THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 7

ADAMS CENTRAL (6-0) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-5)

ANDERSON (2-4) AT KOKOMO (5-1)

ANDREAN (3-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (6-0)…..INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

ATTICA (0-6) AT RIVERTON PARKE (1-5)

BATESVILLE (5-1) AT GREENSBURG (0-6)

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (4-2) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (5-1)

BEECH GROVE (2-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-3)

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (5-1) AT COLUMBUS NORTH (3-3)

BLUFFTON (6-0) AT HERITAGE (5-1)

BOONE GROVE (4-2) AT WHITING (2-4)

BOONVILLE (3-3) AT PRINCETON (1-5)

BREBEUF JESUIT (3-2) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (2-4)

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (5-1) AT MADISON (1-5)

CALUMET (2-4) AT WHEELER (3-3)

CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-4) AT UNION CITY (1-5)

CARMEL (4-2) AT BEN DAVIS (5-1)

CASCADE (4-2) AT OWEN VALLEY (2-4)

CASTLE (3-3) AT JASPER (4-2)

CENTER GROVE (5-1) AT PIKE (1-5)

CENTERVILLE (6-0) AT UNION COUNTY (0-6)

CHARLESTOWN (3-3) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (0-6)

CHURUBUSCO (2-4) AT CENTRAL NOBLE (2-4)

CLINTON CENTRAL (1-4) AT CARROLL (FLORA) (6-0)

CLINTON PRAIRIE (4-2) AT TAYLOR (1-5)

COLUMBUS EAST (2-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (6-0)

CONNERSVILLE (2-4) AT EAST CENTRAL (6-0)

COVENANT CHRISTIAN (3-3) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (2-4)…..CANCELLED

COVINGTON (3-3) AT SEEGER (5-1)

CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-6) AT LEBANON (2-4)

CULVER (0-6) AT CASTON (0-6)

DANVILLE (4-2) AT FRANKFORT (1-5)

DECATUR CENTRAL (4-2) AT GREENWOOD (4-2)

DELPHI (2-4) AT SHERIDAN (5-1)

DELTA (5-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (4-2)

EAST NOBLE (4-2) AT COLUMBIA CITY (5-1)

EASTBROOK (4-2) AT ELWOOD (1-5)

EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (4-2) AT TRI-CENTRAL (1-5)

EASTERN (PEKIN) (2-4) AT SALEM (1-5)

EASTERN GREENE (3-3) AT RED HILL (ILL.)

EASTSIDE (4-2) AT FREMONT (1-5)

ELKHART (2-4) AT SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-5)

EVANSVILLE HARRISON (0-6) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-6)

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-5) AT EVANSVILLE BOSSE (1-5)

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-0) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (6-0)……INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

FAIRFIELD (4-2) AT GARRETT (2-4)

FOREST PARK (4-2) AT NORTH POSEY (5-1)

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-6) AT FORT WAYNE WAYNE (3-3)

FORT WAYNE DWENGER (3-3) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (4-2)

FORT WAYNE NORTH (2-4) AT FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-5)

FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-6) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (5-1)

FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (5-1)

FRANKLIN (4-2) AT PLAINFIELD (5-1)

FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT FISHERS (4-2)

FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-3) AT SOUTH DEARBORN (3-3)

FRANKTON (3-3) AT MADISON-GRANT (5-1)

FRONTIER (4-2) AT TRI-COUNTY (2-3)

GARY WEST (3-3) AT GRIFFITH (3-3)

GIBSON SOUTHERN (4-2) AT WASHINGTON (2-4)

GOSHEN (0-6) AT PLYMOUTH (2-4)

GREENCASTLE (4-2) AT CLOVERDALE (2-4)

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-1) AT YORKTOWN (4-2)

GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (3-3) AT CLARKSVILLE (0-6)

GUERIN CATHOLIC (4-2) AT NORTHVIEW (5-1)

HAGERSTOWN (5-1) AT WINCHESTER (4-2)

HAMILTON HEIGHTS (6-0) AT TIPTON (1-5)

HAMMOND CENTRAL (4-2) AT HAMMOND MORTON (2-3)

HAMMOND NOLL (2-4) AT RIVER FOREST (3-3)

HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-6)

HERITAGE HILLS (5-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-2)

HIGHLAND (2-4) AT MUNSTER (2-4)

HOBART (5-1) AT HANOVER CENTRAL (6-0)

HOMESTEAD (3-3) AT CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (4-2)

INDIAN CREEK (3-3) AT SPEEDWAY (2-4)

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (5-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-3)

INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (4-2) AT CINCINNATI LASALLE (OHIO)

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (6-0) AT MONROVIA (5-1)

INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (3-3) AT LOUISVILLE MALE (KY.)

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (5-1)

INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (3-3) AT WES-DEL (1-5)

IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-6) AT EDINBURGH (0-6)

JAY COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH ADAMS (3-3)

JEFFERSONVILLE (0-6) AT NEW ALBANY (1-5)

KNOX (6-0) AT PIONEER (4-2)

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (3-3) AT TWIN LAKES (4-2)

LAKE CENTRAL (3-3) AT CHESTERTON (2-4)

LAKE STATION (2-4) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (2-4)

LAKELAND (5-1) AT WEST NOBLE (6-0)

LAPEL (2-4) AT HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-1)…..INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

LAPORTE (1-5) AT CROWN POINT (6-0)

LAVILLE (5-1) AT JOHN GLENN (4-2)

LAWRENCE CENTRAL (2-4) AT NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-6)

LAWRENCEBURG (4-2) AT RUSHVILLE (2-4)

LEO (4-2) AT HUNTINGTON NORTH (1-5)

LEWIS CASS (3-3) AT MACONAQUAH (4-2)

LINTON-STOCKTON (5-1) AT NORTH KNOX (4-2)

LOWELL (2-4) AT KANKAKEE VALLEY (2-4)

MANCHESTER (2-4) AT WHITKO (1-5)

MARTINSVILLE (3-3) AT PERRY MERIDIAN (2-4)

MCCUTCHEON (3-3) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (3-3)

MERRILLVILLE (5-1) AT VALPARAISO (4-2)

MILAN (4-2) AT PROVIDENCE (6-0)

MISHAWAKA (5-1) AT NORTHWOOD (4-2)

MISHAWAKA MARIAN (2-4) AT ANGOLA (0-6)

MISSISSINEWA (6-0) AT BLACKFORD (0-6)

MITCHELL (2-4) AT SCOTTSBURG (3-3)

MONROE CENTRAL (2-4) AT EASTERN HANCOCK (3-3)

MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (2-4) AT NEW CASTLE (1-5)

MUNCIE CENTRAL (1-5) AT MARION (2-4)

NEW HAVEN (6-0) AT BELLMONT (0-6)

NOBLESVILLE (3-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (5-1)

NORTH DAVIESS (4-2) AT NORTH DECATUR (3-3)

NORTH JUDSON (4-2) AT TRITON (4-2)

NORTH MIAMI (1-5) AT WABASH (0-6)

NORTH PUTNAM (1-5) AT WEST VIGO (1-5)

NORTH WHITE (6-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-3)

NORTHFIELD (2-4) AT ROCHESTER (4-2)

NORTHRIDGE (5-1) AT CONCORD (4-2)

NORWELL (1-5) AT DEKALB (3-3)

OAK HILL (3-3) AT ALEXANDRIA (5-1)

PAOLI (5-1) AT CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-6)

PARKE HERITAGE (2-4) AT NORTH VERMILLION (4-2)

PHALEN ACADEMY (1-4) AT PARK TUDOR (6-0)

PIKE CENTRAL (1-5) AT TELL CITY (3-3)

PORTAGE (0-6) AT MICHIGAN CITY (3-3)

PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-6) AT BREMEN (3-3)

PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (2-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (3-3)

RENSSELAER CENTRAL (2-4) AT BENTON CENTRAL (1-4)

RICHMOND (1-5) AT LOGANSPORT (2-4)

SEYMOUR (3-3) AT JENNINGS COUNTY (3-3)

SHELBYVILLE (3-3) AT NEW PALESTINE (4-2)

SHENANDOAH (1-5) AT NORTHEASTERN (5-1)

SILVER CREEK (4-2) AT NORTH HARRISON (5-1)

SOUTH BEND RILEY (6-0) AT NEW PRAIRIE (5-1)

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-3) AT PENN (5-1)

SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-4) AT JIMTOWN (2-4)

SOUTH PUTNAM (5-1) AT BROWN COUNTY (1-5)

SOUTHRIDGE (4-2) AT SOUTH SPENCER (2-4)

SOUTHWOOD (4-2) AT PERU (6-0)

SULLIVAN (3-3) AT EDGEWOOD (1-5)

SWITZERLAND COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH DECATUR (5-1)

TECUMSEH (0-6) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (5-1)

TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-6) AT SOUTHPORT (0-6)

TIPPECANOE VALLEY (6-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (4-1)

TRI (3-3) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (3-3)

TRI-WEST (5-1) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (4-2)

VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-1) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (4-2)

WARREN CENTRAL (3-3) AT LAWRENCE NORTH (4-2)

WAWASEE (1-5) AT WARSAW (5-1)

WEST WASHINGTON (4-2) AT PERRY CENTRAL (3-3)

WESTERN (2-4) AT NORTHWESTERN (3-3)

WESTERN BOONE (4-2) AT SOUTHMONT (4-2)

WESTFIELD (5-1) AT AVON (0-6)

WHITELAND (3-3) AT MOORESVILLE (2-4)

WINAMAC (1-5) AT WEST CENTRAL (6-0)

WOODLAN (2-4) AT CULVER ACADEMY (2-4)

ZIONSVILLE (3-3) AT BROWNSBURG (6-0)

CONFERENCE STANDINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/conf.htm#loaded

SECTIONAL STANDINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/sect.htm#loaded

SAGARIN RANKINGS: http://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/classrate.htm#loaded

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED VOLLEYBALL SCORES

https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=9/28/2023

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL REPORTED BOYS SOCCER SCORES

https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=9/28/2023

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER REPORTED SCORES

https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=9/28/202

INDIANA BOYS TENNIS SECTIONAL BRACKETS

https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-24%20BTe%20Sectional%20Brackets_0.pdf

INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY NEWS

https://in.milesplit.com/

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GOLF STATE FINALS

ROUND 1 TEE TIMES: https://www.ihsaa.org/sites/default/files/documents/2023-24%20GGo%20First%20Round%20Pairings.pdf

THE INDIANA SRN PRE-SEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL TOP 25 POLL

1 DUKE BLUE DEVILS

2 KANSAS JAYHAWKS

3 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

4 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

5 HOUSTON COUGARS

6 CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS

7 MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES

8 UCONN HUSKIES

9 TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

10 FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS

11 GONZAGA BULLDOGS

12 TEXAS LONGHORNS

13 ARIZONA WILDCATS

14 MIAMI HURRICANES

15 KENTUCKY WILDCATS

16 SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

17 TEXAS A&M AGGIES

18 VILLANOVA WILDCATS

19 BAYLOR BEARS

20 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

21 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

22 ST. MARY’S GAELS

23 USC TROJANS

24 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

25 FLORIDA GATORS

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: ST. JOHN’S, ILLINOIS, COLORADO, MISSISSIPPI STATE, TCU, UCLA, WISCONSIN, AUBURN, CLEMSON, WEST VIRGINIA, TEXAS TECH

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 5

THURSDAY, SEPT. 28

SCOREBOARD

TULSA 48 TEMPLE 26

WESTERN KENTUCKY 31 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 10

JACKSONVILLE STATE 35 SAM HOUSTON ST. 28 OT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29

LOUISVILLE AT NC STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN

COLUMBIA AT PRINCETON | 7 P.M. | ESPNU

UTAH AT OREGON STATE | 9 P.M. | FS1

LOUISIANA TECH AT UTEP | 9 P.M. | CBSSN

CINCINNATI AT BYU | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN

SATURDAY, SEPT. 30

USC AT COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX

PENN STATE AT NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY | 12 P.M.

TEXAS A&M AT ARKANSAS | 12 P.M.

LOUISIANA AT MINNESOTA | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

UTAH STATE AT UCONN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN

CLEMSON AT SYRACUSE | 12 P.M. | ABC

UAB AT TULANE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2

SOUTH ALABAMA AT JAMES MADISON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU

BUFFALO AT AKRON | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

HOWARD AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

MORGAN STATE AT YALE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT DELAWARE STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

DARTMOUTH AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT SAMFORD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

EASTERN MICHIGAN AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+

VIRGINIA AT BOSTON COLLEGE | 2 P.M. | CW NETWORK

NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT NORFOLK STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

AUSTIN PEAY AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

COLGATE AT CORNELL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTH DAKOTA AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE AT VALPARAISO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

DRAKE AT MOREHEAD STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

WESTERN CAROLINA AT THE CITADEL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

MIAMI (OHIO) AT KENT STATE | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+

ARIZONA STATE AT CAL | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

WEBER STATE AT NORTHERN COLORADO | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH DAKOTA AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

GEORGIA AT AUBURN | 3:30 P.M. | CBS

MICHIGAN AT NEBRASKA | 3:30 P.M. | FOX

KANSAS AT TEXAS | 3:30 P.M. | ABC

INDIANA AT MARYLAND | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

ILLINOIS AT PURDUE | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK

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

BOWLING GREEN AT GEORGIA TECH | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

HOUSTON AT TEXAS TECH | 3:30 P.M.

BAYLOR AT UCF | 3:30 P.M.

ARKANSAS STATE AT UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

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

OLD DOMINION AT MARSHALL | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

BALL STATE AT WESTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT TOLEDO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU

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

MISSOURI AT VANDERBILT | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

BOISE STATE AT MEMPHIS | 4 P.M. | ESPN2

NEW MEXICO AT WYOMING | 4 P.M. | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK

CAMPBELL AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

TARLETON STATE AT SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

IDAHO AT EASTERN WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

IDAHO STATE AT MONTANA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

PORTLAND STATE AT MONTANA STATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

VMI AT MERCER | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

HARVARD AT HOLY CROSS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

MISSOURI STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

LSU AT OLE MISS | 6 P.M. | ESPN

KENNESAW STATE AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+

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

OREGON AT STANFORD | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA | 7 P.M. | FS1

EAST CAROLINA AT RICE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT NORTH TEXAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

COASTAL CAROLINA AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK

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

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

ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT NORTH TEXAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

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

EASTERN KENTUCKY AT NORTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

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

LAMAR AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

EASTERN ILLINOIS AT NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

TENNESSEE STATE AT UT MARTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

NOTRE DAME AT DUKE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC

SOUTH CAROLINA AT TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

MICHIGAN STATE AT IOWA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC/PEACOCK

CHARLOTTE AT SMU | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU

PITT AT VIRGINIA TECH | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

WEST VIRGINIA AT TCU | 8 P.M. | ESPN2

APPALACHIAN STATE AT UL MONROE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

SAN DIEGO STATE AT AIR FORCE | 8 P.M. | CBSSN

CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT SOUTHERN UTAH | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

UC DAVIS AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

NICHOLLS AT MCNEESE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN

NORTHERN ARIZONA AT SACRAMENTO STATE | 9 P.M. | ESPN+

WASHINGTON AT ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

NEVADA AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1

NFL SCHEDULE

WEEK 4 SCHEDULE

THURSDAY SCOREBOARD

DETROIT 34 GREEN BAY 20

ATLANTA FALCONS VS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (WEMBLEY) 2:30P (BST) 9:30A ESPN+

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT BUFFALO BILLS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

DENVER BRONCOS AT CHICAGO BEARS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT TENNESSEE TITANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P CBS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT DALLAS COWBOYS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT NEW YORK JETS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT NEW YORK GIANTS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3 ARIZONA 1

DETROIT 8 KANSAS CITY 0

OAKLAND 2 MINNESOTA 1

DETROIT 7 KANSAS CITY 3

BALTIMORE 2 BOSTON 0

TORONTO 6 NY YANKEES 0

SEATTLE 3 TEXAS 2

MILWAUKEE 3 ST. LOUIS 0

PITTSBURGH 3 PHILADELPHIA 2

MIAMI 2 NY METS 1 SUSPENDED

ATLANTA 5 CHICAGO CUBS 3

COLORADO 14 LA DODGERS 5

NHL PRE-SEASON

PITTSBURGH 3 BUFFALO 1

WASHINGTON 4 DETROIT 3

NEW JERSEY 3 NY RANGERS 2

MINNESOTA 4 COLORADO 2

CHICAGO 2 ST. LOUIS 1

SEATTLE 3 VANCOUVER 1

WNBA SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

TOP 25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 25 QUICK HITTERS

#10 UTAH VS #19 OREGON STATE

This will be the first ranked matchup between these teams. Utah has won 10 of the last 14 games in this series, going 4-3 in Corvallis during that span.

• Utah is looking to defeat a ranked opponent in consecutive games for the fourth time in the last 40 years (2015, 2008, 1994).
• Last week against then-No. 22 UCLA, the Utes became the first Pac-12 team since USC in 2000 (vs. Penn State) to hold a ranked foe to under 10 rushing yards and seven or fewer points.
• Oregon State’s defense allowed two receivers to each get 150+ receiving yards last week. It was the first time the Beavers have done so since October 10, 1998 versus Stanford.
• Deshaun Fenwick joined Jermar Jefferson (2020) and Ken Simonton (2000) as the only Oregon State players in the last 25 years to rush for 100+ yards and 3+ touchdowns in a conference opener.

#8 USC AT COLORADO

• USC has won all 16 meetings with Colorado dating back to the programs’ first matchup in 1927; the last 11 have all come in Pac-12 play. The Trojans picked up a 37-14 victory in their last trip out to Boulder in October 2021.
• USC has started 4-0 in each of the last two years after winning four games in total in 2021. The Trojans have scored 220 points this season, their most points through four games in program history, while their +140 point differential is the highest through four games since 2005 (141).
• MarShawn Lloyd rushed for 154 yards on 14 carries against Arizona State; he had 153 yards on 16 carries over the previous two games combined. His 8.9 rushing average this season ranks eighth in the FBS (min. 5 attempts per team game) and second among Power 5 players behind Louisville’s Jawhar Jordan (9.6).
• Colorado was routed, 42-6, at Oregon last week for its first loss of the season. The Buffaloes managed just 199 yards of total offense in the loss after averaging 479.0 yards per game over the first three.
• Xavier Weaver led the Buffs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (75) for the third straight game. He is the second Colorado player in the last 25 seasons to tally nine catches in three consecutive games, joining Laviska Shenault Jr. in 2018.

#22 FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY

• Kentucky has won each of the last two meetings with Florida, the first time the Wildcats have won consecutive matchups since 1976 and 1977; the Gators had won 39 of the 42 meetings in the interim, including 31 straight from 1987 to 2017. Kentucky has not beaten Florida in three straight matchups since winning four straight from 1948 to 1951.
• Florida downed Charlotte, 22-7, holding the 49ers to just 210 yards of total offense. The Gators have allowed just 244.8 yards per game this season, fifth-best in the FBS; their 979 yards allowed is their fewest through four games since 2016 (887).
• Ricky Pearsall had six catches for 104 yards in the win over Charlotte, his fifth-career 100-yard game (four have come with Florida). His 362 receiving yards rank sixth in the SEC.
• Kentucky downed Vanderbilt, 45-28, to improve to 4-0 for the third straight season; they had just one such start in the previous 12 years. The Wildcats have held opponents under 100 rushing yards in five straight games dating back to last year’s bowl game; they look to become the first SEC team to do so in their first five games of a season since Alabama did so in its first eight games of 2012.
• Barion Brown led the Wildcats with 105 receiving yards on four catches in the win against Vanderbilt, the second time in his career that he has surpassed 100 yards on four or fewer catches. His 842 career receiving yards rank third among SEC underclassmen behind Texas A&M’s Evan Stewart (956) and Missouri’s Luther Burden III (879).

