THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2025

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

ADAMS CENTRAL (3-0) AT JAY COUNTY (1-2)

ALEXANDRIA (3-0) AT EASTBROOK (3-0)

ANDERSON (1-2) AT MCCUTCHEON (1-2)

ANDREAN (2-1) AT MUNSTER (0-3)

ANGOLA (2-1) AT WEST NOBLE (2-1)

ATTICA (1-2) AT PARKE HERITAGE (2-1)

BEECH GROVE (3-0) AT INDIAN CREEK (3-0)

BELLMONT (0-3) AT NORWELL (0-3)

BEN DAVIS (1-2) AT CENTER GROVE (3-0)

BENTON CENTRAL (0-3) AT LOGANSPORT (3-0)

BLACKFORD (0-3) AT ELWOOD (1-2)

BLOOMINGTON NORTH (1-2) AT BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (3-0)

BLUFFTON (3-0) AT WOODLAN (1-2)

BOWMAN ACADEMY (2-1) AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (0-3)

BREMEN (1-2) AT LAVILLE (2-1)

BROWNSBURG (3-0) AT AVON (2-1)

CALUMET (3-0) AT HIGHLAND (1-2)

CALUMET CHRISTIAN AT WHITING (1-2)

CARMEL (3-0) AT LOUISVILLE TRINITY (KY.)

CASTON (1-2) AT PIONEER (2-1)

CENTERVILLE (3-0) AT WINCHESTER (2-1)

CHARLESTOWN (2-1) AT NORTH HARRISON (1-2)

CLINTON CENTRAL (2-1) AT SHERIDAN (1-1)

COLUMBIA CITY (3-0) AT HUNTINGTON NORTH (0-3)

COLUMBUS EAST (1-2) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (1-2)

COLUMBUS NORTH (3-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-2)

CONNERSVILLE (2-1) AT MADISON (0-3)

CROWN POINT (3-0) AT LAKE CENTRAL (2-1)

DANVILLE (1-2) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (1-2)

DELPHI (1-2) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (2-1)

EAST CENTRAL (2-1) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-0)

EAST NOBLE (3-0) AT DEKALB (2-1)

EASTERN (PEKIN) (0-3) AT SILVER CREEK (0-3)

EASTERN GREENE (0-3) AT MITCHELL (0-3)

EASTSIDE (2-1) AT CHURUBUSCO (1-2)

EDGEWOOD (3-0) AT OWEN VALLEY (1-2)

EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-3) AT JASPER (2-1)

EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-2) AT VINCENNES LINCOLN (1-2)

EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-3) AT CASTLE (2-1)

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (2-1) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (3-0)

EVANSVILLE NORTH (2-1) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (2-1)

FAIRFIELD (2-1) AT CULVER ACADEMY (0-3)

FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-2) AT FRONTIER (3-0)

FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-2) AT SHENANDOAH (1-2)

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-3) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (2-1)

FORT WAYNE DWENGER (2-1) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (1-2)

FORT WAYNE LUERS (0-3) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (0-3)

FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (3-0) AT HOMESTEAD (2-1)

FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-3) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (1-2)

FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (0-3) AT COVINGTON (3-0)

FRANKFORT (0-3) AT SOUTHMONT (3-0)

FRANKTON (0-3) AT MISSISSINEWA (3-0)

GARRETT (1-2) AT LAKELAND (2-1)

GARY WEST (2-0) AT RIVER FOREST (1-2)

GOSHEN (1-2) AT PLYMOUTH (1-2)

GREENCASTLE (1-2) AT WESTERN BOONE (1-2)

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (2-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (3-0)

GRIFFITH (2-1) AT BOONE GROVE (1-2)

GUERIN CATHOLIC (2-1) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (0-3)

HAGERSTOWN (1-2) AT UNION COUNTY (1-2)

HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (3-0) AT FISHERS (2-1)

HAMMOND MORTON (2-1) AT BYRON CENTRAL (MICH.)

HENDERSON COUNTY (KY.) AT GIBSON SOUTHERN (2-1)

HERITAGE (3-0) AT SOUTH ADAMS (1-2)

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (1-2) AT COVENANT CHRISTIAN (1-2)…INDIANA SRN BROADCAST 7:00

HOBART (3-0) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (0-3)

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (2-1) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE (0-3)

INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (3-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (1-2)….INDIANA SRN BROADCAST 7:00

INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (1-2) AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (1-2)

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (2-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (2-1)

INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (0-3) AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (0-3)

INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (1-2) AT ARSENAL TECH (0-3)

INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (1-1) AT PARK TUDOR (3-0)

JEFFERSONVILLE (1-2) AT KOKOMO (0-3)

JOHN GLENN (1-2) AT JIMTOWN (1-2)

KNOX (3-0) AT TIPPECANOE VALLEY (2-1)

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-2) AT TWIN LAKES (3-0)

LAFAYETTE JEFF (2-1) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (2-1)

LAPEL (3-0) AT MUNCIE CENTRAL (1-2)

LAPORTE (1-2) AT CHESTERTON (1-2)

LAWRENCE NORTH (2-1) AT NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (1-2)

LAWRENCEBURG (2-1) AT GREENSBURG (0-3)

LEBANON (2-1) AT MARION (1-2)

LINTON (1-2) AT SULLIVAN (2-1)

LOWELL (2-1) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (1-2)

MADISON-GRANT (3-0) AT OAK HILL (1-2)

MANCHESTER (2-1) AT LEWIS CASS (2-1)

MARTINSVILLE (1-2) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (1-2)

MICHIGAN CITY (2-1) AT VALPARAISO (1-2)

MISHAWAKA (2-1) AT NORTHWOOD (2-1)

MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-1) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-0)

MONROE CENTRAL (1-2) AT TRI (2-1)

MONROVIA (1-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (3-0)

MOORESVILLE (2-1) AT GREENWOOD (1-2)

MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (0-3) AT NEW PALESTINE (3-0)

NEW ALBANY (0-3) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (2-1)

NEW HAVEN (0-3) AT LEO (3-0)

NOBLESVILLE (1-2) AT WESTFIELD (2-1)

NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (2-1) AT CLOVERDALE (1-2)

NORTH DECATUR (3-0) AT BROWN COUNTY (1-2)

NORTH JUDSON (2-1) AT NORTH MIAMI (3-0)

NORTH KNOX (2-1) AT BOONVILLE (2-1)

NORTH MONTGOMERY (0-3) AT CASCADE (3-0)

NORTH NEWTON (2-1) AT SOUTH NEWTON (1-2)

NORTH PUTNAM (1-2) AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (2-1)

NORTH VERMILLION (0-3) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (1-2)

NORTHEASTERN (3-0) AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-3)

NORTHFIELD (0-3) AT SOUTHWOOD (0-3)

NORTHRIDGE (0-3) AT CONCORD (2-1)

NORTHWESTERN (1-2) AT PERU (1-2)

OSCEOLA GRACE AT FREMONT (2-1)

PAOLI (1-2) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-3)

PENN (3-0) AT SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (1-2)

PERRY MERIDIAN (2-1) AT PLAINFIELD (3-0)

PIKE (0-3) AT SOUTHPORT (0-3)

PIKE CENTRAL (0-3) AT NORTH DAVIESS (3-0)

PORTAGE (0-3) AT MERRILLVILLE (1-2)

PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-3) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (0-3)

PRINCETON (2-1) AT WASHINGTON (1-2)

PROVIDENCE (2-1) AT CLARKSVILLE (2-1)

PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (3-0) AT NOBLESVILLE HOMESCHOOL

RENSSELAER CENTRAL (3-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (0-3)

RICHMOND (1-2) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (2-1)

RUSHVILLE (0-3) AT BATESVILLE (2-1)

SALEM (1-2) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (3-0)

SCOTTSBURG (3-0) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (1-2)

SEEGER (3-0) AT RIVERTON PARKE (3-0)

SEYMOUR (0-3) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (2-1)

SHELBYVILLE (2-1) AT NEW CASTLE (1-2)

SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-2) AT NEW PRAIRIE (0-3)

SOUTH BEND RILEY (2-1) AT ELKHART (2-1)

SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-3) AT TRITON (2-1)

SOUTH DECATUR (1-2) AT CRAWFORD COUNTY (2-1)

SOUTH PUTNAM (2-1) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (1-2)

SOUTH SPENCER (0-3) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (2-1)

SOUTHRIDGE (1-2) AT HERITAGE HILLS (3-0)

SOUTHSIDE HOMESCHOOL AT EDINBURGH (0-3)

SPRINGS VALLEY (3-0) AT WEST WASHINGTON (2-1)

SWITZERLAND COUNTY (3-0) AT MILAN (1-2)

TAYLOR (2-1) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (3-0)

TECUMSEH (1-2) AT FOREST PARK (1-2)

TELL CITY (3-0) AT NORTH POSEY (2-1)

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (2-1) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-3)

TIPTON (2-1) AT WESTERN (2-1)

TRI-COUNTY (0-3) AT NORTH WHITE (0-3)

TRI-WEST (2-1) AT SPEEDWAY (0-3)

UNION CITY (0-3) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (2-1)

WABASH (0-3) AT ROCHESTER (2-1)

WARREN CENTRAL (2-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-1)

WAWASEE (1-2) AT WARSAW (2-1)

WES-DEL (1-1) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-2)

WEST CENTRAL (3-0) AT LAKE STATION (3-0)

WEST VIGO (0-3) AT NORTHVIEW (3-0)

WHEELER (3-0) AT HAMMOND NOLL (1-2)

WHITELAND (1-2) AT FRANKLIN (2-1)

WHITKO (1-2) AT MACONAQUAH (3-0)

WINAMAC (0-3) AT CULVER (1-2)

YORKTOWN (2-1) AT DELTA (1-2)

ZIONSVILLE (1-2) AT FRANKLIN CENTRAL (2-1)

SAGARIN RATINGS: https://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/classrate.htm#load

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACHES POLLS

CLASS 6A

1.           BROWNSBURG (10)                3-0        100

2.           CENTER GROVE                         3-0        87

3.           CARMEL                                         3-0        81

4.           CROWN POINT                          3-0        63

5.           HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 3-0 60

6.           WESTFIELD                                  2-1        37

7.           COLUMBUS NORTH                3-0        26

8.           LAWRENCE NORTH                2-1        22

              WARREN CENTRAL                  2-1        22

10.        PENN                                               3-0        21

11.        AVON                                               2-1        12

              FISHERS                                         2-1        12

13.        DECATUR CENTRAL                1-2        4

14.        ELKHART                                        2-1        3

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CLASS 5A

1.           NEW PALESTINE (9)                3-0        99

2.           BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (1) 3-0        87

3.           INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL 1-2     75

4.           PLAINFIELD                                 3-0        61

5.           EAST CENTRAL                           2-1        56

6.           LAFAYETTE JEFF                        2-1        45

7.           MERRILLVILLE                            1-2        44

8.           WARSAW                                       2-1        31

9.           CONCORD                                   2-1        30

10.        CASTLE                                           2-1        9

11.        WHITELAND                                1-2        4

12.        FLOYD CENTRAL                       2-1        3

MICHIGAN CITY                                       2-1        3

14.        VALPARAISO                                1-2        2

15.        BLOOMINGTON NORTH       1-2        1

_____

CLASS 4A

1.           INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (8) 3-0   98

2.           HERITAGE HILLS (2)                3-0        91

3.           EAST NOBLE                                3-0        78

4.           LEO                                                   3-0        63

5.           MISHAWAKA                               2-1        57

6.           COLUMBIA CITY                        3-0        49

7.           PENDLETON HEIGHTS          3-0        28

8.           FORT WAYNE DWENGER     2-1        24

9.           EVANSVILLE REITZ                  2-1        22

10.        HOBART                                         3-0        13

11.        INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI  1-2        11

12.        BEECH GROVE                           3-0        10

13.        GREENFIELD-CENTRAL         2-1        5

14.        NORTHVIEW                                3-0        1

_____

CLASS 3A

1.           EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (10)            3-0        100

2.           GIBSON SOUTHERN                              2-1        81

3.           CASCADE                                                     3-0        73

4.           EVANSVILLE MATER DEI                      2-1        57

5.           LAWRENCEBURG                                    2-1        51

6.           MISSISSINEWA                                         3-0        48

7.           KNOX                                                              3-0        47

8.           MACONAQUAH                                        3-0        34

9.           GUERIN CATHOLIC                                2-1        17

10.        TRI-WEST                                                     2-1        14

11.        FORT WAYNE LUERS                             0-3        8

               SCOTTSBURG                                            3-0        8

13.        INDIAN CREEK                                          3-0        5

14.        WEST NOBLE                                              2-1        4

15.        FRANKLIN COUNTY                               3-0        3

_____

CLASS 2A

1.           ADAMS CENTRAL (7)                             3-0        97

2.           BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (1)           3-0        88

3.           ANDREAN (2)                                              2-1        71

4.           LAPEL                                                             3-0        67

5.           EASTBROOK                                               3-0        53

6.           INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN                2-1        44

7.           LINTON                                                          1-2        37

8.           BLUFFTON                                                   3-0        35

9.           TRITON CENTRAL                                    3-0        34

10.        EASTERN (GREENTOWN)                    3-0        11

11.        EASTSIDE                                                     2-1        7

12.        WHEELER                                                     3-0        5

13.        ALEXANDRIA                                              3-0        1

_____

CLASS 1A

1.           NORTH DECATUR (6)                             3-0        94

2.           PROVIDENCE (1)                                      2-1        84

3.           SOUTH PUTNAM (3)                               2-1        79

4.           NORTH JUDSON                                       2-1        69

5.           SPRINGS VALLEY                                     3-0        61

6.           MADISON-GRANT                                   3-0        50

7.           NORTH MIAMI                                            3-0        46

8.           CARROLL (FLORA)                                  2-1        26

9.           FRONTIER                                                    3-0        15

10.        PIONEER                                                       2-1        10

11.        RIVERTON PARKE                                    3-0        8

12.        MILAN                                                             1-2        6

13.        NORTH DAVIESS                                      3-0        1

               SOUTH ADAMS                                         1-2        1

USA TODAY NETWORK INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL

CLASS 6A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	BROWNSBURG (19)	3-0	199	1
2.	CENTER GROVE	3-0	172	2
3.	CARMEL	3-0	160	3
4.	CROWN POINT (1)	3-0	136	4
5.	HAMILTON SE	3-0	122	5
6.	WESTFIELD	2-1	81	7
7.	COLUMBUS NORTH	3-0	62	8
8.	PENN	3-0	48	9
9.	AVON	2-1	47	6
10.	LAWRENCE NORTH	2-1	36	10

DROPPED OUT: NONE

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: FISHERS 22. WARREN CENTRAL 11. FORT WAYNE NORTHROP 2.

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CLASS 5A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	NEW PALESTINE (20)	3-0	200	1
2.	BLOOMINGTON SOUTH	3-0	173	2
3.	PLAINFIELD	3-0	144	7
4.	CATHEDRAL	1-2	111	4
5.	LAFAYETTE JEFF	2-1	95	8
6.	EAST CENTRAL	2-1	91	3
7.	MERRILLVILLE	1-2	90	5
8.	WARSAW	2-1	86	9
9.	CONCORD	2-1	55	6
10.	CASTLE	2-1	18	NR

DROPPED OUT: FORT WAYNE NORTH (10)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: FLOYD CENTRAL 14. FORT WAYNE NORTH 7. EVANSVILLE NORTH 4. FRANKLIN 4. TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 4. MICHIGAN CITY 3. WHITELAND 2. VALPARAISO 1.

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CLASS 4A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	BISHOP CHATARD (17)	3-0	195	1
2.	HERITAGE HILLS (3)	3-0	180	2
3.	EAST NOBLE	3-0	160	3
4.	MISHAWAKA	2-1	127	5
5.	LEO	3-0	109	6
6.	COLUMBIA CITY	3-0	88	8
7. (TIE)	EVANSVILLE REITZ	2-1	50	4
7. (TIE)	PENDLETON HEIGHTS	3-0	50	10
9.	FW BISHOP DWENGER	2-1	43	9
10.	RONCALLI	1-2	28	7

DROPPED OUT: NONE

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: JASPER 21. BEECH GROVE 19. NORTHVIEW 15. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 10. NORTHWOOD 4. LOGANSPORT 2.

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CLASS 3A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (19)	3-0	198	1
2.	MISSISSINEWA	3-0	158	2
3.	CASCADE	3-0	147	3
4.	GIBSON SOUTHERN	2-1	137	4
5.	MACONAQUAH	3-0	111	5
6.	KNOX (1)	3-0	106	6
7.	EVANSVILLE MATER DEI	2-1	85	8
8.	LAWRENCEBURG	2-1	56	9
9.	TRI-WEST	2-1	34	7
10.	INDIAN CREEK	3-0	33	NR

DROPPED OUT: WEST NOBLE (10)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: FRANKLIN COUNTY 13. GUERIN CATHOLIC 5. WESTERN 5. WEST NOBLE 4. EDGEWOOD 3. HERITAGE 3. TWIN LAKES 2.

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CLASS 2A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	ADAMS CENTRAL (19)	3-0	199	1
2.	BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL	3-0	169	3
3.	LAPEL	3-0	147	4
4.	TRITON CENTRAL	3-0	117	7
5.	ANDREAN	2-1	108	5
6.	LUTHERAN	2-1	79	2
7.	EASTBROOK	3-0	73	8
8.	EASTERN (GREENTOWN)	3-0	49	10 (TIE)
9.	BLUFFTON	3-0	37	10 (TIE)
10.	LINTON-STOCKTON	1-2	36	6

DROPPED OUT: HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (9)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: ALEXANDRIA 21. SEEGER 15. CENTERVILLE 12. HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 9. NORTHEASTERN 9. WHEELER 5. RENSSELAER CENTRAL 4. EASTSIDE 1.

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CLASS A FOOTBALL TOP 10

RANKING	TEAM	RECORD	VOTES	PREV. RANKING
1.	PROVIDENCE (12)	2-1	171	2
2.	NORTH DECATUR (4)	3-0	168	3
3.	MADISON-GRANT (2)	3-0	149	4
4.	SPRINGS VALLEY (1)	3-0	131	5
5.	SOUTH PUTNAM	2-1	120	1
6.	NORTH MIAMI	3-0	105	6
7.	NORTH JUDSON	2-1	72	7
8.	CARROLL (FLORA)	2-1	57	8
9.	FRONTIER (1)	3-0	37	NR
10.	RIVERTON PARKE	3-0	30	NR

DROPPED OUT: MILAN (9), SOUTH ADAMS (10)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: MILAN 23. PIONEER 13. SOUTH ADAMS 11. LAVILLE 8. COVINGTON 2. NORTH DAVIESS 2. TAYLOR 1.

WEEK 4:

BATTLE OF THE UNBEATENS THIS WEEK: JOHN HARRELL POINT SPREAD

ALEXANDRIA AT EASTBROOK (EASTBROOK BY 3)

BEECH GROVE AT INDIAN CREEK (BEECH GROVE BY 1)

SEEGER AT RIVERTON PARKE (RIVERTON PARKE BY 7)

WEST CENTRAL AT LAKE STATION (WEST CENTRAL BY 21)

BATTLE OF THE WINLESS: JOHN HARRELL POINT SPREAD

BELLMONT AT NORWELL (NORWELL BY 21)

EASTERN PEKIN AT SILVER CREEK (SILVER CREEK BY 25)

EASTERN GREENE AT MITCHELL (EASTERN GREENE BY 4)

FT. WAYNE LUERS AT FT. WAYNE SOUTH (LUERS BY 10)

SHORTRIDGE AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (HAMMOND BY 3)

NORTHFIELD AT CONCORD (CONCORD BY 18)

PIKE AT SOUTHPORT (PIKE BY 31)

TRI-COUNTY AT NORTH WHITE (TRI-COUNTY BY 1)

UNBEATEN VS. WINLESS (JOHN HARRELL POINT SPREAD)

BENTON CENTRAL 0-3 AT LOGANSPORT 3-0 (LOGANSPORT BY 42)

COLUMBIA CITY 3-0 AT HUNTINGTON NORTH 0-3 (COLUMBIA CITY BY 14)

FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 0-3 AT COVINGTON 3-0 (COVINGTON BY 7)

FRANKFORT 0-3 AT SOUTHMONT 3-0 (SOUTHMONT BY 35)

FRANKTON 0-3 AT MISSISSINEWA 3-0 (MISSISSINEWA BY 42)

HOBART 3-0 AT KANKAKEE VALLEY 0-3 (HOBART BY 21)

MT. VERNON AT NEW PALESTINE (NEW PAL BY 31)

NEW HAVEN 0-3 AT LEO 3-0 (LEO BY 31)

NORTH MONTGOMERY 0-3 AT CASCADE 3-0 (CASCADE BY 45)

NORTHEASTERN 3-0 AT CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 0-3 (NORTHEASTERN BY 56)

PIKE CENTRAL 0-3 AT NORTH DAVIESS 3-0 (NORTH DAVIEES 35)

RENSSELAER CENTRAL 3-0 AT WEST LAFAYETTE 0-3 (WEST LAFAYETTE BY 10)

WEST VIGO 0-3 AT NORTHVIEW 3-0 (NORTHVIEW BY 45)

CLOSET PREDICTIONS BY JOHN HARRELL (1-3 POINT SPREAD)

ALEXANDRIA OVER EASTBROOK BY 3

BEECH GROVE BY 1 OVER INDIAN CREEK

BLACKFORD BY 3 OVER ELWOOD

GUERIN CATHOLIC BY 3 OVER BREBEUF

HAMILTON SE OVER FISHERS BY 1

HERITAGE OVER SOUTH ADAMS BY 3

CATHEDRAL OVER BISHOP CHATARD BY 3

HAMMOND CENTRAL BY 3 OVER SHORTRIDGE

LEWIS CASS OVER MANCHESTER BY 3

MISHAWAKA OVER NORTHWOOD BY 3

CLOVERDALE BY 3 OVER NORTH CENTRAL FARMERSBURG

NORTHFIELD OVER SOUTHWOOD BY 1

NORTHWESTERN BY 1 OVER PERU

WESTERN OVER TIPTON BY 1

BIGGEST BLOWOUTS EXPECTED-JOHN HARRELL POINT SPREAD

LOGANSPORT OVER BENTON CENTRAL 42-0

FRONTIER OVER FAITH CHRISTIAN 63-10

MISSISSINEWA OVER FRANKTON 45-3

NORTH DECATUR OVER BROWN COUNTY 59-10

NORTHEASTERN OVER CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 66-10

PROVIDENCE OVER CLARKSVILLE 56-10

NORTHVIEW OVER WEST VIGO 52-7

WHEELER OVER HAMMOND NOLL 45-3

_____

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=9/8/2025

_____

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL MAXPREPS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

1. WESTFIELD
2. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
3. CROWN POINT
4. CATHEDRAL
5. FW CARROLL
6. RONCALLI
7. MT. VERNON
8. CHESTERTON
9. WARSAW
10. NOBLESVILLE
11. EVANSVILLE NORTH
12. HARRISON
13. ZIONSVILLE
14. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL
15. WEST NOBLE
16. GUERIN CATHOLIC
17. FISHERS
18. YORKTOWN
19. TRI-WEST
20. PENN
21. BROWNSBURG
22. FLOYD CENTRAL
23. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
24. PLAINFIELD
25. MCCUTCHEON

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=9/8/2025

INDIANA BOYS SOCCER POLLS

3A ISCA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLL (9/8/25) 

1. WL HARRISON
2. CARMEL
3. BROWNSBURG
4. FISHERS
5. CONCORD
6. NOBLESVILLE
7. GOSHEN
8. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
9. FW CARROLL
10. EV. MEMORIAL
11. HAMILTON SE
12. CASTLE
13. PENN
14. LAKE CENTRAL
15. VALPARAISO
16. CATHEDRAL
17. NORTH CENTRAL
18. COLUMBUS NORTH
19. CENTER GROVE
20. WARSAW

2A ISCA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLL (9/8/25) 

1. BISHOP NOLL
2. PARK TUDOR
3. GUERIN CATHOLIC
4. BISHOP LUERS
5. ILLIANA CHRISTIAN
6. BISHOP CHATARD
7. CONCORDIA LUTHERAN
8. HERITAGE HILLS
9. HANOVER CENTRAL
10. BISHOP DWENGER
11. LEO
12. SPEEDWAY 
13. CARDINAL RITTER
14. WASHINGTON COMMUNITY
15. CHARLESTOWN
16. BETHANY CHRISTIAN
17. HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (INDPLS)
18. CULVER ACADEMIES
19. GREENCASTLE
20. EASTBROOK

1A ISCA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLL (9/8/25)  

1. COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS)
2. FAITH CHRISTIAN
3. BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN
4. GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN
5. WESTVIEW
6. FOREST PARK
7. PROVIDENCE
8. MUNCIE BURRIS
9. WHITE RIVER VALLEY
10. OLDENBURG ACADEMY
11. SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBY)
12. SHAWE MEMORIAL
13. NORTHEAST DUBOIS
14. LUTHERAN (INDPLS) 
15. SCECINA
16. TELL CITY
17. ARGOS
18. SOUTH KNOX
19. WHEELER
20. ANDREAN

