THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2025

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 3:

ADAMS CENTRAL (2-0) AT MUNCIE CENTRAL (1-1)

ARSENAL TECH (0-2) AT PURDUE ENGLEWOOD (2-0)

ATTICA (1-1) AT SEEGER (2-0)

AVON (2-0) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (2-0)

BATESVILLE (1-1) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (2-0)

BLACKFORD (0-2) AT MADISON-GRANT (2-0)

BLOOMINGTON NORTH (1-1) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (1-1)

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (2-0) AT TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-2)

BOONE GROVE (1-1) AT BREMEN (0-2)

BOONVILLE (1-1) AT SOUTHRIDGE (1-1)

BOWMAN ACADEMY (2-0) AT LAKE STATION (2-0)

BREBEUF JESUIT (0-2) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (1-1)

BROWN COUNTY (0-2) AT NOBLESVILLE HOMESCHOOL

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (2-0) AT NEW ALBANY (0-2)

CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (0-2) AT TRI (1-1)

CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (0-2) AT FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-2)

CASCADE (2-0) AT NORTH PUTNAM (1-1)

CASTLE (1-1) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (0-2)

CENTERVILLE (OHIO) AT CARMEL (2-0)

CENTRAL NOBLE (0-2) AT LAVILLE (1-1)

CHESTERTON (1-1) AT MICHIGAN CITY (1-1)

CHRISTEL HOUSE (0-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (0-1)

CHURUBUSCO (1-1) AT GARRETT (0-2)

CINCINNATI ST. XAVIER (OHIO) AT INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (1-1)

CLARKSVILLE (2-0) AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (2-0)

CLINTON PRAIRIE (1-1) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (2-0)

COLUMBIA CITY (2-0) AT BELLMONT (0-2)

COLUMBUS EAST (0-2) AT SEYMOUR (0-2)

CONCORD (2-0) AT MISHAWAKA (1-1)

CORYDON CENTRAL (0-2) AT NORTH HARRISON (1-1)

COVENANT CHRISTIAN (1-1) AT INDIAN CREEK (2-0)

COVINGTON (2-0) AT NORTH VERMILLION (0-2)

CRAWFORD COUNTY (1-1) AT PERRY CENTRAL (0-2)

CRAWFORDSVILLE (2-0) AT WESTERN BOONE (0-2)

CULVER ACADEMY (0-2) AT KNOX (2-0)

DANVILLE (0-2) AT ANDERSON (1-1)

DECATUR CENTRAL (0-2) AT WHITELAND (1-1)

DEKALB (1-1) AT NEW HAVEN (0-2)

DELTA (0-2) AT SHELBYVILLE (2-0)

EAST CENTRAL (2-0) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (1-1)

EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (0-2) AT CALUMET (2-0)

EASTBROOK (2-0) AT FRANKTON (0-2)

EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (2-0) AT DELPHI (1-1)

EASTERN GREENE (0-2) AT NORTH DAVIESS (2-0)

EASTERN HANCOCK (1-1) AT CENTERVILLE (2-0)

EDINBURGH (0-2) AT SOUTH DECATUR (0-2)

EDWARDSVILLE (ILL.) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (1-1)

ELKHART (1-1) AT SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (1-1)

ELWOOD (1-1) AT ALEXANDRIA (2-0)

EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-2) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (1-1)

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (2-0) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (1-1)

EVANSVILLE REITZ (2-0) AT JASPER (1-1)

FAIRFIELD (2-0) AT JIMTOWN (0-2)

FISHERS (1-1) AT NOBLESVILLE (1-1)

FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (1-1) AT WES-DEL (0-1)

FORT WAYNE DWENGER (1-1) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (0-2)

FORT WAYNE NORTH (2-0) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (2-0)

FORT WAYNE SNIDER (0-2) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (0-2)

FRANKLIN (2-0) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (1-1)

FRANKLIN CENTRAL (2-0) AT BROWNSBURG (2-0)

FREMONT (2-0) AT ANGOLA (1-1)

GARY WEST (1-0) AT HAMMOND CENTRAL (0-2)

GIBSON SOUTHERN (1-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (2-0)

GREENCASTLE (0-2) AT FRANKFORT (0-2)

GREENSBURG (0-2) AT CONNERSVILLE (1-1)

GREENWOOD (1-1) AT MARTINSVILLE (0-2)

GUERIN CATHOLIC (1-1) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (1-1)

HAGERSTOWN (0-2) AT UNION CITY (0-2)

HAMMOND NOLL (1-1) AT WHITING (0-2)

HANOVER CENTRAL (0-2) AT HIGHLAND (1-1)

HERITAGE HILLS (2-0) AT PRINCETON (2-0)

HOMESTEAD (1-1) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (0-2)

HUNTINGTON NORTH (0-2) AT EAST NOBLE (2-0)

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (2-0) AT WESTERN (1-1)

INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (2-0)

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (2-0) AT BEECH GROVE (2-0)

INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (1-1)

IRVINGTON PREP (0-2) AT CINCINNATI COUNTY DAY (OHIO)

JAY COUNTY (1-1) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (0-2)

JEFFERSONVILLE (1-1) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (1-1)

JENNINGS COUNTY (0-2) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (0-2)

JOHN GLENN (1-1) AT RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-0)

KANKAKEE VALLEY (0-2) AT ANDREAN (1-1)

KETTERING ALTER (OHIO) AT LINTON (1-1)

KOKOMO (0-2) AT MONROVIA (0-2)

LAKELAND (1-1) AT PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-2)

LAWRENCEBURG (1-1) AT SPEEDWAY (0-2)

LEO (2-0) AT NORWELL (0-2)

LEWIS CASS (1-1) AT PERU (1-1)

LOGANSPORT (2-0) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (1-1)

LOWELL (1-1) AT GRIFFITH (2-0)

MACONAQUAH (2-0) AT NORTHFIELD (0-2)

MADISON (0-2) AT CHARLESTOWN (1-1)

MARION (1-1) AT CENTER GROVE (2-0)

MCCUTCHEON (1-1) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (1-1)

MERRILLVILLE (1-1) AT CROWN POINT (2-0)

MILAN (1-1) AT NORTH DECATUR (2-0)

MISSISSINEWA (2-0) AT OAK HILL (1-1)

MONROE CENTRAL (1-1) AT RICHMOND (0-2)

MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (0-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (1-1)

MUNSTER (0-2) AT HOBART (2-0)

NEW CASTLE (1-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (2-0)

NEW PRAIRIE (0-2) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (2-0)

NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (1-1) AT WARREN CENTRAL (1-1)

NORTH MIAMI (2-0) AT CASTON (1-1)

NORTH NEWTON (1-1) AT FAITH CHRISTIAN (1-1)

NORTH POSEY (2-0) AT NORTH KNOX (1-1)

NORTH WHITE (0-2) AT FRONTIER (2-0)

NORTHVIEW (2-0) AT SULLIVAN (2-0)

NORTHWESTERN (0-2) AT SOUTHWOOD (0-2)

NORTHWOOD (1-1) AT WAWASEE (1-1)

OWEN VALLEY (1-1) AT CLOVERDALE (0-2)

PARK TUDOR (2-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (0-2)

PARKE HERITAGE (1-1) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (1-1)

PHALEN ACADEMY AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (0-2)

PIKE (0-2) AT BEN DAVIS (0-2)

PIKE CENTRAL (0-2) AT TELL CITY (2-0)

PIONEER (1-1) AT WINAMAC (0-2)

PLAINFIELD (2-0) AT MOORESVILLE (2-0)

PLYMOUTH (0-2) AT NORTHRIDGE (0-2)

PORTAGE (0-2) AT LAKE CENTRAL (1-1)

PROVIDENCE (1-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (1-1)

RIVER FOREST (1-1) AT WHEELER (2-0)

RIVERTON PARKE (2-0) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (0-2)

ROCHESTER (1-1) AT WHITKO (1-1)

RUSHVILLE (0-2) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (2-0)

SCOTTSBURG (2-0) AT SALEM (1-1)

SHENANDOAH (1-1) AT LAPEL (2-0)

SHEPARD (ILL.) AT HAMMOND MORTON (1-1)

SILVER CREEK (0-2) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (1-1)

SOUTH ADAMS (1-1) AT BLUFFTON (2-0)

SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-1) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (1-1)

SOUTH BEND RILEY (2-0) AT PENN (2-0)

SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (0-2) AT NORTH JUDSON (1-1)

SOUTH NEWTON (0-2) AT BENTON CENTRAL (0-2)

SOUTH PUTNAM (2-0) AT EDGEWOOD (2-0)

SOUTHMONT (2-0) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (0-2)

SOUTHPORT (0-2) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (2-0)

SPRINGS VALLEY (2-0) AT PAOLI (1-1)

TAYLOR (2-0) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (1-1)

TECUMSEH (0-2) AT SOUTH SPENCER (0-2)

TIPPECANOE VALLEY (2-0) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (0-2)

TRITON (1-1) AT CULVER (1-1)

TRITON CENTRAL (2-0) AT TRI-WEST (2-0)

TWIN LAKES (2-0) AT TIPTON (2-0)

UNION COUNTY (1-1) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (1-1)

VALPARAISO (0-2) AT LAPORTE (1-1)

VINCENNES LINCOLN (1-1) AT EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-1)

WABASH (0-2) AT MANCHESTER (1-1)

WARSAW (1-1) AT GOSHEN (1-1)

WASHINGTON (0-2) AT FOREST PARK (1-1)

WEST CENTRAL (2-0) AT TRI-COUNTY (0-2)

WEST LAFAYETTE (0-2) AT LEBANON (1-1)

WEST NOBLE (2-0) AT EASTSIDE (1-1)

WEST VIGO (0-2) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (1-1)

WEST WASHINGTON (1-1) AT MITCHELL (0-2)

WESTFIELD (1-1) AT ZIONSVILLE (1-1)

WINCHESTER (2-0) AT NORTHEASTERN (2-0)

WOODLAN (1-1) AT HERITAGE (2-0)

YORKTOWN (2-0) AT NEW PALESTINE (2-0)

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 3-A LOOK AHEAD

BATTLE OF THE UNBEATENS

AVON AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (HSE FAVORED BY 3)

CLARKSVILLE AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (SWITZERLAND CO. FAVORED BY 21)

FT. WAYNE NORTH AT FT. WAYNE NORTHRUP (FW NORTH FAVORED BY 4)

FRANKLIN CENTRAL AT BROWNSBURG (BROWNSBURG FAVORED BY 14)

HERITAGE HILLS AT PRINCETON (HERITAGE HILLS FAVORD BY 46)

SCECINA AT BEECH GROVE (BEECH GROVE FAVORED BY 3)

NORTHVIEW AT SULLIVAN (NORTHVIEW FAVORED BY 11)

PLAINFIELD AT MOORESVILLE (PLAINFIELD FAVORED BY 10)

SB RILEY AT PENN (PENN FAVORED BY 21)

SOUTH PUTNAM AT EDGEWOOD (SOUTH PUTNAM FAVORED BY 21)

TRITON CENTRAL AT TRI-WEST (TRI-WEST FAVORED BY 7)

TWIN LAKES AT TIPTON (TIPTON FAVORED BY 1)

WINCHESTER AT NORTHEASTERN (NORTHEASTERN FAVORED BY 7)

YORKTOWN AT NEW PALESTINE (NEW PAL FAVORED BY 28)

OUTSIDE THE UNBEATEN-THE CLOSE GAMES EXPECTED

BLOOMINGTON NORTH OVER TERRE HAUTE SOUTH BY 1

HARRISON WL OVER BREBEUF BY 1

CONCORD OVER MISHAWAKA BY 3

COVINGTON OVER NORTH VERMILLION BY 4

EASTERN HANCOCK OVER CENTERVILLE BY 3

FRANKLIN OVER PERRY MERIDIAN BY 3

GARY WEST OVER HAMMOND CENTRAL BY 4

HAMMOND NOLL OVER WHITING BY 4

JEFFERSONVILLE OVER BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE BY 3

JOHN GLENN OVER RENSSELEAR CENTRAL BY 3

KOKOMO OVER MONROVIA BY 1

LEWIS CASS OVER PERU BY 4

LOWELL OVER GRIFFITH BY 4

MADISON OVER CHARLESTOWN BY 3

NORTH DECATUR OVER MILAN BY 4

MT. VERNON OVER GREENFIELD-CENTRAL BY 3

NORTHRIDGE OVER PLYMOUTH BY 3

LAKE CENTRAL OVER PORTAGE BY 1

BLUFFTON OVER SOUTH ADAMS BY 3

WASHINGTON OVER FOREST PARK BY 3

NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) OVER WEST VIGO BY 4

THE BLOWOUTS EXPECTED

MADISON GRANT OVER BLACKFORD BY 42

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL OVER NEW ALBANY BY 32

TRI OVER LINCOLN BY 49

FW CARROLL OVER FW CANTEBURY BY 39

CASTLE OVER EVANSVILLE BOSSE BY 31

INDY WASHINGTON OVER CHRISTEL HOUSE BY 45

COLUMBIA CITY OVER BELLMONT BY 52

INDIAN CREEK OVER COVENANT CHRISTIAN BY 31

DANVILLE OVER ANDERSON BY 32

ELKHART OVER SB WASHINGTON BY 35

ALEXANDRIA OVER ELWOOD BY 32

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL OVER EVANSVILLE CENTRAL BY 35

GREENCASTLE OVER FRANKFORT BY 34

HERITAGE HILLS OVER PRINCETON BY 46

JAY COUNTY OVER SOUTHERN WELLS BY 35

MACONAQUAH OVER NORTHFIELD BY 31

CENTER GROVE OVER MARION BY 42

HOBART OVER MUNSTER BY 32

FRONTIER OVER NORTH WHITE BY 39

ROCHESTER OVER WHITKO BY 31

NORTH JUDSON OVER SOUTH CENTRAL UNION MILLS BY 49

COLUMBUS NORTH OVER SOUTHPORT BY 46

KNIGHTSTOWN OVER UNION COUNTY BY 35

WARSAW OVER GOSHEN BY 35

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=9/2/2025

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=9/2/2025

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLLS

3A ISCA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLL (9/2/25)

1. WL HARRISON

2. FISHERS

3. NOBLESVILLE

4. CARMEL

5. BROWNSBURG

6. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

7. CONCORD

8. GOSHEN

9. FW CARROLL

10. HAMILTON SE

11. EV. MEMORIAL

12. CASTLE

13. CENTER GROVE

14. LAKE CENTRAL

15. CATHEDRAL

16. PENN

17. WARSAW

18. VALPARAISO

19. COLUMBUS NORTH

20. NORTH CENTRAL

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

1. BISHOP NOLL

2. PARK TUDOR

3. GUERIN CATHOLIC

4. HERITAGE HILLS

5. BISHOP LUERS

6. BISHOP CHATARD

7. ILLIANA CHRISTIAN

8. HANOVER CENTRAL

9. CONCORDIA LUTHERAN

10. LEO

11. SPEEDWAY

12. BISHOP DWENGER

13. CHARLESTOWN

14. WASHINGTON COMMUNITY

15. BETHANY CHRISTIAN

16. CULVER ACADEMIES

17. CARDINAL RITTER

18. SB ST. JOSEPH

19. MATER DEI

20. CASCADE

1A ISCA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER POLL (9/2/25)

1. COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS)

2. FAITH CHRISTIAN

3. GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

4. BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN

5. WESTVIEW

6. FOREST PARK

7. PROVIDENCE

8. MUNCIE BURRIS

9. OLDENBURG ACADEMY

10. WHITE RIVER VALLEY

11. LUTHERAN (INDPLS)

12. SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBY)

13. SHAWE MEMORIAL

14. NORTHEAST DUBOIS

15. SCECINA

16. SOUTH KNOX

17. WHEELER

18. TELL CITY

19. ARGOS

20. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER

SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=9/2/2025

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER POLLS

3A ISCA GIRLS POLL

1. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

2. CENTER GROVE

3. CATHEDRAL

4. CARMEL

5. HOMESTEAD

6. WESTFIELD

7. CROWN POINT

8. ZIONSVILLE

9. BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

10. FW CARROLL

11. PENN

12. CASTLE

13. LAKE CENTRAL

14. EVANSVILLE NORTH

15. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL

16. EAST CENTRAL

17. HARRISON

18. LAWRENCE NORTH

19. BROWNSBURG

20. NOBLESVILLE

2A ISCA GIRLS POLL

1. MISHAWAKA MARIAN

2. SB SAINT JOSEPH

3. BISHOP DWENGER

4. LAWRENCEBURG

5. GUERIN CATHOLIC

6. EVANSVILLE MATER DEI

7. BELMONT

8. PARK TUDOR

9. CHATARD

10. HANOVER CENTRAL

11. BREBEUF JESUIT

12. HIGHLAND

13. HERITAGE HILLS

14. CONCORDIA LUTHERAN

15. WEST LAFAYETTE

16. RONCALLI

17. WASHINGTON

18. MADISON

19. BATESVILLE

20. SOUTH DEARBORN

1A ISCA GIRLS POLL

1. HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

2. FAITH CHRISTIAN

3. OLDENBURG

4. PROVIDENCE

5. WESTVIEW

6. BREMEN

7. ELKHART CHRISTIAN

8. FW BLACKHAWK

9. SHERIDAN

10. FOREST PARK

11. LAPEL

12. TRINITY GREENLAWN

13. SWITZERLAND

14. EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN

15. WHEELER

16. LAVILLE

17. WHITE RIVER VALLEY

18. LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC

19. SOUTHMONT

20. MUNCIE BURRIS

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF

MT. VERNON 178, NEW PALESTINE 178, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL 194, EASTERN HANCOCK 221

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INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY

RESULTS:

CITY/COUNTY: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/707222-city-county-xc-2025/results

LAWRENCEBURG/RISING SUN: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/705594-lawrenceburg-rising-sun-2025/results

LEAP INTO SEPTEMBER:

BOYS: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/702084-leap-into-september-2025/results/1198917/raw

GIRLS: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/702084-leap-into-september-2025/results/1198918/raw

MUSTANG INVITE: https://in.milesplit.com/meets/705022-mustang-invitational-2025/results

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INDIANA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY POLL

NOBLESVILLE
COLUMBUS NORTH
BLOOMINGTON NORTH
BROWNSBURG
HOMESTEAD
CARMEL
FISHERS
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
AVON
LAWRENCE NORTH
CENTER GROVE
FRANKLIN CENTRAL
FORT WAYNE CARROLL
NORTH CENTRAL
PENN
YORKTOWN
ZIONSVILLE
CROWN POINT
WESTFIELD
BEN DAVIS
FLOYD CENTRAL
CHESTERTON
EVANSVILLE REITZ
NORTHVIEW
HARRISON

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INDIANA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY POLL

CARMEL
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
HOMESTEAD
PENN
LAKE CENTRAL
ZIONSVILLE
CHATARD
NORTH CENTRAL
WESTFIELD
FISHERS
COLUMBUS NORTH
FLOYD CENTRAL
HAMILTON HEIGHTS
FRANKLIN CENTRAL
NOBLESVILLE
VALPARAISO
BREBEUF
WARSAW
HARRISON
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
BROWNSBURG
FORT WAYNE CARROLL
MORGAN TOWNSHIP
MUNSTER

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INDIANA BOYS TENNIS

SCORES:

BROWNSBURG 6 NOBLESVILLE 1

PARK TUDOR 4 CATHEDRAL 1

TRITON CENTRAL 3 FRANKLIN 2

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INDIANA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS POLL

1.CARMEL

2.ZIONSVILLE

3.HSE

4.HOMESTEAD

5.SOUTH BEND ST. JOES

6.BREBEUF

7.GUERIN CATHOLIC

8.BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

9.CENTER GROVE

10.WESTFIELD

11.JASPER

12.FW CARROLL

13.CULVER

14.PARK TUDOR

15.AVON

16.DELTA

17.BARR REEVE

18.WESTERN

19.TERRE HAUTE NORTH

20.BROWNSBURG

21.FISHERS

22.COLUMBUS NORTH

23.PENN

24.GIBSON SOUTHERN

25.CATHEDRAL

26.CHESTERTON

27.EVANSVILLE NORTH

28.FLOYD CENTRAL

29.KOKOMO

30.GREENFIELD CENTRAL

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INDIANA UNITED FLAG FOOTBALL

SCORES: CARROLL 26 WAWASEE 20

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WNBA SCORES

PHOENIX 85 INDIANA 79

GOLDEN STATE 66 NEW YORK 58

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

TORONTO 12 CINCINNATI 9

PITTSBURGH 9 LA DODGERS 7

NY METS 12 DETROIT 5

BOSTON 11 CLEVELAND 7

WASHINGTON 5 MIAMI 2

TAMPA BAY 6 SEATTLE 5

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 12 MINNESOTA 3

CHICAGO CUBS 4 ATLANTA 3

LA ANGELS 5 KANSAS CITY 1

ST. LOUIS 2 LAS VEGAS 1

NY YANKEES 7 HOUSTON 1

SAN FRANCISCO 7 COLORADO 4

ARIZONA 5 TEXAS 3

BALTIMORE 6 SAN DIEGO 2

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS 5 COLUMBUS 3

WEST MICHIGAN 8 FT. WAYNE 5

WISCONSIN 6 SOUTH BEND 3

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AP TOP 25

1 OHIO STATE

2 PENN STATE

3 LSU

4 GEORGIA

5 MIAMI

6 OREGON

7 TEXAS

8 CLEMSON

9 NOTRE DAME

10 SOUTH CAROLINA

11 ILLINOIS

12 ARIZONA STATE

13 FLORIDA

14 FLORIDA STATE

15 MICHIGAN

16 IOWA STATE

17 SMU

18 OKLAHOMA

19 TEXAS A&M

20 OLE MISS

21 ALABAMA

22 TENNESSEE

23 INDIANA

24 TEXAS TECH

25 UTAH

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: BYU, AUBURN, GEORGIA TECH, USC, LOUISVILLE, TCU, MISSOURI, SOUTH FLORIDA, TULANE, JAMES MADISON, NEBRASKA, KANSAS STATE, DUKE, LIBERTY, UNLV, BAYLOR, MEMPHIS, NAVY, PITTSBURGH, VIRGINIA

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WEEK 2

FRIDAY, SEPT. 5

SATURDAY, SEPT. 6

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NFL WEEK ONE TV SCHEDULE

WEEK 1

THURSDAY, SEPT. 4

DALLAS AT PHILADELPHIA, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 5

KANSAS CITY VS. LA CHARGERS AT SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, 8 P.M. (YOUTUBE)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 7

LAS VEGAS AT NEW ENGLAND, 1 P.M. (CBS)

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

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

ARIZONA AT NEW ORLEANS, 1 P.M. (CBS)

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

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

CINCINNATI AT CLEVELAND, 1 P.M. (FOX)

TAMPA BAY AT ATLANTA, 1 P.M. (FOX)

TENNESSEE AT DENVER, 4:05 P.M. (FOX)

SAN FRANCISCO AT SEATTLE, 4:05 P.M. (FOX)

DETROIT AT GREEN BAY, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

HOUSTON AT LA RAMS, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

BALTIMORE AT BUFFALO, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)

MONDAY, SEPT. 8

MINNESOTA AT CHICAGO, 8:15 P.M. (ESPN/ABC)

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

NFL NEWS

IN HIS 3RD STOP IN 3 YEARS, CAN JETS’ JUSTIN FIELDS BECOME THE NFL’S NEXT LATE-BLOOMING QUARTERBACK?