#6 PENN STATE AT NORTHWESTERN

• Penn State is coming off a 31-0 victory against then No. 24 Iowa, its largest shutout against an AP Poll ranked team since a 39-0 win in 1975 against then No. 10 West Virginia. It was the Nittany Lions’ first shutout against the Hawkeyes since 1993 (31-0).
• Penn State is the only FBS team this season to have zero turnovers on offense. Dating back to last season, the Nittany Lions have committed zero turnovers in six straight games, the longest such streak by any Big Ten program over the past 25 seasons.
• Among all the players in FBS that have thrown zero interceptions, Drew Allar (125) has the second most pass attempts behind Washington State’s Cameron Ward (141). It is also the most attempts by any Big Ten player without an interception thru four team games since Purdue’s Kyle Orton in 2004 (137).
• Ben Bryant recorded four passing touchdowns last week against Minnesota after combining for two passing touchdowns over his first three games of the season. He is the first Northwestern QB to record at least four passing touchdowns in a game since Trevor Siemian did on November 30, 2013 against Illinois (also four).
• Northwestern has scored a touchdown on 83.3 percent of their red zone drives this season, the highest rate in the Big Ten and tied for the sixth-highest rate in FBS. The Wildcats (98.0) are also the only Big Ten team to average fewer than 100.0 rushing yards this season.

#1 GEORGIA AT AUBURN

• Georgia has won six straight against Auburn dating back to the 2017 SEC Championship Game and holds a 63-56-8 lead in the all-time series. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four at Auburn, including each of the last two; the Tigers’ last win in the series came at home in the 2017 regular season.
• Georgia routed UAB, 49-21, behind 582 yards of total offense, it most in a regular-season game since December 12, 2020 (615 at Missouri). Opponents have converted just 15 of 57 third downs against the Bulldogs defense — that 26.3 percent ranks eighth in the FBS and fifth among Power 5 programs.
• Brock Bowers had nine catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns against UAB, his second career game with 120+ yards and two TDs (also at South Carolina in 2022). Bowers leads the Bulldogs with 22 receptions, 255 receiving yards, and two touchdowns this season — one of just two FBS tight ends to lead all three categories outright (Mark Redman, SDSU).
• Auburn suffered its first loss of the season with a 27-10 defeat at Texas A&M in which it managed just 200 yards of offense, including just 56 passing yards. It is just the fourth time since 2000 that the Tigers have been held to fewer than 60 passing yards, and the first time since November 12, 2016 at Georgia (37 yards).
• After rushing for 123 yards and two touchdowns the previous week against Samford, Payton Thorne was sacked five times by Texas A&M and netted -34 rushing yards in the game. The Michigan State transfer has a career-high 65.3 completion percentage this season, but has attempted just 43 passes in his three games against FBS competition (32 vs. Samford).

#2 MICHIGAN AT NEBRASKA

• Michigan holds a 7-4-1 advantage in the all-time series with Nebraska, including wins in each of the last three meetings. The teams have split the three meetings in Lincoln, with Michigan taking a 32-29 win there in 2021; the Huskers won in 2012, and the teams tied in 1911.
• The Wolverines have yet to allow more than seven points in a game this season following their 31-7 win over Rutgers. Since 1980, only Wisconsin (2004), Florida State (1993), and Iowa State (1980) have conceded seven or fewer points in each of their first five games of a season.
• JJ McCarthy owns a 79.8 completion percentage this season, best in the FBS, and is averaging 10.28 yards per attempt, 11th in the FBS. In the past 25 years, only Mac Jones (2020 Alabama) and Joe Burrow (2019 LSU) have had a 75.0+ completion percentage and a 10.00+ yards per attempt average in a full season (min. 15 attempts/team game).
• Nebraska rushed for 312 yards in its win over Louisiana Tech, the Huskers’ most since posting 427 against Northwestern in 2021. The Huskers are averaging 234.8 rushing yards per game this season, sixth-best in the FBS and third among Power 5 programs behind UCF (260.3) and Louisville (237.3).
• Heinrich Haarberg (157 yards) and Anthony Grant (135 yards) each scored a rushing touchdown, the first Huskers duo to each rush for 130+ yards and score a touchdown since Eric Crouch (132 yards, 3 TD) and Dahrran Diedrick (137 yards, TD) did so against Baylor on October 13, 2001.

#24 KANSAS AT #3 TEXAS

• Texas has won 17 of the 21 all-time meetings with Kansas, but the Jayhawks took the most recent matchup in Austin, 57-56, in 2021. This will mark the first meeting in which both teams are ranked; the Jayhawks are 0-8 against a Texas team ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Kansas is 4-0 for the second consecutive season, the first time they have done so in consecutive seasons since 1914 and 1915. The Jayhawks held BYU to just nine rushing yards in their last game, their fewest allowed since September 12, 2009 (four at UTEP).
• Luke Grimm had two catches for just 18 yards in the win over BYU, but scored a touchdown on both — his second career multi-score game (November 28, 2020 vs. TCU). He is the first Jayhawk to have multiple catches in a game and score a touchdown on all of them since Jon Cornish did so in the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl against Houston.
• Texas routed Baylor, 38-6, in Waco to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2012. The Longhorns have allowed 50 points this season, their fewest through four games since 2008 (43).
• Ja’Tavion Sanders led the Longhorns with 110 receiving yards in the win over Baylor, his second 100-yard game in three contests; he had no catches the previous week vs. Wyoming. Sanders leads the Longhorns with 268 receiving yards this season, tied with Colorado State’s Dallin Holker for most among FBS tight ends this season.

#23 MISSOURI AT VANDERBILT

• Missouri has won 10 of the 15 all-time meetings with Vanderbilt, including each of the last three. The teams have alternated wins in Nashville since their first meeting there in 1957 which ended in a tie; Missouri won the most recent meeting there.
• The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time since 2013 after holding off Memphis, 34-27, in St. Louis, their third straight one-score win. Missouri checks in at 23rd on the AP Poll, the first time the program has been ranked since October 2019 when they entered Nashville ranked 22nd before falling to unranked Vanderbilt.
• Luther Burden III had 10 catches for 177 yards in the win over Memphis, his third straight 100-yard game. His 177 yards were the most by a Missouri player since Johnathon Johnson tallied 185 yards against Oklahoma State in the 2018 Liberty Bowl.
• Vanderbilt managed 328 yards in its 45-28 loss to Kentucky, its third straight loss following a 2-0 start. The Commodores turned the ball over three times and have 11 giveaways this season, tied for third-most in the FBS (Bowling Green and Tulsa, 12 each). They have allowed 44 points off those turnovers, tied for second-most in the FBS (Tulsa, 57).
• Will Sheppard is tied for the FBS lead with six touchdown catches this season, though he was held to just two receptions for just 31 yards in the loss to Kentucky. With his next TD, Sheppard will become the sixth Commodore with 20+ career touchdown receptions; Jordan Matthews holds the program record with 24.

#13 LSU AT #20 OLE MISS

• LSU has won six of its last seven games against Ole Miss, including upsetting the No. 7 Rebels last season on October 22. The victory is part of Brian Kelly’s 3-1 career coaching record against Lane Kiffin.
• Ole Miss rushed for just 56 yards in last week’s loss to Alabama, its fewest output in a game since November 22, 2018 against Mississippi State (37). The Rebels dropped to 5-7 against ranked foes under Lane Kiffin, which breaks down to 3-3 at home and 2-4 away from home.
• Jaxson Dart is one of two FBS players that has recorded 1000+ passing yards and 200+ rushing yards this season (New Mexico State’s Diego Pavia). The last SEC player to do this within his team’s first four games was Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond in 2018.
• Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. became the first SEC duo to each record 125+ receiving yards and 2+ touchdown catches in the same game since Kentucky’s Lance Mickelsen and Craig Yeast in 1997.
• Jayden Daniels became the sixth FBS player to accumulate 10,000+ career passing yards and 2000+ career rushing yards, joining Trevone Boykin, Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick, Dan LeFevour and Marcus Mariota.

#9 OREGON AT STANFORD

• Oregon is 6-4 at Stanford over the last 20 seasons (since 2004), the most road wins by any team against Stanford over that span. The Ducks are looking to avoid losing back-to-back games at Stanford for the first time since 1996 and 1997.
• Oregon has won 16 consecutive games against unranked (AP) opponents, the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS behind Ohio State (33), Georgia (30) and Michigan (24).
• Bo Nix needs 52 more rushing yards to become the third player in FBS history with at least 12,000 career passing yards and 1500 career rushing yards, along with Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour (2006-09) and Texas’ Colt McCoy (2006-09).
• Stanford has lost its last eight games against AP Top 25 opponents, all by double digits. The eight straight double-digit losses against ranked opponents is the second-longest active streak among Power 5 teams (Vanderbilt – 10).
• Justin Lamson has gone 41 straight pass attempts without throwing a TD pass (every attempt of his career), while Ashton Daniels has gone 29 straight attempts without throwing for a score.

IOWA STATE AT #14 OKLAHOMA

• Oklahoma is allowing 8.5 points per game this season after allowing 30.0 last season, the largest improvement (-21.5) in the FBS. OU’s 34 points allowed are the fewest by a Big 12 team through four games since TCU in 2012 (29) and the fewest by Oklahoma through four games since 1992 (32).
• Dillon Gabriel is one of three FBS QBs in the last five seasons to complete 75.0% of his passes with 12+ TD passes and no more than one interception over his team’s first four games of a season, along with Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (both in 2019).
• Oklahoma has had 14 different players score an offensive touchdown so far this season, most in the FBS.
• Iowa State will be trying to become the first team to beat Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in back-to-back weeks (either order) since Texas A&M did so in 1998 (Baylor beat them in back-to-back games in 2014, but had a bye week in between).
• Rocco Becht is the only FBS QB to make at least four starts this season while increasing his passing yardage in each successive one (he has passed for 113, 203, 233 and 348 yards in his four starts).

#11 NOTRE DAME AT #17 DUKE

• Notre Dame is 5-2 against Duke all-time, including a 38-7 victory in its most recent trip out to Durham in 2019. The Irish have won seven of their last nine games against ranked ACC foes after winning only twice in the previous 10 such matchups.
• Following a 41-7 win over UConn last week, Duke has started the season with four straight wins by 20+ points for the first time in school history. The last time the Blue Devils had such a streak of victories at any point was between the 1954 and 1955 seasons.
• Of the 110 FBS players with at least 75 pass attempts this season, only four have more rushing touchdowns than passing touchdowns, including Duke’s Riley Leonard (others are Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones, Nevada’s Brendon Lewis and Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai).
• Notre Dame is holding opposing quarterbacks to a 47.4 completion percentage this season, best in the FBS. The improvement can be seen clearly on first down, where the Irish allow just a 40.7 completion percentage compared to a 60.5 mark last year.
• Sam Hartman is the first Notre Dame quarterback to throw 14+ touchdown passes in the team’s first five games. He has done so without throwing an interception — only USC’s Caleb Williams (15) has more TDs without an INT this season.

SOUTH CAROLINA AT #21 TENNESSEE

• South Carolina put up 63 points in last year’s meeting against Tennessee to end a three-game losing streak in the series. It was the Gamecocks’ second-largest scoring output in an SEC game all-time (65 vs. Mississippi State in 1995).
• Two SEC underclassmen have put up 150+ scrimmage yards and 1+ scrimmage touchdown in a game this season — Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson against UTSA last week (159/2) and Florida’s Trevor Etienne against the Vols (172/1).
• Including last week’s game against UTSA, Joe Milton has recorded multiple passing touchdowns and at least one rushing TD in three games this season, tied for the most in the FBS (Liberty’s Kaidon Salter, Washington State’s Cameron Ward).
• Xavier Legette recorded a career-high 189 receiving yards to go along with two touchdown grabs in last week’s win over Mississippi State. Legette is the only player in the FBS to record 175+ receiving yards in multiple games this season (also vs. UNC).
• Spencer Rattler is the only player in the FBS to record multiple games with 3+ touchdown passes on a 90.0 completion percentage or better (vs. Mississippi State and Furman). The only other SEC player in the last 25 years with multiple such outings in a single season is Alabama’s Bryce Young in 2021.

#12 ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Alabama has won 15 straight against Mississippi State, with the last loss coming in Nick Saban’s first year with the program (2007). The Tide have held the Bulldogs under 10 points in 12 of those 15 games, including in each of the most recent five.
• Mississippi State is looking to avoid its first 0-3 start in SEC play since 2011. The Bulldogs lost to South Carolina last week despite putting up 519 yards of offense, their most in a loss since November 19, 2016 (533 vs. Arkansas).
• Lideatrick Griffin set a new school record after hauling in 256 receiving yards in the loss to South Carolina. The last SEC player to have that many receiving yards on the road was LSU’s Josh Reed in 2001 at Alabama (293).
• Alabama is 36-2 (.947) in road games against unranked opponents under Nick Saban (since 2007), the best record in the FBS during that span (min. 5 games). The two losses occurred at Texas A&M in 2021 and at Mississippi State in 2007.
• Jalen Milroe has completed 66.7 percent of his passes this season, averaging 10.21 yards per attempt and connecting on six touchdowns. Alabama’s other quarterbacks have completed just 48.3 percent of their passes, averaging 4.79 yards per attempt with no TDs.

#7 WASHINGTON AT ARIZONA

• Washington has won six straight against Arizona including a 49-39 victory at home last season. It was just the second time in the series (37 games) that both teams recorded at least 35 points, along with the Wildcats’ 48-41 win in 2007.
• Michael Penix Jr. has recorded at least a 70.0 completion percentage, 300 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in all four of his games this season, most in the FBS. He only had one such game over his first 33 career games.
• Washington is the only FBS school this season to have at least three players (Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynnn Polk) with 300+ scrimmage yards and 4+ scrimmage touchdowns. Previously, the Huskies never had more than one player record such numbers thru four team games over the past 25 seasons.
• Rome Odunze is the only player in FBS with a receiving touchdown, rushing touchdown and punt return touchdown this season. No other Washington player has recorded all three in their career this century, much less the same season.
• Jayden de Laura’s passer rating falls with each down this season. On first down, he has a 195.6 passer rating (14th in FBS — min. 20 attempts) while on second down it moves to 150.2 (51st in FBS) and on third down it drops to 82.8 (93rd in FBS).

NEVADA AT #25 FRESNO STATE

• A total of 1467 points have been scored in the 23 games between Nevada and Fresno State this century, an average of 63.8 combined points per game. The Bulldogs have scored at least 30 points in 14 of those contests, their most against any team in that span.
• Fresno State’s 13-game winning streak is the longest by any Mountain West program since San Diego State’s run of 13 straight between 2015 and 2016. The only FBS team with a longer active win streak than Fresno State is Georgia (21).
• Mikey Keene is one of four FBS quarterbacks in 2023 with multiple games of 300+ passing yards and four or more TD passes. The others are Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. (3), Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders (2) and Washington State’s Cameron Ward (2).
• Nevada is on a 14-game losing streak, twice as long as the next-longest active losing streak in the FBS (Virginia — 7). With a loss to Fresno State, Nevada would become the first Mountain West school to lose 15 straight games as a member of the conference.
• Since the beginning of last season, Nevada has eight total touchdown passes, the fewest among any FBS team that has played at this level in both 2022 and 2023. This season alone, Fresno State has thrown for 13 touchdowns, tied for the sixth most among FBS teams.

MEL TUCKER PLANS WRONGFUL TERMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE

Mel Tucker’s attorney informed Michigan State on Thursday that Tucker will file a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university.

Michigan State officially fired Tucker for cause on Wednesday following a months-long investigation into sexual harassment allegations. The university said in a letter that his actions with a female contractor left it “subject to public disrespect and ridicule.”

Tucker’s attorney, Jennifer Belveal, responded Thursday by requesting that the school prepare records pertaining to all members of the athletic department and other university employees, “in anticipation of litigation.”

Michigan State’s investigation alleged that Tucker, 51, sexually harassed Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor and activist, during what she has characterized as unwanted phone sex in April 2022.

While Field Level Media’s policy is not to name alleged victims of sexual harassment or assault, Tracy agreed to be identified in a USA Today interview and provided hundreds of pages of documentation.

According to Tucker’s attorneys, Tucker and Tracy had “an entirely mutual, private event between two adults living at opposite ends of the country” and Tucker has said the investigation contained “an ulterior motive designed to terminate my contract.”

Wednesday’s termination letter, signed by athletic director Alan Haller, said Tucker’s 25-page response to the allegations did “not provide any information that refutes or undermines the multiple grounds for termination for cause set forth” in the notice to terminate. Instead, Haller said the response “provides a litany of excuses for your inappropriate behavior while expressly admitting to the problematic conduct outlined” in the notice.

Belveal called Tucker’s firing an “illegal termination” in Thursday’s letter. She requested Michigan State retain all phone and computer records as well as physical files from athletic department employees, the general counsel’s office and all board of trustees members.

Tucker was one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, signing a 10-year, $95 million contract before the 2022 season. The contract would have been fully guaranteed had the school fired Tucker for performance.

However, it contains a clause that allows Michigan State to fire him, without payment, if he engages in “conduct which, in the University’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule on the University,” according to USA Today.

Harlon Bennett has served as the Spartans’ interim head coach since Tucker was initially suspended without pay Sept. 10. The team has lost both games under Bennett so far.

NFL NEWS

DAVID MONTGOMERY RUNS WILD AS LIONS BEAT PACKERS 34-20 TO TAKE EARLY COMMAND OF NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) David Montgomery never beat the Green Bay Packers during his four seasons with the Chicago Bears.

Now with a different NFC North team, Montgomery made the most of his new situation and helped the Detroit Lions take early command of the division with a 34-20 victory at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

“It just felt real different coming in with the group of guys that I’m with,” said Montgomery, who rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns. “I’m blessed to come out here with these guys and get the ‘dub.’ That’s big for me. I can tell my son that I beat the Packers, so I’m excited to say that and excited to be a part of this team.”

Montgomery carried the ball 32 times after sitting out the Lions’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday with a thigh bruise. He became the first Lion to rush for three touchdowns at Green Bay and the first Detroit player to top 100 yards rushing with three TDs since James Stewart in 2000.

“He was balling,” Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “We can count on him whenever. Give him the ball, he’s going to make something happen.”

The Lions (3-1) beat the Packers (2-2) for a fourth straight time, a streak that also includes the final game of last season, when Detroit denied Green Bay a playoff spot in Aaron Rodgers’ last game with the Packers.

Detroit has built on the momentum from that season-ending victory by getting off to a fast start this year that now includes road victories over the Packers and the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

“Send us anywhere, line us up against anyone and we feel like we can go in there and beat them,” said Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who went 19 of 28 for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “That’s a good feeling to have.”

Rodgers’ replacement, Jordan Love, threw for a touchdown and ran for another as he tried to rally the Packers in the second half. He finished 23 of 36 for 246 yards and had two passes intercepted by Jerry Jacobs.

Detroit led 27-3 at halftime and had outgained Green Bay 284 yards to 21 as the half ended with boos from the crowd. It was the Lions’ highest-scoring first half against the Packers in the series’ 188-game history.

The Packers had staged an improbable rally earlier in the week, trailing New Orleans 17-0 on Sunday before scoring 18 points in the final 11 minutes for a one-point victory.

Green Bay faced a halftime deficit of at least 17 points in back-to-back weeks for the first time in franchise history. This time, it was too much to overcome.

“I think just offensively as a whole we’ve just got to start faster,” Love said. “We don’t start fast and we kind of get behind and it’s hard running the ball. We get put in situations where you’ve got to throw the ball. So I think we’ve just got to start faster.”

Love got the Packers within 10 points. His 1-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson capped a season-long 86-yard drive to open the second half.

Jayden Reed ended the third quarter with a 44-yard catch that set up Love’s 9-yard touchdown run with 14:52 left in the game to make it 27-17.

Detroit responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Montgomery’s 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal, that took nearly nine minutes off the clock and put the game away.

The Lions were prepared to settle for a 30-yard field goal that would have kept it as a two-score game, but they got a first down when Green Bay’s Quay Walker received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running forward and leaping across the line in an attempt to block the kick.

“I was just in the moment, but I’ve got to be aware,” Walker said. “That’s on me.”

Considering the way the game started, it was surprising it was still competitive in the fourth quarter.

Rudy Ford intercepted Goff on the third play from scrimmage to set up a field goal. Detroit then scored 24 points on its next four drives to delight the sizeable contingent of Lions fans who decorated the Lambeau Field stands in Honolulu blue.

