up 362 yards of total offense despite the special-teams scores that limited the Valpo possessions.
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UINDY MEN’S SOCCER
INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men’s soccer team finished their road bout even with Quincy 1-1 in their second game of in-conference play.
The Greyhounds sprinted out the gates at Legends Stadium with Joey Longo rocketing in the first shot, and shot on goal of the game, less than a minute into the match.
After the early attempt by the Greyhounds the Hawks looked to swoop into the UIndy half with an attempt of their own in the seventh minute which landed off target.
The hosts controlled possession over the next twenty minutes with shots sprinkled in from Alejandro Zuniga and Joey Longo with Longo finding the back of the net in the 32nd minute off of a pass from Owen Hardy.
The Hounds looked to keep the pressure up with Ryan Walsh challenging the Hawks’ defense with a shot that was blocked by the Quincy backline before both teams entered half.
Quincy left the halftime break with a sense of urgency, firing off a shot on goal in the 47th minute that Rick Lammerts stopped.
The offenses then exchanged shots with neither team challenging the opposing keeper until the 75th and 78th minutes when Owen Hardy and Owen Parrish sent attempts at the goal that were stopped by the Quincy keeper.
The Hawks found life after surviving the UIndy attack with a penalty kick materializing for Hawks in the 79th minute that evened the game at 1-1. Shayne Abrams looked for a quick response after, sending a shot forward, but was unable to challenge the keeper with the game ending 1-1.
The stat sheet exemplified how tight the matchup was with each team having three saves, four shots on goal and 14 fouls. The Greyhounds had a slight edge in total shots with eight while the Hawks found five corners to the Hounds’ four.
UIndy will return home to Key Stadium for Alumni Day on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 2:30 p.m. when they take on William Jewell for their first home game of conference play.
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UINDY WOMEN’S SOCCER
INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy women’s soccer team fell on the road 5-0 to the Quincy University Hawks in their second game of GLVC play.
The match saw two different players in goal with Samarah Arendsen making her Division II debut in the first half where she picked
up three saves.
Before the conclusion of the first half the Greyhounds found their first shot on goal of the game from Maggie Mentzer in the 36th minute which was saved by the Hawks.
As halftime approached the Greyhounds found another opportunity deep in the Quincy half, but were unable to find an attempt on target.
Samaya Hogg, appeared in her fourth straight game of the season as she started the second half in goal.
In the loss the Greyhounds secured seven saves in total to pair with one shot on goal and one corner in the contest.
The Greyhounds will return to action for their home opener at Key Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12 at noon against William Jewell.
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UINDY WOMEN’S GOLF
HENRYVILLE, Ind. – The UIndy women’s golf team placed third at the UIndy Invitational, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday at Champions Point Golf Club in Henryville, Ind. Led by a pair of top-10 finishers, the Greyhounds leapfrogged McKendree University in final round, taking third place in the 13-team, 69-golfer field.
Senior Caroline Whallon led the way with fourth-place showing. The Noblesville, Ind., native shot 71-72-71 to finish at two under and secure all-tournament honors. Whallon shot -6 over the final four holes on the week, including birdies on holes 15, 17 and 18 in each of the final two rounds.
Sophomore Lucile Ceolin (74-74-73) also placed in the top 10. She racked up 17 pars on Wednesday to climb two spots into seventh place, settling at +5 for the week.
Freshmen Addi Bright (+20), sophomore Abby Stone (+23) and freshman Grace Hickey (+30) rounded out the team scoring, while freshman Josie Butler made her debut as an individual, finishing at +24.
The tournament marked the first at UIndy for new head coach Steve Simmons.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds return to the course Sept. 26-28 for the Gilda’s Club Laker Fall Invite in Allendale, Mich.
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MARIAN VOLLEYBALL
Marion, Ind. —- The Marian University volleyball team won a thrilling five-set match over sixth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan, handing the Wildcats their first home loss in Crossroads League action since 2022 and just the Wildcats’ second conference loss overall in four years.
TEAM STATISTICS
– Indiana Wesleyan led in kills, 67-61
– Both teams recorded seven aces
– The Wildcats held the edge in blocks, 12-8
– IWU recorded 93 digs to Marian’s 84
– Indiana Wesleyan recorded 32 errors to the Knights’ 28
– IWU hit .179 to Marian’s .166
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
– Chloe Cook hit .288 with a team-best 20 kills
– Khori Dryden added 13 kills
– Evie Dart was the third Knight in double-figure kills with 10 at a .364 clip along with a team-best five blocks
– Sami Luttel racked up a season-high 29 assists; Mya Cunningham chipped in 23
– Lexa Zimmerman tallied a team-high 22 digs; Autumn Wohler and Kylie Walz chipped in 14 and 13, respectively
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
– A string of three straight IWU points forced a Marian timeout with the Knights trailing 16-12
– An MU attack error had the Wildcats leading 20-15
– Facing triple set point, Marian rattled three straight points, but IWU got the last two points to take the first frame, 26-24
SECOND SET
– The Wildcats jumped out to an 8-3 lead, forcing an early Marian timeout
– The Knights called its second timeout trailing 19-14
– A Cook kill and an Autumn Wohler ace highlighted a five-point run for MU to tie the set at 19
– After IWU took the next two points, a Cook kill sparked a three-point run to give Marian its first lead since 3-1 in the set
– The Wildcats took a 26-25 lead, as the Knights faced set point and a two-set deficit, but Marian rattled off three straight points to earn a crucial second-set win to even up the match
THIRD SET
– The third set looked like much of the first two, with neither team leading by more than two points before the Knights took four points in a row to lead 19-16 following Dryden’s kill
– The Wildcats recorded five straight points to flip the lead to their side, 22-20
– Marian earned set points at 24-23 and 25-24, but IWU took three straight points to earn the third-set win
FOURTH SET
– Both teams recorded scoring streaks early in the fourth, with IWU scoring five straight to take a 5-2 lead before Marian answering with fourth straight to move back in front
– Two Cook kills and a Cunningham ace allowed the Knights to take a 10-6 lead and force an IWU timeout
– The Wildcats recorded five straight points to flip the lead in their favor, 12-11
– Dryden and Danielle Schade kills put the Knights in front, 16-14, but the Wildcats answered later on with three straight to lead, 22-21
– Three consecutive IWU errors pushed the Knights back in front; Dryden closed out the set with a kill to force the decisive fifth
FIFTH SET
– Cook accounted for two kills in a 4-0 Marian run to start the fifth
– The Wildcats cut the deficit to two points, but Dryden and Ava Tindall answered with kills of their own to return the difference to four
– Dryden’s kill, Luttel’s ace and two IWU errors put Marian in control, 13-5
– The Wildcats scored four straight points to get within reach, but Cook closed it out with the final kill in the Knights’ emphatic victory
UP NEXT
– Marian’s 19th match of the year will be their first at home, as the Knights host Saint Francis (Ind.) at the MU Physical Education Center on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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WABASH MEN’S SOCCER
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. – Alfredo Campos celebrated his selection as the North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Athlete of the Week by scoring twice Wednesday evening to lead Wabash College to a 4-1 victory over Rose-Hulman at Fischer Field.
Wabash improved to 5-0 for the second time in three seasons, matching its 5-0 start to the 2024 campaign. Rose-Hulman fell to 2-1-1. The Little Giants scored twice in each half and finished with a 19-12 advantage in shots.
Campos, who received the NCAC weekly honor earlier Wednesday, needed just 2:14 to put Wabash in front. He converted assists from JD Branigan and Bryce Kinnaman for his first goal of the match.
The Little Giants continued to create opportunities throughout the opening half. Rose-Hulman threatened to equalize with a shot off the woodwork, while Wabash goalkeeper Rafael Cordova made a save to preserve the lead.
Blake Horn doubled the advantage at 39:25. Kinnaman earned his second assist of the match on the goal after Horn’s initial attempt was saved and another Wabash effort was stopped by a team save. The Little Giants carried the 2-0 advantage into halftime.