Justin Fields would seem to have the numbers — and odds — stacked against him.

The New York Jets quarterback is on his third team in as many years, learning his third offensive system in that span and being coached by a fourth coordinator during an NFL career entering only its fifth season.

There have been plenty of struggles, adjustments and criticisms along the way. But sometimes success as an NFL quarterback isn’t as easy as hut, hut, hike.

It might take a change of scenery. Or two. Maybe even three or more before a QB puts it all together and plays the way many expected earlier in his career.

Baker Mayfield can relate. So can Sam Darnold and Geno Smith. Even Rich Gannon and Vinny Testaverde.

“I do believe Justin can be one of those guys,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said last week. “I’ve seen the progress during this camp and look forward to seeing the progress throughout the season as they all come together. Obviously, it’s his third stop in three years with three different coordinators and a lot of moving parts, so it does take time.

“But I like where it’s at and I look forward to watching the progress.”

Fields, who’s still only 26, was the 11th overall pick by Chicago out of Ohio State in 2021 and deemed the Bears’ future franchise quarterback — until inconsistency and struggles sent him to Pittsburgh after three seasons. Fields opened last season as the Steelers’ starter, going 4-2 in place of an injured Russell Wilson, but went back to the sideline when Wilson got healthy.

The Jets, who moved on from Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. He has thrown for 7,780 yards with 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, along with 2,509 yards rushing and 19 TD runs.

Coach Aaron Glenn has raved about Fields’ maturity and doing all the team is asking of him as a dual-threat QB. Fields was also selected one of the Jets’ team captains.

“Seeing that growth,” Mougey said, “has been really good.”

And the Jets are banking on Fields, starting Sunday against Rodgers and the Steelers, joining a handful of other late-bloomer quarterbacks who thrived on their third — or more — NFL teams.

Sam Darnold

First stop: New York Jets. No. 3 overall pick, 2018. Had some promising moments, but struggled with consistency. 38 games, 38 starts. 8,097 yards passing, 45 TDs, 39 INTs.

Second stop: Carolina. Traded to Panthers in 2021. 18 games, 17 starts. 3,670 yards, 16 TDs, 16 INTs.

Third stop: San Francisco. Signed as backup in 2023. 10 games, 1 start. 297 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.

Fourth stop: Minnesota. Signed as free agent in 2024 and became starter when rookie J.J. McCarthy went down with knee injury in preseason. Darnold thrived, making first Pro Bowl and garnering votes for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. 17 games, 17 starts. 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, 12 INTs.

Fifth stop: Seattle. Parlayed success in Minnesota into three-year deal worth $100.5 million in March.

Rich Gannon

First stop: Minnesota. Fourth-round pick, 1987. 48 games, 35 starts. 6,457 yards passing, 40 TDs, 36 INTs.

Second stop: Washington. Traded by Vikings before 1993 season. 8 games, 4 starts. 704 yards, 3 TDs, 7 INTs.

Third stop: Kansas City. After having shoulder surgery and sitting out a year, Gannon signed with Chiefs in 1995 as Elvis Grbac’s backup. 27 games, 19 starts. 3,997 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs.

Fourth stop: Oakland. Signed with Raiders as free agent in 1999 and excelled in Jon Gruden’s offense. Gannon was AP NFL MVP for 2002 season, when he led Raiders to Super Bowl. He made four straight Pro Bowls and was game’s MVP twice, and was an All-Pro twice. Gannon played six seasons with Raiders to end career. 74 games, 74 starts. 17,585 yards, 114 TDs, 50 INTs.

Baker Mayfield

First stop: Cleveland. No. 1 overall pick by Browns in 2018. Had some early success and led team to its first playoff win since 1994 — and first on road since 1969 — in 2020, but issues with turnovers and injuries affected consistency. 60 games, 59 starts. 14,125 yards passing, 92 TDs, 56 INTs.

Second stop: Carolina. After Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, Mayfield asked to be dealt and was sent to Panthers. 7 games, 6 starts. 1,313 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs.

Third stop: Los Angeles Rams. Mayfield was benched by Carolina late in 2022 season and asked to be released. He was claimed off waivers by Rams and led them to win over Las Vegas as a backup after just two days of preparation. 5 games, 4 starts. 850 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs.

Fourth stop: Tampa Bay. Mayfield credited his run with Rams for re-energizing him and he signed with Buccaneers in 2023. He won starting job, led Tampa Bay to consecutive playoff appearances and was selected to Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. 34 games, 34 starts. 8,544 yards, 69 TDs, 56 INTs.

Geno Smith

First stop: New York Jets. Second-round pick in 2013. Smith became starter as rookie when Mark Sanchez injured shoulder in preseason. Mostly struggled in his first two seasons and was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 when his jaw was broken by punch from a teammate in locker room dispute. Smith tore an ACL the following season while making a spot start. 33 games, 30 starts. 5,962 yards, 28 TDs, 36 INTs.

Second stop: New York Giants. Signed in 2017 to be Eli Manning’s backup and then found himself at center of controversy when then-coach Ben McAdoo started Smith midway through season — ending Manning’s 210-game starting streak. Smith went back to sideline next week. 2 games, 1 start. 212 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs.

Third stop: Los Angeles Chargers. Signed in 2018 to be Philip Rivers’ backup. 5 games, 0 starts. 8 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs.

Fourth stop: Seattle. Signed with Seahawks in 2019 and served as Russell Wilson’s backup for most of his first three seasons with them. Smith won starting job over Drew Lock before 2022 season after Wilson was traded to Denver. Smith selected as Comeback Player of the Year after breakout season and made first of two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. 54 games, 52 starts. 12,961 yards, 76 TDs, 36 INTs.

Fifth stop: Las Vegas. Smith was traded in March to Raiders and is reunited with Pete Carroll, his former coach in Seattle.

Vinny Testaverde

First stop: Tampa Bay. No. 1 overall pick, 1987. Testaverde became Buccaneers’ starter as rookie and showed flashes during six seasons, but interceptions dogged him. 76 games, 72 starts. 14,820 yards, 77 TDs, 112 INTs.

Second stop: Cleveland. Signed with Browns in 1993 as backup to Bernie Kosar before becoming starter after Kosar was released later that season. 37 games, 31 starts. 7,255 yards, 47 TDs, 37 INTs.

Third stop: Baltimore. Was among Browns players who were part of franchise’s move to Baltimore in 1996. Change of scenery appeared to help, with Testaverde throwing for more than 4,000 yards for first time and making first Pro Bowl. 29 games, 29 starts. 7,148 yards, 51 TDs, 34 INTs.

Fourth stop: New York Jets. Signed with his hometown Jets in 1998 and helped Bill Parcells-led squad reach AFC championship game. Testaverde also made Pro Bowl during perhaps his best statistical season, but tore an Achilles tendon in Week 1 of 1999 season. He returned as starter in 2000 and remained under center before being replaced by Chad Pennington in 2002. Testaverde later had stops in Dallas, a second stint with Jets and then New England and Carolina before retiring in January 2008. 59 games (first Jets stint), 57 starts. 11,720 yards, 76 TDs, 52 INTs.

SEAN MCDERMOTT’S CALM CONFIDENCE: BILLS COACH ADAPTS APPROACH WHILE STAYING DRIVEN ENTERING 9TH YEAR

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Carrying his morning protein shake with “Coach” written on the plastic cup and wearing a familiar Bills bucket hat to protect him from the August sun, Sean McDermott looked at ease making his way to practice during training camp.

Amid a rash of injuries, and two days into running back James Cook’s “hold-in” over a contract dispute, McDermott casually stopped to chat with alums from his alma mater, William & Mary, before being introduced to country artist Chris Young.

His pace was unhurried, even as the pre-practice stretching period began. McDermott trusts his players and staff to take care of the fundamentals.

“Do I feel more relaxed, at ease?” McDermott said. “The older you get, the more experience you have in life and in this job, you gain not only wisdom from that experience, but perspective on what truly is important in life.”

The hard-won realization is among the rewards that come with entering his ninth season in Buffalo in a profession where long-term job security is scarce.

But make no mistake, McDermott is not getting soft.

Adapting his approach

As much as McDermott at age 51 has eased his grip and adapted his approach — for example, he now allows a DJ to make weekly appearances in the locker room — his values are unchanged.

His faith and family come first. A sloppy practice will lead to McDermott blowing his whistle to have his team run sprints. Every player earns his way on or off the roster. And one season’s success does not carry over into the next.

McDermott is no less driven to win a Super Bowl, not only for himself but for the community he now proudly considers home.

“I don’t forget where I was raised, believe me,” said McDermott, who is from Philadelphia and spent his first 12 NFL seasons working for the Eagles. “That said, I consider myself from Buffalo.”

McDermott is fully invested, captivated by the underdog spirit of a Rust Belt region and a passionate fan base seemingly undaunted by its teams’ notable losses. Among those: the Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl defeats in the 1990s.

Defending Buffalo

McDermott has defended Buffalo in the face of detractors, most recently following the Bills’ AFC divisional round playoff win over the Ravens in January, when a Baltimore reporter referred to Buffalo as a city of losers.

“That’s honestly what drives me more than anything to win,” McDermott said. “They don’t know this community. They don’t know us.”

McDermott deserves credit for restoring the franchise’s luster, beginning with his arrival in 2017, when the Bills ended their 17-year playoff drought. With the help of Josh Allen, McDermott has realized his vision of transforming the Bills into perennial contenders during a six-year playoff run that includes five straight AFC East titles.

He also understands his job is not complete.

“We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done here. And nobody has more internal drive and internal expectations (than) I do,” McDermott said.

“The fire to win a Super Bowl that burns within me is unmatched,” he added. “But you can’t get there tomorrow. We have to take it one day at a time.”

Trust the process

McDermott draws strength from the “trust the process” mantra he instilled into the Bills upon his arrival.

“He did a great job the first year of laying that foundation. That foundation is solid, man, and that’s why the team is always good,” said cornerback Tre’Davious White, who’s back for a second stint with Buffalo. “The standard is the standard. The young guys come in and they do a great job of buying in. And the older guys do a good job of saying it and walking it.”

General manager Brandon Beane has seen the dynamic evolve to the point where McDermott has eased his grip.

“That’s been part of his maturation,” Beane said. “These guys know what the expectations are. And he wants them to police themselves.”

Just as important are McDermott’s self-awareness and ability to learn from experience, good and bad.

“Some guys aren’t able to talk through the truth and what’s worked and what’s not working,” Beane said. “He’s as determined as ever, as confident as ever. And if he wasn’t, then I think you wouldn’t see the calmness.”

McDermott pores over video of games, especially playoff losses, to understand what was lacking. He’s grown as a communicator, learning how to hone his message — an aspect of the job that was seen as a weakness earlier in his tenure.

He’s more comfortable during news conferences, occasionally coming up with an amusing quip. This summer, the guarded coach — who barred media from revealing the weekly motivational messages posted on TVs inside the team’s headquarters — allowed HBO’s “Hard Knocks” cameras to provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse.

Being a Buffalonian

It took McDermott his entire first season to appreciate the difference between living in Buffalo and being a Buffalonian.

He was in the visitors’ locker room in Miami following a season-ending win over the Dolphins when he heard the roar of Bills fans celebrating the team qualifying for the playoffs. It got even better when thousands braved temperatures near zero degrees Fahrenheit to greet the team’s arrival at the airport.

“That’s when it really hit my heart that I was like, we’re here for a reason,” McDermott said. “And it goes well beyond the football field.”

EAGLES ARE FOCUSED ON THIS SEASON, WON’T EVEN WATCH SUPER BOWL BANNER CEREMONY

Jalen Hurts perfectly summed up the mindset of the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles entering their title defense.

“Nothing I’ve accomplished in the past will get me what I desire in the future,” Hurts said in an interview on SiriusXM during training camp.

Before the Eagles kick off against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the NFL opener, their championship banner will be unveiled at Lincoln Financial Field.

Don’t expect the celebration to be a distraction.

Coach Nick Sirianni said Tuesday that his players won’t even be on the field for the ceremony.

“I didn’t know it was banner night. We won’t be out for that,” Sirianni said.

Hurts and his teammates aren’t satisfied with winning one championship. The Eagles are aiming for multiple rings and they’re built to repeat after dominating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl seven months ago.

Hurts, All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley, star wide receiver A.J. Brown and the entire offense, including a dominant line, return. The defense lost several key players — defensive linemen Josh Sweat, Milton Williams and Brandon Graham, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay — but has a lot of talent, depth and a savvy, wise coordinator in Vic Fangio.

Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who had a pick-6 against Mahomes in the Super Bowl, finished in the top five in voting for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter has established himself as a dominant force and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun had a breakout season.

“I think we’re ready to go,” Fangio said. “We still have a lot of guys that were here last year and guys that we expect to be improved from last year.”

Sirianni has preached that it’s a new season, Hurts has reiterated it and team leaders have embraced it.

“We’re focused on our process and how we get better every single day. If your process is right, then it gives you the best chance to win,” Sirianni said earlier in the summer. “It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win, but it gives you the best chance to win. Our goal is just to focus and to focus on where we are at this particular moment, to put the work in, to overcome the adversity and the rest will take care of itself.”

Whatever it takes

Seven-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio begins his 12th season when the Cleveland Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

In an effort to help prolong his career, Bitonio last year became one of the first patients in the country to have stem cells removed, grown, then returned to his knee to treat early arthritis, which is a normal occurrence in elite athletes.

While many athletes have used stem cell treatments — notably Kobe Bryant and Ray Lewis — to help speed recovery, the difference in this procedure is that University Hospitals in Cleveland is growing the stem cells.

Bitonio said he felt a “huge” difference in his recovery time last season. He didn’t have fluid buildup on his knee after games so he was able to train and practice more often as opposed to previous seasons.

“At the bare minimum, it was a high-quality anti-inflammatory,” Bitonio said. “But as I’ve gone through this offseason, my knee just keeps feeling a little bit better, a little bit better. Going into last year, I was kind of having trouble running full speed. I felt like my knee was just not there. And then going into this year, I’ve been training pretty hard and I think it’s this stem cell treatment, man. They’re doing something, they’re helping out, it’s keeping the knee in its best shape as it can.”

Browns head team physician and chair of orthopedic surgery at University Hospitals Dr. James Voos performed the procedure, extracting stem cells from Bitonio’s hip and injecting them into his right knee several weeks later.

“The desire for our athletes to perform at their best and extend to their careers is higher than ever,” said Voos, who is president of the NFL Physicians Society. “Being a head team physician and the department chair at an academic orthopedic institution gives us a unique opportunity to address athletes’ needs and, in this case, our players are often looking for stem cells and, as we all know, there’s all sorts of places you can go in the United States and out of the country. But there’s no real regulation as to what you’re getting, what’s in it, what is standardized. And so I really felt the obligation as Joel’s physician, as our team physician within our academic role, to be able to deliver a much more science-based stem cell program. So I worked with the FDA for two years, meaning we applied to get approval with the FTA and it took two years. And we developed a process with our lab at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine where we harvest your stem cells, grow them into the millions and then come back and inject them into the body. So the unique part is you have millions more cells, millions more growth factors, and you know exactly what’s going in your body.”

Bitonio was one of 16 patients, which includes other athletes, to receive this treatment, which was approved by the FDA for knees in Phase 1 of the trial. Voos said the goal moving forward to get approval to use the stem cell treatment in other joints.

“You have to start somewhere and knee injuries are the most prevalent in our athletes so we started with the knee,” said Voos, who is also executive director of the University Hospitals Haslam Sports Innovation Center where technologies and therapies are developed to elevate performance and increase longevity in athletes of all ages.

Hollywood time

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown should be ready to go when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil on Friday night.

Brown was limited to two regular-season games and the playoffs after sustaining a shoulder injury in the preseason last year. He sat out this preseason with foot and ankle problems.

“It’s easy to build chemistry with a guy like that,” Brown said about playing with Patrick Mahomes. “It’s basically feeling our speed and feeling (out) how I like to do things and from that point on, you know the guys, he gets it there.”

BEARS CORNERBACK JOHNSON HOPES TO BE READY FOR OPENER AGAINST VIKINGS, WON’T MAKE ANY GUARANTEES

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson hopes to be ready for the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on Monday night.

He just wasn’t ready to make any promises after missing all of training camp because of a groin injury he suffered while working out in the summer.

“I’m doing everything I can to play,” he said in his first comments since last spring. “I know I had a good workout this morning, so I’m feeling good, probably the best I felt all offseason — well, training camp, per se — but just trying to do everything I can to be back.”

Johnson said he was injured in “a freak accident” while working with some receivers in Las Vegas, and he knew immediately it was serious. He expected to be cleared for practice on Tuesday, when the Bears held more of a walkthrough. Whether he’ll play against Minnesota and an offense featuring one of the NFL’s best receivers in Justin Jefferson largely hinges on how he responds this week.

“Just depends on where my body’s at,” he said. “Because again, I’ve been out for six weeks, so hopefully my body responds fairly quickly and I can feel good. And with the staff, the training staff, (we’ll) figure out what’s the best plan.”

Coach Ben Johnson expressed concern that Johnson’s conditioning could be an issue, even if he is cleared to play. He also said the Bears want to do their best to make sure their star cornerback doesn’t reinjure himself.

“I know he’s feeling significantly better than obviously he was from the start,” Ben Johnson said. “We’ll see what he looks like moving around and hopefully take it from there. I know he’s excited to get back out with his teammates here soon.”

Jaylon Johnson acknowledged he needs practice reps.

“I like to say I can go out there and play,” he said. “But I mean, it’s definitely hard too. I feel like if we had a game today, it wouldn’t be a thing. But I think really this week will be important for me to get the pads back on, get practices under my belt, game speed, moving around, covering guys, communicating. I think that all will help me. But again, there’s not too much you can replicate in the game.”

The Bears made some big moves coming off a 5-12 season, most notably hiring Ben Johnson and remaking their offensive line. They believe they’re poised to be more competitive, and they won’t have to wait long to find out how they stack up against the top teams in the NFC North. Their first two opponents were a combined 29-5 last year, with a trip to Detroit following the opener against the Vikings.

Jaylon Johnson, beginning his sixth season, made the Pro Bowl the past two years. He has six of his seven career interceptions in that span.

With the Bears expected to play more man-to-man coverage, Johnson figures to spend more time shadowing the opposing team’s No. 1 receiver. Jefferson, a two-time All-Pro, would obviously pose a huge challenge even if Johnson was completely healthy.

As for whether he’s ready to shadow receivers?

“For this game, it’s hard to say,” Johnson said. “I feel like it would be a situation where we had to figure out what that game plan looks like. But, I mean, as far as what I’ve been doing, I know I’ve been putting a lot of work outside the facility as well, so I’m confident in that. But again, that would be something I’ll feel more so in the game, in that situation.”

Johnson agreed to a four-year, $76 million contract extension in March 2004. Several cornerbacks have since signed more lucrative deals. But Johnson insisted he wasn’t holding out and that his absence was strictly injury-related.