Goff’s 24-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open St. Brown put the Lions ahead for good. Montgomery scored on runs of 3 and 2 yards, while Riley Patterson kicked field goals of 33 and 37 yards.

The second quarter was nearly halfway over and the Lions already led 24-3 when the Packers finally got their initial first down thanks to a Detroit penalty. The Packers didn’t get a first down on their own merits until 7 seconds remained before halftime.

INJURY REPORT

Lions: S Brian Branch injured his ankle in the third quarter, later returned to the game and then went down again. CB Chase Lucas left with an illness in the first half.

Packers: TE Luke Musgrave sustained a concussion in the first half. CB Jaire Alexander (back) and LG Elgton Jenkins (knee) were out for a second straight game, and LT David Bakhtiari (knee) missed a third straight game. Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve earlier Thursday, meaning he must miss at least the next three games.

UP NEXT

Lions: Host Carolina on Sunday, Oct. 8.

Packers: At Las Vegas on Monday, Oct. 9.

BROWNS QB DESHAUN WATSON (SHOULDER) LIMITED IN PRACTICE

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was limited in practice Thursday for the second straight day to a sore right (throwing) shoulder.

Watson did some light throwing Thursday after completely resting the right shoulder at Wednesday’s practice, according to local reporters.

The Browns are still expecting Watson to play Sunday against the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

“We’ll see how he feels when we get out there,” Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Thursday, per the Akron Beacon Journal. “We’re confident he’ll be able to go Sunday. We will see how he’s feeling today when we get out.”

Watson has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 678 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions this season for Cleveland (2-1). He had his best outing of the year in Week 3, when he completed 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and no picks in a 27-3 beatdown of the Tennessee Titans.

JETS’ ZACH WILSON RESPONDS TO JOE NAMATH’S CRITICISM

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson offered a measured response to the criticism he received this week from the team’s only Super Bowl-winning QB, Joe Namath.

Wilson spoke publicly on Thursday for the first time in the three days since Namath said of Wilson, “I don’t believe in him, I don’t believe he has a future as a good player, and I think they made the wrong choice when they drafted him, I feel that way.”

After the Jets’ practice Thursday at Florham Park, N.J., Wilson said, “He’s passionate and he’s obviously one of the greats. As an offense, we have to do everything we can to try and prove him wrong. We’ll keep doing what we can to improve. I think the guys are very optimistic, and we all believe in each other. So I’m excited for this week.”

The Jets (1-2) play host to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) on Sunday.

Wilson added, “Obviously, Joe was an unbelievable player, but this locker room is very tight-knit and we’re working to get better.”

There is plenty of room for improvement from Wilson, who regained the starting quarterback job when prized offseason acquisition Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in the opener.

Wilson led the Jets to an overtime victory in that game against the Buffalo Bills but then struggled in losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots the past two weeks.

Though Wilson has a 52.4 percent completion rate that ranks last among 34 qualifying quarterbacks this year, head coach Robert Saleh has backed Wilson repeatedly.

New York offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett also addresses Namath’s comments on Thursday, saying, “Joe Namath was a great, great football player. He has every right to his opinion, and we have every right to prove him wrong.”

Namath, 80, earned MVP honors at Super Bowl III in January 1969.

NFL GAME NOTES

ATLANTA FALCONS (2-1) VS. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-2)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023 GAME TIME: 9:30 AM ET

ESPN+: Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge

Westwood One: J.P. Shadrick, James Lofton

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) ATL: 109 or 383 JAX: 104 or 225 National: 158 or 228

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: ATL leads series, 5-3 (won past 4)

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 11/28/21: ATL 21 at JAX 14

ATLANTA NOTES:

ATLANTA will play at Wembley Stadium for 2nd time & compete in 4th international reg. season game in franchise history (12/1/13 at Rogers Centre, Toronto; 10/26/14 at Wembley Stadium, London; 10/10/21 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London). • QB DESMOND RIDDER passed for 201 yards in Week 3. Has TD pass in 3 of his past 4 starts. • RB BIJAN ROBINSON (rookie) had 4 catches & 60 scrimmage yards (33 rush, 27 rec.) in Week 3. Leads all rookie RBs in scrimmage yards (315) & leads all NFL RBs with 14 receptions. • RB TYLER ALLGEIER has 45+ rush yards in 9 of his past 10. • RB CORDARRELLE PATTERSON had 135 scrimmage yards (108 rush, 27 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in last meeting. Had 7 catches & 114 scrimmage yards (60 rec., 54 rush) in his last international game (10/10/21 vs. NYJ). • WR DRAKE LONDON has 5+ receptions in 6 of his past 8 games. • TE JONNU SMITH had 5 receptions in Week 3, his 9th-career game with 5+ catches. • TE KYLE PITTS had season-high 5 catches last week. Had career-high 9 catches for 119 yards & 1st-career TD catch in only career international game (10/10/21 vs. NYJ). • S JESSIE BATES led team with 11 tackles & had 3rd INT of season last week, his 12th-career game with 10+ tackles. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Jax. with 10+ tackles. • LB KADEN ELLISS had season-high 10 tackles last week, his 3rd-career game with 10+ tackles. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. • DL CALAIS CAMPBELL had 31.5 sacks & 44 TFL in 3 seasons (2017-19) with Jax. Has 2.5 sacks, 3 TFL & FF in 3 career games at Wembley & aims for his 4th in row at Wembley with 0.5+ sacks. • DL DAVID ONYEMATA has TFL in 2 of 3 games this season.

JACKSONVILLE NOTES:

JAGUARS will be playing 10th game in London all-time & 9th at Wembley Stadium, both most among NFL teams. • QB TREVOR LAWRENCE completed 27 of 40 atts. (67.5 pct.) for season-high 279 yards last week. Passed for 228 yards in last meeting. Will become 4th QB to start 3+ games in London (Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Andy Dalton). • RB TRAVIS ETIENNE had season-high 138 scrimmage yards (88 rush, career-high 50 rec.) last week. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 games this season. Had career-high 156 rush yards & rush TD in last game in London (10/30/22 vs. Den.). • RB TANK BIGSBY (rookie) had 2nd rush TD of season last week. • WR CHRISTIAN KIRK had 4 catches for 54 yards & 1st TD of season in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rec. yards. • WR CALVIN RIDLEY spent 1st 4 seasons of career (2018-21) with Atl., totaling 248 catches, 3,342 rec. yards & 28 rec. TDs. • WR JAMAL AGNEW had season-best 49 rec. yards last week. • TE EVAN ENGRAM led team with season highs in catches (7) & rec. yards (67) in Week 3. Is 1 of 3 TEs with 5+ catches in each of 1st 3 weeks of season. Had 55 rec. yards & TD catch in last game in London (10/30/22 vs. Den.). • LB FOYESADE OLUOKUN led team with season-high 14 tackles last week. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 37 tackles & is 1 of 3 with 10+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Spent 1st 4 seasons of career (2018-21) with Atl., incl. 2021 where he led NFL with 192 tackles. • LB DEVIN LLOYD aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles & PD. • S ANDRE CISCO had 7 tackles last week & has 7+ tackles in 2 of 3 games this season. • S RAYSHAWN JENKINS had 7 tackles & TFL in Week 3. Aims for his 8th in row with 5+ tackles.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (3-0) AT BUFFALO BILLS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME:1:00 PM ET

CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) MIA: 134 or 385 BUF: 82 or 229

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: MIA leads series, 61-52-1 (BUF won 8 of past 9)

POSTSEASON: BUF leads series, 4-1

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 12/17/22: MIA 29 at BUF 32

POSTSEASON: 1/15/23 – AFC-WC: MIA 31 at BUF 34

DOLPHINS NOTES:

DOLPHINS became 2nd team in NFL history with 700+ yards (726) of total offense & 4th team ever to score 70+ points (70) in a single game last week. Their 1,651 yards of offense are most ever by a team through 1st 3 games. • QB TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 23 of 26 atts. (88.5 pct. – career-high as starter) for 309 yards & 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs with career-high 155.8 rating last week. Had 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 111.5 rating in 2 starts vs. Buf. last season. Aims for his 6th in row vs. division with 90+ rating. Leads NFL with 121.9 rating & ranks 2nd with 1,024 pass yards & 8 TD passes. • RB DE’VON ACHANE (rookie) had 233 scrimmage yards (203 rush, 30 rec.) & 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) last week, joining Billy Cannon (1961) as only players in NFL history with 200+ rush yards, 2 rush TDs & 2 rec. TDs in a single game. • RB RAHEEM MOSTERT had 142 scrimmage yards (82 rush, 60 rec.) & career-high 4 TDs (3 rush, 1 rec.). Achane & Mostert became 2nd pair of teammates ever each with 4+ TDs in same game. Mostert is 1 of 2 with rush TD in each of 1st 3 games of season. Aims for 3rd in row with 125+ scrimmage yards. Leads NFL with 7 scrimmage TDs & 6 rush TDs. • WR TYREEK HILL had 9 catches for 157 yards & TD last week. Is 1 of 2 in NFL with rec. TD in each of 1st 3 weeks & is 1 of 2 with 150+ rec. yards in 2 games this season. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • CB XAVIEN HOWARD has PD in 4 of his past 5 vs. Buf. • S JEVON HOLLAND had 8 tackles, PD & career-high 2 FFs last week & is 1 of 4 players this season with 2 FFs in a game. • LB BRADLEY CHUBB has TFL in 2 of 3 games this season. • LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL had 3rd-career FR last in Week 3. • DE EMMANUEL OGBAH had sack & 1st-career INT last week.

BILLS NOTES:

BILLS became 1st team since 1985 with 9 sacks & 4 INTs in a single game last week. • QB JOSH ALLEN had 264 yards (218 pass, 46 rush) & 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) last week, his 26th-career game with both pass & rush TD, most in NFL since 2018 & 4th-most in NFL history. Has 2+ TD passes in each of 11 career starts vs. Mia., incl. playoffs. Has 953 pass yards (317.7 per game) & 9 TDs (8 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs with 103 rating in his past 3 reg. season starts vs. Mia. • RB JAMES COOK aims for 3rd in row with 110+ scrimmage yards. Had TD catch in last meeting. Ranks 2nd among RBs with 334 scrimmage yards & 3rd with 267 rush yards this season. • RB LATAVIUS MURRAY aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. • WR STEFON DIGGS led team with 8 catches for season-high 111 rec. yards last week. Has 100+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 games this season & is 1 of 4 in NFL with 7+ catches in 3 games. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Mia. with 5+ catches. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 100+ rec. yards & TD catch. • WR GABE DAVIS aims for 3rd in row with rec. TD. • TE DAWSON KNOX had 6 catches for 98 yards & TD in last meeting. Aims for his 5th in row at home with rec. TD. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 vs. Mia & 3 of past 4 vs. division. • CB TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE had 1st INT of season last week. Had 3 PD in last meeting & has 8 PD in his past 4 vs. Mia. • S MICAH HYDE had 1st INT of season in Week 3. • LB TERREL BERNARD had 7 tackles, 1st 2 career sacks, 1^st career FR & INT last week, becoming 1st player this season with 2 sacks & INT in a game. Aims for 3rd in row with INT. • DTs DAQUAN JONES & ED OLIVER each had 1.5 sacks last week. Oliver aims for 4th in row with TFL, Jones aims for 3rd in row.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (0-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-3)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Alex Faust, Brady Quinn, Megan Olivi

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) MIN: 133 or 384 CAR: 85 or 226

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: MIN leads series, 10-6 (won past 2)

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 10/17/21: MIN 34 at CAR 28 (OT)

MINNESOTA NOTES:

QB KIRK COUSINS passed for 367 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 97.7 rating last week, his 49th-career game with 300+ pass yards. Is 5th player ever with 325+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. Passed for 373 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.6 rating in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Car. with 3+ TD passes & 100+ rating & 4th in row vs. Car. with 300+ pass yards. • RB ALEXANDER MATTISON had 5 catches & 125 scrimmage yards (93 rush, 32 rec.) in Week 3, his 6th-career game with 100+ scrimmage yards. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 7 receptions for 149 yards & 1st rec. TD of season in Week 3. Leads NFL with 458 rec. yards, tiedmost (Wes Welker, 2011) for most-ever by player in team’s 1st 3 games of season. Can become 4th player since 2000 [HOFers Isaac Bruce (2004) & Randy Moss (2007), & Adam Thielen (2018)] with 100+ rec. yards in each of his team’s 1st 4 games of season. • WR JORDAN ADDISON had 6 catches for 52 yards in Week 3 & is 1 of 2 rookies (Puka Nacua) with 50+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 weeks. • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had team-high 8 catches for 78 yards last week & is 1st TE since 2007 (Antonio Gates) with 7+ receptions in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. Leads all TEs with 23 catches in 2023 & has 83 catches since joining Min. in Week 9 last season, most among TEs. • LB DANIELLE HUNTER had 5th sack of season & 8th-career FF last week. Is 3rd player since 2000 [Chandler Jones (2017) & Charles Johnson (2011)] with sack & 2+ TFL in each of his team’s 1st 3 games of season. • LB JORDAN HICKS had 6th-career FF & 10th-career FR last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Car. with 10+ tackles. • CB BYRON MURPHY had career-high 10 tackles in Week 3.

CAROLINA NOTES:

QB BRYCE YOUNG (rookie) has 20+ completions & TD pass in each of his 1st 2 career starts. • QB ANDY DALTON passed for 361 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 88.4 rating in Week 3, his 1st start with Car. Has 33 career games with 300+ pass yards. Had TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 108.6 rating in his last start vs. Min. (10/2/22 w/ NO). • RB MILES SANDERS had 5 catches, 62 scrimmage yards (38 rec., 24 rush) & 1st rush TD of season in Week 3, his 21st-career rush TD. Has 178 scrimmage yards (89 per game) & rec. TD in 2 career games vs. Min. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Min. with 85+ scrimmage yards. • WR ADAM THIELEN led team with 11 receptions for 145 yards & had rec. TD last week. Has 6 career games with 10+ catches & 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. Spent 9 seasons (2014-22) with Min. & ranks 3rd in franchise history in catches (534) & rec. TDs (55) & 4th in rec. yards (6,682). • WR DJ CHARK had 86 rec. yards & 1st rec. TD of season in Week 3, his 19th-career TD catch. Had 6 catches for 94 yards & rec. TD in his last game vs. Min. (12/11/22 w/ Det.). • LB BRIAN BURNS had sack & tied his career high with 3 TFL last week. Has 5 sacks & 9 TFL in his past 6. • LB FRANKIE LUVU had TFL last week. Has 5 sacks & 7 TFL in his past 5 at home & aims for his 4th in row at home with TFL. • LB KAMU GRUGIER-HILL led team with 10 tackles in Week 3, his 4th-career game with 10+ tackles. • LB JUSTIN HOUSTON has 5 TFL in 4 career games vs. Min. • LB DEION JONES had INT in Car. debut last week, his 13thcareer INT, most among LBs since entering NFL in 2016. Had INT in his last game vs. Min. (10/18/20 w/ Atl.).

DENVER BRONCOS (0-3) AT CHICAGO BEARS (0-3)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

CBS: Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan, AJ Ross

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) DEN: 135 or 386 CHI: 81 or 227

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: Series tied, 8-8 (DEN won 2 of past 3)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 9/15/19: CHI 16 at DEN 14

POSTSEASON: —

DENVER NOTES:

QB RUSSELL WILSON completed 23 of 38 atts. (60.5 pct.) for 306 yards & TD vs. INT last week. Has passed for 300+ yards in consecutive games for 1st time since 2020. Has 7 TDs vs. INT with 98.7 rating in 4 career starts vs. Chi., with 0 INTs & 100+ rating in 3 of 4 games. • RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had season-high 65 scrimmage yards (42 rush, 23 rec.) last week. Aims for 4th in row with 55+ scrimmage yards. • WR COURTLAND SUTTON led team with season-high 8 catches for 91 yards & TD in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches & 65+ rec. yards. Has 5+ catches in 2 of his past 3 on road. • WR JERRY JEUDY had 5 catches for 81 yards last week. Has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7. Aims for his 4th in row on road with 5+ catches. Has 75+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC. • WR MARVIN MIMS had 73 rec. yards & 99-yard KR-TD last week, becoming 3rd Den. rookie since 2000 with KR-TD & 1st since 2010 (Cassius Vaughn). Aims for 3rd in row with 70+ rec. yards. Ranks 3rd among rookies with 195 rec. yards this season. • S JUSTIN SIMMONS had 9 tackles & 2 PD in last meeting. Has 5+ tackles in 6 of his past 7 on road. Has 27 career INTs, tied-4th most among active safeties. • S KAREEM JACKSON had season-best 7 tackles in Week 3. Has PD in 2 of 3 career games vs. Chi. • S DELARRIN TUNRER-YELL led team with career-high 11 tackles last week. • CB PAT SURTAIN III had season-high 5 tackles last week. • LB ALEX SINGLETON had season-best 9 tackles with TFL in Week 3. Aims for his 7th in row on road with 7+ tackles. • DE ZACH ALLEN had season-highs in tackles (7) & TFL (2) in Week 3.

CHICAGO NOTES:

QB JUSTIN FIELDS had TD pass & 47 rush yards in Week 3. Aims for his 7th in row with TD pass. Has 50+ rush yards in 6 of his past 7 at home. Has 13 career games with 50+ rush yards, tied-5th most by QB in 1st 3 seasons in SB era. • RB KHALIL HERBERT has 50+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3. • RB ROSCHON JOHNSON (rookie) had 49 scrimmage yards (38 rush, 11 rec.) in Week 3 & has 40+ scrimmage yards in each of his 1st 3 career games. • WR DJ MOORE had 41 rec. yards & 1st rec. TD of season in Week 3. Had 4 catches for 103 yards & rec. TD in his only career game vs. Den. (11/27/22 w/ Car.). • WR CHASE CLAYPOOL had 5 catches for 130 yards & rec. TD in his last game vs. Den. (10/10/21 w/ Pit.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Den. with 85+ rec. yards & rec. TD. • TE COLE KMET aims for his 8th in row at home with 4+ catches. • LB T.J. EDWARDS led team & tied his career high with 16 tackles & had 5th-career game with 2 TFL last week. Is only NFC player & 1 of 3 in NFL (Zaire Franklin & Foyesade Oluokun) with 10+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 7th in row overall with 10+ tackles. • LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS has 8+ tackles in each of his 3 games this season & aims for his 9th in row with 6+ tackles. • DL YANNICK NGAKOUE had 1.5 sacks in his last game vs. Den. (10/6/22 w/ Ind.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Den. with TFL. • LB JACK SANBORN had 1st-career INT in Week 3. Has 5+ tackles in 4 of his past 5 at home. • DB JAQUAN BRISKER aims for his 3rd in row at home with PD & 6th in row at home with 6+ tackles. • DB JAYLON JOHNSON had 1st TFL & 1 PD of season last week. • DB TERELL SMITH (rookie) had 10 tackles in Week 3.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (2-1) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

CBS: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) BAL: 109 or 383 CLE: 104 or 225

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: BAL leads series, 35-13 (Home team has won past 4)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 12/17/22: BAL 3 at CLE 13

POSTSEASON: —

BALTIMORE NOTES:

QB LAMAR JACKSON completed 22 of 31 atts. (71 pct.) for 202 yards & rushed for 101 yards & 2 TDs last week, his 13th-career game with 100+ rush yards, most-ever by QB. Aims for 3rd in row with 0 INTs & 50+ rush yards. Is 5-1 in his past 6 starts vs. Cle., with 0 INTs in 5 of 6 games. Aims for 5th in row on road with 0 INTs. Leads QBs with 193 rush yards this season. • RB GUS EDWARDS aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rush yards. Has 2 rush TDs in 2 of his past 3 vs. Cle. • RB MELVIN GORDON had 55 scrimmage yards (32 rush, 23 rec.) in Bal. debut last week. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cle. with TD. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. Cle. • TE MARK ANDREWS has 5+ catches & 75+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 at Cle. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 5+ catches. • WR ZAY FLOWERS (rookie) had 8 catches for 48 yards last week & is 5th player ever with 8+ catches in 2 of 1st 3 career games. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 21 catches this season. • WR NELSON AGHOLOR aims for 3rd in row with 4+ catches. • WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. had 6 catches for 96 yards & 2 TDs in only career game vs. Cle. (11/27/16 w/ NYG). Had 114 catches for 1,586 yards & 8 TDs (7 rec., 1 rush) in 3 seasons (2019-21) with Cle. • LB ROQUAN SMITH had 12 tackles, PD & half sack last week. Has 12+ tackles in 2 of 3 games this season. Has 10+ tackles in each of 2 career games vs. Cle. • LB PATRICK QUEEN has 8+ tackles in each of 3 games this season, incl. 12 last week. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Cle. with 0.5+ sacks. • S KYLE HAMILTON had 9 tackles, career-high 3 sacks & 2ndcareer FF in Week 3, becoming 6th DB since 2000 with 3 sacks in a game & youngest DB since 1982 with 3-sack game. Has sack in each of 2 career games vs. Cle. Only DB with 3 sacks in 2023.