Campos struck again in the 58th minute to give Wabash a 3-0 lead and complete his first two-goal performance of the season. He finished with a team-high five shots and scored on both of his attempts on goal.
Rose-Hulman cut the lead to 3-1 when Ryan Shapiro scored at 63:44. The Fightin’ Engineers continued to apply pressure with two corner kicks and three shots during a second-half stretch, but Wabash kept the visitors from drawing any closer.
The Little Giants regained control late in the match, producing four shots and four corner kicks between the 80th and 87th minutes. Gavin Glackman recorded three shots during the stretch, while Kinnaman hit the crossbar before Colton Hughes-Suiters finished an assist from Danny Tkachuk in the 82nd minute for the final 4-1 margin.
Kinnaman finished with two assists and three shots, including one on goal, for his first multi-assist match of the season. Horn put both of his shots on goal and scored the eventual game-winning goal. Tkachuk recorded an assist for the second consecutive match.
Cordova played all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves while allowing one goal.
Shapiro paced Rose-Hulman with a goal and two shots on goal. Benjamin Murphy recorded a team-high three shots, while Pace Morel added two.
Wabash has scored at least four goals and recorded at least four assists in each of its past two matches.
The Little Giants return to Fischer Field on Saturday, Sept. 12, to face Alma College at 1 p.m. in the opening match of the 2026 Robbie Dreher Classic.
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TAYLOR MEN’S SOCCER
LIVONIA, Mich. – The Taylor University men’s soccer team (5-0-2) closed out its fourth consecutive road match with a 2-1, come-from-behind win over receiving-votes Madonna for the program’s first unbeaten start through the opening seven matches of a season. That also matched the best winning percentage in program history, set by the 2011 team that opened 6-1.
Freshman Arron Habecker punched home the game-winner in the 75th minute, finishing off a Roarke Watterson corner-kick service to cap a two-goal rally and hand Madonna its second loss in three matches.
Wednesday’s victory was TU’s first over Madonna in 11 all-time meetings (1-8-2), avenging last season’s 2-1 setback in Upland.
Madonna (2-2-2) broke through first when Basile Lozachmeur, denied by a diving Connor Shaw save on a point-blank look in the eighth minute, found the back of the net five minutes later to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute.
TU leveled it in the 39th minute when Watterson lofted a ball over the top of the Madonna backline from midfield, sending Matt Yoder in alone. Yoder beat the goalkeeper and finished left-footed off the bounce for his second goal of the season.
The match stayed level into the second half before Watterson’s set piece decided it. Following back-to-back corners in the 72nd and 74th minutes, Watterson delivered a perfectly struck ball to the front of the net, and Habecker finished it to give TU its first lead of the match with just over 15 minutes to play. It was Watterson’s sixth assist of the season and Habecker’s second goal.
Shaw earned the win in goal, making four saves to improve to 4-0 on the season.
TU was outshot 12-5 and the hosts held a slight 5-4 edge in corners, but the Trojans made their opportunities count, converting 2-of-5 shots on frame.
The Trojans will return to action Saturday at 7 p.m. against Indiana University Columbus at Turner Stadium.
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TAYLOR WOMEN’S SOCCER
UPLAND, Ind. – Four Taylor players scored the first goals of their collegiate careers Wednesday evening as No. 17 Taylor cruised to an 8-0 win over Saint Mary-of-the-Woods at Turner Stadium. The result pushed TU to 5-0-1 on the season and extended the program’s unbeaten streak to 16 matches in non-conference play.
Emma Swygart opened the scoring less than a minute in, with the freshman finishing a run down the middle of the field after receiving a perfect through ball from Leah McQuade for her first collegiate goal.
TU had several more opportunities including back-to-back close-range attempts from Jordan Bunch and Faith Sena near the 30-minute mark. The Trojans carried the 1-0 edge into the final stretch of the first half before the floodgates opened.
Meskerem James scored unassisted in the 38th minute, Lauryn Dolvin headed home a Sena corner kick two minutes later to make it 3-0, and Bunch converted a James assist in the 42nd minute for her first collegiate goal. Three goals in less than four minutes turned a slim lead into a 4-0 cushion by halftime for the Purple and Gray.
TU carried that momentum into the second half as Leah McQuade converted in the 59th minute off an assist from Eliza Luttrell, back in the lineup for her season debut, for McQuade’s team-leading sixth goal of the year.
Isabella Suloff punched in a Dolvin assist in the 68th minute for her first collegiate goal, and Norah Puckett set up TU’s final two scores: a Reagan Britt header in the 72nd minute and a Sydney Reddy finish three minutes later, giving Puckett a pair of assists on the night. McQuade, Dolvin and James each finished with a goal and an assist.
TU dominated possession throughout the contest, outshooting Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 30-3 and won the corner-kick battle 12-0.
Ava Callaway started in goal and did not allow a shot on target through the first 45 minutes before Sarah Maudlin closed out the shutout in the second half.
TU returns to action on the road Saturday at 1 p.m. against Madonna University.
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ROSE HULMAN MEN’S SOCCER
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. – The Fightin’ Engineers dropped their first game on the year, as they were bested by the undefeated Wabash Little Giants 4-0.
Alfredo Campos would score Wabash’s first goal of the game, which came three minutes into the match. Junior Ryan Shapiro would nearly tie the game with a shot on goal in the 13th minute, which was saved by Rafael Cordova.
Sophomore Justin Burns hauled in his first save in the 25th minute, and he would deflect another shot away in the in the 40th minute. Luck was not on the Fightin’ Engineers side, as Wabash would recover Burns’ deflection, where Blake Horn fired a shot into the back of the net, putting the Little Giants up 2-0.
Senior Oliver Fila would add a high shot of goal on his own less than a minute later, which would also be saved.
The Little Giants were able to extend the lead in the second half, as Campos recorded his fifth goal of the season in just five games.
It would only take six minutes for Rose-Hulman to respond, as Shapiro’s second shot on target beat the keeper in the 64th minute. Shapiro has now scored four goals this season, which continues to lead the HCAC.
Wabash would add their fourth goal from Colton Hughes-Suiters in the 82nd minute to secure the win.
The Fightin’ Engineers now sit at 2-1-1 on the year. They will look to bounce back when they take on Millikin on Saturday, September 12 at 7 PM ET (6 PM CT).
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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1902 – In a doubleheader with the Orioles, the A’s bring Rube Waddell in for eight innings of relief in the opening win. Rube comes back to pitch another two innings of relief in the nitecap to pick up his second win for the day. It won’t happen again until 1915.
1904:
A crowd of 15,250 cheer the first-place Giants to a pair of one-run wins over the Phillies. Roger Bresnahan’s 9th-inning triple scores two in the opener, as Hooks Wiltse earns his 11th straight win. Luther Taylor wins the nitecap, 6 – 5, as the Giants finish four straight doubleheaders with five victories, a loss and a tie. New York leads the second-place Cubs by 17 games.
The A’s Eddie Plank and Boston’s Cy Young face each other, with the Athletics prevailing, 1 – 0, in 13 innings.
1908:
Bull Durham of the Indianapolis Indians pitches and wins both ends of a doubleheader against the Toledo Mud Hens. This is the fifth doubleheader this season in which Durham has accomplished this feat. Previously he beat the Milwaukee Brewers (June 14), Columbus Senators (July 18), St. Paul Apostles (July 25), and the Louisville Colonels (August 8).
Detroit takes its second straight extra-inning game from the White Sox, 6 – 5, in 11 innings, and the Naps beat the Browns, 5 – 2. The American League race leaves Detroit 75-52, Chicago 72-57, St. Louis 71-57.
1912:
Philadelphia A’s rookie Stan Coveleski makes his first appearance in the majors and shuts out Detroit, 3 – 0.