“You know me better than that. I never held out,” he said. “I haven’t ever done any of that. So I mean, for me, again, for the media, it’s a good play as far as the contract and the timing and things, but I’m not that type of cat.”

RECEIVER GABE DAVIS IS REJOINING THE BILLS AFTER AGREEING TO A PRACTICE-SQUAD DEAL, AP SOURCE SAYS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills are bringing back another familiar face by agreeing to a deal with Gabe Davis that adds the receiver to the team’s practice squad, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the agreement, which was first reported by ESPN.

It’s uncertain when Davis will be cleared to play. The 26-year-old receiver, who spent his first four NFL seasons with Buffalo, is recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee after he got hurt in mid-November, ending his one season in Jacksonville.

Davis had 20 catches for 239 yards and two TDs for the Jaguars. He was released in May despite having two years remaining on a $39 million, three-year contract.

The agreement comes after Davis visited the Bills last week. He’s the latest former Bills player returning to Orchard Park, joining safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who were signed to the practice squad last week.

Selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Central Florida, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Davis eventually established himself as the team’s No. 2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs.

QB DAK PRESCOTT SURPRISED COWBOYS TRADED MICAH PARSONS

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is one of the few players on the roster who knew precisely what it was like to be in Micah Parsons’ shoes in August.

Prescott was given some of the same lines during contract negotiations that Parsons heard from franchise owner Jerry Jones and the Dallas brass, specifically about performing in a contract year to earn another one with more security. There was friction between Jones and Prescott when the quarterback played the length of his rookie contract and subsequent franchise tag year before signing a four-year extension on the first game day of the 2024 season.

So when Jones pulled the plug and traded Parsons — a two-time All-Pro pass rusher — to the Green Bay Packers last Thursday, Prescott wasn’t shocked. But he was surprised it unraveled so suddenly.

“I can’t say I was completely surprised, but I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded, I’ll say that,” Prescott said. “But just with (how) their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent … it seemed like it got personal on their ends, so that’s why I wasn’t surprised.”

Prior to the trade, Prescott and head coach Brian Schottenheimer both expressed confidence Parsons would be on the field when the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles kick off the regular season on Thursday night. He said he’s glad not to be fielding questions about whether Parsons will play and is more comfortable knowing his former teammate is happy with the result.

“As much as anything, it’s good that a solution happened. Micah got paid, got paid very well,” Prescott said. “Great for him and his family. We’ll see him here in about a month. Just honestly glad that, I can’t say glad, but glad that we moved past that and everybody seems happy because of it.”

Parsons, 26, continues to deal with a back injury that could impact his availability in Week 1 and beyond. The Packers visit the Cowboys for a Sunday night game in Week 4 on Sept. 28.

Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs still isn’t prepared to see Parsons in another uniform.

“I think everybody was surprised,” Diggs said of the trade. “I was really surprised, I really thought it was going to get done so we could just stay a family. Just him being here all his years, but unfortunately that’s not what God had for him.”

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his four seasons, Parsons has racked up 52.5 sacks through the first 63 games of his career. He was the 12th overall pick by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft.

EAGLES PRO BOWL G LANDON DICKERSON PRACTICES AHEAD OF OPENER VS. COWBOYS

Philadelphia Eagles three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson returned to full practice on Tuesday after sitting out Monday because of a back issue.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said the back is Dickerson’s only health concern after he missed most of training camp due to an Aug. 10 right knee injury and resulting procedure.

The defending Super Bowl champions host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the season opener.

Philadelphia’s injury report had only one player not practicing, reserve quarterback Tanner McKee (fractured right thumb), meaning recently acquired Sam Howell likely will be the backup for starter Jalen Hurts.

Defensive tackle Jalen Carter (shoulder), linebacker Josh Uche (groin) and safety Andrew Mukuba (hamstring) were full participants.

Dickerson, 26, went down while blocking on a pass play and remained on the field for several minutes during the Aug. 10 practice. After an MRI, he had a procedure on the meniscus in his right knee.

A second-round pick in 2021, Dickerson has started 62 of 63 regular-season games played for the Eagles. He has also started nine playoff games, including all four last season as Philadelphia won Super Bowl LIX.

He has established himself as an elite interior offensive lineman and collected Pro Bowl accolades each of the last three years. He earned a 79.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade last season, ranking 13th among 136 qualifying guards.

STEELERS RELEASE VETERAN WR ROBERT WOODS, REPORTEDLY AT HIS REQUEST

The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran wide receiver Robert Woods from the practice squad on Tuesday, reportedly at his request when he didn’t make the 53-man roster, according to NFL Network.

The 33-year-old Woods, going into his 13th season, was behind five receivers on the 53-man roster: Calvin Austin III, DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and Roman Wilson.

Pittsburgh signed Woods to a one-year, $2 million contract as a free agent in April. He received a signing bonus of $745,000.

Woods played the past two seasons with the Houston Texans, catching 20 passes for 203 yards over 15 games (four starts) in 2024, but he did not have a receiving touchdown for the first time in his 12 NFL seasons.

Woods’ most productive seasons came with the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-21, catching 367 passes for 4,626 yards and 23 touchdowns while helping the team in an injury-shortened campaign to the Super Bowl LVI title in the 2021 season.

Over 171 career games (145 starts), Woods has 683 receptions for 8,233 yards and 38 touchdowns for the Buffalo Bills (2013-16), Rams, Tennessee Titans (2022) and Texans.

GIANTS LIST JAXSON DART AS QB2, NOT JAMEIS WINSTON

Rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart is listed as the backup quarterback behind New York Giants starter Russell Wilson on the team’s unofficial Week 1 depth chart.

Dart, selected 25th overall out of Ole Miss, is listed ahead of 10-year veteran Jameis Winston after a promising preseason and training camp. New York opens the regular season on Sunday on the road against the Washington Commanders.

The Giants had the day off Tuesday. Head coach Brian Daboll and Wilson are scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday.

Dart, 22, was 32-of-47 passing for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason and rushed for a TD against the New York Jets, igniting optimism around a position that became a trainwreck in 2024.

Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen moved on from Daniel Jones in November after he requested his release in response to being benched. Daboll and the Giants ran into more trouble when Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle failed to produce. New York lost 11 of its final 12 games in 2024, when it finished 3-14.

Daboll has committed to 36-year-old Wilson, a free-agent signee on his third team in three seasons, as the Giants’ starter. Wilson and Winston, 31, were signed for different roles, with Daboll and Schoen made clear early in the offseason.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

OHIO STATE IS NO. 1 IN AP TOP 25; LSU, MIAMI INTO TOP 5, FLORIDA STATE IS BACK AND ALABAMA PLUMMETS

Ohio State climbed to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll on Tuesday, LSU and Miami moved into the top five, and Florida State jumped back into the rankings at the expense of Alabama, which plummeted to its lowest spot in 17 seasons.

The defending national champion Buckeyes received 55 of 66 first-place votes to move up two spots after their win over preseason No. 1 Texas. Ohio State is at the top of a regular-season Top 25 for the first time since November 2015.

Texas dropped to No. 7 as the media voters shuffled the rankings following a topsy-turvy Labor Day weekend. It was only the second time, and first since 1972, that two top-five teams lost in Week 1 and the first time four top-10 teams lost. Only three teams in the Top 25 are in the same spot they were in the preseason poll.

Penn State got seven first-place votes and remained No. 2. LSU, which received three first first-place votes, was followed by Georgia and Miami to round out the top five.

Oregon got the other first-place vote and was followed by Texas, Clemson, Notre Dame and South Carolina.

LSU jumped six spots after winning at Clemson and Miami got a five-rung promotion for its victory over Notre Dame.

The biggest movers in the poll were Florida State and Alabama after the Seminoles’ 31-17 victory in their head-to-head matchup: Florida State, 15 spots outside the Top 25 in the preseason, is now No. 14. Alabama dropped all the way from No. 8 to No. 21 — its lowest ranking since it was No. 24 in the 2008 preseason poll. That was the second of Nick Saban’s 17 teams in Tuscaloosa.

It’s been quite a turnabout for Florida State. The Seminoles were No. 10 in the 2024 preseason, lost their first two games, finished 2-10 and weren’t ranked again until now.

In and out

Utah, at No. 25, joins Florida State as the only newcomers this week.

The Utes had received the second-most points, behind BYU, among teams outside the preseason Top 25. Utah got more credit for beating UCLA 43-10 on the road than BYU got for hammering FCS foe Portland State. The Utes are ranked for the first time since last October, when they were at the front end of a seven-game losing streak.

Boise State, which had been No. 25, received no votes following its 34-7 loss at South Florida. The Broncos had appeared in 14 straight polls. The other team to drop out of the poll was No. 17 Kansas State, which followed up its season-opening loss to Iowa State with a last-minute home win over FCS team North Dakota.

Poll points

— Ohio State is the first team to take over the top spot in the first regular-season poll since Alabama in 2012. It was the biggest jump to No. 1 in the first regular-season poll since Southern California was promoted from No. 3 in 2008.

— Texas’ fall was the biggest for a preseason No. 1 since Auburn dropped to No. 8 in the first regular-season poll of 1984.

— LSU has its highest ranking after Week 1 since it was No. 3 in 2012, and Miami has its highest ranking after Week 1 since it was No. 5 in 2004.

— South Carolina is in the top 10 in the regular season for the first time since it was No. 8 in December 2013.

Conference call

SEC — 10 ranked teams (Nos. 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)

Big Ten — 6 (Nos. 1, 2, 6, 11, 15, 23)

ACC — 4 (Nos. 5, 8, 14, 17)

Big 12 — 4 (Nos. 12, 16, 24, 25)

Independent — 1 (No. 9)

Ranked vs. ranked

No. 15 Michigan at No. 18 Oklahoma: This weekend’s game will be the first meeting since Oklahoma beat the Wolverines in the Orange Bowl to win the 1975 national championship. Wolverines freshman QB Bryce Underwood gets put to the test in his second start.

BUCKEYES, NITTANY LIONS WOULD BE 1-2 SEEDS AND TIGERS, BULLDOGS 3-4 IN AP’ TOP 25-BASED CFP BRACKET

Ohio State, Penn State, LSU and Georgia would be the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff based on the first Associated Press Top 25 poll of the regular season while Miami, Oregon, Texas and Clemson would host first-round games.

The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference each would have four teams in the 12-team field and the Atlantic Coast Conference would have two. Notre Dame would be in as an independent. So would South Florida as the Group of Five member receiving the most votes among unranked teams this week.

Based on the AP Top 25, the CFP would open like this:

— No. 9 seed Notre Dame at No. 8 Clemson. Winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State.

— No. 12 seed South Florida at No. 5 seed Miami. Winner vs. No. 4 Georgia.

— No. 10 seed South Carolina at No. 7 seed Texas. Winner vs. No. 2 Penn State.

— No. 11 seed Arizona State at No. 6 Oregon. Winner vs. No. 3 LSU.

The first three teams outside the bracket: Illinois, Florida, Florida State.

The Illini are ranked No. 11 by the AP but would get bumped by automatically qualifying conference champions, in this case Arizona State of the Big 12 and South Florida of the American.

The five highest-ranked conference champions automatically qualify for the CFP, but no longer do the four highest-ranked champions receive a first-round bye. The 12-team bracket is now seeded directly based on the CFP’s final rankings, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye.

Those four teams will be assigned to quarterfinals in ranking order and in consideration of current bowl relationships. This year, quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl and the Peach Bowl. The No. 1 seed would receive preferential placement based on geography.

Teams ranked Nos. 5-12 by the CFP will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded school. First-round games are Dec. 19 and 20, quarterfinals Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, semifinals Jan. 8 and 9 and the championship game is Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The AP will publish brackets based on the weekly Top 25 until the CFP selection committee unveils its initial rankings Nov. 4.

DAN LANNING SAYS DUCKS ‘SPEND TO WIN’ FOLLOWING COMMENTS BY OKLAHOMA STATE COACH MIKE GUNDY

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Coach Dan Lanning said the Ducks “spend to win” following comments made by Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy about the resources No. 6 Oregon has for players.

Mike Gundy made comments about the Ducks’ apparent deep pockets for players on his weekly radio show ahead of the Cowboys’ game at Oregon on Saturday.

Gundy said his program spent “around $7 million” on its team over three years while the Ducks had spent close to $40 million last year alone — admitting that he might be off a few million.

“Oregon is paying a lot, a lot of money for their team,” he said. “From a nonconference standpoint, there’s coaches saying they should play teams that are spending the same amount of money.”

Lanning responded in his Monday news conference.

“Ultimately, how blessed are we to be in a place that’s invested in winning? If you want to be a Top 10 team in college football, you better be invested in winning. And we spend to win. Some people save to have an excuse for why they don’t, right?” Lanning said.

Oregon’s coach went on to praise Gundy as a great coach.

NO. 16 IOWA STATE SQUARES OFF AGAINST IOWA

Iowa (1-0) at No. 16 Iowa State (2-0), Sept. 6 at 12 p.m. EDT.

BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: Iowa State by 3. Against the spread: Iowa State 2-0, Iowa 0-1.

How to watch: FOX

Key stats

Iowa State Offense

Overall: 421.0 yards per game (55th in FBS)

Passing: 244.5 yards per game (53rd)

Rushing: 176.5 yards per game (60th)

Scoring: 39.5 points per game (38th)

Iowa State Defense

Overall: 296.0 yards per game (57th in FBS)

Passing: 199.5 yards per game (81st)

Rushing: 176.5 yards per game (52nd)

Scoring: 14.0 points per game (58th)

Iowa Offense

Overall: 358.0 yards per game (78th in FBS)

Passing: 48.0 yards per game (135th)

Rushing: 310.0 yards per game (8th)

Scoring: 34.0 points per game (50th)

Iowa Defense

Overall: 177.0 yards per game (17th in FBS)

Passing: 134.0 yards per game (35th)

Rushing: 310.0 yards per game (12th)

Scoring: 7.0 points per game (20th)

Iowa ranks 19th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 62.5% of the time. Iowa State ranks 41st on offense, converting on 50.0% of third downs.

Iowa is 98th in the FBS with a -1 turnover margin, compared to Iowa State’s 11th-ranked +2 margin.

Both teams avoid getting penalized. Iowa State is 10th in the FBS averaging 17.5 penalty yards per game, and Iowa ranks 13th with a 20.0-yard average.

Iowa leads the FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 100.0% of trips.

Both teams rank high in time of possession. Iowa State is 18th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 34:35, while Iowa’s 10th-ranked average is 36:37.

Team leaders

Iowa StatePassing: Rocco Becht, 461 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs, 68.8 completion percentageRushing: Carson Hansen, 90 yards on 25 carries, 0 TDsReceiving: Brett Eskildsen, 123 yards on 5 catches, 1 TD

Iowa

Passing: Mark Gronowski, 44 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 53.3 completion percentage

Rushing: Xavier Williams, 122 yards on 11 carries, 1 TD

Receiving: Jacob Gill, 13 yards on 1 catch, 0 TDs

Last game

Iowa State defeated South Dakota 55-7 on Saturday, Aug. 30. Becht led Iowa State with 278 yards on 19-of-20 passing (95.0%) for three touchdowns and no interceptions. Dylan Lee carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards and scored one touchdown, adding one reception for zero yards. Gabe Burkle had four receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown.

Iowa won 34-7 over Albany on Saturday, Aug. 30. Gronowski threw for 44 yards on 8-of-15 attempts (53.3%) with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 11 times for 39 yards and one rushing touchdown. Williams carried the ball 11 times for 122 yards and scored one touchdown, adding one reception for three yards. Gill recorded 13 yards on one catch.

Next game

Iowa State plays at Arkansas State on Sept. 13. Iowa hosts UMass on Sept. 13.

OKLAHOMA HOSTS MICHIGAN IN RANKED MATCHUP

No. 15 Michigan (1-0) at No. 18 Oklahoma (1-0), Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: Oklahoma by 5.5. Against the spread: Oklahoma 0-1, Michigan 0-1.

How to watch: ABC

Key stats

Oklahoma Offense

Overall: 495.0 yards per game (23rd in FBS)

Passing: 392.0 yards per game (6th)

Rushing: 103.0 yards per game (100th)

Scoring: 35.0 points per game (47th)

Oklahoma Defense

Overall: 151.0 yards per game (12th in FBS)

Passing: 34.0 yards per game (2nd)

Rushing: 103.0 yards per game (70th)

Scoring: 3.0 points per game (11th)

Michigan Offense

Overall: 452.0 yards per game (41st in FBS)

Passing: 251.0 yards per game (45th)

Rushing: 201.0 yards per game (42nd)

Scoring: 34.0 points per game (50th)

Michigan Defense

Overall: 267.0 yards per game (51st in FBS)

Passing: 217.0 yards per game (87th)

Rushing: 201.0 yards per game (18th)

Scoring: 17.0 points per game (69th)

Oklahoma is 6th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert on 9.1% of third downs.

Oklahoma ranks 115th in the FBS with a -2 turnover margin, compared to Michigan’s 11th-ranked +2 margin.

Michigan ranks 103rd in the FBS averaging 65.0 penalty yards per game, compared to Oklahoma’s 34th-ranked 35.0 per-game average.

Both teams have strong red zone offenses, each scoring on 100.0% of trips to lead the FBS.

Michigan is 101st in the FBS with an average time of possession of 26:58, compared to Oklahoma’s 43rd-ranked average of 32:56.

Team leaders

OklahomaPassing: John Mateer, 392 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 81.1 completion percentageRushing: Tory Blaylock, 44 yards on 8 carries, 1 TDReceiving: Keontez Lewis, 119 yards on 9 catches, 2 TDs

Michigan

Passing: Bryce Underwood, 251 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 67.7 completion percentage

Rushing: Justice Haynes, 159 yards on 16 carries, 3 TDs

Receiving: Marlin Klein, 93 yards on 6 catches, 1 TD

Last game

Oklahoma beat Illinois State 35-3 on Saturday, Aug. 30. Mateer passed for 392 yards on 30-of-37 attempts (81.1%) with three touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball seven times for 24 yards and one rushing touchdown. Blaylock had 44 rushing yards on eight carries and one touchdown, adding two receptions for 18 yards. Lewis had nine receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Michigan won 34-17 over New Mexico on Saturday, Aug. 30. Underwood led Michigan with 251 yards on 21-of-31 passing (67.7%) for one touchdown and no interceptions. Haynes carried the ball 16 times for 159 yards and scored three touchdowns, adding two receptions for six yards. Klein recorded 93 yards on six catches with one touchdown.

Next game

Oklahoma plays at Temple on Sept. 13. Michigan hosts Central Michigan on Sept. 13.

BRIAN KELLY WONDERS: DID DABO SWINNEY SEE THE SECOND HALF OF LSU-CLEMSON?

A close loss at home left Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to study film of the Tigers’ loss to LSU, and generate a metaphor winning coach Brian Kelly invited his counterpart to punt.

LSU defeated Clemson 17-10, but Swinney likened the matchup of preseason top-10 teams to starting a class with a final exam.

“It was a hell of a game,” Swinney said Monday. “It’s like getting a final exam, Day 1 of class. They made a 65. We made a 58. Neither one of us were great.”

Kelly won an opener at LSU for the first time and didn’t take the grading curve suggestion lightly on Tuesday.

“Well, I mean … I thought we dominated them in the second half. So, he’s either a really good grader for giving himself a 58, or he’s a really hard grader on us,” Kelly said. “Or he didn’t see the second half, which that might be the case. He might not have wanted to see the second half.”

Kelly and LSU jumped to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll on Tuesday and Clemson dipped from No. 4 to No. 8. Kelly said the focus is no longer on the win, but building on it.

“Look, this is all past. We’re much more focused on Louisiana Tech, to be quite honest with you,” Kelly said. “Clemson is a darn good football team. I mean, that’s a really good, that’s a top-notch team and they’re going to be a team in the hunt for the playoff picture, and we hope we are too.”

DEION SANDERS DEFENDS COLORADO’S LATE-GAME CLOCK MANAGEMENT, COACHING STAFF AFTER GEORGIA TECH LOSS

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A feisty Deion Sanders is pushing back against anyone second-guessing his clock management or calling out his coaching staff.

The Colorado coach also announced highly touted freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis would see the field against Delaware this weekend and suggested the NCAA should consider some rule adjustments to promote kickoff returns.

Sanders had a lot on his mind Tuesday after taking a few days to ponder a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech to open the season. It’s the first time Sanders has started 0-1 at either Colorado or Jackson State.

“If we hit the darn plays, we wouldn’t be asking these questions,” said Sanders, who’s in his third season at Colorado. “We had the plays. We just didn’t make it happen.”

Play by play

Sanders went into detail on Colorado’s final drive with 1:07 left and why he saved his two timeouts. The first play — a pass that resulted in minus-2 yards — ended up chewing a chunk of time.

“Do you call a timeout there? No, you’re right there. You don’t call a timeout there. You’ve got to go. You’ve got to go,” he said. “You’re running tempo.”

The Buffaloes ended up driving to the 50 with 3 seconds remaining before attempting a Hail Mary that was knocked down.