CLEVELAND NOTES:

QB DESHAUN WATSON completed 27 of 33 atts. (81.8 pct.) for 289 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 123.4 rating last week, highest comp. pct. & rating & most pass yards since joining Cle. Is 3-1 as starter at home since joining Cle. • RB JEROME FORD had 51 scrimmage yards (33 rec., 18 rush) & career-high 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards & TD catch. • RB KAREEM HUNT made season debut last week. • WR AMARI COOPER had 7 catches for season-high 116 yards & TD in Week 3, his 31st-career game with 100+ rec. yards, tied 6th-most in NFL since 2015. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ catches & 90+ rec. yards. Had 50+ rec. yards in both games vs. Bal. last season. Has 6+ catches in 2 of his past 3 at home. • WR ELIJAH MOORE had career-high 9 catches for 49 yards in Week 3. Had 5 catches in only career game vs. Bal. (9/22/22 w/ NYJ). • WR DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES had season-high 49 rec. yards last week. Had TD catch in last meeting. • DE MYLES GARRETT had 3.5 sacks & 1st FF of season last week, most sacks in an NFL game this season & his 3rd-career game with 3+ sacks. Has sack in 4 of his past 5. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Bal. with sack & has sack in 6 of his past 7 vs. division. • DE ZA’DARIUS SMITH spent 1st 4 seasons of career (2015-18) with Bal. This will be his 1st-career game vs. Bal. • DE OGBO OKORONKWO has 0.5+ sacks in 2 of 3 games this season. • DE ALEX WRIGHT had 1st-career sack last week. • CB DENZEL WARD has PD in 9 straight games, longest active streak in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ PD. Had 2 PD in last meeting. • S GRANT DELPIT had 9 tackles & 2 TFL in last meeting. Has PD in 2 of 3 games this season.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-1) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (1-2)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

CBS: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Amanda Renner

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) PIT: 119 or 387 HOU: 158 or 228

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: PIT leads series, 5-2 (won past 3)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 9/27/20: HOU 21 at PIT 28

POSTSEASON: —

PITTSBURGH NOTES:

QB KENNY PICKETT completed 16 of 28 atts. (57.1 pct.) & set season highs in pass yards (235), TD passes (2) & rating (108.5) last week. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 0 INTs. • RB NAJEE HARRIS led team with season-best 65 rush yards last week. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 65+ rush yards. • RB JAYLEN WARREN had 52 scrimmage yards (29 rush, 23 rec.) last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR GEORGE PICKENS aims for 3rd in row with 75+ rec. yards. Has 4+ catches in each of 1st 3 games of season. • WR ALLEN ROBINSON has 4+ catches in 2 of 3 games this season. Had 9 catches for 123 yards & TD in his last game vs. Hou. (12/13/20 w/ Chi.). Aims for his 5th in row vs. AFC South with 7+ catches & 80+ rec. yards. • WR CALVIN AUSTIN had 72-yard TD catch last week, longest TD catch in NFL this season & 1st-career rec. TD. • TE PAT FREIERMUTH had 41 rec. yards & 2nd TD catch of season in Week 3. Is 1 of 5 TEs with 2 rec. TDs this season. • LB T.J. WATT had 2 sacks last week. Has sack in each of 1st 3 games of season & is only player in NFL with 2+ sacks in multiple games. Aims for his 6th in row with 0.5+ sacks. Has FR & PD in 2 of past 3. Had 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. Leads NFL with 6 sacks, his 6th-career season with 6+ sacks. • S MINKAH FITZPATRICK led team with season-high 11 tackles in Week 3. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 on road. • CB PATRICK PETERSON had 35th-career INT last week, most among active players. Aims for his 5th in row with PD. Had 3 PD & INT in his last game vs. Hou. (11/19/17 w/ Ari.). • CB LEVI WALLACE had 6 tackles, career-high 4 PD & 2 INTs last week, 1st-career 2-INT game. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ tackles.

HOUSTON NOTES:

QB C.J. STROUD (rookie) completed 20 of 30 atts. (66.7 pct.) for 280 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with career-high 118.8 rating last week. Ranks 5th in NFL with 906 pass yards, 3rd-most ever by player in 1st 3 career games. Is 4th QB all-time with 200+ pass yards & 0 INTs in each of 1st 3 career games. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating. • RB DAMEON PIERCE had season-high 59 scrimmage yards (31 rush, 28 rec.) & 1st rush TD of season last week. • RB DEVIN SINGLETARY had season-best 41 rush yards last week. Has 80+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 4 career games vs. Pit. • WR TANK DELL had 5 catches for 145 yards & TD last week, most rec. yards ever by Hou. rookie in a single game. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches, 70+ rec. yards & rec. TD. Ties for lead among rookies with 2 rec. TDs & ranks 2nd with 251 rec. yards. • WR NICO COLLINS has 80+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 games this season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR ROBERT WOODS has 6 catches & 50+ rec. yards in 2 of 3 games this season. Had 7 catches for 95 yards in his last game vs. Pit. (11/10/19 w/ LAR). • TE BREVIN JORDAN had 1st TD catch of season last week. • LB BLAKE CASHMAN had 5 tackles, 2 PD, FR & 1st-career INT last week, 1 of 5 players this season with INT & FR in a game. • LB DENZEL PERRYMAN had INT in his last game vs. Pit. (12/24/22 w/ LV). Has TFL in 2 of his past 3 vs. Pit. • LB HENRY TO’OTO’O (rookie) had 10 tackles & PD last week. • DE JERRY HUGHES had TFL in Week 3. • CB SHAQUILL GRIFFIN tied for team lead with 10 tackles last week, his 3rd-career game with 10+ tackles. • S ERIC MURRAY had 5 tackles & 2nd-career FF in Week 3.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) LAR: 108 or 388 IND: 83 or 233

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 23-20-2 (LAR won past 3)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 9/19/21: LAR 27 at IND 24

POSTSEASON: —

LOS ANGELES NOTES:

QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 269 yards in Week 3 & ranks 4th in NFL with 910 pass yards this season. Has 1,267 pass yards (316.8 per game) & 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 102.6 rating in 4 career starts vs. Ind. Passed for 278 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 101.8 rating in last meeting. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS had 65 scrimmage yards (38 rush, 27 rec.) in Week 3. Is 1 of 2 in NFC (Kenneth Walker) with 4 scrimmage TDs in 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR PUKA NACUA (rookie) had 5 catches for 72 yards in Week 3. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 30 receptions, most ever by player in 1st 3 career games. Leads all rookies with 338 rec. yards. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. • WR TUTU ATWELL had 4 catches for 50 yards & his 1st rec. TD of season last week, his 2nd-career TD catch. Aims for his 4th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. • TE TYLER HIGBEE had 5 catches for 71 yards last week. • DT AARON DONALD had 7 tackles, 2 TFL & 1st full sack of season in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 0.5+ sacks. Had 7 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • LB ERNEST JONES led team with 9 tackles & had TFL & PD last week & is 1 of 5 in NFL with 9+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL & 7th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • LB BYRON YOUNG can become 3rd rookie since 2000 (James Houston & Terrell Suggs) with 0.5+ sacks in each of his 1st 4 games. • LB MICHAEL HOECHT has TFL in 3 of his past 4 on road. • CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON had 9th-career INT last week. • CB COBIE DURANT aims for his 3rd in row with PD.

INDIANAPOLIS NOTES:

QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) tied for lead among QBs with 3 rush TDs this season & is 3rd QB ever with 3 rush TDs in 1st 2 career games, joining Daunte Culpepper & Jack Thompson. • QB GARDNER MINSHEW completed 27 of 44 atts. (61.4 pct.) for 227 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs in 1st start of season last week. • RB ZACK MOSS had career-high 145 scrimmage yards (career high 122 rush, 23 rec.) & TD catch last week, his 3rd-straight game with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD, tied for longest active streak in NFL. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN led team with season-high 9 catches for 77 yards in Week 3. Is only player in NFL with 8+ catches in each of 1st 3 weeks of season & can become 3rd player ever with 8+ catches in each of team’s 1st 4 games of season. Had 8 catches for 123 yards in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR JOSH DOWNS (rookie) had 8 catches for 57 yards last week. • WR ISAIAH MCKENZIE had TD catch in his last game vs. LAR (9/8/22 w/ Buf.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC West with rec. TD. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER has sack in 2 of 3 games this season. Had PD in last meeting. • DE KWITY PAYE is 1 of 6 in NFL with sack in each of 1st 3 weeks of season. Aims for 3rd in row with FR. • DE SAMSON EBUKAM had sack & FF in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Spent 1st 4 career seasons (2017-20) with LAR. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 15 tackles last week & had 1st sack of season. Leads NFL with 45 tackles this season & is only player with 13+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 12th in row with 7+ tackles. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 at home. • S JULIAN BLACKMON had career-high 12 tackles & TFL last week.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-1) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Chris Myers, Robert Smith, Jen Hale

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) TB: 98 or 389 NO: 113 or 230

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: NO leads series, 39-23 (TB won past 2)

POSTSEASON: TB leads series, 1-0

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 12/5/22: NO 16 at TB 17

POSTSEASON: 1/17/21 NFC-D: TB 30 at NO 20

TAMPA BAY NOTES:

QB BAKER MAYFIELD passed for 146 yards & TD last week. Passed for 170 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs in his only career start vs. NO (9/25/22 w/ Car.). Aims for his 4th in row with TD pass. • RB RACHAAD WHITE had 62 scrimmage yards (38 rush, 24 rec.) last week. Had 6 catches, 69 scrimmage yards (41 rec., 28 rush) & 1st-career rec. TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row with 60+ scrimmage yards. • WR MIKE EVANS had 5 catches for 60 yards & 3rd TD catch of season in Week 3. Is 1 of 2 (Tyreek Hill) with rec. TD in each of 1st 3 weeks & aims for his 5th in row overall with TD catch. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at NO. • WR CHRIS GODWIN aims for his 6th in row on road with 50+ rec. yards & 8th in row on road with 5+ receptions. Has 385 rec. yards (96.3 per game) & 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 at NO & aims for his 4th in row at NO with 75+ rec. yards. • TE CADE OTTON had 6 catches & rec. TD in last meeting. • LB LAVONTE DAVID led team with 13 tackles & had 1st sack of season last week, his 30th-career sack. Is only active player with 30+ sacks, 25+ FFs (27) & 10+ INTs (18). Has 5+ tackles in each of his 22 career games vs. NO. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NO with sack. • LB DEVIN WHITE had 2nd-career INT last week & aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Has 72 tackles (10.3 per game) in 7 career games vs. NO. • LB SHAQUIL BARRETT had 2 sacks & FF in last road meeting. • S ANTOINE WINFIELD JR. had 11 tackles in Week 3, his 6thcareer game with 10+ tackles. Had sack in last game at NO. • S RYAN NEAL tied his career-high with 11 tackles last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with TFL & 9th in row with 5+ tackles.

NEW ORLEANS NOTES:

NEW ORLEANS can become 1st team since 1994-95 Cleveland to allow 20-or-fewer points in 12 consecutive reg. season games. • QB DEREK CARR passed for 305 yards & TD in only home start of season (Week 1). Had 284 pass yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 97.5 rating in his last start vs. TB (10/25/20 w/ LV). Had career-high 513 pass yards at TB (10/30/16 w/ Oak.). • QB JAMEIS WINSTON completed 10 of 16 atts. for 101 yards in Week 3. Has 8 TD passes vs. 3 INTs for 102.7 rating in 4 career home starts with NO. Is TB all-time leader in completions (1,563), pass yards (19,737) & pass TDs (121). • RB ALVIN KAMARA had 841 scrimmage yards (120.1 per game) & 3 TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in 7 home games last season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards. Has 645 scrimmage yards (107.5 per game) & 8 TDs (5 rush, 3 rec.) in 6 career home games vs. TB, incl. postseason. • WR CHRIS OLAVE had 8 catches for 104 yards in Week 3, his 5th-career 100-yard game. Is 1 of 2 (Justin Jefferson) with 6+ catches & 85+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 weeks. • WR MICHAEL THOMAS aims for his 4th in row with 50+ rec. yards & 9th in row with 5+ receptions. Has 80 receptions for 964 yards (96.4 per game) & 5 rec. TDs in 10 career reg. season games vs. TB. • DE CAMERON JORDAN had 17 sacks & 18 TFL in 24 career games vs. TB. Has FF in 3 of his past 4 vs. TB. • LB DEMARIO DAVIS has 5+ tackles in all 13 career games vs. TB, incl. postseason. Aims for his 4th in row vs. TB with PD. • CB ALONTAE TAYLOR had career-high 5 PD, 2 TFL & 1stcareer sack in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row with 2 TFL & 4th in row with PD. • CB ISAAC YIADOM had career-high 4 PD last week.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-1) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-0)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) WAS: 99 or 390 PHI: 111 or 231

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: WAS leads series, 88-82-5 (PHI has won 3 of past 4)

POSTSEASON: WAS leads series, 1-0

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 11/14/22: WAS 32 at PHI 31

POSTSEASON: 1/5/91 NFC-WC: WAS 20 at PHI 6

WASHINGTON NOTES:

QB SAM HOWELL passed for 170 yards last week. Has 6 TDs (4 pass, 2 rush) in 4 career starts. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON rushed for 70 yards in Week 3. Aims for his 6th in row on road & 11th in row overall with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had 86 rush yards & rush TD in last meeting. • RB ANTONIO GIBSON aims for his 4th in row vs. Phi. with rush TD. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 7 of his past 8 road games. • WR TERRY MCLAURIN led team wth 6 catches last week. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TD catch & 7th in row on road with 50+ rec. yards. Had 8 catches for 128 yards in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 7 of his 8 career games vs. Phi. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Phi. with 100+ rec. yards. • WR CURTIS SAMUEL led team with 54 rec. yards last week & has 50+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 games this season. • DT JONATHAN ALLEN had 1st PD of season last week. Has 6+ tackles in 2 of his past 3 at Phi. • DT DARON PAYNE aims for his 3rd in row with PD & 4th in row with TFL. Has sack in 6 of his past 7 road games & TFL in 8 of his past 9 on road. Aims for his 5th in row on road with sack. • DE MONTEZ SWEAT has sack in 4 of his past 5 vs. Phi. & aims for his 4th in row at Phi. with sack. Has 4.5 sacks & 5 TFL in his past 5 road games. • DE CHASE YOUNG aims for his 3rd in row with TFL. Has 2.5 sacks, FF & FR in 2 career games vs. Phi. & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Phi. with sack. • LB CODY BARTON led team with 13 tackles in Week 3, his 11thcareer game with 10+ tackles. • CB KENDALL FULLER had 3 PD & 1st INT of season in Week 3. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Phi. with PD.

PHILADELPHIA NOTES:

PHILADELPHIA improved to 3-0 in consecutive seasons for 1st time since 1992-93. • QB JALEN HURTS passed for 277 yards & had 10th-career game with both pass & rush TD in Week 3. Phi. have won 20 of past 21 games started by Hurts. Has 29 rush TDs in 48 games, most rush TDs by QB in 1st 50 games all-time. Has 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) in his past 2 vs. Was. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Was. with 90+ rating. • RB D’ANDRE SWIFT had 138 scrimmage yards (130 rush, 8 rec.) last week & has 100+ rush yards in consec. games for 2nd time in his career (Weeks 10-11, 2021). Has 236 scrimmage yards (118 per game) & 2 rec. TDs in 2 career games vs. Was. • WR A.J. BROWN had 9 catches for 131 yards last week, his 18th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Has 95+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. • WR DEVONTA SMITH has 100+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. Had TD catch in both 2022 meeting vs. Was. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Was. with 6+ catches & rec. TD. • TE DALLAS GOEDERT aims for his 3rd in row vs. Was. with rec. TD. • DE BRANDON GRAHAM has 9 TFL in his past 8 vs. Was. • DT FLETCHER COX has 4 sacks in his past 4 vs. Was. • DT JALEN CARTER (rookie) had 1st 2 career FFs in Week 3. • LB HAASON REDDICK aims for his 5th in row vs. Was. with sack. • CB DARIUS SLAY aims for his 3rd in row at home vs. Was. & 3rd in row at home overall with PD. • CB JAMES BRADBERRY had 4th-career FR last week. Has 2 PD in 2 of his past 3 at home. • S REED BLANKENSHIP had 2nd-career INT & 1st-career TFL in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row with 7+ tackles & PD.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-2) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1-2)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CIN: 146 or 391 TEN: 132 or 232

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: TEN leads series, 40-35-1 (CIN won 4 of past 5)

POSTSEASON: CIN leads series, 2-0

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 11/27/22: CIN 21 at TEN 16

POSTSEASON: 1/22/22 AFC-DIV: CIN 19 at TEN 16

CINCINNATI NOTES:

QB JOE BURROW completed 26 of 49 atts. (53.1 pct.) for season-high 259 yards last week. Is 2-0 with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 98.9 rating in 2 career starts vs. Ten. Has 90+ rating in 6 of his past 7 on road, with 3+ TD passes in 2 of his past 3. • RB JOE MIXON rushed for season-high 65 yards & 1st TD of season last week. Has 70+ scrimmage yards in each of 1st 3 games of season. Had rush TD in only career game vs. Ten. (11/12/17). Needs 121 scrimmage yards to become 5th player in franchise history with 7,500 career scrimmage yards. • WR JA’MARR CHASE led team with career-high 12 catches for 141 yards last week, his 10th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Has 5+ catches in 11 straight games, tied for longest active streak in NFL (Keenan Allen). Needs 10 catches to tie Jarvis Landry (33 games) as 3rd-fastest player ever to reach 200 career catches. • WR TEE HIGGINS had 7 catches for 114 yards & TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ten. with 75+ rec. yards. • WR TYLER BOYD aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches. • DE TREY HENDRICKSON had season-high 2 sacks last week, his 9th-career game with 2+ sacks & 5th with Cin. Has sack in 3 of his past 4. • DE SAM HUBBARD had 6 tackles & 1st sack of season in Week 3. Had 6 tackles, 2 TFL & sack in last meeting. • DT B.J. HILL had 2nd sack of season last week. • LB LOGAN WILSON had 2 INTs last week, 2nd-career game with 2 INTs, & became 1st LB with 2 INTs in a game this season. Had 9 tackles, TFL & PD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ten. with TFL. Aims for his 10th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • S DAX HILL led team with 8 tackles & had 2 TFL & 1st sack of season in Week 3. Aims for 4th in row with 6+ tackles.