_____

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=9/8/2025

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER POLLS

3A ISCA GIRLS POLL

1.        HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

2.        CATHEDRAL

3.        CARMEL

4.        HOMESTEAD

5.        CENTER GROVE

6.        WESTFIELD

7.        CROWN POINT

8.        ZIONSVILLE

9.        FW CARROLL

10.      PENN

11.      BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

12.      CASTLE

13.      EAST CENTRAL

14.      EVANSVILLE NORTH

15.      EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL

16.      LAKE CENTRAL

17.      CHESTERTON

18.      HARRISON

19.      NOBLESVILLE

20.      LAWRENCE NORTH/COLUMBUS NORTH

2A ISCA GIRLS POLL 

1.        MISHAWAKA MARIAN

2.        BISHOP DWENGER

3.        SB SAINT JOSEPH

4.        EVANSVILLE MATER DEI

5.        HANOVER CENTRAL

6.        CHATARD

7.        BELLMONT

8.        PARK TUDOR

9.        RONCALLI

10.      LAWRENCEBURG

11.      BREBEUF JESUIT

12.      GUERIN CATHOLIC

13.      HERITAGE HILLS

14.      WEST LAFAYETTE

15.      WASHINGTON

16.      MADISON

17.      BATESVILLE

18.      CONCORDIA LUTHERAN

19.      TRIWEST

20.      HIGHLAND

1A ISCA GIRLS POLL 

1.        OLDENBURG

2.        HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

3.        FAITH CHRISTIAN

4.        PROVIDENCE

5.        ELKHART CHRISTIAN

6.        FOREST PARK

7.        SWITZERLAND CO.

8.        FW BLACKHAWK

9.        EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN

10.      TRINITY GREENLAWN

11.      SHERIDAN

12.      BREMEN

13.      COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDY)

14.      PIKE CENTRAL

15.      LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC

16.      LAPEL

17.      WHEELER

18.      VINCENNES RIVET

19.      CULVER COMMUNITY

20.      SOUTHMONT

_____

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF

RICHMOND 183 WINCHESTER 251

NEW PALESTINE 165 FISHERS 188

DEKALB 163 HUNTINGTON NORTH 203

BATESVILLE 161 JAC CEN DEL 236 SOUTH RIPLEY 239 MILAN 255

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF POLL

1. ZIONSVILLE
2. CARMEL
3. WESTFIELD
4. NOBLESVILLE
5. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
6. FRANKLIN
7. CENTER GROVE
8. BATESVILLE
9. PENN
10. SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH
11. BROWNSBURG
12. FLOYD CENTRAL
13. FW CARROLL
14. NORTHRIDGE
15. LAPEL
16. DEKALB
17. WARSAW
18. CASTLE/HOMESTEAD/LAKE CENTRAL

_____

INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY

RESULTS: NO RACES SCHEDULED

INDIANA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY POLL

1. COLUMBUS NORTH
2. NOBLESVILLE
3. BLOOMINGTON NORTH
4. CARMEL
5. BROWNSBURG
6. HOMESTEAD
7. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
8. NORTHRIDGE
9. FISHERS
10. FRANKLIN CENTRAL
11. CENTER GROVE
12. AVON
13. LAWRENCE NORTH
14. NORTH CENTRAL
15. ZIONSVILLE
16. YORKTOWN
17. BEN DAVIS
18. FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA
19. WESTFIELD
20. PENN
21. FLOYD CENTRAL
22. FORT WAYNE CARROLL
23. HARRISON
24. CROWN POINT
25. CONCORD

INDIANA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY POLL

1. CARMEL
2. FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA
3. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
4. HOMESTEAD
5. ZIONSVILLE
6. LAKE CENTRAL
7. PENN
8. CHATARD
9. WESTFIELD
10. FISHERS
11. FRANKLIN CENTRAL
12. NORTH CENTRAL
13. NOBLESVILLE
14. COLUMBUS NORTH
15. HARRISON
16. FLOYD CENTRAL
17. GUERIN CATHOLIC
18. HAMMILTON HEIGHTS
19. VALPARAISO
20. BREUBUF
21. FORT WAYNE CARROLL
22. AVON
23. WARSAW
24. MORGAN TOWNSHIP
25. COLUMBIA CITY

_____

INDIANA BOYS TENNIS

NO SCORES REPORTED

_____

INDIANA UNITED FLAG FOOTBALL

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

_____

WNBA SCORES

ATLANTA 87 CONNECTICUT 62

_____

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CLEVELAND 10 KANSAS CITY 2

WASHINGTON 15 MIAMI 7

PHILADELPHIA 1 NY METS 0

ATLANTA 4 CHICAGO CUBS 1

TEXAS 5 MILWAUKEE 0

MINNESOTA 12 LA ANGELS 3

SAN DIEGO 4 CINCINNATI 3 (10)

SEATTLE 4 ST. LOUIS 2

SAN FRANCISCO 11 ARIZONA 5

BOSTON 7 LAS VEGAS 0

LA DODGERS 3 COLORADO 1

_____

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

_____

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 3 TV SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 11

7:30 P.M. | NC STATE AT WAKE FOREST |  ESPN

FRIDAY, SEPT. 12

6:30 P.M. | INDIANA STATE AT NO. 22 INDIANA | BIG TEN NETWORK

7 P.M. | COLGATE AT SYRACUSE | ACC NETWORK

7:30 P.M. | COLORADO AT HOUSTON | ESPN

9 P.M. | KANSAS STATE AT ARIZONA | FOX

10 P.M. | NEW MEXICO AT UCLA | BIG TEN NETWORK

SATURDAY, SEPT. 13

12 P.M. | NO. 4 OREGON AT NORTHWESTERN | FOX

12 P.M. | NO. 12 CLEMSON AT GEORGIA TECH

12 P.M. | CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT NO. 23 MICHIGAN | BIG TEN NETWORK

12 P.M. | NO. 13 OKLAHOMA AT TEMPLE | ESPN2

12 P.M. | WISCONSIN AT NO. 19 ALABAMA

12 P.M. | LEHIGH AT DUQUESNE | ESPN+

12 P.M. | HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT NEBRASKA | FS1

12 P.M. | TOWSON AT MARYLAND | PEACOCK

12 P.M. | WILLIAM & MARY AT VIRGINIA | ACC NETWORK

12 P.M. | SAMFORD AT BAYLOR | ESPN+

12 P.M. | MEMPHIS AT TROY | ESPNU

12 P.M. | BUFFALO AT KENT STATE | CBSSN

12:45 P.M. | SOUTH ALABAMA AT NO. 24 AUBURN | SEC NETWORK

1 P.M. | DAVIDSON AT TENNESSEE TECH | ESPN+

1 P.M. | LAFAYETTE AT GEORGETOWN | ESPN+

2 P.M. | NEW HAMPSHIRE AT BALL STATE | ESPN+

2 P.M. | NORTHERN COLORADO AT SOUTH DAKOTA | ESPN+

2 P.M. | RHODE ISLAND AT HOLY CROSS | ESPN+

2:30 P.M. | ELON AT WESTERN CAROLINA | ESPN+

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

3 P.M. | NORTH DAKOTA AT MONTANA | ESPN+

3 P.M. | SAN DIEGO AT MONTANA STATE | ESPN+

3 P.M. | ILLINOIS STATE AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+

3 P.M. | BOWIE STATE AT DELAWARE STATE | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | VILLANOVA AT NO. 2 PENN STATE | FS1

3:30 P.M. | NO. 6 GEORGIA AT NO. 15 TENNESSEE | ABC

3:30 P.M. | SMU AT MISSOURI STATE | CBSSN

3:30 P.M. | OREGON STATE AT NO. 21 TEXAS TECH | FOX

3:30 P.M. | USC AT PURDUE | CBS/PARAMOUNT+

3:30 P.M. | NORFOLK STATE AT RUTGERS | BIG TEN NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE | BIG TEN NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | WASHINGTON STATE AT NORTH TEXAS | ESPNU

3:30 P.M. | PITT AT WEST VIRGINIA | ESPN

3:30 P.M. | RICHMOND AT NORTH CAROLINA | ACC NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | NORTHWESTERN STATE AT CINCINNATI | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | UIW AT UTSA | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | MORGAN STATE AT TOLEDO | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | VMI AT BUCKNELL | ESPN+

4 P.M. | NO. 14 IOWA STATE AT ARKANSAS STATE | ESPN2

4 P.M. | LOUISIANA AT NO. 25 MISSOURI | ESPN+/SECN+

4 P.M. | UTAH TECH AT IDAHO | ESPN+

4 P.M. | LINDENWOOD AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | ESPN+

4:15 P.M. | UTEP AT NO. 7 TEXAS | SEC NETWORK

4:30 P.M. | NO. 18 SOUTH FLORIDA AT NO. 5 MIAMI (FLA.) | THE CW NETWORK

4:30 P.M. | ALABAMA A&M AT TENNESSEE STATE | ESPN+

5 P.M. | LIBERTY AT BOWLING GREEN | ESPN+

5 P.M. | MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT NEVADA | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK

5 P.M. | EASTERN WASHINGTON AT UNI | ESPN+

6 P.M. | ALCORN STATE AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | ESPN+/SECN+

6 P.M. | FAU AT FIU | ESPN+

6 P.M. | MERRIMACK AT KENNESAW STATE | ESPN+

6 P.M. | EASTERN KENTUCKY AT MARSHALL | ESPN+

6 P.M. | MONMOUTH AT CHARLOTTE | ESPN+

6 P.M. | EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT WEST GEORGIA | ESPN+

6 P.M. | BETHUNE-COOKMAN AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | ESPN+

6 P.M. | FAYETTEVILLE STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | ESPN+

6 P.M. | STETSON AT CHATTANOOGA | ESPN+

6 P.M. | WOFFORD AT MERCER | ESPN+

6 P.M. | WEST LIBERTY AT ROBERT MORRIS | ESPN+

6 P.M. | ARKANSAS AT NO. 17 OLE MISS | ESPN

7 P.M. | OHIO AT NO. 1 OHIO STATE | PEACOCK

7 P.M. | WESTERN MICHIGAN AT NO. 9 ILLINOIS | FS1

7 P.M. | OLD DOMINION AT VIRGINIA TECH | ACC NETWORK

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

7 P.M. | MURRAY STATE AT GEORGIA STATE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | APPALACHIAN STATE AT SOUTHERN MISS | ESPN+

7 P.M. | PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT RICE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | WEBER STATE AT MCNEESE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | THE CITADEL AT GARDNER-WEBB | ESPN+

7 P.M. | SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT UT MARTIN | ESPN+

7 P.M. | VALPARAISO AT WESTERN ILLINOIS | ESPN+

7 P.M. | MOREHEAD STATE AT AUSTIN PEAY | ESPN+

7 P.M. | NORTHEASTERN STATE AT NORTH ALABAMA | ESPN+

7 P.M. | MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE AT SE LOUISIANA | ESPN+

7 P.M. | DRAKE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | ESPN+

7 P.M. | ERSKINE AT PRESBYTERIAN | ESPN+

7 P.M. | SOUTHERN AT FRESNO STATE | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK

7:30 P.M. | FLORIDA AT NO. 3 LSU | ABC

7:30 P.M. | NO. 16 TEXAS A&M AT NO. 8 NOTRE DAME | NBC/PEACOCK

7:30 P.M. | EASTERN MICHIGAN AT KENTUCKY | ESPNU

7:30 P.M. | UMASS AT IOWA | BIG TEN NETWORK

7:30 P.M. | NEW MEXICO STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH | ESPN+

7:30 P.M. | EAST CAROLINA AT COASTAL CAROLINA | ESPN+

7:45 P.M. | VANDERBILT AT NO. 11 SOUTH CAROLINA | SEC NETWORK

8 P.M. | NO. 20 UTAH AT WYOMING | CBSSN

8 P.M. | DUKE AT TULANE | ESPN2

8 P.M. | ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT TCU | ESPN+

8 P.M. | NAVY AT TULSA | ESPN+

8 P.M. | WESTERN OREGON AT CAL POLY | ESPN+

8 P.M. | SUL ROSS STATE AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | ESPN+

8 P.M. | LANGSTON AT UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY | ESPN+

8:30 P.M. | AKRON AT UAB | ESPN+

8:30 P.M. | NORTHERN ARIZONA AT SOUTHERN UTAH | ESPN+

9:45 P.M. | AIR FORCE AT UTAH STATE | FS1

10:30 P.M. | TEXAS STATE AT ARIZONA STATE | TNT/TRUTV/HBO MAX

10:30 P.M. | MINNESOTA AT CAL | ESPN

10:30 P.M. | BOSTON COLLEGE AT STANFORD | ACC NETWORK

11:59 P.M. | PORTLAND STATE AT HAWAI’I | SPECTRUM SPORT

_____

NFL WEEK ONE

MONDAY, SEPT. 8

MINNESOTA 27 CHICAGO 24

NFL WEEK 2

THURSDAY, SEPT. 11

WASHINGTON AT GREEN BAY, 8:15 P.M. (PRIME VIDEO)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 14

JACKSONVILLE AT CINCINNATI, 1 P.M. (CBS)

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

NEW ENGLAND AT MIAMI, 1 P.M. (CBS)

LA RAMS AT TENNESSEE CLEVELAND AT BALTIMORE, 1 P.M. (CBS)

SAN FRANCISCO AT NEW ORLEANS, 1 P.M. (FOX)

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

SEATTLE AT PITTSBURGH, 1 P.M. (FOX)

CHICAGO AT DETROIT, 1 P.M. (FOX)

DENVER AT INDIANAPOLIS, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)

CAROLINA AT ARIZONA, 4:05 P.M. (CBS)

PHILADELPHIA AT KANSAS CITY, 4:25 P.M. (FOX)

ATLANTA AT MINNESOTA, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)

MONDAY, SEPT. 15

TAMPA BAY AT HOUSTON, 7 P.M. (ESPN/ABC)

LA CHARGERS AT LAS VEGAS, 10 P.M. (ESPN)

_____

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

_____

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

NFL NEWS

J.J. MCCARTHY RECOVERS FROM PICK-6, RALLIES VIKINGS TO WIN OVER BEARS

Chicago kid J.J. McCarthy made his first NFL start a memorable one, rallying the visiting Minnesota Vikings to a 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night.

McCarthy made the decisive play with his legs on third-and-1 from the Chicago 14 with the clock ticking under three minutes. From the shotgun, he faked a handoff to running back Jordan Mason and sprinted right, racing to the front corner of the end zone behind a bullying block from tight end T.J. Hockenson to give the Vikings a 27-17 lead with 2:53 remaining.

Minnesota scored 21 unanswered points with touchdowns on three consecutive drives in the fourth quarter to erase a two-score deficit.

However, after going up 10, the Vikings allowed the Bears to reach the end zone in just 57 seconds to keep hope alive.

The Vikings’ defense played a key role turning the game with third-down stops on six consecutive drives in response to the Bears jumping ahead 17-6, then propped the door open for Chicago when linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was flagged for roughing Bears quarterback Caleb Williams with 2:12 to go.

On the ensuing play, Williams scrambled up the middle away from pressure and sprinted to his right for 14 yards, but he was ruled out of bounds a foot shy of the goal line. Williams connected with Rome Odunze on an in-cutting slant from the left of the formation for a 1-yard touchdown, making it a 27-24 game.

McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. A first-round pick in 2024, he missed last season recovering from knee surgery.

Williams, selected with the top pick nine slots before Minnesota chose McCarthy last year, was 21 of 35 for 210 yards and a TD. He led the team with 58 rushing yards and a touchdown.

McCarthy’s second touchdown pass of the game came one snap after a pass-interference penalty, Chicago’s 11th infraction in the game, saved the Vikings from a field-goal try. He found running back Aaron Jones down the right sideline for a 27-yard score and added the two-point pass to Adam Thielen with a quick out for a 20-17 advantage with 9:46 to go in the game.

Chicago had momentum and a 17-6 lead early in the third quarter thanks to Nahshon Wright’s pick-6. The cornerback jumped McCarthy’s pass to his left intended for Justin Jefferson and sprinted 74 yards for a touchdown and an 11-point advantage.

Right as the wheels appeared ready to wobble off for the Vikings, McCarthy pulled Minnesota within a score.

He zipped a 13-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Jefferson, who had a team-high four receptions for 44 yards. The Vikings’ two-point try failed to keep the score 17-12 early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota sacked Williams for the first time in the game on Chicago’s first-down snap and forced a punt to get the ball right back.

Williams scored the first touchdown of the game on the Bears’ opening drive, punching it in on a busted third-and-6 play from the Vikings 9, reaching the end zone to stake Chicago to a 7-0 lead. Minnesota answered with a pair of Will Reichard field goals (31, 59 yards) sandwiched around Cairo Santos’ 42-yarder, all in the second quarter.

4 PLAYOFF TEAMS, INCLUDING BOTH NO. 1 SEEDS, HAD DISAPPOINTING OPENERS IN THE NFL’S FIRST WEEK

The NFL’s two No. 1 seeds last season are off to 0-1 starts, and the Baltimore Ravens blew a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead.

Let the overreactions begin.

The Detroit Lions were no contest for Jordan Love, Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

They joined the Kansas City Chiefs, who opened with a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil on Friday night.

The Ravens became the fourth 2024 division winner to lose in Week 1 when Josh Allen rallied the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory.

The Houston Texans were the other, falling to the Los Angeles Rams 14-9.

Jared Goff and Detroit’s dynamic offense sputtered in the first game since offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left for Chicago. The Lions didn’t score a touchdown until the final minute in a 27-13 loss at Green Bay.

After winning a franchise-record 15 games last season, the Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington. They lost Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who went to the New York Jets.

Expectations were still high for Detroit despite losing both assistants and center Frank Ragnow to retirement. With star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson coming back to boost the defense, the Lions were focused on unfinished business.

A lopsided loss in Green Bay doesn’t signal their two-year reign atop the tough NFC North is over.

It’s one game. Of course, the Packers proved they’re a real contender.

“I thought we’d be much cleaner than we were, and it wasn’t as clean,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “But there again, you’re talking about a few plays that were critical. But like I told the team, these are all so correctable. Everything that showed up is so correctable, and we will, we’ll hit it head on. Our players are accountable man; they’re ready. And nobody takes it worse than they do, so that’s the good news. We got the right dudes.”

The Chiefs, who also went 15-2 last season and were denied a three-peat by the Philadelphia Eagles, lost 27-21 to the Chargers.

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid’s Chiefs are staring at the possibility of their first 0-2 start since 2014 with the Eagles coming to Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch.

But it’s way too early to claim the Chiefs’ run of dominance — they’ve won nine straight AFC West titles — has ended. It may be near but it’s not here after just one game 3,500 miles away.

Until another team proves they can defeat Mahomes in January, the Chiefs are still the team to beat in the AFC.

Also, two of the three teams — Ravens and Texans — considered to be their biggest threats in the conference also lost.

Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens looked unstoppable against Buffalo for 3 1/2 quarters. Then Henry fumbled, opening the door for Allen to pull off a stunning comeback capped by Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal as time expired.

It’s a huge win for the Bills, who’ve lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs four times in five years. They’re the class of the AFC East, but another division title isn’t the goal. Buffalo won’t be satisfied with anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl.

Same goes for Baltimore.

The Ravens have fallen short in the playoffs six times with Jackson.

“We all hate losing,” said Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP. “Probably let it linger for a night then we have to forget about it and get ready for the Browns, a division rival.”

The loss to the Bills could have home-field advantage implications down the road but Baltimore knows it’s just one game.

The Ravens started 0-2 last season and ended up winning the AFC North.

Houston faced a team that nearly knocked off Philadelphia in the playoffs last season. C.J. Stroud had a tough time against a formidable defense. He was sacked three times and threw an interception.

The Texans, who’ve won the AFC South two straight seasons, overcame an 0-2 start in 2023. They’ll have a difficult task trying to avoid that when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit next Monday night.

“I think it’s good, it’s early, there’s a bunch of upside I think we could possibly have,” Stroud said. “I always try to think positively and give ourselves a little grace, but also there’s an urgency and there’s some things we need to fix so I know conversations will be hard. We’ll be hard on each other, but I think it’s a good thing. It’s what friction is. I think that’s love. So I want to see all my teammates do well. I think when there’s friction in that, I think sometimes is a good thing in a positive way.”

The Texans, Bills, Lions, Chiefs and the rest of the teams have 16 more games to figure it out. The Super Bowl wasn’t won or lost in Week 1.

RAVENS’ LATE-GAME COLLAPSE AGAINST BILLS RAISES MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO FINISH

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens went back to the site of their most recent playoff agony — and once again showed why their seasons keep ending that way.

Lamar Jackson flirted with a perfect passer rating and Derrick Henry ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns, but the Ravens are past the point where any of that matters. Yes, they moved the ball at will at times, rushing for 238 yards on the road against a Buffalo team that was in the AFC title game last year — but a late fumble by Henry undid much of his good work, and isn’t that always the story for this Baltimore team? Excellence, sabotaged just enough to result in defeat.

Bills 41, Ravens 40. After Baltimore had been up 40-25 — with possession of the ball and under eight minutes remaining.

The collapse began when Buffalo’s Josh Allen completed a fourth-down pass that deflected off a Bills player before being caught by Keon Coleman in the end zone. That was bad luck for the Ravens.

The rest of it, less so.

Up by eight, Jackson quickly ran for 13 yards and an easy first down. He’d already had an even more spectacular run earlier in the fourth quarter, backtracking some 20 yards to escape a pass rush before turning upfield for a 19-yard gain. Unless the Bills could figure out an answer for him, the game was as good as over.

Except he stopped running the ball.

Instead, Henry got a carry and did the one thing he couldn’t afford to, fumbling to give Buffalo the ball at the Baltimore 30. Even after the Bills scored another touchdown, a missed 2-point conversion left the Ravens ahead by two. But on their next possession, they went three-and-out.

Henry was stopped after 1 yard, Zay Flowers ran for no gain, and a completion by Jackson was short of the line to gain. The Ravens punted, and the Bills drove for the winning field goal on the game’s final play.

“Did we call the right plays? Well, in hindsight, no, (because) they didn’t work,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “And I’m not just saying that to blow it off. Maybe we could have had some sort of a naked boot. I would’ve liked, maybe, if we’d have done that — hindsight being 20/20.”

Harbaugh said there was an option for Jackson to run on the handoff to Flowers.

“That’s a read-option play,” Harbaugh said. “You’ve seen Lamar keep that going forward before. So, in fairness, it was a designed run.”

Baltimore finished with 432 yards of offense, not much different than the 416 it put up in the playoffs against the Bills last season, when the Ravens turned the ball over three times and lost 27-25. The struggles finishing — games and seasons — is a major issue for a team that has often looked well positioned to win a Super Bowl.

If the Ravens are tired of people accusing them of folding in big moments, they’d better get used to it. After a loss like this, that reputation will likely hang over them all season — and nothing short of a Super Bowl run may be enough to change it.

What’s working

When the Ravens avoid turnovers and self-inflicted problems, they have an offense that could be not only the best in the league right now — but one of the best of all time. The Ravens set an NFL single-season record last season with 5.76 yards per rush. Baltimore’s 6.85 yards per play was the third-highest average in league history. On Sunday, the Ravens averaged 8.2 per rush and 8.6 per play. They make offensive football look remarkably easy at times.

What needs work

The little things. At the end of the first half, Baltimore allowed the Bills to go 48 yards in the final 25 seconds despite being out of timeouts, and they kicked a last-second field goal that loomed large later.

Not every baffling decision by the Ravens resulted in disaster. After intercepting a 2-point conversion pass, star safety Kyle Hamilton for some reason lateraled to Kyle Van Noy instead of just taking a knee. Van Noy eventually took a knee to end the play, and Harbaugh was miffed at Hamilton.

“I just questioned whether he actually graduated from Notre Dame or not,” Harbaugh said, drawing a laugh. “That’s what I questioned him on. I thought that was one of the most foolish things I’ve ever seen. He agreed, and it should never happen again.”

Stock up

Flowers caught seven passes for 143 yards and a touchdown after missing the playoff game against Buffalo because of an injury.

Stock down

The Bills have an MVP quarterback in Allen, and Baltimore’s defense had no answers by the end of the game. Allen threw for 394 yards, including 251 in the fourth quarter.

Injuries

The Ravens were missing FB Patrick Ricard (calf) in this game, along with TE Isaiah Likely (foot). Harbaugh said Ricard may practice a bit this week.

Key stat

Buffalo had 15 first downs to Baltimore’s three in the fourth quarter.

Up next

The Ravens host former Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

EVERYONE SEEMS TO AGREE: SPITTING ON SOMEBODY ELSE IS JUST WRONG. BUT IT KEEPS HAPPENING

Inter Miami’s Luis Suárez further damaged his reputation. Jalen Carter of the Philadelphia Eagles cost himself the chance to play in a season-opening game. Florida’s Brendan Bett gave South Florida a 15-yard gift on its drive that decided its win over the Gators.

Their transgression: spitting.