Boston’s Smoky Joe Wood wins his 15th straight, with 9th-inning relief help from Charley Hall, beating the White Sox, 5 – 4. He scatters 12 hits and strikes out five. There is some question about which pitcher should receive credit for the win, but American League president Ban Johnson will rule in favor of Wood.
1913 – Honus Wagner is given a souvenir bat carved from a piece of wood taken from naval hero Oliver Perry’s flagship Niagara, which was sunk in Lake Erie 100 years earlier.
1915:
Boston’s Babe Ruth wins his 15th of the year, stopping the visiting A’s, 7 – 2, on six hits. Ruth, third in the American League in hitting, although with two few plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, is 0 for 4 at the plate.
St. Louis (Federal League) pitcher Dave Davenport follows up his no-hitter of three days ago with a two-hitter, beating Newark, 3 – 0.
Rogers Hornsby, brought up a week earlier from Class D Denison (Western Association), makes his major league debut for the Cardinals. With the Cards trailing the Reds, 7 – 0, after six innings, Hornsby plays shortstop and goes hitless in two appearances against Cincinnati rookie King Lear, who wins, 7 – 1.
1917 – A red-hot Grover Alexander, chasing thirty wins, beats the Braves, 5 – 2, for the Phils.
1918 – Players on both sides of the World Series threaten to strike unless they are guaranteed $2,500 to the winners and $1,000 each for the losers. They back off, however, when told they will appear greedy while their countrymen are fighting a war. There are no fines, but no World Series rings or mementos are given out this year. On the field, Hippo Vaughn comes back with two days of rest and blanks the Red Sox, 3 – 0, on five hits in Game 5.
1919 – The Indians’ Ray Caldwell, struck by lightning two weeks earlier, no-hits his former teammates the Yankees, 3 – 0, at the Polo Grounds.
1921 – Catcher Wally Schang has five of the Yankees’ 21 hits as the New Yorkers wallop the A’s, 19 – 3. A major league record-tying five Yankees collect two hits in the 9th inning: Schang, Carl Mays, Elmer Miller, Roger Peckinpaugh, and Babe Ruth. Ruth’s second hit, a single, hits Peck for the third out. Winning P Mays gives up 13 hits to Philadelphia in winning his 16th straight over them.
1922 – The Yankees play their farewell home game in the Polo Grounds. An estimated 40,000 overflow the stadium with another 25,000 turned away. Joe Bush beats the Philadelphia A’s, 10 – 3, in the opener, and Waite Hoyt edges the A’s in the second, 2 – 1. Plans are in the works to expand the park to 56,000 capacity, but this is the last regular season American League game at the Polo Grounds. The Yanks will play their next 18 games on the road, before facing their landlords, the New York Giants, in the World Series, and then open in Yankee Stadium next spring.
1924 – At the Polo Grounds, the Giants rip the Braves, 22 – 1, in the opener of a doubleheader. Frankie Frisch goes 6 for 6 before grounding out.
1925 – Bob Meusel, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig hit successive homers in the 4th inning of the first game versus the A’s, all off Dolly Gray. New York wins, 7 – 3. Then, Ruth and OF Ben Paschal hit back-to-back homers in the 4th inning of the second game, but New York loses, 5 – 4.
1926 – In the Browns’ 5 – 4 win over the White Sox, pitcher Win Ballou stops Harry McCurdy’s consecutive hit streak at ten; Win also wins.
1928 – The Giants gain 1 1/2 games on the Cards and Cubs by winning two from Boston while the leaders lose. Fred Fitzsimmons wins the opener for the Giants, 4 – 1, and Joe Genewich wins the nitecap, 11 – 0.
1933 – The first Negro League East-West All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park. Willie Foster goes the distance in the West’s 11 – 7 victory.
1934:
Burleigh Grimes, in his second stint with the Pirates this year, picks up his 270th win, in relief, as the Pirates beat the Giants, 9 – 7. It is the Hall of Famer’s last major league win.
Dizzy Dean wins his 25th game, beating the Phillies, 4 – 1. It is the fifth straight for the Cards, now four games behind.
1935:
Chicago beats the Braves, 4 – 0, behind Charlie Root for their seventh straight win. Freddie Lindstrom is the batting star with a double and single to drive home a pair as Chicago stays a game behind the Cardinals and one and a half ahead of the Giants. The Giants win a pair today, 4 – 3 and 4 – 2, over the Pirates, while the Cards score three in the 8th to edge the Phils, 4 – 2.
The Browns triumph, 8 – 6, over the A’s, handing the Mackmen their 13th straight loss. Jimmie Foxx is 2 for 3 for the A’s.
Washington’s Bobo Newsom scatters six hits to shut out the leading Tigers, 6 – 0. Schoolboy Rowe pitches six innings to take the loss.
1938 – Jimmie Foxx of the Red Sox hits two home runs in a game for the ninth time this season, breaking a record held by Babe Ruth and Hack Wilson.
1940 – Former major league infielder Sam Crane, serving time for the 1930 murder of his former sweetheart and her boyfriend, starts parole proceedings.
1941 – Johnny Schmitz makes his major league debut and notches a victory by throwing only one pitch in the 9th inning of the Cubs’ 5 – 4 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1950:
The Red Sox win their 22nd in a row at home from the Athletics, 6 – 2, a streak dating back to 1949. The Red Sox won all 11 games two years in a row.
San Francisco (Pacific Coast League) lefty Al Lien throws a 17-inning, 1 – 0, shutout over the Hollywood Stars.
In an 8 – 1 victory over the Washington Senators, Yankee clipper Joe DiMaggio becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs at Griffith Stadium.
1955 – OF Hank Bauer of the Yankees, pressed into emergency service as a catcher, permits a passed ball, setting up the winning run in a 9 – 8 loss to the White Sox.
1958:
Dick Stuart clouts a 10th-inning homer to give Bob Friend his 20th win of the year as the Pirates beat the Giants, 6 – 4.
In Cleveland, 50,021 fans turn out for “Back the Indians” night. It is Cleveland’s largest crowd since 1955, but the Yankees dampen the enthusiasm with an 8 – 3 win.
1959:
Mickey Mantle goes 5 for 6, including a home run, in a 12 – 1 romp over Kansas City’s Ray Herbert.
Brothers Jim and Ed Bailey form the battery for the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cubs. Jim is charged with the 6 – 3 loss in his major league debut.
1960 – In Detroit, Mickey Mantle unloads a cannon shot for three runs in the 6th inning, the ball clearing the right field roof and landing in the Brooks Lumber Yard across Trumbull Avenue. New York pins a 5 – 1 loss on Paul Foytack that moves them a half game in first place ahead of Baltimore, losers today. In June, 1985, Mantle’s blow will retroactively be measured at 643 feet, and will be listed in The Guinness Book of World Records at that distance.
1961:
The Reds’ Bob Purkey allows just two hits in beating the visiting Cards, 5 – 2.
The Yankees sweep the Indians, 7 – 6 and 9 – 3, their 12th win in a row at home, and the Indians’ 20th loss in a row at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle hits home run number 53 in the nitecap, while Roger Maris, homerless, stays at 56. The official scorecard credits Mantle with two runs scored: it will be discovered in 1995 that one of the runs should go to Bill Skowron. In the second game, Clete Boyer sends a Jim Perry pitch into the left field corner that hits the lower deck of the grandstand and bounces back into play. While home plate umpire Joe Linsalata calls it a home run, the other two umps agree with Tribe CF Jimmy Piersall who contends the ball is in play. Boyer’s home run trot is interrupted at 3B with a tag out.
At Chicago, the Phillies score seven runs in the 7th, including Don Demeter’s grand slam, and notch six more in the 8th to beat the Cubs, 14 – 6. There is some solace for the Cubs as they introduce a pair of gems: Ken Hubbs debuts with two hits and two runs and Lou Brock has one hit, one run and a pair of errors.