“We’re trying to fix what was broken last week and we’re on to this week,” Sanders said. “I was there a few days ago but I’m gone now. I’m into this week now.”

Inconsistent offense

The offense proved inconsistent in Week 1 with Kaidon Salter taking over for Shedeur Sanders and as offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur adjusts to calling plays for more of a dual-threat option. The Buffaloes turned three early turnovers into just seven points.

Asked about the conversations with Shurmur in the aftermath, Deion Sanders responded: “It’s funny that you start out with coach Shurmur and we gave up over 300 yards, darn near 400 yards, rushing. It’s ironic to me. It seems like you guys pick and choose who you want to target.”

Inconsistent defense

The defense struggled, too, after producing those early turnovers. Coordinator Robert Livingston’s crew allowed 463 total yards, including a late 45-yard TD scamper from Georgia Tech QB Haynes King.

“We didn’t lose the game because of coach Shurmur, coach Livingston, or one specific thing,” Sanders said. “I’ve got to do a better job.”

Salter finished 17 of 28 for 159 yards and one TD in his Colorado debut. He also rushed for 43 yards and another score. There were times, though, when he threw with room to run.

“I don’t have to really sit down and say, ‘Kaidon, you should have ran right there,’” Sanders explained. “You don’t think he knows that? I’m pretty sure the Internet has told him.

“I don’t have to babysit — these are some grown men getting handsomely paid. I’m pretty sure they understand what the objective is.”

Lewis to play

Sanders fully intends to use the 17-year-old Lewis in some capacity against Delaware on Saturday. Lewis was a five-start recruit after three seasons at Carrollton High School in Georgia, where he threw for for 11,010 yards.

Might he even start?

“Can we take one thing at a time? I just told you he was playing,” Sanders said.

More kickoff returns

Sanders has a suggestion for the NCAA — move the kickoff farther back. He wants to spice up the game with more returns.

“We’ve got some freshmen that could light it up,” Sanders said. “Everybody’s got guys that you want to play on special teams, but they don’t get the opportunity because everybody’s kicking the darn ball into the band.”

Proud Sanders

One topic made Sanders beam — the news of Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter recently becoming a father.

“I love him like he’s a son,” Sanders said of Hunter, his two-way star who’s now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. “The thing that I told him is, ‘Let’s correct all the things that we purposely think that we didn’t receive as a child, and let’s correct that in our fatherhood. Let’s do that, and no matter what happens in life, let’s make sure we are the best darn father that ever walked.’

“I’m proud of him, and I love him to life. I miss him dearly.”

BIG 12 IN 30 SEASONS HAS GOTTEN BIGGER, AND FINISHES BETTER THAN IT STARTED IN WEEK 1

The Big 12 is in its 30th football season, 20 years after last winning a national championship and now in a much different era of the game than when the conference started.

Like many 30-year-olds, the league has gotten bigger while going through plenty of ups and downs. There have already been some this season.

TCU provided a much better finish to the Big 12’s holiday weekend than how it began. The Horned Frogs won 48-14 at North Carolina to spoil Bill Belichick’s debut in a prime-time Labor Day game highly anticipated because of the 73-year-old coach who won six Super Bowl titles before his first college game.

“Obviously, he has been a great NFL coach, props to him,” TCU quarterback Josh Hoover said. “But I’m just out here playing football and doing my job playing against North Carolina.”

While most talk nationally will still be about Belichick’s loss, it was a boost for the Big 12 after losses in its first three games this season against teams from other Power Four leagues: Cincinnati at Nebraska, and Colorado (to Georgia Tech) and Baylor (to Auburn) at home.

No. 25 Utah won 43-10 at UCLA 43-10 late Saturday. But Kansas State that same day, a week after a 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland, needed a last-minute touchdown to beat FCS team North Dakota.

Spreading titles out

Five different schools have been Big 12 champions the past five seasons. Arizona State made the new 12-team College Football Playoff last year after being the preseason pick to finish last in its league debut.

All the other power conferences, even the now-rebuilding Pac-12, had multiple champions in that same period. The SEC (Alabama), Big Ten (Michigan) and ACC (Clemson) have all had three-time champs in the 2020s.

“What pro sports leagues strive for is competitive balance and competitiveness from one through 16, or however deep the league is. And that’s what we’ve been striving for and pointing out,” Scott Draper, the Big 12’s chief football and competition officer, said this week. “Getting a chance to play for a national championship, no matter if you’re at one team or another team, the opportunity is the same. So that’s what we think is a winning formula.”

No. 16 Iowa State, No. 24 Texas Tech, newly ranked Utah and TCU are among the top contenders for the Big 12 title. So are Arizona State and Baylor, which had won six regular-season games in a row before losing to Auburn. The Bears’ league title in 2021 ended Oklahoma’s record run of six consecutive championships, followed by Kansas State, Texas and the Sun Devils.

National champions gone

The Big 12’s three national championships came from undefeated teams in the conference’s first 10 seasons: Nebraska in 1997, Oklahoma in 2000 and Texas in 2005. All now play in different leagues.

Nebraska left in 2011, part of a tumultuous period in the Big 12’s teen years. The Huskers went to the Big Ten at the same time Colorado left for the Pac-12 in the first changes to the original 12-team configuration that has since had seasons with 10, 14 and now 16 teams.

Texas A&M and Missouri departed for the SEC in 2012, when TCU and West Virginia entered the Big 12. Longtime independent BYU joined with American Athletic Conference teams Houston, Cincinnati and UCF a 14-team setup in 2023, a year before Texas and Oklahoma made their planned move to the SEC while Colorado returned from the dismantling Pac-12 along with Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.

TCU in 2022, its first season with coach Sonny Dykes, was the only Big 12 team to make a national championship game appearance in the 10 seasons of the four-team playoff (2014-23).

Does the Big 12 need a couple of standouts?

Oklahoma won 14 Big 12 titles in its 28 seasons. Texas has the second-most with four, though spread out and with a pair of bookend titles in the league’s inaugural 1996 season and the Longhorns’ final season in 2023.

Fourth-year commissioner Brett Yormark believes parity matters, but also thinks having some constant contenders and champions could be good for the Big 12.

“I think ultimately over time, and it’s hopefully sooner than later, there’ll be a couple of our schools that will emerge. Elite schools that are always part of the conversations at the highest levels, that’s what we’re working towards,” Yormark said during Big 12 media days this summer. “But it starts with parity and being competitive top to bottom. And I think we’re there, and I think we’re the best in the country when you think about how deep we are top to bottom. But I do believe that long term you need certain schools to emerge to the top.”

MISSOURI’S SAM HORN OUT INDEFINITELY, BLAKE CRAIG OUT FOR SEASON WITH KU ON DECK SATURDAY

Missouri will be without backup quarterback Sam Horn for “an extended period of time” because of an injury, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday, and kicker Blake Craig will miss the rest of the season after tearing an ACL.

Horn had been in a competition with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula to be the starting quarterback, and both were expected to play in last week’s opener against Central Arkansas. But Horn injured his right leg in the first quarter on a designed run, and that left Pribula to play most of the way in a 61-6 rout of the Bears.

Pribula was 23 of 28 for 283 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran 10 times for 65 yards and two more scores.

“Beau’s going to be Beau. You can’t control injuries,” Drinkwitz said. “You can’t be afraid of them.”

Horn missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. An accomplished pitcher, he was selected in the 17th round of the first-year player draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Horn signed a contract with them in July.

Freshman quarterback Matt Zollers is expected to back up Pribula beginning Saturday, when the Tigers renew the Border War against old Big 12 rival Kansas. Former walk-on Brett Brown also was added back to the roster to provide some QB depth.

WISCONSIN PREPARING TO START O’NEIL AT QB IN PLACE OF THE INJURED EDWARDS AGAINST MIDDLE TENNESSEE

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell acknowledged Tuesday that quarterback Billy Edwards Jr.’s knee injury likely will prevent him from playing Saturday against Middle Tennessee.

Edwards left the Badgers’ season-opening 17-0 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Thursday in the second quarter, with San Diego State transfer Danny O’Neil filling in for him the rest of the way. Initial reports have indicated Edwards has a sprained knee that has left his status as week to week.

“I don’t believe that Billy will be playing,” Fickell said. “He didn’t practice, so obviously Danny would be the guy we would go with, and Hunter (Simmons) would be the backup, and we’d just proceed from there.”

Wisconsin has grown accustomed to quarterback injuries. Tanner Mordecai missed 3 1/2 games with a broken hand in 2023. Last year, Tyler Van Dyke tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the Badgers’ third game and missed the rest of the season.

Edwards started to limp after handing the ball off early in the second quarter Thursday. He was making his Wisconsin debut after spending last season at Maryland, where he completed 65% of his passes for 2,881 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a team that went 4-8.

VIRGINIA, NC STATE HOPE TO KEEP ROLLING

Virginia and North Carolina State ended last season with losing records, but one of them will be off to a 2-0 start this year.

The teams will meet Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C., in what officially will be called a non-conference game between two Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

There’s good momentum flowing for both teams after the first week of the season.

North Carolina State topped visiting rival East Carolina 24-17 on Aug. 28, so the Wolfpack have a couple of extra days of preparation compared to Virginia, which drilled visiting Coastal Carolina 48-7 on Saturday night.

“We’re just trying to keep the ball rolling,” said Virginia receiver Cam Ross, who made a touchdown catch, racked up 124 receiving yards in the opener and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Some of the Cavaliers’ efficiency might depend on the status of quarterback Chandler Morris, who was stellar in his Virginia debut before exiting with an injury to his left shoulder. He threw for two touchdowns.

“My expectation is he’ll play his tail off (against North Carolina State),” Virginia coach Tony Elliott said, noting the quarterback was on the practice field by Monday.

With Virginia comfortably ahead of its first game, Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said it was difficult to gain a full scope of what the Cavaliers might do in terms of schemes.

“In their case, there’s a lot of new players,” he said. “So getting used to who they are and what they’re doing with the guys they have and the game they played, they got up pretty fast on (Coastal Carolina).”

Doeren said he was impressed with what he saw from Virginia in Week 1.

“Defensively, you can tell they’ve put a lot of time into the portal,” he said. “They got a lot of experienced players, some returners and some new.”

North Carolina State had five true freshmen make collegiate debuts last week.

“I’m excited to see their growth from Week 1 to Week 2,” Doeren said. “There’s a lot of nerves in those games for those guys, more than we probably realize as coaches. We need these guys to come on, because the talent is there in some of these young players.”

Doeren said Wolfpack receiver Noah Rogers, who left the East Carolina game following a hard hit, is cleared to play this week. He made two catches for 19 yards last week.

NORTHWESTERN FACES WESTERN ILLINOIS, LOOKS TO REBOUND FROM OPENING LOSS

Northwestern coach David Braun lauded his team’s resolve, if not the result, after the Wildcats’ season-opening, 23-3 loss at Tulane.

“We talked about how adversity’s going to hit,” Braun said. “Well, adversity punched us in the mouth on Saturday. Here it is. How are we going to respond? So far, I’ve been really impressed with our leadership.”

Northwestern will look to translate intangibles into intensity — and, ideally, touchdowns — during Friday night’s home opener against FBS foe Western Illinois.

Struggles on the line of scrimmage must subside for the Wildcats to earn a victory and mount momentum ahead of a visit from powerhouse Oregon next week.

The Wildcats allowed 269 rushing yards at Tulane. Meanwhile, the Green Wave defense sacked Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone three times while forcing two fumbles, including one that was lost.

Stone, an SMU transfer, was 19-for-36 passing for 161 yards and a career-high four interceptions.

“He knows he needs to play better,” Braun said. “You know, it was our first time in the arena with him in a game-day arena to recognize the way that he sees the game in a competitive, live format. And maybe we need to rein things in here a little bit or clarify. Like, ‘Preston, you know you don’t have to do it all for us, right? Just play your game and just be you.’”

Northwestern hopes to get healthier in the secondary. Ore Adeyi practiced Monday while Braun said Damon Walters remains “week to week.” Both missed the Tulane game.

Western Illinois (0-1) is out to improve in the second leg of a season-opening road trip against in-state Big Ten foes. The Leathernecks absorbed a 52-3 drubbing at then-No. 12 Illinois on Aug. 29, getting outgained 440-163.

Illinois scored the first 38 points before Antonio Chadha connected on a 20-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, allowing the Leathernecks to avoid a shutout.

Those points marked the first by an Illinois FCS school against the Fighting Illini since 2018, and Western Illinois quarterback Chris Irvin knows they were well-earned.

“They were pretty physical up front and got to me quickly,” Irvin said. “I had to get the ball out of my hands.”

Protecting Irvin, who made his first start after serving as backup in 2024, will be key against the Wildcats. Western Illinois allowed four sacks and four quarterback hurries.

AP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LSU’S GARRETT NUSSMEIER EARNS HONOR FOR LEADING COMEBACK WIN OVER CLEMSON

The Associated Press national player of the week in football for Week 1 of the season:

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

The AP preseason All-America quarterback led his team’s comeback in a 17-10 victory at Clemson.

Nussmeier completed 28 of 38 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown in the top-10 matchup. He connected on his final 11 passes, including all nine in the fourth quarter, as the Tigers erased a 10-3 halftime deficit. He also rushed for a pair of first downs.

His 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Trey’Dez Green put LSU up for good. It was the fourth time the fifth-year player from Lake Charles, Louisiana, led LSU to a victory after either trailing or with the game tied in the fourth quarter.

Runner-up

Devon Dampier, Utah. The transfer from New Mexico completed 21 of 25 passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 87 yards and a score on 16 carries in a 43-10 win over UCLA.

The third-year player from Phoenix gave the Utes’ offense, which ranked 115th last season, a desperately needed spark. He came in with strong credentials after leading the Mountain West Conference in total offense, rushing for 1,166 yards and a MWC-best 7.52 yards per carry and throwing for 2,768 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Honorable mention

Boston College transfer Tommy Castellanos was 9-of-14 passing for 152 yards and he rushed for a team-best 78 yards and a TD on 16 carries in Florida State’s 31-17 win over Alabama; TCU’s Josh Hoover was 27 of 36 for 284 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-14 win at North Carolina; Georgia Tech’s Haynes King rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning 45-yarder late in the game, and passed for 143 yards in a 27-20 win at Colorado; Miami DL Reuben Bain Jr., who dominated the line of scrimmage in a come-from-behind 27-24 win over Notre Dame, made six tackles and in the fourth quarter had his first career interception.

Six stats

— TCU’s two defensive touchdowns against North Carolina were double its total of one over the previous two seasons. The Horned Frogs had four in 2022.

— The six interceptions thrown by Florida Atlantic’s Caden Veltkamp (4) and Zach Gibson (2) against Maryland were the most in the FBS since Middle Tennessee threw six against Western Kentucky in 2021, according to SportRadar.

— West Virginia lost four fumbles in a 45-3 win over Robert Morris. The Mountaineers lost a total of five in 13 games last season.

— Sawyer Robertson’s 419 yards passing against Auburn were the most against the Tigers since Mississippi’s Chad Kelly threw for 465 in 2016.

— Navy backup QB Braxton Woodson ran seven times for 180 yards against VMI, all in the second half. The last player to run for so many yards on so few attempts was LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who had 188 yards on six runs against Arkansas in 2019.

— Rutgers’ 31 points in the first half against Ohio in a 34-31 win were its most against an FBS opponent since scoring 38 against UMass in 2019.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAMER GEORGE RAVELING, WHO INFLUENCED MICHAEL JORDAN’S NIKE DEAL, DIES AT 88

George Raveling, a Hall of Fame basketball coach who played a role in Michael Jordan signing a landmark endorsement deal with Nike, has died. He was 88.

Raveling’s family said Tuesday in a statement that he had “faced cancer with courage and grace.”

“There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants — and to the world,” the family statement read. “He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence, and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed.”

Raveling, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, had a career record of 335-293 from 1972-94 at Washington State, Iowa and Southern California. He had a losing record in his first season at each school before making multiple trips to the NCAA Tournament.

His success at those programs landed Raveling on the U.S. Olympic basketball staffs in 1984 and 1988.

Jordan was on the 1984 team that won gold at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and Raveling helped convince him to sign with Nike. He introduced Jordan to Sonny Vaccaro at Nike, which helped lead to a contract that gave Jordan his own brand, made him millions of dollars and changed the athletic apparel industry.

Marlon Wayans portrayed Raveling in the 2023 movie “Air” that focused on Nike’s courtship of Jordan.

“For more than 40 years, he blessed my life with wisdom, encouragement, and friendship,” Jordan said in a statement. “He was a mentor in every sense and I’ll always carry deep gratitude for his guidance. I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Raveling “a pioneering force” who helped make basketball an international game.

“During his long and impactful tenure at Nike, George traveled the world — mentoring multiple generations of players and coaches and promoting the sport that defined his identity,” Silver said in a statement. “He broke barriers as a college basketball coach and was a towering voice in our industry. I valued my friendship with George and admired how he led with poise, dignity and respect.”

Raveling also owned the original copy of the “I Have a Dream” speed by Martin Luther King Jr. He was working security at the 1963 March on Washington in which King delivered one of the most famous speeches in American history.

As King was exiting, Raveling saw him and asked if he could have the speech, and the reverend handed it to him. Raveling held on to the copy until 2021, when he donated it to his alma mater, Villanova.

He played at Villanova from 1957-60, averaged 12.3 points and 14.6 rebounds over his last two seasons. The Philadelphia Warriors drafted Raveling in the eighth round in 1960, but he didn’t play in the NBA.

“The finest human being, inspiring mentor, most loyal alum and a thoughtful loving friend,” Jay Wright, who coached Villanova to national championships in 2016 and 2018, posted on X. “Coach Raveling lived his life for others, His heart was restless and kind and now rests In the lord!”

Current Villanova coach Kevin Willard said in a statement that he has “long appreciated the enormous impact Coach has made not just on our game, but on so many of us in it. I know Villanova held a special place in his heart and we are forever grateful for his contributions to this program.”

Raveling was involved in a serious car crash while coaching USC in 1994, breaking nine ribs, his collarbone and pelvis.

WNBA NEWS

DEWANNA BONNER GETS HER REVENGE AGAINST HER OLD TEAM AS MERCURY BEAT FEVER

DeWanna Bonner scored 19 points off the bench, including six in the fourth quarter, to lead the Phoenix Mercury to an 85-79 victory over her old team, the Indiana Fever, on Tuesday night at Phoenix.

Bonner began the season with the Fever before they waived her in late June. She then signed in July with the Mercury, whose bench outscored Indiana’s 31-12 thanks to Bonner’s efforts.

Phoenix (26-14) won its fifth straight game, improving its chances to be in the top four of the WNBA standings and earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Mercury were No. 4, ahead of No. 5 New York Liberty by 1 1/2 games, heading into Tuesday’s slate of games.

The Fever (21-20) are No. 8 in the WNBA standings, the last qualifying spot for the playoffs, with three regular-season games remaining.

Caitlin Clark missed her 19th consecutive game with a right groin injury.

Alyssa Thomas led Phoenix with 23 points to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists.

Satou Sabally had 13 points, Kahleah Copper finished with 11 and Sami Whitcomb had 10.

Whitcomb also had seven assists, and Natasha Mack posted 10 rebounds.

Kelsey Mitchell had 29 points for the Fever, who also got 18 points from Lexie Hull and 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Aliyah Boston.

Phoenix outscored Indiana 15-3 to close the second quarter and take a 54-39 lead at halftime.

Thomas and Sabaly combined for nine points in that stretch. Bonner also had eight points in the quarter.

After Indiana scored the first six points of the second half, an 8-2 run pushed Phoenix’s lead to 62-47 with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

Indiana cut the lead to 73-67 with 5:45 remaining after outscoring Phoenix 8-2.

The Fever had a chance to cut more into the lead, but Copper stole the ball from Hull with 5:02 left.

Indiana made only one shot from the field in a span of 3:22, allowing Phoenix to go on a 9-2 run and take an 82-69 lead with 2:23 remaining.

Hull made a 3-pointer with 1:10 left, and Mitchell converted two shots in the last minute, but the run was too late.

VALKYRIES EARN KEY WIN, BUT LIBERTY STILL CLINCH PLAYOFF BID

The Golden State Valkyries took a major step toward earning a playoff berth in their inaugural season, riding balanced scoring and stingy defense to a 66-58 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday in San Francisco.

Despite the defeat, the Liberty (24-17) clinched a playoff spot when the Indiana Fever lost 85-79 to the host Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday.

Temi Fagbenle had 16 points, Kate Martin 11, and Janelle Salaun and Kaila Charles 10 apiece for the Valkyries (22-18), whose fourth consecutive win solidified their sixth-place standing with just four games remaining. The top eight teams make the playoffs.

Breanna Stewart and Natasha Cloud shared game-high scoring honors with 19 points apiece for the fifth-place Liberty (24-17), who had won their previous three meetings with Golden State.

After limiting the Liberty to eight points in the second quarter, the Valkyries led 53-29 after a Salaun 3-pointer at the midpoint of the third period.

But Golden State then scored just three points in the next seven-plus minutes as New York, playing without Sabrina Ionescu (toe), rallied within 56-46 after a pair of Cloud free throws on the opening possession of the fourth period.

