THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 2025

“THE SCOREBOARD”

+++++++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL+++++++

SECTIONAL WEEK 1

SECTIONAL 14

#8 WHITELAND (7-2) AT SEYMOUR (2-7)

__________________________________________________________

SECTIONAL 17

HANOVER CENTRAL (4-5) AT LOWELL (7-2)

HIGHLAND (2-7) AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (3-6)

KANKAKEE VALLEY (1-8) AT GARY WEST (4-4)

NEW PRAIRIE (3-6) AT HOBART (7-2)

SECTIONAL 18

PLYMOUTH (3-6) AT SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-7)

#4 MISHAWAKA (8-1) AT NORTHWOOD (5-4)

WAWASEE (1-8) AT NORTHRIDGE (2-7)

SOUTH BEND RILEY (4-5) AT #11 SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (8-1)

SECTIONAL 19

FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-9) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (2-7)

NEW HAVEN (2-7) AT #1 EAST NOBLE (9-0)

COLUMBIA CITY (5-4) AT #12 DEKALB (7-2)

#6 FORT WAYNE DWENGER (7-2) AT #8 LEO (7-2)

SECTIONAL 20

LEBANON (7-2) AT CULVER ACADEMY (3-6)

MUNCIE CENTRAL (5-4) AT MARION (2-7)

HUNTINGTON NORTH (4-5) AT LOGANSPORT (6-3)

SECTIONAL 21

BEECH GROVE (6-3) AT RICHMOND (3-6)

#5 PENDLETON HEIGHTS (8-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (0-9)

NEW CASTLE (2-7) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-4)

SECTIONAL 22

INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (4-5) AT DANVILLE (5-4)

#7 INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (6-3) AT #10 NORTHVIEW (8-1)

#3 INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (7-2) AT MOORESVILLE (5-4)

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (8-1) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (2-7)

SECTIONAL 23

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (6-3) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (2-7)

CONNERSVILLE (4-5) AT SHELBYVILLE (4-5)

MARTINSVILLE (3-6) AT GREENWOOD (2-7)

SILVER CREEK (3-6) AT CHARLESTOWN (7-2)

SECTIONAL 24

EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-8) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (6-3)

#2 HERITAGE HILLS (8-1) AT WASHINGTON (4-5)

JASPER (7-2) AT BOONVILLE (4-5)

EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-9) AT EVANSVILLE HARRISON (2-7)

_____________________________________________________________

SECTIONAL 25

JOHN GLENN (2-7) AT CALUMET (5-4)

MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-7) AT RIVER FOREST (4-5)

#17 GRIFFITH (8-1) AT HAMMOND NOLL (2-7)

#5 KNOX (9-0) AT JIMTOWN (2-7)

SECTIONAL 26

GARRETT (4-5) AT FAIRFIELD (3-6)

WOODLAN (2-7) AT LAKELAND (5-4)

#7 TIPPECANOE VALLEY (7-2) AT ANGOLA (4-5)

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (1-8) AT #14 WEST NOBLE (7-2)

SECTIONAL 27

NORTHWESTERN (4-5) AT PERU (2-7)

#10 MACONAQUAH (8-1) AT #9 TWIN LAKES (7-2)

WEST LAFAYETTE (3-6) AT #18 WESTERN (6-3)

FRANKTON (1-8) AT BENTON CENTRAL (0-9)

SECTIONAL 28

#6 MISSISSINEWA (8-1) AT OAK HILL (5-4)

JAY COUNTY (3-6) AT BELLMONT (0-9)

NORWELL (1-8) AT HERITAGE (5-4)

FORT WAYNE LUERS (4-5) AT DELTA (3-6)

SECTIONAL 29

#3 CASCADE (9-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (3-5)

#8 TRI-WEST (6-3) AT WEST VIGO (0-9)

SPEEDWAY (1-8) AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (4-5)

#16 GUERIN CATHOLIC (5-4) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (4-5)

SECTIONAL 30

FRANKLIN COUNTY (7-2) AT BATESVILLE (3-6)

GREENSBURG (2-7) AT PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (6-3)

RUSHVILLE (2-7) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (4-5)

SECTIONAL 31

OWEN VALLEY (2-7) AT MADISON (1-8)

CORYDON CENTRAL (3-6) AT NORTH HARRISON (3-6)

EDGEWOOD (5-3) AT #12 SCOTTSBURG (7-2)

SECTIONAL 32

#2 GIBSON SOUTHERN (8-1) AT VINCENNES LINCOLN (3-6)

MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (6-3) AT SOUTHRIDGE (5-4)

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (4-5) AT PRINCETON (3-6)

____________________________________________________________

SECTIONAL 33

#11 WHEELER (7-1) AT LAKE STATION (6-3)

#14 RENSSELAER CENTRAL (7-2) AT BOONE GROVE (4-4)

BREMEN (5-4) AT WHITING (2-7)

SECTIONAL 34

DELPHI (3-6) AT SOUTHMONT (8-1)

NORTH PUTNAM (4-5) AT WESTERN BOONE (5-4)

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (2-7) AT SEEGER (8-1)

LEWIS CASS (6-3) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (1-8)

SECTIONAL 35

PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-9) AT MANCHESTER (6-3)

WHITKO (1-8) AT EASTSIDE (7-2)

CENTRAL NOBLE (1-8) AT #1 ADAMS CENTRAL (9-0)

#8 BLUFFTON (8-1) AT CHURUBUSCO (7-2)

SECTIONAL 36

#5 EASTBROOK (9-0) AT #14 ALEXANDRIA (7-2)

#10 ROCHESTER (8-1) AT ELWOOD (3-6)

#13 EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (8-1) AT BLACKFORD (0-9)

WABASH (2-7) AT TIPTON (5-4)

SECTIONAL 37

#6 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (8-1) AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN (2-7)

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-6)

MONROVIA (3-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (5-4)

SECTIONAL 38

NORTHEASTERN (8-1) AT SHENANDOAH (6-3)

#7 TRITON CENTRAL (8-1) AT CENTERVILLE (7-2)

#3 LAPEL (9-0) AT WINCHESTER (8-1)

EASTERN HANCOCK (5-4) AT UNION COUNTY (1-8)

SECTIONAL 39

SULLIVAN (6-3) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (3-6)

PIKE CENTRAL (0-9) AT NORTH POSEY (6-3)

GREENCASTLE (4-5) AT BROWN COUNTY (2-7)

MITCHELL (1-8) AT #8 LINTON (6-3)

SECTIONAL 40

CRAWFORD COUNTY (4-5) AT CLARKSVILLE (4-5)

SALEM (4-5) AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (6-2)

#2 BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (9-0) AT TELL CITY (5-4)

EASTERN (PEKIN) (1-8) AT PAOLI (7-2)

____________________________________________________________

SECTIONAL 41

LAVILLE (5-4) AT CULVER (3-6)

#5 NORTH JUDSON (7-2) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-9)

#11 WEST CENTRAL (8-1) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-6)

NORTH NEWTON (5-4) AT BOWMAN ACADEMY (5-4)

SECTIONAL 42

#3 FRONTIER (9-0) AT TRI-COUNTY (1-8)

#3 PIONEER (8-1) AT CASTON (3-6)

#12 CARROLL (FLORA) (5-3) AT WINAMAC (2-7)

NORTH WHITE (2-7) AT TAYLOR (5-3)

SECTIONAL 43

NORTH MIAMI (6-3) AT NORTHFIELD (2-7)

SOUTHERN WELLS (2-7) AT TRITON (6-3)

FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (2-7) AT FREMONT (6-3)

SECTIONAL 44

UNION CITY (2-7) AT HAGERSTOWN (3-6)

CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-9) AT MONROE CENTRAL (4-5)

MADISON-GRANT (5-4) AT #10 SOUTH ADAMS (6-3)

WES-DEL (5-3) AT TRI (5-4)

SECTIONAL 45

ATTICA (2-7) AT #2 #6 SOUTH PUTNAM (7-2)

PARKE HERITAGE (5-4) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (5-4)

COVINGTON (5-4) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (6-3)

RIVERTON PARKE (9-0) AT NORTH VERMILLION (0-9)

SECTIONAL 46

CLINTON CENTRAL (3-5) AT CLOVERDALE (5-4)

SECTIONAL 47

SOUTH DECATUR (3-5) AT EASTERN GREENE (1-8)

WEST WASHINGTON (5-4) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (5-4)

GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (2-7) AT #8 NORTH DECATUR (6-2)

SECTIONAL 48

FOREST PARK (3-6) AT #1 SPRINGS VALLEY (9-0)

#4 PROVIDENCE (6-2) AT NORTH KNOX (3-6)

#9 NORTH DAVIESS (8-1) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-9)

SOUTH SPENCER (2-7) AT TECUMSEH (5-4)

________________________________________________________________

+++++INDIANA FOOTBALL SECTIONAL CHANCES+++++

(BASED ON RATINGS, DRAW AND HOME FIELD)

SECTIONAL 1: CROWN POINT 66.16%

SECTIONAL 2: FW CARROLL 60.27%

SECTIONAL 3: CARMEL 74.56%

SECTIONAL 4: FISHERS 56.80%

SECTIONAL 5: BROWNSBURG 72.32%

SECTIONAL 6: DECATUR CENTRAL 52.60%

SECTIONAL 7: WARREN CENTRAL 86.49%

SECTIONAL 8: CENTER GROVE 69.49%

SECTIONAL 9: MERRILLVILLE 75.74%

SECTIONAL 10: MICHIGAN CITY 37.83%

SECTIONAL 11: CONCORD 41.04%

SECTIONAL 12: LAFAYETTE JEFF 78.29%

SECTIONAL 13: NEW PALESTINE 57.83%

SECTIONAL 14: EAST CENTRAL 60.23%

SECTIONAL 15: BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 49.92%

SECTIONAL 16: FLOYD CENTRAL 52.68%

SECTIONAL 17: HOBART 45.73%, LOWELL 44.79%

SECTIONAL 18: MISHAWAKA 39.95%

SECTIONAL 19: EAST NOBLE 46.50%

SECTIONAL 20: LEBANON 58.21%

SECTIONAL 21: PENDLETON HEIGHTS 49.26%

SECTIONAL 22: BISHOP CHATARD 52.63%

SECTIONAL 23: BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 43.03%

SECTIONAL 24: HERITAGE HILLS 76.91%

SECTIONAL 25: KNOX 61.43%

SECTIONAL 26: TIPPECANOE VALLEY 32.73%

SECTIONAL 27: WESTERN 47.55%

SECTIONAL 28: MISSISSINEWA 36.21%

SECTIONAL 29: CASCADE 54.70%

SECTIONAL 30: LAWRENCEBURG 73.02%

SECTIONAL 31: INDIAN CREEK 78.47%

SECTIONAL 32: GIBSON SOUTHERN 62.93%

SECTIONAL 33: ANDREAN 64.31%

SECTIONAL 34: SOUTHMONT 35.31%

SECTIONAL 35: ADAMS CENTRAL 48.81%

SECTIONAL 36: EASTERN GREENTOWN 28.79

SECTIONAL 37: INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 49.62

SECTIONAL 38: LAPEL 41.83%

SECTIONAL 39: LINTON 63.60%

SECTIONAL 40: BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 82.38%

SECTIONAL 41: NORTH JUDSON 44.27%

SECTIONAL 42: PIONEER 37.03%

SECTIONAL 43: NORTH MIAMI 41.36%

SECTIONAL 44: SOUTH ADAMS 44.58%

SECTIONAL 45: SOUTH PUTNAM 53.59%

SECTIONAL 46: CLOVERDALE 44.04%

SECTIONAL 47: NORTH DECATUR 53.35%

SECTIONAL 48: NORTH DAVIESS 34.24%

___________________________________________________________________________

+++++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SCORES:+++++

REGIONALS

NORTH

LAPORTE

1 PM CT | CLASS 3A | MISHAWAKA MARIAN VS HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL

4 PM CT | CLASS 4A | CHESTERTON VS CROWN POINT

CULVER COMMUNITY

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | SOUTH ADAMS VS BOONE GROVE

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | PENN VS WARSAW

NORTHWOOD

1 PM ET | CLASS 2A | LAKELAND VS JIMTOWN

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | NORTHWOOD VS HANOVER CENTRAL

HOMESTEAD TICKETS

4 PM ET | CLASS 1A | TRITON VS FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) VS HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)

SOUTHWOOD

1 PM ET | CLASS 2A | SOUTHWOOD VS WAPAHANI

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | WEST LAFAYETTE VS FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER

NORWELL

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | HAMILTON HEIGHTS VS NORWELL

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | BELLMONT VS WESTFIELD

TWIN LAKES

1 PM ET | CLASS 1A | SOUTH NEWTON VS MARQUETTE CATHOLIC

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | SHERIDAN VS BENTON CENTRAL

ELWOOD COMMUNITY

4 PM ET | CLASS 1A | ROSSVILLE VS NORTHFIELD

7 PM ET | CLASS 1A | MONROE CENTRAL VS FAITH CHRISTIAN

SOUTH

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | RONCALLI VS INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | CENTER GROVE VS YORKTOWN

CASCADE

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | TRI-WEST HENDRICKS VS NORTHVIEW

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | LAWRENCE NORTH VS PLAINFIELD

MONROVIA

1 PM ET | CLASS 1A | GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN VS INTERNATIONAL OF INDIANA

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | GREENCASTLE VS COVENANT CHRISTIAN

BLOOMINGTON NORTH

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | GREENSBURG VS JASPER

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | CASTLE VS BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

LOOGOOTEE

1 PM ET | CLASS 1A | LOOGOOTEE VS SHAKAMAK

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | TECUMSEH VS BARR-REEVE

MITCHELL

1 PM ET | CLASS 1A | SPRINGS VALLEY VS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA

4 PM ET | CLASS 3A | BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL VS HERITAGE HILLS

MORRISTOWN

1 PM ET | CLASS 1A | NORTH DECATUR VS TRINITY LUTHERAN

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | TRITON CENTRAL VS NORTHEASTERN

CHARLESTOWN

4 PM ET | CLASS 2A | SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) VS EASTERN (PEKIN)

7 PM ET | CLASS 4A | FLOYD CENTRAL VS FRANKLIN COMMUNITY

______________________________________________________

+++++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS/GIRLS SOCCER+++++

SEMI-STATE

_______________________________________________________

+++++INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY +++++

REGIONALS OCTOBER 25

1. NEW PRAIRIE | 10:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
FEEDER SECTIONALS: HIGHLAND, CHESTERTON, NEW PRAIRIE, GOSHEN, RENSSELAER CENTRAL

2. NEW HAVEN (@ HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
FEEDER SECTIONALS: MANCHESTER, WEST NOBLE, NEW HAVEN, DELTA, MARION

3. BROWNSBURG | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
FEEDER SECTIONALS: LOGANSPORT, HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS), TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, BEN DAVIS

4. SHELBYVILLE (BLUE RIVER PARK) | 10:30 AM ET | RESULTS | TICKETS
FEEDER SECTIONALS: NOBLESVILLE, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), RUSHVILLE CONSOLIDATED, SHELBYVILLE, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)

5. EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (ANGEL MOUNDS) | 10:30 AM CT | RESULTS | TICKETS
FEEDER SECTIONALS: BROWN COUNTY, BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, CRAWFORD COUNTY, JASPER, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI

________________________________________________________

+++++MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL+++++

WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, OCT. 24
LAD VS. TOR, GAME 1 — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

SATURDAY, OCT. 25
LAD VS. TOR, GAME 2 — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

MONDAY, OCT. 27
TOR VS. LAD, GAME 3 — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

TUESDAY, OCT. 28
TOR VS. LAD, GAME 4 — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29
TOR VS. LAD, GAME 5^ — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

FRIDAY, OCT. 31
LAD VS. TOR, GAME 6^ — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

SATURDAY, NOV. 1
LAD VS. TOR, GAME 7^ — 8 P.M. (FOX/FOX DEPORTES)

^(IF NECESSARY)

_____________________________________________________________

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 9 SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22

DELEWARE 31 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 28

MISSOURI STATE 24 NEW MEXICO ST. 17 OT

THURSDAY, OCT. 23

7:30 P.M. | SOUTH ALABAMA AT GEORGIA STATE | ESPN2

FRIDAY, OCT. 24

7 P.M. | NORTH TEXAS AT CHARLOTTE | ESPN2

7:30 P.M. | CAL AT VIRGINIA TECH | ESPN

10 P.M. | BOISE STATE AT NEVADA | CBSSN

SATURDAY, OCT. 25

12 P.M. | UCLA AT NO. 2 INDIANA | FOX

12 P.M. | NO. 8 OLE MISS AT NO. 13 OKLAHOMA | ABC

12 P.M. | SYRACUSE AT NO. 7 GEORGIA TECH | ESPN

12 P.M. | NO. 16 VIRGINIA AT NORTH CAROLINA | ACC NETWORK

12 P.M. | NO. 18 SOUTH FLORIDA AT MEMPHIS | ESPN2

12 P.M. | RUTGERS AT PURDUE | BIG TEN NETWORK

12 P.M. | SMU AT WAKE FOREST | THE CW NETWORK

12 P.M. | KANSAS STATE AT KANSAS | TNT

12 P.M. | APPALACHIAN STATE AT OLD DOMINION | ESPNU

12 P.M. | BOWLING GREEN AT KENT STATE | ESPN+

12 P.M. | OHIO AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | CBSSN

12:45 P.M. | AUBURN AT ARKANSAS | SEC NETWORK

1 P.M. | AKRON AT BUFFALO | ESPN+

3 P.M. | UCONN AT RICE | ESPN+

3 P.M. | UTAH STATE AT NEW MEXICO

3:30 P.M. | NO. 4 ALABAMA AT SOUTH CAROLINA | ABC

3:30 P.M. | NO. 11 BYU AT IOWA STATE | FOX

3:30 P.M. | TOLEDO AT WASHINGTON STATE | THE CW NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | NC STATE AT PITT | ACC NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | UL MONROE AT SOUTHERN MISS | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT NAVY | CBSSN

3:30 P.M. | TEMPLE AT TULSA | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | BALL STATE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | UMASS AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MIAMI (OHIO) | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | NO. 23 ILLINOIS AT WASHINGTON | BIG TEN NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | NO. 15 MISSOURI AT NO. 10 VANDERBILT | ESPN

4 P.M. | OKLAHOMA STATE AT NO. 14 TEXAS TECH | ESPNU

4 P.M. | BAYLOR AT NO. 21 CINCINNATI | ESPN2

4 P.M. | WISCONSIN AT NO. 6 OREGON | FS1

4:15 P.M. | NO. 22 TEXAS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | SECN

6 P.M. | TCU AT WEST VIRGINIA | ESPN+

7 P.M. | STANFORD AT NO. 9 MIAMI (FLA.) | ESPN

7 P.M. | GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT ARKANSAS STATE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | LOUISIANA AT TROY | ESPN+