In the span of seven days from last Sunday through this past Saturday, there were three high-profile spitting incidents in sports. They were immediately condemned, including by those close to the offending parties such as the Florida coach who called such behavior “unacceptable.” The reviled responses show there are limits to allowable aggressions, even in the most heated competitions.

“There are a lot of written and unwritten rules about how you interact with others,” said Dr. Peter Valentin, the chair of the forensic science department at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. “And in the sports world, you can have two opponents vie for supremacy and they go at each other very, very aggressively. But it’s done with a measure of respect. … The idea of spitting on your opponent communicates disrespect. And I would be shocked if that wasn’t the intent of that act, to just demonstrate disdain for your opponent.”

Suárez, who has been previously sanctioned at times in his career for biting opponents, spit on a member of the Seattle Sounders’ staff after Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss there in the Leagues Cup final. Carter spit — or spit back, depending on perspective — at Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott before the first play from scrimmage in the first NFL game of the regular season Thursday night. Bett spit at a South Florida player, and those 15 penalty yards helped the Bulls get a chip-shot field goal to win 18-16 on the final play of the game.

“We’ll take a good look at it, but it’s unacceptable,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “And I think we have a lot of players in that room as well that have the same belief that it’s unacceptable. When a guy does something like that, he’s compromising the team.”

Around the NFL this week, the reactions to spitting were clear.

“That’s just not professional,” Arizona offensive lineman Paris Johnson said.

“You can’t do that,” Green Bay defensive lineman Rashan Gary said.

“You don’t want to see anyone getting spit on,” Tennessee offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry III said.

Suárez got a six-game suspension from future Leagues Cup matches and will miss the next three Major League Soccer matches for his team as well, which will hurt the playoff push for Lionel Messi and his squad. Carter got kicked out of the Eagles-Cowboys game and Bett was ejected for what became the final seven plays of the Florida-South Florida game.

“It was a mistake that happened on my side,” Carter said. “Just won’t happen again.”

Replays later revealed that Prescott spit first, but only in the general direction of the Eagles’ defense and not onto an opposing player. Carter, in response, spit on Prescott.

“I guess I needed to spit,” Prescott said. “I wasn’t going to spit on my linemen. I just spit ahead. … I don’t wish for anybody to get out of the game. I’m sure he probably regrets that to some extent. I’m pretty sure he knows I didn’t try to spit on him or wasn’t even aiming to spit on him.”

Players around the league could easily see how that sort of back-and-forth was going to escalate quickly.

“You’ve got to fight me at that point, spitting on another player,” Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo said. “If you spit at his feet, I guess it’s just like talking. But spitting on another player like that is unacceptable.”

Saliva is critical for its role in promoting digestion, assisting with dental health, carrying antibodies and more. But public health officials — in lessons that were hammered home during the pandemic that started in 2020 — also point out that saliva can carry and transmit diseases, everything from cold, flu, the Epstein-Barr virus, strep, some types of hepatitis and even herpes.

It’s also, well, icky.

In the way spitting occurred in and after those three games this past week, it was simply considered degrading. And there are few things that seem to trigger stronger reactions in sports than when someone intentionally spits on another person.

“It’s just a new level of disrespect, not only for your opponent, but for the game itself,” Valentin said. “I understand that the way that people behave around each other is very culturally significant. And you can imagine the culture in a league. The unwritten rules are important. Spitting has never been part of the culture. I am certain of that.”

RUSSELL WILSON WILL REMAIN THE GIANTS’ STARTING QB GOING INTO WEEK 2

Russell Wilson will start at quarterback for the New York Giants in their second game of the season Sunday at Dallas, coach Brian Daboll said, keeping the veteran in the role after a lackluster performance in the opener.

Daboll made the announcement of Wilson remaining the starter on a video call with reporters Monday less than 24 hours after he left open the possibility of turning to rookie Jaxson Dart.

Wilson was 17 of 37 for 168 yards in a 21-6 loss to Washington. The Giants did not score a touchdown in Week 1 for a third consecutive year.

Dart, a first-round pick whom the organization hopes is the future at the position, dressed as Wilson’s backup but is still awaiting making his NFL debut.

EAGLES ACQUIRE RB TANK BIGSBY FROM THE JAGUARS IN EXCHANGE FOR 2 DRAFT PICKS, AP SOURCE SAYS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigby was traded to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Monday for two 2026 late-round draft picks, a person familiar with negotiations said.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

Bigsby became expendable once the Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round from Virginia Tech. Tuten has shown glimpses of being able to handle a lead role at some point, probably next season.

Bigsby had been on the trading block previously, and the Jaguars found a taker in Philadelphia. The Eagles gave up fifth- and sixth-round draft picks next year to land Bigsby.

Philadelphia was looking for a backup to star Saquon Barkley after Will Shipley sustained a rib injury on a kickoff return in the opener.

Bigsby was a third-round pick from Auburn in 2023. He has 910 yards rushing and nine touchdowns in two-plus seasons. But he struggled catching the ball and picking up blitzes.

He carries five times for 12 yards in the opener against Carolina on Sunday. He watched from the sideline as Travis Etienne ran for 143 yards on 16 carries. The Jaguars also gave Tuten three carries and have installed seventh-round pick LeQuint Allen from Syracuse as the team’s third down back.

AFTER DOMINATING THE PATRIOTS, THE RAIDERS’ DEFENSE FACES A TEST AGAINST THE CHARGERS

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — It’s not that all the questions about the Raiders’ defense have gone away, especially given the Patriots’ offensive ineptitude, but for one game, that side of the ball more than did its job.

Las Vegas completely shut down New England in the second half, only allowing a late field goal after Sunday’s 20-13 victory was all but secured. The Patriots moved into scoring position for that kick because the Raiders played the clock game and allowed Drake Maye to complete a series of short passes.

Until that point, the Patriots had six consecutive empty possessions — five ended in punts and the other with an interception. They gained just 82 yards in those drives.

“Everybody is talking about how the defense is going to be a weakness of our team,” safety Isaiah Pola-Mao said. “It’s great to come out and have that kind of game from our defense. We’ve got to build off of that.”

The Las Vegas defense should get a major test Monday night when Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers visit. Herbert passed for 318 yards and three touchdowns and showed his athleticism by putting away a 27-21 victory over Kansas City in Brazil with a 19-yard run on third-and-14.

Under second-year coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers have designs on unseating the Chiefs in the AFC West. Now the Raiders get to enter that conversation, and maybe their defense will give them a chance against the Chargers and other divisional opponents.

First-year coach Pete Carroll oversaw the intimidating “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, and he already has put his stamp on the Raiders’ unit. He also retained coordinator Patrick Graham, who last season still got quality production out of a Las Vegas defense decimated by injuries.

Their collaboration and halftime adjustments were critical to not only defeating the Patriots, but shutting them down.

“I thought Pat really adjusted well to what was going on in the game,” Carroll said. “They threw the ball quite a bit, and he adjusted quickly and put us in good positions for rushing in, for covering and changing up and disguising and things like that. That really worked out for us. You could feel the surge on defense. It kind of changed the complexion of the game.”

Now it’s matter of doing it again Monday and then the rest of the season.

Until that happens, questions about the Raiders’ defense won’t completely go away.

What’s working

Geno Smith completed 24 of 34 passes for 362 yards and a touchdown, the second-most yards for a Raiders quarterback in a season opener — behind only Derek Carr’s 435 against Baltimore in 2021. Smith, who the Raiders acquired from the Seahawks, overcame a first-quarter interception that wiped out momentum the rest of the half as well as a shaky offensive line that allowed four sacks.

What needs help

That line not only had trouble protecting Smith, it failed to open running lanes for rookie Ashton Jeanty. The sixth pick in the NFL draft rushed for 38 yards on 19 carries, and 44 yards came after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. The line needs to get it right for Jeanty to have a chance to live up to his lofty expectations.

Stock up

The Raiders’ pass rush came from all over, sacking Maye four times. That was the most for the franchise since it had four against Indianapolis in 2013. The Raiders also pressured Maye on 22% of passing plays, according to Sportradar, and registered nine QB hits.

Stock down

AJ Cole might be the NFL’s best punter, but he put two in the end zone for touchbacks for a 38.6-yard net average. He hasn’t finished a season with a net average less than 40 yards since his rookie season in 2019.

Injuries

Tight end Brock Bowers (knee) and linebacker Elandon Roberts (elbow) were injured, and Carroll called both day to day. Bowers expressed hope after the game that having an extra day before playing the Chargers would help him get back on the field for Monday night. Carroll also said Smith played through a tight hamstring.

Key number

9 — The number of completions Smith had that were 20 yards or longer, which tied his career high and equaled the Raiders’ best since at least 1991.

Next steps

The Raiders play their first divisional opponent when the Chargers visit next Monday night.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND ERRORS LEAVE BROWNS IN A FAMILIAR SPOT AFTER WEEK 1 LOSS TO BENGALS

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Browns accomplished most of what they wanted against the Cincinnati Bengals.

And yet, it still didn’t add up to a win.

The offense was methodical and controlled the clock while the defense limited Joe Burrow to the third-fewest yards of his career. However, a pair of missed kicks and untimely turnovers resulted in a 17-16 loss.

That puts the Browns in a familiar spot after Week 1. They are 3-24 in openers since their 1999 return with three of the defeats coming by one point.

“It got us really mad. That’s the mindset we need to have coming into this next week,” tight end David Njoku said after the game.

Cornerback Greg Newsome II said Njoku had every right to be angry, as did the rest of the locker room.

“We had them where we wanted them, and then we didn’t finish,” he said. “Taking that motivation is easy. Just learn from the bad things and continue to do the good things. And just find a way to win next week.”

Joe Flacco completed 31 of 45 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He directed an offense that put together four drives of 10 plays or more with points coming on three of the possessions. The only one that didn’t was Andre Szmyt’s 36-yard field-goal attempt that was wide right in the fourth quarter that would have given Cleveland the lead.

Szmyt also missed an extra point, which was the difference in the final score.

Flacco’s first interception ended up leading to the go-ahead field goal by Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson.

With five of Cleveland’s first six games against teams that made the playoffs, the close loss is a painful reminder of there being no room for error for a team that won only three times last season.

“Well, there’s a lot of messages after a game like that,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “You want to come away with those from those games with a win, and the disappointment is real. The other thing that’s real is we got a game this week and you got to turn the page and that’s what we’ll do as a football team. We’ll learn from this one.”

What’s working

Ball control. Cleveland had the third-most time of possession in the Week 1 games through Sunday night at 35 minutes, 49 seconds. The Browns converted nine of their 16 plays on third down and two of three fourth down attempts.

What needs help

The run game. The Browns averaged only 2.0 yards per carry (49 yards on 24 attempts). That included six carries for no gain or negative yards and the longest gain of the game being 5 yards. Second-round pick Quinshon Judkins signed last Saturday, but whether he will be ready for next week’s game at Baltimore remains to be seen.

Stock up

TE Harold Fannin Jr. The third-round pick had seven receptions for 63 yards along with one carry for 3 yards when he lined up as the quarterback in a wildcat formation.

Stock down

Szmyt after his missed kicks. Stefanski though seems willing to give the rookie another chance.

“Andre knows we trust him, knows that he’s got to come through for us in those moments,” Stefanski said on Monday. “I thought he had a really good warm up. Banged a couple early in the game and, you know, missed those two at the end and those are kicks that we expect him to make. But I’m really just focused on that game and we expect him to come through for us.”

Injuries

Stefanski said starting right offensive tackle Jack Conklin is doing better after he was poked in the eye in the second quarter and did not return to the game.

Key numbers

8: Receptions by running back Dylan Sampson, the most catches by a Browns rookie in an opener going back to the 1970 merger. JaJuan Dawson had the previous mark with six in 2000.

11: Times Myles Garrett has sacked Joe Burrow, including two on Sunday. That is tied for the most where the pass rusher and quarterback are both on an active roster. Leonard Floyd has 11 against Aaron Rodgers.

29: Consecutive games where the Browns have not allowed a 300-yard passer, the longest active streak in the league. The Eagles are second with 14.

Next steps

The Browns are at the Baltimore Ravens (0-1) on Sunday. It will be the first time Flacco has played at Baltimore since being traded to Denver in 2019.

49ERS’ GEORGE KITTLE OUT WITH HAMSTRING INJURY, BROCK PURDY’S STATUS UNCERTAIN

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle will miss at least a few weeks with a hamstring injury and quarterback Brock Purdy’s status for this week is in question after he hurt his left shoulder and toe in the season opener.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said the team hasn’t decided yet whether to place Kittle on injured reserve which would sideline him for four weeks or keep him on the active roster in case he can return earlier.

Shanahan said the team is also still waiting to get more tests on receiver Jauan Jennings’ shoulder injury to determine if he needs to miss any time. An MRI came back clean but Jennings still needed to undergo a CT scan.

Purdy’s status remains in question for this week with Shanahan saying that the toe injury is more of a concern than his non-throwing shoulder.

“We’re not sure,” Shanahan said of Purdy’s status for this week. “We have to see how it heals and how the week goes on it.”

Purdy led a game-winning drive on Sunday when he threw a 4-yard TD pass to Jake Tonges with 1:34 to play in a 17-13 win. He went 26 for 35 for 277 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.

Purdy missed two games last season with injuries, sitting out one game with a right shoulder injury and another with a right elbow injury.

If Purdy is unable to play this week at New Orleans, the Niners would turn to Mac Jones. The former first-round pick by New England in 2021 signed with San Francisco as a free agent in March.

Shanahan has been pleased with what he has seen from Jones, who is back healthy after missing time late in training camp with a knee injury.

“I think he’s gotten really used to what we do,” Shanahan said. “He had a little setback there the last couple weeks at camp with the injury that he got. But he had a good week of practice last week, picking up really right where he left off. If he has to go this week, he’ll lead the guys, the guys will believe in him and I know he’ll do his job at a high level.”

Kittle got hurt in the second quarter on Sunday. He had four catches for 25 yards and a TD before the injury. Tonges replaced him and had his first three career catches, including the game-winning TD.

Kittle has dealt with several minor injuries in his career but has played at least 14 games in seven of his eight seasons. He has had four seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving and led San Francisco with 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight TDs last season.

San Francisco did reach an agreement Monday to bring back receiver Kendrick Bourne on a one-year worth up to $5 million and he could have a significant role this week with Kittle out and Jennings’ status in question.

Right guard Ben Bartch also had a minor knee sprain in the game and is day to day.

Possible kicker competition?

Shanahan said the team could look at making a possible change at kicker after Jake Moody missed two field goals Sunday. Moody missed a 27-yarder in the first half and had a 30-yarder blocked in the second half, marking the first time in 19 years that the Niners had two misses inside of 40 yards in the same game.

Moody struggled last season after returning from an ankle injury — missing 9 of 14 attempts from at least 40 yards in his final nine games.

The team brought in Greg Joseph as competition in the offseason but cut him early in camp. Shanahan said the team is considering bringing in another kicker this week.

“We’re looking at all that stuff now,” he said. “There’s options. Whether it’s stay the status quo, bringing guys in for a workout, practice squad. But we’re going through all that right now. Just finished with the team and I know the personnel department is going to look into all of that stuff and give us options.”

CARDINALS SEEK IMPROVEMENT AFTER SEASON-OPENING WIN, BUT A 1-0 START IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray was under the weather during Sunday’s game and — at times — the offense also looked a little unwell.

The Arizona Cardinals’ revamped defensive front produced just one sack and their special teams allowed a blocked field goal at a crucial moment in the fourth quarter at New Orleans.

Even so, the Cardinals are 1-0 for the first time since 2021 after a 20-13 win over the Saints. This isn’t a franchise that’s in position to complain about a road win to open the season.

It might not have been the dominant showing fans wanted, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“The most important thing is a win, so I feel really good about that,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I told the team all three phases made plays to help us win the game. I am sure all three phases, for sure, wants plays back.”

Murray — who was added to the injury report on Sunday morning with an illness — had a solid outing, completing 21 of 29 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.

The game highlighted how good — and how bad — the Cardinals’ offense can be.

In the second quarter, the Cardinals looked like a juggernaut, scoring two touchdowns on two drives and gaining 124 total yards. But with a chance to put the game away in the fourth quarter, Arizona’s offense managed just three plays and went backwards 9 yards.

That gave the Saints one more chance to pull off a comeback, but the Cardinals’ defense turned back the threat.

“It’s never easy, never will be easy no matter who you’re playing,” Murray said. “I’m grateful to go out here on the road and get a win. Obviously offensively, yes, we want to do more. Do I want to do more? Of course. But week one, there are a lot of things that we can get better at.”

What’s working

The Cardinals’ secondary — particularly at cornerback — came into Week 1 as one of the team’s biggest question marks.

The group left New Orleans looking like one of Arizona’s unquestioned strengths.

The veteran safety duo of Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson was solid and the young cornerbacks — Garrett Williams, Max Melton and rookie Will Johnson — were outstanding.

What needs help

Murray had a tough time staying upright against the Saints, taking five sacks.

Some of that is just the nature of the way Murray plays, scrambling around in the backfield to buy time and make big plays. But the pass protection still wasn’t great, running lanes were sometimes hard to find and the group committed a handful of penalties.

“Offensively, we could be cleaner,” left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. said. “I was thinking as we walked back to the tunnel, I think today was good, today was cool. Good, but not great.”

Stock up

Trey Benson. The second-string running back behind James Conner might be playing his way into a bigger role. He had 69 yards rushing on eight carries against the Saints, highlighted by a 52-yard gain. It’s clear the coaching staff trusts Benson more than last year, when he was limited to 291 yards rushing as a rookie.

Stock down

Josh Sweat. The edge rusher signed a $76.4 million, four-year deal during the offseason as the crown jewel of the Cardinals’ rebuild on the defensive front, but he didn’t make much of an impact. That was partly because Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler got rid of the ball so quickly, but the Cardinals are expecting more than one tackle per game from Sweat.

Injuries

LB Cody Simon and S Joey Blount are in the concussion protocol.

Key number

9 — Harrison has nine TD catches through his first 18 games. That’s been matched just twice in franchise history, by Larry Fitzgerald and Gern Nagler.

Next steps

The Cardinals host Carolina on Sunday.

RAMS’ IMPROVING DEFENSE CONTINUES LAST SEASON’S LATE SURGE WITH DOMINANT PERFORMANCE IN OPENER

LOS ANGELES (AP) — From Nate Landman to the Land Shark, the Los Angeles Rams’ defense is staking a claim as the strength of the team.

It’s a somewhat surprising development for a unit that struggled pretty badly a year ago, but the Rams have begun the new season with an extension of their best stretch of play since Aaron Donald retired.

The defense carried Los Angeles to a 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans in the season opener on Sunday.

The Rams held C.J. Stroud and his teammates to 265 yards and three field goals, shutting them out in the second half. Coordinator Chris Shula’s group allowed only four snaps in the Los Angeles red zone, all on the same drive in the first half.

Going back to last December, the Rams have held five of their past seven opponents under 10 points — and that stretch includes last year’s meaningless regular-season finale, in which Sean McVay rested his starters.

And on the rare occasions when the Texans got moving, the Rams made big plays.

When Houston got to the Rams 15 late in the second quarter, blitzing defensive back Jaylen McCollough sacked Stroud for a 12-yard loss on third down.

When Stroud tried to hit Jaylen Higgins with a long throw in the third quarter, cornerback Cobie Durant took the ball away from him for a spectacular interception.

“It’s just something I’ve always been about, taking the ball away from the offense and being a ballhawk and just being who I am — and that’s the Land Shark,” Durant said Monday, grinningly evoking his own nickname.

And when the Texans drove into LA territory for a go-ahead score in the final minutes, new linebacker Landman punctuated his strong 10-tackle debut by punching the ball out of Dare Ogunbowale’s arm for what turned out to be a game-deciding fumble.

“Our guys found a way, and that’s what it’s about,” McVay said. “I think you learned a lot about this group (Sunday). There’s a mental toughness, there’s a resilience, and there’s an opportunity for us to learn a lot.”

What’s working

The defense got takeaways and sacks at huge moments, but it also contained Houston’s offense on a down-to-down basis: The Texans managed only two explosive plays and went 2 of 9 on third downs. Stroud repeatedly was forced to settle for short passes or to scramble out of containment just to keep Houston moving. That defensive consistency will pay off down the road.

What needs help

McVay is confident the running game can get better after managing only 72 yards amid injuries to both starting guards. The Rams again relied heavily on Kyren Williams, who got 18 of the 19 carries by a running back. Blake Corum got just one carry, and rookie Jarquez Hunter was inactive.

Stock up

Byron Young stood out on the defense along with Landman, making nine tackles and getting a big sack in the second quarter. Young took a back seat last season to then-rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, but he remains a promising linebacker and pass rusher early in his third season.

Stock down

In another surprising decision by the Rams’ coaching staff, cornerback Darious Williams didn’t get on the field. Williams was a presumptive starter in the second season of his three-year deal to return to Los Angeles, where he won the Super Bowl with the Rams. Emmanuel Forbes took his starting spot against Houston, and McVay said the coaches decided to stick with a three-cornerback rotation all day.

“Darious handled it like a total stud,” McVay said. “He was ready to go if need be.”

Injuries

Guards Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila both have sprained ankles. They’re considered “week to week” by McVay, but he didn’t rule out either for Sunday. … TE Colby Parkinson sprained his shoulder and kept playing, although he also fumbled in the fourth quarter.

Key number

3 — Total receptions by the Rams’ four tight ends. Tyler Higbee didn’t have a target despite playing 35 snaps and running more than 20 routes, while second-round pick Terrance Ferguson didn’t even get on the field. McVay had two tight ends on the field for plenty of plays, but they mostly served to occupy the Texans’ defensive stars while creating opportunities for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Davis Allen did make a TD catch on a beautiful throw by Matthew Stafford, however.

Next steps

The road opener at rebuilding Tennessee appears to be very winnable if the Rams can maintain this defensive standard. A trip to Philadelphia one week later will be a true measuring stick.

LIONS NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS AFTER UGLY 27-13 LOSS TO PACKERS

DETROIT (AP) — Coach Dan Campbell thinks it was easy to see what went wrong for the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s 27-13 season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Fixing it, though, is going to be much tougher.

The Lions didn’t force a turnover or record a sack and scored their only touchdown with 55 seconds left in the game.

“We were off on a lot of things that are just fundamentals,” he said Monday. “It is really that simple. There’s nothing easy about fixing it, but it is that simple to diagnose. The only way to fix it is to just get back to work.”

The problem started with the foundation of Detroit’s offense — a running game led by a tough O-line ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. It finished with 46 yards on 22 carries and didn’t get into the end zone.

Last season, the Lions rushed for at least 100 yards in 16 of their 17 games and also had a rushing touchdown in 16. The last time they had failed to do either was Oct. 15, 2023, when they ran for 40 yards and no touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They won that game 20-6, thanks to 353 passing yards and two touchdowns from Jared Goff and a swarming defensive performance. Against the Packers, Goff threw for 225 yards, and the defense allowed three touchdowns.

“You have to master bread and butter before you can start putting other things on the plate,” Campbell said. “The rest doesn’t matter if we can’t run the ball for more than 2.1 yards per carry. If we can’t, we’re out of our play-action game and defenders can just pin their ears back and come after us.”

What’s working

The rush defense wasn’t bad, holding Green Bay to 78 yards on 25 carries. The longest rush was only 15 yards and the Packers didn’t get a rushing touchdown until the fourth quarter.

What needs help

Sunday was supposed to be a renaissance for the Lions’ pass rush, with Aidan Hutchinson finally back from last season’s broken leg. No one seemed to have told the Packers’ offensive line, though. Not only did Detroit not record a sack, it hit Jordan Love only twice on 22 pass attempts.

Stock up

Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa’s NFL debut was spoiled by an illness that cost him most of last week’s practice time. As a result, he was on the field for only three offensive plays and had only one pass thrown his way.

He made the most of it, though, making a spectacular one-handed catch for Detroit’s only touchdown.

Stock down

The Lions knew they were going to need a big performance from a very young offensive line, but it didn’t happen. The running game struggled and Goff was sacked four times. It could have been worse if Micah Parsons hadn’t been on a limited play count.

Injuries

Cornerback Terrion Arnold left the game with a groin strain. Campbell said he doesn’t believe it is a serious injury, but he doesn’t know if Arnold will be back next week against the Chicago Bears.

Key number

694 — The number of days since the Lions rushed for fewer than 2.1 yards per carry — all they were able to manage against the Packers.

Next steps

Get ready for what has become a crucial NFC North matchup against the Bears and new head coach Ben Johnson, the architect of Detroit’s high-flying offense during Campbell’s reign.

COACH MIKE VRABEL BELIEVES ATTENTION TO DETAIL KEY AS PATRIOTS TURN PAGE ON LACKLUSTER OPENING LOSS

FOXBOROUGH, Mass (AP) — Mike Vrabel didn’t see anything major in the game film to alter his initial assessment of the New England Patriots’ 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Bottom line: they need to play better after halftime and play more complementary football overall.

“The defense had three, three-and-outs and we managed three points,” the first-year Patriots coach said Monday.

“Complementary football is not going to exist and we’re not going to win games if our defense can do that and we only manage three points. So there’s going to be times that we’re going to need the offense to help us and possess the football longer to help the defense.”