1962:
Against Hank Aguirre, Mickey Mantle clouts a 4th-inning home run, the 400th of his career, to tie the game, 1 – 1. The Yanks score two in the 9th off Aguirre to beat Detroit, 3 – 1. The victory, combined with a Minnesota loss, gives the Yanks a three-and-a-half-game lead over the Twins. The surprising Angels are in third place, four games back.
The Angels’ Dean Chance loses his no-hit bid when Zoilo Versalles singles in the 8th inning for the only Twins hit. Chance wins, 5 – 0.
1963:
At New York, the Giants trail, 3 – 0, after seven innings when manager Alvin Dark sends up three consecutive Alous to bat in the 8th. Pinch hitter Jesus Alou grounds out, pinch hitter Matty Alou strikes out, and leadoff hitter Felipe Alou bounces back to P Carlton Willey. The Giants lose, 4 – 2. Willie McCovey’s 38th homer and Orlando Cepeda’s 29th account for San Francisco’s scoring.
Stan Musial hits a home run in his first at bat as a grandfather, and Bob Gibson (17-8) blanks the Cubs, 8 – 0.
1964:
Baltimore tops the Senators, 12 – 5, despite Brooks Robinson hitting into his second triple play. Brooks will hit into a record four triple killings by the time he hangs up his glove.
The Phils split a two-game series with the Cards and build a six-game lead in the National League on Chris Short’s 5 – 1 win. Short strikes out 12 throwing no curves to win his 16th.
1965:
Phils rookie Ferguson Jenkins debuts with 4 1/3 innings of relief against the Cardinals and picks up his first victory. Philadelphia wins, 5 – 4, in 12 innings. It is the Phillies’ 10,000th game decision since 1900.
The Orioles sweep a pair from Kansas City, 5 – 2 and 10 – 5. In the second game, the O’s get consecutive home runs by in 8th from Brooks Robinson, Curt Blefary, and Jerry Adair.
1966 – Cardinal P Dick Hughes tops the Pirates on Tim McCarver’s bases-loaded hit off the right field wall. Pittsburgh falls a game in back of the Dodgers.
1967:
At Candlestick Park, San Francisco hurler Gaylord Perry’s 40-inning team record consecutive scoreless streak comes to an end as the Cubs score an unearned run in the 7th inning of a 2 – 1 loss to Giants. The future Hall of Fame member will match his franchise mark with another string of scoreless innings in 1970.
In the first game of a doubleheader, White Sox Joe Horlen no-hits the Tigers, 6 – 0. Cisco Carlos, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Bob Locker combine to shut out Detroit in the second game.
Minnesota leads the tight American League race after edging the Orioles, 4 – 2, at Baltimore.
1968:
Don Wilson, who struck out 18 Reds on July 14th, fans 16 Reds today while pitching the Astros to a 3 – 2 win in the first game. The Reds win the nitecap, 4 – 3.
Billy Williams hits three home runs in a game for the first time in his career. It’s all the Cubs’ scoring, as they beat the Mets, 3 – 1, behind Bill Hands. Added to two home runs on September 8th, Williams has a major league-record-tying five over two straight games.
1969:
Using a major-league record 27 players in one game, the Royals lose, 11 – 4, at California. Andy Messersmith faces 20 different batters in the complete game win, while Kansas City uses six pitchers. Bubba Morton plays just three innings but drives in five runs.
The Mets sweep the Montreal Expos, 3 – 2 in 12 innings and 7 – 1, and move into first place for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, the Cubs drop a 6 – 2 decision to the Phils, and drop to second place, one game back of New York. The Cubs are out of first place after 155 days atop the National League East.
1970:
Lee May hits a 1st-inning grand slam off Joe Moeller, and the Reds roll to a 13 – 4 win over the host Dodgers.
Cleveland whips the Senators, 13 – 4. Frank Howard, with no walks today, hits two homers for Washington. Cleveland pitchers will walk Howard 30 times this season, 12 intentionally.
1971:
Houston’s Jack Billingham scores his second straight 1 – 0 victory, beating Cincinnati five days after victimizing San Francisco.
Atlanta’s Earl Williams, zeroing in on NL Rookie of the Year honors, makes his 31st home run one prodigious and almost perfectly symmetrical complement to its April 18th counterpart. Just as Williams’ third home run was the first ever to reach the upper deck in newly opened Veterans Stadium, his third-from-last is the fourth, and what will prove to be final, upper-decker in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (preceded, in order of appearance, by Willie Smith, Willie McCovey and Hank Aaron). The 6th-inning solo shot provides the first run, and Aaron’s 11th-inning walk-off the final two (bridged by Williams’ 8th-inning, game-tying sac fly), in Atlanta’s late/extra-inning, three-time-come-from-behind 7 – 5 win over the division-leading Giants.
Katsuya Nomura reaches 4,018 total bases to set the Nippon Pro Baseball record.
1972 – A round-robin tournament, the World Baseball Championship, replacing the Junior World Series, begins, with Hawaii defeating a team of Caribbean All-Stars 6 – 2. The series proves to be a financial and artistic failure.
1973:
Against the Giants, Hank Aaron connects for his 37th homer (career #710) in the 3rd inning, and then is lifted in the 4th when he doesn’t feel well. Infielder Marty Perez pinch hits for Aaron. Davey Johnson adds his 40th homer of the year.
The Brewers reach 70 wins for the first time in franchise history, besting the Tigers. Jim Colborn goes all the way for his 19th win and Dave May hits his 25th home run of the year.
1974:
Cardinal outfielder Lou Brock ties and breaks Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record with his 104th and 105th swipes against the Phillies.
Cubs pinch hitters Carmen Fanzone and Jim Tyrone each clout homers against the Pirates, but the Bucs win, 12 – 4.
Former batting champion Alex Johnson, purchased by the Yankees from the Texas Rangers yesterday, arrives in Boston during the Red Sox-Yankee game. With the score tied 1 – 1 in the 12th, Johnson socks a pinch-homer to win it for New York, 2 – 1.
1976 – Nolan Ryan hurls a three-hit, 3 – 2, victory for California, fanning 18 White Sox batsmen. Bart Johnson is the losing pitcher.
1977:
Roy Howell leads the way with 13 total bases (two home runs, two doubles and a single) and nine RBIs as the Blue Jays rout the Yankees, 19 – 3.
White Sox knuckleballer Wilbur Wood hits three batters in the 1st inning on the way to a 6 – 1 loss to the Angels. All of Wilbur’s plunks are consecutive, tying a record set by Dock Ellis three years ago.
1978 – The Red Sox throw 22-year-old Bobby Sprowl at the Yankees and the lefty lasts just two-thirds of an inning, walking three and allowing one hit. The Yankees take the lead and top the Red Sox, 7 – 4, behind Ed Figueroa and Rich Gossage. Boston collects just five hits, including Fred Lynn’s 21st homer. The Yankees outhit the Red Sox 67-21, and outscore them 42-9, in a four-game sweep that will become known in lore as the “Boston Massacre”. It leaves the teams in a tie for first place, and caps a remarkable Yankee march to the top from fourth place and 14 games out.
1980:
The Phillies’ Marty Bystrom makes his first major league start and beats the Mets, 5 – 0. Bystrom’s outstanding pitching down the stretch will be key to the Phillies’ winning a division title.
Houston moves into a first-place tie with the Dodgers in the NL West by beating Los Angeles, 6 – 5.
Montreal freshman Bill Gullickson strikes out 18, the most ever by a rookie, as the Expos beat the Cubs, 4 – 2. His total will be topped by Kerry Wood in 1998.
1981 – The Reds send P Doug Bair to the Cards for P Joe Edelen and 2B Neil Fiala.
1985 – To bolster their pitching staff for the pennant race, the Angels acquire veteran Don Sutton from the A’s for two players to be named later.
1986 – Eric Davis leads the Reds to a 14 – 2 pasting of the host Giants by belting three home runs, scoring five runs and knocking in four. His first two homers are off starter Vida Blue.
1988 – Orel Hershiser shuts out the Reds, 5 – 0, to become a 20-game winner for the first time. It is his second straight shutout.