7:30 P.M. | NO. 3 TEXAS A&M AT NO. 20 LSU | ABC

7:30 P.M. | BOSTON COLLEGE AT NO. 19 LOUISVILLE | ACC NETWORK

7:30 P.M. | COLORADO STATE AT WYOMING | CBSSN

7:30 P.M. | NO. 25 MICHIGAN AT MICHIGAN STATE | NBC

7:45 P.M. | NO. 17 TENNESSEE AT KENTUCKY | SEC NETWORK

8 P.M. | HOUSTON AT NO. 24 ARIZONA STATE | ESPN2

10:15 P.M. | COLORADO AT UTAH | ESPN

NORTHWESTERN AT NEBRASKA

MINNESOTA AT IOWA

SAN DIEGO STATE AT FRESNO STATE | FS1

______________________________________________________________

++++++++NFL SCHEDULE++++++++

WEEK 8 SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, OCT. 23

MINNESOTA AT LA CHARGERS, 8:15 P.M. (PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, OCT. 26

NY JETS AT CINCINNATI, 1 P.M. (CBS)

CHICAGO AT BALTIMORE

MIAMI AT ATLANTA, 1 P.M. (CBS)

CLEVELAND AT NEW ENGLAND, 1 P.M. (FOX)

NY GIANTS AT PHILADELPHIA, 1 P.M. (FOX)

BUFFALO AT CAROLINA, 1 P.M. (FOX)

SAN FRANCISCO AT HOUSTON, 1 P.M. (FOX)

TAMPA BAY AT NEW ORLEANS, 4:05 P.M. (FOX)

TENNESSEE AT INDIANAPOLIS, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

DALLAS AT DENVER, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

GREEN BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)

MONDAY, OCT. 27

WASHINGTON AT KANSAS CITY, 8:15 P.M. (ESPN/ABC)

BYES: ARIZONA, DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, LA RAMS, LAS VEGAS, SEATTLE

_______________________________________________________________

+++++++++MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL+++++++++

USA TODAY PRESEASON MEN’S TOP 25 POLL

RANK	SCHOOL (RECORD)	POINTS	LAST WEEK’S RANK	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	PURDUE (24-12)	755	12	18
2	HOUSTON (35-5)	749	2	12
3	FLORIDA (36-4)	704	1	1
4	CONNECTICUT (24-11)	647	NR	0
5	DUKE (35-4)	623	3	0
6	ST. JOHN’S (31-5)	609	10	0
7	MICHIGAN (27-10)	569	11	0
8	BRIGHAM YOUNG (26-10)	532	15	0
9	KENTUCKY (24-12)	529	14	0
10	LOUISVILLE (27-8)	456	21	0
11	TEXAS TECH (28-9)	455	8	0
12	UCLA (23-11)	421	NR	0
13	ARIZONA (24-13)	398	13	0
14	ILLINOIS (22-13)	349	NR	0
15	ARKANSAS (22-14)	329	25	0
16	ALABAMA (28-9)	322	6	0
17	TENNESSEE (30-8)	292	5	0
18	IOWA STATE (25-10)	289	17	0
19	KANSAS (21-13)	235	NR	0
20	GONZAGA (26-9)	185	20	0
21	MICHIGAN STATE (30-7)	144	7	0
22	AUBURN (32-6)	114	4	0
23	CREIGHTON (25-11)	103	24	0
24	WISCONSIN (27-10)	62	16	0
25	NORTH CAROLINA (23-14)	37	NR	0

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: NORTH CAROLINA STATE (12-19) 33; OREGON (25-10) 26; OHIO STATE (17-15) 15; SAN DIEGO STATE (21-10) 15; BAYLOR (20-15) 13; VIRGINIA (15-17) 11; VANDERBILT (20-13) 10; SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (17-18) 7; TEXAS (19-16) 6; MISSOURI (22-12) 5; VILLANOVA (21-15) 5; MISSISSIPPI (24-12) 4; CINCINNATI (19-16) 3; IOWA (17-16) 3; SAINT MARY’S (29-6) 3; WASHINGTON (13-18) 3; VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH (28-7) 2; BOISE STATE (26-11) 1; KANSAS STATE (16-17) 1; OKLAHOMA STATE (17-18) 1.

_________________________________________________________________

++++++++NBA SCOREBOARD++++++++

NEW YORK 119 CLEVELAND 111

CHARLOTTE 136 BROOKLYN 117

ORLANDO 125 MIAMI 121

TORONTO 138 ATLANTA 118

PHILADELPHIA 117 BOSTON 116

MEMPHIS 128 NEW ORLEANS 122

CHICAGO 115 DETROIT 111

MILWAUKEE 133 WASHINGTON 120

UTAH 129 LA CLIPPERS 108

SAN ANTONIO 125 DALLAS 92

PHOENIX 120 SACRAMENTO 116

MINNESOTA 118 PORTLAND 114

_______________________________________________________________

++++++++NHL SCOREBOARD++++++++

NEW JERSEY 4 MINNESOTA 1

BUFFALO 4 DETROIT 2

MONTREAL 2 CALGARY 1 OT

_______________________________________________________________

+++++++MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER+++++++

2025 MLS PLAYOFF GLANCE

ALL TIMES EDT

WILD CARD

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CHICAGO 3 ORLANDO 1

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PORTLAND 3 SALT LAKE 1

FIRST ROUND – BEST OF 3 (X-IF NECESSARY)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PHILADELPHIA VS. CHICAGO

SUNDAY, OCT. 26: CHICAGO AT PHILADELPHIA, 5:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1: PHILADELPHIA AT CHICAGO 5:30 P.M.

X-SATURDAY, NOV. 8: CHICAGO AT PHILADELPHIA, TBD

CINCINNATI VS. COLUMBUS

MONDAY, OCT. 27: COLUMBUS AT CINCINNATI, 6:45 P.M.

SUNDAY, NOV. 2: CINCINNATI AT COLUMBUS, 6:30 P.M.

X-SATURDAY, NOV. 8: COLUMBUS AT CINCINNATI, TBD

MIAMI VS. NASHVILLE

FRIDAY, OCT. 24: NASHVILLE AT MIAMI, 8 P.M.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1: MIAMI AT NASHVILLE, 7:30 P.M.

X-SATURDAY, NOV. 8: NASHVILLE AT MIAMI, TBD

CHARLOTTE VS. NEW YORK CITY

TUESDAY, OCT. 28: NEW YORK CITY AT CHARLOTTE, 6:45 P.M.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1: CHARLOTTE AT NEW YORK CITY, 3:30 P.M.

X-FRIDAY, NOV. 7: NEW YORK CITY AT CHARLOTTE, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

SAN DIEGO VS. PORTLAND

SUNDAY, OCT. 26: PORTLAND AT SAN DIEGO, 9:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1: SAN DIEGO AT PORTLAND 9:30 P.M.

X-SUNDAY, NOV. 9: PORTLAND AT SAN DIEGO, TBD

VANCOUVER VS. DALLAS

SATURDAY, OCT. 26: DALLAS AT VANCOUVER, 7:30 P.M.

SATURDAY, NOV. 1: VANCOUVER AT DALLAS, 9:30 P.M.

X-FRIDAY, NOV. 7: DALLAS AT VANCOUVER, TBD

MINNESOTA VS. SEATTLE

MONDAY, OCT. 27: SEATTLE AT MINNESOTA, 9 P.M.

MONDAY, NOV. 3: MINNESOTA AT SEATTLE, 10:30 P.M.

X-SATURDAY, NOV. 8: SEATTLE AT MINNESOTA, TBD

LOS ANGELES FC VS. AUSTIN

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29: AUSTIN AT LOS ANGELES FC, 10:30 P.M.

SUNDAY, NOV. 2: LOS ANGELES FC AT AUSTIN, 8:30 P.M.

X-SATURDAY, NOV. 8: AUSTIN AT LOS ANGELES FC, TBD

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

NOV. 22 – NOV. 23

EASTERN CONFERENCE: TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE: TBD

CONFERENCE FINAL

NOV. 29 – NOV. 30

SEMIFINAL WINNERS, TBD

CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY, DEC. 6: CONFERENCE FINAL WINNERS, 2:30 P.M.

______________________________________________________________

+++++TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES+++++

++++++++NFL NEWS++++++++

NFL: WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 8

Below are the players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season, including:

QB Drake Maye
QB Patrick Mahomes
QB Justin Herbert
WR Justin Jefferson
RB Christian McCaffrey
RB Jonathan Taylor
WR Ja’Marr Chase
LBs Nik Bonitto & Jonathon Cooper

DRAKE MAYE

New England quarterback Drake Maye has at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his past six starts.

With at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in Week 8, Maye can become the second player under the age of 24 and fifth player in NFL history to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in seven consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (12 consecutive games in 2011 and eight in 2020), Tom Brady (eight in 2007), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (eight in 2004) and Patrick Mahomes (seven in 2018 at age 23).

The players with at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating 100-or-higher in the most consecutive games within a single season in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay	2011	12
Tom Brady	New England	2007	8
Peyton Manning ^HOF	Indianapolis	2004	8
Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay	2020	8
Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City	2018	7

*Drake Maye*	*New England*	*2025*	6*
*active streak

PATRICK MAHOMES

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns with a 126.6 passer rating last week, his 93rd career regular-season win – the most ever by a player under the age of 31.

Mahomes has 45 career games with at least three touchdown passes and on Monday Night Football against Washington (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC), can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (46 games) for the most such games by a player in his first nine seasons in NFL history.

Mahomes has 39,966 career passing yards, including the playoffs, entering Week 8 and with 34 passing yards, can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (41,082 passing yards) as the only players in NFL history with at least 40,000 passing yards in their first nine seasons, including the postseason.

With a passer rating of 100-or-higher on Monday night, Mahomes can tie Matt Ryan (61 games) for the third-most games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in his first nine career seasons, trailing only Russell Wilson (74 games) and Dak Prescott (63).

The players with the most games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in their first nine seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	GAMES
Russell Wilson	Seattle	74
Dak Prescott	Dallas	63
Matt Ryan	Atlanta	61
*Patrick Mahomes*	*Kansas City*	60*
*in ninth season

JUSTIN HERBERT

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert recorded 37 completions and a career-high 420 passing yards last week, his 30th career game with at least 300 passing yards.

Herbert has 2,128 career completions and with his next completion, will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (2,128) for the most completions by a player in his first six seasons.

With 300 passing yards on Thursday Night Football against Minnesota (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Herbert can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (30 games) for the third-most games with at least 300 passing yards by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history. Only Patrick Mahomes (41 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (32) have more.

The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards in their first six seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	GAMES
Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City	41
Dan Marino ^HOF	Miami	32
*Justin Herbert*	*L.A. Chargers*	30*
Kurt Warner ^HOF	St. Louis Rams	30
*in sixth season

JUSTIN JEFFERSON

Since entering the NFL in 2020, Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson leads all players with 7,960 receiving yards in 83 career games.

With 40 receiving yards on Thursday Night Football at the Los Angeles Chargers (8:15 pm. ET, Prime Video), Jefferson can:

surpass Julio Jones (85 games) as the fastest player to reach 8,000 receiving yards in the Super Bowl era.
join Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (8,375 receiving yards) as the only players all-time under the age of 27 with at least 8,000 receiving yards.
join Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (8,375 receiving yards) and Torry Holt (8,156) as the only players with at least 8,000 receiving yards in their first six seasons in NFL history.

CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY

San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL with 981 scrimmage yards (516 receiving, 465 rushing) this season and has recorded at least five receptions and 100 scrimmage yards in each of the 49ers seven games.

On Sunday at Houston (1 p.m. ET, FOX), McCaffrey can join Priest Holmes (2002 with Kansas City) and Adam Thielen (2018 with Minnesota) as the only players in NFL history with at least five receptions and 100 scrimmage yards in each of their first eight games of a season.

Additionally, with 35 rushing yards in Week 8, McCaffrey can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (1998 with Indianapolis and 2000 with the St. Louis Rams) and Timmy Brown (1965 with Philadelphia) as the only players in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in their team’s first eight games of a season.

McCaffrey, who has 6,852 rushing yards and 4,982 receiving yards in his career, can become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 7,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk as well as Tiki Barber.

JONATHAN TAYLOR

Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL with 10 rushing touchdowns this season and has 61 rushing touchdowns in 74 career games, the third-most since he entered the league in 2020.

With a rushing touchdown against Tennessee on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) in his 75th career game, Taylor can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson (61 rushing touchdowns) for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns by a player in his first 75 career games in the Super Bowl era.

The players with the most rushing touchdowns in their first 75 career games in the Super Bowl era:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	RUSH TDs
LaDainian Tomlinson ^HOF	San Diego Chargers	71
Emmitt Smith ^HOF	Dallas	69
Adrian Peterson	Minnesota	66
Earl Campbell ^HOF	Houston Oilers	63
Eric Dickerson ^HOF	Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis	61
*Jonathan Taylor*	*Indianapolis*	61*
*in 74 games

JA’MARR CHASE

Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase recorded a single-game franchise-record 16 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown in Week 7, his third game with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception this season.

On Sunday against the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Chase can become the fourth player ever with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in 20 games in his first five seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Lance Alworth (24 games), Randy Moss (24) and Jerry Rice (21).

Chase has 15 career games with at least 125 receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2021 and with 125 receiving yards in Week 8, can tie Odell Beckham Jr. (16 games) and A.J. Brown (16) for the fourth-most such games by a player in his first five seasons in the Super Bowl era.

The players with the most games with at least 125 receiving yards in their first five seasons in the Super Bowl era:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	GAMES
Justin Jefferson	Minnesota	23
Randy Moss ^HOF	Minnesota	17
Julio Jones	Atlanta	17
Odell Beckham Jr.	New York Giants	16
A.J. Brown	Tennessee, Philadelphia	16
*Ja’Marr Chase*	*Cincinnati*	15
*in fifth season

NIK BONITTO & JONATHON COOPER

The Denver Broncos lead the NFL with 34 sacks this season, as linebackers Nik Bonitto (eight sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (six) rank first and second, respectively, in the AFC in sacks.

With two sacks by Cooper – who had two sacks in Week 6 and 1.5 sacks in Week 7 – against Dallas on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), Bonitto and Cooper can become the sixth pair of teammates and first since 2017 (Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram with the Los Angeles Chargers) each with at least eight sacks in their team’s first eight games of a season.

The teammates each with at least eight sacks in their team’s first eight games of a season since 2000:

TEAM	SEASON	PLAYER	SACKS	PLAYER	SACKS
L.A. Chargers	2017	Joey Bosa	8.5	Melvin Ingram	8.5
Denver	2014	Von Miller	9	DeMarcus Ware ^HOF	8
Kansas City	2013	Justin Houston	11	Tamba Hali	9
Pittsburgh	2008	James Harrison	10	LaMarr Woodley	9.5
Tampa Bay	2000	Warren Sapp ^HOF	10.5	Marcus Jones	10

*Denver*	*2025*	*Nik Bonitto*	8*	*Jonathon Cooper*	6*
*in team’s first seven games

COMMANDERS’ JAYDEN DANIELS OUT WITH INJURY AND MARCUS MARIOTA TO START VS. CHIEFS, AP SOURCE SAYS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Quarterback Jayden Daniels will miss the Washington Commanders’ game at the Kansas City Chiefs because of an injured right hamstring and Marcus Mariota will start in his place, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not officially ruled him out for the Monday night game.

Washington (3-4) has lost two games in a row heading into the contest at Kansas City (4-3).

Daniels had an MRI exam a day after leaving in the third quarter of Washington’s 44-22 loss at the NFC East-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. He grabbed at the back of his right leg while limping off the field after getting sacked and fumbling.

Daniels, the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, already has missed two games this season because of an injury to his left knee, on which he’s been wearing a brace. Washington went 1-1 in those games with Mariota starting in his place.

Against Dallas, Mariota came in to replace Daniels and threw a pick-6 on his second pass of the day.

BUCS RB BUCKY IRVING, WR CHRIS GODWIN RULED OUT VS. SAINTS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin have been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the host New Orleans Saints, head coach Todd Bowles announced on Wednesday.

Irving has been dealing with foot and shoulder injuries, while Godwin continues to struggle with a fibula injury.

Irving, 23, has missed Tampa Bay’s past three games.

Over the first four games of the season, the second-year pro rushed for 237 yards on 71 carries. He gained 1,122 yards on 207 carries with eight touchdowns in his rookie season of 2024.

Godwin, 29, has six receptions for 52 yards in just two games for Tampa Bay this season.

In nine seasons with the Buccaneers, the 2019 Pro Bowl selection has 585 receptions for 7,318 yards and 39 touchdowns in 113 games (86 starts).

KNEE INJURY IMPACTING JETS QB TYROD TAYLOR

The winless Jets’ quarterback picture grew murkier on Wednesday with Tyrod Taylor now considered day-to-day with a knee injury.

New York head coach Aaron Glenn, who provided the injury update, declined to say whether he is sticking with a struggling Justin Fields or making a switch to the veteran backup Taylor on Sunday at Cincinnati.

“We’ll have a quarterback on Sunday, I will tell you that,” Glenn told reporters on Wednesday, adding that he knows who will start under center but does not want to give the Bengals “a competitive advantage” by announcing it.

Signed to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed, Fields has failed to deliver results. During the past two losses to Carolina and Denver, he completed a combined 15 of 29 passes for 91 yards and no touchdowns.

Fields, 26, has completed 63.7% of his passes for 845 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in six starts this season.

Taylor, 36, who took over in the second half of last Sunday’s 13-6 home loss to the Panthers, has completed 62.3% of his passes this season for 379 yards with three TDs and three picks in three games (one start).

Jets owner Woody Johnson weighed in on Fields’ performance earlier this week.

“It’s hard when you have a quarterback with the rating that we’ve got,” he said. “He has the ability, but something is not jiving. If you look at any head coach with a quarterback like that, you are going to see similar results across the league. You have to play consistently at that position and that’s what we’re going to try to do for the remainder of the season.”

The Jets (0-7) have a bye in Week 9 following their date with the Bengals (3-4).

LAMAR JACKSON BACK ON PRACTICE FIELD FOR RAVENS AFTER MISSING 2 GAMES WITH HAMSTRING INJURY

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson was on the practice field for the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday after missing two games with a hamstring injury.

Jackson initially did not take the field with Baltimore’s other two quarterbacks, but with practice still open to reporters, he came out with his helmet on and did some throwing, also receiving hugs from some teammates.

The Ravens (1-5) have been holding out hope that Jackson’s return can help save their season after four straight losses. Now all eyes will be on the two-time MVP to see what progress he makes this week, with the Chicago Bears in town Sunday. The Ravens had an open date last weekend.

DOLPHINS PLACE TE DARREN WALLER ON INJURED RESERVE WITH PECTORAL INJURY

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins placed veteran tight end Darren Waller on injured reserve Wednesday due to a pectoral injury he sustained in this weekend’s game at Cleveland.

Waller was injured in the first half of Sunday’s 31-6 loss and did not return. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Waller was dealing with a soft tissue injury.

“It’s a situation that probably it would be living in hope to see him in the upcoming next weeks’ games, but he’ll be diligent,” McDaniel said. “This means a lot to him, but that’s kind of where I’m at with it right now with the information I have.”

Waller has 10 catches for 117 yards and four touchdowns in four games for the Dolphins this season. He will miss a minimum four games and will be eligible to return Week 13 against New Orleans, following Miami’s bye in Week 12.

Waller missed the first three games of the season because of a hip strain, but made an immediate impact in the Dolphins’ passing game, especially with star receiver Tyreek Hill out for the season with a knee injury.