Fixing that will have to start with second-year quarterback Drake Maye. He had a touchdown pass, but also a poor read that led to an interception which set up Las Vegas’ go-ahead score in the third quarter.

While Maye put most of the blame on himself postgame, receiver Stefon Diggs said there are things they can do to help settle down their quarterback.

“He is a guy that is super hard on himself. We are pulling for him, we just got to continue that positive reinforcement and that positive encouragement. Quarterback is a very hard job so letting him know that you got his back and going to be available for him is going to be key in our success.”

What’s working

It’s small in the grand scheme of things, but Maye did complete passes to 10 different receivers, with three of them pulling in six catches apiece. That’s something to build on for the second-year QB, who relied heavily on tight end Hunter Henry last season. Diggs had six catches for 57 yards and also drew a lot of attention in coverage, freeing up his teammates.

What needs help

Scoring production in the second half. One of the things Vrabel emphasized heading into the opener was the importance of winning the second half of the game. He noted that 13 of the 16 teams what won their Week 1 games last season all outscored their opponents in the second half of the respective games.

The Patriots are 0-1 in living up to that standard after getting outscored by Las Vegas 13-3 over the final 30 minutes of Sunday’s loss.

Stock up

Receiver Kayshon Boutte had six catches for a team-high 103 yards, the second 100-yard receiving game of his three-year career. It’s a strong start and early statement that he can be a dependable option for Maye.

Stock down

Rookie kicker Andy Borregales. After tying the game 7-7, the Patriots defense forced a quick three-and-out. New England promptly drove back into the red zone, but Borregales missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt wide right. He connected from 35 and 44 yards later in the game, but this offense will need him to be consistent on his mid-range opportunities to develop rhythm early in games.

Injuries

Boutte was evaluated late in the first quarter after taking a hard hit from Devin White following a 24-yard catch. But he returned in the second quarter and finished the game.

Key number

33% – The Patriots’ rate on red zone opportunities Sunday, going just 1 for 3 inside the 20-yard line. That’s not a good start for an offense that ranked 30th in red zone scoring last season, scoring touchdowns on only 22 of 47 chances (46.8%).

Next steps

Week 2 brings a jump into division play, as New England visits Miami on Sunday. Awaiting the Patriots is a Dolphins team coming off a 33-8 lass at Indianapolis.

AN UGLY WIN IN THE SEASON OPENER IS STILL AN IMPORTANT WIN FOR THE BUCCANEERS

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Buccaneers will take an ugly win over a division rival on the road to start the season.

Baker Mayfield and the offense weren’t sharp in their first game under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. The defense gave up big plays, couldn’t create any turnovers and didn’t generate much pressure.

Still, with the game on the line, Mayfield made all the clutch throws to lead Tampa Bay to a 23-20 victory at Atlanta on Sunday.

The four-time defending NFC South champions tried to downplay facing the Falcons, who swept the season series and had won four of the previous five meetings.

But beating the biggest challenger to their division championship run in Week 1 should have playoff implications down the road.

Considering most of the starters didn’t see any action in the preseason, it felt more like August than September.

“Those guys didn’t blink whether it was penalties, a bad play or anything else,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “This is the first time they’ve played that many plays in a ballgame with a limited preseason, so I knew there was going to be some fatigue in the second half. But mentally, they didn’t fall off. They believed in each other and that was the biggest take out of the game.”

Mayfield finished 17 of 32 for 167 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka caught two of Mayfield’s three touchdown passes in his NFL debut.

Grizzard is Mayfield’s third offensive coordinator in three seasons in Tampa Bay. Liam Coen (Jacksonville) and Dave Canales (Carolina) got head coach positions after working with Mayfield.

The duo looked as though they’ll need more time to get in sync.

Mayfield led the team in rushing with 39 yards and Bucky Irving was held to only 37 on 14 carries, just a 2.6 average.

The Bucs sorely missed All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who remains sidelined after knee surgery in the summer. The team shook up the offensive line before the game, moving center Graham Barton to left tackle instead of backup Charlie Heck. Left guard Ben Bredeson shifted to center, and Michael Jordan was promoted from the practice squad to start at left guard.

“When we gave (Barton) a couple reps out there, at first it was we were doing it out of emergency,” Bowles said. ”(We were) like, ‘Hey, he looks pretty good out there.’ Then Ben looked pretty good at center and then we just started messing with it a little bit. The more we saw it, the more it started coming into focus. When I first asked (Barton) to do it, I just said in case of emergency, so he took a few reps here and there. Then it got to kind of be kind of an emergency and he started looking better and better and he was firing off the ball in the running game.

“I was like, ’Hey, we might be more physical with Graham at tackle and Ben at center and with Jordan at guard because he had a good preseason. Nobody really wanted to say it, but it was like, ‘Hey, we probably need to do this.’ Then it kind of came into fruition.”

What’s working

The run defense led by Vita Vea in the middle of the defensive line was impressive, holding Bijan Robinson to just 24 yards rushing and limiting Atlanta to only 69 yards on the ground.

What needs help

The pass rush had more roughing-the-passer penalties (2) than sacks. Haason Reddick had the lone sack and it knocked Atlanta out of field-goal range. He also added several pressures and forced two false start penalties. Overall, the Bucs need to get more pressure from the rest of the defense.

Stock up

Egbuka, the 19th overall pick in the draft, had four catches for 67 yards, including TD grabs of 30 and 25 yards. With Mike Evans drawing attention from safeties, Egbuka should thrive against single coverage. Egbuka will play an even bigger role in the offense with the Buccaneers missing wideouts Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan.

Stock down

Chase McLaughlin was wide left on a 44-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half and then hit the left upright on the extra point after Tampa Bay scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:04 left. That allowed the Falcons an opportunity to tie the game with a field goal that was missed.

Injuries

CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and S Christian Izien (oblique) joined (Wirfs (knee), Godwin (ankle) and McMillan (neck) on the sideline.

Key number

75% — The Bucs allowed the Falcons to go 3 of 4 on fourth-down conversions, including a pair of scrambles by Penix on Atlanta’s go-ahead scoring drive.

Next steps

The Buccaneers visit the two-time AFC South champion Houston Texans next Monday night.

TUA TAGOVAILOA AND THE DOLPHINS FACE AN EARLY TEST AFTER ‘MISERABLE’ WEEK 1 LOSS

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Throughout the offseason, Miami Dolphins coaches and players spoke about a renewed culture of discipline, focus and accountability that could set them up for on-field success.

“This is probably the closest team that I’ve been on since I’ve been in Miami,” star receiver Tyreek Hill said just last week. “And as far as offensive chemistry, I feel like this is the best version of what I’ve seen the Miami Dolphins offense (look like).”

None of that was evident in Miami’s season opener against the Colts on Sunday.

The Dolphins unraveled in a 33-8 rout at Indianapolis, undone by a slew of mistakes and operational miscues. It was Miami’s first season-opening loss under Mike McDaniel.

Overreactions are common when a team puts forth a Week 1 dud. And the reminders come quickly: It’s one of 17 games in the regular season. There’s time to turn things around.

But the Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game in more than two decades. The margin for error seems thin, especially after a 2024 season in which Miami started 2-6, went 6-3 down the stretch and missed the playoffs.

“You never want to look at it as, ‘Well, this is just Week 1.’ We’re going to take our loss,” said Tua Tagovailoa, who threw two interceptions and lost a fumble on Sunday.

“The way we lost?” Tagovailoa added. “None of the fans pay to watch the Miami Dolphins go put up eight points and watch the other team drop 30 on them. That’s just not what they do. There’s a lot of things we need to look at. We need to look in the mirror. We need to continue to hold each other accountable for what it is.

“I would definitely say it starts with me, and I think as a team collectively, this was something we were trying to avoid. But could this be good for us? I don’t know. We’ll see how we respond next week.”

McDaniel called Sunday’s performance embarrassing and acknowledged fans who have expressed frustration with the state of the franchise, which is six years into its latest rebuild but hasn’t lived up to the expectations of success that began when Tagovailoa was drafted fifth overall in 2020.

“We have to improve from the last performance,” McDaniel said. “But we have to improve in general like every other team does or you get left in the dust. So I think one of 17 is one of 17. And if that type of game doesn’t show up ever again, that’s the only way you can make it worth it, because otherwise it’s just miserable for miserable’s sake.”

What’s working

Nothing worked particularly well on Sunday, and when asked Monday about positives from the game, McDaniel named only one.

“I think the positive is that that was a miserable experience,” he said.

What needs help

McDaniel said Monday that many of the team’s errors weren’t a product of bad intentions, but that too often players abandoned their responsibilities and the techniques that they’d been taught in practice.

“There was one play that ultimately led to being an explosive (gain) that the utmost dependable player, (defensive tackle) Zach Sieler, in an attempt to get a sack at the final stage of the pass rush kind of voids his pass-rush lane,” McDaniel said. “Well-intentioned, trying to make a play. But the dropping of rush lanes allows for an explosive.”

Stock up

RB De’Von Achane scored the Dolphins’ only touchdown on an 11-yard screen play in which he muscled his way through would-be tacklers on fourth-and-goal with 6:21 left.

Stock down

The defensive front was unable to generate much pressure on quarterback Daniel Jones. That unit was heralded during the offseason as one of the team’s strongest but recorded just one sack.

Injuries

RG James Daniels will not play in Week 2 after suffering a pectoral injury on Miami’s first drive. McDaniel said the injury isn’t season-ending. … CB Storm Duck will miss several weeks because of an ankle injury. The team is still gathering information on RT Austin Jackson, who left with a toe injury. … TE Darren Waller, who missed the game with a hip strain, will try to play in Week 2.

Key number

0 — The amount of stops the Dolphins’ defense recorded on Sunday. The Colts scored on each of their seven possessions, the first time since at least 1978 that an NFL team has scored every time it held the ball. The only time Miami forced a punt, veteran linebacker Matthew Judon ran into punter Rigoberto Sanchez, which extended the Colts’ drive and allowed them to close out the first half with a field goal for a 20-0 lead.

Next steps

The Dolphins host the New England Patriots, who are also coming off a season-opening loss, on Sunday.

THE BRONCOS’ DEFENSE OPENED THE SEASON BY SHOWING HOW GOOD IT CAN BE

DENVER (AP) — After All-Pro punt returner Marvin Mims Jr.’s fourth-quarter muff, the Tennessee Titans were sitting pretty at the Denver 24, already in range for a field goal that would give them a late lead.

Back-to-back sacks by Jonah Elliss and Zach Allen pushed the Titans back to midfield and forced another punt, however, and four plays later, J.K. Dobbins’ touchdown provided the finishing touches on the Broncos’ 20-12 victory on Sunday.

“Yeah, I think pressure makes diamonds,” cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. “We live up to that. That’s our standard, no matter what goes on or if the pressure is on us, we love that. If we are backed up, if there’s a situation that we need, it always seems like we come through and make a play. We talk about that and we work on it every day in certain situations. It’s us getting aligned and everyone doing their 1/11th.”

The defensive stand was reminiscent of one in Cleveland a decade ago that helped propel the Broncos to a Super Bowl parade.

In that game, an interception gave the Browns the ball at the Denver 39 in overtime, but a tackle for loss and back-to-back sacks bailed out Peyton Manning, who capitalized on the mulligan his defense provided and led his team to victory.

This version of Denver’s defense looks like the best since that 2015 unit, which carried a sputtering offense to the franchise’s third Super Bowl triumph.

Even without two starters — inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) and tackle Malcolm Roach (calf) — Denver’s defense piled up a half-dozen sacks and limited the Titans to 133 yards of offense. Tennessee was just 2 for 14 on third down.

“We got playmakers all around on the defense,” linebacker Nik Bonitto said.

Exhibit No. 1: The Broncos’ sacks came from six players, and rookie Jahdae Barron recovered Ward’s fumble on the Titans’ final offensive snap.

“That’s what we expect of ourselves,” defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers said.

Quarterback Bo Nix, who had an uncharacteristic three turnovers, heaped praise on his defense, which kept the Titans out of the end zone all day.

“It’s the best feeling when you have a great defense. Just over and over, they kind of got us out of a jam and continued to do that throughout the game,” Nix said. “The one that really sticks out is they get the ball down one, and we get two sacks and get them out of field-goal range. That’ll change the game in a hurry, and it changes the environment, gets guys back into the game. It was just awesome to see different players making big plays.”

What’s working

Denver’s ground game, albeit a bit late in in the day. Rookie R.J. Harvey reeled off a 50-yard scamper that set up Dobbins’ 19-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter as the Broncos finally found balance after halftime.

What needs help

Nix. Coach Sean Payton was so busy sending in players on every play that the Broncos looked like a hockey team making line changes. There was no cohesion on offense in the first half and the primary culprit may have been too many moving parts.

Stock up

Denver’s defense (see above).

Stock down

Special teams. Not only did Mims, a two-time All-Pro punt returner, muff a punt, but the coverage units allowed a 71-yard kickoff return in the waning seconds of the first half that led to a Tennessee field goal.

Injuries

TE Evan Engram’s calf injury could sideline the key free agent addition for several weeks.

Key numbers

133 — yards of offense the Broncos yielded to the Titans.

131 —- penalty yards by the Titans on 13 accepted infractions.

Next steps

The Broncos play at Indianapolis (1-0) on Sunday.

BILLS CONFRONT THEIR DEFENSIVE SHORTCOMINGS AFTER THEIR THRILLING COMEBACK AGAINST THE RAVENS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen’s extraordinary fourth-quarter comeback against the Ravens didn’t entirely overshadow a major concern for the Bills on the other side of the ball.

Buffalo’s defense barely served as a speed bump against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry through the first 48-plus minutes of its season opener on Sunday night. Giving up 40 points and allowing Baltimore to score on seven of its first eight possessions is no recipe for success.

But first, the good news, a day after Buffalo overcame a 15-point deficit in the final four minutes for a stunning 41-40 win capped by Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal as time expired.

Allen wouldn’t have been in position to engineer the 22nd game-winning drive of his eight-year career if not for the defense finally making a contribution.

Tackle Ed Oliver opened the door for the comeback by punching the ball out of Henry’s arms with 3:06 remaining. And Allen wouldn’t have gotten the ball back with 1:26 left if not for the defense forcing a three-and-out. Cornerback Christian Benford limited DeAndre Hopkins to a 7-yard catch on third-and-9.

“He played unbelievable,” Allen said of Oliver, who also had a sack and tackled Henry for a loss. “It takes everybody doing their job and it takes a few guys doing more than their own job, and I think Ed did that.”

Those few plays aside, Allen, last season’s MVP, had to be especially MVP-like for Buffalo to win. He threw for 251 yards in the fourth quarter alone — the most in the final 15 minutes since Boomer Esiason had 252 for Arizona in a win over Washington in 1996.

Entering the season, the defense was considered the team’s weakest link. And the unit has come up short in the playoffs over the past five years. Buffalo has allowed averages of 33.2 points and 426 yards of offense — including 150 yards rushing — in each of its last five playoff losses. Four of those were to Kansas City.

If there is a bright side, Sunday’s win came in Week 1 and against a potent Ravens offense that last year became the first to top 4,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing. There are few opponents in the upcoming weeks, starting with the New York Jets, that can boast that type of production.

Another hopeful sign is that reinforcements are on the way.

The Bills opened without two veteran free-agent additions in edge rusher Michael Hoecht and tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who are serving six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers. Buffalo was also down starting cornerback Tre’Davious White, sidelined by a groin injury.

The defense is also young, with coach Sean McDermott putting faith in the unit gradually developing. Buffalo used six of nine draft picks on defensive players, including the first five.

How long that will take remains to be seen, though McDermott noted it’s easier making corrections entering Week 2 following a win.

“It wasn’t even close to what I would expect us to be able to get to,” McDermott said. “We can be better. But I really do appreciate how they stuck together. And that’s true of this whole team.”

What’s working

Allen and the offense continued last season’s share-the-wealth approach. Five players caught at least four passes, including running back James Cook, who had five catches for 58 yards and added 13 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown.

What needs help

Stopping the run. Jackson averaged 11.7 yards per carry and Henry 9.4, including TD runs of 30 and 46 yards. The 238 yards rushing allowed were the most by Buffalo since giving up 271 in a 35-10 loss at Baltimore in Week 4 last season.

Stock up

Keon Coleman. Despite a few drops, including a 2-point conversion bouncing off his hands, the second-year receiver had eight catches for a team-best 112 yards, including a touchdown catch on a pass tipped at the goal line.

Stock down

Safeties Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop were too often out of position or getting stiff-armed out of the way when they tried to stop Henry.

Injuries

Returner Brandon Codrington had his knee examined and re-entered the game.

Key number

12-0 — Buffalo’s regular-season home record since a 24-22 loss to Denver on Nov. 13, 2023.

Next steps

Travel to face the Jets to open a stretch of facing three AFC East rivals over four weeks.

AARON RODGERS SENDS A MESSAGE TO THOSE SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE LEFT: R-E-L-A-X

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave Aaron Rodgers plenty of latitude over the last six months.

They didn’t foist an ultimatum on him after he visited the team’s facility in March. They didn’t panic when organized team activities started in May and Rodgers was still in California mulling his options. They let him mostly hang out during mandatory minicamp in June, a few days after he agreed to a one-year deal. They didn’t make him take a live snap during the preseason, a courtesy Tomlin had not afforded any quarterback — not even Ben Roethlisberger — during Tomlin’s first 18 years on the job.

Tomlin said repeatedly he wasn’t worried. That Rodgers would be ready when the games started to count. That all the hand-wringing about Rodgers needing time to get up to speed was just that, hand-wringing.

Over the course of three hours on Sunday, with his former team on the other sideline, Rodgers repaid Pittsburgh’s patience with a four-touchdown performance in a 34-32 season-opening victory over the New York Jets that offered proof there’s still life left in his 41-year-old right arm.

“You guys asked me last week, why was I confident?” Tomlin said afterward. “That’s why I was confident. That’s what I’ve been looking at in preparation, and I’m appreciative of it, not only his efforts but the efforts of the collective.”

Maybe, but it wasn’t the collective that had such personal stakes on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. It was Rodgers, still smarting from being jettisoned by New York’s new head coach, Aaron Glenn, during a meeting in which Rodgers believed he wasn’t shown the respect he deserved.

“There were probably people in the organization that didn’t think I could play anymore, so it was nice to remind those people I still can,” Rodgers said.

And in the process, Rodgers sent a familiar message to Steeler fans skeptical about, well, everything since he joined the team in what in some ways feels like a marriage of convenience.

That message: R-E-L-A-X.

While there is plenty to work on as the season begins in earnest — most notably play along both sides of the line of scrimmage, where the Steelers were manhandled most of the day — there also is optimism that for the first time since the Killer B’s run led by Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown in the mid-2010s, Pittsburgh has an offense that might not be a mere bystander.

It might even be dangerous.

And, it seems, worth the wait.

What’s working

Funny how much different offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme looks when a four-time MVP is running it.

Ben Skowronek, Jaylen Warren and Calvin Austin III didn’t have a Jets player within arm’s reach on their touchdown receptions, a testament to both Smith’s play design and Rodgers’ ability to sell a play fake on a day when the Steelers actually couldn’t run the ball effectively.

What needs help

The Steelers spent the spring and summer promising to shore up a defensive front seven that was mauled down the stretch last year, most notably in a humbling playoff loss to Baltimore.

With injured rookie first-round pick Derrick Harmon sitting out while recovering from a sprained knee, it looked like more of the same. There was little push from Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black and others along the line, while inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson struggled to get off blocks.

The Steelers have allowed 153 yards rushing per game over their last seven, dating to the end of 2024. Expect clubs that might not even be considered “running” teams to test Pittsburgh on the ground until things start ticking in the right direction.

Stock up

Tomlin likened Pro Bowl kicker Chris Boswell to a “serial killer” for the way he regularly walks onto the field in tight situations and delivers.

Boswell’s 11th game-winning kick was no different. His career-best and franchise-record 60-yarder probably would have been good from 70. Boswell responded in his typically stoic fashion, letting his teammates do the celebrating.

While Boswell’s bid to get a new contract might have fizzled — he briefly did a “hold in” during camp that quietly went away — the 34-year-old likely will be in line for a significant raise in the offseason if he’s able to keep the form he’s shown over the last two seasons, when he made 70 of 75 kicks.

Stock down

A pivotal year for former first-round pick Broderick Jones began with a clunker. The left tackle was beaten for three of New York’s four sacks, including two to Jets defensive end Will McDonald. Throw in the four pressures Jones allowed, and all the good buzz he generated during training camp evaporated over the course of three hours in which he was repeatedly exposed.

Injuries

Safety DeShon Elliott limped off in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. Veteran Chuck Clark filled in, but missing Elliott — who signed a contract extension in the offseason — for an extended period would be a significant blow to a talented secondary.

Key number

58 — Pittsburgh victories in one-score games (eight points or fewer) since the start of the 2017 season, the most in the NFL over that span.

Next steps

Try to plug the leaks in an unexpectedly vulnerable defense ahead of a visit from the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

TAYLOR, BENGALS HAPPY TO START SEASON 1-0, EVEN IF IT WAS AN UGLY VICTORY

Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals not only got a much-needed victory in an opener, they got it by winning ugly and a couple of breaks going their way.

Cincinnati’s 17-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday was a far cry from last season when the Bengals lost four games despite scoring at least 30 points and dropped two games by one point.

“Forget about the stats. Forget about the score. Forget about how it all played out. The best the outcome could have been was 1-0 and we’re proud of that. We’ll make some corrections and move forward,” coach Zac Taylor said.

It was also a game where Taylor can say all three phases contributed to the win.

Joe Burrow and the offense struggled in the second half, but it found the end zone on two of the first three possessions to put the Bengals up 14-10 at halftime.

The much-maligned defense was able to pick up the slack with a pair of interceptions by Jordan Battle and DJ Turner. Battle’s pick helped set up Evan McPherson’s go-ahead, 35-yard field goal.

Cincinnati took the lead with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter after Cleveland rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point, keeping the Browns advantage at 16-14.

Szmyt also had a potential go-ahead 36-yard field-goal attempt go wide right with 2:22 remaining in the game.

“I think, for our style of football we want to play as a team, when you can eliminate the run game, knock down the explosives, and allow our offense to put pressure on teams, then that’s going to be a good recipe for winning,” Taylor said on Monday. “I know we as an offense didn’t support that in the second half, and we as defense did that part. And so there’s gonna be times where different parts of the team’s gonna lean on the other unit. That’s gonna happen. That’s over a 17-game season, that’s what’s gonna happen.

“When we put it all together, we feel like we’re gonna be pretty deadly. And I’m excited to look forward to playing together this week and doing our best to get that done.”

It is only the second time in Taylor’s seven seasons that the Bengals have started the season with a win. The previous time was 2021 when Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history before losing to the Los Angeles Rams.

Taylor and the coaching staff stressed getting off to a good start early. After hosing Jacksonville on Sunday, the Bengals will have five straight games against teams that reached the playoffs last season, with three being on the road.

“We didn’t win any of these games last year. Usually when you can win a game like this, that’s a recipe for success and that means you are going to be a good team if you can find a lot of different ways to win,” Burrow said.

What’s working

Pass defense. Besides Battle and Turner’s interceptions, the Bengals allowed only five completions on 13 attempts thrown 11 yards or more downfield. Last season opponents had a 53.4% completion rate on intermediate and long passes, the third highest in the league. Cleveland’s longest completion of the day, a 25-yard reception by Jerry Jeudy, was on the final play of the game.

What needs help

Run blocking. Chase Brown averaged a league worse -2.8 yards before contact. Six of Brown’s 22 carries went for no gain or negative yards.

Stock up

DT Mike Pennel was in for 22 plays after being signed last Monday to the practice squad. Pennel, cut by the Chiefs at the end of preseason, was promoted to the gameday roster and had one solo tackle, three assists and a quarterback pressure.

Stock down

WR Andrei Iosivas, fourth on the Bengals with 36 receptions last season, wasn’t targeted on any of the 17 routes he ran.

Injuries

Taylor said on Monday starting right guard Lucas Patrick will be out at least two weeks because of a calf injury. Dalton Risner came in and played the remainder of the game, but Taylor did not commit to Risner being the starter.

Key numbers

4: Consecutive wins by the Bengals over their in-state rival. Taylor lost seven of his first nine meetings against the Browns.

6: Years since the Bengals had last won a one-point game before Sunday (Week 4 of the 2018 season at Atlanta).

7: Offensive net yards by the Bengals in the second half, the fewest an NFL team has had in a win since 2000 according to SportRadar. The previous mark was 13 by Tennessee in a 24-17 Week 15 win over Jacksonville in 2006.

Next steps

The Bengals look to go 2-0 for the first time since 2018 when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0). Cincinnati has won the past three meetings.

FALCONS’ INABILITY TO RUN IN OPENING LOSS TO BUCS PUT TOO HEAVY A BURDEN ON YOUNG QUARTERBACK PENIX

ATLANTA (AP) — A missed field goal in the final seconds remained the hot topic Monday, at least partially overshadowing a poor running game that threatens the Atlanta Falcons’ hopes for their first playoff season since 2017.