Carla Leite stopped the 17-3 Liberty run by making a layup with 7:48 remaining, and Veronica Burton dropped in a technical-foul free throw, pushing the Golden State lead back to 13.

A 3-pointer by Fagbenle with 5:23 to go upped the lead to 63-47, after which the Liberty got no closer than the final score.

Despite 1-for-9 shooting and scoring just six points, Burton contributed a game-high nine rebounds and game-high nine assists to the Valkyries’ cause.

Golden State shot just 37.3 percent for the game and committed 15 turnovers but won the game at the defensive end, where the Liberty were harassed into 31.6 percent shooting while also turning the ball over 15 times.

Both teams also shot poorly from beyond the arc, with New York going 7-for-27 (25.9 percent) and Golden State 7-for-26 (26.9 percent). Martin had three of the Valkyries’ successes in six attempts, all in the first 20 minutes while helping the hosts take a 40-26 halftime lead with all of her 11 points.

The 58 points were a season low for the defending champs. Stewart shot just 4-for-15, with a majority of her points coming on 10-for-13 success at the foul line.

Cloud also found time to share in the team lead with five rebounds and four assists for New York, which lost its second straight on a three-game Western swing.

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB ROUNDUP: AFTER BENCHES-CLEARING INCIDENT, GIANTS TOP ROCKIES

Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer in the first inning that led to the benches emptying and three ejections in the San Francisco Giants’ 7-4 win over the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Tuesday.

Colorado starting pitcher Kyle Freeland and San Francisco’s Matt Chapman and Willy Adames were ejected after the benches cleared and punches were thrown.

Wilmer Flores also went deep for San Francisco, which has homered in 16 straight games to tie a team record since the franchise relocated to the Bay Area. Logan Webb (13-9) allowed two runs and seven hits over five innings as the Giants earned their ninth win in 10 games.

Hunter Goodman had a home run among his three hits and drove in four runs as the Rockies clinched their third straight 100-loss season. Freeland (3-14), who gave up hits to both batters he faced, took the loss.

Blue Jays 12, Reds 9

George Springer belted his franchise-best 23rd leadoff homer in the first inning and added a two-run shot in the fourth, lifting visiting Toronto to a victory over Cincinnati.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette launched a three-run shot and Daulton Varsho also went deep for the Blue Jays, who had lost three of their previous four games. Louis Varland (4-3) threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, and Jeff Hoffman tossed the ninth for his 30th save.

Austin Hays and TJ Friedl belted homers for the Reds, who lost for the ninth time in 12 games. Scott Barlow (6-3) made his first career start after Cincinnati scratched Nick Lodolo hours before the game due to illness. Barlow, in his 433rd major league appearance, allowed four runs in his lone inning.

Mets 12, Tigers 5

Luis Torrens hit a three-run homer, Pete Alonso had a pair of solo shots and visiting New York romped past Detroit. Rookie Nolan McLean (4-0) collected his fourth win in as many starts for the Mets.

Jeff McNeil had three hits and drove in three runs for the Mets, who scored six runs in the seventh inning. Juan Soto supplied two hits, including a homer. Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty each added three hits.

Wenceel Perez collected three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers. Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-2), recalled from Triple-A Toledo for the start, allowed six runs and five hits in four innings.

Pirates 9, Dodgers 7

Jared Triolo produced two doubles and two RBIs and Tommy Pham’s two hits included a two-run double as host Pittsburgh earned a win over Los Angeles.

The Pirates picked up their 40th win at home this season and handed the Dodgers their third loss in the past four games. Pittsburgh won for the third time in four games and has nine victories over its past 12 games.

Shohei Ohtani led the Dodgers with three hits, including his 46th home run, a third-inning solo shot off Pirates rookie reliever Bubba Chandler (2-0).

Diamondbacks 5, Rangers 3

Ketel Marte drilled a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning, leading Arizona to a victory over Texas at Phoenix.

Marte, Blaze Alexander and Jordan Lawlar had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks, who won for the fifth time in their past seven games. Nabil Crismatt allowed two runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Michael Helman, Alejandro Osuna and Joc Pederson had two hits apiece for the Rangers , who went hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position and had a six-game winning streak halted.

Cardinals 2, Athletics 1

Ivan Herrera hit a two-run homer to lift St. Louis past visiting the Athletics.

The Cardinals won for the fourth time in six games while the Athletics lost for the fourth time in their last five games. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (7-10) allowed one run on five hits in six innings.

Athletics starter Luis Severino blanked the Cardinals for five innings on three hits. Reliever Michael Kelly (4-3) took the loss.

Rays 6, Mariners 5

All-Star Junior Caminero reached the 40-homer, 100-RBI mark, drove in four and doubled in the go-ahead runs as Tampa Bay won its fifth straight by edging visiting Seattle.

The Rays won for the eighth time in 10 games and inched to within 3 1/2 games of the Mariners, who hold the last American League wild card spot. Kevin Kelly (1-3) threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Cleavinger tossed the ninth inning for his second save.

Jorge Polanco was 2-for-2 with a solo homer and two walks for the Mariners while Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez belted back-to-back solo shots. In his shortest start this season, Bryan Woo went five-plus innings and allowed three runs on four hits.

Red Sox 11, Guardians 7

Boston broke open a tie game by scoring four runs in the eighth inning en route to a victory over visiting Cleveland.

Nathaniel Lowe and Ceddanne Rafaela homered for the Red Sox, who have won three in a row. Justin Slaten (2-4) earned the win after pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

The Guardians received home runs from Jhonkensy Noel, Austin Hedges, David Fry and Brayan Rocchio. Hunter Gaddis (1-2) tossed one inning and was charged with one run.

Nationals 5, Marlins 2

James Wood had two hits including a two-run homer, Cade Cavalli pitched five solid innings and Washington beat visiting Miami.

Daylen Lile and Jacob Young added two hits and produced RBIs for the Nationals, who have won their past two after losing eight straight. Cavalli (2-1) allowed two runs on four hits.

Connor Norby had two hits and drove in two runs for the Marlins, who were held to four hits, all singles. Marlins starter Adam Mazur (0-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits over six innings.

Angels 5, Royals 1

Mitch Farris allowed a run over five strong innings in his major league debut, earning the win as visiting Los Angeles defeated Kansas City.

Ferris allowed only a third-inning sacrifice fly, three hits and two walks while striking out three on 70 pitches. Jo Adell (3-for-4) backed Ferris with a 454-foot, two-run blast to left field in the sixth inning.

The Royals managed only four hits while taking their third defeat in four games. Ex-Angel Michael Lorenzen (5-9) departed after six innings of two-run ball.

Cubs 4, Braves 3

Kyle Tucker hit a key three-run homer and finished 2-for-3 to help lift Chicago over Atlanta for its fourth win in five games.

After Tucker’s homer in the third inning, Ian Happ made it 4-0 with an RBI single later in the frame. Shota Imanaga (9-6) threw six innings of three-run ball, and Daniel Palencia worked around two hits in the ninth inning for his 22nd save.

Ozzie Albies and Eli White homered for the Braves, who have lost five of their past six games. Joey Wentz (5-5) yielded four runs on seven hits in four-plus innings.

Orioles 6, Padres 2

Emmanuel Rivera knocked in four runs and Tyler Wells won his first start in more than 16 months as visiting Baltimore defeated San Diego.

Wells (1-0), who has been sidelined since early last season after undergoing elbow surgery, allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. Jeremiah Jackson homered for the Orioles.

Yu Darvish (3-5) permitted six hits and four runs, three earned, in four-plus innings as the Padres took their seventh loss in nine games. Luis Arraez’s two-run homer accounted for San Diego’s offense.

White Sox 12, Twins 3

Andrew Benintendi went 4-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs as Chicago pulled away from Minnesota. Lenyn Sosa and Kyle Teel also homered for the White Sox, while Will Robertson and Bryan Ramos contributed two RBIs apiece.

Chicago’s Brooks Baldwin collected three hits. Davis Martin (6-9) limited the Twins to three runs on six hits in six innings.

Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead Minnesota. Thomas Hatch (2-1) allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits in two innings of relief.

Yankees 7, Astros 1

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham combined for three homers to help visiting New York overpower Houston in the opener of a three-game series.

Chisholm hit home runs in the second and eighth innings, while Grisham belted his third grand slam in seven weeks. Max Fried (15-5) threw seven innings, allowing a run on four hits.

Astros starter Framber Valdez (12-8) saw his struggles continue. He gave up six runs on eight hits over five innings to drop to 1-4 in his past six starts.

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INDYCAR NEWS

2-TIME INDYCAR CHAMP WILL POWER OUT AT TEAM PENSKE AFTER 17 YEARS

Two-time IndyCar champion and former Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power and Team Penske have parted ways after 17 seasons.

The team confirmed the news on Tuesday, two days after the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway.

“It’s been the honor of my life to drive for Roger and the Penske organization,” Power said in a release from the team. “We have accomplished so much together, and I will always be grateful for my time with the team and my teammates who have supported me along the way. After much consideration, I felt like a change for me was the right move at this time.”

Power, 44, recorded 42 of his 45 IndyCar wins and 71 pole positions under the Team Penske banner.

The Australian won his series championships in 2014 and 2022 and the Indianapolis 500 in 2018. He finished ninth in the NTT IndyCar Series standings this season.

“As we sat down to talk about our future together, we felt that it was time for him to make a change beginning with next season,” Roger Penske said. “He has been an outstanding driver and teammate for our organization. His results speak for themselves, and we wish him the very best in the phase of his career.”

Team Penske said it will announce its plans for the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet prior to the 2026 season, however 23-year-old David Malukas is rumored to be Power’s successor.

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST INSIDER 2025 – WEEK TWO

NEWS AND NUGGETS

Injuries and a lack of players have led to Tri-Central’s decision to cancel the remainder of their 2025 varsity schedule. The Trojans will transition and play a junior-varsity schedule that will be released at a later date.

Attica’s 39-game losing streak came to an end with a 45-16 win over Tri-County. It was the Red Ramblers’ first triumph since a 30-28 decision over North Vermillion in the 2020 Class 1A sectional quarterfinals.

Union County saw its 22-game losing streak halted with a 38-0 blanking of Cambridge City Lincoln.

Defending Class 1A state champion Providence had its 15-game and 18-game regular-season winning streaks snapped with a 48-35 loss to Louisville Holy Cross (Kentucky).

Carroll (Flora) saw its 19-game regular-season winning streak end with a 41-21 loss to Maconaquah.

Sullivan snapped South Vermillion’s 17-game regular-season winning streak with 56-7 triumph.

Anderson had a 15-game losing streak end with a 43-18 win over Indianapolis Washington.

Goshen ended its 14-game losing streak with a 38-21 win over South Bend Washington.

Western halted its 13-game losing skid with a 37-6 decision over North Montgomery.

Myles McLaughlin of Knox accumulated a program-best 428 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 30 attempts in the Redskins’ 38-20 win at Pioneer. He now ranks fourth all-time with 7,611 yards.

Clinton Central’s Amrin Barrett ran 25 times for 261 yards with a school-record six touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 63-14 win over Faith Christian.

Defending Class 5A state champion Decatur Central will be without the services of quarterback Bo Polston for at least six weeks with a shoulder injury.

LONGEST CURRENT WINNING STREAKS

Adams Central and New Palestine are on a 16-game winning streak.

Heritage Hills has claimed 15 straight wins.

Brownsburg is on a seven-game winning streak.

CONSECUTIVE REGULAR SEASON WINS

Crown Point 29, Mississinewa 25, New Palestine 18, Brownstown Central 14, Concord 12, Cascade 11, Evansville Memorial 11, Frontier 11, Maconaquah 11, Northeastern 11, Adams Central 10, East Noble 9, Heritage Hills 9, North Decatur 9, Wheeler 9, Indianapolis Lutheran 8, Logansport 8, South Putnam 8, Springs Valley 8, Triton Central 7, Columbus North 6, Eastern (Greentown) 6, Franklin County 6, Heritage 6, North Miami 6, Centerville 5, Plainfield 5, Riverton Parke 5, Tri-West 5, West Noble 5, Avon 4, Columbia City 4, Evansville Reitz 4, Fairfield 4, Lapel 4, Northview 4, Park Tudor 4, Pendleton Heights 4, Penn 4, Alexandria 3, Bloomington South 3, Calumet 3, Crawfordsville 3, Fort Wayne Northrop 3, Fremont 3, Hamilton Southeastern 3, Hobart 3, Knox 3, Leo 3, Mount Vernon (Posey) 3, North Posey 3, River Forest 3, Tipton 3, Twin Lakes 3, West Central 3, Yorktown 3.

LONGEST CURRENT LOSING STREAKS

Bellmont has lost 34 games in a row.

Frankfort and Southern Wells have lost 21 straight contests.

Irvington Prep Academy has an 18-game losing streak.

Edinburgh has lost 15 straight games.

Benton Central, Central Noble, Evansville Bosse, Jennings County, Southport, and Southwood have dropped 13 consecutive games.

Eastern (Pekin) and Tecumseh have suffered 11 consecutive losses.

Cambridge City Lincoln and Fort Wayne Concordia have 10 straight losses.

Whiting has suffered nine consecutive losses.

Blackford, East Chicago Central, New Albany, and South Newton are on an eight-game losing streak.

Mitchell and Norwell have dropped seven games in a row.

Christel House Manual, Indianapolis Washington, and Washington have lost six straight games.

Corydon Central, Indianapolis Tech, Munster, New Haven, Pike Central, Speedway, Terre Haute North, and Union City have suffered five losses in row.

Fort Wayne South, Hammond Central, Indianapolis Pike, Indianapolis Shortridge, Mount Vernon (Fortville), North White, Northfield, Northridge, Richmond, and Seymour have dropped four consecutive contests.

Bremen, Brown County, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Cloverdale, Culver Academy, Danville, Delta, Eastern Greene, Evansville Harrison, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, Fort Wayne Snider, Fort Wayne Wayne, Fountain Central, Frankton, Garrett, Greencastle, Greensburg, Greenwood Christian, Hagerstown, Hamilton Heights, Hanover Central, Huntington North, Indianapolis Ben Davis, Jimtown, Kankakee Valley, Kokomo, Madison, Martinsville, Monrovia, New Prairie, North Montgomery, North Vermillion, Northwestern, Perry Central, Plymouth, Prairie Heights, Portage, Rushville, Silver Creek, South Central, South Decatur, South Spencer, Tri-County, Valparaiso, Wabash, Western Boone, West Lafayette, West Vigo, and Winamac are on a three-game losing skid.

CONSECUTIVE REGULAR SEASON LOSSES

Bellmont 31, Greensburg 20, Frankfort 19, Southern Wells 19, Irvington Prep Academy 17, Southwood 14, Central Noble 13, Edinburgh 13, Southport 13, Benton Central 12, Evansville Bosse 11, Jennings County 11, Eastern (Pekin) 10, Tecumseh 10, Cambridge City Lincoln 9, Fort Wayne Concordia 9, Whiting 8, Blackford 7, East Chicago Central 7, New Albany 7, South Newton 7, Mitchell 6, North Knox 6, Norwell 6, Christel House Manual 5, Indianapolis Washington 5, Washington 5, Corydon Central 4, Indianapolis Tech 4, Munster 4, New Haven 4, Pike Central 4, Speedway 4, Terre Haute North 4, Union City 4, Fort Wayne South 3, Hammond Central 3, Indianapolis Pike 3, Indianapolis Shortridge 3, Mount Vernon (Fortville) 3, North White 3, Northfield 3, Northridge 3, Richmond 3, Seymour 3.

WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES

Russ Radtke (Knox) 415, Mike Gillin (Mooresville) 370, John Hart (Brownsburg) 351, Jeff Adamson (Eastbrook) 321, Reed May (Brownstown Central) 314, Eric Moore (Center Grove) 305, Bart Curtis (Warsaw) 260, Craig Buzea (Crown Point) 258, Kevin O’Shea (Twin Lakes) 251, Tim Able (Triton Central) 237, Dave Pasch (Indianapolis Lutheran) 230, Kirk Kennedy (Kankakee Valley) 206, Herb King (Fountain Central) 203, Darrin Fisher (Whiteland) 203, Chris Meeks (Rensselaer Central) 197, John Hochstetler (Monroe Central) 185, Steve Stirn (North Decatur) 172, Phil Mason (Griffith) 171, Chad Zolman (Homestead) 167, Bud Ozmun (Oak Hill) 166, Kevin Wright (Carmel) 161, Steve Cooley (New Albany) 158, Andy Dorrel (Culver Academy) 158, Kurt Tippmann (Fort Wayne Snider) 158, Michael Mosser (Adams Central) 157, Andy Thomas (Angola) 152, Ton Dilley (Guerin Catholic) 151, John Hurley (Evansville Memorial) 150, Aaron Tolle (Tipton) 145, Doug Hurt (Castle) 144, Kyle Ralph (New Palestine) 143, Jayson West (Franklin Central) 142, Bill Peebles (Indianapolis Cathedral) 141, Nick Hart (Gibson Southern) 134, Nate Andrews (NorthWood) 132, Ryan Knigga (Lawrenceburg) 131, Brian Glesing (Salem) 129, Monte Mawhorter (West Noble) 129, Jason Hawkins (Clarksville) 128, Brian Oliver (Linton-Stockton) 127, Shane Fry (West Lafayette) 124, Scott Buening (Southridge) 124, Ryan Langferman (Milan) 120, Doug Dinan (Carroll Fort Wayne) 119, Chris Coll (Franklin) 115, Mike Wilhelm (Yorktown) 114, Josh Edwards (Eastern Greentown) 114, Todd Wilkerson (Heritage Hills) 112, Greg Barrett (Terre Haute South) 111, Brandon Baker (Northfield) 110, Justin Pelley (Western Boone) 108, Curt Funk (Fishers) 107, Mark Raetz (Northview) 107, Ron Qualls (Indianapolis Shortridge) 103, Brad Seiss (Merrillville) 97, Travis Nolting (Greenfield-Central) 97, Kyle Lindsay (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers) 95, Mark Peterson (Chesterton) 94, Pete Gast (Alexandria) 93, Jed Richman (Pendleton Heights) 91.

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COLTS FOOTBALL

COLTS RELEASE UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART FOR WEEK 1 GAME VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS

(COLTS RELEASE)

OFFENSE

WR: Michael Pittman Jr., Ashton Dulin
LT: Bernhard Raimann, Luke Tenuta
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Tanor Bortolini, Danny Pinter
RG: Matt Goncalves, Dalton Tucker
RT: Braden Smith, Jalen Travis
TE: Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory
WR: Josh Downs, Anthony Gould
WR: Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell
QB: Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson Sr., Riley Leonard
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Goodson OR DJ Giddens
Goodson sustained an elbow injury during the Colts’ preseason game against the Green Bay Packers and has not participated in practice since.
Downs returned to practice last week after sustaining a hamstring injury during training camp.

DEFENSE

DE: Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, JT Tuimoloau
DT: DeForest Buckner, Neville Gallimore, Adetomiwa Adebawore
NT: Grover Stewart, Eric Johnson II
DE: Laiatu Latu, Samson Ebukam
WLB: Joe Bachie, Cameron McGrone, Segun Olubi
MLB: Zaire Franklin, Chad Muma
CB: Charvarius Ward Sr. Johnathan Edwards
FS: Camryn Bynum, Rodney Thomas II
SS: Nick Cross, Daniel Scott
N: Kenny Moore II, Mekhi Blackmon
CB: Xavien Howard, Jaylon Jones
The Colts acquired Blackmon in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and claimed Muma off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
Jones returned to practice last week after he was held out of most of training camp with a hamstring injury.

SPECIALISTS

P: Rigoberto Sanchez
PK: Spencer Shrader
H: Rigoberto Sanchez
LS: Luke Rhodes
KR: Anthony Gould, Ashton Dulin
PR: Anthony Gould, Josh Downs

COLTS’ EMPHASIS ON COMPETITION, PHYSICALITY IN PRESEASON INSPIRING CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF WEEK 1 MATCHUP VS DOLPHINS

(COLTS RELEASE)

One of the biggest goals for Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen and the entire Colts organization heading into the 2025 season was to make sure they produced a football team that was physical, talented and hungry for success.

In creating competition at essentially every position, whether it was for a starting role or simply a spot on the 53-man roster, the Colts saw players like running back Tyler Goodson, tight end Will Mallory and safety Daniel Scott take advantage of every opportunity they had to prove themselves throughout the preseason.

“The biggest thing this offseason, we talked about creating an edge and being in great condition, and I think we did that throughout training camp,” head coach Shane Steichen said Monday. “We had more than 400 more reps in team periods during training camp to be in great physical shape, along with the conditioning that our strength and conditioning staff has done with those guys.”

Of course, the most notable competition was for the role of starting quarterback; Daniel Jones got the job over Anthony Richardson Sr., and a big factor in Jones earning the job was his ability to create, and feed into, that competitive environment Steichen has been looking for.

“He’s been a pro from the day he walked in here,” Steichen said. “The way he’s worked, people have seen it throughout the building – his teammates, the coaches – and I think that adds to it. A guy that’s always prepared and ready to roll, and the way he works, that creates an edge in itself.”