Waller had not played in more than a year after retiring in June 2024 as a member of the New York Giants. The 33-year-old came out of retirement in July to play for Miami, but initially wasn’t practicing much with the Dolphins as he dealt with the hip injury and worked his way back into football shape.

Playing in his first NFL game in nearly two years, Waller recorded two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ Week 4 victory over the New York Jets — their only win of the season.

“I feel like I know what to do and I prepare hard,” Waller said after that game, “and just try to put myself in the right positions to win and if a play is to be made, I make it. If it’s not my turn, I’m encouraging my teammates. It was just fun, man. It felt like when I started playing football as a kid. I felt like I lost it sometimes but, yeah, tonight was pretty cool.”

Also Wednesday, Miami signed tight end Greg Dulcich to the active roster off the practice squad and signed tight end Chris Myarick to the practice squad.

Dulcich has made 10 starts in three seasons with Denver (2022-24) and the New York Giants (2024), recording 41 receptions for 464 yards and two touchdowns.

FIELDS OR TAYLOR? JETS COACH AARON GLENN KEEPING BENGALS GUESSING ON STARTING QUARTERBACK

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Glenn knows who the New York Jets’ starting quarterback will be at Cincinnati. But the coach, still looking for his first victory, isn’t revealing his plan.

“We’ll have a quarterback on Sunday,” Glenn said Wednesday. “I will tell you that.”

Justin Fields was benched after another dismal performance last Sunday and Tyrod Taylor played the second half of New York’s 13-6 loss to Carolina.

Glenn said Monday he would deliberate over his decision, a process that would include speaking to his staff and even talking to other coaches who have dealt with quarterback quandaries. He also said his call would come down to who he thought gives the Jets the best chance to win Sunday against the Bengals.

And he doesn’t want Cincinnati to know who that might be.

“I wouldn’t want to give them a competitive advantage when I have that opportunity,” Glenn said. “But we have a quarterback.”

Adding to the ambiguity of the situation, Glenn said Taylor is among several Jets players who’ll be day to day at practice this week. Taylor is dealing with a knee ailment — “It’s something that he had before,” Glenn said.

Taylor had arthroscopic knee surgery during training camp and didn’t play in the preseason. He has been healthy since returning ahead of Week 1. Taylor was on the field for warmups with Fields and rookie Brady Cook during the portion of practice open to the media.

It appeared likely the Jets would turn to Taylor this week because of Fields’ recent struggles — and particularly after owner Woody Johnson told reporters at the NFL’s annual fall owners meeting that the Jets’ 0-7 start was largely because of the poor play at quarterback by Fields.

“He has the ability, but something just is not jiving,” Johnson said. “The offense is just not clicking. And you can’t run the ball if you can’t pass the ball. That’s Football 101.”

Fields was 6 of 12 for 46 yards in the first two quarters against the Panthers. That performance came a week after he was just 9 of 17 for 45 yards and sacked nine times in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to Denver in London, when New York had a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing.

Johnson made it clear he wasn’t happy with Fields, but insisted he would not influence Glenn’s decision.

“That’s completely up to the coach,” Johnson said. “I’m not going to be involved at all in any of that. This is what they’re paid to do, and this is what they’re experts at doing and so they’ll make the right decision — with what we’ve got.”

On Wednesday, Glenn pushed back at the narrative that Johnson clearly would prefer Taylor to play over Fields.

“What makes you say that? Did he say that?” Glenn asked a reporter.

When told that Johnson was critical of Fields and said he had trouble completing passes, Glenn bristled again.

“Does that say he doesn’t like the quarterback?” Glenn said. “Does that say that this quarterback is not playing?”

Glenn was then asked how Johnson’s comments might have impacted his final call.

“Woody puts that in my hands as far as who plays and I don’t see that changing,” Glenn said. “He trusts me to make that decision. He made a comment and he has every right to his comment. That comment was actually said by a number of guys, including our quarterback, as far as the efficiency of how we play. …

“But I don’t think there’s anywhere in that comment where he said he doesn’t like Justin.”

Last week, Glenn defended Fields by saying the quarterback took “a step back” against Denver, but attributed that to several factors. He said Fields made mistakes and didn’t get the ball out fast enough on some plays, but added that play calling, poor pass protection and receivers not getting open were also culprits.

Fields said last week he needed to get better and also expected to be “more aggressive” by taking more shots downfield, starting with the game against Carolina. Instead, it was more of the same struggles for Fields and the NFL’s worst-ranked offense.

Trying to spark things, Glenn decided to bench Fields at halftime. Taylor went 10 of 22 for 126 yards and two interceptions in Fields’ place.

Injuries

Glenn said cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Kene Nwangwu are in the concussion protocol and their availability for the game at Cincinnati is uncertain. Cornerback Michael Carter II cleared the protocol and is ready to go after missing three games.

Linebacker Quincy Williams was designated to return from injured reserve as he recovers from a shoulder injury.

Glenn said wide receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall, tight end Stone Smartt, defensive tackle Jay Tufele, linebacker Cam Jones and cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers would be day to day with injuries and evaluated through the week.

NFL OWNERS APPROVE SALE OF 10% OF THE NEW YORK GIANTS TO JULIA KOCH AND HER FAMILY

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL owners voted to approve the sale of 10% of the New York Giants to Julia Koch and her family, Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday.

The team announced after Goodell’s confirmation at the league’s annual fall owners meeting that the Koch family acquired a minority, non-controlling interest that “will further support the growth of the organization, deepen its community impact, and embrace future opportunities.”

The Mara and Tisch families remain the controlling owners, with the organization saying its leadership structure is unchanged. John Mara is president and CEO, while Steve Tisch is executive vice president and chairman of the board.

“It was clear during our discussions that Julia and her family understood the importance of this franchise to the Mara and Tisch families and the relationship we have with our fans and community,” said Mara, whose family has owned the team since its founding in 1925. “Our discussions were productive, and we are pleased to have them as a part of the New York Giants.”

Julia Koch, the widow of David Koch, who died in 2019, has a net worth of $81.2 billion, according to Forbes. She and her family last year bought 15% of BSE Global, the company that owns the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA’s New York Liberty.

The Giants announced in February they had hired Moelis & Co. to explore selling a piece of the team. An agreement was reached in early September but required league approval.

Bloomberg at the time was first to report the Giants deal at a valuation of $10 billion, which would surpass the then-North American professional record $6.05 billion Josh Harris’ group paid to buy the Washington Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023.

“My family and I are honored to join the Giants organization, a storied franchise with deep roots in New York,” Koch said. “We look forward to supporting the Mara and Tisch families to advance the team’s continued success and appreciate the partnership with two great families.”

Owners also approved the sale of minority stakes in the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the votes were not announced.

CHARGERS’ OFFENSIVE STAR POWER WILL BE TESTED BY VIKINGS’ EXOTIC DEFENSES ON THURSDAY NIGHT

Minnesota Vikings (3-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video

BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 3

Against the spread: Vikings 3-3; Chargers 2-4-1

Series record: Vikings lead 8-7.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Vikings 28-24 in Minneapolis on Sept. 24, 2023.

Last week: Vikings lost to Eagles 28-22; Chargers lost to Colts 38-24.

Vikings offense: overall (20), rush (20), pass (17), scoring (15).

Vikings defense: overall (9), rush (18), pass (7), scoring (T-10).

Chargers offense: overall (4), rush (16), pass (3), scoring (20).

Chargers defense: overall (13), rush (19), pass (8), scoring (18).

Turnover differential: Vikings minus-4; Chargers minus-3.

Vikings player to watch

OLB Dallas Turner. The second-year player, who was drafted with the 17th pick in the first round in 2024, has been thrust into a bigger-than-expected role this season with a lingering neck injury sidelining 2024 Pro Bowl pick Andrew Van Ginkel. After his tough matchup last week against the Eagles across from six-time Pro Bowl selection Lane Johnson, the Vikings could use a bigger impact from Turner against a Chargers offensive line that has struggled with injuries this season. Turner has just 1 1/2 sacks in six games.

Chargers player to watch

WR Keenan Allen needs eight receptions to become the franchise career leader and move past longtime teammate TE Antonio Gates, who holds the record with 955 grabs. Based on his history with Minnesota, there is a good chance he will get the mark this week as Allen has eight receptions or more in five of his previous six games versus Minnesota. He had season highs with 11 catches for 119 yards with a touchdown against Indianapolis.

Key matchup

Chargers’ third-down offense vs. Vikings’ defense. It’s strength against strength, as Los Angeles is moving the chains at a 46% clip to rank fourth in the NFL, while Minnesota is allowing conversions on 30.1% of opportunities as coordinator Brian Flores’ group is the second-best in football. Given the uncertainty with the Chargers up front, it will be crucial to stay out of obvious passing third downs in which Flores can utilize exotic pressures and blitzes to overwhelm the line. QB Justin Herbert is completing 57.8% of his third-down throws for 355 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions with five sacks.

Key injuries

Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will miss his fifth straight game, with Carson Wentz again starting in his place. RB Aaron Jones (hamstring) has returned to practice, with a chance to play on Thursday after missing the last four games. C Ryan Kelly (concussion) will miss his third straight game. Van Ginkel, who has been practicing on a limited basis, has missed the last three games.

Chargers: Head coach Jim Harbaugh said it will come down to game day to see if LT Joe Alt (ankle) and RT Trey Pipkins III (knee) would be available. OLB Khalil Mack (elbow) should see more snaps in his second game back after playing mostly in clear pass rush situations against the Colts. DB Elijah Molden (thumb) is making progress, but seems likely to be held out another week.

Series notes

The Vikings have won both matchups in Los Angeles since the Chargers moved there from San Diego in 2017. … The Chargers broke a three-game losing streak in the series when Herbert engineered a fourth-quarter comeback in 2023.

Stats and stuff

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has 529 career receptions, the second-most in NFL history through a player’s first six seasons. With 36 more over the next 11 games, Jefferson would pass Jarvis Landry for the all-time lead. … Vikings WR Jordan Addison had a career-high nine catches last week for 128 yards. He hit the 2,000 career receiving yards in his 35th game, tied for the fifth-fastest player in Vikings history to get there behind Jefferson (24), Randy Moss (26), Stefon Diggs (30) and Paul Flatley (34). … Vikings RB Jordan Mason has a career-high four rushing touchdowns in his first season with the team. … The Vikings have multiple sacks in 10 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the fourth-longest in team history. … Myles Price had a season-long 38-yard kickoff return last week against the Eagles. … Will Reichard made a career-most five field goals in as many attempts for the Vikings last week, including a 59-yard try to improve to 13 of 14 on the season. … The Chargers have a league-leading five players with at least 20 receptions. … Herbert threw for a career-high 420 yards in the loss to the Colts. His previous high was 405 yards against the Vikings in Week 3 of the 2023 campaign. … Oronde Gadsden II had 164 yards receiving versus Indianapolis, the second-highest total by a rookie TE since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Mark Bavaro had 176 yards for the New York Giants in Oct. 1985 against Cincinnati. … Versatile S Derwin James Jr. has 27 tackles in three games against Minnesota, but only one pass defense and no sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions or forced fumbles. … PK Cameron Dicker has made 46 of 47 field goals (97.9%) and 54 of 55 extra points (98.2%) at SoFi Stadium. … RB Kimani Vidal is averaging 2.2 yards after contact.

Fantasy tip

The Chargers are going to focus their attention on containing Jefferson and Addison, which should make TE T.J. Hockenson all the more enticing this week in all fantasy formats. Colts rookie TE Tyler Warren had four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown versus the suddenly shaky Los Angeles defense last week, and everything will be in place for Hockenson to match or exceed those numbers.

SHORT WEEK INCREASES THE PRESSURE AS REELING VIKINGS, CHARGERS MEET ON THURSDAY NIGHT

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — It’s not just the short week that has the Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings feeling lousy going into their Thursday night showdown, but it certainly starts there.

“It’s a physical grind. It’s a mental grind,” Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz said of the quick turnaround. “I don’t think anybody goes from playing one game on Sunday to Thursday and actually feels good. It’s just, ‘How good can you get yourself feeling?’”

Whoever comes out on top in a showdown of staggered underachievers should certainly be feeling a lot better going into the weekend.

The Chargers (4-3) have lost three of their past four games, in part because of an injury-riddled offensive line. The Vikings (3-3) have already dropped as many games through seven weeks as they did during the entire 2024 regular season, with iffy quarterback play and health looming large.

For Wentz, he has even less time to get his injured left non-throwing shoulder back into game shape. He was hurt in a Week 5 win at Cleveland, but was able to manage it in a 28-22 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday, throwing for 313 yards with two interceptions as the Vikings continued to alternate between victories and defeats.

“I’ve been really encouraged by how fast he turned over and really didn’t have any more setbacks or anything other than the normal soreness after a physical game like that,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said of Wentz, who will make his fifth consecutive start as J.J. McCarthy didn’t have enough time this week to fully overcome the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined.

The Chargers will hope to get left tackle Joe Alt back after he missed the past three games with a sprained ankle. Right tackle Trey Pipkins III (knee) could also return from a two-game absence, with head coach Jim Harbaugh characterizing the availability of both blockers as a “day-of-game decision.”

The presence of one or both tackles would significantly boost the chances of keeping quarterback Justin Herbert upright and opening holes in the run game for an offense that has been scrambling for cohesion.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said the swift turnaround from the Bolts’ 38-24 loss to Indianapolis means they’re planning as if both tackles will not play.

“The game was over, what, somewhere around 4 (p.m. Sunday). By 5:30, you know, deep into studying that Philadelphia-Minnesota game and burning the midnight oil,” Roman said. “Not a lot of time, got to get a lot of things compressed into one week, from one week into three days basically.”

Looking to reset

The Vikings allowed Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to post the first perfect passer rating of his career last week, thanks in part to a handful of huge gains behind shrewd play calls and star players that caught the Vikings in tough spots at bad times. Hurts had five completions greater than 25 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith.

The Vikings in three seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Flores have fielded one of the most dangerous groups in the league, but despite solid production over six games in pass rushing, on third downs and in the red zone they’ve only created seven turnovers — with five of those in one game against Cincinnati in Week 3. Last season, the Vikings tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways.

“If we continue to do the things defensively that equal good principles for us, we’ve shown to be able to cause disruption that leads to negativity and then have chances at turning the football over,” O’Connell said. “We’ve just got to find a way to make that part of our DNA.”

Same feeling

The Chargers aren’t in much better shape on defense after giving up 30 or more points and 400 yards for the third time in 24 regular-season games under coordinator Jesse Minter. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns as the Colts became the third straight opponent to average at least 5.2 yards per carry. Los Angeles had no takeaways for the fourth time this season.

“I would say we’re not where we want to be,” Minter said. “We’ve had a couple rough games in a row. There’s really only one way to try to fix it, and that’s just try to get everybody on the same page.”

Plenty of pass-catchers

Finding ways to get Justin Jefferson the ball through constant double teams is a weekly challenge for O’Connell and the Vikings, but Wentz has done an effective job of spreading the ball around in his four starts — particularly with developing a rhythm with Jordan Addison. Addison has been targeted 26 times in the three games since he returned from a suspension, with a career-high nine catches for 128 yards last week against the Eagles.

“Chemistry is easy when you’re open by 5 or 10 yards,” Wentz said. “I’ve developed a ton of confidence in him and his ability to get in and out of breaks and put a lot of stress on those DBs.”

Easing into it

Chargers OLB Khalil Mack played 12 snaps in his return after missing four games because of an elbow injury. That was enough for Mack to pick up a sack and a tackle for loss, but his limited workload also exposed the limitations of the edge defense without the 34-year-old. The feisty Mack wants to play more this week before acknowledging the decision isn’t his alone.

“You got to talk to the coaches and whoever else, the medical staff,” Mack said. “I know what I’m planning on doing, but hopefully everybody’s in agreeance (sic).”

DREW BREES AND LARRY FITZGERALD LEAD THE PACK FOR 2026 HALL OF FAME

Quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald advanced to the next stage of consideration for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in their first year of eligibility.

Six other players in their first year of eligibility advanced from the original list of 128 modern-era nominees for this year’s class to the 52 that will be considered by the full selection committee.

The other players in their first year of eligibility who advanced in voting by a screening committee are quarterback Philip Rivers; tight ends Greg Olsen and Jason Witten; running backs Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy; and offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey.

The full 50-member selection committee will reduce the list to 25 and then 15 finalists, who will be voted on before the Super Bowl in February.

Four players have already guaranteed themselves spots in the final 15 after making it down to the final seven players in the 2025 class, with Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri taking those spots.

The other returning finalists are Eli Manning, Fred Taylor, Steve Smith Sr., Reggie Wayne, Jahri Evans, Marshall Yanda, Terrell Suggs and Darren Woodson.

In addition to the 15 modern-era finalists, the selection committee will consider three seniors, one coach and one contributor for the class of 2026. Between four and eight new members will be elected in the second year of this current format.

Only four people got in last year for the smallest class in 20 years.

Brees and Fitzgerald are the top new candidates this year.

Brees is second all time to Tom Brady with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdown passes. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the San Diego Chargers before signing as a free agent with the Saints in 2006, where his career took off as he helped lift a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

Brees delivered to New Orleans its first Super Bowl title following the 2009 season, when he won MVP of the game after beating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Brees made the Pro Bowl 13 times in his career, won AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, was an All-Pro in 2006 and was a second-team All-Pro four times.

Fitzgerald spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted third overall in 2004. His 1,432 catches and 17.492 yards receiving in 17 seasons rank second all time to Jerry Rice.

Fitzgerald topped 1,000 yards receiving nine times — tied for the fourth most ever — and helped the Cardinals reach their only Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set single-season records that postseason with 546 yards receiving and seven TD catches, including a go-ahead 64-yard score with 2:37 to play in the Super Bowl before Pittsburgh rallied for a 27-23 win over Arizona.

Kuechly’s career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66).

Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl victories during New England’s dynasty.

He helped launch the run with one of the game’s greatest kicks — a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams.

Vinatieri is the NFL’s career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason.

Holt was a key part of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf,” helping the team win the Super Bowl in his rookie season in 1999 and getting back there two years later. Holt led the NFL in yards receiving in 2000 and in catches and yards in 2003 when he made his only All-Pro team.

Holt finished his career with 920 catches for 13,382 yards and 74 TDs.

Anderson was considered one of the top right tackles in his era after being a first-round pick by Cincinnati in 1996. He spent nearly his entire career with the Bengals and made three straight All-Pro teams from 2004-06.

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+++++++++COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS++++++++++

NO. 3 TEXAS A&M RELYING ON UNSUNG HEROES IN UNDEFEATED SEASON WITH GAME VS. NO. 20 LSU ON TAP

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — When redshirt freshman Ashton Bethel-Roman led No. 3 Texas A&M in receiving last weekend, it was a breakout performance that illustrated the depth of the Aggies.

As Texas A&M prepares to visit No. 20 LSU (5-2) on Saturday, the Aggies know that the contributions of role players will be important as they chase their first national title since 1939.

“We got a bunch of guys on offense that could do anything with the ball on any given day,” receiver Terry Bussey said. “Everybody is just ready to step up when their number is called.”

Bethel-Roman had catches in just three games this season with 86 yards receiving before Saturday’s performance in which he had 83 yards receiving and his first touchdown of the year. His work helped the Aggies to a 45-42 win at Arkansas that improved their record to 7-0 for the first time since 1994.