Younghoe Koo badly missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt in the final seconds of Atlanta’s 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay in Sunday’s opener that would have sent the game to overtime. Koo, coming off a career-high nine missed field goals last season, was the popular topic for blame and his starting position could be on the line this week.

Even so, a dismal rushing performance may be the greater reason for worry.

Bijan Robinson, who ranked third in the NFL with 1,456 yards rushing in 2024, was held to only 24 on the ground as most of his production came as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Falcons were forced to lean heavily on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who made only his fourth start. The good news for Atlanta is that Penix played up to his reputation as a strong-armed passer with impressive composure.

Coach Raheem Morris acknowledged Monday he didn’t want the second-year quarterback to have to throw so often.

The Falcons relied on a new starting right tackle Elijah Wilkinson after Kaleb McGary was lost for the season with a lower left leg injury late in the preseason. The Falcons preferred to run behind McGary and right guard Chris Lindstrom, so the poor performance by the running game in the opener is an ominous sign for the offense.

“We did not play good up front,” Morris said.

Atlanta’s longest run by a running back was a 6-yarder by Robinson. Tyler Allgeier also was held to 24 yards on 10 carries.

What’s working

Penix was efficient and productive as a passer, setting career highs with 27 completions and 42 attempts while passing for 298 yards. His 50-yard scoring pass to Robinson was the longest of the quarterback’s career, even if Robinson created most of the yards.

“I thought he played like an absolute stud, just his determination and the way he leads us offensively,” left tackle Jake Matthews said of Penix.

Penix isn’t a traditional dual-threat quarterback, but he proved he can extend plays. His 12-yard run was Atlanta’s longest of the day, and he showed his strength when he lunged for a 4-yard scoring run.

Making his fourth start, Penix also had no turnovers. His 93.2 passer rating and 64.3 completion percentage were the second-highest of his career.

What needs help

Billy Bowman Jr. and Divine Deablo were each credited with a half-sack. The Falcons pressured Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, but the one sack was a disappointing total following the offseason commitment to improving the pass rush.

Rookie James Pearce Jr., one of two edge rushers drafted in the first round, was credited with one quarterback hurry. Jalon Walker, the other first-round pick, had two tackles.

Stock up

Cornerback A.J. Terrell had the difficult task of shadowing Tampa Bay’s standout receiver Mike Evans most of the game. While Mayfield found rookie Emeka Egbuka for two touchdown passes, including the go-ahead 25-yarder in the final minute, Evans had a relatively quiet day with five catches for 51 yards and no touchdowns.

“I thought A.J. was absolutely phenomenal in coverage all day,” Morris said.

Stock down

Koo’s miss with the game on the line endangers his hold on the kicking job.

Koo was good on kicks from 41 and 36 yards after surviving a training camp competition with Lenny Krieg. Krieg remains on the practice squad but is considered a young, developing prospect and may not be the real threat to Koo’s job.

Morris said Monday he’ll bring in veteran kickers for workouts this week. Morris said Koo’s poor game, which also included hitting the right upright on his 36-yarder, “creates more of a sense of urgency” to bring in competition.

Injuries

Morris said he was encouraged after talking with WR Drake London, who left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. London’s exit added to a growing depth problem at the position after Darnell Mooney (shoulder) was inactive but participated in pregame warmups. WR Jamal Agnew was listed as questionable with a groin injury in the second quarter.

Morris said “I feel good” about the possibility Mooney, the team’s top deep threat, can return this week.

Key stat

2.5. — With 28 carries for 68 yards, the Falcons averaged only 2.5 yards per rushing attempt.

Next steps

The Falcons play at Minnesota on Sunday night.

TITANS HURT THEMSELVES AND FAIL TO HELP ROOKIE QB CAM WARD IN SEASON OPENER

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A quarterback making his NFL debut means a team has to expect rookie mistakes.

The Tennessee Titans didn’t help Cam Ward nearly enough, and that includes coach Brian Callahan costing the chance at stealing a big win on the road in their season opener.

Four to five dropped passes. A failure to challenge an incompletion where a wide receiver’s elbow came down inbounds. Too many penalties and sacks allowed in a 20-12 loss to Denver. Callahan took blame Monday for saying the receiver needed to get another body part down after the game.

“Ultimately, my interpretation of the rule was wrong. I’ll own it,” Callahan said. “We should have challenged the play.”

The Titans hired Callahan in January 2024 for his offensive experience, knowing he would be calling plays for the first time in his career. Tennessee went 3-14 and selected Ward hoping to land a franchise quarterback.

Ward had his rookie moments taking back-to-back sacks while in field-goal range after the Titans recovered a fumbled punt.

Otherwise, he was poised under pressure from a Denver defense that led the NFL in sacks last season.

The rookie was just 12 of 28 for 112 yards with a 54.5 passer rating not getting help with some balls going off hands. Ward opened by driving the Titans to a field goal, which wound up as their longest drive in a game where they nearly had more penalty yards (131) than total offense (133).

The bigger issues for the second-year coach came when Callahan said postgame that the Titans didn’t challenge the ruling of an long pass to rookie Elic Ayomanor that was ruled incomplete because the receiver didn’t get a second body part down. Under NFL rules, an elbow counts as a completion.

One sequence in the final 47 seconds of the first half summed up Callahan’s play-calling issues. The coach called for three straight passes with the team backed up at the Tennessee 7 with the Titans needing only to run out the clock to take a 6-3 lead into halftime.

Instead, Ward threw two incompletions before being sacked nearly for a safety. Denver never needed to use either of two remaining timeouts. The Broncos needed two plays to take the lead and were up 10-9 at half.

What’s working

Forcing turnovers was a key focus all offseason after Tennessee tied for 30th in the NFL with a minus-16 turnover margin last season with only 18 takeaways. The Titans came up with two interceptions, a forced fumble and recovered a fumbled punt.

What needs help

The Titans also spent the offseason trying to clean up mistakes such as penalties they can control and showed no signs of progress in Denver. They finished with 13 accepted penalties. Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said what really got them beat was their penalties.

“Now we got to take the next step and get less penalties and clean the penalties up,” he said.

Stock up

Simmons. He had a sack and a forced fumble. He also had a pressure that led to Xavier Woods’ interception.

Stock down

A tie between cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who drew three penalties, and veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Brownlee is a second-year starter whose biggest penalty was pass interference on an incompletion that set up Denver’s first TD just before halftime.

Ridley has the biggest salary cap hit on the Titans. He caught four of eight passes for 27 yards with a couple of drops and one ball that was high and off his hands.

Injuries

Right tackle JC Latham didn’t finish the game because of a hip issue. Callahan said they will monitor the lineman who aggravated something he has “been battling for a little bit now.”

Key number

Six. That’s the number of sacks the Titans’ revamped offensive line allowed of the rookie quarterback.

Next steps

The Titans at least play the next two games at home, starting with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Then it’s back on the road for three straight games as part of a schedule that has Tennessee away from home five of the first eight games.

_____

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THIRD-STRINGER RYAN STAUB’S PERFORMANCE CREATES QB DILEMMA FOR DEION SANDERS AND COLORADO

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — To Deion Sanders, the plan last weekend seemed only fair: Give all three of his quarterbacks two series each to see what they could do. That way, the situation could “tell us its own story,” he explained.

That story now contains an intriguing plot development.

The Colorado coach has a dilemma at QB going into the Big 12 Conference opener Friday in Houston. It’s the sort of predicament he’s sidestepped because he’s had his son, Shedeur.

The under-center candidates include transfer and current starter Kaidon Salter, along with freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis. Added to the mix after Saturday’s stellar performance is the longtime understudy, Ryan Staub, who served as the backup to Shedeur Sanders the past two seasons.

“I know exactly how I’m going to handle the quarterback situation,” Deion Sanders said after a 31-7 win over Delaware that set the QB situation in full motion. “I’m not going to say it.”

The competition

Salter left Liberty to step in at Colorado. The dual-option threat beat out Lewis and Staub in fall camp for the starting job. He had Colorado (1-1) off to a 10-0 lead in his two series of work against the Blue Hens before giving way to Lewis, the 17-year-old highly touted recruit and future of the program.

Lewis didn’t produce any points in his first two cracks at leading the team.

Next up was Staub, the third-stringer whose performance threw a curve into the quarterback plans. He tossed two TD passes — one in the closing seconds before halftime and another on a quick strike soon after the break. He stayed in the game for two more series, too.

With that, the competition appears open again.

“My decisions are not just based on what I see in the game,” explained Sanders, who enacted his two-series-each plan after the season-opening loss to Georgia Tech. “My decisions are based on a lot about what I see in practice and what I know to be true and what should happen based on preparation in practice.”

The understudy

Staub knows the offense about as well as anyone after spending the past two seasons in the shadow of Shedeur Sanders. Staub even paid homage Saturday to Sanders, now in Cleveland, by raising his wrist and doing the “Shedeur” pose after a 71-yard TD throw.

“I got to see everything that he did and the way he does things, day in and day out, the way he sees stuff in the film room,” said Staub, a redshirt sophomore from California. “Just the past couple years sitting behind him has really helped me.”

Staub finished 7 of 10 for 157 yards and two touchdown passes.

“It’s crazy to be rewarded this way,” Staub said. “It’s been a long couple of years of just working and waiting and working.”

Staub has one start on his resume — in 2023, with Sanders sidelined by an injury. Staub threw for 195 yards and his first career touchdown to Travis Hunter in a 23-17 loss at Utah.

Last season, Staub was limited to 20 snaps over four appearances in his backup role.

This season, he slipped to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Salter and Lewis. But he may have just risen up the ranks.

There was a moment on the sideline Saturday where Deion Sanders placed both hands on Staub’s helmet, stared through his facemask and appeared to tell him, “I believe in you, man.”

Staub had no idea he’d play until the day before the Delaware game. Soon after finding out, he visited with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to make some play-calling requests.

“He told me, ‘I like this, this, this, this and this, and call this here,’” Shurmur recounted. “It didn’t surprise me, not one bit, that the guys in there playing were rooting for him, because he has that spirit.”

Transfer portal

Staub could’ve left via the transfer portal. Deion Sanders would’ve gladly made calls to programs on his behalf, too.

That option didn’t appeal to him. He wanted to succeed at Colorado.

“Worked his butt off and understands who we are, what we are, what we want from that position,” Sanders said. “He balled out so much, the whole student section was chanting his name.”

It reminded Sanders of “Rudy,” the 1993 movie about a college football player who overcame the odds to achieve his dream of suiting up for Notre Dame. Unlike Rudy Ruettiger, who famously played in only one game for the Fighting Irish, Staub could have a starring role with the Buffaloes.

“I was the guy who cried when I saw the movie,” Sanders said. “Those type of guys who didn’t really get opportunities or what they should, those have always been my guys.

“That means a lot to me, to see (Staub) stick around and get an opportunity when he could have easily dipped. … He’s one of those kids, man, and I’m proud.”

TEXAS’ SARKISIAN DISMISSES QUESTION ABOUT QB ARCH MANNING POSSIBLY HAVING THROWING ISSUES

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian rebuffed a question about Arch Manning’s physical well-being after videos posted on social media on the weekend sparked speculation the quarterback might have throwing issues.

On the television broadcast during the No. 7 Longhorns’ 38-7 win over San Jose State on Saturday, Manning appeared to grimace as he threw a ball short to receiver Ryan Wingo.

During Sarkisian’s weekly news conference on Monday, a reporter said that Manning “seemed to be having some throwing pains,” and Sarkisian cut him off.

“According to who? Arch said that to you?” Sarkisian responded.

The reporter then asked if there is an explanation for why Manning “looked like that?”

“I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom, so I don’t know what faces you make when you’re doing that,” Sarkisian said and then moved on to the next question.

Manning was asked at a postgame news conference if he had any pain.

“No, no I gotta make that throw,” Manning said. “He was open. Ran a good dig route, so gotta make that throw.”

Sarkisian also was asked after the game if Manning was dealing with any injuries.

“I don’t know,” Sarkisian responded. “News to me.”

Manning completed 19-of-30 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns while also scrambling 20-yards for another score.

He was badly off target a few times during a 14-7 loss at Ohio State in the season opener on Aug. 30, prompting a question about Manning’s mechanics at Sarkisian’s news conference the following Monday.

“There was a couple times where we had some crossing routes where I didn’t feel like he brought his feet to where he wanted to throw the ball, which, in turn, forced kind of a little bit more of a side arm delivery, which isn’t his style of throwing,” Sarkisian said. “I think if he can get his feet aligned and get his shoulders aligned, that can help with some of his accuracy.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE FINED $500,000 BY SEC FOR FIELD STORMING FOLLOWING AGAINST ARIZONA STATE

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Mississippi State University has been fined $500,000 by the Southeastern Conference for its fans rushing the field following a home win over then-No. 12 Arizona State.

The Bulldogs knocked off the Sun Devils 24-20 on Saturday and their students rushed the field after, carrying the goalposts with them out of Davis Wade Stadium as they left. The win was Mississippi State’s first over a top-15 nonconference opponent since 1991.

The SEC altered its policy on field and court storming over the summer, imposing a $500,000 fine each instance instead of escalating penalties.

The conference has discretion to wave the penalty if officials and the opposing team are able to get off the field before fans enter the field, but fans were already on the field before Arizona State’s players and coaches could leave.

MICHIGAN STATE, OHIO STATE, PURDUE AND WASHINGTON EARN WEEKLY FOOTBALL HONORS

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Week 2 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week Presented by IFS.ai were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees: 

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Aidan Chiles, Michigan State

QB – Jr. – Long Beach, Calif. – Downey

• Recorded a career-high four touchdowns Saturday as the Spartans beat Boston College in double overtime
• Had 270 total yards (231 passing, 39 rushing) and accounted for five total touchdowns (four passing, one rushing)
• Threw the game-winning 2-point conversion pass to Omari Kelly in double overtime on the last play of the game
• Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Maliq Carr (Nov. 20, 2023)

Jonah Coleman, Washington

RB – Sr. – Stockton, Calif. – Lincoln

• Tied the modern Washington record with five rushing touchdowns in the Huskies’ 70-10 win over UC Davis, tying the mark set by Hall of Famer Hugh McElhenny in 1950 (vs. Washington State) and tied by Corey Dillon vs. UCLA, in 1996.
• Scored on five of his 15 carries and rushed for 111 yards
• Also had a 24-yard reception
• The second Washington Offensive Player of the Week in as many weeks

Defensive Player of the Week

Jordan Hall, Michigan State

LB – Jr. – Fredericksburg, Va. – IMG Academy

• Registered a career-high 15 tackles in the win over Boston College
• His nine solo stops Saturday night marked a career best
• Added one forced fumble, forcing a fumble that teammate redshirt senior defensive back Armorion Smith recovered in the end zone in the first quarter
• Last Michigan State Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Cal Haladay (Nov. 14, 2022)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Spencer Porath, Purdue

K – So. – Brownsburg, Ind. – Brownsburg

• Recorded the fourth multi-field goal game of his career, matching his career high by going 2-for-2 on field goal attempts
• Connected on field goals from 25 yards and 43 yards, the latter the second-longest of his career
• Made all four PATs to help the Boilermakers defeat SIU, 34-17
• Last Purdue Special Teams Players of the Week: J.D. Dellinger (Nov. 11, 2019)

Freshman of the Week

Julian Sayin, Ohio State

QB – Carlsbad, Calif. – Carlsbad

• Completed a school record 16 consecutive passes to open the game and finished with 18 completions in 19 attempts for 306 yards with four touchdown passes and one interception in No. 1 Ohio State’s 70-0 victory over Grambling State
• Connected with Jeremiah Smith on two touchdown passes, including the second-longest completion, and third longest play from scrimmage, in school history: an 87-yard catch and run midway through the first quarter
• His 94.7 completion percentage for the game is third-highest in school history and 16 consecutive completions in the game is second-most at Ohio State
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Jeremiah Smith (Nov. 11, 2024)

MAC ANNOUNCES WEEK 2 FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

MAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Chip Trayanum, Toledo, RB    
Sr., Akron, OH (Archbishop Hoban)   
Chip Trayanum rushed for a career-high 163 yards on 14 carries in Toledo’s 45-21 victory over Western Kentucky. Trayanum scored his first two rushing touchdowns as a Rocket, a one-yarder in the first quarter and a 75-yard sprint in the third quarter. The two rushing TDs tied his career high, which he accomplished twice at Arizona State in 2020, and the three total touchdowns marked a career high. Trayanum added a TD reception in the first quarter, the first of his career. His 75-yard TD run was Toledo’s longest run from scrimmage since Jacquez Stuart went 80 yards for a score vs. Wyoming at the 2023 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30, 2023.
 
MAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Michael Molnar, Ohio, LB      
R-Jr., Mason, Ohio (Mason)   
With redshirt junior linebacker Michael Molnar at the helm, Ohio’s defense held West Virginia to 2-of-13 successful third down conversions and forced the Mountaineers to punt eight times in the Bobcats’ 17-10 victory over their Big 12 opponent. Individually, Molnar was among three Bobcats to log a team-best seven total tackles. He led the team with 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while also recording two solo stops and one quarterback hurry.
 
MAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Palmer Domschke, Western Michigan, K
R-Jr., Bollingbrook, Ill. (Neaqua Valley)
Domschke was instrumental in helping the Broncos take North Texas to overtime. He tied his career high with three field goals and also had three extra points, for 12 of WMU’s 30 points on the day. All three of his field goals came from at least 40 yards out, hitting from 40, 43 and 48. His first FG, a 40-yarder, of the day gave the Broncos a 17-7 lead late in the second quarter. He then nailed a 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to put the Broncos up 27-17. His final field goal came in WMU’s possession in overtime, connecting from 48 to give the Broncos a 30-27 lead.

BIG 12 FOOTBALL WEEK TWO HONOREES ANNOUNCED

Offensive Players of the Week: 
Jaden Nixon, RB, UCF and Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor

Defensive Players of the Week: 
Skyler Gill-Howard, DL, Texas Tech and Tamatoa McDonough, DL, Iowa State

Special Teams Players of the Week: 
Connor Hawkins, K, Baylor and Kyle Konrardy, K, Iowa State

Freshman of the Week: Connor Hawkins, K, Baylor

Offensive Line of the Week: Cincinnati

Defensive Line of the Week: Iowa State

IRVING, Texas – Baylor, UCF, Cincinnati, Iowa State and Texas Tech received Big 12 Football weekly awards following notable wins over non-conference opponents in week two. UCF running back Jaden Nixon and Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson (offensive) were honored alongside Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard and Iowa State’s Tamatoa McDonough (defensive). Baylor kicker Connor Hawkins (freshman and special teams) shared accolades with Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy (special teams). Cincinnati had the Offensive Line of the Week, and Iowa State rounded out the awards with the Defensive Line of the Week.

Robertson led all FBS quarterbacks in week two with 440 passing yards in addition to four touchdown throws in Baylor’s double-overtime win over then-No. 17 SMU. The Bears’ signal caller authored drives of 72 yards and 82 yards in the fourth quarter of the comeback win. Robertson also became the first Big 12 quarterback to throw for 400 or more yards in the first two games of a season since Patrick Mahomes in 2016.

With 156 rushing yards on just four carries with two touchdowns against North Carolina A&T, Nixon made UCF history throughout Saturday’s game. His 87-yard touchdown run was the third longest play from scrimmage in program history after returning the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. Nixon also became just the fourth player in UCF’s FBS history to return a kickoff for a touchdown and tally an offensive touchdown in the same game.

Iowa State’s 16-13 victory over rival Iowa saw McDonough record back-to-back sacks on the final drive to end the game. The senior finished the game with five total tackles, a pair of sacks and a quarterback hurry as part of Iowa State’s defensive line that was also honored this week. The defense stymied Iowa to pick up ISU’s first home win in the rivalry series since 2011.

Gill-Howard tallied a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown from his defensive line position in Texas Tech’s 62-14 blowout of Kent State. He became the first Red Raider defensive lineman to return an interception for a touchdown since Adell Duckett went five yards into the end zone against SMU to start the 2003 season. Gill-Howard also added four tackles, including one for a loss, in the win.

Hawkins was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week after helping propel Baylor to a 48-45 win at then-No. 17 SMU in double overtime. The redshirt freshman made both of his field goal attempts, including the game-winning kick from 27 yards out in just his third career game. Hawkins was also a perfect four-for-four on extra points to finish his day with 12 points.

Winning Special Teams Player of the Week for a second consecutive week, Konrardy made the game-winning field goal from 54 yards in his team’s 16-13 win in the Cy-Hawk rivalry game. He made all four of his kicks that included makes from 27, 44 and 54 yards. Saturday’s win was his third career game of three or more field goals, as he took home Big 12 weekly honors for the third time in his career.

Cincinnati was voted the Offensive Line of the Week as the Bearcats tallied 439 yards of offense in their win over Bowling Green. The unit did not allow a quarterback sack for a second straight week as Brendan Sorsby threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday.

Iowa State boasts its second Defensive Line of the Week award of 2025 after its 16-13 rivalry win over Iowa. The Cyclones held Iowa’s offense to 214 yards of total offense, including just 83 yards through the air, while defensive tackle Domonique Orange finished with a career-high six tackles, going up against Iowa’s center Logan Jones, who was an honorable mention All-American and a First-Team All-Big Ten selection last season.

SEC FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: SEPT. 8

OFFENSIVE

John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma

• Completed 21 of 34 passes (62%) for 270 yards and one touchdown and registered team highs of 19 rushes, 74 yards and two touchdowns (2 and 10 yards) to lead No. 18/24 Oklahoma to a 24-13 win over No. 15/13 Michigan.
• He led OU on a 12-play, 75-yard drive to open the game, which resulted in a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Burks.
• His first rushing TD came with 22 seconds left in the first half and made the score 14-0, and his second extended OU’s lead to 21-7 with 10:12 remaining in the third quarter.
• In the fourth quarter while protecting an eight-point lead, he led the Sooners on a 16-play, 78-yard drive that consumed 8:27 and resulted in a field goal and 24-13 lead with 1:44 remaining.
• Through two games this season, Mateer has completed 72% of his passes (51 of 71 for 662 yards and four touchdowns).
• His 662 passing yards are the second most by an OU quarterback through the first two games of a career (Josh Heupel had 773 in the first two games of the 1999 season).

DEFENSIVE

Nick Rinaldi, LB, Vanderbilt

• Led Vandy with six total tackles in earning a road victory over Virginia Tech
• That total included a career-best 2½ stops behind the line highlighted by one of the team’s three sacks
• Was also credited with a quarterback hurry on third down from the VU-11 that forced the Hokies to settle for a field goal on their opening drive
• Part of a Commodore defense that surrendered no points and just 21 yards in the second half to overcome a 10-point deficit at the break

Nic Mitchell, LB, Mississippi State

• Mitchell led the team with nine tackles in the win versus No. 10 Arizona State.
• His biggest stop came inside two minutes remaining, when he kept Arizona State running back Kanye Udoh out of the end zone on 3rd-and-goal from the 1-yard line to force a field goal.
• That play set up MSU’s final drive, capped by a 58-yard touchdown to take the lead with 30 seconds left.
• The MSU defense held Arizona State to 82 yards passing, two interceptions and a 43 percent completion rate.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Lucas Carneiro, PK, Ole Miss

• Accounted for 12 points and helped clinch an SEC road win at Kentucky.
• Connected on 3-of-4 field goals, including a 36-yarder with 1:10 left to give the Rebels a late 10-point lead.
• Drilled a long field goal of 43 yards to improve to 9-of-10 from 40-49 yards out in his career.
• Recorded touchbacks on all seven kickoffs.
• A first-quarter, 51-yard FG attempt that hit the goalpost marked the first miss from 50 yards in his career, entering the day a perfect 6-of-6.

Vicari Swain, DB/PR, South Carolina

• Swain returned two punts for touchdowns in the Gamecocks’ 38-10 win over South Carolina State.
• Punt returns went for 65- and 42-yards on back-to-back series in the 2nd quarter, sparking the Gamecocks’ to victory.
• Carolina trailed 3-0 with just five minutes left in the half when he scored from 65 yards out to put the Gamecocks in front, then less than two minutes later, made it a 14-3 lead.
• He became the first player in school history to return two punts for touchdowns in a game.
• After just two games, he has tied the single-season school record with three punt returns for touchdowns and is tied for second on the school’s all-time career list.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Albert Reese, RT, Mississippi State

• Reese started at right tackle due to injury-related shuffling on the offensive line, after starting at left tackle the week prior.
• He logged 66 snaps and earned PFF grades of 80.4 on offense and 82.3 in pass blocking.
• He did not allow a sack or commit a penalty, providing steady protection that helped quarterback Blake Shapen throw for 279 yards and three touchdowns of 45-plus yards each.

Dominick Giudice, G, Missouri

• Giudice led the Mizzou offensive front that controlled the trenches against the Kansas Jayhawks.
• Opened holes for 261 rushing yards, led by two 100-yard rushers (Jamal Roberts – 143 yards; Ahmad Hardy – 112 yards).
• Graded out at a team-best 88 percent with zero penalties and zero missed assignments.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M

• Posted a 78.9 pass rush grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
• Recorded three consecutive sacks during a single drive in the second quarter, which research indicates is the first FBS player to do so since Wisconsin’s Jack Cichy in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.
• Became the first Aggie to record 3.0+ sacks in a game since Edgerrin Cooper in 2023.
• The 4 tackles accounted for minus-18 total lost yardage (1.0 tackle for 3 yards, 1.0 sack for minus-6 yards, 1.0 sack for minus-7 yards & 1.0 sack for minus-8 yards).
• Led Texas A&M defense that limited Utah State to an 2-for-14 performance on 3rd down conversions.