Another integral part of the Colts’ offense inspires that same kind of confidence in Steichen: Jonathan Taylor. The All-Pro running back had a standout 2024 season with 303 carries for 1,431 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, and Steichen said he’s looking forward to another big year from Taylor in 2025.

“I think he’s been consistent since he’s been here,” Steichen said. “I think it’s the way he works, goes about his business, his home run ability that he has…the way he goes is how we go too, as an offense. So, I’m excited for his opportunity.”

The one thing the Colts ran into during the preseason that hindered some of the competition was injuries; the secondary took the brunt of it, with rookies Justin Walley and Hunter Wohler sustaining season-ending injuries in camp, but many position groups saw at least one or two players sustain some kind of injury at some point in the preseason.

As the Colts’ season opener against the Miami Dolphins draws closer, though, the majority those injuries are firmly in the rearview mirror.

“We feel good going into week one,” Steichen said. “I think we’ll be in real good shape with everybody.”

And no matter who’s out on the field come Sunday, it’s clear Steichen believes in everyone he has on his roster.

“I’m confident in all our guys’ abilities,” he said. “I think these guys have got the right mindset going into this thing…I think everyone’s ready to go, geared up for the season. Excited for the opportunity, any time you get a chance to go play in the National Football League, especially at home in front of our home crowd, I’m excited to see what our guys can do.”

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INDIANA FEVER

BOTH BOSTON, MITCHELL DESERVING OF ALL-WNBA SELECTIONS

By Wheat Hotchkiss | FeverBasketball.com

The Fever are on the verge of returning to the playoffs for the second straight season thanks in large part to the standout contributions of third-year center Aliyah Boston and veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell. While injuries have decimated much of the roster, the Fever have relied even more heavily than usual on the All-Star duo, both of whom have delivered career seasons.

Boston and Mitchell have been so good that both warrant serious consideration for All-WNBA selections, a rare and significant honor in franchise history.

Boston has lived up to her billing as the number-one pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She was the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year and has made the All-Star team in each of her first three seasons, but the 2025 season has been her best individual year yet.

Boston is averaging a career-high 15.4 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists (also a career-best mark). As of Tuesday morning, she ranks 17th in the WNBA and second on the Fever in scoring and sixth in the league in rebounding. She has 16 double-doubles, the fourth-most in the WNBA this season.

Despite a high usage rate, Boston is remarkably efficient. She is shooting 54.5 percent from the field, the fourth-best field goal percentage in the league. Two of the three players ahead of her in that category are bench players that have attempted more than 200 fewer shots than Boston this season. When the Fever need a bucket, they know they can throw it to Boston in the post and more often that not, she’s going to score.

Boston has also shown off her unique playmaking abilities this season. Few centers are as gifted a passer as Boston, who has dished out five or more assists in 13 games this season, including a pair of eight-assist games. As the Fever have lost several point guards to significant injuries over the course of the season, Boston’s passing has been a crucial component to Indiana’s success.

How unique has Boston’s 2025 season been? Just three players in WNBA history have ever averaged 15 or more points, eight or more rebounds, and three or more assists per game while shooting at least 54 percent from the field. Nneka Ogwumike did it in her 2016 MVP season, while Boston and Alyssa Thomas are currently doing it this year. That’s the complete list.

Mitchell, meanwhile, has always been one of the league’s best scorers, but she’s taken her game to new heights this season. The eighth-year guard out of Ohio State ranks third in the WNBA in scoring in 2025, averaging a career-best 20.3 points per game.

Mitchell has already set the franchise record for most points scored in a season and is on track to be the first Fever player ever to average more than 20 points per game in a season.

Mitchell leads the WNBA in 3-pointers made, having made 100 threes over 40 games this season. Despite a high volume of attempts, she is an efficient scorer, shooting 45 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Mitchell’s scoring brilliance has lifted the Fever to several big victories. She has had four 30-point games this season, all of them coming on the road. The Fever are 3-1 in those games, including a career-high 38-point performance in an overtime victory at Connecticut on Aug. 17, where Mitchell led an Indiana comeback from a 21-point deficit. That was also the second-highest scoring game in the WNBA this season.

Like Boston, Mitchell has also taken on more of a playmaking role this season. After Sydney Colson and Aari McDonald both sustained season-ending injuries in Phoenix last month, Mitchell slid over to point guard for the next game against Chicago and dished out eight assists to go along with 26 points in a 22-point win.

Mitchell is averaging 3.4 assists per game this year, up significantly from 1.8 last season.

Boston and Mitchell should also both be lauded for their durability. One of the defining themes of this WNBA season has been injuries, not just for the Fever, but across the league, where many of the WNBA’s biggest stars have missed multi-week stretches. Boston and Mitchell, however, have both appeared in all 40 of the Fever’s games.

If Boston and/or Mitchell were to be named to an All-WNBA team this season, it would be a historic achievement.

Just three players have ever been named to an All-WNBA team while a member of the Fever: the Hall-of-Famer Tamika Catchings, who was a 12-time All-WNBA selection; Katie Douglas, who made two All-WNBA teams during her time in Indiana; and Caitlin Clark, who was a first-team All-WNBA selection during her 2024 Rookie of the Year campaign.

Boston and Mitchell could increase the number of Fever players to earn All-WNBA honors to five and they could also become just the second duo in franchise history to make All-WNBA teams in the same year. Catchings and Douglas were both All-WNBA selections in 2009 and 2010.

GAME RECAP: MITCHELL SCORES 29, BUT FEVER FALL IN PHOENIX

Kelsey Mitchell scored 29 points, but the Indiana Fever (21-20) fell to the Mercury (26-14) on Tuesday night in Phoenix, 85-79. It was the final of three regular season meetings between the two teams. The Mercury won two of the three games, with the home team winning each game in the season series.

Mitchell scored 15 points in the first quarter to get Indiana off to a solid start. But Phoenix outscored the Fever 15-3 over the final 2:43 of the first half to build a 15-point lead at the intermission and never relinquished the lead in the second half.

Mitchell’s 29 points led all scorers, as the All-Star guard went 11-for-20 from the field and 5-for-9 from 3-point range while also tallying four rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Lexie Hull added 18 points and five rebounds for Indiana, while Aliyah Boston finished with 11 points, eight boards, and seven assists.

Alyssa Thomas led Phoenix with 23 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Former Fever forward DeWanna Bonner added 19 points off the bench for the Mercury.

The Fever will return home to host Chicago on Friday. They will play the Mystics on the road in Baltimore on Sunday before wrapping up the regular season by hosting Minnesota on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Indiana’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot remains three.

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INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

INDIANS USE THREE HOMERS TO SINK COLUMBUS IN SERIES OPENER

COLUMBUS, Ohio – On his first day with the team, Nelson Velázquez clubbed a two-out, two-run homer to untie the game in the eighth inning and give the Indianapolis Indians a 5-3 triumph over the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park on Tuesday night in the lidlifter of a six-game series.

Indianapolis (34-24, 76-56) entered the eighth inning locked in a 3-3 tie. Nick Solak led off and was hit by a pitch for the second time in the contest. Two outs later, Velázquez launched a pitch from Bradley Hanner (L, 3-4) over the right-center field wall to give Indy a 5-3 lead that proved to be the final margin.

The Indians used the long ball to break a 1-1 draw in the fourth inning. Alika Williams led off with a towering blast over the wall in left field, the big fly coming on the heels of the month of August in which Williams was named the team’s Player of the Month. One batter later, with Solak aboard after his first hit by pitch, Rafael Flores went the other way and homered over the right-field fence to make it 3-1.

Columbus (19-37, 53-75) chipped away at the lead with a run in the sixth and another in the seventh to tie the game prior to Velazquez’s blast. Travis Bazzana, the 2024 top pick, scored from third base on a groundout in the sixth and Will Wilson doubled home Petey Halpin in the seventh to briefly tie the contest.

The Clippers obtained an early lead with a home run of their own in the third shortly before the fourth-inning rally by Indy. Halpin, who finished a double shy of the cycle, smashed a two-out blast to right-center to give Columbus its only lead of the night.

Brandon Bidois (W, 1-0) earned the victory in relief when he retired four of the five batters he faced. Ryan Harbin (S, 1) retired the Clippers in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save. While Jarod Bayless did not earn the victory due to inning requirements, he put Indy’s pitching staff in a great spot as the opener in a bullpen game. He worked 4.2 innings and allowed just one run before he was lifted after 61 pitches.

Hanner was handed the loss after allowing the Velazquez home run in the eighth. Starter Austin Peterson conceded three runs over 5.1 innings in the no-decision.

The Indians and Clippers will tangle in game two of the six-game series on Wednesday evening, first pitch is set for 6:35 PM. Ryan Webb (5-7, 4.78) is slated to start for Columbus while Indianapolis has yet to announce who will oppose him.

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INDIANA FOOTBALL

‘GOTTA GET BETTER NOW’: NO. 23 INDIANA TAKES AIM AT KENNESAW STATE

Indiana enters Saturday afternoon’s visit from Kennesaw State with a 9-0 record at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington under second-year Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti.

Nearly as common as Hoosier home victories over that span? Cignetti caveats that things might have gone differently.

The No. 23 Hoosiers (1-0) expect a challenge from the Owls (0-1), to be sure. Kennesaw State lost 10-9 at Wake Forest in its season opener on Aug. 29, missing an extra point and field goal but still hanging tough with a power conference foe.

Indiana handled Old Dominion 27-14 a day later, although Cignetti bemoaned missed opportunities to widen the gap, namely a dropped touchdown pass, overthrown TD pass and fumble in the red zone.

“Last year we led the country in red-area touchdown percentage,” Cignetti said of his team, which actually was No. 2 at 79.7 percent (Navy was first at 81). “But we’ve got to get better. Doesn’t matter what you did in the past. Gotta get better now. So that’s that.”

One more memorable trip inside the Old Dominion 20-yard line ended with Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run and a 17-7 lead with 3:36 left in the second quarter.

A Cal transfer, Mendoza finished 18 of 31 for 193 yards while adding 33 yards on the ground in his Indiana debut.

Cignetti’s assessment of Mendoza sounded familiar — encouraged but far from satisfied.

“The emphasis with him has been on his processing and decision making,” Cignetti. “And you grade the quarterback based on his decision making and accuracy — has he gone through the right reads, throwing the ball to the right guy and accurately. He’s made progress since he’s been here, but he’s still got to get better.”

Indiana’s multi-pronged rushing attack kept rolling to an output of 309 yards vs. Old Dominion. Roman Hemby carried 23 times for 111 yards, Kaelon Black rushed 17 times for 92 yards and a score, and Lee Beebe Jr. added 73 yards on 11 carries.

Kennesaw State limited Wake Forest to 130 yards on the ground on 47 carries, an average of 2.8 yards per rush. The Owls produced four sacks and seven tackles for loss, with Baron Hopson pacing the unit with 11 tackles.

Coach Jerry Mack called the Owls’ passing game “very subpar.” Georgia Southern transfer Dexter Williams II, who began his collegiate career at Indiana, was just 12-for-33 for 149 yards in his program debut. He added 44 rushing yards to complement Coleman Bennett, who ran 17 times for 66 yards and a TD.

Mack is stressing composure and fundamentals as Kennesaw State prepares to visit a College Football Playoff participant from last season. The Owls channeled both for long stretches at Wake Forest but ultimately were unable to prevail.

“Just as easy as we could have won the game, just with a couple of small details, we didn’t win the game, just because of those small details,” Mack said. “So, those things got addressed, and I think that the team, they saw a little glimpse of what could be if we just go back to work and work a little bit harder and prepare a little bit better.”

Saturday will mark the first meeting between the Hoosiers and Owls.

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INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

NO. 3 HOOSIERS HOST NO. 15 SAINT LOUIS

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — No. 3-ranked Indiana men’s soccer (3-0-1) will host its third ranked matchup of the season on Wednesday (Sept. 2), welcoming No. 15 Saint Louis (2-0-1) to Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Tickets are on sale here, and IU faculty/staff and students with a valid Crimson Card get in free. Fans unable to attend can stream the match via the B1G+ digital platform.

Wednesday is International Night at Armstrong Stadium, as IU athletics and the Office of International Services are teaming up to welcome international students to IU, offering a pregame tailgate with pizza and prizes.

KICKING OFF

• Indiana is a consensus top-five team in the national polls; No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, No. 3 according to Top Drawer Soccer and No. 5 via the College Soccer News poll.

• Wednesday’s match is the last of a five-game homestand. Indiana is unbeaten in its last 11 home matches, boasting a 9-0-2 record in that stretch.

• Despite the challenging schedule and three halftime deficits, Indiana comes into the match unbeaten on the year at 3-0-1.

• The Hoosiers blanked No. 14 Oregon State, 2-0, on Sunday as Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week Palmer Ault scored a brace. Holden Brown also earned Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors.

• Head coach Todd Yeagley owns a 59-37-20 record against ranked opponents.

ABOUT THE BILLIKENS

• Saint Louis has won 10 national championships, an NCAA DI men’s soccer record, winning its last in 1973.

• Head coach Kevin Kalish leads the Billikens in his eighth season under the arch, sporting a 71-31-28 record. He owns a 120-77-42 career mark in 14 seasons as a head coach.

• Saint Louis also sits undefeated, having tied South Florida (0-0) before a pair of 1-0 victories over SMU and Seton Hall. The Billikens have yet to concede a goal.

SERIES HISTORY

• Indiana has enjoyed the significant better of the matchup, winning 24 of the 38 meetings all-time.

• The two teams met in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament on IU’s road to its 22nd NCAA College Cup. The teams were separated only by Ryan Wittenbrink’s 75th-minute goal in the 1-0 Hoosier home win.

• Indiana and Saint Louis have met five times in the NCAA Tournament, resulting in five Hoosier home victories. Wednesday’s match is the return game of the 2024 season opener, a 2-0 Billiken home victory.

• The Billikens own 10 national championships, the most in NCAA Division I men’s soccer. Saint Louis won its most recent title in 1973, the year IU men’s soccer became a varsity sport. Since then, the Hoosiers have shined as the standard, winning eight titles – the most in that span.

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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL

HOME AT LAST

Stacey Clark Classic Match Schedule:

Wednesday, 9/3

3pm ET: #15 Kansas vs. Bowling Green | B1G+

7 pm ET: #23 Georgia Tech at #17 Purdue | B1G+

Thursday, 9/4

3pm ET: #23 Georgia Tech vs. #15 Kansas | B1G+

7 pm ET: Bowling Green at #17 Purdue | B1G+

Friday, 9/5

1pm ET: Bowling Green vs. Georgia Tech | B1G+

7 pm ET: #15 Kansas at #17 Purdue | B1G+

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 17 Purdue volleyball squad makes its 2025 home debut with the Stacey Clark Classic, a three-day, four-team tournament featuring three top-25 programs including the Boilermakers, which will run Wednesday through Friday.

All matches will be streamed on B1G+, with Purdue playing at 7 p.m. ET each day.

NASHVILLE DONE RIGHT

Purdue hit .379% in the win vs. #RV Tennessee, tying as the 8th-best efficiency in a four-set match in Purdue history, including the first time since 2021.

THE STACEY CLARK CLASSIC

Purdue has won every Stacey Clark Classic since the tournament was dedicated to beloved fan Stacey Clark in 2016.

Purdue’s record in Stacey Clark Classic matches: 21-0

MAKING A STATEMENT: RYAN MCALEER

Ryan McAleer, a sophomore, is the youngest Boilermaker to wear the libero jersey since 2016.

In her second-ever match as Purdue’s libero, she posted a double-double vs. #RV Tennessee (11 digs, 11 assists).

Her double-double is the first for a Purdue libero since 2012 (Carly Cramer, 12 vs. Jacksonville State).

She is the youngest libero to reach a double-double in over 14 years.

ON THE LINE: 2 TOP-25 WINS IN HOLLOWAY

Purdue will be looking to add its 26th and 27th Top-25 wins in Holloway over the last 14 years.

A win vs. Georgia Tech or Kansas would mark the first win at home vs. a non-con ranked opponent since 2023.

HISTORY VS OPPONENTS RANKED #25-20

Purdue has won 10 consecutive matches against opponents ranked 20-25 in the AVCA poll (dates back to 10/22/2016).

BRINGING EXPERIENCE TO A RELATIVELY YOUNG TEAM

The transfers bring a combined 1,055 sets played to Purdue entering the 2025 season.

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PURDUE WOMEN’S GOLF

BROWN GOES LOW TO SECURE TOP 10 FINISH

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Samantha Brown fired a career-low 69 to vault up the leaderboard and finish ninth to lead Purdue Women’s Golf in the season-opening Boilermaker Classic. The sophomore played the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex’s Kampen-Cosler Course even par (75-72-69—216) through three rounds to record her first Top 10 performance for the Old Gold and Black.

As a team, Purdue (+14) placed fourth as Ole Miss (-2) claimed the team title. The Boilermakers led the field in pars (175) and ranked second in par-4 scoring (+12).

Brown bested her previous low 54-hole total by five strokes. She found most of her success on the par 5s, playing the holes 4-under throughout the tournament to rank third in the field. Brown birdied two par 5s in the final round as part of her team-high five birdies on Tuesday. She started 3-under through her first eight holes, while playing the front nine bogey free for a 33.

Lauren Timpf matched her best three-round score of her career, finishing 3-over (69-76-74—219) to tie for 15th. The sophomore’s tournament was highlighted by an opening round 69 (-3), her lowest round as a Boilermaker. Throughout the two days, Timpf played the par 3s 2-under par to rank third in the field. During the final round, she nearly made an ace at the 13th, throwing a dart within two feet of the cup for an easy birdie.

Newcomers Ashley Kim (+5) and Luana Valero (+9) placed 18th and 28th, respectively, on the individual leaderboard. While Kim carded a 72 in the first round, Valero played her best golf in the final round with a 72 of her own. The freshman started with a birdie on the par-5 sixth before nearly driving the green at the short, par-4 seventh. Deciding to use the putter from the fringe, Valero drained the 50-foot bomb for eagle to start her day 3-under after just two holes.

Sophomore Michaela Headlee shot 74 (+2) in the final round to help the team’s score. Making her debut in the Purdue lineup, she tied for 48th overall at 12-over. Headlee’s final round featured four birdies, including three on the front nine.

The Boilermakers waste no time returning to tournament competition. After kicking off the season as home, Purdue hits the road for the first time, traveling to Michigan to compete in the Wolverine Invitational (Sept. 7-8).

BOILERMAKERS

T9. Samantha Brown: 75-72-69—216 (E)

T15. Lauren Timpf: 69-76-74—219 (+3)

T18. Ashley Kim: 72-73-76—221 (+5)

T28. Luana Valero: 73-80-72—225 (+9)

T42. Michaela Headlee: 75-79-74—228 (+12)

*T51. Ida Lindqvist: 74-79-78—231 (+15)

*T61. Ella Weber: 81-83-71—235 (+19)

*Competing as an individual

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NOTRE DAME RELEASES 2025-26 SCHEDULE

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The 2025-26 Notre Dame women’s basketball schedule is here, and there are several marquee matchups, including non-conference rematches from last season with USC and Connecticut and an ACC schedule with seven opponents who made the NCAA Tournament last season.

Following an Oct. 30 exhibition against Purdue Northwest, Notre Dame will start the season at Purcell Pavilion on Nov. 5 against first-time opponent Fairleigh Dickinson and on Nov. 9 against Chicago State. Fairleigh Dickinson is coming off of a 2024-25 NEC Championship and earned its first ever NCAA Tournament berth last season. The Irish will stay at home for a regional game against Akron on Nov. 12, where Notre Dame senior KK Bransford’s sister, Kailee, will be a freshman.

Following the three-game home stand, Notre Dame hits the road for the first time with a Nov. 15 neutral site matchup, and the opponent and location will be announced at a later date.

Up next will be Notre Dame’s marquee home nonconference game of the season, a bout with Southern Cal on Nov. 21. The matchup will be a Friday night clash before Notre Dame football hosts Syracuse the following day. The Irish-Trojans game last season was in Los Angeles, and No. 6 Notre Dame downed No. 3 USC on its home court, 74-61. Hannah Hidalgo had 24 points, as did USC phenom JuJu Watkins.

Notre Dame hosts Central Michigan on Nov. 24 as its final game before Thanksgiving and won’t play again until the 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 4 against Ole Miss. It will be Notre Dame’s first trip to Oxford and just the second meeting ever between the two teams. The first was the Second Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and Notre Dame won 71-56. The Irish will stay on the road to open conference play on Dec. 7, making a trip to Florida State.

Sandwiched between home dates against Morehead State (Dec. 11) and Bellarmine (Dec. 21), the Irish will head to Virginia on Dec. 14 to face James Madison and close out a home-and-home series that started last year. Notre Dame hosted JMU last year and beat the Dukes 92-46 before the team went on to win the Sun Belt regular season conference title.

The Irish will close out the 2025 calendar year by hosting Pittsburgh on Dec. 29 in a rare Monday ACC clash before going back on the road to face a pair of 2025 NCAA Tournament participants, Georgia Tech (Jan. 1) and Duke (Jan. 4). Duke returns 10 players and 67.7 percent of its scoring from last season, the highest mark in the ACC.