1989:
Five days after hitting a home run for the Yankees in a 12 – 2 win over the Mariners, Deion Sanders returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in his NFL debut with the Atlanta Falcons. Sanders hit .234 in 14 games for New York this year in his first attempt at playing two sports professionally.
Cubs rookie Steve Wilson strikes out ten batters in five innings, and relievers add eight more to help beat the Cards, 4 – 1. Fellow rookie Dwight Smith contributes a two-run home run. Chicago leads St. Louis by two and a half games and Montreal by four.
1990 – In the first head-to-head match-up of pitchers named Abbott, Jim Abbott’s Angels beat Paul Abbott’s Twins, 3 – 1. Minnesota’s Carmen Castillo pinch hits late in the game to complete the successful “Abbott and Castillo” revival.
1992 – The Reds’ Glenn Braggs closes out his career by clouting a homer in his last at bat, off Steve Avery. Braggs tears cartilage in his right knee on the swing, and is forced to leave the game. Atlanta eventually wins, 3 – 2.
1996:
In the Dodgers’ 5 – 4 win over the Reds, Brett Butler breaks his hand on a bunt attempt when he is hit by a pitch. The 39-year-old Butler, who battled back from cancer surgery, is out for the year after playing five games.
The Expos use nine pitchers in a vain attempt to stop the Cubs. Chicago wins, 10 – 3. The nine pitchers in a regulation game matches the major league mark set by the 1949 Browns, who used nine in a season-ending promotion.
1997:
The Rangers overcome a five-run deficit in the 9th inning to defeat the Dodgers, 13 – 12. Rusty Greer drives in the winner with a two-out single, the fourth time this year he’s done it in the Rangers’ final at-bat.
The American Association plays its final game tonight in Des Moines, IA with the Buffalo Bisons defeating the Iowa Cubs for the final league title. The Association’s existing teams will merge with the International League and the Pacific Coast League in 1998.
In a 7 – 6 loss to the Giants, Cardinal Mark McGwire becomes only the second player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in consecutive seasons. Babe Ruth accomplished the feat twice in the 1920-1921 and 1927-1928 seasons.
1999:
The Indians score 12 runs in the 4th inning – one short of the American League record for the inning – on their way to a 14 – 6 win over the White Sox.
The Rockies call up John Cangelosi from the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, where he has played the past month. The veteran needs 12 days of major league service to reach his ten-year pension.
The Red Sox trip the Yankees, 3 – 1, as Pedro Martinez hurls an impressive one-hitter for his 21st victory of the year. Martinez strikes out 17 batters, the most Yankees ever fanned in a single game. DH Chili Davis’ 2nd-inning home run is New York’s only safety. Chuck Knoblauch, leading off the game, gives the Yankees their only other baserunner; he is caught stealing, so Martinez faces just one over the minimum.
Umpires opposed to union chief Richie Phillips announce plans to form a new union and seek certification to represent all umpires.
2000 – The Marlins defeat the Diamondbacks, 4 – 3, in 12 innings. Randy Johnson strikes out 14 Florida players in seven innings, including Mike Lowell to end the 4th for his 3,000th career strikeout. He is the 12th hurler to reach the milestone. Johnson’s first strikeout of the game gives him 300 for the third consecutive year. Only Nolan Ryan has reached 300 Ks more times (6).
2001 – The Cardinals shut out the Brewers, 8 – 0, as Darryl Kile pitches six innings for the win. Mark McGwire hits his 24th homer. Jamey Wright is the loser and also fails to plunk any batters, ending his possible major-league record of hitting a batter in ten straight games.
2002:
A game after their ten-game win streak ends, the Angels inch closer to the first-place A’s with a 6 – 5 win at Anaheim. The A’s blow a 4 – 0 lead but the Angels tie in the 4th and go ahead on Shawn Wooten’s two-run double in the 6th. The Angels lead the Mariners by six games in the wild card race.
Alex Rodriguez breaks the home run record for shortstops he established last season. The Ranger infielder slugs his major league-leading 52nd and 53rd home runs of the season, helping Texas to defeat the Mariners, 3 – 2.
2003 – Javy Lopez homers off Phillies righty Vicente Padilla to give the Braves a franchise-record 216 home runs for the season. The 1996 Orioles hold the major league mark with 257 and the Astros established the National League record at 249 in 2000.
2007 – Troy Tulowitzki homers off of Kyle Lohse. It is his 20th home run of the season and gives him the record for National League rookie shortstops. Ernie Banks had held the record with 19 for 53 years.
2009:
Jesús Cota ties the Baseball World Cup record with three home runs as Mexico tops Taiwan, 8 – 0. Cota matches the mark held by Antonio Munoz, Luis Casanova and Sharnol Adriana. In other action in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, defending champion Team USA gets upset, 13 – 9, by the Venezuelan national team as the bullpen allows 12 runs in six innings; grand slams by Dirimo Chavez and Rene Reyes play major roles.
The Rockies win their eighth straight game with a 5 – 1 defeat of Cincinnati, highlighted by Garrett Atkins’ two-run homer. After a 9-1 homestand, the Rox have a four-and-a-half-game lead in the wild card race and are only two games behind Los Angeles in the NL West.
SS Ian Desmond has a memorable major league debut as he homers and drives in four runs in Washington’s 8 – 7 victory over Philadelphia. The Nats lead 8 – 2 coming into the 9th, but a pinch grand slam by Matt Stairs and a run-scoring double by Shane Victorino bring the Phils within one. Ron Villone ends the comeback attempt by inducing Ryan Howard to ground into a game-ending double play.
2010 – The Yankees and Rangers set a major league record by using a combined 19 pitchers in a 13-inning game, won, 6 – 5, by the Rangers in Arlington, TX. Scott Feldman, normally a starter, records the win by pitching a scoreless 13th inning as the 11th hurler used by Texas, which itself ties a major league record. The Rangers win the game when Nelson Cruz leads off the bottom of the 13th inning with a homer off Chad Gaudin. It is Cruz’s fifth extra-inning home run of the season, tying Charlie Maxwell’s major league record set in 1960.
2011:
Dan Haren pitches a four-hit shutout, denying CC Sabathia his bid for his 20th win of the year, as the Angels blank the Yankees, 6 – 0. The win moves the Halos to within one and a half games of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. The Angels score their last five runs off rookies Hector Noesi and George Kontos, after Sabathia departs after six innings, trailing, 1 – 0. Jorge Posada is pressed into service behind the plate for the first time this season for the Yankees after Russell Martin leaves the game with a bruised thumb in the 2nd inning.
The Rays are also making a playoff push, beating the Red Sox, 6 – 5, to cut another game off their lead in the Wild Card race. Rays closer Jeff Farnsworth suffers a blown save when he gives up back-to-back homers to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury with one out in the 9th inning to tie the game at 5-all. Farnsworth then issues a double to Dustin Pedroia and walks Adrian Gonzalez, but Cesar Ramos steps in to get the Rays out of the jam. In the bottom of the 11th, the Rays win the game when Desmond Jennings hits a lead-off triple and Evan Longoria drives him in with a single.
T&A San Marino cruises to its second Italian Baseball League title, beating Nettuno, 10 – 1, in Game 7 of the 2011 Italian Series. Henry Bonilla and Darwin Cubillan combine on the pitching, while Carlos Duran and Giovanni Pantaleoni both hit two-run homers in the 2nd inning. Shortstop Anthony Granato is named Series MVP; he went deep three times and drove in nine from the leadoff slot.
2013 – Clay Buchholz is victorious in his return to the mound for the Red Sox after being out since June with a strained neck. He gives up no runs over five innings to improve to 10-0 on the year as the Sox blank the Rays, 2 – 0.
2015 – The last-place Phillies fire General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. Such a decision was widely expected after the Phillies hired Andy MacPhail to be the team’s new President in June.