TENNESSEE NOTES:

QB RYAN TANNEHILL completed 22 of 34 atts. (64.7 pct.) for 291 yards with 0 INTs & 91.7 rating in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 90+ rating. Has 1,046 pass yards (261.5 per game) & 6 TDs (5 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT with 98.9 rating in his past 4 home starts. • RB DERRICK HENRY has 95+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 games this season & 6 of his past 7 overall. Had 117 scrimmage yards (38 rush, career-high 79 rec.) in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 110+ scrimmage yards. Aims for his 4th in row at home with rush TD. Needs 2 rush yards to become 6th-fastest player since 2000 (106 games) to reach 8,500 career rush yards. • RB TYJAE SPEARS (rookie) led team with 4 catches last week. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS had team-high 48 rec. yards in Week 3 & aims for his 4th in row with 40+ rec. yards. Had 7 catches for 73 yards in his last game vs. Cin. (9/14/17 w/ Hou.). Has 5+ catches in 3 of 4 career games vs. Cin. • WR TREYLON BURKS had 4 catches for 70 yards in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row at home 65+ rec. yards. • WR NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE had 58 rec. yards in last meeting. • S KEVIN BYARD has 5+ tackles in 2 of 3 games this season. Has 6+ tackles in each of 3 career games vs. Cin., with PD in 2 of 3. • S AMANI HOOKER led team with 11 tackles last week, his 3rdcareer game with 10+ tackles. Had 8 tackles in last meeting. • CB SEAN MURPHY-BUNTING had 6 tackles, FF & FR in Week 3. Has 5+ tackles in each of 1st 3 games of season, with FF in 2 of 3. Had PD in only career game vs. Cin. (12/18/22 w/ TB). • CB ROGER MCCREARY had 10 tackles & sack last week. • DE DENICO AUTRY had sack & 1st FF of season last week. Is 1 of 6 in NFL with sack in each of 1st 3 weeks.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-2) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-2)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 4:05 PM ET

CBS: Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) LV: 133 or 384 LAC: 85 or 226

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: LV leads series, 67-57-2 (Home team won past 4)

POSTSEASON: LV leads series, 1-0

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 12/4/22: LAC 20 at LV 27

POSTSEASON: 1/11/81 AFC-C: OAK 34 at SD 27

LAS VEGAS NOTES:

QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO completed 28 of 44 atts. (63.6 pct.) for season-high 324 yards & 2 TDs last week. Passed for 240 yards with 0 INTs & 94.3 rating & had rush TD in only career start vs. LAC (11/13/22 w/ SF). • QBs BRIAN HOYER & AIDAN O’CONNELL (rookie) can make season debuts. • RB JOSH JACOBS had season-high 80 scrimmage yards (62 rush, 18 rec.) last week. Rushed for 144 yards & TD in last meeting & has 125+ rush yards & rush TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. LAC. Has 424 scrimmage yards (141.3 per game) in his past 3 on road vs. division. Needs 152 rush yards to become 4th player in franchise history with 5,000+ career rush yards. • WR DAVANTE ADAMS led team with 13 catches for 172 yards & 2 TDs in Week 13, his 15th-career game with 10+ catches, 100+ rec. yards & rec. TD, most in NFL history. Has 6+ catches & 65+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 games of season. Had 18 catches for 318 yards (159 per game) & 3 rec. TDs in 2 games vs. LAC last season. Has 65+ rec. yards in each of 7 games vs. division since joining LV. Ranks tied-4th in NFL with 25 catches & 5th with 322 rec. yards. • WR JAKOBI MEYERS has 7+ catches & 80+ rec. yards in each of his 1st 2 games of season. • DE MAXX CROSBY had 2nd sack of season last week. Had FF in last meeting. Has 12 TFL & 8 sacks in his past 6 vs. division, with sack in each of past 2. • LB DIVINE DEABLO has 8+ tackles in each of 1st 3 games of season. Had 7 tackles in last meeting. • CB MARCUS PETERS had season-high 6 tackles & TFL in Week 3. Has PD in 6 of 7 career games vs. Chargers, with INT in 3 of past 4. • CB NATE HOBBS had 6 tackles & 2 PD last week.

LOS ANGELES NOTES:

QB JUSTIN HERBERT completed 40 of 47 atts. (85.1 pct.) for career high 405 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 123.8 rating last week, 3rdhighest comp. pct. ever by QB with 40+ attempts. Has 0 INTs & 95+ rating in each of 1st 3 games in 2023. Passed for 335 yards in last meeting. Has 15 TDs (14 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT with 101.6 rating in 6 career starts vs. LV, with 2+ TD passes in 5 of 6 games. Has 15,028 pass yards & 100 TD passes in 52 career games, becoming 2ndfastest ever to 15,000 pass yards & 4th-fastest to 100 TD passes. • RB AUSTIN EKELER had 102 scrimmage yards (67 rec., 35 rush) & 5 catches in last meeting. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 vs. LV. Aims for his 8th in row at home with TD. Has 393 catches in 90 career games & can become 4th-fastest RB ever to reach 400 catches. • WR KEENAN ALLEN set career highs in catches (18) & rec. yards (215) & threw 49-yard TD pass last week, tied 3rd-most catches in reg. season game in NFL history. Became 4th player ever with 10+ catches & TD pass in same game. Aims for 3rd in row with 110+ rec. yards & is 1 of 3 in NFL with 5+ catches & 75+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 weeks of season. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • WR JOSHUA PALMER had season-best 66 rec. yards & 1st TD catch of season in Week 3. Had 7 catches for 60 yards in last meeting. • TE DONALD PARHAM had career-high 2 rec. TDs last week. • LB JOEY BOSA aims for 3rd in row with sack. Aims for his 4th in row vs. LV with sack & FF. • LB KHALIL MACK had 3 sacks & FF in last home meeting. • LB KENNETH MURRAY had 9 tackles & 2nd-career INT in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Had FF in last meeting. • S DERWIN JAMES aims for his 5th in row with 6+ tackles. Had sack in last home meeting.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-2) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET

FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) NE: 134 or 385 DAL: 82 or 229

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: DAL leads series, 8-6 (NE won 6 of past 7)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 10/17/21: DAL 35 at NE 29

POSTSEASON: —

NEW ENGLAND NOTES:

QB MAC JONES passed for 201 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs last week. Aims for his 7th in row with 200+ pass yards. Completed 15 of 21 atts. (71.4 pct.) for 229 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT with 118.9 rating in last meeting. Has 0 INTs in 2 of his past 3 on road. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC East with 2+ TD passes & 90+ rating. • RB RHAMONDRE STEVENSON rushed for season-high 59 yards last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rush yards. Had rush TD in last meeting. Has 85+ scrimmage yards in 5 of his past 6 vs. NFC. • RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT led team with 80 rush yards in Week 3. Spent 1st 7 seasons of career (2016-22) with Dal. & ranks 3rd in franchise history in rush yards (8,262) & rush TDs (68). • WR KENDRICK BOURNE aims for 5th in row with 4+ catches. Had rec. TD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. Dal. with TD catch. • WR DEVANTE PARKER had 56 rec. yards in his last game vs. Dal. (9/22/19 w/ Mia.). • WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER had 6 catches for 93 yards & TD in only career game vs. Dal. (11/8/20 w/ Pit.). • WR HUNTER HENRY has 5+ catches in 2 of 3 games this season. Had rec. TD in each of 2 career games vs. Dal. • TE PHAROAH BROWN had career-high 71 rec. yards & 3rdcareer TD catch in Week 3. • LB MATTHEW JUDON led team with season-high 2 sacks last week & is 1 of 6 in NFL with sack in each of 1st 3 weeks. • DT CHRISTIAN BARMORE had 1st sack & PD of season last week. Had TFL in last meeting. Has 0.5+ sacks in 2 of his past 3 on road. • S KYLE DUGGER had season-high 7 tackles in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 8 tackles & INT in last meeting. • CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ (rookie) has PD in each of 1st 3 career games. Is 1 of 6 rookies with 3+ PD (3).

DALLAS NOTES:

QB DAK PRESCOTT made 100th-career start in Week 3. Has 2,254 career completions, 3rd-most ever by player in 1st 100 career games. Has 15 TDs (14 pass, 1 rush) vs. 7 INTs for 103.5 rating in his past 7 home starts. Passed for 445 yards & 3 TDs vs. INT for 108.7 rating in last meeting. • RB TONY POLLARD rushed for 122 yards last week, his 7thcareer game with 100+ rush yards. Aims for his 8th in row at home with 60+ scrimmage yards. Had 63 scrimmage yards (41 rush, 22 rec.) in last meeting. • RB RICO DOWDLE had 1st-career rec. TD in Week 3. • WR CEEDEE LAMB aims for his 3rd in row at home with 120+ rec. yards & 7th in row at home with 5+ receptions. Aims for 8th in row overall with 50+ rec. yards. Had 9 catches for 149 yards & 2 rec. TDs in last meeting. • WR MICHAEL GALLUP led team with 6 receptions & 92 rec. yards in Week 3. • TE JAKE FERGUSON had career-high 5 receptions last week. • LB MICAH PARSONS had 4th sack of season in Week 3 & is 1 of 2 in NFC (Danielle Hunter) with sack in each of 1st 3 weeks. Has 2 sacks in 5 of his past 10 home games & has 10 career games with 2+ sacks, tied 5th-most by player in 1st 3 seasons since 1982. • DT OSA ODIGHIZUWA aims for his 5th in row with TFL. • DE DEMARCUS LAWRENCE had 2nd sack of season last week. Aims for his 4th in row with TFL. • CB STEPHON GILMORE has 4 PD & INT in 3 games this season. Had 52 PD & 11 INTs in 4 seasons (2017-20) with NE. • S JAYRON KEARSE aims for his 3rd in row at home with INT & 5th in row at home with PD.

ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-2) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-0)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET

FOX: Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) ARI: 109 or 383 SF: 104 or 225

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: SF leads series, 34-29 (SF won past 2)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 1/8/23: ARI 13 at SF 38

POSTSEASON: —

ARIZONA NOTES:

QB JOSH DOBBS completed 17 of 21 atts. (81 percent) for 189 yards & TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 120 rating & had career-high 55 rush yards in Week 3, his 1st-career win as starter. Has TD pass in 4 of his 5 career starts. • RB JAMES CONNER had 116 scrimmage yards (98 rush, 18 rec.) & rush TD in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. Has 1,181 scrimmage yards (84.4 per game) & 12 TDs (10 rush, 2 rec.) in 14 road games with Ari., incl. 50+ scrimmage yards in each game. Had 173 scrimmage yards (96 rush, 77 rec.) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in his last game at SF (11/7/21). Aims for his 4th in row vs. SF with TD. • TE ZACH ERTZ has 6+ catches in 6 of his past 8 road games. • WR MARQUISE BROWN had 5 receptions for 61 yards & rec. TD in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ catches, 50+ rec. yards & rec. TD. • WR RONDALE MOORE had 1st-career rush TD last week. • WR MICHAEL WILSON (rookie) had team-high 86 rec. yards in Week 3. • LB ZAVEN COLLINS had sack in Week 3. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4 on road & PD in 5 of his past 6 road games. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with PD. • LB KYZIR WHITE led team with 14 tackles & had 5th-career INT last week. Aims for his 5th in row with TFL. • LB DENNIS GARDECK has TFL in 2 of his past 3 road games. • S JALEN THOMPSON had 8 tackles & PD last week. Has 5+ tackles in 6 of his past 7 on road & aims for his 5th in row on road with 5+ tackles. Had 8 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • CB KEI’TREL CLARK (rookie) had 10 tackles & 2 PD last week & aims for his 3rd in row with 2+ PD. • S K’VON WALLACE aims for his 4th in row with 7+ tackles.

SAN FRANCISCO NOTES:

49ERS advanced to 3-0 for 1st time since 2019. Have won 13 consecutive reg. season games, 2nd-longest such streak in franchise history [15 games (Week 12, 1989 – Week 10, 1990)]. • QB BROCK PURDY completed 25 of 37 atts. for career-high 310 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 111.3 rating in Week 3, his 1st-career 300-yard game. Became 3rd quarterback since 1970 to win each of his 1st 8 career starts. Has 2+ TD passes in 7 of 8 career starts. Aims for his 9th in row with 90+ rating. Had career highs in TD passes (3) & rating (141.3) in last meeting. • RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 5 receptions, 119 scrimmage yards (85 rush, 34 rec.) & rush TD in Week 3. Has TD in 12 consecutive games, incl. postseason, tied 4th-longest such streak since 1990. Can become 1st player since 2014 (DeMarco Murray) with 115+ scrimmage yards & scrimmage TD in each of his team’s 1st 4 games of season. Had TD catch in last meeting. • WR DEEBO SAMUEL had 6 catches for 129 yards & 1st rec. TD of season last week, his 11th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. • WR BRANDON AIYUK has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. Ari. Has 50+ rec. yards in 6 of his past 7 at home. • TE GEORGE KITTLE had 7 catches for 90 yards in Week 3. Has 5 rec. TDs in his past 3 vs. Ari. & aims for his 4th in row vs. Ari. with TD catch. • DL NICK BOSA had 1st sack of season in Week 3. Has 14 sacks & 15 TFL in his past 10 at home, incl. sack in 9 of 10 games. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Ari. with sack. • DL JAVON HARGRAVE had 2nd sack of season in Week 3. • LB FRED WARNER has 90 tackles (9 per game) in 10 career games vs. Ari. Has 8+ tackles in 6 of his past 7. • S TALANOA HUFANGA had 2nd INT of season last week.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-1) AT NEW YORK JETS (1-2)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:20 PM ET

NBC: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark

Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Jason McCourty

SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) KC: 81 or 227 NYJ: 85 or 226 National: 88

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: KC leads series, 19-18-1 (won 3 of past 4)

POSTSEASON: Series tied, 1-1

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 11/1/20: NYJ 9 at KC 35

POSTSEASON: 12/28/86 AFC-WC: KC 15 at NYJ 35

KANSAS CITY NOTES:

QB PATRICK MAHOMES completed 24 of 33 atts. (72.7 pct.) for 272 yards & season-high 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs with season-high 127.3 rating last week, his 22nd-career game with 3+ TD passes & 0 INTs, surpassing Russell Wilson (21 games) for most-ever by QB in 1st 7 seasons. Has 2+ TD passes in 6 straight games, incl. playoffs, longest active steak in NFL. Passed for 416 yards & 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 144.4 rating in last meeting. Is 5-0 with 14 TDs (12 pass, 2 rush) vs. 3 INTs in his past 5 starts on SNF. • RB ISIAH PACHECO led team with season-high 78 scrimmage yards (62 rush, 16 rec.) & 1st rush TD of season last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. • RB CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE rushed for season-high 55 yards & 1st TD of season in Week 3. • RB JERICK MCKINNON had 2 rec. TDs last week. Had 77 rush yards & rush TD in only career game vs. NYJ (9/20/20 w/ SF). • TE TRAVIS KELCE had 7 catches for 69 yards & TD last week, his 5th-straight game with rec. TD, incl. playoffs, longest active streak in NFL. Has 5 rec. TDs in 4 career games vs. NYJ, with rec. TD in each game. Aims for his 3rd in row on SNF with 100+ rec. yards. • WR JUSTIN WATSON aims for 3rd in row with 50+ rec. yards. • WR RASHEE RICE (rookie) had 5 catches for 59 yards last week. • DT CHRIS JONES aims for his 3rd in row with sack & 3rd in row on road with 1.5+ sacks. Has 2.5 sacks in his past 2 on SNF. • DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS has 0.5+ sacks in 5 of his past 6. Aims for his 6th in row on road with TFL. • DE MIKE DANNA had sack last week & has 0.5+ sacks in each of 1st 3 games of season. • LB NICK BOLTON aims for his 12th in row with 7+ tackles. • S MIKE EDWARDS had 1st INT of season in Week 3.

NEW YORK NOTES:

QB ZACH WILSON makes 25th-career start. • RB BREECE HALL has 90+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. Had 147 scrimmage (127 rush, 20 rec.) in only career game in primetime (Week 1 vs. Buf.). • RB DALVIN COOK had 116 scrimmage yards (71 rush, 45 rec.) in only career game vs. KC (11/3/19 w/ Min.). Has TD in 3 of his past 5 on SNF. • FB NICK BAWDEN had 1st-career rush TD last week. • WR GARRETT WILSON led team with 5 catches in Week 3. Has TD catch in 2 of 3 games this season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 5+ catches. • WR ALLEN LAZARD had 39 rec. yards last week. Had TD catch in his last game vs. KC (11/7/21 w/ GB). Has rec. TD in 4 of his past 5 on SNF. • WR RANDALL COBB had 50+ rec. yards in 3 of 4 career games vs. KC. • WR MECOLE HARDMAN spend 1st 4 seasons of career (2019- 22) with KC. Has 70+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 in primetime. • TE TYLER CONKLIN aims for his 3rd in row on SNF with 5+ catches. • DL QUINNEN WILLIAMS had PD last week. Has PD in 2 of his past 3 at home. Had 2 TFL in last meeting. • LB C.J. MOSLEY tied for team lead with season-high 10 tackles in Week 3. Aims for his 7th in row with 7+ tackles. Has 15 tackles & 4 TFL in 2 career games vs. KC. • LB QUINCY WILLIAMS aims for 8th in row with 7+ tackles. • S JORDAN WHITEHEAD had season-high 10 tackles & PD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles. Has 4 TFL in 3 career games on SNF, with 8 tackles in 2 of 3 games.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (2-1) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1-2)

DATE: Monday, October 2, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM EST

ABC: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters

Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) SEA: 81 or 226 NYG: 83 or 225 National: 88

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: Series tied, 10-10 (SEA won 5 of past 6)

POSTSEASON: –

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 10/30/22: NYG 13 at SEA 27

POSTSEASON: —

SEATTLE NOTES:

QB GENO SMITH passed for 296 yards & TD vs. INT for 87.3 rating in Week 3. Has 2+ TD passes & 100+ rating in 7 of his past 8 road starts. Had 2 TD passes vs. 0 INTs for 104 rating in last meeting. Aims for his 5th in row in primetime with 90+ rating. • RB KENNETH WALKER had 156 scrimmage yards (97 rush, career-high 59 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in Week 3. Has 5 games with 2+ rush TDs since 2022, 2nd-most in NFL. Aims for his 3rd in row with 2 rush TDs. Had rush TD in last meeting. • WR TYLER LOCKETT has 5 rec. TDs in his past 4 on road & aims for his 5th in row on road with TD catch. Had rec. TD in last meeting & aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYG with 5+ catches. • WR DK METCALF led team with 6 catches & 112 rec. yards in Week 3, his 10th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 70+ rec. yards & 6th in row on road with 5+ receptions. Had rec. TD in last meeting. • LB BOBBY WAGNER has 25 tackles (8.3 per game), 3 TFL, 2 PD & 1.5 sacks in 3 career games vs. NYG. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYG with PD & 4th in row vs. NYG with TFL. • LB JORDYN BROOKS had 9 tackles & half sack last week. Has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Has 8+ tackles in 6 of his past 7 primetime games. Aims for his 16th in row on road with 8+ tackles. • NT JARRAN REED tied his career high with 8 tackles & had 1.5 sacks, TFL & PD last week. • CB DEVON WITHERSPOON (rookie) led team with 11 tackles & had 2 PD in Week 3. • S JULIAN LOVE had 2 PD last week. Had 268 tackles, 18 PD, 13 TFL & 5 INTs in 4 seasons (2019-22) with NYG. • S JAMAL ADAMS has 20 tackles (10 per game), 3 sacks, 2 FF & FR-TD in 2 career games vs. NYG.

NEW YORK NOTES:

QB DANIEL JONES has 13 TDs (9 pass, 4 rush) vs. 4 INTs for 94.7 rating in his past 7 at home. Has 40+ rush yards in 4 of his past 5 home games. • RB SAQUON BARKLEY has 50+ rush yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in each of his 7 career MNF games. Had rush TD in last meeting. • RB MATT BREIDA had 9th-career rush TD in Week 3. • TE DARREN WALLER has TD catch in 3 of his past 4 Monday games & 50+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 MNF games. • WR PARRIS CAMPBELL led team with 6 catches in Week 3, his 9th-career game with 5+ receptions. • WR WAN’DALE ROBINSON had 4 reception in season debut last week. • WR DARIUS SLAYTON had 5 receptions for 66 yards in last meeting. • LB MICAH MCFADDEN led team with 10 tackles & had careerhigh 4 TFL in Week 3, his 2nd-career game with 10+ tackles (Week 1). Has TFL in 3 of his past 4. Had 1st-career sack in last meeting. • LB KAYVON THIBODEAUX had 1st sack of season in Week 3. • LB BOBBY OKEREKE had 9 tackles in Week 3 & has 5+ tackles in 11 consecutive games. Had 7 tackles in his only career game vs. Sea. (9/21/21 w/ Ind.). • DL DEXTER LAWRENCE had 7 tackles in Week 3. • DL LEONARD WILLIAMS had 6 tackles & 1st half sack of season last week. Had 8 tackles & sack in last meeting & had 4.5 sacks in 3 career games vs. Sea. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Sea. with sack. • CB ADOREE’ JACKSON had FF & FR in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Sea. with 5+ tackles & PD. • S JASON PINNOCK aims for his 4th in row with 5+ tackles.