He said waiting for his turn was a bit tough, but he was glad to finally contribute in a big way.

“It feels great because everyone in that locker room over there can do anything,” he said. “That’s what we came here to do, play football at a high level. So, at first it can get a little frustrating, but it’s part of the game. It’s a team sport. When our number’s called, we just play up to our standard.”

Coach Mike Elko said he spoke to his team about the importance of this kind of attitude after Saturday’s game and again in a team meeting this week.

“When you talk about what a championship program looks like, that’s what it looks like,” he said. “It looks like a bunch of guys bought into being ready when it’s time.”

Elko must remind his players of this concept often, especially on offense where they’re always approaching him to tell him they’re not getting the ball enough.

He shared what he tells those players.

“There’s gonna come a time where when the game’s on the line, the ball’s gonna come to you, and your challenge is you have to be ready to make that play,” he said. “I don’t know when it’s gonna be. I don’t know how it’s gonna happen, but you have to be ready to make that play, because inevitably that play might be the difference between us winning and losing, and might be the difference between us going to the playoffs or not. That’s what football is.”

And it isn’t just younger players on the team that fit into the role player mold. Sixth-year senior running back EJ Smith, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, also came up big for the Aggies on Saturday in the first game since Le’Veon Moss sustained an ankle injury that has him out indefinitely.

Smith had seven carries for 52 yards — both season-highs — against Arkansas. After the Razorbacks cut the lead to three points early in the fourth quarter, Smith’s 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 kept a drive alive that led to Texas A&M’s final touchdown that secured the win.

“E.J. Smith’s not having all of the limelight he dreamed of having going into his senior year I’m sure,” Elko said. “I’m sure he wishes he was the feature back carrying the ball 20 times a game. But … here it is, fourth-and-1 at Arkansas, in our own territory, and he’s got to convert, and that’s a championship play. That play and that player will have as much to do with our success as anyone.”

Elko values players like that just as much as the stars of his team. He believes the unselfishness on his team has helped propel the Aggies to their undefeated start. And as Texas A&M heads to Baton Rouge on Saturday for the second of three straight road games and tries to win in Louisiana for the first time since 1994, Elko expects these unsung heroes to continue to help.

“Those things matter,” he said. “And in this world, where we try to identify every player to be selfish, and every player to only be out for himself, I think within this program right now, we have a lot of players that are breaking that, that are showing you that they really are here for Texas A&M. They are here for this team and they’re going to compete and they’re going to be ready when their number’s called.”

FLORIDA TURNS TO STEVE SPURRIER JR. TO HELP QUARTERBACK DJ LAGWAY MOVING FORWARD

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is turning to Steve Spurrier to help fix the team’s floundering offense.

Steve Spurrier Jr., anyway.

Interim coach Billy Gonzales said Wednesday the younger Spurrier, who was hired as an offensive analyst earlier this year, will be more involved with quarterback DJ Lagway when the Gators (3-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) play No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) in Jacksonville on Nov. 1.

Gonzales will have tight ends coach/offensive coordinator Russ Callaway organize the offense alongside quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara in the booth. O’Hara will be on the headset calling plays to Lagway. Spurrier, meanwhile, will be on the sideline working directly with the sophomore quarterback.

“What we’re trying to do right now is tweak a couple things so we can put our players in a better situation to go out and make plays and perform at a higher level,” said Gonzales, named the interim after Billy Napier was fired Sunday. “We all understand that’s what we need to do. So that’s the No. 1 goal for us as a coaching staff right now.”

Napier was dismissed, in large part, because he failed to get Florida’s offense on track in his four seasons. The Gators totaled a combined 50 points in losses to South Florida, LSU, Miami and Texas A&M this fall, and they rank 15th in the league in scoring.

Facing the Bulldogs without Napier could show how much of a hindrance he was to an offense that believes it has enough talent to compete in the SEC. Gonzales has made it clear he wants to open things up more and get the ball down the field to receivers.

Spurrier is a part of the plan. The 54-year-old son of a Hall of Fame player and coach who is a living legend in Gainesville, Spurrier spent the last two years at Tulsa. He also worked at Mississippi State (2020-22), Washington State (2018-19), Western Kentucky (2017) and Oklahoma (2016). Before that, he spent a decade working under his famous father at South Carolina (2005-15).

“Whenever you’re around one of the greatest offensive minds in history, it’s obviously going to rub off on you as well,” Gonzales said. “He’s been involved, but now he’s going to have more of a role because he’s going to be down there on the field with the quarterback looking in his eyes and getting a chance to talk to him and review the film that’s being relayed.

“It’s going to put us in a great situation to help DJ and the quarterbacks perform on the football field.”

Lagway has thrown for 1,513 yards, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions, this season while playing behind a shaky offensive line. He has looked better of late as he moves closer to fully recovering from a derailed offseason that included core-muscle surgery, nagging shoulder pain and a strained calf muscle.

“It’s been a long journey, and I’m thankful for the good and the bad,” Lagway said. “God doesn’t make any mistakes. I’m just excited to see where my journey continues and how I can continue to get better.”

HAS PARITY ARRIVED IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL? TRANSFER PORTAL, NIL MONEY CREDITED FOR TIGHTER GAMES

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Quarterback Diego Pavia ran for a first down only to stop at the LSU 1, sacrificing a chance to pad his stats to ensure Vanderbilt could run out the clock for a big Southeastern Conference win.

It’s the type of smart decision coach Clark Lea wants as he looks for every possible edge. The moves have never been more crucial than now.

“I feel like I’m coaching in the NFL now,” Lea said Tuesday. “I feel like every game I’ve got to be dialed into the situations and I’ve got to be on point to make sure we’re putting the team in position to be successful.”

Read between the lines and what Lea is saying is that his team is competitive in far more games than it used to be. Vandy hasn’t been this good in years — and the Commodores are not alone. Look at the standings and the rankings and teams like Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, Indiana, SMU and Cincinnati are in the mix for conference titles and playoff berths.

The transfer portal and NIL money have helped level the playing field across college football with talented players able to move around rather than waiting their turns at traditional powers. The result is the type of parity that makes the NFL must-see TV with the competition tighter than ever, especially at Power Four conferences.

Southeastern Conference games currently have an average margin of victory of 10.0 points a game, which is on pace for the slimmest for any power conference since at least 2000 and the SEC’s lowest since 11.2 in 2006. The NFL itself has an average margin of victory of 10.1 points per game going into Week 7.

It’s a far cry from the SEC average margin of victory between 2010 and 2023, when it was at least 16.7 points for league games.

“A lot of people probably are talking about there’s more parity than it’s ever been,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “And I think that’s exciting for the game.”

Not confined to the SEC

The advent of the name, image and likeness era in July 2021 sent money flowing into college sports and the impact has been immense. Combined with loosened transfer rules — players no longer have to sit out a season at their new school — the result has been college free agency, which hundreds of athletes changing schools every season, often lured by lucrative, booster- and sponsor-backed NIL deals.

In that first season of NIL in 2021-22, the margin of victory was 18 points for the Big Ten, 15.7 points for both the SEC and Pac-12, 15.2 for the Big 12 and 14.1 for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Now the ACC has an average margin of 13 points per victory with the Big 12 at 14.5 points and the Big Ten at 15.5 points.

LSU coach Brian Kelly, whose Tigers lost 31-24 to Vanderbilt last week, pointed toward last week’s slate of SEC games: Kentucky took then-No. 16 Texas to overtime before losing. Auburn lost in overtime to Missouri. Arkansas forced Texas A&M, the only undefeated team left in the SEC, to pull out a 45-42 win.

“I wouldn’t stand up here and say, ’Hey, all these teams are good because they got money.’ That’s disingenuous,” Kelly said. “But it does play into it. There’s no doubt about it, and I think we see that within the SEC.”

Money matters

Ohio State won the national championship last season and much was made about how much NIL played a role in stacking the roster with talent. Texas Tech’s roster is reportedly filled with NIL millionaries to augment the revenue-sharing distributions of up to $20.5 million allowed for each school under the House settlement.

The Red Raiders are 6-1 coming off their first loss, 26-22 at Arizona State, with a path still open to the Big 12 title game and a College Football Playoff berth.

In a terrible year for Wisconsin, athletic director Chris McIntosh sent a letter to season-ticket holders committing to spending more money on infrastructure, staff and, yes, to attract and retain athletes.

“In this new era of collegiate athletics, the clear reality is that high expectations must be matched with an equal level of support,” he wrote.

Don’t forget the transfer portal

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the transfer portal gives teams a chance to add an elite group or find just the right quarterback or dynamic player to finish off a roster. Beyond more competitive games going down to the wire, there also are more new teams in the AP Top 25.

“That’s the life that we’re in, and that’s the world that we’re in,” Smart said. “I don’t know that it’s going to change. I think it’s football. I think it’s more interesting because games that are tighter are more interesting than games that aren’t.”

Lea said the transfer portal and NIL have been “huge” ar Vanderbilt. Going from 5-7 in 2022 to 2-10 in 2023 made clear the need for more resources.

“The minute we did it, this whole thing changed,” Lea said. “And it changed for the better.”

The Commodores are 6-1 and No. 10 in the country, their highest ranking since 1947. Key portal additions include Pavia, who cited his potential NIL earnings when he got a federal injunction to play this season, tight end Eli Stowers and defensive ends Khordae Sydnor and Zaylin Wood.

“That’s why we are where we are,” Lea said.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 9: NO. 8 OLE MISS TO TEST DEFENSE OF NO. 13 SOONERS IN 1 OF 3 TOP 25 SEC GAMES

The three Week 9 games between teams in The Associated Press Top 25 are all in the Southeastern Conference. Plenty of other games will impact conference races and the College Football Playoff picture.

No. 3 Texas A&M, the unbeaten SEC co-leader, goes on the road to play a 20th-ranked, two-loss LSU team that could revive its playoff hopes with an upset of the Aggies and a win at Alabama on Nov. 8.

No. 8 Mississippi heads to No. 13 Oklahoma for a meeting of two of the six SEC teams that have one loss in conference play. No. 10 Vanderbilt, which entered the top 10 this week for the first time since 1947, hosts a 15th-ranked Missouri team that has won five straight meetings and 10 of 13 since the Tigers entered the SEC in 2012.

In the Big Ten, Minnesota visits Iowa for a matchup of unranked teams that are in a pack with one loss in conference play. The winner keeps pace behind No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana, and takes home the prized Floyd of Rosedale trophy. Speaking of the Hoosiers, they have a potential trap game at home against an upstart UCLA that’s won three in a row.

In the Big 12, unbeaten and 11th-ranked BYU visits Iowa State, which opened with five straight wins and then lost two in a row but is a slight favorite here, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

The top game in the Atlantic Coast Conference sends SMU to Wake Forest for a tricky road game. The Mustangs are tied with Virginia at 3-0 in ACC play, a half-game behind Georgia Tech.

The Group of Five game of the day is in the American Conference, where No. 18 South Florida goes to Memphis, which was upset at UAB last week.

Best game

No. 8 Mississippi (6-1, 3-1 SEC) at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1), Saturday, noon ET (ABC)

The Rebels, coming off a 43-35 loss at Georgia, are playing their second straight top-15 team on the road. The Sooners begin one of the toughest closing stretches in the country against the first of five straight ranked opponents.

Oklahoma will put its nation-leading defense up against one of the most productive offenses. Mississippi’s numbers have tapered off in SEC play, but the Rebels still average 440 yards and 32.5 points per game against conference opponents.

A micro stat to watch: OU’s defense is allowing opponents to convert just 24.8% of third downs; the Rebels are making first downs on 51.7%.

Under the radar

Houston (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) at No. 24 Arizona State (5-2, 3-1), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Cougars are 6-1 for first time since 2021, bowl eligible for the first time since 2022 and sitting one game behind BYU and Cincinnati in the standings. They’re coming off a 31-28 win over Arizona thanks to Ethan Sanchez’s 41-yard field goal as time expired.

The Big 12 defending champion Sun Devils, fresh off a win over previously unbeaten Texas Tech, are trending the right direction now that quarterback Sam Leavitt is back. A win here would give them the tiebreaker over Houston and Tech, both of which are 3-1 in conference play.

Heisman watch

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin has played himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation with another masterful passing performance, this time against Wisconsin. He entered this week listed at 3-to-1 odds by BetMGM Sportsbook along with Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Sayin completed his first 10 passing attempts and finished 36 of 42 for 393 yards and four touchdowns — all career highs — in the 34-0 win over the Badgers. The Buckeyes are idle this week.

Simpson has led the Crimson Tide to six straight wins and plays at South Carolina this week. Mendoza is at home against UCLA, which held Michigan State and Maryland to 47% passing in its last two games.

Numbers to know

5 — Louisiana Tech’s nation-leading defensive touchdowns after recording none last season.

6 — Remaining unbeaten teams, the fewest after a Week 8 since there were five in 2018.

28 — Second-half points allowed over seven games by Indiana, fewest in nation.

37.1% — RB Emmett Johnson’s Power Four-leading share of touches on Nebraska plays from scrimmage.

2004 — Last time Southern Miss started conference play 3-0.

Hot seat

Two of the front-runners to be the next coach fired got reprieves to start the week. Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh offered support for Luke Fickell in a letter to fans. Florida State AD Michael Alford announced he wouldn’t evaluate Mike Norvell until after the season.

Mark Stoops is another matter. The Kentucky coach is heading toward a third straight losing season and sixth in his 13 years. That Stoops has lasted this long with a 36-66 SEC record is a reminder that basketball is king in Lexington.

Stoops did take the Wildcats to eight straight bowls from 2016-23, but the program has slipped since going 10-3 in 2021. They’ve lost 14 of their last 16 SEC games and are averaging 14.7 against conference opponents since last season.

Stoops’ contract runs through 2030, and he would be owed just under $38 million if he were fired after the season.

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++++++++++NBA NEWS++++++++++

NBA ROUNDUP: VJ EDGECOMBE’S HISTORIC DEBUT LEADS SIXERS PAST CELTICS

Tyrese Maxey tossed in a game-high 40 points and rookie VJ Edgecombe got off to a historic start with 34 to lead the visiting Philadelphia 76ers to a 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in the NBA opener for each team.

Boston trailed 117-116 after Edgecombe missed two free-throw attempts with 8.5 seconds left, but Payton Pritchard missed two shots on Boston’s final possession.

Edgecombe, the third pick in this year’s NBA draft, rang up the third-most points in an NBA debut all time and the most since Wilt Chamberlain totaled 43 on Oct. 24, 1959. The old Sixers record for the most points by a player in his first game was 30, set by Allen Iverson on Nov. 1, 1996, vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.

Boston received 25 points from both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics were 11 of 43 from 3-point territory.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid was on a minutes restriction and had four points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. Embiid, who was 1 of 9 from the field, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April.

Spurs 125, Mavericks 92

Victor Wembanyama turned in a highlight-reel performance with 40 points and 15 rebounds as visiting San Antonio opened the season with a victory over Dallas.

Stephon Castle contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Spurs, who led by as many as 33 and never trailed in the second half.

Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks. No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg posted a double-double in his debut, scoring 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and adding 10 rebounds.

Jazz 129, Clippers 108

Three Utah players scored at least 20 points in a season-opening rout of Los Angeles in Salt Lake City.

Walker Kessler led the Jazz with 22 points while Lauri Markkanen and Brice Sensabaugh each netted 20 points. The Jazz shot 55.2% from the field and dished out 38 assists while setting a franchise record for points in a season opener.

Ivica Zubac topped the Clippers with 19 points. James Harden had 15 points and 11 assists, and Kawhi Leonard chipped in 10.

Timberwolves 118, Trail Blazers 114

Anthony Edwards recorded 41 points and seven rebounds and Minnesota used a strong fourth quarter to post a victory over host Portland in the season opener for both teams.

Julius Randle had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Jaden McDaniels scored 18 points for Minnesota, which never led by more than four points.

New reserve Jerami Grant scored 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting for Portland. Deni Avdija added 20 points and seven rebounds.

Suns 120, Kings 116

Devin Booker scored 31 points, Dillon Brooks added 22 and host Phoenix overcame a 20-point deficit to beat Sacramento in the season opener for both teams.

Grayson Allen scored all of his 18 points in the second for the Suns, who won in coach Jordan Ott’s NBA debut. Ott is their fourth coach in four seasons.

Zach LaVine put up 30 points, DeMar DeRozan added 29 and Malik Monk amassed 19 points for the Kings, who held a 17-point lead at halftime.

Magic 125, Heat 121

Desmond Bane scored 23 points in his Orlando debut and Wendell Carter Jr. had a clutch rebound and sank two clinching free throws to lift the Magic past visiting Miami in the season opener for both teams.

Bane, who came to Orlando from the Memphis Grizzlies in an offseason trade, went 3-for-7 from 3-point range and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero each had 24 points for the Magic. Tristan da Silva added 16, and Jalen Suggs scored 14.

Norman Powell, making his Heat debut, scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Andrew Wiggins put up 18 points for the Heat, who were missing starter Tyler Herro due to a foot injury. Miami’s Davion Mitchell (16 points, 12 assists) and Bam Adebayo (15 points, 12 rebounds) each had a double-double.

Bucks 133, Wizards 120

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a season-opening victory over visiting Washington.

Gary Trent Jr. added 17 points and hit five 3-pointers for the Bucks.

In his return to Milwaukee, Khris Middleton led Washington with 23 points. Middleton played 12 seasons for the Bucks, winning an NBA championship in 2021, before he was traded to the Wizards in February. Kyshawn George added 21 points and nine rebounds.

Knicks 119, Cavaliers 111

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each played through injury to record double-doubles for host New York, which pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat Cleveland in a season opener pitting two Eastern Conference favorites.

Towns, who was listed as doubtful earlier due to a strained right quad, converted the tiebreaking three-point play during the decisive 14-0 fourth-quarter run for the Knicks, who squandered all of a 17-point lead before winning Mike Brown’s debut as head coach. Anunoby, who had an ankle injury, collected 24 points and 14 rebounds while Towns finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Brunson scored 23 points.

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 31 points for the Cavaliers, who led the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record last season before falling to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. Evan Mobley had 22 points and eight rebounds while Sam Merrill finished with 19 points.

Raptors 138, Hawks 118

RJ Barrett scored 25 points to lead seven Toronto players in double figures as the Raptors rolled to an easy win over host Atlanta.

Barrett was 9-for-12 from the floor and added eight rebounds and five assists. Scottie Barnes scored 22 points and had nine assists. Brandon Ingram, playing in his first game for Toronto after being acquired in a trade in February, added 16 points and nine rebounds.

Atlanta was led by Jalen Johnson with 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Trae Young had 22 points and five assists and Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta’s big offseason acquisition, had 20 points and seven rebounds.

Bulls 115, Pistons 111

Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 14 rebounds and Josh Giddey contributed 19 points and 11 assists to boost Chicago to a victory against visiting Detroit in the teams’ season opener.

Cade Cunningham had 23 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, while Isaiah Stewart had 20 points and 10 boards.

Trailing by double digits for much of the night and 15 entering the fourth quarter, Detroit rallied to tie the game at 105 on Ronald Holland II’s 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining. The teams traded baskets on the next five possessions, with the Bulls grabbing the lead for good at 111-109 on Vucevic’s hook shot with 1:31 left.