Following the road trip to start 2026, Notre Dame has five consecutive home ACC games with a trip to Connecticut on Jan. 19 sandwiched in between. The Irish will host Boston College (Jan. 8), North Carolina (Jan. 11) and Louisville (Jan. 15) before seeing the reigning national champions in Storrs and will return home to host Miami (Jan. 22) and Clemson (Jan. 25). Notre Dame has had UConn’s number in recent seasons, defeating the Huskies in three straight matchups.

The Irish play three of their next four contests on road following the Clemson game, including a trip to the West Coast to play Cal (Jan. 29) and Stanford (Feb. 1) at their respective places for the first time since they joined the ACC. When the newcomers visited South Bend last year, Notre Dame’s offense was humming; the Irish drubbed Stanford, 96-47, and beat No. 21 Cal, 91-52. The 39-point victory is the largest win over a ranked ACC opponent since Notre Dame joined the conference.

Next, Notre Dame will host Virginia Tech on Feb. 5 and play at Virginia on Feb. 8 before a bye week. On paper, Stanford, Virginia Tech and Virginia are three of the most experienced teams entering this season with 54.1, 54.7 and 61.3 percent of their scoring production returning from last season, respectively.

On Feb. 15, the Irish will try to notch a win over NC State. The Wolfpack have won the last three regular season meetings, but Notre Dame earned the win in the 2024 ACC Tournament Championship. Last season’s matchup featured the No. 1-ranked Irish and went down to the wire in double overtime before NC State earned the win.

The Irish go back on the road next to face Wake Forest (Feb. 19) and SMU (Feb. 22), two teams that struggled mightily last season and who return four and zero players, respectively, from last year’s team. SMU is the only team in the ACC without a returning player and will be led by new head coach Adia Barnes next season. Also of note, the Wake Forest game will be a homecoming for Malaya Cowles, who transferred to Notre Dame this year after five seasons with the Demon Deacons. She is also from just down the road in Wilkesboro, N.C.

Notre Dame will close out the 2025-26 home slate with Syracuse on Feb. 26 and play at Louisville on March 1 in its sole duplicate ACC game of the year. The Irish are extremely familiar with both former Big East foes, having played Syracuse 46 times (the most of any ACC opponent) and Louisville 36 times.

Notre Dame finished last season 28-6, won a share of the regular season ACC title, and earned its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 berth. The Irish defeated eight top-25 opponents in the regular season, including No. 3 Southern Cal, No. 4 Texas and No. 2 Connecticut.

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Series Records

(*Indicates ACC game)

Fairleigh Dickinson — First Meeting

Chicago State — Irish lead 3-0 // Last Meeting: Nov. 21, 2023

Akron — Irish lead 1-0 // Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2011

USC — Irish lead 9-2 // Last Meeting: Nov. 23, 2024

Central Michigan — Irish lead 5-1 // Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2016

Ole Miss — Irish lead 1-0 // Last Meeting: March 25, 2024

*Florida State — Irish lead 13-2 // Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2025

Morehead State — Irish lead 1-0 // Last Meeting: Nov. 15, 2010

James Madison — Dukes lead 2-1 // Last Meeting: Nov. 13, 2024

Bellarmine — First Meeting

*Pittsburgh — Irish lead 37-4 // Last Meeting: Feb. 13, 2025

*Georgia Tech — Irish lead 19-1 // Last Meeting: Jan. 16, 2025

*Duke — Irish lead 19-5 // Last Meeting: March 8, 2025

*Boston College — Irish lead 31-9 // Last Meeting: Jan. 23, 2025

*North Carolina — Irish lead 11-5 // Last Meeting: Jan. 5, 2025

*Louisville — Irish lead 22-14 // Last Meeting: March 2, 2025

Connecticut — Huskies lead 39-16 // Last Meeting: Dec. 12, 2024

*Miami — Irish lead 26-6 // Last Meeting: Feb. 20, 2025

*Clemson — Irish lead 10-3 // Last Meeting: Jan. 12, 2025

*California — Irish lead 5-0 // Last Meeting: March 7, 2025

*Stanford — Cardinal leads 4-3 // Last Meeting: Feb. 6, 2025

*Virginia Tech — Irish lead 18-2 // Last Meeting: Jan. 30, 2025

*Virginia — Irish lead 11-3 // Last Meeting: Dec. 29, 2024

*NC State — Irish lead 10-6 // Last Meeting: Feb. 23, 2025

*Wake Forest — Irish lead 13-0 // Last Meeting: Jan. 9, 2025

*SMU — Irish lead 3-1 // Last Meeting: Jan. 19, 2025

*Syracuse — Irish lead 40-6 // Last Meeting: Dec. 8, 2024

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NOTRE DAME MEN’S SOCCER

FERGUSON NAMED ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

CHARLOTTE – Notre Dame men’s soccer senior center back Mitch Ferguson was selected as the ACC men’s soccer defensive player of the week on Tuesday afternoon following his stellar performance in the Fighting Irish win over No. 14 Oregon State last Thursday.

The center back made an impact on both ends of the pitch in Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over No. 14 Oregon State on Thursday, scoring a goal and helping the Irish secure the clean sheet victory.

Ferguson’s header in the 39th minute off a free kick found the back of the net at the far post in what ended up being the game-winning goal. Then the senior captain and the rest of the Irish defense defended admirably to stop the high powered Oregon State attack from scoring for the first time this season.

Ferguson and the Irish are back in action at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 7 as they take on intrastate rival Indiana at Alumni Stadium. The match will air on ACCN and admission to the game is free.

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER

MATRIANO EARNS ACC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Announced by the league office on Tuesday, senior midfielder Laney Matriano has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Offensive Players of the Week.

Matriano helped guide the Irish to a 3-0 win over Michigan and an 8-0 win over Oakland, finishing the week with an impressive two goals, three assists, and seven points.

She recorded a career-high three assists in the win over the Wolverines on Thursday, assisting on every goal scored that game and becoming the first ACC player to record three assists in a match against a Power Four conference team since Pitt’s Landy Mertz on November 11, 2023.

She then recorded a brace in the win over Oakland on Sunday, another career-best.

The Irish are now 4-0-1 as they head to Michigan State this Thursday, Sept. 4, to take on the Spartans at 7:00 p.m.

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BUTLER LACROSSE

BUTLER LACROSSE ANNOUNCES THE DATES FOR FALL CONTESTS

The Butler Lacrosse team is set to compete in 7 games this fall. The fall swing will begin with Butler traveling to Louisville’s campus to play 3 games on October 5th. The team will then play their final four games of the fall in the Indianapolis area with three of those games being played at Varsity Field. The Dawgs will play 3 games on campus on October 19th.

Head Coach Maggie Zentgraf is heading into her fourth season at the helm of Butlers Women’s Lacrosse program. Zentgraf will return 13 players from last year’s squad for the 2026 season.

2025 Fall Schedule

Sunday, Oct. 5th (at Louisville)

Butler vs Cincinnati 10:15am

Butler vs UIndy 11:15am

Butler vs Louisville 3:20pm

Friday, Oct. 10th (at UIndy)

Butler vs UIndy 6:00pm

Sunday, Oct. 19th (Varsity Field)

Butler vs UIndy 8:00am

Butler vs Martyville 12:00pm

Butler vs Xavier 4:00pm

Butler’s spring schedule will be released at a later date.

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BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER

KAYLEE FINNEGAN AWARDED BIG EAST SETTER OF THE WEEK

Junior Kaylee Finnegan has received BIG EAST Setter of the Week Honors, the conference announced Monday afternoon. The Bulldogs started their season off in style last weekend by going 3-0 and sweeping the Big Dawg Kickoff. On Friday Butler took down both Evansville and Purdue Fort Wayne. On Saturday the Dawgs completed the sweep of the event by defeating Middle Tennessee State.

For Kaylee Finnegan, she posted 128 assists over the course of the 3 matches. Finnegan averaged 10.67 assists per set over the weekend. In the finale of the Big Dawg Kickoff, Butler as a team recorded a hitting percentage of 73% in Set 2 in route to a 25-8 Set 2 win and a 3-0 match victory.

Finnegan was the assist leader in each of the 3 matches Butler competed in. She also contributed 22 digs, six kills, and five blocks over the course of the Big Dawg Kickoff.

This Week

Butler will compete in the Iowa Invitational. The Bulldogs will play 3 matches in 3 days starting Thursday, September 4th, where they will take on Iowa. Butler will then take on Loyola-Chicago Friday the 5th at 4pm ET, followed by Butler taking on Illinois State at 12pm ET Saturday the 6th.

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IU INDY VOLLEYBALL

PURICHIA NAMED #HLVB PLAYER OF THE WEEK

INDIANAPOLIS – IU Indy volleyball junior Grace Purichia earns the first #HLVB Player of the Week award on the season after leading the Jags to a weekend sweep at the Buc Dome Invitational. The Jags won every set in the three matches as Purichia assisted the Jags to the best hitting percentage in the league.

Purichia averaged 11.44 assists per set in the three contests combined as well as 2.33 digs per set and a total of five service aces. The setter from New Albany, Ind. totaled 40 assists, four kills, one service ace and six digs in the Jaguars’ win over Loyola Maryland to clinch the invitational title. She also collected 36 assists with a perfect 7-for-7 mark on the attack, three service aces and six digs in the opening win against The Citadel.

This marks the first #HLVB Player of the Week award for Purichia and the IU Indy volleyball team this season. IU Indy will next travel to Cincinnati for the Xavier Tournament this weekend, Sept. 4-6. The Jags face the host, Xavier in the opening day on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6:00 PM.

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BALL STATE FOOTBALL

KELLY CLOSING THE GAP ON CAREER RUSHING RECORD FOR QUARTERBACKS

MUNCIE, Ind. – In his eighth start in the position, redshirt senior quarterback Kiael Kelly demonstrated against Purdue in week one how he’s one of the most skilled running field generals in Ball State’s history.

The Cardinals’ signal caller entered the 2025 season 715 yards shy of the program’s career record for rushing yards by a quarterback, sitting at third all-time (898 total rushing yards). After gaining 78 during Ball State’s visit to Ross-Ade Stadium this past weekend, that gap dropped to 637 (976 total rushing yards).

RUSHING YARDS BY A QUARTERBACK

Player Yards Att.

1. Art Yaroch, 1973-76 1,613 421

2. Riley Neal, 2015-18 1,363 325

3. Kiael Kelly, 2022-present 976 200

4. Dave Wilson, 1976-79 693 320

5. Talmadge Hill, 2000-03 582 309

Art Yaroch, who brought the Cardinals its first Mid-American Conference Championship in 1976, holds the Ball State record with 1,613 rushing yards by a quarterback. Riley Neal, quarterback from 2015-18, follows in second with 1,363.

Kelly rushed for 724 yards over just six starts in 2023, standing as a program single-season record for a quarterback. He became Ball State’s third starting quarterback that season in week seven versus Toledo, although he actually started the season opener at Kentucky under center while lined up as a receiver.

While serving as a utility weapon during 79 snaps last season, lining up 43 times at quarterback, eight at running back and 28 at receiver, Kelly added 91 yards to his rushing total. He started at quarterback against Kent State (Oct. 12), handing the ball off to Cam Pickett in the first snap and logging a carry himself later in the 37-35 win.

Kelly’s rush total began with 83 yards in his sole appearance in the 2022 season as a reserve against Miami (OH) (Nov. 22).

As he makes his ninth career start Sept. 6 at Auburn, Kelly looks to continue his charge up the Ball State record book.

Players Mentioned

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INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

INDIANA STATE HEADS TO CHARLESTON TO FACE EIU’S PANTHERS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hits the road again on Thursday, September 4, when the Sycamores travel to Charleston to face Eastern Illinois at Lakeside Field. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET, with live coverage available on ESPN+ and live stats through GoSycamores.com.

The Sycamores (2-3-1) enter the midweek match fresh off a commanding 3–0 victory over Western Illinois on Senior Day. ISU wasted little time setting the tone, striking twice inside the first 20 minutes to grab control of the match. A third goal before halftime capped off a dominant first-half performance where Indiana State fired 14 shots and kept the Leathernecks under constant pressure. By the final whistle, the Sycamores had racked up 21 total attempts with nine on target while limiting WIU to just seven shots. The victory was the team’s second of the season and highlighted a complete performance on both ends of the pitch.

Eastern Illinois (2-4-0) enters Thursday’s contest looking to bounce back at home. This will be the 22nd meeting between the two programs, with Indiana State leading the all-time series 9-6-6. The last three matchups have all ended in ties, showing just how close this series has been in recent years.

Indiana State will try to carry its momentum from Senior Day into another road test, while Eastern Illinois aims to protect its home field and shift the series in its favor.

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS INDIANA TECH

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team opens their three-match homestand with Indiana Tech on Wednesday (Sept. 3) at 7 p.m. at the Hefner Soccer Complex. It is International Student Celebration Day at the game, with Whip & Chill available for purchase on site.

Game Day Information
Who: Indiana Tech Warriors
When: Wednesday, September 3 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: None
Tickets:Link

Know Your Foe

Indiana Tech has started their season 0-2, dropping home matches to both Taylor and Grace. While the Warriors have yet to score a goal, Addie Nellis and Chante Perkins have the only shots on goal from the team through two matches. Indiana Tech has been testing out keepers through the early stretch of the season as senior Sara Cogoli and freshman Madison Strain have each claimed a start, freshman Bre Wheatley is the only keeper to play in both contests.

Series History

This is the first meeting between the two programs.

Youthful Stride

Nine of Purdue Fort Wayne’s 19 shots on goal this season have came from freshmen Daisy Moody and Bella Masse. Moody leads the team with five on the season and Masse sits second on the team wth four.

Imes On The Prize

Jordan Imes was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 18) after the first week of the season. The keeper earned her first shutout of the year against Akron (Aug. 14), the only Horizon League keeper to refuse a goal in the first week of play.

New Faces

The Mastodons added three assistant coaches to the team, including Camryn Hart, Alex Pagonis and former ‘Don goalkeeper Sam Castañeda. The team also added six freshman, Madison Ott, Keira Bradford, Ariadne Herrera, Emily Ernst, Daisy Moody and Sabrina Sokol, along with two transfers, goalkeeper Madison Ott and Mary McArdle.

New Challenge

The Purdue Fort Wayne or Indiana Fort Wayne student who attends the most Mastodon home athletics events this year will win an iPad at the end of the 2025-26 school year! Make sure to check in and get your QR code scanned at the game to start tracking your attendance.

Last Time Out

The Mastodons dropped their last match at Kentucky (Aug. 28) 6-0.

Coming Up

The ‘Dons will play the second home match of a three-match homestand on Sunday (Sept. 7) following the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s soccer match against Eastern Illinois.

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EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER

WEHRER, LAMMERS EARN MVC WOMEN’S SOCCER WEEKLY HONORS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Following a 2-0 week that included wins over Purdue and SIUE, the University of Evansville women’s soccer team claimed two MVC weekly awards, with Taylor Wehrer (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis) being named MVC Player of the Week and Allie Lammers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) tabbed as MVC Goalkeeper of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday morning.

Wehrer continued her breakout sophomore campaign with a two-goal week, bringing her season total to three. In Thursday’s win over Purdue, Wehrer broke a 1-1 tie with a bar-down goal off a free kick from 28 yards out, giving the Aces the game-winner for their first win over a Power-4 opponent since 2008. On Sunday, Wehrer opened the scoring against SIUE with a goal in the 11th minute, the first of three UE goals in the first half en route to a 3-0 win. Through the first four games of the season, Wehrer has played a key role in a much-improved Evansville attack, ranking second in the MVC in points per game (1.75) and third in goals (3). UE’s 10 goals this season are their most through four games since 2008, a season in which the Aces won the MVC regular season and tournament titles to reach the NCAA Tournament, and is just three goals shy of their season total from a year ago.

Lammers made her collegiate debut in a big way last week, entering in the second half against Purdue on Thursday and keeping the Boilermakers off the board over the final 45 minutes. Lammers faced 13 shots and made three saves to earn her first collegiate win. On Sunday, the sophomore made her first career start and was excellent once again, making two saves to post the Aces’ first clean sheet of the season.

Evansville looks to win their third game in a row on Thursday, hitting the road to take on Austin Peay. Kick-off is set for 6 PM.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER

USI WOMEN’S SOCCER’S MARKLAND NAMED OVC GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland was named the Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday.

Markland earned the OVC’s Goalkeeper of the Week honor for the fourth time in her career. Markland posted the first shutout of the season for the Screaming Eagles on Sunday against Southern Illinois University, leading to USI’s first win of the year. Markland faced 10 shots from the Salukis in the 90 minutes of action. Sunday was Markland’s ninth career solo clean sheet.

In five starts this season, Markland has played over 433 minutes in goal with 11 saves on 64 shots faced.

Markland and the Screaming Eagles (1-5-0) are back in action Thursday at 7 p.m. to conclude a three-match homestand from Strassweg Field. USI hosts Valparaiso University on Thursday before heading to Bellarmine University for a midday matchup on Sunday.

Both matches this week can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Thursday’s home match features free admission courtesy of ProRehab.

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VALPO SOFTBALL

VALPO SOFTBALL ANNOUNCES FALL SCHEDULE

The Valpo softball program will play a quartet of doubleheaders at the Valpo Softball Complex this fall.

The Beacons open fall action with a doubleheader Saturday, Sept. 6 versus Spoon River College at 1 p.m. College of Lake County visits Valpo for a 1 p.m. twinbill Saturday, Sept. 27, followed the next day by a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Lake Land College. The fall slate closes with a 2 p.m. doubleheader versus Bryant & Stratton College Friday, Oct. 3.

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VALPO FOOTBALL

VALPO SEEKS FIRST 2-0 START IN QUARTER CENTURY, HOSTS ADRIAN FOR POPCORN FEST FINALE

Adrian (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)

at Valparaiso (1-0, 0-0 PFL)

Game #2 Saturday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m. CT

Brown Field (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will play a second straight home game to begin a season for the first time since 2002 as the Beacons host Adrian under the lights as part of the Popcorn Fest Finale game on Saturday. As thousands of people flock to downtown Valparaiso for the annual one-day celebration of the city’s famous popcorn king, Orville Redenbacher, a day of fun will culminate with the Beacons hosting the Bulldogs. Free popcorn will be given away at the game as part of the celebration, plus postgame fireworks will light up the air.

Previously: The Beacons recorded their highest point total and most lopsided victory since 1958, downing Virginia Lynchburg 67-10 in Andy Waddle’s first game as the squad’s head coach. Michael Mansaray ran for 134 yards (one shy of a career high) and two scores on 15 attempts, while Gabriel Batres had four tackles for loss and three sacks to lead the defense. The Beacons accrued 409 yards of total offense, while on the other side of the ball they racked up 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

Glancing Ahead: Valpo will play road games against scholarship, FCS opponents each of the next two weeks, visiting Western Illinois in Week 3 and North Dakota in Week 4.

Series Notes: This will mark the second matchup between the two teams and first since 1926. A century ago, these two teams tied 13-13 on Nov. 6 at Adrian.

Following the Beacons: All 12 games this season will be streamed nationally, with 10 on ESPN+, one on Midco Sports Plus (at St. Thomas) and one on FloSports (at Butler). Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+ with longtime Valpo voice Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and former Northwest Indiana high school football head coach Brett Jennings (analyst). The game will also air on WVUR, 95.1 FM Valparaiso. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on X. Links to live video and stats can be found on ValpoAthletics.com.

Under the Lights

This will mark the first time Valpo has played a home game on Popcorn Fest Saturday since hosting Duquesne on Sept. 9, 2017.

The game against Duquesne was a day game held during the fest. The last time Valpo played a Popcorn Fest night game was Sept. 6, 2014 vs. Saint Joseph’s College.

This is the first time since 2002 that Valpo has started the season with consecutive home dates.

This will mark just the third home night game in over a decade. The Beacons hosted Indiana Wesleyan in 2022 and 2024 under the lights. Prior to 2022, Valpo had not played a home night game since 2014.

With a win on Saturday, Valpo Would…

Be off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2000, when the season started with road victories at Tri-State and Hope before Valpo went on to garner its first Pioneer Football League championship. The Beacons won their season opener for just the third time since 2007.

Own a 2-0 record under head coach Andy Waddle, making him the first Valpo head coach to start his tenure 2-0 since 1942, when Loren Ellis started his career as Valpo head coach with wins at Central Normal and Indiana State. Waddle is already the first Valpo head coach to win his debut since Stacy Adams in 2005.

Extend its winning streak to three, dating back to last season’s finale vs. Davidson. That would mark Valpo’s longest winning streak since the 2004 and 2005 seasons, when the squad beat Butler and Aurora to finish 2004 before winning at Wisconsin Lutheran to open up the 2005 campaign.

One for the Record Books

Valpo’s season-opening 67-10 victory over Virginia Lynchburg marked the program’s most lopsided victory and highest single-game point total since 1958.

The 67 points were the fourth most in a single game in program history, behind 110 vs. Lewis in 1923, 85 vs. Northwestern in 1920 and 78 vs. Indiana Central in 1958.

The 57-point margin of victory was tied for the seventh largest in program history.