FRESHMAN

Parker Livingstone, WR, Texas

• Livingstone caught four passes for 128 receiving yards (32.0 ypr) and two touchdowns in helping Texas to a 38-7 win over San Jose State in the Longhorns’ home opener.
• His 128 receiving yards rank 11th on the UT freshman single-game list.
• The touchdowns came within 2:40 of each other on the clock late in the first quarter, providing Texas its first two scores of the game and a 14-0 lead.
• The first was an 83-yard reception, which is the fourth-longest by a freshman in UT history and the longest since 2015 when John Burt had an 84-yarder against Kansas. It was also the longest passing play for Texas since a 90-yard completion against Oklahoma State on Oct. 21, 2017 and the 13th-longest overall in program history.
• Then with 12 seconds left in the quarter, Livingstone pulled in a three-yard touchdown.
• Third Longhorn to have multiple receiving touchdowns in the first quarter of a game in the last 30 years, joining Jaxon Shipley (Sept. 29, 2012) and Joshua Moore (Oct. 9, 2021). The 100-yard effort is the first of his career.
• Livingstone now leads the Longhorns with 175 receiving yards, 29.2 yards per reception and three touchdown receptions this season.
• The three touchdown receptions also rank second in the FBS, while the 29.2 yards per catch are fourth.

HCAC 2025 FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK, WEEK 1

Athletes of the Week: 
Offensive Player of the Week:
Eli Aston (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) Mount St. Joseph University | Wide Receiver | Sophomore – MSJ wideout Eli Aston had one of the biggest receiving days in the country in the Lions win over Muskingum. He hauled in 10 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown in the win, currently ranking third in the NCAA in receiving yards and tied for second in catches. 

Defensive Player of the Week:
Devin Hogan (Warren, Mich.) Bluffton University | Linebacker | Senior – Hogan was a key component in Bluffton stunning 20-17 victory over Kenyon on Saturday night. He had five solo stops with four of them being tackles for loss, including two huge sacks. His TFL’s added up to 25 yards of losses with 19 of them coming on the two sacks as Bluffton pitched a shutout in the second half. The Bluffton defense allowed just 57 yards on the ground.

Special Teams Player of the Week:
Colton Yugovich (Mansfield, Ohio) Bluffton University | Kicker/Punter | First Year – Yugovich came up huge in his first collegiate game for the Beavers. He was a perfect 2-of-2 on field goals with scoring strikes from 44 yards and 35 yards in Bluffton’s 20-17 win over Kenyon. He punted four times for 143 yards (35.8 AVG) with two inside the 20 and a long of 46 yards. Yugovich also had five kickoffs for a 42.2 yard average and dropped a pooch kickoff at the Kenyon 35 that Bluffton recovered and it set up a touchdown as the Beavers scored 10 points in just over three minutes.
 
Notable Performances:
Offensive Players:

• Albert Rabb (El Paso, Texas) Anderson University | Running Back | Sophomore – Albert Rabb rushed for 83 yards and 1 rushing touchdown in Anderson’s 7-6 win against Alfred State. He also added 5 receiving yards.
• Niegel Payne (Detroit, Mich.) Bluffton University | Wide Receiver | Senior – Payne caught six balls for 133 yards, including a one-hander for 43 yards that put Bluffton in position to score a 20-17 come-from-behind victory over Kenyon on Saturday night.
• Owen Wright (Greenwood, Ind.) Franklin College | Wide Receiver | Junior – Wright made an instant impact on Franklin’s 27-20 victory over Ohio Northern, throwing an 84-yard touchdown pass off a reverse on the first play of the game. He followed up that big play with several others, catching five passes for 113 yards and two more scores. His first TD grab was a 5-yarder in heavy traffic on fourth and goal, and the other, covering 32 yards late in the third quarter, proved to be the game-winning points.
• Eian Roudebush (New Palestine, Ind.) Hanover College | Quarterback | Junior – Eian Roudebush turned in an impressive performance despite falling to Centre. The junior threw for 170 yards while rushing for 51 yards. He added one passing score, as well as one on the ground score, contributing to all 15 of the Panthers points. Eian helped Hanover record 289 yards of total offense.

Defensive Players:

• Kevin Thomas (Detroit, Mich.) Anderson University | Linebacker | First Year – Kevin Thomas intercepted a pass on the final drive of the game to seal Anderson’s 7-6 win against Alfred State.
• Seth Rindfuss (Lake Village, Ind.) Franklin College | Nose Tackle | Sophomore – Rindfuss played a key role in the Grizzlies’ thrilling 27-20 win over Ohio Northern. He made five tackles, including half a quarterback sack, and put constant pressure on the ONU offensive line. He was credited with two quarterback hurries, one of those a hit on ONU quarterback Sam Feldman during the game-clinching stop on fourth down with 1:26 left. That was one of four fourth-down stops by the Franklin defense.
• Brian Wall (Sellersburg, Ind.) Hanover College | Linebacker | Sophomore – Brian Wall led the defense with a game-high seven tackles. The sophomore was key to the Panther defense, collecting five solo stops and helping to hold Centre to just 73 yards on the ground.
• Mason Daring (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Manchester University | Linebacker | Junior – Mason clocked 10 total tackles, 5 of which were solo, and 5 assisted. He also had 1 tackle for loss.
• Luke Paff (Cincinnati, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Linebacker | Junior – Lions junior linebacker Luke Paff started the 2025 season off right, the preseason all-american registered a team-high 12 tackles including 7 solo stops. He helped the Lions secure a hardfought 33-27 road win at Muskingum.

Special Teams Players:

• Layton Anderson (Harrison, Ohio) Anderson University | Punter | First Year – Layton Anderson posted an average of 38 yards per punt on 5 punts in Anderson’s 7-6 win against Alfred State. Anderson also delivered a 62-yard punt and pinned a punt inside the 20.
• Nick Stoner (Providence, Ind.) Hanover College | Punter | First Year – Stoner tallied two punts as the Panthers fell to Centre. The freshman made he debut, punting twice for a combined 42 yards. One of his two punts landed inside the 20-yard line.
• Angel Estrada (Bremen, Ind.) Manchester University | Punter | Junior – Estrada tallied 10 punts for a total of 364 yards. The longest had a yardage of 55 yard. He had  2 punts of 50+ yards,  and 3 punts inside the 20.
• Maxwell Spencer (Commercial Point, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Kicker | First Year – Mount St. Joseph freshman kicker Maxwell Spencer had a perfect Lions debut! He was 3-for-3 on  PAT attempts and kicked a pair of fieldgoals, from 27 and 25 yards respectively. He also handled the Lions kickoff duties hitting 7 kickoffs for 364 yards for an average of 52.0 yards per kick.

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB ROUNDUP: PHILLIES DROP METS, GAIN ANOTHER GAME IN EAST

Aaron Nola pitched six scoreless innings and Jhoan Duran escaped a tense situation in the ninth as the Philadelphia Phillies nipped the visiting New York Mets 1-0 on Monday.

Nola (4-8) gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out seven in his most effective start since coming back from a three-month stint on the injured list. Duran struck out Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez with runners on second and third in the final inning to close out Philadelphia’s eighth victory in 11 games.

After winning each of his first four starts to begin his major league career, Nolan McLean (4-1) took a tough-luck loss. The right-hander allowed one run and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

The Phillies stretched their lead over the second-place Mets in the National League East to eight games with three games left in this series — final time these teams play one another.

Rangers 5, Brewers 0

Michael Helman drove home every Texas run with a grand slam and an RBI double to back the solid start of pitcher Jacob Latz as the surging Rangers past Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game interleague series in Arlington, Texas.

Latz (2-0) went 5 2/3 innings in his seventh start of the season, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out four. He was followed to the mound by Cole Winn, Jacob Webb and Chris Martin as the Texas pitchers faced just four batters over the minimum.

Milwaukee had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Brewers managed just six hits (all of them singles) and reached second only twice in the game. Blake Perkins had two of Milwaukee’s hits.

Guardians 10, Royals 2

Slade Cecconi held Kansas City without a hit until the eighth inning and Nolan Jones had a two-run double during a six-run fourth, sending Cleveland past the visiting Royals.

Cecconi (6-6) only allowed Michael Massey’s leadoff single to center over eight scoreless innings and 100 pitches, while striking out three and walking three. The right-hander won for the first time in nine starts since July 18 against the Athletics.

C.J. Kayfus, Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann also had RBI doubles in the fourth off Royals starter Ryan Bergert (2-2), marking Cleveland’s first inning with four RBI doubles since Aug. 13, 2018, against the Cincinnati Reds.

Nationals 15, Marlins 7

Josh Bell went 4-for-6 with two home runs and six RBIs to help and Washington tied season highs in runs and hits (19) to overpower host Miami.

Dylan Crews had three hits, including a homer, and drove in four while James Wood added three hits for the Nationals, who have won three straight and six of seven. Washington starter Cade Cavalli (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits across five innings, striking out one and walking one.

Victor Mesa Jr. hit his first career homer, a three-run shot for Miami, which has dropped six of seven. Jakob Marsee also went deep. Janson Junk (6-3) gave up six runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings while striking out three and walking two.

Braves 4, Cubs 1

Bryce Elder pitched 6 1/3 quality innings and host Atlanta topped Chicago to give manager Brian Snitker his 800th career victory.

Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson hit solo homers and Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth inning to earn his 25th save as the Braves snapped a two-game losing skid. Elder (7-9) gave up one run on five hits while striking out six. He has a 1.37 ERA over his last four outings.

Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (9-7) pitched six innings, allowing three runs and five hits in the loss. Chicago scored its run in the seventh on Matt Shaw’s sacrifice fly to shallow center. It brought home Nico Hoerner, who had his team’s lone extra-base hit of the night.

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NBA NEWS

NBA PLAYER’S SISTER FATALLY SHOT AT NEW JERSEY APARTMENT COMPLEX, HER BOYFRIEND CHARGED WITH MURDER

JACKSON, N.J. (AP) — The sister of Minnesota Timberwolves player Naz Reid was fatally shot at a New Jersey apartment complex by her boyfriend, who was charged with murder, authorities said Monday.

Police went to the Paragon apartment complex in Jackson around 11 a.m. Saturday, after receiving reports of shots fired. They soon found Toraya Reid, 28, unresponsive near the complex’s exit, and she apparently had been shot multiple times, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Officers also saw Shaquille Green, 29, of Jackson running down a nearby road, and he was soon taken into custody without incident.

Besides the murder count, Green also faces two weapons charges. Billhimer said Reid and Green had been in “a dating relationship” but did not provide further details.

Green remained jailed on Monday, and prosecutors did not know if he had retained an attorney.

Reid, 25, a New Jersey native and a star scholastic player in his home state, is about to enter his seventh season with Minnesota and recently signed a five-year contract with the team. He was named the NBA’s “Sixth Man of the Year” for the 2023-2024 season.

Reid’s agents did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Monday.

Jackson is a community in southern New Jersey, about 31 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia.

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WNBA NEWS

DREAM’S SECOND-HALF 16-POINT RUN SPELLS END FOR SUN

Rhyne Howard posted a game-high 18 points to go with six assists to help the Atlanta Dream post an 87-62 victory over the visiting Connecticut Sun on Monday in College Park, Ga.

Allisha Gray added 15 points for Atlanta (29-14) while Naz Hillmon chipped in 14. Reserves Maya Caldwell and Brittney Griner scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Dream, who extended their winning streak to five straight.

Atlanta outscored Connecticut 42-19 in the second half of the teams’ penultimate regular-season game. Both sides will finish their regular-season campaigns when they meet again Wednesday in Connecticut.

Saniya Rivers led the Sun (11-32) with 16 points, followed by Aneesha Morrow’s 13 points and 14 rebounds. Tina Charles added 12 points for Connecticut, which dropped its fourth game in five tries.

After Rivers’ jumper cut the Sun’s deficit to three with 5:56 left in the third, Griner’s layup began a 9-0 run to push the Dream’s lead to 61-49. Charles’ basket and Aaliyah Edwards’ free throw stopped the bleeding for Connecticut, but Gray’s jumper and Howard’s five straight points gave Atlanta a 68-52 advantage entering the fourth.

The Dream pushed that 7-0 run into 16 straight points as they opened the fourth quarter with Gray’s personal 5-0 spurt — followed by Caldwell’s 3-point play, Howard’s technical foul free throw and a Caldwell free throw that extended the Dream’s lead to 77-52.

Connecticut was held without a fourth-quarter field goal until the 5:39 mark, when Mamignan Toure’s 3-pointer cut Atlanta’s lead to 79-56.

Atlanta led 26-16 before Rivers’ five straight points and Marina Mabrey’s 3-pointer cut the Sun’s deficit to two entering the second quarter.

Hillmon’s layup gave the Dream a 32-29 lead before Mabrey scored four of Connecticut’s 6-0 spurt to help the Sun grab a three-point edge.

After Gray’s four straight points gave the Dream a 45-40 advantage, Rivers’ 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer cut Atlanta’s halftime lead to two.

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NASCAR NEWS

TOYOTAS TURNING HEADS WITH SPEED IN NASCAR PLAYOFFS. ‘THEY’RE RIDICULOUSLY FAST,’ JOEY LOGANO SAYS

When Toyota entered NASCAR’s premier series in 2007, the manufacturer was concerned more about making races than winning 200 of them.

In its first year, Toyota drivers suffered through nearly 100 failed qualifying attempts — but the lack of speed didn’t dissuade Joe Gibbs Racing from signing with the automaker for the 2008 season despite its drivers’ concerns.

“Certainly, I was worried when we switched over,” JGR driver Denny Hamlin said Sunday after winning at World Wide Technology Raceway to make Toyota the fourth manufacturer to reach the 200-victory mark in Cup. “Obviously, it was a big leap of faith by everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. The drivers were kind of like an innocent bystander. We were going to live and die by those decisions that JGR made. It turned out to be the best partnership that they could imagine.”

Two races into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Toyota’s blazing pace in trying to end a six-year championship drought has emerged as a prevailing storyline.

After Toyota swept the top four and took six of the top seven spots in the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, Hamlin and teammate Chase Briscoe claimed the top two spots at the 1.25-mile oval outside St. Louis that commonly is known as Gateway.

Toyota’s Camrys have led 515 of 607 laps in the playoffs, and their all-around performance has left defending series champion Joey Logano marveling at the gap with Ford and Chevrolet.

“They’re ridiculously fast,” Logano said when asked about Toyota after his No. 22 Ford took fifth at Gateway. “They’ve got a lot of grip, and they’ve got a lot of horsepower. We’ve got a lot of work to do to catch up. We’ve got to be absolutely perfect in every category to contend, and we need them to make mistakes, which they do. We have the potential to do it, it’s just going to be really challenging.”

Logano has won two of the past three titles for Team Penske by winning the season finale at Phoenix, a track that is similar in size and shape to Gateway.

After failing to lead a lap at Phoenix in his past two Championship 4 appearances in 2020-21, Hamlin is hopeful of being a factor again after leading a race-high 75 of 240 laps at Gateway.

“I remember showing up to the championship race in 2021 knowing we had no shot, that we weren’t good on the short tracks,” he said. “I do feel like our cars are good right now. This is a track that you can draw some connections to Phoenix, the distance and the banking. You just never know. The Penske cars have come out of nowhere the last few years when you didn’t think they had the speed. They just showed up one week and, poof, they had it.

“You just never know in this sport. It ebbs and it flows.”

Toyota Racing Development president Tyler Gibbs also is cautiously optimistic about the consistency across the manufacturer’s nine-car lineup. Though Joe Gibbs Racing is Toyota’s winningest organization with 166 victories (56 apiece by Hamlin and Kyle Busch, who won the most recent title for JGR and Toyota in 2019 ), 23XI Racing won the Brickyard 400 with Bubba Wallace (who has five top-10 finishes in seven races), and Legacy Motor Club has three top fives in the past three races.

“The tracks have suited us well and our drivers well,” Gibbs said. “I think execution is going to be what wins races in the playoffs and is going to win the championship at Phoenix. The cars are so close, and that execution can take all that away. We’re just going to keep our heads down and keep preparing the way we have. The work that the teams have done is incredible. We had some stumbles at the beginning of the year, and we worked really hard to eliminate those and be ready for the playoffs.”

Career expiration date

Hamlin reaffirmed after his 59th career victory that “the countdown has begun” to the end of his driving career. After signing a two-year extension through 2027 in June, he has 70 races remaining — the eight left on the 2025 schedule, plus the next two 36-race seasons — and he said the timeline is helping him stay motivated to remain in top form.

“I’m just not going to leave this sport on my deathbed, just leaking oil and running in the back of the pack,” Hamlin said. “I have way too much pride for that. I’m way too cocky for that. There’s just no way. I want to be able to win my last race. To do that, I’m going to have to retire when I’m racing like this.”

Sorry goes only so far

Ryan Blaney rallied for fourth at Gateway despite falling to 18th after being spun by Kyle Larson with 105 laps remaining. Blaney still was miffed after a postrace apology from Larson, who said he misjudged the distance from his No. 5 Chevy to Blaney’s No. 12 Ford entering Turn 3.

“He just said he made a mistake, and that’s fine, but at the end of the day, I still got turned,” Blaney said. “He came from all the way on the bottom of the racetrack and hit me in the left rear. I know he most likely didn’t mean to do it, but it happened anyway. And so that’s just one I’ve got to remember.”

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

(COLTS RELEASE)

Indianapolis – Austin Colby of Western High School has been named the Colts/NFL Coach of the Week, presented by Indianapolis-based Corteva Agriscience and sponsored in part by Certor Sports, the Indianapolis Colts announced today.

After finishing last season 0-10, the Class 3A, unranked Panthers (2-1) have turned the tide by defeating Class 2A-No. 2 Indianapolis Lutheran, 46-14. Colby is in his first year as head coach at Western.

The following coaches also were recognized as honorable mentions for Week 3:

Region 1: Casey McKim – Lowell

Region 2: Cody Vincent – Jimtown

Region 3: Brent Kunkel – Bluffton

Region 4: Troy Hudson – Logansport

Region 6: Scott Fischer – Edgewood

Region 7: Kevin Miller – Perry Meridan

Region 8: Michael Kelly – Hamilton Southeastern

Region 9: Derek Hart – Jasper

Region 10: Steve Stirn – North Decatur

This season marks the 26th year the Colts have recognized outstanding high school football coaches throughout Indiana. Each week following a high school football weekend, one coach will be announced as the honoree.

All high school head coaches in the state are eligible regardless of their school size, league or division. Coaches are evaluated on various factors including the coach’s impact on the team, school and community, as well as the team’s performance. The honorees are selected by a panel of football media, former athletic directors and other football representatives from across the state.

At the conclusion of the high school season, each winning coach will receive a $1,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, as well as a commemorative plaque. What’s more, Corteva Agriscience will contribute an additional $1,000 to the school’s athletic fund. Certor Sports will issue a $1,000 helmet credit to each winning program’s athletic department.

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COLTS FOOTBALL

COLTS SIGN RB AMEER ABDULLAH TO PRACTICE SQUAD, RELEASE RB KHALIL HERBERT FROM PRACTICE SQUAD

Indianapolis – The Indianapolis Colts today signed running back Ameer Abdullah to the practice squad and released running back Khalil Herbert from the practice squad.

Abdullah, 5-9, 203 pounds, has played in 141 career games (26 starts) in his time with the San Francisco 49ers (2025), Las Vegas Raiders (2022-24), Carolina Panthers (2021), Minnesota Vikings (2018-21) and Detroit Lions (2015-18). He has compiled 494 carries for 1,994 yards (4.0 avg.) and eight touchdowns. Abdullah has registered 203 receptions for 1,468 yards (7.2 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. He has totaled 151 kickoff returns for 3,783 yards (25.1 avg.) and 10 punt returns for 91 yards (9.1 avg.). Abdullah has appeared in two postseason contests and has recorded one carry for nine yards, one reception for seven yards and six kickoff returns for 151 yards (25.2 avg.). He was originally selected by the Lions in the second round (54th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. His name is pronounced uh-meer ab-dool-uh.

Herbert, 5-9, 212 pounds, was signed to the team’s practice squad on August 27, 2025. He was originally signed by Indianapolis as an unrestricted free agent on March 14, 2025. Herbert has played in 56 career games (13 starts) in his time with the Colts (2025), Cincinnati Bengals (2024) and Chicago Bears (2021-24). He has registered 400 carries for 1,905 yards (4.8 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Herbert has totaled 53 receptions for 312 yards (5.9 avg.) and two touchdowns. He has also recorded 36 kickoff returns for 920 yards (25.6 avg.) and seven special teams tackles.

A LOOK AROUND THE AFC SOUTH: JAGUARS WIN BIG, TEXANS AND TITANS STRUGGLE IN WEEK 1 

The biggest news in the AFC South in Week 1 was, arguably, the Colts winning their first season opener in 11 years and scoring on all seven of their possessions, beating the Miami Dolphins 33-8 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

But of course, the other three teams in the division also played Sunday afternoon: the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Carolina Panthers, the Houston Texans lost to the Los Angeles Rams and the Tennessee Titans fell to the Denver Broncos (the Colts’ upcoming Week 2 opponent).

Jaguars win in Liam Coen’s first game as head coach

The Jaguars entered Week 1 with plenty of questions surrounding them, as most new-look NFL teams do.

Chief among them were speculation about quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s performance in his first NFL game in nine months, how rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter would be used and what the team would look like under new head coach Liam Coen.

All of those questions were effectively answered on Sunday as the Jaguars jumped out to an early lead over the Panthers and held on, through an hour-long lightning delay, for a 26-10 victory. Lawrence completed 19-of-31 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown to tight end Hunter Long, with one interception. Kicker Cam Little kicked four field goals and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. recorded a rushing touchdown.

Hunter played 42 of 66 total offensive snaps, and played six defensive snaps. He had six receptions on eight targets for 33 yards.

“It feels great, the direction we’re heading,” Lawrence said postgame. “Like I said, you got to take it for what it is. We won in week one. We’re 1-0 to start the season, and we’re all pumped about that. A lot of work went into it, and no one takes it for granted how hard it is to win in this league. So we’re all really proud of that, but it’s one game. You know, we’ve got to keep doing it. Consistency is what will be the difference, and we have to continue to prepare and play well.”

Running back Travis Etienne Jr. was the standout player of the game with 16 carries for 143 yards, including a 71-yard run that set up Thomas’ touchdown a few plays later. The Jaguars’ defense had an equally strong game, with nine passes defensed, five quarterback hits, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. In 2024, the Jaguars were 32nd in the NFL with just nine takeaways all season.

While there’s plenty the Jaguars feel they need to clean up going forward, they couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the 2025 season and they’ll look to continue that momentum into Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.

Texans fall victim to “lollygagging” in loss to Rams

Quarterback C.J. Stroud didn’t mince words following the Texans’ 14-9 loss to the Rams Sunday afternoon.

“We didn’t deserve to win that game because we didn’t do the right thing,” he said postgame. “When you come out in the NFL lollygagging and going through the motions, that kind of happens. I think we’ll be all right, but I think it’s a good wakeup call for us.”

Stroud was 19-of-27 for 188 yards, with all of the Texans’ scoring coming from field goals by kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. The Texans entered the game without some key offensive pieces in wide receiver Christian Kirk and guard Ed Ingram, and continued to get hit hard as the already-questionable offensive line dealt with more in-game injuries. In the final two quarters, the Texans only recorded 121 total yards and turned the ball over twice, including a fumble on their final possession.

“Injuries happen,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Do we not show up? Do we put the ball away and go home? We compete. It doesn’t matter who’s out there…we don’t complain. We don’t make excuses for that.”

The Texans’ defense did enough to keep the game close, keeping pressure on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford with three sacks (six total quarterback hits), but ultimately the offense was unable to regroup to mount a comeback. They were 2-of-9 on third down conversions and reached the red zone just once in the game.

Injuries and offensive line play will certainly be something to monitor for the Texans going forward, as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.

Titans offense fails to take advantage of opportunities, unable to find rhythm in loss

Similarly to the Texans, the Titans’ defense had a good enough performance to keep their offense within striking distance throughout their season opener against the Denver Broncos.

With five quarterback hits (one sack), six passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble, the Titans held Broncos quarterback Bo Nix to 25-of-40 for 176 yards and a touchdown.

But the Broncos defense was overpowering and the Titans offense struggled mightily as rookie quarterback Cam Ward was just 12-of-28 for 112 yards in the 20-12 loss. Ward showed poise and confidence despite his final stats, but he was sacked six times and intercepted twice; his offense often failed to support and protect him. The Titans were just 2-of-14 on third down with 133 total yards of offense.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays to put ourselves in a position to win at the end,” head coach Brian Callahan said. “I thought our team played with great effort, and we had opportunities to go win it…we couldn’t get any rhythm offensively at all. Defensively I thought we played pretty good, but some of the third down penalties were critical.”