Hornets 136, Nets 117

Brandon Miller’s 25 points and LaMelo Ball’s 20 points helped carry Charlotte to a victory against visiting Brooklyn in the teams’ season opener.

Miles Bridges racked up 18 points and 11 rebounds and newcomer Collin Sexton scored 15 points in an encouraging start for the Hornets in a matchup between teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs last season. Charlotte set a franchise record with nine players with double-digit point totals.

Nic Claxton scored 17 points and Cam Thomas had 15, but the Nets couldn’t overcome 44.3% shooting from the field and 17 turnovers. Charlotte shot 53.3% from the field, including 47.2% from 3-point range. Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe and Egor Demin each added 14 points off the bench.

Grizzlies 128, Pelicans 122

Ja Morant scored a game-high 35 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points, eight rebounds and six blocks to lead Memphis to a victory over visiting New Orleans in the season opener for both teams.

Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points and nine rebounds, but committed a turnover with 5.6 seconds and the Pelicans trailing by four. Three Pelicans — Jordan Poole, Herbert Jones and rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 17 each.

Memphis, which finished with 12 blocks, made its final six free throws in the closing 16.7 seconds. The Grizzlies overcame losing their two big men — Jackson and Jock Landale — in the fourth quarter due to foul trouble. Grizzlies first-round draft pick Cedric Coward finished with 14 points.

_____________________________________________________________

++++++++++BASEBALL NEWS+++++++++

GIANTS HIRING TENNESSEE’S VITELLO AS MANAGER, GAMBLING ON A COLLEGE COACH WITH NO PRO EXPERIENCE

The San Francisco Giants are hiring Tennessee Volunteers coach Tony Vitello as their new manager for his first pro coaching job.

It’s an unprecedented gamble on a coach with no pro experience by San Francisco executive Buster Posey. The 47-year-old Vitello is making the jump after spending his entire career at the college level.

Tennessee athletic director Danny White announced Wednesday that Vitello was leaving for the Giants, congratulating him in a statement on an “incredible opportunity.”

“We wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career and thank him for everything he has done to transform Tennessee baseball into a championship program,” White said.

Vitello guided the Volunteers to regular success in the Southeastern Conference since being hired in June 2017. That included leading the program to its first NCAA title last year to go with six regional appearances, five NCAA super regional berths and three College World Series trips.

Seeking a new voice and direction after the Giants missed the playoffs for a fourth straight year, Posey insisted he wouldn’t rule out anyone in his search for someone with what he called an “obsessive” work ethic and attention to detail.

BASEBALL COULD BE IN THE MIDST OF A DODGERS DYNASTY

TORONTO (AP) — Baseball could be in the midst of a Dodgers dynasty, a much-debated word reserved for teams achieving sweeping success.

By beating Toronto in the World Series that starts Friday night, Los Angeles would capture its third title in six years.

“Just winning one is hard,” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “If you can get three in a matter of five, six years, I guess you could say it is one. But I think it’s the sustained winning that the Dodgers have done for so long and then obviously to cement it with some championships, I think, yeah, I guess you can call this if we do it a modern-day dynasty.”

Baseball has no widely accepted definition.

Most give pantheon status to the 1949-53 New York Yankees (five straight titles), the 1936-39 Yankees (four), the 1972-74 Oakland Athletics (three) and the 1998-2000 Yankees (three) — the last team to win consecutive championships. The Dodgers are the first defending champion to reach the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies.

“The Dodgers have had an incredible, historic run, winning 12 out of the 13 division championships, and the one time they didn’t they won 106 games,” Emmy-winning commentator Bob Costas said. “That compares to what the Braves did in the ‘90s and early 2000s. It’s historic and it’s an incredible run of excellence, but is it a dynasty? That’s a more difficult word to define.”

Would beating the Toronto change his opinion?

“I think a title this year moves them closer to that,” he said.

Mookie Betts, who has been with the Dodgers since 2020, said he’s more concerned about preparing for games than contemplating the team’s historical place.

“If you’re thinking about going to the postseason and obviously having a chance to win World Series year after year, I guess that would kind of qualify as some type of dynasty, but I don’t know what it takes to call it that,” he said.

Since the expansion era started, the only consecutive titles have been won by the 1961-62 Yankees, the mid-70s A’s, the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds, the 1977-78 Yankees, the 1992-93 Toronto Blue Jays and the late-century Yankees.

Earlier back-to-back titles also were won by the 1907-08 Chicago Cubs, 1910-11 Philadelphia A’s, 1915-16 Red Sox, 1921-22 New York Giants, 1927-28 Yankees and 1929-30 A’s.

John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s official historian, thinks sustained success is sufficient to earn the dynasty honorific, even if every year didn’t result in a title.

“I think a dynasty is today defined by consecutive pennants or division titles won, not by World Series championships,” he wrote in an email. “So I think the Atlanta Braves of recent years, the Detroit Tigers of 1907-09, or the Giants of 1911-1913, are in. Three straight WS appearances, rather than three straight titles, does it for me.”

Los Angeles won the title during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and that year’s expanded playoffs, then beat the Yankees in a five-game Series last year. Winning this year would for some make them comparable to the Yankees, who won four in seven years from 1956-62, and the Dodgers, who took three in seven seasons from 1959-65.

Teams with three titles in a four- or five-year span include the 1910-13 Philadelphia Athletics, the 1915-18 Boston Red Sox, the 1942-46 St. Louis Cardinals and the 2010-14 San Francisco Giants.

“It just kind of puts us on a Mount Rushmore of sports organizations,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The legacy, dynasty talk, a lot of that I feel is is meant for other people that aren’t playing, and let them have those debates, where it’s our job to kind of put those topics on the table.”

Betts considers each championship a boost toward the sport’s highest individual accomplishment.

“Obviously, my end goal and the goal of probably everyone is to be in the Hall of Fame one day, and so I think that definitely helps the case,” he said.

FREEMAN RETURNS TO HIS CANADIAN ROOTS AS DODGERS FACE BLUE JAYS IN TORONTO TO OPEN WORLD SERIES

Freddie Freeman is returning to his family roots when the Los Angeles Dodgers open defense of their World Series championship against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Friday.

The All-Star first baseman’s parents are from the province of Ontario; father Fred is from Windsor and late mother Rosemary was from Peterborough, about 85 miles northwest of Toronto.

“Every time I go back there,” Freeman said, “I feel a little bit closer to my mom.”

Freeman was born in the Orange County city of Fountain Valley after his family relocated to California because of his father’s work.

He was 10 when his 47-year-old mother died of melanoma — the most dangerous type of skin cancer because of its ability to spread to organs — in 2000. The All-Star first baseman wears long sleeves under his jersey during games as a silent tribute to her as well as to protect himself from the cancer that runs in the family.

“I’d rather be hot for a few hours than go through chemotherapy,” he told ESPN in 2023.

Freeman holds dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, and he chose to play for his mother’s home country in the World Baseball Classic in 2023 and 2017.

“I was 8 years old and we were at an Angels game,” Freeman told ESPN. “I was eating popcorn and the Canadian national anthem is playing and I’m sitting. (Then) it felt like someone just ripped me up. It felt like I was just hanging and it was my mom (who pulled me out of my seat). It’s those little things that I remember.”

There’s usually an envelope waiting in Freeman’s locker in Toronto, too.

“It’s always like a third cousin has found photos in their garage and they bring them to me,” he said.

Freeman’s father will be on hand at Rogers Centre for Game 1, just as he was last year at Dodger Stadium. That’s when the younger Freeman gave his dad and Dodger fans a lifelong memory, belting a walk-off grand slam in the Series opener.

A jubilant Freeman ran over to find his dad in the front row and they touched through the protective netting. He was chosen Series MVP after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees for their eighth world title.

Freeman carried the Dodgers last fall, especially against the Yankees. His struggles in these playoffs have been offset by outstanding starting pitching. He’s batting .231 with one home run and five RBIs in nine postseason games. His 11 strikeouts in 39 at-bats are higher than his playoff career average.

“He’s certainly seeing some really good pitching,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s certainly not pleased with performance up to this point, but every time he gets in the box, I feel good. I expect him to really have a nice Series.”

The Dodgers are back in the World Series for the fifth time in nine years. The Blue Jays are appearing for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 1992 and ’93.

“When you have a whole country that’s behind one team, that’s pretty amazing,” Freeman said. “To just see the city come together and get to experience so much jubilation, it’s an exciting time.”

Freeman was a favorite among Canadian fans during his WBC appearances.

“I’m not so sure the Blue Jays fans will be cheering for me this time around,” he said.

________________________________________________________________________________________

+++++++++NHL NEWS+++++++++

NHL ROUNDUP: SURGING HABS HAND FLAMES ANOTHER LOSS

Mike Matheson scored one minute into overtime Wednesday, giving the visiting Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 victory and handing the Calgary Flames their seventh straight loss.

Zack Bolduc also scored and goaltender Jakub Dobes made 36 saves for the Canadiens, who have won six of their past seven games. Dobes has won all four of his starts this season while allowing only six goals total.

Adam Klapka notched with the lone marker for the Flames, who and sit next to last in the league standings and are the league’s lowest-scoring team.

Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 26 shots for a club that has been held to one goal in each of the past four games and has yet to win at home this season.

Devils 4, Wild 1

Nico Daws made 29 saves in his season debut to help New Jersey extend its winning streak to six games in a victory over visiting Minnesota in Newark.

Paul Cotter scored for the first time this season, and Jesper Bratt got his fourth goal. Brenden Dillon posted his second, and rookie Arseny Gritsyuk celebrated his first career goal as the Devils have their longest winning streak since their 13-game run in 2022-23. Dawson Mercer assisted twice, giving him points in five of his last six contests.

Matt Boldy notched his fifth goal of the season for the Wild, who concluded their five-game road trip with their fourth loss (1-3-1) in that span.

Sabres 4, Red Wings 2

Jack Quinn scored a go-ahead power-play goal early in the third period and Colten Ellis made 27 saves in his NHL debut, fueling host Buffalo to a victory over Detroit.

Quinn added two assists to highlight his career-high-tying three-point performance for the Sabres, who have won three of their past four games. Tyson Kozak, Josh Doan and Jason Zucker also scored, and Conor Timmins and Ryan McLeod each had two assists.

John Gibson turned aside 27 shots for the Red Wings, who saw their five-game winning streak come to a halt. Detroit’s Emmitt Finnie and J.T. Compher tallied.

____________________________________________________________________

++++++++++MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER+++++++++

FIRE END PLAYOFF-WIN DROUGHT, KO ORLANDO IN EAST WILD-CARD GAME

Hugo Cuypers recorded a second-half brace and the Chicago Fire picked up their first playoff win in 16 years with a dominating 3-1 triumph over Orlando City in an Eastern Conference wild-card match on Wednesday night in Bridgeview, Ill.

Brian Gutierrez also scored for the eighth-seeded Fire, who ended the longest playoff-victory drought in MLS history. It also was Chicago’s first postseason match since 2017.

The Fire advance to play the top-seeded Philadelphia Union. Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round series is Sunday at Chester, Pa.

Tyrese Spicer scored the lone goal for ninth-seeded Orlando City, who struggled on offense. The Fire outshot the Lions 25-7 and had a 9-4 edge in shots on target.

Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady registered three saves, while Lions counterpart Pedro Gallese had six stops.

The Fire broke a scoreless tie with two goals early in the second half.

In the 48th minute, Jonathan Dean sent a cross to the left side and Gutierrez collected the ball. Gutierrez then booted a right-footed shot into the left corner of the net.

Three minutes later, Gutierrez had another opportunity, but his right-footed shot hit the right goalpost.

In the 57th minute, the ball came toward Cuypers, who hit it forward. He rushed after it and Gallese came out to kick it away, but the ball smacked off Cuypers’ shin and bounced into the net to give the Fire a 2-0 advantage.

Orlando City had a good chance in the 60th minute, but a left-footed blast by Marco Pasalic was stopped by Brady.

Gallese made a solid save on Jonathan Bamba’s left-footed shot in the 66th minute and the ball went directly to Gutierrez. With the net open, Gutierrez hit the right goalpost to miss his opportunity for the brace.

Cuypers got his brace two minutes later when he drilled a right-footed shot past Gallese.

Orlando spoiled Brady’s shutout bid in the 89th minute. Spicer advanced in and took a left-footed shot that hit off the goalie’s hands and went into the top of the net.

Chicago controlled the first half and had a 9-1 advantage in shots.

The Fire had a big opportunity in the 36th minute when Cuypers broke in and a sliding Gallese knocked aside his left-footed shot.

Orlando City took their first shot in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Rodrigo Schlegel sent a header wide left.

TIMBERS TOPPLE RSL, EARN DATE WITH WEST NO. 1 SAN DIEGO FC

Felipe Mora’s first-half brace halted an extended dry spell and helped lift the Portland Timbers to a 3-1 victory over visiting Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference wild-card game on Wednesday night.

Kamal Miller’s late header gave eighth-seeded Portland some insurance as the Timbers sealed a first-round series meeting with West No. 1 San Diego FC. The best-of-three set will begin Sunday in Southern California.

James Pantemis made six saves to preserve the victory, just Portland’s second in its past 11 games.

Justen Glad’s header late in the first half gave RSL a lifeline. However, Salt Lake saw its winless playoff streak extended to eight matches (three losses, five draws) after sneaking into the ninth and final West spot via results on the final day of the regular season.

Mora hadn’t scored in his final 23 regular-season games, or his previous 12 appearances in all competitions, only to come through with arguably his biggest performance in a Timbers shirt.

His first goal came following a sequence that could’ve turned into a red card for Salt Lake.

Ultimately, referee Guido Gonzales Jr. showed restraint in allowing RSL’s Noel Caliskan to remain in the game rather than issue the player a second booking in as many minutes for Caliskan’s late tackle of Diego Chara.

Mora was first to the ensuing, outswinging free kick from the right side. While Salt Lake goalie Rafael Cabral saved the initial effort, the rebound fell kindly to the striker for a low finish in the 24th minute.

Mora’s second goal came from a similar sequence 11 minutes later. This time Kristoffer Velde sent in the inswinging service from the right, but again Mora followed his own rebound of a saved header with a composed finish.

Glad answered with his header of Diogo Goncalves’ cross four minutes later to give Salt Lake some momentum heading into halftime.

After the break, the visitors were the better side. William Agada’s sensational 73rd-minute bicycle kick struck the crossbar. A minute later, Brayan Vera thought he’d tied it with an exceptional free kick that snuck inside the left post, only for it to rightly be ruled out because Rwan Cruz illegally interfered with Portland’s defensive wall.

Miller sealed the result in the 82nd minute when he snuck to the back post unmarked to head in substitute Ariel Lassiter’s clever diagonal ball.

________________________________________________________________

++++++INDIANA SPORTS NEWS AND RELEASES++++++

+++++++++COLTS FOOTBALL+++++++++

JONATHAN TAYLOR VOTED WEEK 7 FEDEX GROUND PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Following Jonathan Taylor’s standout Week 7 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, the running back was voted the FedEx Ground Player of the Week.

In the Colts’ sixth victory of the season, a 38-24 win at SoFi Stadium, Taylor had 16 carries for 94 yards and three touchdowns, as well as three receptions for 38 yards. Sunday was Taylor’s third game of the season with three touchdowns; he became the first Colts player to accomplish the feat and the first NFL player to have at least three games with three or more touchdowns since Derrick Henry in 2021.

Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards (697) and rushing touchdowns (10), as the only running back with over 600 rushing yards and double-digit touchdowns.

For the 2025-26 season, FedEx is partnering with Feeding America to make donations of $2,000 in the name of the two winning players ($4,000 total) for a local food bank in the winning player’s city.This marks the first time the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Awards program will support Feeding America and its nationwide network of local food banks and pantries.

Since the program’s inception in 2003, FedEx has donated nearly $3 million to nonprofit organizations, including charities and children’s hospitals, in the name of winning players.

TITANS BRING NFL’S WORST OFFENSE INTO MEETING WITH SURPRISING COLTS

Few people, if any, thought the Indianapolis Colts would hold the NFL’s best record going into a Week 8 home game with the Tennessee Titans.

The surprising success is the reason Indianapolis is a prohibitive favorite entering a Sunday home game against the Tennessee Titans, a team the Colts already routed this season.

Leading the Colts’ attack is running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns on Sept. 21 as Indianapolis won 41-20 at Tennessee.

Taylor is playing at a Most Valuable Player level so far, compiling an NFL-best 697 yards and 10 scores on the ground. The Colts (6-1) have 16 rushing touchdowns, putting them on pace to break a 63-year old league record for most rushing scores in a year (36), held by the Vince Lombardi-coached Green Bay Packers.

Given that kind of running game, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones has played at the highest level of his career. Jones threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 38-24 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

One reason Jones is completing 71% of his passes is the offensive line. He has been sacked a league-low six times in 232 dropbacks, none of them happening on third or fourth down. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones has a league-high 110.3 passer rating on plays when he was pressured.

“It’s understanding what’s coming and where the ball needs to be out on time,” Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen said of Jones. “I think that comes with experience and playing and knowing what the defense is doing, and he’s doing that at the ultimate high level right now.”

The Colts lead the NFL with an average of 33.1 points per game and have scored at least 30 five times. Four Indianapolis players have caught at least 23 passes, with rookie tight end Tyler Warren hauling in 33 for a team-high 439 yards.

While Indianapolis is rolling, the Titans (1-6) are resembling the New York Jets with a southern twang. Playing their first game last week under interim coach Mike McCoy, they absorbed a 31-13 pounding at home against the New England Patriots.

Tennessee actually led 13-10 just before halftime before a collapse on both sides of the ball led to 21 New England points in less than 8 1/2 minutes. The Titans’ offense gained only 255 yards and allowed rookie quarterback Cam Ward to absorb five sacks, while the defense coughed up 387 total yards.

The Tennessee defense might be short-handed this week as the unit’s best player, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (hamstring), and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quad) could both sit out. McCoy said Sneed would miss “some time moving forward” and termed Simmons’ status as week-to-week.

A total of 11 Titans didn’t practice on Wednesday, although it was just a rest day for right guard Kevin Zeitler, running back Tony Pollard and outside linebacker Jihad Ward.

“It’s a great opportunity for a number of other players like we’ve talked about,” McCoy said of the team’s injury problems. “It’s going to be the next man up mentality.”

To have any chance of pulling the upset, Tennessee has to find some rhythm on offense. The Titans are averaging a league-low 13.7 points per game, gaining an NFL-worst 269.4 yards per contest and converting the lowest percentage of third downs in the league at 28.3%.

The Colts’ first injury report of the week featured good news for the receiving corps. Ashton Dulin (chest) and Josh Downs (concussion) were back on the field on Wednesday after sitting out vs. the Chargers. Dulin was a full participant, while Downs was limited.

Indianapolis defensive end Samson Ebukam didn’t practice Wednesday due to a knee injury, and he was considered week-to-week.

____________________________________________________________

++++++++++INDIANA PACERS+++++++++

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS THUNDER

The Indiana Pacers are set to open their 2025-26 season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday as they host their NBA Finals foes – the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City began its title defense on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets, defeating Houston 125-124 in double overtime.