FOOTBALL NEWS

PRO FOOTBALL LEAGUES XFL AND USFL ANNOUNCE INTENT TO MERGE

NEW YORK (AP) — The XFL and USFL plan to join forces.

The spring pro football leagues announced in a statement Thursday they would merge going forward. The statement said details of the new league would come out at a later date.

The XFL has eight teams from Seattle, Washington, to Washington, D.C. The USFL also has eight teams that stretch from New Jersey to Memphis.

The XFL, first founded in 2001, returned to action in 2020 but had to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league eventually filed for bankruptcy. It was reborn in February.

The USFL played its first season in 2022.

Both leagues said the merger was subject to customary regulatory approvals. If the transaction goes through, the new league “will establish best-in-class operations based on the most recent seasons of both leagues,” according to the statement.

BASEBALL NEWS

MLB ROUNDUP: ORIOLES BLANK RED SOX, CLINCH AL EAST TITLE

Anthony Santander homered, Dean Kremer pitched into the sixth inning and the Baltimore Orioles clinched the American League East crown with a 2-0 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

It’s the Orioles’ 10th division title and first since 2014. Two years after losing 110 games, Baltimore will be the top seed in the AL playoffs, earning a bye in the wild-card round and home field through the American League Championship Series if the Orioles reach it.

Heston Kjerstad added a pinch-hit RBI double for the Orioles, who have won five straight while allowing a total of three runs. Kremer (13-5) allowed two hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one. The Orioles went 24-8 in Kremer’s starts this season.

Starter Chris Sale (6-5) allowed a run on three hits over five innings for Boston.

Mariners 3, Rangers 2

J.P. Crawford’s two-run double with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Seattle a win against visiting Texas, preventing the Rangers from clinching a playoff spot.

Julio Rodriguez homered for the Mariners, who pulled within a game of the idle Houston Astros in the race for the American League’s third and final wild-card berth.

Leody Taveras and Adolis Garcia hit home runs for the Rangers, who lost for just the second time in their past nine games and were unable to clinch their first postseason trip since 2016. First-place Texas has a two-game lead on Houston and a three-game lead on Seattle in the AL West.

Braves 5, Cubs 3

Matt Olson set the franchise single-season RBI record as Atlanta beat visiting Chicago to sweep a three-game series and clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Olson socked his 54th home run, a two-run shot in the first inning, raising his major-league-leading RBI total to 136. Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews’ 135 RBIs in 1953 had been the club’s top single-season mark since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.

Atlanta starter AJ Smith-Shawver did not allow a hit in 3 2/3 innings. The rookie gave up one run on one walk. The winning pitcher was Kyle Wright (1-3), who fanned four and allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings. Chicago starter Marcus Stroman (10-9) lasted just two innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on four hits.

Dodgers 14, Rockies 5

Elehuris Montero and Charlie Blackmon homered and had three hits each, Sean Bouchard also went deep and Colorado beat Los Angeles in Denver.

Brenton Doyle, Brendan Rodgers, Alan Trejo, Ezequiel Tovar and Bouchard had two hits apiece for Colorado, which earned a split of the four-game series.

J.D. Martinez and Enrique Hernandez homered and had two hits each, Kolten Wong collected three hits and Austin Barnes had two hits for the

Tigers 8, Royals 0 (completion of susp. game)

Miguel Cabrera hit his 511th career homer and Tarik Skubal combined with three relievers on a shutout, lifting host Detroit over Kansas City in the completion of a suspended game.

Cabrera, who is retiring at the end of the season, homered during the second inning on Wednesday night before the game was suspended after four innings due to inclement weather. Cabrera reached base three times, scoring two runs and driving in a pair. Tyler Nevin launched a three-run homer as a pinch-hitter and Jake Rogers added a two-run shot for the Tigers.

Jonathan Bowlan, making his major league debut for the Royals, gave up Cabrera’s homer over two innings of work. Kansas City batters were limited to four hits and didn’t draw a walk.

Tigers 7, Royals 3

Spencer Torkelson’s three-run home run capped a seven-run, seventh-inning outburst, and host Detroit completed a three-game sweep of Kansas City.

Parker Meadows had three hits, a run and an RBI, while Matt Vierling supplied two hits and two RBIs. Andy Ibanez had the go-ahead hit for the Tigers, who have won four straight.

Royals starter Cole Ragans (7-5) was charged with four runs in 6 1/3 innings while striking out eight. Michael Massey hit a two-run homer for Kansas City.

Athletics 2, Twins 1

Ryan Noda homered in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie and four pitchers combined for a four-hitter as Oakland salvaged the final game of a three-game series with Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Noda led off the eighth against reliever Kenta Maeda (6-8) with his 16th home run of the season, a 404-foot blast into the plaza behind right-field bleachers for what proved to be the game-winning run.

The Twins’ Sonny Gray, named on Thursday the Game 2 starter for next week’s wild-card playoff series, left after pitching four innings and 55 pitches in his final tune-up. He allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out four and lowering his ERA to 2.79.

White Sox 3, Diamondbacks 1

Andrew Vaughn clubbed a two-run homer and Yoan Moncada also went deep to lead host Chicago past Arizona.

The White Sox leaned heavily on their bullpen, as four relievers combined for five hitless innings. Tanner Banks (1-4) logged a 1-2-3 fifth to pick up the win, and Bryan Shaw later retired the side in order in the ninth to notch his fourth save of the season.

Corbin Carroll went 2-for-4 with a run and Ketel Marte had a sacrifice fly for the Diamondbacks, who are in the thick of the National League wild-card race. Each team had only three hits.

Brewers 3, Cardinals 0

Corbin Burnes tossed four scoreless innings in a tune-up for the postseason to pace Milwaukee to victory over visiting St. Louis.

With the NL Central title already clinched, the Brewers were able to pull Burnes after 66 pitches with a 2-0 lead. Burnes allowed five hits, striking out four and walking one. Julio Teheran (3-5) followed with four scoreless innings, allowing one hit with four strikeouts and no walks. Christian Yelich had two hits, an RBI and a run.

Dakota Hudson (6-3) allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings, striking out three and walking three for the Cardinals.

Pirates 3, Phillies 2

Jared Triolo doubled twice and drove in two runs as visiting Pittsburgh snapped Philadelphia’s seven-game winning streak.

Luis Ortiz (5-5) allowed one run on four hits over five innings for Pittsburgh, which avoided a fourth straight loss. Dauri Moreta, Ryan Borucki and Carmen Mlodzinski followed before David Bednar worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his 38th save.

Kyle Schwarber gave Philadelphia an early lead with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first inning. The 444-foot blast was Schwarber’s 46th home run, tying his career high from last season.

Blue Jays 6, Yankees 0

Brandon Belt hit a three-run home run, right-hander Chris Bassitt pitched into the eighth inning and Toronto defeated visiting New York.

Bassitt (16-8) allowed five hits and one walk (intentional) while striking out 12 in 7 2/3 innings. After retiring the first two batters of the eighth, he was replaced when he reached 200 innings pitched on the season for the first time in his career. Yimi Garcia finished the inning.

Yankees reliever Yoendrys Gomez made his major league debut with a clean bottom of the seventh that included a strikeout. He pitched around a single and a hit batter with three strikeouts in the eighth.

JUDGE: YANKEES’ SEASON HAS FELT LIKE ‘DRAGGED OUT, PAINFUL DEATH’

New York Yankees star captain Aaron Judge doesn’t think highly of the job the organization has done this season, describing the campaign as one of the worst he’s been a part of since debuting in 2016.

“I’ll take the ALCS losses over this year,” Judge told NJ.com’s Randy Miller. “This isn’t the agonizing one blow where you know the season’s over, but more of a dragged out, painful death. But it’s all the same. We didn’t finish it, so it’s going to be tough no matter what.”

Judge’s comments come

Judge’s comments come after he called this season “a failure.” He said “a lot of things need to change” when the Yankees were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday.

But one thing Judge doesn’t want changed is the manager. The 31-year-old spoke highly of Aaron Boone, praising the skipper for the job he’s done since taking over the helm in 2018.

“I’ve been with Boonie here since 2018. I think he’s definitely the right man for the job,” Judge said. “He knows his players. He knows how to talk to them. He knows when to push them. He knows when to have those tough conversations. I think it’s just about giving Boonie a good supporting cast, the right type of guys who are going to run through a wall for him.”

Despite a down year for the Yankees, Judge has no regrets about re-signing with the club this past offseason. He reportedly turned down more money from other clubs in free agency to continue with the team that drafted him.

“I know that I made the right decision. I knew it wasn’t going to be all sunshine and rainbows and everybody’s going to ride into the sunset and get us back to the glory days,” he said.

“I knew even throughout this season when we hit our lowest points, I was like, ‘This is what I signed up for.’ I think going through a year like this – the setbacks, injuries, bad season – it’s only going to make the time when we do get it figured out that much better. We’re really going to be enjoying those moments.”

PRODIGY REALIZED: ALL THAT’S LEFT FOR BRYCE HARPER IS TO WIN A WORLD SERIES

TORONTO – The spotlight’s always shined bright on Bryce Harper.

A once-in-a-generation talent

A once-in-a-generation talent who was blasting 500-foot home runs before he could legally drive, Harper’s lived the life of an anointed baseball prodigy and somehow managed to deliver on sky-high expectations.

Before he was selected first overall in the 2010 draft by the Washington Nationals, he was the “LeBron James of Baseball,” appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16 years old.

No pressure, right?

“I mean, it’s a good thing and a bad thing,” Harper, now 30, told theScore last month. “You’re 16 years old and you look at an article and you’re on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It’s one of the coolest things ever. You dream about Sports Illustrated, Wheaties boxes, Topps cards at a young age.”

Those high expectations are unfair no matter how talented a player is. Prospects often crumble under their weight.

Harper didn’t, though, and he remains focused on what eludes him, and what he came closest to last October: a World Series title.

“There was a lot of hype about him,” Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “Everybody realized that he was one of those future cornerstone players (who) don’t come around very often.”

For Harper – even at 16 – it was all about the bigger picture; it’s what allowed him to be great. He was naturally gifted, yes, but his desire to be the best wouldn’t allow him to fail.

“Just understanding that there was still so much to do. It was just another brick being laid, another step going forward. I just tried to understand that this wasn’t the finished product,” Harper said of how he managed expectations. “I needed to keep working. At 16 years old, you don’t want to just be the best 16-year-old in the world, right? You want to be able to further your career and go from there. The work never stopped.”

‘We had to grind’

To understand how Harper managed those lofty expectations, you have to know how he was raised.

Harper’s baseball journey began like so many others’, tagging along to his older brother’s games.

“Just watching (Bryan) play,” Harper said of how he got his start in baseball. “He was a few years older than me, so whatever he was doing, I was doing.”

Sports were a big part of life in the Harper house in Nevada. His dad, Ron, played multiple sports when he was young and passed on a love of competition to his children. Bryce was involved in “big-time (baseball) tournaments” when he was 10. He played competitive football until his freshman year in high school, but focused on baseball full time after breaking his wrist.

“That’s when I kind of got pretty serious,” Harper said. “I just kind of took that path.”

Harper grew up in a middle-class family. His mother worked as a paralegal while his father worked as an ironworker foreman, helping build much of the Las Vegas Strip.

“Treasure Island, Mirage, Aria, all your big hotels. You name it, he was on it,” Harper said of his dad. “He ran a lot of big jobs.”

Harper speaks about his parents with much pride; it’s clear how important they are to his life when you talk with him. He credits them for his work ethic. He was taught from a young age to work hard for what you want and believes having that instilled helped him not only reach the majors but also kept him grounded.

“They wanted to give us every single chance they could to get to where we are today,” Harper said. “That was just instilled into all of us, that we had to grind. No matter where you come from, or who you are, just understand it takes a lot of work to be where you are.

“If you’re gonna do this, you’re gonna do it the right way and we’re not gonna waste our time. You’re gonna do something with your whole heart into it.”

While Harper dreamed in his mid-teens of life as a pro baseball player, his immediate plans were to make sure the sport helped him pay for college. He knew he’d need financial assistance, and baseball was a way of securing it.

“I was definitely going to need a scholarship,” Harper said. “My brother was the same way, and my sister, too. So it’s kind of just, what can we do to be great at what we need to get our education going.”

Harper’s exploits between the lines made it clear he was going places in the sport. He completed his GED during his junior year of high school in 2009, which allowed him to be eligible for MLB’s 2010 draft. He played at the College of Southern Nevada with his brother for one season, where he dominated as a 17-year-old catcher. The Nats made him the No. 1 pick.

It was a pick that changed the trajectory of the franchise, and Harper’s life.

‘Like traveling with a rock star’

Bob Carpenter’s been the TV voice of the Nationals for 18 seasons.

He remembers the lean early years after the team relocated from Montreal. Washington finished last in the NL East in five of its first six seasons. The Nats went 59-102 in 2008, helping them land Stephen Strasburg first overall. They finished 59-103 in 2009, ensuring themselves Harper.

“I saw the headlines and stuff when (Harper) was still in high school,” Carpenter recalls. “And I’m like, ‘Come on, this guy can’t be that good.’ After we drafted Strasburg in 2009, and then we drafted Bryce … to have two guys like that come along back-to-back, it’s crazy.”

Harper debuted at Dodger Stadium on April 28, 2012. With Strasburg on the mound, he went 1-for-3 with an RBI. He was greeted with loud boos during his first at-bat (a groundout back to the pitcher). A couple innings later, he roped a rocket double off Chad Billingsley for his first hit. The boos grew louder, the ball tossed into the dugout for authentication.

Bryce Harper was officially a major leaguer.

“We were at Dodger Stadium, he had a double, and I swear his hair was on fire,” Carpenter said of Harper’s debut. “My (broadcast) partner F.P. Santangelo used to call it the ‘Bryce Harper run until they tag you play.’ Like Little League, when you’re the best kid out there and you keep running.”

Harper was a 2012 All-Star and the NL Rookie of the Year, hitting .270/.340/.477 with 22 home runs across 139 games. Washington won 98 games, capturing its first NL East title since moving south.

The Nationals and their young star had arrived.

Harper had already been in the spotlight for several years, but things truly took off after his early big-league success. He was booed in visiting parks because he was so hyped. Cole Hamels, a starter in his seventh season in 2012, admitted he hit Harper with a pitch on purpose as an unfriendly welcome to the big leagues. Harper was famously asked “clown” questions. There was a very public dugout fight with teammate Jonathan Papelbon.

“There was definitely a target on his back with the hype around him,” Harper’s former Nationals teammate Max Scherzer told theScore. “But at the end of the day, he also welcomed that. He wanted it. He thrives off that. He wanted to go out there and compete and be the best. He always wanted to be – in a good way – the player that gets a big hit.

“He wasn’t afraid of the moment. That can be a tough thing to do. Sometimes, you kind of gotta experience it. Through his upbringing and how good he was so young, he just constantly had those type of moments, he kind of got used to it. So, even when they happen early in his career, in the big leagues, he seemed very poised in those moments.”

Harper was a lightning rod – and he was electric.

“I thought Bryce handled everything really well. There were a lot of demands on his time,” Carpenter said. “I had a previous experience with this sort of thing, not with a young guy, but when I was with the Cardinals, with the whole Mark McGwire home-run chase in 1998. Mark couldn’t go anywhere. We were sneaking him in and out of the hotel, through the kitchen and going up the freight elevator, and all that stuff, and Bryce, it was a similar thing. It was like traveling with a rock star. It was crazy. That’s when we really felt the fortunes of the ballclub turning around.”

The first few years in the majors can be a whirlwind – especially for a young player with otherworldly expectations. The more successful a player, the more distractions there are. Harper was a comet at only 19 and the Nationals knew he needed a clubhouse mentor.

When Scherzer arrived in Washington, he pointed to Jayson Werth as the team’s leader and someone Harper looked up to.

“I still talk to him to this day,” Harper said of Werth. “He was somebody who I could lean on and somebody who was going to tell me how it was. He has that old-school mentality, that older brother mentality.

“The Nationals at the time needed that type of guy. They weren’t the team yet. He changed not just the culture of the club, but he changed the training room, the food, the workout stuff. I mean, he came over and really revamped a lot of the stuff that they needed to help them win. Once I got up there, he was a really good ear for me and a mind to kind of pick. He was the guy that I could lean on.”

Harper spent seven seasons in Washington (six of those with Werth). He was a six-time All-Star, and claimed the NL MVP in 2015 as a 22-year-old. He was the youngest to ever win the award unanimously, the fourth-youngest to be named MVP, the 16th player to claim both a ROY award and MVP, and was the first winner for the franchise (Expos or Nationals).

Scherzer recalled conversations with Harper during and after his first MVP season. He challenged Harper to keep pushing for more.

“I played with the best. I’m not here to tell you you’re not good. You’re good. I get it. But I’ve seen the best and there’s still another level to your game that you can achieve,” Scherzer remembers telling Harper. “There’s still things you can do. This isn’t over. MVP at 22, this isn’t done. You’re nowhere near your peak.

“Having those types of conversations with him: ‘You’re 22, already winning MVP of the league, but make sure that you understand there’s still work to be done. There’s still things to accomplish as a player. Think of this as a process, not results. It was a hell of a year, but there’s still another level of success if you want it.'”

Despite all that success, and with the Nationals still in their competitive window, the two sides weren’t able to negotiate a contract extension, and Harper hit free agency after the 2018 season. It was reported the Nationals offered a 10-year deal worth $300 million, but with a significant portion of the money deferred.

Harper moved on after seven seasons, and he didn’t go far.

‘I want to be able to have a title’

Harper connected on his 300th career home run in August, becoming the 158th player and fourth-youngest active player to reach the mark. Now a member of the Phillies after signing a 13-year, $330-million deal in March 2019, his is the second-richest free-agent contract in MLB history, surpassed only by Aaron Judge.

Harper’s fully embraced being a Philadelphian; you’d swear he grew up next to Veterans Stadium. He’s practically best friends with the club’s iconic Phanatic mascot, and he loves how intense the fan base is – something that’s scared a fair number of other players away.

“They expect greatness out of all of us,” Harper said.

The pressure of playing in a sports-crazy city is something he believes makes him better.

Harper admits to routinely listening to sports talk radio on his drive into Citizens Bank Park, and was inspired to recently hit a home run for frequent caller “Chuck.”

“When you play in Philadelphia, you start understanding what it takes to get to that next level,” he said.

Five seasons into his Phillies tenure, Harper has certainly delivered. He was the NL MVP in 2021, becoming the fifth player to win an MVP for multiple teams. He was an All-Star in 2022 and claimed NLCS MVP honors while helping guide the Phillies to last year’s NL pennant. They fell in six games to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

“To see Bryce continue to perform the way he has (in Philadelphia), it’s hats off to him, because it’s not easy,” Scherzer said. “(That big contract) can trip up a lot of guys.”

Last season’s World Series run ignited something else inside Harper. He played October baseball with a torn UCL that eventually needed Tommy John surgery in November. He returned to the lineup only 160 days later – the fastest any player has recovered from the procedure.

“At the end of the day, if I don’t win another award, I want to be able to have a title – to have a ring on my finger,” Harper said.

Luckily for Harper, the current Phillies architect has already won two World Series as a lead executive. Dombrowski owns a reputation for assembling star-studded rosters, and while he wasn’t running the Phillies when they signed Harper, he was happy to inherit the superstar.

“If you can have a player that you can build around, you’re very fortunate,” Dombrowski said of having Harper. “He’s in the prime of his career with quite a few years to play. It’s a situation where it makes your job a lot easier to have that type of player right in the middle of your order, and is going to be there for a long time. You can build around them, which then attracts other players that want to play with them. It’s huge.”