2016 – Rich Hill throws seven perfect innings against the Marlins, but is pulled by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts because of concern over a previous blister problem. Joe Blanton takes over in the 8th, but after two outs he gives up a single to Jeff Francoeur. Dee Gordon adds another single with two outs in the 9th, but the Dodgers win, 5 – 0. In the 7th, RF Yasiel Puig had kept Hill’s bid alive with a superb diving catch, depriving Martin Prado of a likely extra-base hit. It’s the second time this year that Roberts removes a pitcher with a no-hit bid going late in a game, having done the same to rookie Ross Stripling back in April.
2017:
The Nationals become the first team to clinch a postseason slot this season, after a 3 – 2 win over the Phillies combined with the Marlins’ 10 – 8 loss to the Braves. It is the first time in franchise history that the Nats win back-to-back division titles.
The USA junior national team wins the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup for their ninth title (two shy of all-time leader Cuba) and fourth in a row. In the Gold Medal game, they romp past South Korea, 8 – 0. Matthew Liberatore, Mitchell Wilson, Mason Denaburg and J.T. Ginn combine on a four-hitter while tourney MVP Triston Casas scores two, drives in three, doubles and homers. Five-time Gold Medalist South Korea gets its first Silver. In the Bronze Medal Game, Japan tops host Canada, 8 – 1, for its first Bronze (it had won four Silvers but no Golds or Bronzes before).
The Toros de Tijuana take revenge on the Pericos de Puebla in the Mexican League finals; after losing last year’s title matches to Puebla, Tijuana takes four of five for this year’s championship. In Game 5, they hit five home runs off five different pitchers in a 15 – 3 rout. Corey Brown scores four, Dustin Martin hits a grand slam and Cyle Hankerd drives in four to back winning hurler Miguel Pena, while Josh Roenicke takes the loss. Roberto Lopez is named finals MVP after hitting .455 and driving in six.
2019:
The Austrian national team wins its first European Championship game. After going 0-6 in their prior appearance, in 2007, and starting the 2019 European Championship 0-3, they pound Croatia, 12 – 1, in a seven-inning mercy rule rout. Alex Seidl allows just two hits in going the distance, Dominik Talir cracks a grand slam and Samuel Hackl drives in three.
With a 7 – 3 win over the Orioles, the Dodgers clinch their seventh straight NL West division title. Only the Atlanta Braves have done better, with 11 straight titles in the NL East from 1995 to 2005.
2022:
42-year-old Albert Pujols, who has stated many times that he will retire at the end of the season, hits his 17th homer of the year and #696 of his career off J.T. Brubaker of the Pirates in the 6th inning of a 7 – 5 Cardinals win to tie Alex Rodriguez for fourth place on the all-time list. He will pass him by hitting another homer tomorrow.
The Rättvik Butchers win their first Swedish title in 20 years. They sweep the Leksand Lumberjacks in the Elitserien finals, three games to nine. In today’s 11 – 5 win, Oskar Jerfsten drives in three and Joel Johnson scores three while Joe Wittig gets the win over Jakob Syrén.
2023:
Japan wins its first world junior title, taking down host and previously unbeaten Taiwan in the finale of the 2023 U-18 Baseball World Cup, 2 – 1. Yugo Maeda shakes off a 1st-inning run to finish with a four-hit complete game and Minato Maruta scores the winning run. For the first time, Asian teams sweep the medals, as South Korea topples defending champion USA, 4 – 0, in the Bronze Medal Game.
Four Brewers pitchers keep the Yankees hitless until the 11th, with Corbin Burnes (8 innings), Devin Williams and Abner Uribe (both 1 inning) combining to strike out 11 over the first ten innings. The Brewers score once in the top of the 11th, but after one out, Joel Payamps allows a double to Oswaldo Cabrera, cashing in the designated runner to end the no-hit bid and tie the score again. Both teams score twice in the 12th, including a two-run homer by New York’s Giancarlo Stanton, before Kyle Higashioka finally ends it with a run-scoring double off Hoby Milner in the 13th for a 4 – 3 final score. The Yankees almost win the game with two outs in the 10th when Anthony Volpe sends a long drive to the wall with a runner on base; OFs Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer collide at full speed, but Frelick manages to hang on to the ball for a fantastic inning-ending catch that keeps the no-hitter and the scoreless tie alive.
2024 – By leading off the bottom of the 1st with a homer off Taj Bradley at Citizens Bank Park, Kyle Schwarber sets a new record with his 14th leadoff homer of the season. The Phillies go on to defeat the Rays, 9 – 4. The previous record holder was Alfonso Soriano, who had hit 13 such long balls for the 2003 Yankees.
2025 – Draci Brno wins its 4th straight Extraliga title, topping Hroši Brno. Aliangel Lopez throws a five-hitter in Game 7, striking out 9 in the 4-0 win over a fellow Lopez, Yaferson Lopez. Jose Colina homers and drives in a pair.
Births[edit]
1843 – Charlie Byrne, manager (d. 1898)
1863 – Louis Pelouze, outfielder (d. 1939)
1864 – Danny Murphy, catcher (d. 1915)
1868 – Dusty Miller, outfielder (d. 1945)
1872 – Joe Berry, catcher (d. 1961)
1875 – Mike Lynch, outfielder (d. 1947)
1875 – Hub Knoll, minor league outfielder (d. 1906)
1880 – Harry Niles, outfielder (d. 1953)
1880 – Barney Pelty, pitcher (d. 1939)
1881 – Tony Tonneman, catcher (d. 1951)
1884 – Jack Lapp, catcher (d. 1920)
1886 – Blaine Durbin, outfielder (d. 1943)
1888 – Marty Krug, infielder (d. 1966)
1891 – Joe Evers, pinch runner (d. 1949)
1895 – George Kelly, infielder; Hall of Famer (d. 1984)
1896 – Sammy Hale, infielder (d. 1974)
1897 – Poindexter Williams, catcher, manager (d. 1969)
1899 – Augie Johns, pitcher (d. 1975)
1902 – Johnnie Oden, infielder (d. 1972)
1904 – Arlie Tarbert, outfielder (d. 1946)
1905 – Steve Bysco, minor league pitcher and manager (d. ????)