The Pacers are without star guard Tyrese Haliburton for the season as he rehabs a torn Achilles tendon sustained in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Haliburton’s hiatus dramatically changes the dynamic of the Pacers, but it also dramatically increases the number of opportunities for other players to ascend in his absence. Andrew Nembhard – a capable defender and offensive initiator – will take on more of a lead-guard role while Bennedict Mathurin asserts his belonging in the NBA by sliding into the starting lineup.

Pascal Siakam was a hot shooter throughout the preseason, hitting 58 percent of his 3-point attempts in the preseason. He shot 62.5 percent from the field in the three preseason games he played.

Indiana’s opener is not a cake walk – the defending champions are a capable and dangerous team – but the Thunder’s injury report is five deep, and three of their five starters logged over 40 minutes in Tuesday’s overtime thriller.

Finals MVP and reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 47 minutes. He scored 35 points after having scored just five at halftime, and logged five rebounds and five assists to lift Oklahoma City over the Rockets.

The Pacers take on the challenge on Thursday as they embark on the 2025-26 season following an NBA Finals run.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard, G – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Isaiah Jackson

Thunder: G – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G – Cason Wallace, F – Luguentz Dort, F – Chet Holmgren, C – Isaiah Hartenstein

Injury Report

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton – out (right Achilles tendon tear), Quenton Jackson – out (right hamstring strain), Kam Jones – out (lower back stress reaction), T.J. McConnell – out (left hamstring strain)

Thunder: Luguentz Dort – questionable (left ankle sprain), Cason Wallace – questionable (left knee sprain), Isaiah Joe – out (left knee contusion), Thomas Sorber – out (right ACL surgical recovery), Nikola Topic – out (surgical recovery), Jalen Williams – out (right wrist surgical recovery), Kenrich Williams – out (left knee surgical recovery)

Last Meeting

Oct. 11, 2025: The Pacers took down the Thunder, 116-101, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the second game of preseason action.

Oklahoma City played without any of its projected starters, but got good production out of Chris Youngblood, a rookie out of Alabama. Youngblood knocked down four 3-pointers on his way to a 25-point outing against the Pacers, and shot 6-for-11 from the field.

Taelon Peter led the Pacers with his 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He made four of his eight attempts from long range, and nabbed two steals. Peter was one of seven Pacers to score in double figures.

Indiana shot 47 percent from the field, but knocked down just 25 percent of its attempts from distance. Turnovers were abundant between the two clubs – Oklahoma City committed 18 turnovers while the Pacers coughed it up 23 times. Indiana made up for its mistakes by converting forced turnovers into 23 points, and allowed the Thunder to score just 18 points off of their own miscues.

Noteworthy

The Thunder opened their season at home on Tuesday with a 125-124 double overtime win over the Houston Rockets.

Oklahoma City’s Brooks Barnhizer grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, later moved to Lafayette, and played his high school basketball for Jefferson High School.

Thunder assistant coach Kam Woods played four seasons with the Butler Bulldogs before transitioning to the NBA.

Bennedict Mathurin grew up just minutes away from Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort in Montreal.

Broadcast Information (Where to Watch and Listen to Pacers Games >>)

TV: ESPN – Mike Breen (play-by-play), Tim Legler (analyst), Richard Jefferson (analyst), Katie George (sideline reporter)

FanDuel Sports Network – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

Tickets

The Pacers will host Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 2025 NBA Finals rematch for Opening Night presented by Kroger at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 PM ET.

_____________________________________________________________

+++++++++INDIANA SWIMMING+++++++++

NO. 2/9 HOOSIERS HANDLE KENTUCKY

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Despite missing several athletes to World Aquatics Swimming World Cup action, Indiana swimming and diving showed its depth with decisive victories over Kentucky Wednesday inside the Lancaster Aquatic Center in Lexington.

Seven freshmen registered an event win or contributed to a relay victory. Veteran swimmers Kristina Paegle, Toby Barnett and Raekwon Noel as well as experienced divers Ella Roselli and Maxwell Weinrich led the way.

Barnett and Noel each tallied three individual victories, Barnett sweeping the men’s breaststroke events and Noel the backstroke races. Roselli swept the diving boards, and Indiana diving totaled 12 NCAA zone qualifying scores.

TEAM SCORES

Women: No. 9 Indiana 187.5, Kentucky 112.5

Men: No. 2 Indiana 199, Kentucky 101

HOOSIER WINNERS

Women

Amelia Bray – 400 freestyle relay (3:21.83)

Liberty Clark – 200 medley relay (1:41.20), 100 butterfly (54.48), 200 IM (1:59.94)

Mya DeWitt – 200 medley relay (1:41.20), 100 backstroke (53.78)

Luci Gutierrez – 1,000 freestyle (10:14.46), 500 freestyle (5:00.09)

Macky Hodges – 400 freestyle relay (3:21.83)

Grace Hoeper – 200 freestyle (1:50.16), 100 freestyle (50.33), 400 freestyle relay (3:21.83)

Kristina Paegle – 200 medley relay (1:41.20), 50 freestyle (23.07), 400 freestyle relay (3:21.83)

Ella Roselli – 3-meter (306.00), 1-meter (324.08)

Chiok Sze Yeo – 200 medley relay (1:41.20)

Men

Toby Barnett – 100 breaststroke (54.45), 200 breaststroke (1:59.01), 200 IM (1:48.49)

Vidar Carlbaum – 400 freestyle relay (2:56.14)

Brandon Fleck – 200 freestyle (1:37.90)

Travis Gulledge – 200 medley relay (1:27.66)

Josh Hedberg – 1-meter (344.55)

Cooper McDonald – 400 freestyle relay (2:56.14)

Raekwon Noel – 200 medley relay (1:27.66), 100 backstroke (46.96), 200 backstroke (1:45.22), 100 butterfly (47.47)

Andrew Shackell – 200 medley relay (1:27.66)

Dylan Smiley – 200 medley relay (1:27.66), 400 freestyle relay (2:56.14)

Kai van Westering – 400 freestyle relay (2:56.14)

Maxwell Weinrich – 3-meter (390.68)

NCAA ZONE QUALIFIERS

1-meter: Josh Hedberg (344.55), Ella Roselli (306.00), Aiden Sadler (316.35), Joshua Sollenberger (338.48), Maxwell Weinrich (302.55)

3-meter: Kaylee Bishop (292.50), Josh Hedberg (372.98), Ella Roselli (324.08), Aiden Sadler (344.33), Jacob Schade (343.50), Maxwell Weinrich (390.68), Lily Witte (295.58)

UP NEXT

Indiana will take a few weeks to prepare for its biggest meet of the fall, the four-day Ohio State Invitational set for November 18-21.

___________________________________________________________________

++++++++PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL+++++++++

#1 PURDUE TRAVELS TO #9 KENTUCKY FOR EXHIBITION GAME

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The highly-anticipated 2025-26 season unofficially tips off on Friday night as the No. 1 Boilermakers head to Lexington, Kentucky, to face No. 9 Kentucky in an exhibition game in Rupp Arena. Purdue last visited Lexington 1994 for the NCAA Tournament, but hasn’t faced the Wildcats in Lexington since the 1979-80 season — a year the Boilermakers reached the Final Four played in Indianapolis.

This will mark Purdue’s first visit to Lexington since the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in 1994. The Boilermakers defeated UCF (98-67) and Alabama (83-73) in the two games, behind 64 points and 22 rebounds from National Player of the Year Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson.

Purdue is 0-2 in exhibitions against collegiate teams the last two seasons, falling at #14 Arkansas (2023) and at #15 Creighton (2024).

The Exhibition Game Numbers

First Meeting: Dec. 28, 1973 (Purdue 106, SubPac 91)

Purdue in Exhibition Games: 70-9

Under Matt Painter: 30-2

Current Streak: Purdue, win-1

At Purdue: 70-7

Mackey Arena: 70-7

Current Streak: Purdue, win-35

On the Road: 0-2

Current Streak: Opponent, win-2

In Overtime: Opponent leads, 1-0

Most Purdue Points: 117 vs. Russia Select (Nov. 9, 1997)

Mackey Arena: 117 vs. Russia Select (Nov. 9, 1997)

On the Road: 87 at [15] Creighton (Oct. 26, 2024)

Most Opponent Points: 93 by [15] Creighton (Oct. 26, 2024)

Mackey Arena: 91 by SubPac (Dec. 28, 1973)

On the Road: 93 by [15] Creighton (Oct. 26, 2024)

Largest Purdue Victory: 58 (99-41) vs. Grand Valley State (Oct. 30, 2024)

Largest Opponent Victory: 19 (64-83) vs. Harlem Globetrotters (Nov. 5, 2002)

Purdue vs. Opponent When Both Teams are Ranked: 0-2

Top-10 Showdowns: 0-0

THE NOTES TO KNOW

• Although this game won’t count in the official record, Purdue and Kentucky will be “meeting” for the first time since Dec. 3, 1997. The No. 7-ranked Wildcats topped the No. 6-ranked Boilermakers 89-75 in the “Great Eight” in Chicago. Kentucky has won two straight games against the Boilermakers, owning a 6-2 series advantage. Purdue last defeated Kentucky on Dec. 1, 1984, in Mackey Arena (66-56).

• Purdue is ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll for the first time in school history. It marks the fourth time in the last five seasons that Purdue has achieved a No. 1 ranking in the AP poll, after never reaching No. 1 prior to the 2021-22 season.

• Purdue has now been ranked No. 1 in four of the last five seasons (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26), becoming the seventh school in AP poll history to do so (Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Gonzaga, Purdue).

• Purdue’s 14 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll since the 2021-22 season are the most in the country (Auburn – 11; Houston 10; Gonzaga – 9).

• Purdue’s No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll marks just the fifth time in school history that Purdue has been ranked in the preseason top five (2023-24 –> 3; 1987-88 –> 2; 1986-87 –> 4; 1969-70 –> 3). Since the 2010-11 season, Purdue has exceeded its preseason ranking by being ranked higher in the final AP poll nine times. Only twice (2021-22, 2019-20) has Purdue not lived up to its preseason ranking.

• Among players returning nationally, Braden Smith is the top-returning assist man, Oscar Cluff is the second-leading rebounder and double-double man, Liam Murphy is ninth among all players in 3-pointers made last season and Trey Kaufman-Renn is the 10th-returning leading scorer.

• Braden Smith has been named as the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, while Trey Kaufman-Renn joined him on the first team.

• Braden Smith is already the only player in Big Ten conference history to amass 1,350 points, 750 assists, 500 rebounds and 175 steals in a career. He is one of 14 players in NCAA history to reach those marks.

• A Purdue player has won Big Ten Player of the Year in three straight seasons — the only time a team has had three straight Big Ten Players of the Year (Zach Edey – 2023; Zach Edey – 2024; Braden Smith – 2025).

• Purdue has had a consensus First- or Second-Team All-American in seven of the past nine seasons despite never enrolling a top-30 recruiting class or a top-30 prospect at any point during that span.

• Matt Painter ranks fourth on the Big Ten’s list for career wins with 471, trailing only Tom Izzo (737), Bob Knight (662) and Gene Keady (512) in Big Ten history. Painter has 496 career victories and with four more victories, Painter will become the seventh-fastest active coach to reach 500 wins (Few, Calipari, Self, Pitino, Izzo, Bennett).

• Purdue has sold out its ticket allotment for the upcoming season, stretching its sellout streak in Mackey Arena to 106 games by the time the March 7, game against Wisconsin rolls around. Purdue enters the season with 89 straight sellouts dating to Jan. 15, 2019 (Rutgers).

QUICK HITTERS

• Purdue basketball has had two coaches in 46 seasons (Gene Keady, Matt Painter), accounting for 983 wins and 11 Big Ten titles.

• The only schools nationally to have just two coaches since 1980 are Duke (Mike Krzyzewski, Jon Scheyer), Syracuse (Jim Boeheim, Adrian Autry), Oakland (Lee Frederick, Greg Kampe), Michigan State (Jud Heathcote, Tom Izzo) and Purdue.

• Painter is the ninth-longest tenured head coach at one school in the country (Kampe, Izzo, Mark Few – Gonzaga, James Jones – Yale, Randy Bennett – Saint Mary’s, Scott Drew – Baylor, Bill Self – Kansas, Gary Manchel – Mercyhurst).

• Braden Smith has been named first-team All-Big Ten twice previously (2024, 2025). With another first-team honor this season, he would become the fifth Purdue player since 1948 (Dave Schellhase, Terry Dischinger, Rick Mount, Robbie Hummel) to be named to three All-Big Ten first teams.

• Purdue became the first school in Big Ten history to have its players win three straight Player of the Year honors (Zach Edey – 2023, 2024; Braden Smith – 2025).

• Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer is the only set of teammates nationally to have scored at least 1,250 career points while playing every year at the same school.

• Smith ranks second in career scoring among players that have been in the Big Ten for their whole careers (1,375 points) behind Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton (1,487 points). Fletcher Loyer is third (1,281 points).

• A Purdue player has led the country in two-point field goals made in each of the last two seasons (2024 – Zach Edey; 2025 – Trey Kaufman-Renn). Since the year 2000, Purdue has three of the top-nine single-season totals in 2-point field goals made (Edey – 335; Edey – 290; Kaufman-Renn – 289).

• Purdue’s senior class enters the year needing 36 wins to tie the Big Ten record for the most wins by a class during their four years. The record is 123 by Ohio State (Class of 2013).

• Purdue’s senior class has won in every Big Ten arena that it has played in except Northwestern. It will get a chance to win in Welsh-Ryan Arena on March 4. In addition, it will get a chance to win at both UCLA and USC, which would give the group a win in road games against the other 17 programs in the Big Ten.

• Braden Smith (758) needs just eight assists to move into third place on the Big Ten’s career assists chart (Illinois’ Bruce Douglas – 765).

____________________________________________________________

+++++++++PURDUE FOOTBALL+++++++++

GAME 8 PREP: RETURNING HOME TO HOST RUTGERS FOR HOMECOMING

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After back-to-back road games, Purdue Football comes home to host Rutgers in the Boilermakers’ annual Homecoming game. Just the third meeting between the two programs, kickoff from Ross-Ade Stadium is set for noon on BTN.

QUICK HITS

The Boilermakers are 54-44-4 in Homecoming games with Saturday marking the 103rd edition.

Purdue is 4-1 in Homecoming games played on October 25.

Rutgers becomes the Boilermakers’ 18th different Homecoming opponent throughout history.

Scott Campbell (1980-83), a member of the Cradle of Quarterbacks, will serve as Purdue’s Honorary Captain for Saturday’s contest.

Purdue leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally in net punting with a 44.9 average.

The Boilermakers have limited their past two opponents from completing less than 50 percent of their passes (Minnesota – 46.7, Northwestern – 42.3), holding quarterbacks to under 50 percent in back-to-back games for the first time since 2014 (Minnesota – 50.0, Nebraska – 38.1).

Purdue has kept Big Ten opponents to converting only 32.8 percent (18-of-55) of their third downs, ranking third in the conference behind No. 1 Ohio State (17.4%) and No. 2 Indiana (27.8%).

The Boilermakers are one of only five teams in the country (Buffalo, Colorado State, New Mexico, UCLA) to have two different 15-tackle performances this season. (Mani Powell – 20 at Northwestern, Charles Correa – 15 vs. Illinois).

Purdue is the only team to have three players crack the Big Ten’s Top 10 in tackles. Mani Powell (65) ranks second, Charles Correa (59) ranks fifth and Tahj Ra-El (53) ranks ninth.

Powell sits 16th nationally in tackles per game (9.3). His output is even better in conference contests, averaging a B1G-best 12.3 tackles per game.

Powell, on the Butkus Award Watch List, made a career-high 20 tackles at Northwestern last week. It was the most tackles by a Boilermaker since 1997 (20 – Willie Fells vs. Iowa).

According to PFF, Smiley Bradford’s 90.1 coverage grade against Northwestern led the Big Ten and ranked second in the FBS last week (min. 15 coverage snaps). Bradford’s day featured his first career interception.

Devin Mockobee is currently ranked in the program Top 10 in several career categories: 100-yard rushing games (4th), rushing yards (4th), rushing touchdowns (9th) and all-purpose yards (10th).

Mockobee is a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, an award given to someone who demonstrates leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

Michael Jackson III ranks second in the Big Ten in receptions in league games, averaging 7.5 per contest. His 14-catch output at No. 22 Illinois is the most catches by any player in a B1G game this season.

HOMECOMING HISTORY

Saturday’s game will be Purdue’s 103rd Homecoming game.

The Boilermakers are 54-44-4 in Homecoming contests.

Purdue is 4-1 in Homecoming games played on October 25: 1930 (Purdue 7, Wisconsin 6), 1941 (Purdue 7, Iowa 6), 1947 (Purdue 14, #5 Illinois 7), 1969 (#15 Purdue 45, Northwestern 20) and 2008 (#25 Minnesota 17, Purdue 6).

After losing six straight Homecoming games from 2012-17, the Boilermakers won four of the past seven.

Purdue hosts Rutgers for Homecoming for the first time. The Scarlet Knights become the Boilermakers’ 18th different Homecoming opponent throughout history. Wisconsin is Purdue’s most common Homecoming opponent (21 matchups).

HONORARY CAPTAIN – SCOTT CAMPBELL

Scott Campbell, one of the 12 members of the Cradle of Quarterbacks, will serve as Purdue’s honorary captain for Saturday’s Homecoming game.

Campbell put up incredible numbers throughout his career, including a 516-yard passing effort at Ohio State in 1981

For 16 years, he ranked second to his predecessor Mark Herrmann in virtually every category in school history. Campbell now ranks seventh in the school record books with 7,636 yards and 45 touchdowns.

SWARM THE BALL

Purdue has four players with at least 45 tackles this season, the most in the country: Mani Powell (65), Charles Correa (59), Tahj Ra-El (53) and Myles Slusher (46).

The Boilermakers are the only team to have three players crack the Big Ten’s Top 10 in tackles. Powell ranks second, Correa ranks fifth and Ra-El ranks ninth in total tackles.

Correa and Powell led the attack against No. 22 Illinois, recording 15 and 14 tackles, respectively. They became the first pair of Purdue teammates to have at least 14 tackles in the same game since the Boilermakers’ 2021 Music City Bowl win over Tennessee (Chris Jefferson, Jaylan Alexander and Kieren Douglas).

With Powell’s 20-tackle performance at Northwestern, Purdue became the fifth team nationwide to record at least two individual 15-tackle games this season (Buffalo, Colorado State, New Mexico, UCLA).

MANI’S THE MAN

A team captain, linebacker Mani Powell is Purdue’s leading tackler through the first seven games of the season.

Powell ranks second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally with 9.3 tackles per game. He has been even better in conference play, as his 12.3 tackles per game in B1G games lead the league.

Against Northwestern, the Columbus, Ohio, native produced one of the best performances this century by a Purdue defender. He made a career-high 20 tackles, the most by a Big Ten player in a conference game since 2018.

Powell’s game marked the first time a Boilermaker recorded 20 tackles in a game since Willie Fells accomplished the feat against Iowa 28 years ago (Nov. 1, 1997).

ALL SMILES

Sophomore Smiley Bradford has become a lockdown defender in the passing game.

The defensive back leads the Boilermakers in pass breakups (5) and has one of the team’s two interceptions, recording his first career INT against Northwestern.

According to PFF, Bradford’s 91.0 combined coverage grade over the past two weeks leads the FBS (minimum 40 coverage snaps).