With 13 penalties for 131 yards, the Titans were battling against themselves as much as they were the Broncos.

“Penalties, man,” Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. “Myself, dumb (expletive) that hurts the team. There’s no excuse for that, and I take full responsibility for (mine). But even with all the freakin’ penalties we still had a chance, we were still in the game…but when you have that many penalties, that’s terrible. You’ll never win a game like that, especially against a good football team on the road. We have to clean that up.”

The Titans next face the Atlanta Falcons, and the Colts will play the Broncos on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

THE COLTS LOOK LIKE THEY’VE FOUND A DIFFERENCE-MAKING TIGHT END IN ROOKIE TYLER WARREN

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts drafted tight end Tyler Warren to be a playmaker.

He needed one game to prove he was worthy of the No. 14 overall pick.

Warren caught seven passes for 76 yards, rushed for a first down and nearly made his first touchdown catch in Indy’s first season-opening victory in a dozen years, a 33-8 rout of Miami on Sunday. His reception total was tied for second since 1970 among NFL tight ends making their first career start, and he was second in franchise history in receiving yards by a rookie tight end in his debut.

It wasn’t just the numbers that turned heads.

“He adds a lot,” new starting quarterback Daniel Jones said. “He’s a dangerous guy with the ball in his hands. He’s going to make extra yards. He’s physical. He’s going to go up and make the tough catch.”

The Colts (1-0) saw those traits on Warren’s college tape from Penn State long before they drafted him, and again when he excelled during training camp.

On Sunday, Warren showed how he can exploit the middle of the field, open up passing lanes for others, convert short-yardage plays into first downs, or maybe even throw a pass as he did in college and as a prep star in Virginia.

While it was only one game, Warren looked like he could become Indy’s most effective tight end since two-time Pro Bowler Jack Doyle retired after the 2021 season. Warren caught Jones’ first pass for 14 yards and finished the first half with 57 yards — a franchise record for a rookie tight end.

“He’s impressive,” coach Shane Steichen said. “I thought the first play, hitting him down the boundary, then that third down there with about six minutes left making a guy miss, and then running a guy over, or two guys over, whatever he did, just the physicality. He’s an old-school, throwback freakin’ baller.”

What’s working

Jones. Indy’s eighth opening-day starter in nine years made quick decisions, accurate throws and scored twice on 1-yard runs, posting a 115.9 quarterback rating. He helped end Indy’s opening-day winless streak and if he continues playing this way, the Colts’ four-year playoff drought could be over, too.

What needs help

Finishing drives. On a day the Colts seemed to do all the right things, they settled for 24, 35 and 28-yard field goals. Though it didn’t hurt the Colts in Sunday’s dominant performance, Indy must be more successful scoring red-zone touchdowns in the coming weeks.

Stock up

S Cam Bynum and CB Xavien Howard. They were signed in the offseason to upgrade the secondary, Indy’s biggest hole in 2024. And both delivered right away. Bynum had his first interception with the Colts and nearly had a second, while Howard — who was out of the league last season — recovered a fumble against his former team.

Stock down

Anthony Richardson. If Jones stays healthy and continues to play so efficiently, Richardson — the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft — may not get a chance to reclaim his starting job this season.

Injuries

RB Jonathan Taylor was used sparingly in the second half, but Steichen said after the game that Taylor was “good.” CB Jaylon Jones did not return after re-injuring his left hamstring late in the first half. Steichen said CB Charvarius Ward entered the concussion protocol after having symptoms Monday.

Key number

7 — The Colts opened the season by scoring on all seven possessions, becoming the first NFL team since at least 1978 to score every time it had the ball.

Next steps

The Colts haven’t been 2-0 since 2009, when they last reached the Super Bowl. Nobody is comparing this team to that one yet, but Indy has a chance at the same record through Week 2. The Colts host Denver on Sunday.

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INDIANA FEVER

GAME PREVIEW: FEVER HOST LYNX FOR REGULAR SEASON FINALE

Indiana Fever vs Minnesota Lynx
Tuesday, September 9
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7:30 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information
TV: ESPN
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (23-20)

Guard – Odyssey Sims
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Lexie Hull
Forward – Natasha Howard
Center – Aliyah Boston

Minnesota Lynx (33-9)

Guard – Courtney Williams
Guard – Kayla McBride
Forward – Napheesa Collier
Forward – Bridget Carleton
Center – Jessica Shepard

GAME PREVIEW:

The Indiana Fever have already secured a playoff berth, but they have one more regular season game remaining before beginning their postseason run.

The Fever (23-20) clinched a playoff spot in dominant fashion on Sunday, blowing out the Mystics 94-65 on the road. The win not only secured a playoff berth but also assured that Indiana will finish no lower than seventh. The Fever will be either the sixth or seventh seed in the playoffs.

If Indiana wins on Tuesday and Golden State loses its final two games, the Fever will be the sixth seed. If any of those results does not happen, they will be the seventh seed. Their opponent in a best-of-three first round series will likely be either Las Vegas or Atlanta, with a small chance still that they could play Phoenix.

Securing a top-seven seed means that the Fever will avoid the unenviable task of the eighth seed, which must face Minnesota in the first round. The Lynx have had the best record in the WNBA for virtually the entire season and locked up the number-one seed on Aug. 30.

Minnesota is 33-9 despite star forward Napheesa Collier missing 10 games due to injury. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star Game MVP, Collier is making a strong bid for her first WNBA MVP award. The 6-1 forward ranks second in the league in scoring (23 points per game), 10th in rebounding (7.4), second in steals (1.6), and fifth in blocks (1.6).

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INDIANA FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: INDIANA STATE (WEEK 3)

Setting The Scene

• Indiana is set to host Indiana State on Friday (Sept. 12) at 6:30 p.m. on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.

• The matchup will mark the eighth ever meeting between the two programs and first since 2023, when they also played on a Friday night. The Hoosiers own a 7-0 advantage in the series history.

• The home contest marks the third of seven home games for the Hoosiers on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium this season and the third of four in a row to begin the 2025 campaign.

• Indiana State moved to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 1986 season when it opened with wins over St. Cloud State and Missouri State. .

News & Notes

• Indiana enters the game with a 2-0 record after a 56-9 win in Week 2 against Kennesaw State (9/6). The Hoosiers are 2-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since 2019-20.

• Friday’s game will be the 12th Friday game in program history for the Hoosiers and the fourth consecutive season that Indiana has hosted one. Indiana owns a 6-5 record on Friday and has won three in a row (2022-24).

• Indiana Football is nationally ranked in the first three polls (counting preseason) for only the fourth time in the history of the AP poll (1944, 1945, 1968). Indiana has also been nationally ranked 15-straight weeks during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the most weeks nationally ranked in any two seasons in program history.

• Curt Cignetti has the fourth-best winning percentage among active FBS head coaches with an .821 winning percentage in his career. MORE ON PAGE 4

• Indiana’s 313 yards rushing against Kennesaw State marked the third game of 300-plus rushing yards under Cignetti. It was also the first time that Indiana posted 300-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games since 2014 (363, North Texas; 316, at Iowa). MORE ON PAGE 8

• The 593 yards of total offense mark the seventh game of the Cignetti era with 500-plus yards of total offense. It is the second-most yards Indiana has gained under Cignetti.

• Fernando Mendoza threw a career-high four touchdown passes while recording an 18-for-25 passing day with 245 yards. He and Alberto Mendoza became the first set of brothers to throw a touchdown pass in the same game of the same team since 2015 when Arkansas’ Brandon Allen and Austin Allen did so against UT Martin (10/31/2015). MORE ON PAGE 7

• Elijah Sarratt and Roman Hemby both carry impressive streaks of consecutive games with a reception. Sarratt leads the nation with 40-straight games with a catch while Hemby has notched 28-straight games with a reception to lead all running backs. MORE ON PAGE 4

• Sarratt had his eighth career multi-receiving touchdown game and third at Indiana with three scores on the day, it was his third career 3-touchdown game and first since 2023 (at Coastal Carolina). MORE ON PAGE 9

• Riley Nowakowski’s first touchdown as a Hoosier came on a 1-yard rushing score in the first quarter. MORE ON PAGE 10

• Kellan Wyatt had a career-high and team-high nine tackles and matched a career-high 2.5 tackles against Kennsaw State (9/6). MORE ON PAGE 12

• Jamari Sharpe had the first forced fumble of his career and second fumble recovery in the win over Kennesaw State. MORE ON PAGE 13

INDIANA GAME NOTES: https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/PDF/fb/2025/25-09-12-Notes_Indiana_State.pdf

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PURDUE FOOTBALL

PORATH NAMED B1G SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ROSEMONT, Ill. – While Purdue did not have to punt in the 34-17 victory over Southern Illinois, the offense kept Spencer Porath busy. The sophomore kicker connected on a pair of field goals and split the uprights on all four point after attempts to earn Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Porath became the ninth Purdue placekicker to be tabbed B1G Special Teams Player of the Week and the first Boilermaker to collect the award since kicker J.D. Dellinger six seasons ago (Nov. 11, 2019).

Helping Purdue beat the Salukis, Porath recorded the fourth multi-field goal game of his career, matching his career high by going 2-for-2 on field goal attempts. The Brownsburg, Indiana, native connected on field goals from 25 yards and 43 yards, while making all four PATs. He became the first Purdue kicker to score 10 points in a game since Mitchell Fineran made five field goals for 15 points in the 2022 Big Ten Championship game (Dec. 3, 2022).

Porath improved 3-for-3 on field goals this season, increasing his career total to 10-for-14. His 71.4 career field goal percentage ranks fourth among Purdue kickers (since 1995) through the first 14 games of their careers.

Starting the season 2-0 with a pair of non-conference wins, Porath and the Boilermakers set their sights on Big Ten play. Purdue hosts USC for a Saturday afternoon matchup in Ross-Ade Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

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BUTLER VOLLEYBALL

BUTLER SET TO TAKE ON #17 PURDUE IN THE SHONDELL SHOWDOWN

Butler is set to take on the Purdue Boilermakers Tuesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Dawgs will enter the match against Purdue 4-2 and 3-0 on their home floor. After sweeping the Big Dawg Kickoff, Butler went 1-2 last weekend at the Kwik Star Klassic.

Butler vs Purdue

Tuesday’s match will begin at 7:00pm ET. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ Watch. Butler and Purdue have previously met 4 times with the most recent matchup being in 2005. Butler’s lone win in the all time history came in 2003.

Ticketing information for the match can be found here. Live Sats can be found here.

Shondell Showdown

Purdue head coach Dave Shondell who is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Boilermakers is the father of Butler’s head coach Kyle Shondell. During Kyle’s time as a student at Purdue he served as a manager on his fathers staff. Tomorrow evening’s match will be the first time in Division 1 women’s volleyball history where a father and son will compete against each other as head coaches.   

More about the Shondells

Kyle Shondell is the grandson of Don Shondell, who started Ball State’s men’s and women’s volleyball programs, co-founded the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) and is currently second in NCAA history in career wins. Additionally, Kyle’s uncle John Shondell was an assistant coach at Purdue for many seasons and was just hired as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. 

About Butler

The Butler Bulldogs enter this match up with a record of 4-2 and are undefeated 3-0 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler has wins over Evansville, Purdue Fort Wayne, Middle Tennessee State at Hinkle. This past weekend at the Kwik Star Klassic the Dawgs went 1-2 picking up a win over Loyola Chicago who won an NCAA tournament match a season ago.

Bulldog Bites

Kaylee Finnegan, Butler’s setter, leads the Big East in assists with 237.

Finnegan was awarded Big East Setter of the Week on 9/1.

Alaleh Tolliver leads the team in kills so far this season, she has tallied 87 so far on the young season which is good for 4th in the conference.

Elise Ward has accounted for 62 kills so far this season.

Ward has picked up 56 digs on the season which is second on the team.

Lauren Evans leads the Dawgs in digs with 98.

Zoe McDonald leads the team in blocks with 26.

About Purdue

The Boilermakers entered the season ranked #15 in the AVCA preseason poll and now sit at #17. Purdue sits at 4-1 on the season and 2-0 in matches away from home. Recently, the Boilermakers took down #15 Kansas is 5 sets which saw Ryan McAleer who leads the team in digs with 80, pick up 30 during the match which was the most by a Boilermaker since 2021. Kenna Wollard leads the team in kills with 98, while Taylor Anderson sets everything up offensively for Purdue, she has 235 assists on the season.

Up Next

Butler will compete in the Refreshment Services Pepsi Sycamores Volleyball Invite hosted by Indiana State, this weekend.

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IU INDY MEN’S SOCCER

MEN’S SOCCER TO HOST NORTHERN ILLINOIS IN 2025 HOME OPENER

INDIANAPOLIS – After a strong start to the season, the IU Indianapolis men’s soccer team will finally host its 2025 home opener on Tuesday night (Sept. 9) when the Jaguars welcome Northern Illinois for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff inside Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The Jaguars have opened the campaign at 2-1-2, including back-to-back wins over in-state foes Butler and Southern Indiana last week.

Senior midfielder Youri Keijser netted the game-winner at Butler and followed up with an assist on the game-winner at Southern Indiana on Saturday. The Jaguars trailed for much of the match at USI on Saturday before sophomore defender Stan Klaver came off the bench and scored goals in the 74th and 76th minutes. USI pulled even on a header in the 84th minute before redshirt sophomore Nathaniel Isom retaliated with the game-winner in the 88th minute.

The two scores were the first of Klaver’s career while sophomore midfielder Bali Esquivel earned assists on both strikes. Keijser and senior defender Brady Horn helped initiate Isom’s game-winner, which was his first collegiate score. Senior Cameron Maung-Maung earned both wins last week, blanking Butler with four saves and following with two saves in the triumph at Southern Indiana.

Keijser leads the team in points for the season with five while Klaver is next in line with four. Esquivel has a team-high three assists and Horn is tops on the team in minutes played, having played all 450 through five contests.

QUOTABLE

“With all the possession we had and the chances we created, I think the best team won today, but USI definitely put us under pressure in moments and taught us a couple valuable lessons today on things we have to improve and get better on going forward,” van Druenen said following Saturday’s 3-2 road win at Southern Indiana.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS

NIU is 2-1-1 on the season and 1-0-1 against Horizon League foes with a draw at Milwaukee and 1-0 road win at Green Bay. The only blemish on the Huskies schedule is a 2-1 road loss at No. 19 Kansas City on Sept. 1. NIU has outscored opponents 9-4 on the season with Katai Mukuka having a team-high five points (2 goals, 1 assist) in just three games. Roman Khela has a team-high two assists from his defensive position. In goal, Atahan Arslan has started all four matches and has a 1.00 goals against average and 11 saves with a .733 save percentage and two shutouts.

INSIDE THE SERIES

IU Indy is 4-2 all-time against NIU and 2-0 in the two meetings in Indianapolis. The two schools haven’t met since 2016 when the Jaguars won 2-0 in Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

IU Indy will open Horizon League play on Saturday (Sept. 13) against Wright State at 5:00 p.m. inside Carroll Stadium. Greg Rakestraw will call the action on ESPN+.

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VALPO VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL HEADS TO NORTHWESTERN, LEHIGH THIS WEEK

Valparaiso (4-2, 0-0 MVC)

Tuesday, Sept. 9 – at Northwestern (4-1) – 7 p.m.

at Lehigh Steel Classic (Bethlehem, Pa.)

Friday, Sept. 12 – vs. NJIT (3-4) – 1:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, Sept. 13 – vs. Sacred Heart (1-4) – 9 a.m. CT | at Lehigh (3-2) – 12:30 p.m. CT

Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: The Valpo volleyball team steps away from tournament play briefly on Tuesday evening for a matchup at Northwestern, and then the Beacons trek east to Lehigh for the Lehigh Steel Classic.

Previously: Valpo posted a 2-1 record last weekend at the EMU Tournament, sweeping Purdue Fort Wayne and beating Niagara in four sets before falling in four sets to the host Eagles. Ava Helming and Lilly Merk represented the Beacons on the All-Tournament Team.

Looking Ahead: Preconference play wraps Sept. 19-20 at Western Illinois’ Leatherneck Classic.

Following the Beacons: Tuesday’s match at Northwestern will be streamed live on BTN+, while Saturday’s match at Lehigh will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats are also available for all four matches via ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Carin Avery: In her 24th season as head coach at Valpo, Carin Avery is the all-time winningest head coach across all sports in the history of Valpo Athletics. She has won 511 matches (511-259, .664) at the helm of the program and has led Valpo to three league regular season and three league tournament titles. The program has made seven postseason appearances under Avery, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to the championship match of the 2021 NIVC. Avery has coached 61 All-League recipients over her tenure at Valpo, which has spanned three different conferences. She is Valpo’s all-time leader in both victories and winning percentage, and owns a 566-283 (.667) record overall as a head coach.

Series History: Northwestern, Sacred Heart – First meetings.

NJIT – Valpo won the lone matchup in the all-time series in September 2015, sweeping the Highlanders as part of the Terrier Invitational.

Lehigh – The only meeting between the two programs resulted in the second win in Coach Avery’s Valpo career, as Valpo defeated the Mountain Hawks, 3-1, in September 2002 at the Marquette Challenge.

Scouting the Opposition: Northwestern – The Wildcats enter Tuesday night’s match at 4-1 this year, most recently splitting two matches last weekend – beating Saint Mary’s and falling at #20 Baylor. Northwestern was picked to finish in 15th place in the Big Ten preseason poll this year after going 5-23 overall and 3-17 in conference play last season.

NJIT – The Highlanders enter this weekend’s tournament with a 3-4 record, but are on a modest two-match winning streak, including most recently a win at Seton Hall. NJIT was picked to finish in sixth place in the America East this year after going 5-23 overall and 0-10 in AE play last season.

Sacred Heart – The Pioneers come into the weekend with a 1-5 record after going 1-2 last weekend at their home tournament. Sacred Heart was picked to finish in fourth place in the MAAC this season after going 15-16 overall and 11-7 in MAAC action last year.

Lehigh – The Mountain Hawks are coming off a 2-1 weekend at the James Madison tournament, pushing their record to 4-2 this season. Lehigh was selected fifth in the Patriot League preseason poll after going 16-13 overall and 8-8 in league play last season.

Taking on the B1G: Tuesday’s contest at Northwestern marks Valpo’s first regular season meeting with a current Big Ten program since facing Illinois early in the 2023 campaign – although the Beacons did take on Purdue in an exhibition match this season. Valpo is looking for its first win over a Big Ten program since beating Iowa in 2013.

The Keystone State: This weekend’s third tournament of the season brings a rare visit to Pennsylvania. This is just the third time in Coach Avery’s tenure that Valpo has traveled to the Keystone State and the first since 2009, when Valpo won the La Salle Invitational. The only other trip came the previous season, 2008, when Valpo competed in the Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament.

Capturing Crowns: Valpo continued its penchant for winning in-season tournament titles under Carin Avery on opening weekend, claiming a share of the crown at the USI Invitational. Valpo has won 35 in-season tournament titles in Avery’s time as head coach. The team has won at least one tournament in 18 of her seasons, and multiple tournaments 11 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states.

Two Weekends, Two Honors: Sophomore right side Ava Helming has been on a roll to start the 2025 campaign, earning her second straight All-Tournament Team honor last weekend at the EMU Tournament as she averaged a team-best 3.27 kills/set on .329 hitting. Her week was highlighted by an astounding performance on the attack in the sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne, as she posted 12 kills on just 17 swings with no errors — her .706 hitting percentage good for fourth-best by a Valpo player in a three-set match in the 25-point era. Helming, who owns three career All-Tournament Team awards, closed the tournament with a team-high and season-high 15 kills against the host Eagles.

Merk It Down: Sophomore Lilly Merk joined Helming on the All-Tournament Team at EMU, the first such honor of her career, as she hit .358 with 2.27 kills/set and tied for team-high honors with 13 blocks. The sophomore hit .538, posting eight kills on just 13 swings, in the sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne while tallying four blocks as well. She followed with a match-high 12 kills against Niagara, tying her career best, and also picked up five blocks in the winning effort.

All-Tournament Accolades: Through two weekends of action, Valpo has picked up a total of five All-Tournament Team honors. The Beacons had three such honorees on opening weekend at the USI Invitational, as Helming was joined by Emma Hickey and Sam Warren.

Setting Things Up: Senior setter Addy Kois was a big part of Helming’s success on the attack against Purdue Fort Wayne, and it showed in Kois’ numbers as well. The senior handed out 23 assists in the sweep of the Mastodons on just 36 set attempts – her setting percentage of .639 was easily the best of her career. After posting a setting percentage of .500 or better just three times in her first three seasons, Kois has hit that mark three times already this year.

Digs and Kills: Valpo finds itself in a familiar place in the MVC and nationally when it comes to digging, as the Beacons lead the Valley and rank eighth nationally through two weekends of action with 17.23 digs/set. But Valpo also has been strong on the attack to start the season, leading the MVC and ranking 33rd nationally with 13.91 kills/set.

Poised to Move Up: Given the long legacy of great Valpo liberos, it takes a lot to move up the program’s career digs chart, but senior Emma Hickey is poised to potentially do so this week. Hickey enters the week with 2,199 career digs, just 50 behind Morganne Longoria for fourth in program history. Hickey leads all active NCAA players (all divisions) in career digs and owns over 600 more digs than any other active Division I player.

Player of the Week: It took just one week for the Beacons to earn their first weekly award from the conference office of the season, as Emma Hickey was tabbed the MVC Defensive Player of the Week following opening weekend. Hickey averaged an MVC-best 6.60 digs/set at the USI Invitational, leading all players in the category in all three contests, and committed just one serve reception error in 49 attempts. Her tournament was highlighted by a 33-dig performance against Northern Kentucky, the 14th time in her career she’s reached 30 or more digs in a match. The Defensive Player of the Week honor is the fifth-such accolade of Hickey’s career and her sixth weekly award overall from the conference office.

Looking Back at Last Year: Valpo is coming off an 18-win season in 2024, a campaign highlighted by the amount of production generated by the team’s youth. Jessica Pickett set program freshman records for hitting percentage and blocks, while Ava Helming had the third-most kills by a freshman in Avery’s tenure as both rookies earned spots on the MVC All-Freshman Team. On the more veteran side, Emma Hickey became the fastest player in program history and tied for the fastest in MVC history to reach 2,000 career digs.

Who’s Back: In a nutshell, everybody who could be. All 16 players who ended last season on the Beacons squad with remaining eligibility return for Valpo in 2025. That group accounted for 78.1% of the kills, 84.4% of the service aces, 78.0% of the digs and 93.9% of the blocks from the 2024 season.

Who’s Gone: Valpo graduated just two players from last year’s squad: Abby Boyle and Elise Swistek. Swistek’s production will be the big piece to replace, as she closed her time at Valpo as one of just 10 players in program history to surpass 1,000 kills (1,018; 19th) and 1,000 digs (1,479; 12th).

Who’s New: The Beacons welcome two freshmen to the large group of returnees this year. Keira Lucas is an outside hitter who was a three-time All-State honoree at Northview [Ind.] H.S., while Olivia Wagner is a setter who helped lead Lakeville South [Minn.] H.S. to the 2024 Minnesota Class AAAA state championship.

Winning Tradition Continues: The Beacons secured a winning 2024 season as they completed the campaign with an 18-14 record, the 21st winning season in 23 years under head coach Carin Avery. Valpo has won 20 or more matches in 18 of Avery’s 23 seasons as well, and has averaged 22 wins per season in Avery’s tenure.

Top Half Finishes: The Beacons finished the 2024 regular season in a tie for sixth place in the MVC standings with Murray State. Valpo has now finished in the top-half of the Valley standings in each of its eight years in the conference, the only MVC program to accomplish that feat. Going back further, Valpo has posted top-half conference finishes in 22 of Avery’s 23 seasons – as well as qualifying for the conference tournament in each of her 23 seasons – and 31 of the last 32 years overall.

Young But Mighty: Legendary college basketball coach Al McGuire is credited for having said “The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.” If that’s the case for last year’s class of Valpo volleyball freshmen, opponents are in for a rough time this season. Last year’s freshman class accounted for 59.1% of the team’s kills, 31.% of the aces and 73.6% of the blocks in the 2024 campaign. That comes out to a total of 58.7% of the team’s points accounted for by freshmen last season, a mark which ranked third nationally among D-I programs, trailing only Mississippi Valley State and Le Moyne – two programs which combined for just eight wins, compared with the Beacons’ 18 victories. Prior to last season, none of Avery’s teams in her time at Valpo had freshmen account for even 30% of the team’s points.

Digging Deep: Valpo continued its long tradition of strong back row play last fall, finishing the 2024 campaign 19th nationally with an average of 17.20 digs/set. The program has ranked among the top-30 nationally in digs/set in every season since 2009, including 14 seasons among the top-20 and four seasons among the top-10 – highlighted by the 2017 campaign in which Valpo led the nation with 20.03 digs/set. Other top finishes include fourth nationally in the spring 2021 season (20.37/set), a fourth-place rank in 2010 and a sixth-place finish in 2015. Since the move to 25-point scoring, only seven teams have averaged more than 20 digs/set over the course of a season, and Valpo is the only program to have done it twice. 2018 saw Valpo lead the nation with 2,613 total digs – a mark which set a program single-season record and a Division I record in the 25-point era. Valpo also boasts two of the top-10 athletes in D-I history in career digs – Rylee Cookerly (2nd; 3,175) and Taylor Root (10th; 2,752).