1905 – James Calleran, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1965)
1905 – Irv Jeffries, infielder (d. 1982)
1907 – Hoss Walker, infielder and manager (d. 1971)
1910 – Buddy Blair, infielder (d. 1996)
1910 – Eddie Sawyer, manager (d. 1997)
1911 – Johnnie Chambers, pitcher (d. 1977)
1919 – Frank Pearson, pitcher (d. 1977)
1924 – Ted Kluszewski, infielder; All-Star (d. 1988)
1926 – Lew Fauth, minor league pitcher (d. 2017)
1926 – Homer Ray Wilson, minor league infielder/manager
1927 – Brandy Davis, outfielder (d. 2005)
1928 – Bob Garber, pitcher (d. 1999)
1928 – Romualdo Urías, minor league infielder (d. 2004)
1931 – Harry Anderson, outfielder (d. 1998)
1931 – Motoji Sasaki, NPB catcher (d. 2013)
1934 – Roger Maris, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1985)
1940 – Bob Chance, infielder (d. 2013)
1941 – José Miguel Pineda, Cuban league manager
1943 – Toshimitsu Daigo, NPB catcher
1944 – Jim Hibbs, pinch hitter
1944 – Mareo Yoshimura, NPB pitcher
1947 – Mikio Ishidoko, NPB pitcher(d. 2004)
1947 – Junzo Uchida, NPB outfielder
1949 – Bob Elliott, writer
1951 – Randy Wiles, pitcher (d. 2015)
1953 – Hiroaki Nakanishi, NPB catcher
1954 – Craig Cacek, infielder
1954 – Preston Hanna, pitcher (d. 2023)
1956 – Hiroshi Masumoto, NPB pitcher
1957 – Len Whitehouse, pitcher
1958 – Hideaki Takazawa, NPB outfielder
1959 – Bruce Robbins, pitcher
1961 – Melan Borja, Guam national team catcher (d. 2017)
1961 – Tadahiro Sakaemura, NPB outfielder
1963 – Randy Johnson, pitcher; All-Star; Hall of Fame
1963 – Terry Wells, pitcher
1964 – Joe Kraemer, pitcher
1964 – Kuang-Hung Lin, CPBL pitcher and coach
1964 – Peter Vogler, Australian national team outfielder
1965 – Antonio Scull, Cuban league infielder
1965 – Tim Sherrill, pitcher
1966 – Riccardo Ingram, outfielder (d. 2015)
1966 – Chris Leach, minor league outfielder
1970 – Emiliano Ginanneschi, Italian Baseball League pitcher
1970 – Jamie Wolkosky, Canadian national team pitcher
1972 – Freddie Diaz, minor league infielder
1972 – Juan Dilone, minor league outfielder and manager
1973 – Darryl Gonsalves, South African national team catcher
1973 – Mike Saipe, pitcher
1976 – Takuto Nobuhara, NPB infielder
1977 – Danys Baez, pitcher; All-Star
1977 – Massimo Casseri, Serie A1 pitcher
1977 – Chad Hermansen, outfielder
1978 – Nick Green, infielder
1978 – Vince LaCorte, minor league pitcher
1978 – Nick Mingione, college coach
1979 – Tomoshi Aoki, minor league outfielder
1979 – Troy Doering, college coach
1979 – Bas de Jong, Hoofdklasse outfielder
1981 – Po-Ching Chiang, CPBL pitcher
1981 – Jeremy Cleveland, scout
1981 – Kameron Loe, pitcher
1981 – Connor Robertson, pitcher
1982 – Cibney Bello, coach
1982 – Yasutaka Hattori, NPB pitcher
1983 – Lance Pendleton, pitcher
1983 – Joey Votto, infielder; All-Star
1984 – Quensley Bazoer, Hoofdklasse outfielder
1984 – Andrew Brown, infielder
1984 – Skylar Meade, college coach
1984 – David Mixon, minor league pitcher
1985 – Matt Angle, outfielder
1985 – Yuki Kume, NPB pitcher
1985 – Ryan Powell, scout
1985 – Anthony Swarzak, pitcher
1985 – Neil Walker, infielder
1986 – Jeffrey Arends, Hoofdklasse infielder and manager
1986 – Amalio Diaz, minor league pitcher
1986 – O’Leary Ise, Palauan national team infielder
1986 – Justin Toole, minor league infielder
1987 – Aaron Baker, minor league infielder
1987 – Paul Goldschmidt, infielder; All-Star
1987 – Philipp Howard, Bundesliga infielder
1987 – James Murrey, French Division I pitcher
1988 – Billy Rowell, minor league infielder
1991 – Wes Darvill, minor league infielder
1991 – Fidencio Flores, minor league pitcher
1991 – Gionny Fracchiolla, minor league pitcher
1991 – Alex Hebert, USA women’s national team catcher
1992 – Phillip Evans, infielder
1992 – Jack Graham, minor league infielder
1992 – Gerardo Juárez, minor league pitcher
1992 – Chad Kuhl, pitcher
1992 – Kyle Smith, minor league pitcher
1992 – Mitch Walding, infielder
1993 – Ayendy Pérez, minor league outfielder
1993 – Daniel Ramírez, Peruvian national team outfielder
1994 – Ray Kerr, pitcher
1994 – Dustin Peterson, outfielder
1994 – Ting Chuan Oscar Tay, Singaporean national team outfielder
1995 – Mike Baumann, pitcher
1995 – Luis González, outfielder
1996 – Carlos Pérez, catcher
1996 – Blake Perkins, outfielder
1996 – Taisei Urushihara, NPB pitcher
1998 – Iván Houellemont, minor league infielder
1998 – Landen Roupp, pitcher
1999 – Pao-Chi Hsieh, CPBL pitcher
1999 – Yuto Koga, NPB catcher
1999 – Pierson Ohl, pitcher
1999 – Luis Rodriguez, minor league pitcher
2000 – Daiju Nomura, NPB infielder
2001 – Denae Benites, USA women’s national team catcher
2001 – Yuma Fugo, Japanese national team pitcher
2001 – Miguel Gómez, minor league pitcher
2001 – Juan Guerrero, minor league outfielder
2001 – Chia-Hsiang Lee, CPBL pitcher
2001 – Marco Luciano, infielder
2001 – Agustín Ramírez, catcher
2002 – JJ Wetherholt, infielder
2003 – Ji-min Choi, KBO pitcher
2003 – Tzu-Chieh Tien, CPBL outfielder
2004 – Yerko Mora, Chilean national team pitcher
2006 – Muhammad Arrifqi Zavianda, Indonesian national team pitcher
Deaths[edit]
1905 – Pete Browning, outfielder (b. 1861)
1918 – Ed Cassian, pitcher (b. 1867)
1926 – Llewellyn Legg, minor league infielder (b. ~1856)
1935 – Pug Bennett, infielder (b. 1874)
1940 – Bill Shipke, infielder (b. 1880)
1951 – Hank DeBerry, catcher (b. 1894)
1955 – Shano Collins, outfielder, manager (b. 1885)
1956 – Eddie Brown, outfielder (b. 1891)
1957 – Sam Ferraris, minor league pitcher (b. 1888)
1958 – Arlas Taylor, pitcher (b. 1896)
1962 – Bill Herring, pitcher (b. 1893)
1969 – William Barbeau, infielder (b. 1882)
1971 – Jimmie Humphries, minor league player, manager and owner (b. 1889)
1973 – Roy Johnson, outfielder (b. 1903)
1975 – Lance Richbourg, outfielder (b. 1897)
1976 – Otis Carter, outfielder (b. 1902)
1979 – Babe Bagby, catcher (b. 1912)
1980 – Honey Lott, infielder/outfielder (b. 1925)
1984 – Jackie Gallagher, outfielder (b. 1902)
1984 – Johnny Marcum, pitcher (b. 1909)
1988 – Yoshio Gomi, NPB infielder (b. 1917)
2006 – Al Gardella, infielder (b. 1918)
2006 – Al Kubski, scout (b. 1916)
2007 – Kiro Osafune, NPB executive; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1924)
2012 – Tom Saffell, outfielder (b. 1921)
2013 – Lou Ott, minor league infielder (b. 1925)
2014 – Grant Dunlap, outfielder (b. 1923)
2014 – George Spencer, pitcher (b. 1926)
2019 – Osamu Goto, NPB pitcher (b. 1934)
2021 – Mark Johnston, minor league infielder (b. 1957)
####################################################
TV SPORTS TODAY
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, Sept. 10
AUTO RACING
4:30 a.m. (Friday)
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, MADRING Sur, Madrid
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
8 p.m.
ACCN — Florida A&M at Miami
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
7 p.m.
SECN — Vanderbilt at Georgia
9 p.m.
SECN — Texas at Arkansas
CYCLING
8:30 a.m.
NBCSN — UCI: 2026 Vuelta a España, Stage 18
GOLF
8:30 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: Amgen Irish Open, First Round, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Doonbeg, Ireland
4 p.m.
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, First Round, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
1:30 a.m. (Friday)
GOLF — 2026 Solheim Cup: Team U.S. vs. Team Europe – 4 Morning Foursomes & 4 Afternoon Fourballs, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, Netherlands
MLB BASEBALL
1 p.m.
MLBN — Houston at Philadelphia (1:05 p.m.)
7 p.m.
MLBN — Colorado at N.Y. Yankees (7:05 p.m.)
NFL FOOTBALL
8:35 p.m.
NETFLIX — San Francisco vs. L.A. Rams, Melbourne, Australia
TENNIS
7 p.m.
ESPN — WTA: U.S. Open, Semifinals, New York
_____
Friday, Sept. 11
AUTO RACING
4:30 a.m.
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, MADRING Sur, Madrid
8 a.m.