Last week against the Wildcats, he earned a 90.1 coverage grade to sit atop the Big Ten and rank second nationally (min. 15 coverage snaps).

SUPPRESSING THE PASSING GAME

Purdue held its opponent below 50 percent in pass completions for two consecutive weeks, containing Minnesota to 46.7 percent (Oct. 11) and Northwestern to 42.3 percent (Oct. 18).

It marked the first time Purdue held Big Ten opponents to under 50 percent in back-to-back games since 2014 (Minnesota – 50.0, Nebraska – 38.1).

Purdue joined Oregon and UCLA as the only three Big Ten teams to hold a Big Ten opponent under 50 percent in multiple games this season.

• During the two games, the Boilers totaled 20 passes defended and picked off their first two passes of the season. Purdue’s 12 passes defended at Minnesota are tied for the fourth-highest single-game total in the FBS this season.

________________________________________________________________

+++++++++NOTRE DAME HOCKEY+++++++++

IRISH HOST ROBERT MORRIS FOR WEEKEND SERIES

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Fighting Irish hockey team continues its six-game homestand this weekend when they host Robert Morris for a two-game series inside Compton Family Ice Arena. The series will mark the second between the two programs, having previously met for a set of home-and-home games during the 2006-07 season.

Puck drop for Friday’s game is set for 7:05pm before the Irish and Colonials close out the weekend series Saturday with a 6:05pm start.

The Irish are coming off a weekend sweep of St. Lawrence which saw Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach record his first career win behind the Notre Dame bench, and 14 individuals highlighted the box score. A series in which the Irish put up 11 goals, off the stick of nine different individuals, Nicholas Kempf also recorded his first career shutout as he stopped 45 consecutive shots, including 26 saves in game two en route to the blanking.

Notre Dame concludes the homestand at the end of the month when they open Big Ten Conference play against longtime foe Michigan, October 31-November 1. The Irish will recognize Ralph M. DiVietro Associate Hockey Coach Andy Slaggert Friday night as he bids farewell to his time on staff after 33 seasons to pursue an opportunity in professional hockey. Saturday’s contest against the Wolverines will be the team’s Live Like Rudy game, honoring the memory of longtime friend of the program and honorary teammate, Rudy Chapman, who lost his battle with Ewing Sarcoma in late July.

SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Robert Morris (Fri./Sat.)
Location: South Bend, Ind.
Schedule: Fri. 7pm ET | Sat. 6pm ET
TV: Peacock
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame

__________________________________________________________________

+++++++++BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER+++++++++

BUTLER SETTLES FOR DRAW AT ST. JOHN’S

QUEENS, N.Y. – The Butler women’s soccer team briefly held the lead at St. John’s, but in less than three minutes, that excitement was tempered. The Bulldogs (5-4-6, 2-3-3 BIG EAST) broke a 0-0 deadlock with a goal in the 71st minute, but the Red Storm (2-8-4, 0-5-2 BIG EAST) responded quickly, leveling the score. Butler produced two shots in the final minute of the match, but the first was blocked and the second saved.

Key Moments

25′ | Leila Lister steals the ball, and uses her momentum to get past the defensive line. She takes a shot from 17 yards that is on frame, but it is saved near the right post by the St. John’s keeper.

29′ | A 10-yard shot by Talia Sommer is on frame but blocked by a Red Storm defender.

33′ | A short cross from Alyssa Carlson, on the right side and near the endline, finds Chloe Brecht near the six. Brecht’s header sails just over the crossbar.

HALFTIME

71′ | Léa Larouche plays a ball up the right side and finds Leila Lister in the right corner. Lister crosses to the face of the goal and finds Alyssa Carlson, who passes the ball on to Daphne Murray. Murray strikes from 10 yards and scores off the hands of the St. John’s keeper. Butler leads, 1-0.

74′ | St. John’s sends a hard cross from the left side to Hope Tuyle who is open in front of the goal. Tuyle redirects the ball, and the score is level, 1-1.

Butler Points Summary

GOALS: Daphne Murray

ASSISTS: Leila Lister, Alyssa Carlson

Bulldog Bits

Murray’s goal was her second of the season and the second of her career.

Lister’s assist was her fourth of the season and the seventh of her career.

Carlson’s assist was the first of her career.

Up Next

The Bulldogs return to Indianapolis to host Creighton on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

_____________________________________________________________________

++++++++++BALL STATE FOOTBALL+++++++++

FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: BALL STATE SET FOR BATTLE FOR THE BRONZE STALK

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State returns to the road Saturday, when it heads to Northern Illinois for the Battle of the Bronze Stalk. The Cardinals are looking to improve to 3-1 in MAC play for the first time since the 2020 COVID-19 campaign.

— Established in 2008, the Battle for the Bronze Stalk is the youngest rivalry game in the Mid-American Conference, but it hit full stride three years ago when Ball State won a double overtime thriller in Muncie, 44-38. It was the first of three straight trophy wins for the Cardinals, with each of the last two games coming down to last-second field goals. With the Huskies set to move to the Mountain West for football in 2026, this could be the final Bronze Stalk meeting with the teams battling as conference foes.

— Ball State earned its fourth straight homecoming victory last Saturday, topping Akron by a final score of 42-28. The four-game homecoming win streak is the longest since the Cardinals earned seven straight from 1992-98 and includes last season’s 25-23 victory over NIU.

— With last Saturday’s win over Akron, the Cardinals improved to 2-1 in MAC play for the first time since the 2022 season. A win at NIU on Saturday would boost Ball State to 3-1 in league play for the first time since the 2020 COVID-19 campaign. The Cardinals finished that season 5-1 in league play, won the MAC Championship Game versus Buffalo and picked up the first bowl victory in program history over then-No. 19 San Jose State in the Arizona Bowl.

— Ball State defensive end Nathan Voorhis continued his stellar start to the 2025 season in last Saturday’s win over Akron, picking up his MAC-leading ninth sack of the season. Voorhis, who is tied for second nationally in total sacks, has earned at least one sack in five of Ball State’s seven games, including a career-high 3.5 in the Oct. 4 victory over Ohio.

— With five games remaining, Voorhis’ nine sacks are within reach of Ball State’s official single-season record of 11.5, and its all-time mark of 13. Voorhis also is second on the team in overall tackles (31), trailing only Alfred Chea (36). Voorhis, who picked up five tackles in the win over Akron, has a total of 11 tackles for loss this season to set the opposition back a total of 63 yards.

— Offensively, Qua Ashley and Kiael Kelly remain the Cardinals’ rushing leaders with 476 and 331 net rush yards this season. Kelly’s 846 passing yards this season already have surpassed his first three seasons combined (608), more than doubling his career total to 1,454.

WHAT A WIN MEANS:

— With the series deadlocked at 25-25-2 between Ball State and Northern Illinois, the winner of Saturday’s game will gain control of the all-time series.

— Ball State, which is 3-0 at home this year, is looking for its first road victory of the season. The last time the teams battled in DeKalb, the Cardinals earned a 20-17 victory on Nov. 7, 2023, thanks to a 36-yard field goal from Jackson Courville as time expired.

INSIDE THE SERIES: NORTHERN ILLINOIS

— The Cardinals and Huskies have met 52 times overall and on 17 occasions since the start of the Bronze Stalk rivalry game in 2008.

— After snapping a series-long 10-year win streak by the Huskies from 2009-18 with a 27-20 victory in DeKalb on Oct. 5, 2019, the Cardinals have won five of the last six battles for the Bronze Stalk Trophy.

— In the Cardinals’ 2024 Homecoming game against the Huskies, Ball State held claim of the Bronze Stalk Trophy for the third year in a row thanks to a game-winning, 52-yard field goal as time expired by kicker Jackson Courville. Overall, Ball State has won the rivalry trophy six times, while NIU has claimed it 11.

— Saturday’s game could be the last time these two teams compete against one another as conference rivals, as Northern Illinois’ football program will compete for the Mountain West beginning in 2026.

— Going into the contest, both Ball State and Northern Illinois look to gain the advantage in the overall series which is currently tied 25-25-2.

EVERY GAME TIGHT IN THE MAC

— Ten of Ball State’s past 15 games in the MAC have been decided by six points or less. Ten of the last 13 have been decided by seven or less.

— Six out of eight Ball State games in the Mid-American Conference last year were decided by six points or less — five of those by three points or less.

— Last season’s only games not decided by six points or less were the season’s final two games following a coaching change.

— The 2024 campaign marked the first time in program history with six or more MAC games decided by 6 points or fewer.

LIMIT THE FLAGS

— Ball State is the MAC’s leader in fewest penalties (32), fewest penalty yards (259), fewest penalties per game (4.57) and fewest penalty yards per game (37.00).

MAC Rk FBS Rk

Fewest Penalties 1st 15th

Fewest Penalties/Gm 1st 14th

Fewest Penalty Yds 1st 14th

Fewest Penalty Yds/Gm 1st 13th

VOORHIS LEADING DEFENSIVE LINE SURGE

— Nathan Voorhis (pronounced VORR-is) has had a sack in five of Ball State’s seven games, and boasts seven sacks in the Cardinals’ three home games, alone.

— His 3.5 sacks against Ohio set a career-high and his nine total sacks through seven games (1.29 per game) are tied for second among all FBS players.

FBS Sacks Leaders

Player Gms Sacks Yds SPG

1. David Bailey, Texas Tech 7 10.5 100 1.50

2. John Henry Daley, Utah 7 9.0 73 1.29

Nathan Voorhis, Ball State 7 9.0 58 1.29

4. Bryun Parham, UConn 7 8.5 56 1.21

Nadame Tucker, W. Mich 7 8.5 66 1.21

6. Cashius Howell, Tex A&M 7 8.0 65 1.14

CARDINALS’ ALL-TIME SACKS LEADERS

— Current sack leader Nathan Voorhis boasts 9.0 sacks on the year, already more than last year’s leader, Riley Tolsma, who had 5.5.

— Voorhis is just the second Ball State player since 2000 to record at least nine sacks in a season. His current total of 9.0 is the most in a season for a Cardinals’ defender since Anthony Winbush registered 11.5 in 2017.

— Voorhis is on pace to challenge Ball State’s all-time sack leaders. The stat has been an official NCAA statistic since 2000, placing Anthony Winbush as the Cardinals’ “NCAA-recognized official” record-holder with 11.5 sacks in 2017.

— Ball State has maintained sack statistics since 1978, however, with Kelly George (1982) and Craig Newburg (1981) both owning their place in the Cardinals’ record book with 13 in those seasons.

— Voorhis is one of 17 Ball State players ever to record at least eight sacks in a season — though surely the first to do so in the season’s first five games.

Ball State Single-Season Sacks Leaders

Player Sacks Yds

1. Kelly George, 1982 13.0 —

Craig Newbury, 1981 13.0 —

3. Anthony Winbush, 2017 11.5 64

4. Keith McKenzie, 1995 11.0 52

Bryant Branigan, 1992 11.0 72

6. Wilber McDonald, 1997 10.0 71

7. Nathan Voorhis, 2025 9.0 58

Hiram Maddox, 1996 9.0 37

Keith McKenzie, 1994 9.0 50

Toby Beagle, 1990 9.0 82

Mose Carter, 1988 9.0 —

Rush Brown, 1978 9.0 —

13. Anthony Winbush, 2016 8.5 45

Jonathan Newsome, 2012 8.5 42

15. Sidney Houston, 2023 8.0 52

Jonathan Newsome, 2013 8.0 54

Brandon Crawford, 2007 8.0 39

Evan Triggs, 2001 8.0 36

Brian Williams, 1996 8.0 51

David Cipranic, 1991 8.0 57

Rush Brown, 1979 8.0 —

* Sacks have been officially recognized as an NCAA statistic since 2000; Ball State sack records date to 1978; Ball State sack yardage records date to 1990.

CARDINALS AMONG MAC & FBS SACK LEADERS

— As a team, Ball State’s 2.71 sacks per game (19 total) rank fourth in the MAC and 24th nationally.

MAGWOOD & KELLY CONNECTIONS

— In consecutive games against UConn and Ohio, connections between Kiael Kelly and Qian Magwood were explosive!

— In the Ohio win, Kelly found Magwood for a 43-yard game-winning TD down the left sideline with 57 seconds remaining in the game.

— Two of the three times that Kelly and Magwood connected on pass routes at UConn, they were both explosive.

— On the final play of the first quarter, Kelly found Magwood on a screen pass. Magwood sprinted down the right sideline for 53 yards for what was the longest catch of

Magwood’s career and the longest pass of Kelly’s.

— One play later, to open the second quarter, Kelly handed to Magwood on a reverse, and ventured into his own route in the right flat. On the first pass of his career, Magwood found Kelly for a 19-yard TD, reaching the end zone for Ball State’s first score.

— Two consecutive plays covered 72 yards with career longs and career firsts for both of them.

BETTER CALL SAUL

— Transfer punter Adam Saul ranks fifth in the MAC and 52nd nationally with a 42.5-yard punting average.

— Saul owns eight punts of at least 50 yards this year, including a 58-yard boot versus Akron, a 62-yard kick against Ohio and his career-long 67-yarder at Purdue.

— 10 of his 42 punts have landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

— His 62-yarder against Ohio landed at the Bobcats’ 1-yard line and on their first play from scrimmage after the punt, Ball State recorded a safety to pull within 14-12 in an eventual upset win.

— Saul was called on for 10 punts twice this season, at Auburn and again at Western Michigan.

_________________________________________________________________

+++++++++BALL STATE BASEBALL+++++++++

BASEBALL ANNOUNCES 2026 SEASON SCHEDULE

The Ball State baseball team and head coach Rich Maloney have released their 2026 regular season schedule.

The slate features four-game February trips to DeLand, Fla., Charleston, S.C., and Honolulu, Hawaii. Mid-American Conference play has expanded to 33 games with the addition of UMass to the league, which now consists of 12 programs. Additionally, a total of six games against power conference teams and five against teams that made the 2025 NCAA Tournament are included on the schedule.

Ball State opens the season on Friday, Feb. 13 against St. John’s in Florida before taking them on again and Stetson, who will host the weekend of games, the next day. The Cardinals take on Minnesota that Sunday to wrap up the first trip of the season.

Next on the calendar is another trip to Charleston, S.C., for the Swig & Swine College Classic, which the Cardinals will play in for a fifth straight season. Ball State faces Merrimack on Feb. 20 followed by games against George Mason and Seton Hall on Saturday the 21st at Shipyard Park. Another matchup with Merrimack that Sunday concludes the weekend.

The Cardinals head to Honolulu late in the month for a four-game set against Hawaii. Ball State takes on the Rainbow Warriors with a trio of night games Thursday-Saturday and then a day game on Sunday, March 1.

MAC play begins on March 6 as Central Michigan visits Shebek Stadium for the start of a three-game series. After a road game at Kentucky on March 10, Eastern Michigan comes to Muncie for another conference set. Ball State’s MAC road opener is set for March 20 at Western Michigan.

Overall, the Cardinals will have six conference series at home and five on the road. Notable midweek battles include home-and-homes with Butler (March 18 in Muncie), Purdue (May 12 in Muncie) and Indiana (April 21 in Muncie).

“Great opportunity for our boys to compete against so many high quality programs outside of conference and then to compete with our rivals in the MAC,” Maloney said. “You have to love competition!”

Ball State is coming off a 2025 season when it went 36-22 (21-9 MAC) to earn the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. Maloney’s teams have won at least 30 games in each of his 19 full seasons in Muncie, and he enters the 2026 season with 1,024 career wins.

The full schedule can be found below and on the schedule page.

2026 Ball State Baseball Schedule (all times ET unless noted)

Feb. 13 vs St. John’s – Noon

Feb. 14 vs St. John’s – 2:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 at Stetson – 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 15 vs Minnesota – 10 a.m.

Feb. 20 vs Merrimack – Noon

Feb. 21 vs George Mason – Noon

Feb. 21 vs Seton Hall – 4 p.m.

Feb. 22 vs Merrimack – 10 a.m.

Feb. 26 at Hawaii – 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 27 at Hawaii – 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET)

Feb. 28 at Hawaii – 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET)

March 1 at Hawaii – 1 p.m. HT (6 p.m. ET)

March 6 vs Central Michigan – 2 p.m.

March 7 vs Central Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 8 vs Central Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 10 at Kentucky – 6:30 p.m.

March 13 vs Eastern Michigan – 3 p.m.

March 14 vs Eastern Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 15 vs Eastern Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 17 at Valparaiso – 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET)

March 18 vs Butler – 3 p.m.

March 20 at Western Michigan – 3 p.m.

March 21 at Western Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 22 at Western Michigan – 1 p.m.

March 24 at Southern Indiana – 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET)

March 27 vs Ohio – 3 p.m.

March 28 vs Ohio – 1 p.m.

March 29 vs Ohio – 1 p.m.

March 31 vs Xavier – 3 p.m.

April 2 at Miami (OH) – 3 p.m.

April 3 at Miami (OH) – 1 p.m.

April 4 at Miami (OH) – 1 p.m.

April 7 at Indiana – 6 p.m.

April 10 vs Akron – 3 p.m.

April 11 vs Akron – 1 p.m.

April 12 vs Akron – 1 p.m.

April 14 at Butler – 4 p.m.

April 15 vs Southern Indiana – 3 p.m.

April 17 at Kent State – 6 p.m.

April 18 at Kent State – 3 p.m.

April 19 at Kent State – 1 p.m.

April 21 vs Indiana – 3 p.m.

April 24 vs UMass – 3 p.m.

April 25 vs UMass – 1 p.m.

April 26 vs UMass – 1 p.m.

May 1 at Toledo – 3 p.m.

May 2 at Toledo – 1 p.m.

May 3 at Toledo – 1 p.m.

May 5 at Purdue – 6 p.m.

May 8 at Northern Illinois – 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET)

May 9 at Northern Illinois – 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET)

May 10 at Northern Illinois – 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET)

May 12 vs Purdue – 3 p.m.

May 14 vs Bowling Green – 3 p.m.

May 15 vs Bowling Green – 3 p.m.

May 16 vs Bowling Green – 1 p.m.

May 20-23 at MAC Tournament (Avon, Ohio)

______________________________________________________________

+++++++++BALL STATE SWIMMING+++++++++

MEN’S S&D BEGINS MVC ACTION AT UIC FRIDAY

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s swimming and diving program visits Chicago, Ill. Oct. 24 to go against conference foe UIC at the Flames Natatorium to open dual meet competition in its 2025-26 campaign. The meet is slated to begin at 5 p.m. ET.

The men enter Friday coming off a third-place finish at the Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiates, highlighted by first place showings from freshman George Patterson and senior Jacob Siewers in freestyle action. Both teamed up with Benjamin Clarkston and AJ Friend to close the afternoon with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay (1:21.90). The group’s winning time currently leads the Missouri Valley Conference, along with Patterson’s first place time in the 100 freestyle (1:38.09) and Aidan Biddle’s third place outing in the 100 breaststroke (54.66).

Ball State opened their season last year versus the visiting Flames, with UIC coming out on top, 156.5-143.5. The Cardinals were led by a pair of event wins from Malcolm Slater in the 200 (1:41.42) and 500 (4:41.59) freestyles, as well as Friend in the 50 freestyle (21.43) and 100 butterfly (51.38). Jacob Siewers also claimed an individual event win, taking first in the 100 freestyle (46.84). Siewers and Friend later joined Mason Young and Clarkston to earn a victory in the 400 freestyle relay (3:08.05).