Libero on Lockdown: Senior Emma Hickey has been quite simply one of the nation’s most prolific liberos since stepping on campus prior to the 2022 campaign. She’s ranked among the top-15 nationally in digs/set in each of her first three seasons, ending last season in third position with 5.72 digs/set. Her 715 total digs last year were sixth-most in a single season in program history.

The Pickett Fence: Sophomore Jessica Pickett made a big impact at the net in her first season of collegiate volleyball last year. An MVC All-Freshman Team honoree, Pickett ranked third in the Valley in blocks/set (1.14, 139 total) and fourth in hitting percentage (.331). She  set Valpo freshman records for both hitting percentage and total blocks – her hitting percentage ranked third overall and second in the 25-point era in Valpo’s single-season record book, while he block total ranked eighth overall and third in the 25-point era.

At the Helm(ing): Sophomore Ava Helming joined Pickett as an MVC All-Freshman Team honoree last season for her strong work on both sides of the net at the right pin as a rookie. Helming ranked second on the team with 293 kills and 78 blocks – her 293 kills is tied for third-most by a freshman under head coach Carin Avery, while 78 blocks ranks sixth by a freshman under Avery. The only other freshman to rank among the top-10 in both kills and blocks by a rookie in the Avery era was another right side in Morgan Beil, who developed into a three-time All-Horizon League performer.

Next Stop, 600: Head coach Carin Avery reached yet another milestone last October, winning her 500th match in charge of the Valpo program with the Beacons’ win at Murray State. Valpo’s all-time winningest coach in any sport, Avery’s 500th win came in her 752nd match in charge of the program. Avery is the second current MVC coach to win at least 500 matches at their current institution, joining UNI’s Bobbi Petersen.

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UINDY VOLLEYBALL

LYNCH CLAIMS FIRST-EVER GLVC VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY AWARD

INDIANAPOLIS – UIndy sophomore outside hitter Maddie Lynch was named the GLVC/Athletic Solutions Offensive Player of the Week in women’s volleyball, it was announced by the league office Monday.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Maddie Lynch, UIndy

So. | OH | Plainfield, Ind.

Major: Psychology

Team Results: 3-2 L vs. Wis. Parkside (9/4) | 3-2 W vs. #13 Concordia-St. Paul (9/5) | 3-0 W vs. West Virginia St. (9/6)

Registered 48 kills (3.69/set) and 53 points (4.08/set) in 13 sets

Recorded .343 hitting percentage

Added nine blocks, six digs, and an assist

Named to UIndy All-Tournament Team

Best performance came against No. 13 Concordia-St. Paul where she recorded a career-high 24 kills on a .455 hitting percentage

Earns first career Offensive Player of the Week Award

Last Greyhounds’ Offensive Player of the Week: Hannah Sabotin (9/18/23)

TWO GREYHOUNDS NAMED TO UINDY INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

INDIANAPOLIS— Senior Paige Parlanti and junior Maddie Lynch were named to the UIndy Invitational All-Tournament team, following their weekend performances.

Lynch had a game-high 24 kills, hitting .455, in the Hounds’ Friday night win over #13 Concordia-St. Paul. Parlanti added 17 kills of her own, hitting .327 with 12 digs on the night. Parlanti had a game-high 20 digs in the Hounds’ 3-set win over West Virginia State, with Lynch leading the squad in kills with 9 on the day. Both Parlanti and Lynch tabbed 15 kills in the home opener against Parkside.

The Hounds sit 2-1 on the season, and face Ursuline on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Parkside

Sam Fisch, Outside Hitter

Natalie Harris, Defensive Specialist 

Lucy Russ, Setter

Concordia-St. Paul

Makenna Nold, Outside Hitter

Cassie Sieling, Defensive Specialist

UIndy

Paige Parlanti, Outside Hitter

Maddie Lynch, Outside Hitter

Tiffin

Olivia Karhoff, Outside Hitter

Thomas More

Ebony Gomez, Outside Hitter

West Virginia State

Nicola Gartner Custodio, Middle Blocker

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MARIAN MEN’S SOCCER

WEHAUS EARNS SECOND CONSECUTIVE POTW HONOR

JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced on Monday, recognizing the league’s top individual performances from September 2 through 8. Sports Information Directors from the league institutions nominate student-athletes for the awards and vote on each week’s winners.

Wehaus repeated as the CL’s top offensive player, this time finding the net four times in a pair of matches for No. 16 Marian. The sophomore midfielder scored once in a 2-1 loss to Olivet Nazarene, before registering a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Governors State. This is his second honor of the 2025 season and third career honor.

Marian will be back in action on Wednesday, September 10th as they travel up to Elgin, Ill. to take on Judson University at 3 PM.

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SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

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“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Sept. 9

1914 — George Davis of the Boston Braves pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second game of a doubleheader. Davis’ no-hitter was the first thrown at Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.

1922 — Baby Doll Jacobson hit three triples to lead the St. Louis Browns to a 16-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

1936 — The New York Yankees clinched their eighth American League pennant with a doubleheader sweep of the Cleveland Indians, 11-3 and 12-9. The Yankees finished 19½ games ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the largest margin in team history.

1945 — Dick Fowler of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns in the second game of a doubleheader.

1948 — Rex Barney of the Brooklyn Dodgers pitched a 2-0 no-hit victory against the New York Giants on a rainy day at the Polo Grounds. He walked two and struck out four.

1965 — Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers tossed his fourth no-hitter, a perfect game, against the Chicago Cubs. Koufax fanned 14 in the 1-0 victory while Cubs pitcher Bob Hendley allowed one hit — a double by Lou Johnson.

1987 — Nolan Ryan strikes out his 4,500th batter.

1988 — Atlanta’s Bruce Sutter joined Rollie Fingers and Rich Gossage as the only pitchers to save 300 games as the Braves beat the San Diego Padres, 5-4 in 11 innings.

1992 — Robin Yount became the 17th player to reach 3,000 hits in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Yount singled to right center off Cleveland’s Jose Mesa in the seventh inning.

1998 — The New York Yankees officially clinched the AL East title, the earliest in AL history, beating the Boston Red Sox 7-5. The Yankees improved to 102-41 — 20½ games ahead of second-place Boston.

2001 — Barry Bonds hit three home runs to give him 63 for the season. The third homer was a three-run shot in the 11th inning lifting San Francisco over the Colorado Rockies 9-4. Bonds broke Roger Maris’ record of 61 for most homers in a season by a left-handed hitter.

2004 — Joe Randa had six hits and tied a major league record with six runs, and Alex Berroa hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five runs in Kansas City’s 26-5 victory over Detroit in the first game of a doubleheader. Randa became the first AL player to have six hits and six runs in the same nine-inning game.

2007 — Milwaukee became the third team in major league history to open a game with three straight home runs when Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun connected off Cincinnati’s Phil Dumatrait in a 10-5 victory. Weeks and Braun each hit two home runs and J.J. Hardy homered and hit two doubles — all in the first four innings.

2017 — Jose Abreu became the first White Sox player to hit for the cycle in 17 years in Chicago’s 13-1 rout of the San Francisco Giants.

2020 — At the urging of Roberto Clemente’s family, Major League Baseball pays tribute to its first Latin American superstar by allowing Puerto Rican players and others to wear his uniform number, 21, in his honor, on this day. This is akin to the wearing of #42 on Jackie Robinson Day. In addition, all members of the Pirates, Clemente’s former team, wear the number, the first time it has been worn by a team member since Clemente’s passing 48 years earlier.

2022 — Major League Baseball announces the adoption of a number of changes to the rules to be introduced at the start of the 2023 season. They include a pitch clock, limits on defensive shifts, and larger bases. All of these changes have already been successfully tested in minor league games and aim to improve pace of play, reduce injuries and create more in-game action.

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Sept. 10

1919 — Cleveland’s Ray Caldwell pitched a no-hitter against the New York Yankees, a 3-0 victory by the Indians in the opening game of a doubleheader.

1950 — Joe DiMaggio became the first player to hit three home runs in one game at Griffith Stadium, and the New York Yankees beat the Washington Senators 8-1.

1967 — Joe Horlen of the Chicago White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers with a 6-0 no-hitter in the first game of a doubleheader.

1969 — The New York Mets swept Montreal in a doubleheader at Shea Stadium, 3-2 in 12 innings and 7-1. The victories moved the Mets into first place in the NL East for their first time on top.

1974 — Lou Brock tied Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. He broke the record with steal No. 105 in the seventh inning.

1977 — Roy Howell hit two home runs, two doubles and a single and drove in nine runs, powering Toronto past the New York Yankees 19-3.

1980 — Bill Gullickson struck out 18 — the most by a rookie — to lead the Montreal Expos past the Chicago Cubs 4-2.

1997 — Mark McGwire joined Babe Ruth as the only players in major league history with consecutive 50-homer seasons by hitting a 446-foot shot off Shawn Estes in the third inning of St. Louis’ game against at San Francisco. McGwire, who hit a major league-leading 52 homers for Oakland last season, became the first player with back-to-back 50-homer seasons since Ruth did it in 1927 and 1928.

2000 — Arizona’s Randy Johnson became the 12th player to reach 3,000 strikeouts, fanning a season-high 14 in seven innings in the Diamondbacks’ 4-3 loss to Florida in 12 innings.

2003 — St. Louis’ Tony La Russa became the eighth manager in major league history to reach 2,000 wins when the Cardinals beat Colorado 10-2. La Russa is 2,000-1,782 in 25 seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland and St. Louis.

2007 — Kurt Suzuki and Dan Johnson hit grand slams to power Oakland past Seattle 9-3.

2013 — Mark Trumbo matched a team record with four extra-base hits, including back-to-back home runs with Josh Hamilton, and Los Angeles beat Toronto 12-6.

2017 — Aaron Judge became the second major league rookie with a 40-homer season, going deep twice in New York’s 16-7 rout of the Texas Rangers 16-7.

2002 — 42-year-old Albert Pujols, who has stated many times that he will retire at the end of the season, hits his 17th homer of the year and #696 of his career off J.T. Brubaker of the Pirates in the 6th inning of a 7 – 5 Cardinals win to tie Alex Rodriguez for fourth place on the all-time list.

2024 — By leading off the bottom of the 1st with a homer off Taj Bradley at Citizens Bank Park, Kyle Schwarber sets a new record with his 14th leadoff homer of the season. The Phillies go on to defeat the Rays, 9 – 4. The previous record holder was Alfonso Soriano, who had hit 13 such long balls for the 2003 Yankees.

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Sept. 11

1912 — Eddie Collins set a major league record with six stolen bases for the Philadelphia Athletics in a 9-7 win over the Detroit Tigers. Collins stole six more in a game on Sept. 22.

1918 — The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 behind the three-hit pitching of Carl Mays to win the World Series in six games. This was Boston’s third championship in a four-year stretch — 1915, 1916 and this season.

1936 — Hod Lisenbee of the Philadelphia A’s tied a major league record for hits allowed, giving up 26 in a 17-2 rout by the Chicago White Sox.

1949 — The New York Yankees sent 18 men to the plate in the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader against Washington. In the 50-minute half-inning the Senators walked a major-league record 11 batters as the Yankees went on to a 20-5 win. New York won the second game 2-1 in one hour and 22 minutes.

1959 — The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4, putting an end to reliever Roy Face’s 22-game winning streak. It was his only loss of the season as he finished with an 18-1 record.

1974 — It took the St. Louis Cardinals 25 innings — seven hours, four minutes — to beat the New York Mets. A record 202 batters went to the plate, Felix Millan and John Milner had 12 appearances apiece.

1985 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds became the all-time hit leader with his 4,192nd hit to break Ty Cobb’s record. Rose lined a 2-1 pitch off San Diego pitcher Eric Show to left-center field for a single in the first inning. It was the 57th anniversary of Ty Cobb’s last game in the majors.

1987 — New York Mets third baseman Howard Johnson, with 34 homers, became the first National League infielder to reach 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. His 30th stolen base came in the fourth inning of a 6-4, 10-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

1996 — San Diego’s Ken Caminiti broke his own major league record by homering from both sides of the plate in a game for the fourth time this season. In a 6-5 win over Pittsburgh, Caminiti homered left-handed in the fifth inning, hitting a two-run shot. Batting right-handed in the seventh, he hit a solo shot to break his record set last year.

2008 — Albert Pujols drove in his 100th run with a sixth-inning double in the Cardinals’ 3-2 loss to the Cubs, becoming only the third player in major league history to reach the milestone in his first eight seasons. Pujols also extended his major league-record streak of reaching 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first eight seasons, two more than any player in history.

2014 — Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton sustained multiple facial fractures, dental damage and cuts that needed stitches after being hit in the face by a pitch. Stanton was hit under the left eye by a fastball from Milwaukee’s Mike Fiers in the fifth inning of a 4-2 loss.

2021 — Corbin Burns and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers throw a combined no-hitter to beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0. It was the record ninth no-hitter of the season.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Sept. 9

1909 — Jack Johnson retains his heavyweight boxing title when he fights Al Kaufman to a no decision in 10 rounds at Coffroth’s Arena, San Francisco, California.

1940 — Donald McNeil beats Bobby Riggs after losing the first two sets to capture the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association title. Alice Marble wins her third straight title with a two-set triumph over Helen Jacobs.

1956 — Australia’s Ken Rosewall wins the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association title with a four-set victory over Lewis Hoad. Shirley Fry beats Althea Gibson 6-3, 6-4 for the women’s title.

1960 — The Denver Broncos beat the Boston Patriots 13-10 in the American Football League’s first regular-season game. The game is played on a Friday night at Boston University’s Nickerson Field.

1965 — Sandy Koufax throws his 4th career no-hitter and first perfect game in a 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.

1968 — Arthur Ashe wins the U.S. Open by beating Tom Okker 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Ashe is the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam tournament. As an amateur, Ashe is ineligible to receive the $14,000 winner’s prize, but collects $280 in expenses for the two-week tournament.

1972 — UCLA’s Efren Herrera kicks a 20-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining to beat preseason No. 1 Nebraska 20-17 at the Memorial Coliseum.

1974 — Jimmy Connors romps to a 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ken Rosewall to win the U.S. Open.

1978 — Chris Evert beats 16-year-old Pam Shriver 7-5, 6-4 to win her fourth straight U.S. Open.

1979 — In an all-New Yorker U.S. Open men’s final, John McEnroe beats Vitas Gerulaitis, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. Tracy Austin, at 16 years, 8 months and 28 days, becomes the youngest U.S. Open women’s singles champion, ending Chris Evert’s 31-match win streak at the Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win.

1984 — John McEnroe beats Ivan Lendl 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to win his fourth U.S. Open.

1987 — Nolan Ryan strikes out his 4,500th batter.

1990 — Pete Sampras, at the age of 19 years and 28 days, becomes the youngest U.S. Open men’s singles champion, defeating Andre Agassi, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

1992 — Robin Yount becomes the 17th player to reach 3,000 hits in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 5-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

2000 — Venus Williams wins her first U.S. Open singles title, defeating Lindsay Davenport, 6-4, 7-5.

2006 — Top-ranked Ohio State tightens its hold on the No. 1 spot after beating the No. 2 ranked and defending champion Texas Longhorns 24-7 in Austin, Texas.

2007 — Asafa Powell sets another world record in the 100 meters, winning a heat at the Rieti Grand Prix in 9.74 seconds. The world’s fastest man improves his record by 0.03 seconds, having run 9.77 three times.

2012 — Serena Williams, two points from defeat, suddenly regains her composure and her game, coming back to win the last four games and beat No. 1-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 for her fourth U.S. Open championship and 15th Grand Slam title overall.

2015 — Japan’s Saori Yoshida wins her 16th world or Olympic freestyle title at the world wrestling championships. The most decorated athlete in wrestling history, the 32-year-old Yoshida wins her 13th title at worlds — to go with three Olympic golds in as many tries.

2017 — Sloane Stephens dominates Madison Keys in the U.S. Open final and wins 6-3, 6-0 for her first Grand Slam title. The 83rd-ranked Stephens is the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968.

2018 — Alabama strengthens its hold on No. 1 over No. 2 Clemson. The Crimson Tide made its 106th overall appearance at the top of the AP football rankings, which started in 1936, passing Ohio State for the most by any school.

2018 — Green Bay Packers start 100th season with historic 24-23 comeback win over Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field; first ever Packer recovery from 17+ points deficit at 3/4 time (20-3).

2018 — Cleveland ends its 17-game losing streak with a 21-21 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2021 — Tom Brady becomes the first player in NFL history to start 300 regular season games. Brady and the Buccaneers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-29 on opening day of the 2021 season.

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Sept. 10

1933 — Fred Perry wins his first U.S. men’s singles title with a 6-3, 11-13, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Australian Jack Crawford.

1937 — The Cleveland Rams play their first NFL game and lose 28-0 to the Detroit Lions.

1962 — Rod Laver becomes the first man since Don Budge in 1938 to win the Grand Slam beating Roy Emerson 6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, at the U.S. Open. Margaret Smith becomes the first Australian woman to win the U.S. Open with a 9-7, 6-4 win over Darlene Hard.

1966 — Muhammad Ali knocks out Karl Mildenberger in the 12th round in Frankfurt, Germany, to retain his world heavyweight title.

1967 — John Newcombe beats Clark Graebner to win the men’s title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. Billie Jean King wins the singles, doubles and mixed doubles championships.

1972 — The United States men’s basketball team loses its first game in Olympic competition. The Soviet Union wins 51-50 with the help of a controversial ending. Dr. William Jones, secretary general of the International Amateur Basketball Federation, tells the referees to have the players replay the final three seconds and the Soviets score a last-second bucket. The Americans, who had the lead when the buzzer sounded the first time, protest in vain. The U.S. team later refuses to accept the silver medal.

1972 — Emerson Fittipaldi wins the Italian Grand Prix to become the youngest to win a Formula I championship. Fittipaldi, 25, wins his fifth race of the season and clinches the title with two races remaining.

1978 — Jimmy Connors becomes the only player to win the U.S. Open on three different surfaces, with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over Bjorn Borg. Connors wins the first men’s final played on the Deco Turf II courts at the new USTA National Tennis Center. Connors had won the 1974 U.S. Open on grass and the 1976 U.S. Open on clay courts.

1983 — Larry Holmes TKOs Scott Frank in 5 for heavyweight boxing title.

1988 — Steffi Graf becomes the third women to complete the Grand Slam, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the U.S. Open.

1989 — Five days after hitting a HR for Yankees in a 12-2 win over the Mariners, MLB and NFL player Deion Sanders returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown, his first.

1989 — Indianapolis running back Eric Dickerson rushes for 106 yards against San Francisco to become the fastest player to top the 10,000 yard plateau; 91st career game.

1993 — Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez fight to a majority draw. Two judges score the fight 115-115 and the third scores the fight 115-113 for Whitaker. It’s the first blemish on Chavez’s record who was 87-0 entering the bout.

1995 — Pete Sampras wins his third U.S. Open men’s singles title, taking down the No. 1 seed and defending champion Andre Agassi, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

1995 — Fuad Reveiz of the Minnesota Vikings sets an NFL record for consecutive field goals, converting from 32 and 27 yards to give him 30 in a row.

2000 — Arizona’s Randy Johnson becomes the 12th player to reach the 3,000 strikeout plateau, fanning a season-high 14 in seven innings as the Diamondbacks lost to Florida 4-3 in 12 innings.

2004 — Zippy Chippy, thoroughbred racing’s lovable loser, makes it 0-for-100 when he finishes last in an eight-horse field at the Three-County Fairgrounds in Northampton, Mass.

2006 — Roger Federer defeats Andy Roddick 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the U.S. Open final for his third major championship this year and ninth of his career. Federer becomes the first man ever to win back-to-back Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns for three straight years.

2006 — Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts make fewer mistakes than Eli Manning and the New York Giants in the first NFL game to feature two brothers starting at quarterback. Big brother Peyton is 25-of-41 for 276 yards and a touchdown and the Colts score on five of their first seven possessions to defeat Eli and the Giants 26-21.

2012 — Andy Murray wins the U.S. Open in five grueling sets to become the first British man since 1936 to capture a Grand Slam title. Murray beats defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in his fifth try in the final of a major tournament.

2017 — Rafael Nadal wins his 16th Grand Slam title by sweeping Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the U.S. Open final.

2017 — The Los Angeles Rams rout the Indianapolis Colts 46-9 in 31-year-old Sean McVay’s impressive debut as the youngest head coach in modern league history.

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Sept. 11

1886 — The Mayflower defends the America’s Cup by beating Britain’s Galatea in two straight heats.

1937 — Don Budge beats Gottfried von Cramm in five sets to win his first U.S. Open men’s singles title. Budge wins 6-1, 7-9, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

1964 — ABC television cancels Fight of the Week, ending 18 years of regularly scheduled prime-time boxing on U.S. broadcast network television.

1976 — In the third race at Latonia, jockey John Oldham and his wife, Suzanne Picou, become the first husband and wife riding team to compete in a parimutuel race. Oldham finishes second aboard Harvey’s Hope and Picou rides My Girl Carla to an 11th-place finish.

1977 — In the last U.S. Open match played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York, Guillermo Vilas beats Jimmy Connors, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-0, for the men’s singles title

1982 — Chris Evert wins her sixth U.S. Open singles title, defeating Hana Mandlikova, 6-3, 6-1.

1982 — In a 23-16 loss to Illinois, Rolf Mojsiejunko of Michigan State kicks a 61-yard field goal in his first collegiate attempt.

1983 — Pittsburgh running back Franco Harris runs for 118 yards in Steelers 25-21 win at Green Bay to become the only the third player in NFL history to rush for 11,000 yards.

1985 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds becomes the all-time hit leader with his 4,192nd hit, breaking Ty Cobb’s record. Rose lines a 2-1 pitch off San Diego pitcher Eric Show to left-center field for a single in the first inning. It’s the 57th anniversary of Ty Cobb’s last game in the majors.

1988 — Mats Wilander wins the longest men’s final in U.S. Open history, edging Ivan Lendl, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

1994 — Andre Agassi wins the U.S. Open with a three-set victory over Michael Stich and becomes the first unseeded player to beat five seeded players in a Grand Slam and the first unseeded champion since Fred Stolle in 1966. Andre wins 6-1, 7-6, 7-5.

1999 — U.S. Open Women’s Tennis: Serena Williams wins her first Grand Slam title; beats World #1 Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-6.

2001 — Sports comes to a standstill after terrorism in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, with major league baseball postponing a full schedule of regular-season games for the first time since D-Day in 1944.

2010 — James Madison, a top team in the Football Championship Subdivision, beats No. 13 Virginia Tech 21-16. The last time Virginia Tech lost to a I-AA team was 1985, when Richmond beat the Hokies 24-14 at Lane Stadium.

2010 — The Penn State women’s volleyball team has its record winning streak ends at 109 matches with a 28-26, 25-12, 25-18 loss to Stanford in a tournament at Florida. Penn State’s streak is the second-longest in Division I team sports, behind the 137 straight wins by the Miami men’s tennis program from 1957-1964.

2011 — Carolina’s Cam Newton becomes the first rookie to throw for more than 400 yards in his NFL opener in a 28-21 loss to Arizona. Newton, the No. 1 draft pick playing on the same field where he led Auburn to the BCS championship in January, completes 24 of 37 passes for 422 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

2015 — Roberta Vinci stuns Serena Williams to end her Grand Slam bid in one of the greatest upsets in tennis history. The 43rd-ranked Italian wins 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the U.S. Open semifinals.

2021 — Milwaukee Brewers throw a combined no-hitter to beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0. It was the record ninth no-hitter of the season.

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TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Tuesday, Sept. 9

COLLEGE GOLF

9:30 a.m.

GOLF — 2025 Folds of Honor Collegiate: Second Round, American Dunes Golf Club, Grand Haven, Mich.

4:30 p.m.

GOLF — 2025 Folds of Honor Collegiate: Second Round, American Dunes Golf Club, Grand Haven, Mich.

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

SECN — Georgia Tech at Tennessee

7 p.m.

ACCN — Florida at North Carolina

ESPN2 — Texas A&M at SMU

9:30 p.m.

ESPN — Stanford at Missouri

MLB BASEBALL

7 p.m.

TBS — Detroit at N.Y. Yankees

TRUTV — Detroit at N.Y. Yankees

9:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Cincinnati at San Diego (9:40 p.m.) OR Arizona at San Francisco (9:45 p.m.)

SOCCER (MEN’S)

2:30 p.m.

FS2 — 2026 UEFA World Cup Qualifier Group Stage: France vs. Iceland, Group D, Paris

7:30 p.m.

TNT — International Friendly: U.S. vs. Japan, Columbus, Ohio

TENNIS

Noon

TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA & Sao Paulo-WTA Early Rounds

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

ESPN — Minnesota at Indiana

10 p.m.NBATV — Los Angeles at Phoenix