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, MADRING Sur, Madrid
3:30 a.m. (Saturday)
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, MADRING Sur, Madrid
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
7 p.m.
ACCN — Villanova at Louisville
ESPNU — Richmond at NC State
7:30 p.m.
ESPN2 — Rutgers at Boston College
8 p.m.
FOX — Missouri at Kansas
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
8 p.m.
SECN — Wisconsin at Texas A&M
CYCLING
8:30 a.m.
NBCSN — UCI: 2026 Vuelta a España, Stage 19
GOLF
1 p.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: Amgen Irish Open, Second Round, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Doonbeg, Ireland (taped)
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: Sanford International, First Round, Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D.
5 p.m.
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, Second Round, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
1:30 a.m. (Saturday)
GOLF — 2026 Solheim Cup: Team U.S. vs. Team Europe – 4 Morning Foursomes & 4 Afternoon Fourballs, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, Netherlands
MLB BASEBALL
2 p.m.
MLBN — Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m.)
7 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Philadelphia at Atlanta (7:15 p.m.) OR L.A. Dodgers at Miami (7:10 p.m.)
7:40 p.m.
APPLE TV — Cincinnati at Milwaukee
10:15 p.m.
APPLE TV — San Diego at San Francisco
TENNIS
Noon
ESPN2 — WTA: U.S. Open, Doubles Championship, New York
3 p.m.
ESPN — ATP: U.S. Open, Semifinal, New York
7 p.m.
ESPN — ATP: U.S. Open, Semifinal, New York
_____
Saturday, Sept. 12
AUTO RACING
3:30 a.m.
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Practice, MADRING Sur, Madrid
7 a.m.
APPLE TV — Formula 1: Qualifying, MADRING Sur, Madrid
7:30 p.m.
CW — NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Fleetio 200 – The Chase, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.
6 a.m. (Sunday)
APPLE TV — Formula 1: TAG Heuer Gran Premio de España 2026, MADRING Sur, Madrid
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Noon
ABC — Arizona St. at Texas A&M
ACCN — ETSU at North Carolina
BTN — Howard at Indiana
CBSSN — South Florida at Army
CW — Old Dominion at Virginia Tech
ESPN — Oregon at Oklahoma St.
ESPN2 — Penn St. at Temple
ESPNU — Appalachian St. at East Carolina
FOX — Oklahoma at Michigan
FS1 — Wake Forest at Purdue
TNT — Washington St. at Kansas St.
12:45 p.m.
SECN — W. Kentucky at Georgia
3:30 p.m.
ABC — Alabama at Kentucky
ACCN — California at Syracuse
BTN — Regional Coverage: E. Michigan at Michigan St. OR Utah St. at Washington
CBS — Mississippi St. at Minnesota
CBSSN — Maryland at UConn
CW — UTSA at Texas St.
ESPN2 — UCF at Pittsburgh
FOX — Arizona at BYU
NBC — Rice at Notre Dame
PEACOCK — Rice at Notre Dame
3:45 p.m.
ESPNU — UNLV at North Texas
4:15 p.m.
SECN — Delaware at Vanderbilt
6 p.m.
USA — Memphis at Boise St.
7 p.m.
CBSSN — S. Utah at Colorado St.
ESPN — Tennessee at Georgia Tech
FS1 — Bowling Green at Nebraska
7:15 p.m.
BTN — Regional Coverage: San Diego St. at UCLA OR W. Illinois at Wisconsin
7:30 p.m.
ABC — Ohio St. at Texas
ACCN — Georgia Southern at Clemson
CBS — Texas Tech at Oregon St.
ESPNU — Navy at FAU
NBC — Iowa St. at Iowa
PEACOCK — Iowa St. at Iowa
7:45 p.m.
ESPN2 — Charlotte at Mississippi
SECN — Southern Miss at Auburn
10:15 p.m.
ESPN — Arkansas at Utah
10:30 p.m.
CBSSN — Sacramento St. at Fresno St.
CW — Montana St. at Nevada
11 p.m.
BTN — Louisiana-Lafayette at Southern Cal
GOLF
9:30 a.m.
CNBC — DP World Tour: Amgen Irish Open, Third Round, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Doonbeg, Ireland
2:30 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: Sanford International, Second Round, Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D.
5 p.m.
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, Third Round, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
5 a.m. (Sunday)
GOLF — 2026 Solheim Cup: Team U.S. vs. Team Europe – 12 Singles Matches & Closing Ceremony, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, Netherlands
MLB BASEBALL
1:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Mets at N.Y. Yankees (1:35 p.m.) OR Colorado at Detroit (1:10 p.m.)
4:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Kansas City at Boston (4:10 p.m.) OR Cleveland at Minnesota (4:10 p.m.)
7 p.m.
MLBN — Chicago White Sox at St. Louis (7:15 p.m.)
10 p.m.
MLBN — Seattle at Athletics (joined in progress) (9:40 p.m.)
SOCCER (MEN’S)
10 a.m.
NBCSN — English Premier League: Fulham at Liverpool
USA — English Premier League: Hull City at Chelsea
1:30 p.m.
NBC — English Premier League: Everton at Tottenham Hotspur
3 p.m.
USA — English Premier League: Arsenal at Sunderland
TENNIS
4 p.m.
ESPN — WTA: U.S. Open, Championship, New York
_____
Sunday, Sept. 13
AUTO RACING
6 a.m.
APPLE TV — Formula 1: TAG Heuer Gran Premio de España 2026, MADRING Sur, Madrid
3 p.m.
USA — NASCAR Cup Series: Enjoy Illinois 300 – The Chase, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
Noon
ACCN — Stanford at Duke
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
1 p.m.
ESPN2 — Paradise Invitational: TBD, Consolation, Nassau, Bahamas
3 p.m.
ESPN — Wisconsin at Texas
5 p.m.
ESPN — Paradise Invitational: TBD, Championship, Nassau, Bahamas
8 p.m.
ESPN — UCLA at Utah
CYCLING
10 p.m.
NBCSN — UCI: 2026 Vuelta a España, Final Stage (taped)
GOLF
5 a.m.
GOLF — 2026 Solheim Cup: Team U.S. vs. Team Europe – 12 Singles Matches & Closing Ceremony, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, Netherlands
8:30 a.m.
CNBC — DP World Tour: Amgen Irish Open, Final Round, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Doonbeg, Ireland
2:30 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: Sanford International, Final Round, Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D.
5 p.m.
GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, Final Round, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
MLB BASEBALL
1:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Houston at Tampa Bay (1:40 p.m.) OR Kansas City at Boston (1:35 p.m.)
4:30 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: Texas at Arizona (joined in progress) (4:10 p.m.) OR Seattle at Athletics (joined in progress) (4:05 p.m.)
7 p.m.
NBCSN — San Diego at San Francisco (7:20 p.m.)
PEACOCK — San Diego at San Francisco (7:20 p.m.)
NFL FOOTBALL
1 p.m.
CBS — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Jets at Tennessee, Baltimore at Indianapolis, Cleveland at Jacksonville OR Buffalo at Houston
FOX — Regional Coverage: Tampa Bay at Cincinnati, New Orleans at Detroit, Atlanta at Pittsburgh OR Chicago at Carolina
4:25 p.m.
CBS — Regional Coverage: Green Bay at Minnesota OR Arizona at L.A. Chargers
FOX — Regional Coverage: Miami at Las Vegas OR Washington at Philadelphia
8:20 p.m.
NBC — Dallas at N.Y. Giants
PEACOCK — Dallas at N.Y. Giants
SOCCER (MEN’S)
9 a.m.
USA — English Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion at Coventry City
11:30 a.m.
NBCSN — English Premier League: Manchester City at Manchester United
USA — Bundesliga: Bayern Munich at SV Elversberg
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
1 p.m.
ESPN — NWSL: Boston at Washington
TENNIS
2 p.m.
ABC — ATP: U.S. Open, Championship, New York
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