Fans can follow the action Friday via Meet Mobile.

IN THE MVC RANKINGS

In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 11 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into this weekend’s meet.

Men’s Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MVC Top 16

50 Freestyle: 7th – William Raches (20.76) / 12th – Benjamin Clarkston (21.12) / 15th – Jacob Siewers (21.36)

100 Freestyle: 4th – Jacob Siewers (44.79) / 10th – George Patterson (45.82) / 14th – AJ Friend (46.36)

200 Freestyle: 1st – George Patterson (1:38.09) / 3rd – Jacob Siewers (1:38.99) / 6th – Malcolm Slater (1:39.24)

500 Freestyle: N/A

1000 Freestyle: N/A

1650 Freestyle: N/A

100 Backstroke: 3rd – William Raches (49.62) / 10th – Ike Ruszkowski (50.76) / 14th – Colin Walrond (51.23)

200 Backstroke: N/A

100 Breaststroke: 1st – Aidan Biddle (54.66) / 12th – Reeve Ferber (57.05)

200 Breaststroke: N/A

100 Butterfly: 5th – AJ Friend (49.09) / 10th – Henry Ko (50.01) / 13th – Malcolm Slater (50.78) / 14th – Reeve Ferber (50.82) / 15th – Luke Pryor (50.86)

200 Butterfly: N/A

200 IM: N/A

400 IM: N/A

200 Freestyle Relay: 1st – Ball State (1:21.90)

400 Freestyle Relay: N/A

800 Freestyle Relay: N/A

200 Medley Relay: 4th – Ball State (1:31.75)

400 Medley Relay: N/A

FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:

Senior Porter Brovont currently leads the Cardinals on both the 1M (276.95) and 3M (283.60) boards.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2025-26

Porter Brovont (Sr.) – 276.95 on 1M / 283.60 on 3M

Zach Shaddy (Jr.) – 276.70 on 1M / 260.35 on 3M

Mitchell Mauck (So.) – 238.70 on 1M / 191.10 on 3M

Emilio Perez (So.) – 204.90 on 1M

NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Marks: 300 on 1M / 320 on 3M

EVENT WINNERS:

As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up two individual event wins, and one relay win so far this season.

2025-26 Men’s Individual Event Winners (2)

1 – George Patterson (Fr.)

Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: 200 Freestyle (1:38.09)

1 – Jacob Siewers (Sr.)

Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: 100 Freestyle (44.79)

2025-26 Men’s Relay Winners (1)

1 – 200 Freestyle Relay

Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: Clarkston, Siewers, Patterson and Friend (1:21.90)

_________________________________________________________________

+++++++++EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER++++++++

PURPLE ACES OPEN IOWA TRIP THURSDAY AT UNI

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team makes the trek to Iowa this week, taking on Northern Iowa and first-place Drake for two crucial MVC matches. With three regular season matches remaining, the Purple Aces look to remain in the MVC Tournament field and currently hold the sixth and final tournament spot. Evansville begins the trip on Thursday, taking on UNI at 2 PM.

Last Time Out

Despite holding a 1-0 lead at halftime, Evansville dropped Sunday’s contest at Murray State by a score of 3-2. The Racers scored three times in the first 16 minutes of the second half to pull away.

Murray State controlled things in the early going, tallying six shots in the first 15 and a half minutes of play. However, the Evansville defense held strong and did not allow the Racers to put a shot on goal.

The Evansville attack got going beginning in the 17th minute, earning three corner kicks in the span of four minutes. In the 23rd minute, Brielle LaBerge (Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Central) won a ball along the sideline in the midfield to create a scoring chance for the Purple Aces. LaBerge then sent a through ball into the left side of the box for Taylor Wehrer (Las Vegas. Nev. Desert Oasis), who passed to a streaking Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Reitz) on the far post for a tap-in goal. The goal was Johnson’s third of the season and gave Evansville a 1-0 lead.

The Purple Aces’ 1-0 lead would hold heading into the halftime break, but the Racers jumped early in the second half. Murray State evened things up at one in the 48th minute before earning a penalty kick in the 50th minute. However, Evansville keeper Allie Lammers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) was up to the task, diving to her right to make the stop.

Just 15 seconds later, the Racers found the back of the net once again to take their first lead of the match. Murray State scored once again in the 62nd minute, extending their lead to 3-1.

Evansville would not go down without a fight, though, putting four shots on goal before Paige Radel (Metamora, Ohio/Evergreen) scored her first goal of the season in the 83rd minute. After shots by Ella McAndrew (Greendale, Ind./Lawrenceburg) and Kathryn Tyler (Dallas, Texas/Liberty Christian) were saved by the Murray State keeper, Radel collected a loose ball in front of the goal and found the back of the net with a right-footed shot to bring the match within one.

However, the Aces were unable to find the equalizer in the final seven minutes as the Racers took a 3-2 win.

Series History

Thursday marks the 25h all-time meeting between Evansville and Northern Iowa. The Purple Aces lead the all-time series 14-7-3, but the Panthers have taken the last two meetings. Evansville is looking for their first win in the series since defeating UNI in Cedar Falls in 2021.

Scouting Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa brings a 4-6-3 overall record in Sunday’s match and sits in ninth place in the MVC standings with five points. Most recently, UNI lost to in-state rival Drake on Saturday by a score fo 1-0.

Follow Along

Thursday’s match will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats are available at GoPurpleAces.com.

_______________________________________________________________________

+++++++++UIDNY MEN’S TRACK++++++++

MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TABBED THIRD IN GLVC PRESEASON POLL

INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis Men’s Indoor Track and Field squad was selected to finish third in the GLVC Preseason Poll released Wednesday afternoon.

In his second season at the helm, Head Coach Brad Robinson brings back key members including National Champion in the 800, Josue Le Cadre, and All-American in the long jump, Alex Meyer, to the Greyhounds’ indoor squad, who led their team to a 13th-place finish at the Indoor Track and Field National Championships just last season.

The Hounds also return Senior Felix Rivet, who was an integral piece to the team’s third-place finish in last year’s conference championships, with a first-place finish in the mile, accompanied by a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter run.

The Greyhounds received a total of 118 points in the poll, trailing Lincoln who earned 135 points with four first-place votes. Lewis led the coaches’ poll recieving 141 points with nine first-place votes.

The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws,

are not permitted to vote for their own team.

The complete poll and voting results can be found below.

Place School Points (1st-place votes)

1. Lewis 141 (9)

2. Lincoln 135 (4)

3. Indianapolis 118

4. Missouri S&T 111

5. Southwest Baptist 92

6. Drury 79

7. Maryville 78

8. Truman State 72

9. McKendree 45

10. Illinois Springfield 40

11. Rockhurst 38

William Jewell 38

13. Quincy 27

______________________________________________________________

+++++++++UINDY WOMEN’S TRACK+++++++++

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SELECTED THIRD IN GLVC PRESEASON POLL

INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis Women’s Indoor Track and Field Team was selected to finish third in the race for the 2026 GLVC Indoor Track and Field title in the Preseason Poll released Wednesday morning.

After graduating two-time National Champion Zoe Pentecost, All-American Ellie Lengrich and a national qualifier in Audra Hogan, Head Coach Brad Robinson looks to young talent to bring the squad another top-three finish in the GLVC.

The Hounds return 2025 Freshman of the Year Jorjia Ferguson, who placed second in the pentathlon in last year’s conference championships.

The Hounds bring strong returners in the field, including 2025 GLVC Silver Medalist in the pole vault, Mackenzie VanBibber, and Sophomore Hannah Dart, 2025 Silver Medalist in the shot put. UIndy has the top-GLVC returners in the weight throw in Junior Macie Swinehart and Sophomore Maya Efodi.

The Hounds received a total of 141 points, just behind Lincoln with 149 points, with two first-place votes, while Lewis led the pack with 168 points, receiving 12 first-place votes.

The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.

The complete poll and voting results can be found below.

Place School Points (1st-place votes)

1. Lewis 168 (12)

2. Lincoln 149 (2)

3. Indianapolis 141

4. Southwest Baptist 137

5. Maryville 115

6. Missouri S&T 109

7. Truman State 97

8. Drury 81

9. Illinois Springfield 71

10. McKendree 60

11. William Jewell 53

12. Rockhurst 37

13. Upper Iowa 33

14. Quincy 23

____________________________________________________________

+++++++SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES+++++++

UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

_______________________________________________________________________

+++SPORTS EXTRA+++

+++TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY+++

Oct. 23

1921 — Green Bay Packers play 1st APFA (forerunner to NFL) game; beat Minneapolis Marines, 7-6 at Hagemeister Park, Green Bay, Wis.

1945 — Jackie Robinson signs a contract with the Montreal Royals, minor league farm team of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1949 — Don Doll of the Detroit Lions intercepts four passes in a 24-7 victory over the Chicago Cardinals.

1960 — Jim Martin of Detroit becomes the first kicker to kick two field goals over 50 yards in a game as the Lions beat the Baltimore Colts 30-17.

1964 — Joe Frazier dominates German Hans Huber for an easy points win to capture the boxing heavyweight gold medal in Tokyo.

1971 — Greg Pruitt rushes for 294 yards on 19 carries to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to an NCAA record 711 yards rushing and a 75-28 pounding of Kansas State.

1976 — Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett rushes for 180 yards in a 45-0 rout over Navy to become the top career rusher in NCAA history with 5,206 yards.

1988 — Dan Marino passes for 521 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions as the Miami Dolphins lose to the New York Jets 44-30. Marino completes 35 of 60 passes as he produces the second-best single-game total yardage in NFL history.

1993 — The Toronto Maple Leafs break the NHL record for most victories at the start of the season, winning their ninth straight game by beating the second-year Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0.

1999 — Florida State’s Bobby Bowden gets his 300th win with a 17-14 win over his son, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. With the victory Bowden joins Bear Bryant, Pop Warner, Joe Paterno and Amos Alonzo Stagg as the only major college coaches to reach 300 victories.

2000 — The New York Jets, trailing 30-7 at the end of the third quarter, come back to beat the Miami Dolphins 40-37 in overtime on Monday night. The Jets score four touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

2005 — San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson is held to a career-low 7 yards rushing on 17 carries and fails to score in the Chargers’ 20-17 loss at Philadelphia, ending his NFL record-tying streak of games with a touchdown at 18.

2008 — Carolina’s Brandon Sutter gives one of hockey’s most famous families another milestone, scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh. The 19-year-old Sutter, son of New Jersey Devils coach Brent Sutter, is the ninth member of the Sutter family to play in the NHL.

2011 — Tim Tebow rallies the Broncos for two touchdowns in the final 2:44 of the fourth quarter to force overtime, and Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal gives Denver an improbable 18-15 victory over the stunned Miami Dolphins. The Broncos appeared beaten when they trailed 15-0 with 5:23 left and took over at their 20.

2016 — Jay Ajayi ties an NFL record by surpassing 200 yards rushing for the second game in a row, helping the Miami Dolphins rally past the Buffalo Bills 28-25. Ajayi rushes for 214 yards in 29 carries after totaling 204 yards a week earlier in a win over Pittsburgh.

2019 — All Star point guard Kyrie Irving pours in 50 points, setting a new NBA record for points on debut with a new team as his Brooklyn Nets go down 127-126 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

____________________________________________________________________________

+++TV SPORTS+++

(ALL TIMES EASTERN)
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND/OR BLACKOUTS
Thursday, Oct. 23

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)

4:30 a.m. (Friday)

FS2 — AFL: Port Adelaide at Adelaide

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

7:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — South Alabama at Georgia St.

COLLEGE HOCKEY (MEN’S)

7 p.m.

BTN — Western at Michigan

COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

ACCN — Florida St. at Virginia

8 p.m.

ACCN — Notre Dame at Virginia Tech

GOLF

5 a.m.

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: First Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Genesis Championship, First Round, Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, South Korea (Taped)

5 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Bank of Utah Championship, First Round, Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

10 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, Second Round, New Korea Country Club, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

5 a.m. (Friday)

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Second Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

NBA BASKETBALL

7:40 p.m.

ESPN — Oklahoma City at Indiana

10:05 p.m.

ESPN — Denver at Golden State

NFL FOOTBALL

8:15 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Minnesota at L.A. Chargers

VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Team Valentin-Anderson vs. Team Cooper, Madison, Wis.

_____

Friday, Oct. 24

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)

4:30 a.m.

FS2 — AFL: Port Adelaide at Adelaide

Midnight

FS2 — AFL: Hawthorn at Essendon

2 a.m. (Saturday)

FS2 — AFL: Richmond at Fremantle

4 a.m. (Saturday)

FS2 — Melbourne at Brisbane

AUTO RACING

2:05 p.m.

FS2 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: Practice, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

3:10 p.m.

FS2 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: Qualifying, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

2:25 p.m.

ESPNU — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City

5:55 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City

6 p.m.

FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: The Slim Jim 200, Playoffs – Round of 8, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

2:55 a.m. (Saturday)

FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Malaysia Grand Prix – Sprint Race, Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Malaysia

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6 p.m.

SECN — TBA

7:30 p.m.

ACCN — TBA

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY

4 p.m.

BTN — Michigan at Northwestern

6 p.m.

ACCN — Syracuse at Boston College

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

6 p.m.

ESPNU — Columbia at Dartmouth

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — North Texas at Charlotte

7:30 p.m.

ESPN — California at Virginia Tech

10 p.m.

CBSSN — Boise St. at Nevada

10:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — Montana at Sacramento St.

COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)

8 p.m.

BTN — Indiana at Maryland

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

BTN — Minnesota at Indiana

8 p.m.

SECN — Texas at Mississippi

9 p.m.

ESPNU — Kansas City at Kansas St.

10 p.m.

BTN — Wisconsin at Washington

GOLF

5 a.m.

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Second Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Genesis Championship, Second Round, Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, South Korea (Taped)

2 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Simmons Bank Championship, First Round, Pleasant Valley Coluntry Club, Little Rock, Ark.

5 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Bank of Utah Championship, Second Round, Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

10 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, Third Round, New Korea Country Club, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

4 a.m. (Saturday)

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Third Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

4 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

8 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

MLB BASEBALL

TBA

FOX — World Series: TBD, Game 1

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Boston at New York

10 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Minnesota at L.A. Lakers

SOCCER (MEN’S)

3 p.m.

USA — English Premier League: West Ham United at Leeds United

_____

Saturday, Oct. 25

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S)

4 a.m.

FS2 — Melbourne at Brisbane

AUTO RACING

1:25 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City

4:30 p.m.

TRUTV — NASCAR Cup Series: Practice, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

4:55 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Qualifying, Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City

5:40 p.m.

TRUTV — NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

7:30 p.m.

CW — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Race at Martinsville, Playoffs – Round of 8, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

1:55 a.m. (Sunday)

FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Malaysia Grand Prix, Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Malaysia

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Noon

ABC — Mississippi at Oklahoma

ACCN — Virginia at North Carolina

BTN — Rutgers at Purdue

CBSSN — Ohio at E. Michigan

CW — SMU at Wake Forest

ESPN — TBA

ESPN2 — TBA

ESPNU — Appalachian St. Old Dominion

FOX — TBA

FS1 — TBA

TNT — Kansas St. at Kansas

TRUTV — Kansas St. at Kansas

12:45 p.m.

SECN — Auburn at Arkansas

3:30 p.m.

ABC — Alabama at South Carolina

ACCN — NC State at Pittsburgh

CBS — TBA

CBSSN — FAU at Navy

CW — Toledo at Washington St.

ESPN — TBA

FOX — BYU at Iowa St.

4 p.m.

ESPN2 — TBA

ESPNU — TBA

FS1 — TBA

4:15 p.m.

SECN — TBA

7 p.m.

ESPN — Stanford at Miami

FS1 — TBA

7:30 p.m.

ABC — Texas A&M at LSU

ACCN — Boston College at Louisville

CBSSN — Colorado St. at Wyoming

NBC — TBA

7:45 p.m.

SECN — Tennessee at Kentucky

8 p.m.

ESPN2 — TBA

ESPNU — TBA

10:15 p.m.

ESPN — Colorado at Utah

11 p.m.

ESPNU — Alabama St. at Alabama A&M (Taped)

FIGURE SKATING

3 p.m.

NBC — 2025 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: The Cup of China, Chongquing, China

GOLF

4 a.m.

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Third Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Genesis Championship, Third Round, Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, South Korea (Taped)

1:30 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Simmons Bank Championship, Second Round, Pleasant Valley Coluntry Club, Little Rock, Ark.

5 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Bank of Utah Championship, Second Round, Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

10 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, Final Round, New Korea Country Club, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

5 a.m. (Sunday)

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Final Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

HORSE RACING

Noon

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

10 a.m.

FX — UFC 321 Early Prelims: Undercard Bouts, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Noon

FX — UFC 321 Prelims: Undercard Bouts, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

MLB BASEBALL

TBA

FOX — World Series: TBD, Game 2

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

NBATV — Oklahoma City at Atlanta

NHL HOCKEY

3 p.m.

NHLN — Colorado at Boston

7 p.m.

NHLN — Montreal at Vancouver

SOCCER (MEN’S)

10 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Fulham at Newcastle United

12:30 p.m.

NBC — English Premier League: Manchester United at Brighton & Hove Albion

3 p.m.

USA — English Premier League: Liverpool at Brentford FC

_____

Sunday, Oct. 26

AUTO RACING

2 p.m.

NBC — NASCAR Cup Series: The Xfinity 500, Playoffs – Round of 8, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

4 p.m.

ABC — Formula 1: The Mexico City Grand Prix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City

COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

Noon

ESPNU — Oklahoma St. at West Virginia

3 p.m.

SECN — Vanderbilt at South Carolina

5 p.m.

SECN — Kentucky at Texas A&M

7 p.m.

ACCN — Duke at NC State

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

Noon

ACCN — Stanford at Georgia Tech

1 p.m.

ESPN — Florida at Arkansas

SECN — Auburn at Oklahoma

3 p.m.

ESPN — Louisville at North Carolina

GOLF

5 a.m.

ESPN2 — Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Final Round, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Genesis Championship, Final Round, Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, South Korea (Taped)

1:30 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Simmons Bank Championship, Final Round, Pleasant Valley Coluntry Club, Little Rock, Ark.

5 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Bank of Utah Championship, Final Round, Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah

GYMNASTICS

Noon

NBC — 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: From Jakarta, Indonesia

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

NFL FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Miami at Atlanta, N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati, Chicago at Baltimore

FOX — Regional Coverage: Cleveland at New England, N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, San Francisco at Houston

4:05 p.m.

FOX — Tampa Bay at New Orleans

4:25 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Dallas at Denver OR Tennessee at Indianapolis

8:15 p.m.

NBC — Green Bay at Pittsburgh

NHL HOCKEY

1 p.m.

NHLN — Colorado at New Jersey

SOCCER (MEN’S)

10 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Manchester City at Aston Villa

11 a.m.

ESPN2 — LaLiga: Barcelona at Real Madrid

12:30 p.m.

USA — English Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Everton

VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Team McCage vs. Team Valentin-Anderson, Madison, Wis.

9 p.m.

ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: Team Coopers vs. Team Thompson, Madison, Wis.

THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 2025

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