Dombrowski believes having Harper signed long term helped recruit other star players. Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner all signed over the last two seasons, the latter inking an 11-year, $300-million deal.

“Everybody respects (Harper),” Dombrowski said. “When we signed Turner, he turned down more money elsewhere, but he knew Bryce and knew what type of player he was and played with him in the past. Now, there were other players, too, but I think that’s very helpful.”

‘Don’t let it pass by too quick’

When Harper was looking to sign his free-agent contract in 2019, he was angling for a team that would help him win his first World Series, but he also wanted to set down roots with his wife, Kayla.

Harper is a father now, to 3-year-old Krew and 2-year-old Brooklyn. Becoming a dad changed Harper’s view on a lot of things, he said.

“I think everybody grows. Perspective wise, with my kids, you realize there’s a lot of bigger things than what we do out here (on the field). Trying to be the best you can away from the field and on the field, being a good teammate, being a good person. You put in all that hard work to get to where you are. I love that I’m able to look up and see my kids and my family.”

One thing Harper is looking most forward to in the second half of his career is being able to have his children experience their dad as a major leaguer.

“Krew’s going to be able to grow up in the clubhouse and be around the game for a long time,” Harper said. “I look forward to hopefully playing into my 40s and him being in here.

“I’ll have to blind him a little bit from certain things,” he joked, looking around the clubhouse.

Harper is nearing the end of his 12th MLB season and has played over 1,500 regular-season games. He’s experienced many different things on the diamond, so many that he never knows what can happen on a given night. He’s made a point to try and soak everything in.

“I’ve been able to see four no-hitters,” Harper said. “Seeing (Michael) Lorenzen do what he did (earlier this season), I kind of stood there and watched everything around it. You see the family, you see the kids, you see everybody crying, everybody’s happy. You’re gonna remember those moments. I was just so incredibly happy for him.

“I love seeing guys have success. I don’t care who you are in this game, from our side or the other. I always want to see guys have success, see greatness, because this game is gonna go by quick and you might not ever see another Mike Trout or another Shohei Ohtani. I don’t think we give guys enough credit and I don’t think (players) give themselves enough grace, because this game is really hard and seeing guys have success is a lot of fun.”

It’s been 14 years since that Sports Illustrated article was published. While plenty has changed, Harper’s goal of one day being enshrined in Cooperstown hasn’t.

“I think anytime you start your career you can say whatever you want. Everybody changes from the time they are 6 to 25, but those goals are still the same,” Harper said. “Every time you walk out on to the field, you want to be the best player you can, and you have those individual goals. But there’s nothing better than getting to the postseason and trying to win the World Series.”

Looking back on his career, Harper talks a lot about the growth that comes with so much life experience. He’s loved being a major leaguer despite the overwhelming pressure. And though he’s in his prime, he understands this won’t be his life forever.

Asked what he’d tell his 16-year-old self if he had the chance, Harper takes a second to think before answering.

“Don’t let it pass by too quick. Understand that every moment, every good, or every bad is there for a reason. You’re gonna go through stretches in life, not just on the baseball field, but everywhere else, that are really good stretches and others that are pretty tough.

“But I’m so fortunate. I’m so thankful to be where I am today. Having the opportunities to play this great game. Just try to enjoy it. People always talk about that, right? Like everybody always says, ‘It goes real quick.’ You’re sitting there at 19 years old and you’re like, ‘Yeah right.’ And then you’re 30 years old and I’m sitting here going, ‘Gosh, dang’. It’s been super quick. I’ve had some good and I’ve had some bad. I’ve had a lot of fun as well. So if I look back, I would tell him just to enjoy it a little bit more.”

CURT SCHILLING REVEALS TIM WAKEFIELD HAS BRAIN CANCER

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield was diagnosed with a “very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer,” ex-teammate Curt Schilling announced on his podcast.

Schilling admitted he was unclear whether Wakefield wanted his battle with cancer revealed in a public format. Schilling said he elected to do so due to the power of prayer as well as a sense of guilt.

“The situation in Tim’s case is incredibly serious,” Schilling said. “He went in and had surgery and I think there’s a lot of guilt, and a lot of it is selfish in the sense that I feel bad that we haven’t talked as much.”

Social media backlash toward Schilling for divulging Wakefield’s news followed soon after his announcement.

Among those voicing their displeasure was Catherine Varitek, the wife of former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.

“(Expletive) you Curt Schilling, that wasn’t your place!” she wrote on Twitter.

Schilling is a cancer survivor. He was treated for throat cancer in 2014.

Wakefield, who has not publicly commented on his health, was a 200-game winner best known for his use of the knuckleball.

A two-time World Series champion, Wakefield spent 17 of his 19 major-league seasons with the Red Sox.

Wakefield, 57, posted a 14-12 record with a 4.17 ERA in his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1992-93) before climbing to third in career wins in Red Sox franchise history. He posted a record of 186-168 with a 4.43 ERA in 590 games (430 starts) with Boston.

NBA NEWS

BUCKS FAVORITES TO WIN NBA TITLE AFTER LANDING LILLARD

The Damian Lillard trade saga is officially over, and it ended with a shocking conclusion. After a week of rumors and rumblings, Lillard was traded to the Bucks on Wednesday afternoon, pairing him with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The three-team trade sends Bucks guard Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers, along with Suns players Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara. The Suns get Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson.

Following the trade, the Bucks jumped the Celtics and Nuggets as favorites to win the NBA Finals – and for good reason. The Bucks added a superstar point guard in Lillard, who’s coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game on 46.3% shooting, tied for a career best.

The Bucks are also the favorites to win the Eastern Conference (+165). Milwaukee’s regular-season win total increased by three games to 55.5.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard have publicly floated the idea of teaming up in recent years. Now, it’s a reality.

The two-time MVP commands an absurd amount of attention around the basket, which will only open up more looks for Lillard, who shot 45% on catch-and-shoot threes last year.

They are two of the best isolation players in the league. Antetokounmpo also plays a ton of point forward, which could allow Lillard to play certain possessions off the ball.

Not to mention, Lillard and Antetokounmpo will make for an unstoppable pick-and-roll combination. Lillard scored 1.13 points per possession as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll last season, which ranked in the 93rd percentile.

Lillard and Antetokounmpo are poised to be a lethal duo. While losing the defensive presence of Holiday is significant, he isn’t in the same stratosphere as a scorer as Lillard. The Bucks did lose notable role players but kept Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, two major – albeit now aging – parts of their 2021 championship team.

This is the first time Lillard will have a chance to truly contend for an NBA championship. Lillard insisted he wanted to be traded to the Heat, but with four years left on his deal, it’s safe to say Lillard will be joyous to call Milwaukee home and Antetokounmpo a teammate.

The Suns’ odds remain unchanged as the fourth favorites to win the title. theScore Bet is offering a special for both Lillard and Antetokounmpo to average at least 30 points per game this season. The odds are +250 ($10 to win $25). Both players averaged over 30 last season.

RACING NEWS

NASCAR TO RETURN TO INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY OVAL FOR 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEBUT AT THE BRICKYARD

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NASCAR will return to the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway next season for the 30-year anniversary of stock cars racing at the historic venue.

The inaugural Brickyard 400 was held on Aug. 6, 1994, and was won by Indiana icon Jeff Gordon in the first of his five Indianapolis victories. That NASCAR debut was the first race beside the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the famous track since 1916.

NASCAR raced on the oval from 1994 through 2020, but under Roger Penske’s ownership of IMS the race was held on the 2.439-mile road course the last three seasons as part of a shared weekend with the IndyCar Series.

The Brickyard 400 will be held on July 21, with the Xfinity Series racing on the oval one day earlier.

“While it’s been exciting to watch the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series drivers tackle the IMS road course over the last three years, being back on the oval for the 30th anniversary is a much-anticipated homecoming for drivers and fans alike,” said Doug Boles, president of IMS. “Whether you’ve been with us all 30 years or are a new fan, the celebration as we ‘come back around’ will be can’t-miss and truly unforgettable.”

The last NASCAR driver to win on Indy’s oval was Kevin Harvick in 2020. He’s retiring at the end of the season. Michael McDowell won the Cup race in August, and Ty Gibbs won the Xfinity race.

“It’s always an honor to race at IMS, but it’s no secret that I’m excited for NASCAR’s return to the oval,” said 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. “The Brickyard 400 is one of the crown jewels of the sport’s season. To win on the oval, especially during NASCAR’s 30th anniversary at the track, is to add your name to the history books.”

Larson is also running the Indianapolis 500 next year.

NASCAR TO RETURN $1 MILLION ALL-STAR RACE TO NORTH WILKESBORO AGAIN IN 2024

RALEIGH. N.C. (AP) — The NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race will remain at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2024 after this year’s event — the first race for NASCAR there in 27 years — attracted a capacity crowd thrilled to return to stock car roots.

State legislators joined NASCAR and track executives on Thursday at the North Carolina Legislative Building for the announcement, which keeps the .625-mile (1-kilometer) asphalt oval, located almost 160 miles (258 kilometers) west of Raleigh, on the Cup Series schedule for another year.

The May 19 non-points exhibition race remains in its traditional slot on the weekend before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR President Steve Phelps said the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro and the circuit’s first street race, held in Chicago, were the signature events of 2023 during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.

“Neither of those events disappointed,” Phelps said. “We are so thrilled to be coming back with the All-Star Race.”

North Wilkesboro was one of NASCAR’s original venues, hosting more than 90 Cup races before it closed in 1996 as the circuit sought to build popularity in other markets. The oval fell into disrepair until Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., local boosters, and state officials pushed efforts to rejuvenate the track.

Federal and state funds helped complete renovations, resulting in the September 2022 announcemen t that it would return in 2023.

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports, which owns both the Charlotte and North Wilkesboro speedways, also said Thursday that North Wilkesboro will be repaved for the first time since 1981 in time for next year’s race.

Kyle Larson dominated this year’s race, which was held before 35,000 fans on the patched-up asphalt track, on the way to the $1 million prize in the winner-take-all event.

The final state budget taking effect next week includes an additional $4 million for the speedway to perform repairs and improvements as long as it agreed to host one more NASCAR Series race there by the end of 2028.

The 2024 All-Star Race satisfies that requirement, according to state Rep. Jason Saine, a top budget-writer.

“It’s right to be in North Carolina. It feels great to have it in North Carolina,” Saine told reporters, “and it means that tourists are going to come from everywhere and spend a week in North Carolina spending dollars.”

Gov. Roy Cooper also has been a big supporter of returning NASCAR to North Wilkesboro and attended this year’s race.

Phelps said that “feeling the love from from the state and its politicians is really important, and it influences decisions that we make.”

It’s unclear whether Thursday’s announcement improves North Wilkesboro’s chances for a return to a regular stop on the points race schedule. Phelps said that holding races in non-traditional markets attracts those who have never attended a NASCAR race before.

“We want to make sure that we stay tied to the history and the DNA and the roots of NASCAR, but continue to push the boundaries on bringing our sport to different places,” he said.

The All-Star Race originally started in 1985 and was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway every year except 1986, when Atlanta Motor Speedway was the venue. The event returned to Charlotte until 2021, when it was held for two years at Texas Motor Speedway.

Speedway Motorsports this year moved it to North Wilkesboro. The All-Star Race has only ever been held at venues owned by Speedway Motorsports.

BASKETBALL NEWS

TEAM USA TO PLAY TENNESSEE, DUKE TO EVALUATE OLYMPIC OPTIONS

The USA Basketball women’s national team will face Tennessee and Duke in a pair of exhibition games in November as it prepares for next year’s Paris Olympics.

Team USA will play at Tennessee on Nov. 5 and at Duke on Nov. 12. For Duke, the exhibition will come after the Blue Devils already have two regular-season contests under their belts.

USA Basketball has not announced a player pool for November as of Thursday. The governing body will host a training camp in between the two games, Nov. 7-9 in Atlanta.

The exhibitions will help USA head coach Cheryl Reeve and her staff begin to make roster decision for the Olympics.

“As preparations continue for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the games against Tennessee and Duke, as well as training camp, will serve as important opportunities for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee to evaluate players who have national team aspirations,” women’s national team director Briana Weiss said in a statement. “USA Basketball has a long history of partnering with NCAA Division I programs to help prepare for major international competitions and we are grateful to these two programs for adding our games to their preseason slates.”

According to ESPN, Tennessee last played Team USA in 2007, and Duke last did in 1999.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL BIG GAMES THIS WEEK

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (4-2) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (5-1)

BLUFFTON (6-0) AT HERITAGE (5-1)

CARMEL (4-2) AT BEN DAVIS (5-1)…BD SCORED 55 IN THE FIRST HALF AGAINST LN. THOMAS GOTKOWSKI THREW 6 TD PASSES. GOTKOWSKI IS COMPLETING 61.3% OF HIS PASSES FOR 1,420 YARDS AND 20 TDS AND WR MARK ZACKERY HAS 26 CATCHES FOR 428 YARDS AND SIX TDS.

CATHEDRAL (4-2) AT CINCINNATI LASALLE (4-2)…

DECATUR CENTRAL (4-2) AT GREENWOOD (4-2)….WATCH FOR GREENWOOD WR’S AMARE MIDDLETON (27 CATCHES, 578 YARDS, EIGHT TDS) AND TANNER CROUCH (34 CATCHES, 525 YARDS, SIX TDS)

DELTA (5-1) AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS (4-2)….DELTA WR D’AMARE HOOD HAS 31 RECEPTIONS FOR 498 YARDS AND FIVE TDS. 

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-0) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (6-0)……INDIANA SRN BROADCAST

FOREST PARK (4-2) AT NORTH POSEY (5-1)

FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT SOUTH VERMILLION (5-1)

FRANKLIN (4-2) AT PLAINFIELD (5-1)….WATCH FOR FRANKLIN RB ALEX LEUGERS (948 YARDS, NINE TDS)

FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-2) AT FISHERS (4-2)…. WATCH FOR JAYON HARVEY RB FRANKLIN CENTRAL (271 YARDS, TWO TDS), RECEIVING (26 CATCHES, 480 YARDS, THREE TDS) AND TACKLES (32).

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (5-1) AT YORKTOWN (4-2)

GUERIN CATHOLIC (4-2) AT NORTHVIEW (5-1)…NORTHVIEW IS AVERAGING 340 RUSHING YARDS PER GAME

HAGERSTOWN (5-1) AT WINCHESTER (4-2)

HERITAGE HILLS (5-1) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-2)

INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (4-2) AT CINCINNATI LASALLE (OHIO)

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (6-0) AT MONROVIA (5-1)….MONROVIA RUSHED FOR 448 YARDS LAST WEEK IN WIN OVER BEECH GROVE

INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-2) AT TRITON CENTRAL (5-1)…WATCH FOR SCECINA QB JACE STUCKEY COMPLETING 73.6% OF HIS PASSES FOR 1,633 YARDS AND 18 TDS AND WR BRAYDEN WILKINS HAS 36 RECEPTIONS FOR 636 YARDS AND SEVEN TDS. TRITON CENTRAL IS COMING OFF A BIG WIN OVER RITTER.

KNOX (6-0) AT PIONEER (4-2)

LAKELAND (5-1) AT WEST NOBLE (6-0)

LINTON-STOCKTON (5-1) AT NORTH KNOX (4-2)

MERRILLVILLE (5-1) AT VALPARAISO (4-2)

MILAN (4-2) AT PROVIDENCE (6-0)

MISHAWAKA (5-1) AT NORTHWOOD (4-2)

NOBLESVILLE (3-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (5-1)….KEEP AN EYE ON HSE QB CHANDLER WESTON IS COMPLETING 65.3% OF HIS PASSES FOR 1,007 YARDS AND 12 TDS.

NOBLESVILLE RB LOGAN SHOFFNER (675 RUSHING YARDS, SEVEN TDS; 12 CATCHES, 270 YARDS, TWO TDS).

NORTH JUDSON (4-2) AT TRITON (4-2)

NORTHRIDGE (5-1) AT CONCORD (4-2)

SILVER CREEK (4-2) AT NORTH HARRISON (5-1)

SOUTH BEND RILEY (6-0) AT NEW PRAIRIE (5-1)

SWITZERLAND COUNTY (4-2) AT SOUTH DECATUR (5-1)

TIPPECANOE VALLEY (6-0) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (4-1)

TRI-WEST (5-1) AT NORTH MONTGOMERY (4-2)….WATCH FOR TRI-WEST QB MALACHI WALDEN (574 RUSHING YARDS AND FOUR RUSHING TDS.)

VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-1) AT EVANSVILLE NORTH (4-2)

WESTERN BOONE (4-2) AT SOUTHMONT (4-2)

ZIONSVILLE (3-3) AT BROWNSBURG (6-0)

COLTS NEWS

QB IN QUESTION FOR COLTS AS RAMS COME TO TOWN

Suddenly, it is an embarrassment of riches for the Indianapolis Colts, who have options at quarterback this week for a test against the visiting Los Angeles Rams.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew guided the Colts (2-1) to their second consecutive victory last week with a 22-19 overtime decision on the road over the Baltimore Ravens. But dynamic rookie Anthony Richardson was a full participant at practice Wednesday and looks ready to return under center.

The only hangup at the moment is that Richardson still has not officially cleared concussion protocol. That status could come as early as Thursday, with Richardson expected to start Sunday.

Richardson was injured in a Week 2 victory over the Houston Texans, and while he was out last week, he was on the sideline as Minshew guided the offense with 227 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

“He was definitely engaged, he was excited when we were scoring and making plays,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said of Richardson. “Obviously, being around the quarterbacks in between series, talking through things and learning that way was huge.”

Yet, Sunday was not all about Minshew Mania. The Colts’ blitzing defense made life miserable for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and former Rams kicker Matt Gay booted five field goals, including the game-winning 53-yarder in overtime — one of an NFL record four from 50 yards or longer in a single game.

Quarterback pressure on Rams QB Matthew Stafford is what guided the Cincinnati Bengals to a victory Monday night over Los Angeles and the Colts look ready to return to a blitzing game plan once again.

“Our defense, they continue to prove it week in and week out, our defensive line, our linebackers, and our (defensive backs) as a whole,” Steichen said. “… They are playing together. They’re playing physical. They’re on the same page.”

In addition to Richardson, Indianapolis center Ryan Kelly (concussion) was a full participant Wednesday, while defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (groin) and guard Quenton Nelson (toe) did not practice.

After a surprise Week 1 victory at Seattle, the Rams (1-2) appear back where they were expected to be — in rebuilding mode. In a Week 2 defeat at home against the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams earned praise for keeping the game closer than expected.

And while Monday’s 19-16 loss to the Bengals was another tight affair, the offense under Stafford left a lot to be desired. The Rams shunned a rushing attack that was better than advertised in the first two weeks and suddenly struggled to either sustain drives or finish in the red zone at Cincinnati.

“There was just a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “I thought the defense kept us in the game the whole night and I thought it was really unfortunate, especially early on where we had to settle for field goals.”

Injuries to the offensive line derailed Los Angeles’ 2022 season and those issues are slowly starting to manifest again. Left tackle Alaric Jackson (thigh) and right guard Joe Noteboom (knee, shoulder) missed time in Monday’s game with injuries.

While Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua had 25 receptions for 266 yards in the first two games of his career, he was held to five catches for 72 yards Monday.

Sunday’s game at Indianapolis represents a chance for Los Angeles to even their overall record on the season, yet it also holds significance as potentially the team’s final game without All-Pro wideout Cooper Kupp (hamstring), who started the season on injured reserve.

“Any time that you’re able to get a player of his caliber back, that will be a boost to our offense,” McVay said, who will soon be able to use Nacua, Kupp and fellow wideouts Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson in the passing attack.

“Hopefully, the first thing is he’s ready to go, then the next part is, let’s figure out how we piece and puzzle that together with some of the things that are going on offensively.”