Sack Attack

Valpo recorded eight sacks in the season opener vs. Virginia Lynchburg, the most of any FCS program nationally in Week 1 of the 2025 season.

The eight sacks would have ranked tied for eighth nationally in a single FCS game in 2024.

This marked Valpo’s most sacks in a game since 10 on Nov. 6, 2021 vs. Presbyterian.

The Beacons had 18 tackles for loss against the Dragons. Valpo became the first team in the FCS nation with 18 tackles for loss since N.C. Central on Oct. 12, 2024 (also vs. VUL). That total led the FCS nation for team single-game TFL for all of last season. Valpo’s 18 TFL tied for the most by an FCS team in a single game since Oct. 12, 2019, when Sam Houston had 19 vs. Lamar.

Batres Recognized by PFL

Gabriel Batres led the way with a team-high six tackles in Week 1 vs. Virginia Lynchburg. He tallied four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.Batres became the first player nationally in FCS with a three-sack game this season. He joined Tulsa’s Byron Turner Jr. and Oklahoma State’s Wendell Gregory as the only Division-I players (FBS or FCS) with a three-sack game in Week 1.

Batres had the most TFL by any Valpo player in a game since Trejuan Purty had five on Nov. 20, 2021 vs. Presbyterian. The three sacks were the most by a Beacon since Purty and Nick Prine each had three in that game against the Blue Hose.

Valpo has already equaled its PFL Defensive Player of the Week award total from last season, when Mark Johnson was the lone Beacon to earn that distinction, doing so on Oct. 27.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Week 1: Valpo 67, Virginia Lynchburg 10

The Beacons rushed for 296 yards, the team’s highest total since 298 on Nov. 6, 2021 vs. Presbyterian. Valpo had the eighth-highest rushing total nationally in FCS in Week 1.

Valpo picked up 409 yards of total offense while holding the Dragons to 161 total yards including just 25 on the ground. This marked the team’s highest offensive output since 460 on Nov. 12, 2022 at Marist.

Mark Johnson made his first career interception, while Nic Lendino had his third.

Michael Mansaray ran for 134 yards, one shy of a career high, with two scores on 15 attempts. He is up to 15 career rushing touchdowns including 11 at Valpo.

Dawaiian McNelly had six carries for 54 yards including his third career TD run. Rowen Keefe and Noah Long each had their first collegiate rushing scores.

Jay Melchiori and Ryan Ricketti led the receivers with three grabs apiece, while Melchiori paced the squad with 41 receiving yards. Ricketti and Colin Hayes each hauled in their first collegiate TD grabs.

Redshirt freshman Luke Scoma went 2-for-2 on field goals with a long of 43 and 6-for-6 on PATs in his collegiate debut.

Scouting Adrian

Will play its first game of the season on Saturday.

Went 6-4 last season in head coach Joe Palka’s first season after the squad went 1-9 the previous year.

Member of the Division-III Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).

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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

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Sept. 3

1917 — Philadelphia’s Grover Cleveland Alexander went the distance in both games of the Phillies’ 5-0 and 9-3 sweep of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1947 — Bill McCahan pitched a no-hitter to give the Philadelphia Athletics a 3-0 win over the Washington Senators. One batter reached base for Washington, a two-base throwing error by first baseman Ferris Fain in the second inning.

1947 — The New York Yankees had 18 hits, all singles, in an 11-2 victory over Boston at Fenway Park. Tommy Henrich and Joe DiMaggio each had four hits.

1957 — Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves pitched his 41st career shutout with an 8-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Spahn’s shutout set a major league record for left-handers.

1970 — Billy Williams of the Chicago Cubs asked to be kept out of the lineup, ending his National League record of 1,117 consecutive games played. His record was broken in 1983 by Steve Garvey.

1976 — Milwaukee’s Mike Hegan hit for the cycle and drove in six runs to lead the Brewers to an 11-2 rout of Mark Fidrych and the Detroit Tigers.

1986 — Billy Hatcher’s homer in the top of the 18th inning gave the Houston Astros an 8-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The teams played 14 innings the day before and used a major league record 53 players in the game.

1990 — Bobby Thigpen set a major league record with his 47th save in a 4-2 Chicago White Sox victory over Kansas City. Thigpen broke the record set by Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees in 1986.

2000 — Kenny Lofton’s 1st-inning run ties a 1939 major league record set by the Yankees ’Red Rolfe for scoring in 18 consecutive games. The speedy Indians outfielder, besides hitting the game-winning homer in the 13th, also steals five bases tying Cleveland’s single-game record set by Alex Cole.

2001 — Bud Smith became the 16th rookie in modern history to throw a no-hitter and the second to do it to San Diego this season in St. Louis’ 4-0 win. Smith was making his 11th career start.

2007 — Pedro Martinez completed his comeback from major shoulder surgery and quickly went into the record books, becoming the 15th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters in his career. The New York Mets right-hander needed only two strikeouts to reach the mark in a 10-4 win over Cincinnati.

2008 — Baseball’s first use of instant replay backed an on-field call of a home run for Alex Rodriguez during the ninth inning of the New York Yankees game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It took 2 minutes, 15 seconds to uphold the homer that gave the Yankees an 8-3 lead.

2011 — Milwaukee’s George Kottaras hit for the cycle to lead the Brewers to an 8-2 win over the Houston Astros.

2013 — Pinch-hitter Travis Snider homered in the ninth inning to lift Pittsburgh to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers that clinched the Pirates’ first non-losing record in 21 seasons.

2017 — Jose Ramirez tied a major league record with five extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs that deflected off Detroit outfielders, and the Cleveland Indians routed the Tigers 11-1 for their 11th straight victory. Ramirez had three doubles in becoming the 13th player with five extra-base hits in a game.

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Sept. 4

1916 — Longtime pitching rivals Christy Mathewson and Mordecai Brown closed their careers, by special arrangement, in the same game. Mathewson won the game 10-8.

1923 — Sam Jones of the New York Yankees pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against Philadelphia Athletics without striking out a batter. New York’s Babe Ruth had the only strikeout of the game.

1927 — Lloyd and Paul Waner became the first brothers to hit home runs in the same game, leading Pittsburgh to an 8-4 win over Cincinnati. Both homers came off Dolf Luque in the fifth inning, the only time in major league history brothers did it in one inning. Lloyd led off the inning with his second home run of the season, and a batter later Paul hit his ninth of the year. Both were bounce home runs, allowed until the 1931; now ground-rule doubles.

1928 — The Boston Braves started a grueling string in which they played nine straight doubleheaders, a major league record.

1941 — The New York Yankees clinched the pennant on the earliest date in baseball history with a 6-3 victory over Boston.

1966 — Los Angeles became the first team in major league history to draw more than 2 million at home and on the road when the Dodgers beat the Reds 8-6 before 18,670 fans in Cincinnati.

1974 — Don Wilson of the Houston Astros was replaced by a pinch hitter after pitching eight no-hit innings against Cincinnati. Mike Cosgrove pitched the ninth inning and gave up a leadoff single to Tony Perez for the only hit in the Reds’ 2-1 victory.

1985 — Gary Carter hit two solo homers to tie a major league record and singled in another run to lead the New York Mets to a 9-2 victory over San Diego. Carter’s feat followed a three-homer performance the night before as he became the 11th player in major league history to hit five home runs in two games.

1993 — Jim Abbott threw the New York Yankees’ first no-hitter in 10 years, leading them to a 4-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

1995 — Robin Ventura became the eighth player in major league history — and the first in 25 years — to hit two grand slams in one game as the Chicago White Sox beat Texas 14-3.

1998 — The New York Yankees reached 100 wins on the earliest date in major league history — five days before the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 1954 Cleveland Indians — with an 11-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The ’06 Cubs set the major league record for fewest games to reach 100 victories (132).

2002 — The Oakland Athletics set an AL record by winning their 20th straight game. They somehow blew an 11-run lead before pinch-hitter Scott Hatteberg homered in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat Kansas City 12-11. Oakland broke a three-way tie for the longest winning streak in AL history with the 1906 Chicago White Sox and the 1947 New York Yankees.

2017 — J.D. Martinez tied a major league record by hitting four home runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks routed the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-0 for their 11th straight victory. Martinez became the 18th player in major league history to hit four homers in a game, and the 16th in the modern era.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Sept. 3

1908 — Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs Australian Bill Lang in 6 rounds in Melbourne in a warmup fight for his famous title bout with Jack Johnson.

1921 — The U.S. defeats Japan in five straight matches to win the Davis Cup.

1928 — Future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Ty Cobb records his 4,189th and final career hit, as a pinch hitter for Philadelphia A’s in 6-1 loss v Washington Senators.

1932 — Ellsworth Vines wins the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships with a three-set victory over France’s Henri Cochet.

1944 — Frank Parker wins the men’s singles title with a four-set victory over Bill Talbert in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. Pauline Betz captures her third straight women’s title with 6-3, 8-6 victory over Margaret Osborne.

1945 — Frank Parker defends his U.S. Open title, defeating Bill Talbert 14-12, 6-1, 6-2 in the final of the first postwar U.S. Open.

1956 — Jockey John Longden surpasses Sir Gordon Richards’ then-record number of wins by riding Arrogate to victory in the Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar Racetrack to attain his 4,871st victory.

1974 — Future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson retires; leaves NBA with 26,710 points, 9,887 assists & 7,804 rebounds in 1,040 games.

1975 — Martina Navratilova, 18, defeats Margaret Court, who is 33 and competing in her 11th and final U.S. Open, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

1977 — Ken Rosewall, two months shy of his 43rd birthday, is beaten by 24-year-old Jose Higueras, 6-4, 6-4. The in a best-of-three-set third-round match marks Rosewall’s final U.S. Open singles match.

1989 — Chris Evert defeats 15-year-old Monica Seles, 6-0, 6-2, for her 101st and final U.S. Open singles win.

1994 — Miami beats Georgia Southern 56-0, breaking an NCAA record with its 58th consecutive home victory. The Hurricanes surpass Alabama’s record of 57 wins in a row at home set from 1962-82.

2001 — Jockey John Velazquez becomes the first jockey to ride six winners on a single card at Saratoga Racecourse. Velazquez guides Starine to a 5¼-length victory in the Diana Handicap, a 1 1-8 mile turf race, for his sixth win.

2006 — Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie wins the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player award, joining Sheryl Swoopes as the league’s only three-time winners.

2007 — Pedro Martinez completes his comeback from major shoulder surgery, becoming the 15th pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters in his career. The New York Mets’ right-hander fans Aaron Harang for the milestone as the Mets post a 10-4 win over Cincinnati.

2016 — Serena Williams’ dominating third-round victory at the U.S. Open is notable for a milestone: 307 Grand Slam wins. Williams’ 6-2, 6-1 win over 47th-ranked Johanna Larsson of Sweden improves her major-tournament mark to 307-42, putting her one win up on Martina Navratilova among women and tying Roger Federer among all players in the Open era.

2017 — UCLA’s Josh Rosen fakes the spike and throws a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lasley with 43 seconds remaining and UCLA overcomes a 34-point deficit to stun Texas A&M 45-44. Rosen is 35 of 59 for 491 yards and throws four fourth-quarter touchdowns. UCLA scores on five straight possessions after trailing 44-10 with 4:08 to play in the third quarter.

2022 — 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion Serena Williams plays her final match at the US Open, going down 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 to Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in a third round match in New York.

_____

Sept. 4

1920 — Man o War wins the 1 5/8-mile Lawrence Realization Stakes at Belmont Park by 100 lengths, the largest winning margin in modern racing history. His time of 2:40 4/5 shatters the world record by 6 4/5 seconds for his fifth record performance of the year.

1932 — Olin Dutra defeats Frank Walsh in the final round 4 and 3 to win the PGA Championship.

1951 — Frank Sedgman becomes the first Australian to win the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships, beating Victor Seixas in three sets. Sixteen-year-old Maureen Connolly wins the first of three consecutive women’s titles, beating Shirley Fry in three sets.

1966 — The Houston Oilers holds the Denver Broncos to no first downs in a 45-7 rout.

1983 — Greg LeMond wins UCI World Road Race Championship in 7h 01′ 21″ in Altenrhein, Switzerland; first American cyclist to take the title.

1983 — Lynn Dickey of Green Bay completes 27 of 31 passes, including 18 straight, for 333 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Packers in a 41-38 overtime victory over Houston.

1992 — Jimmy Connors loses to Ivan Lendl 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 in his record 115th and final U.S. Open singles match.

1993 — New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott no-hits Cleveland Indians 4-0 at Yankee Stadium.

1994 — Fu Mingxia of China becomes the first woman to win consecutive highboard world diving titles, beating countrywoman Chi Bin in Rome.

1994 — Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins becomes the second quarterback with 300 touchdown passes by throwing for five scores in a 39-35 victory over New England. Dan Marino passes for 473 yards and Patriot’s quarterback Drew Bledsoe passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns. It’s second time two opposing quarterbacks each pass for 400 yards and four touchdowns in the same game.

2002 — Argentina defeats the U.S. 87-80 in the world basketball championships at Indianapolis. It’s the first loss for a U.S. team in 59 games since the Americans began sending NBA players to international tournaments in 1992.

2005 — 20 year old Kyle Busch becomes youngest driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race when he out duels Greg Biffle in the Sony HD 500 at California Speedway.

2006 — Tiger Woods matches the lowest final round of his career (8-under 63) in the Deutsche Bank C’ship at Norton, MA to win for the 5th straight time and 7th time this PGA Tour season.

2010 — DeMarco Murray’s career-best 218 yards rushing leads Oklahoma to a 31-24 victory for the Sooners’ 800th win.

2010 — Andy Dalton becomes TCU’s winningest quarterback, running for two touchdowns and throwing for another in the No. 6 Horned Frogs’ 30-21 victory over Oregon State. His 30th win moves him past Sammy Baugh, who had held the mark since the mid-1930s.

2017 — J.D. Martinez ties a major league record by hitting four home runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks rout the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-0 for their 11th straight victory.

2017 — Madison Keys eliminates Elina Svitolina in three sets to give the U.S. four women in the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time in 15 years. Keys joins Americans Venus Williams, CoCo Vandeweghe and Sloane Stephens.

______

TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Wednesday, Sept. 3

GOLF

3 a.m. (Thursday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Amgen Irish Open, First Round, The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland

TENNIS

11:30 a.m.

ESPN — ATP/WTA: The U.S. Open, Quarterfinals, Flushing, N.Y.

7 p.m.

ESPN — ATP/WTA: The U.S. Open, Quarterfinals, Flushing, N.Y.

_____

Thursday, Sept. 4

COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

ACCN — Penn St. at Virginia

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

8 p.m.

ACCN — Washington at SMU

ESPN2 — Texas A&M at Utah

GOLF

3 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Amgen Irish Open, First Round, The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland

2 a.m. (Friday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Amgen Irish Open, Second Round, The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland

NFL FOOTBALL

8:20 p.m.

NBC — Dallas at Philadelphia

PEACOCK — Dallas at Philadelphia

TENNIS

7 p.m.

ESPN — WTA: The U.S. Open, Semifinals, Flushing, N.Y.

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Phoenix at Washington

10 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Minnesota at Las Vegas

_____

Friday, Sept. 5

AUTO RACING

7:25 a.m.

ESPNU — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

10:55 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

6:25 a.m. (Saturday)

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY

6 p.m.

ACCN — Northwestern at Duke

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

7 p.m.

ESPN2 — James Madison at Louisville

7:30 p.m.

BTN — Regional Coverage: W. Illinois at Northwestern OR N. Illinois at Maryland

9 p.m.

FS1 — E. Washington at Boise St.

COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

ACCN — North Carolina at NC State

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPNU — UCLA at TCU

8 p.m.

FOX — Kentucky at Penn St.

GOLF

2 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Stifel Charity Classic, First Round, Norwood Hills Country Club, St. Louis

2 a.m. (Saturday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Amgen Irish Open, Third Round, The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland

MLB BASEBALL

2:20 p.m.

APPLE TV+ — Washington at Chicago Cubs

6:40 p.m.

APPLE TV+ — Milwaukee at Pittsburgh

NFL FOOTBALL

8 p.m.

YOUTUBE TV — Kansas City vs. L.A. Chargers, Sao Paulo

TENNIS

Noon

ESPN2 — WTA: The U.S. Open, Doubles Championship, Flushing, N.Y.

3 p.m.

ESPN — ATP: The U.S. Open, Semifinal, Flushing, N.Y.

7 p.m.

ESPN — ATP: The U.S. Open, Semifinal, Flushing, N.Y.

WNBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

ION — Chicago at Indiana

10 p.m.

ION — New York at Seattle

_____

Saturday, Sept. 6

AUTO RACING

6:25 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

8:55 a.m.

FS1 — FIM MotoGP: The Catalan Grand Prix – Sprint Race, Barcelona, Spain

9:55 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Qualifying, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

4:30 p.m.

TRUTV — NASCAR Cup Series: Practice, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

5:40 p.m.

TRUTV — NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

7:30 p.m.

CW — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at World Wide Technology Raceway, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Noon

ABC — TBA

ACCN — Texas A&M Commerce at Florida St.

BTN — Regional Coverage: FIU at Penn St. OR Northwestern St. Minnesota

CBSSN — Liberty at Jacksonville St.

CW — Baylor at SMU

ESPN — TBA

ESPN2 — Virginia at NC State

ESPNU — Cent. Michigan at Pittsburgh

FOX — Iowa at Iowa St.

FS1 — Kennesaw St. at Indiana

TNT — Kent St. at Texas Tech

TRUTV — Kent St. at Texas Tech

12:45 p.m.

SECN — Utah St. at Texas A&M

3:30 p.m.

ABC — Mississippi at Kentucky

ACCN — Troy at Clemson

BTN — Grambling St. at Ohio St.

CBS — Oklahoma St. at Oregon

CBSSN — UAB at Navy

CW — Fresno St. at Oregon St.

ESPN2 — Kansas at Missouri

FOX — Delaware at Colorado

PEACOCK — Miami (Ohio) at Rutgers

4 p.m.

ESPNU — West Virginia at Ohio

FS1 — MTSU at Wisconsin

4:15 p.m.

SECN — South Florida at Florida

7 p.m.

ESPN — Army at Kansas St.

7:30 p.m.

ABC — Michigan at Oklahoma

ACCN — Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech

BTN — Regional Coverage: Akron at Nebraska OR S. Illinois at Purdue

ESPN2 — Arizona St. at Mississippi St.

ESPNU — Ball St. at Auburn

FS1 — Georgia Southern at Southern Cal

NBC — Boston College at Michigan St.

PEACOCK — Boston College at Michigan St.

7:45 p.m.

SECN — Louisiana-Monroe at Alabama

8 p.m.

CBSSN — UCLA at UNLV

10:15 p.m.

CW — San Diego St. at Washington St.

ESPN — Stanford at BYU

11 p.m.

BTN — UC Davis at Washington

GOLF

2 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Stifel Charity Classic, Second Round, Norwood Hills Country Club, St. Louis

1 a.m. (Sunday)

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Amgen Irish Open, Final Round, The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland

MLB BASEBALL

7 p.m.

FOX — Regional Coverage: San Francisco at St. Louis, Houston at Texas OR Minnesota at Kansas City

SOCCER (MEN’S)

5 p.m.

TNT — International Friendly: U.S. vs. Korea, Harrison, N.J.

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Utah at North Carolina

10 p.m.

ION — NWSL: Kansas City at Bay FC

TENNIS

7 p.m.

ESPN — WTA: The U.S. Open, Championship, Flushing, N.Y.

_____

Sunday, Sept. 7

AUTO RACING

8:55 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: The Pirelli Italian Grand Prix, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy

3 p.m.

USA — NASCAR Cup Series: The Enjoy Illinois 300, Playoffs – Round of 16, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY

Noon

ACCN — Northwestern at Boston College

COLLEGE SOCCER (MEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

ACCN — Indiana at Notre Dame

COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

1 p.m.

ESPNU — Ohio St. at Kentucky

1:30 p.m.

ACCN — Alabama at Duke

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

1 p.m.

ESPN — Stanford at Texas

3 p.m.

ESPN — Illinois at Louisville

GOLF

3 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The Stifel Charity Classic, Final Round, Norwood Hills Country Club, St. Louis

NFL FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Miami at Indianapolis, Las Vegas at New England, Arizona at New Orleans, Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets

FOX — Regional Coverage: Tampa Bay at Atlanta, Cincinnati at Cleveland, N.Y. Giants at Washington, Carolina at Jacksonville

4:05 p.m.

FOX — Regional Coverage: Tennessee at Denver, San Francisco at Seattle

4:25 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Detroit at Green Bay, Houston at L.A. Rams

8:20 p.m.

NBC — Baltimore at Buffalo

SOCCER (WOMEN’S)

5 p.m.

ESPN — NWSL: Angel City at NJ/NY

8:30 p.m.

ESPN — NWSL: Houston at San Diego

TENNIS

2 p.m.

ABC — ATP: The U.S. Open, Championship, Flushing, N.Y.

WNBA BASKETBALL

3 p.m.

NBATV — Indiana at Washington

6 p.m.

NBATV — Dallas at Los Angeles

9 p.m.

NBATV — Chicago at Las Vegas

THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2025

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