On a short week, the Rams had a walkthrough Wednesday but listed Jackson, tight end Tyler Higbee (Achilles) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (Achilles) as non-participants. Nacua (oblique) was limited, while Noteboom was a full participant.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-1)

DATE: Sunday, October 1, 2023

GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET

FOX: Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) LAR: 108 or 388 IND: 83 or 233

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: IND leads series, 23-20-2 (LAR won past 3)

POSTSEASON: —

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 9/19/21: LAR 27 at IND 24

POSTSEASON: —

LOS ANGELES NOTES:

QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 269 yards in Week 3 & ranks 4th in NFL with 910 pass yards this season. Has 1,267 pass yards (316.8 per game) & 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 102.6 rating in 4 career starts vs. Ind. Passed for 278 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT for 101.8 rating in last meeting. • RB KYREN WILLIAMS had 65 scrimmage yards (38 rush, 27 rec.) in Week 3. Is 1 of 2 in NFC (Kenneth Walker) with 4 scrimmage TDs in 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. • WR PUKA NACUA (rookie) had 5 catches for 72 yards in Week 3. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 30 receptions, most ever by player in 1st 3 career games. Leads all rookies with 338 rec. yards. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. • WR TUTU ATWELL had 4 catches for 50 yards & his 1st rec. TD of season last week, his 2nd-career TD catch. Aims for his 4th in row with 70+ scrimmage yards. • TE TYLER HIGBEE had 5 catches for 71 yards last week. • DT AARON DONALD had 7 tackles, 2 TFL & 1st full sack of season in Week 3. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 0.5+ sacks. Had 7 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • LB ERNEST JONES led team with 9 tackles & had TFL & PD last week & is 1 of 5 in NFL with 9+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TFL & 7th in row on road with 5+ tackles. • LB BYRON YOUNG can become 3rd rookie since 2000 (James Houston & Terrell Suggs) with 0.5+ sacks in each of his 1st 4 games. • LB MICHAEL HOECHT has TFL in 3 of his past 4 on road. • CB AHKELLO WITHERSPOON had 9th-career INT last week. • CB COBIE DURANT aims for his 3rd in row with PD.

INDIANAPOLIS NOTES:

QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON (rookie) tied for lead among QBs with 3 rush TDs this season & is 3rd QB ever with 3 rush TDs in 1st 2 career games, joining Daunte Culpepper & Jack Thompson. • QB GARDNER MINSHEW completed 27 of 44 atts. (61.4 pct.) for 227 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs in 1st start of season last week. • RB ZACK MOSS had career-high 145 scrimmage yards (career high 122 rush, 23 rec.) & TD catch last week, his 3rd-straight game with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD, tied for longest active streak in NFL. • WR MICHAEL PITTMAN led team with season-high 9 catches for 77 yards in Week 3. Is only player in NFL with 8+ catches in each of 1st 3 weeks of season & can become 3rd player ever with 8+ catches in each of team’s 1st 4 games of season. Had 8 catches for 123 yards in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with TD catch. • WR JOSH DOWNS (rookie) had 8 catches for 57 yards last week. • WR ISAIAH MCKENZIE had TD catch in his last game vs. LAR (9/8/22 w/ Buf.). Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC West with rec. TD. • DT DEFOREST BUCKNER has sack in 2 of 3 games this season. Had PD in last meeting. • DE KWITY PAYE is 1 of 6 in NFL with sack in each of 1st 3 weeks of season. Aims for 3rd in row with FR. • DE SAMSON EBUKAM had sack & FF in Week 3. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. Spent 1st 4 career seasons (2017-20) with LAR. • LB ZAIRE FRANKLIN led team with 15 tackles last week & had 1st sack of season. Leads NFL with 45 tackles this season & is only player with 13+ tackles in each of 1st 3 weeks. Aims for his 12th in row with 7+ tackles. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 at home. • S JULIAN BLACKMON had career-high 12 tackles & TFL last week.

INDIANA FOOTBALL

INDIANA FOOTBALL NOTES VS. MARYLAND

INDIANA NOTES

SETTING THE SCENE

• Indiana travels to Maryland for its first true road game of the season on Saturday (Sept. 30) at SECU Stadium. The game will be

aired on Big Ten Network and kickoff at 3:30 p.m.

• In the all-time series, Indiana owns a 7-4 edge against Maryland. The Terrapins have won the last two meetings, after Indiana

won seven of the first nine meetings.

• The first two meetings between the two programs came in 1934 and 1935 and then 79 passed between meetings, as Maryland

joined the Big Ten in 2014. Indiana won the initial meeting in Bloomington, 17-14, and then defeated Maryland, 13-6, in the second

all-time meeting.

• Indiana has scored at least 27 points in each of the last eight meetings and has topped the 30-point mark in seven of those

games. For Maryland, the Terps have scored at least 28 points in eight of the last nine games (11; 2020) with six of those games

featuring at least 30 points.

NEWS & NOTES

• In Week 4, Indiana featured three of the top five defenders in total pressures according to Pro Football Focus. redshirt senior

Andre Carter (8) and senior Philip Blidi (6) topped the conference charts, while LeDarrius Cox (5) tied for No. 3 in the Big Ten

in total pressures.

• With 41 tackles, redshirt senior Aaron Casey ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten and No. 14 nationally in total tackles entering Week 5. His

his 5.0 tackles for loss are tied for No. 1 in the conference, which includes 2.0 sacks.

• With 2.0 tackles for loss in each of the first two games of the season, Carter’s 4.0 TFLs were the most by a Hoosier in the first

two games of a season since 2004 when Kyle Killion posted 5.5 tackles for loss.

• Sophomore Jaylin Lucas produced the first multi-touchdown game of his career in Week 2 versus Indiana State with a pair of

rushing scores. He has seven career touchdowns with four rushing, one receiving and two kickoff return scores.

• Senior Louis Moore grabbed his first career interception in the second quarter versus Akron and followed that with his first

defensive touchdown in the third quarter on a 22-yard interception return for a score.

• Redshirt freshman Tayven Jackson made his first career start versus Indiana State and accounted for 245 yards of total offense

and led five of Indiana’s seven scoring drives. In Week 3 against Louisville, Jackson posted 310 yards of total offense and threw his

first career touchdown pass.

• With its successful onside kick to start the second half versus Louisville at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana snapped a streak of eight

straight unsuccessful onside kick attempts and recovered its first onside kick since the 2017 game at Purdue.

• Head coach Tom Allen won his 32nd career game over Akron in Week 4 and is just one win shy of joining the top five winningest

coaches in program history. Of the 32 wins, 13 have come in one possession games, including a 5-1 mark in overtime.

MARYLAND NOTES

STRONG START

▶ The Terps are 4-0 to start the season for the second time in three years, winning each game by 18-plus points. Maryland is one

of only three schools in the FBS to be 4-0 and win each game by 18-plus (# 2 Michigan & #7 Washington).

▶ Over the last 19 games played, dating back to 2021, Maryland is 14-5, good for the fourth-best record of any Big Ten school,

trailing only three top-10 teams: #2 Michigan (17-2), #4 Ohio State (16-3) and #6 Penn State (15-4).

▶ Maryland has won each of its first four games of the season by at least 18 points for the first time since 1913. This start also

marks the first time in program history that Maryland has scored 31-plus points in the first four games of the season. Maryland

is one of only 11 FBS teams and the only Big Ten team that are 4-0 and have scored 31-plus in their first four games (#3 Texas,

#5 Florida State, #7 Washington, #8 USC, #9 Oregon, #15 North Carolina, #16 Washington State, #18 Miami, #24 Kansas and

Liberty).

▶ The Terps have won six games in a row dating back to last season’s game vs. Rutgers (11/26), their longest winning streak

since winning seven in a row in 2003-04. The six-game winning streak is currently the ninth-longest in all of the FBS and the

second-longest in the Big Ten, only trailing (#1 Georgia – 21, #25 Fresno State – 13, #7 Washington – 11, #5 Florida State, 10,

#6 Penn State – 9, Air Force – 8, Marshall – 8, James Madison – 7).

▶ Maryland currently ranks first in the Big Ten in total offense, averaging 450.5 yards per game and second in scoring offense,

averaging 37.2 points per game, passing offense, averaging 283.8 yards per game and third down percentage, converting at a

50-percent rate.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS

▶ QB Taulia Tagovailoa returns for the 2023 season already as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks and players in

Maryland history. Tagovailoa stands as Maryland’s record holder in every major career and single-season passing category.

▶ A 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten selection, Tagovailoa has helped ascend the Terps’ passing game to new heights during his

three-year career. The quarterback has set Maryland career records for passing yards (8,991), passing touchdowns (59), total

touchdowns (69), completions (752), completion percentage (67.0), 300-yard passing games (13), passing efficiency (146.8)

and total offense (9,232).

▶ Tagovailoa has been the best quarterback in the Big Ten through four games, currently leading the conference in passing yards

(1,112), passing TDs (8), total offense (1,165) and points responsible for (62).

▶ Tagovailoa’s current career completion percentage (.670 is the fourth-best of any Big Ten quarterback all-time, only trailing Dan

Persa, Nebraska (.727), Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (.700) and Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin (.681).

▶ Last week at Michigan State (9/23), Tagovailoa recorded his sixth career game with at least three passing touchdowns and a

rushing touchdown. All other Maryland players have combined for five such games over the past 25 seasons.

▶ Also on the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Polynesian Player of the Year Watch Lists and this

past week a Davey O’Brien Great 8 award winner, Tagovailoa currently stands top-15 among all FBS QBs in career completion

percentage (sixth), passing yards per game (11th), completions per game (13th) and total offense (14th).

INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 16/17 Indiana dropped their first game of the season after battling Ohio State to a 2-1 decision at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Thursday evening.

KEY MOMENTS
• Indiana (9-1-2, 3-1 B1G) saw their first chance to get on the board early with a shot by junior defender Lauren Costello in the seventh minute. Her attempt was high as it hit off the corner of the cross bar.
• The teams continued to battle it out before Ohio State (6-3-2, 2-1-1) struck first in the 22^nd minute on a dangerous cross in the goalie box.
• In the 33^rd minute, sophomore forward Marisa Grzesiak had an open look as she dribbled past two defenders, but the Buckeyes keeper would make the grab.
• Ohio State found the net again on another cross in the box in the 37^th minute to take a 2-0 lead.
• The Hoosiers had another chance in the 55^th minute on a header from freshman defender Piper Coffield, but the keeper tipped it out for the save.
• Senior defender Zoe Tiger put the Hoosiers on the board in the 80^th minute with a header off an Indiana corner kick from freshman midfielder Elle Britt.

HOOSIER POINTS
GOALS: Zoe Tiger (80′)
ASSISTS: Elle Britt

NOTABLES
• Tiger scored her first goal of the season and of her career.  
• Indiana outshot Ohio State 14-8 and led 9-3 in corners.
• Britt tallied her third assist this season for her fifth point.
• Gerstenberg made four bringing her season total to 31.

UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will host Minnesota at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Sunday. The teams will take the pitch at 1 p.m. ET on B1G+.  

INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS

TULSA, Okla. ––– The Indiana Men’s Tennis program is set to begin their fall 2023 season this weekend in the ITA Men’s All American Championships at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center & LaFortune Park.
 
The invitational will feature the following Hoosiers; Ilya Tiraspolsky, Sam Landau, Jagger Saylor, Ekansh Kumar, and Deacon Thomas.
 
The competition will include players from top teams all over the country.
 
The event will take place from Sep. 30 to Oct. 8. It will feature a singles and doubles flight with qualifying and main draw matches.
 
The tournament’s portal and full event information page can be found here.

Live streaming for the tournament can be found here. 

INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana women’s tennis will host their annual Fall tournament with the Hoosier Classic on Friday at the IU Tennis Center outdoor courts. 

There will be 40 student-athletes participating from five additional schools: including Xavier, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois and Purdue. 

MATCH INFO
• The matches can be followed using the stats link. There will be no livestream of the matches.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

FRIDAY (1 singles / 2 doubles)
9:30 am	warm-up
10:30 am	singles – round #1	10 matches
12:00 pm	singles – round #1	9 matches
2:00 pm	doubles – round #1	9 matches
3:00 pm	doubles – round #2	9 matches
SATURDAY (1 singles / 2 doubles)
9:30 am	warm-up
10:30 am	doubles – round #3	9 matches
11:30 am	doubles – round #4	9 matches
1:30 pm	singles – round #2	10 matches
3:00 pm	singles – round #2	9 matches
SUNDAY (1 singles)
9:00 am	warm-up
10:00 am	singles – round #3	10 matches
11:30 am	singles – round #3	9 matches

*Times are subject to change. 

PURDUE FOOTBALL NOTES VS. ILLINOIS

PURDUE NOTES:

STORY LINES • Purdue Football closes out the month of September and a three-game homestand by hosting Illinois in the battle for the Cannon Trophy. Kickoff from Ross-Ade Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. on Peacock. • Not only is the matchup a rivalry game, but it also serves as Homecoming for the Boilermakers. • The Boilermakers have faced Illinois 19 times for their Homecoming game, the second-most common Homecoming opponent behind Wisconsin (21). Purdue holds a 10-8-1 advantage over Illinois in the Homecoming matchups in West Lafayette. • As part of the special weekend, Tiller Tunnel (named after Joe Tiller, the winningest coachin Purdue history) will officially be dedicated in a private ceremony earlier in the day. • Purdue has won three straight Cannon Trophy games as well as six of the past seven. • Head coach Ryan Walters faces off against his former team. Before becoming the 37th head coach in Purdue Football history, Walters served as Illinois’ defensive coordinator for two seasons. Under his guidance a season ago, the Illini led the nation in scoring defense. • Purdue has forced an interception in nine straight games, dating back to last season’s win over Illinois (Nov. 12, 2022). That is the longest active streak in the nation. • Shaun Phillips, a member of the Den of Defensive Ends, will serve as Purdue’s honorary captain for Saturday’s Homecoming game. He ranks second in program history with 33.5 career sacks, while ranking third with 60.5 tackles-for-loss as a Boilermaker. • After losing their Big Ten opener a season ago, the Boilermakers won six of their final eight conference games to win the Big Ten West outright. That included a 31-24 victory at No. 21 Illinois, which proved to be a pivital game in the division race. • Senior outside linebacker Kydran Jenkins leads the Big Ten in both sacks (3.0) and tackles-for-loss (5.0). • Running the Air Raid offense, quarterback Hudson Card makes a Big Ten-best 23.3 completions per game. • On the flip side, nine of Purdue’s 12 offensive touchdowns have been on the ground. • Tyrone Tracy Jr. has scored a rushing touchdown in all four games this season. Against Wisconsin, he rushed for a career-high 84 yards by averaging 10.5 yards per carry. • As Purdue’s leading tackler, freshman Dillon Thieneman ranks third nationally with 7.2 solo tackles per game. • In his first season as a Boilermaker, cornerback Marquis Wilson paces the Big Ten in pass breakups (6) and ranks eighth in the country.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Football closes out the month of September and a three-game homestand by hosting Illinois in the battle for the Cannon Trophy. Kickoff from Ross-Ade Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. on Peacock.

Not only is the matchup a rivalry game, but it also serves as Homecoming for the Boilermakers.  The Boilermakers have faced Illinois 19 times for their Homecoming game, the second-most common Homecoming opponent behind Wisconsin (21). Purdue holds a 10-8-1 advantage over Illinois in the Homecoming matchups in West Lafayette.

As part of the special weekend, Tiller Tunnel (named after Joe Tiller, the winningest coach in Purdue history) will officially be dedicated in a private ceremony earlier in the day.

Head coach Ryan Walters faces off against his former team. Before becoming the 37th head coach in Purdue Football history, Walters served as Illinois’ defensive coordinator for two seasons. Under his guidance a season ago, the Illini led the nation in scoring defense.

HONORARY CAPTAIN  

• A member of the Den of Defensive Ends, Shaun Phillips (2000-03) will serve as Purdue’s honorary captain for Saturday’s Homecoming game against Illinois.

• Phillips earned his spot in the prestigious group by having a knack for sacks and tackles in the backfield. He ranks second in program history with 33.5 career sacks, while ranking third with 60.5 tackles-for-loss as a Boilermaker.

• Phillips recorded 14.5 sacks as a senior, the second-most in a single season in Purdue history, to earn First Team All-Big Ten accolades.

• After getting selected as the 98th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, Phillips went on to have an 11-year NFL career with stops in San Diego, Denver, Tennessee and Indianapolis.

BATTLE FOR THE CANNON TROPHY  

• Purdue leads the Cannon series 39-30-2, including winning six of the past seven battles.

• The Boilermakers have collected 14 wins in the last 18 matchups dating back to 2003.

• The two schools first played in 1890, with Purdue holding a slight 47-45-6 edge in the all-time series.

• Purdue won last year’s matchup in Champaign, upsetting No. 21 Illinois 31-24, a contest that proved to be a pivotal game in the Boilermakers winning the Big Ten West.

OPPONENT SNAPSHOT 

• Illinois enters Saturday’s matchup with a 2-2 (0-1 B1G) record following a 23-17 win over FAU to wrap up non-conference play.

• Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer has thrown for 874 yards on the season to go along with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. The quarterback is also the Illini’s second-leading rusher with 146 yards and a team-high three touchdowns.

• Isaiah Williams is Altmyer’s favorite receiver with 24 catches for 333 yards. Averaging 6.0 receptions per game, Williams leads the Big Ten.

• Bret Bielema is in his third season leading the Illini after head coaching stops at Arkansas (2013-17) and Wisconsin (2006-12).

CANNON TROPHY HISTORY

• The Cannon was conceived by Purdue students more than 100 years ago but was first presented as a trophy by an Illinois alumnus 76 years ago.

• It all started in 1905 when a group of Purdue students took the weapon to Champaign in anticipation of firing it to celebrate a victory. Although Purdue did win the game 29-0, Illinois supporters, including Quincy A. Hall, had discovered the Cannon in its hiding place – in a culvert near the old Illinois field – and confiscated it before the Purdue students could start their “booming” celebration. Later, Hall moved the Cannon to his farmhouse near Milford, Illinois, where it survived a fire and gathered dust until Hall suggested it be used as a trophy between the two schools when the rivalry was resumed in 1943 after a 12-year lapse.

• The Tomahawk Service and Leadership Honorary at Purdue and Illini Pride now share the maintenance duty for the Cannon.

LAST TIME WE MET  

• Last year, the Boilermakers kept possession of the Cannon by going on the road to defeat No. 21 Illinois 31-24.

• Purdue held the nation’s leading rusher, Chase Brown, to 98 yards on the ground, his first game under 100 yards rushing all season.

• In the other backfield, Devin Mockobee notched his fourth 100-yard game of the season, going for 106 yards on 28 carries with a touchdown.

• Payne Durham (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) recorded a team-high seven catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns.

• Sanoussi Kane topped all tacklers with nine on the afternoon with eight solos, one for loss and a forced fumble.

CANNON COACHING CONNECTIONS

• The new Purdue coaching staff is familiar with the rivalry, coaching on the other sidelines before making the move to West Lafayette.

• Head coach Ryan Walters spent the past two seasons at Illinois, serving as the Illini’s defensive coordinator; last season, he guided the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense as the Illini defense cracked the Top 10 in 17 different categories.

• Walters brought four coaches with him from Illinois to Purdue: defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Kevin Kane, associate head coach/wide receivers coach Cory Patterson, outside linebackers coach Joe Dineen and safeties coach Grant O’Brien.

HOMECOMING HISTORY

• Saturday’s game will be Purdue’s 101st Homecoming game.

• The Boilermakers are 53-43-4 in Homecoming contests.

• After losing six straight Homecoming games from 2012-17, Purdue has won three of the past five.

• The Boilermakers have faced Illinois 19 times for their Homecoming game, the second-most common Homecoming opponent behind Wisconsin (21). Purdue holds a 10-8-1 advantage over Illinois in the Homecoming matchups in West Lafayette.

WELCOME BACK GUS    

• The Boilermakers welcomed back their anchor of the offensive line, as team captain Gus Hartwig returned to the starting lineup against Wisconsin (Sept. 22).

• It was the center’s first action since suffering a season-ending knee injury against Northwestern last November.

• Despite the injury, Hartwig entered this season on watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy, examples of his importance to the Purdue offensive line.

• Getting back on the field against the Badgers, the three-time Honorable Mention All-Big Ten center made his 28th career start in 31 games for the Boilermakers.

• Beginning with his sophomore season, Hartwig started 24 straight games before suffering an injury during the Northwestern game (Nov. 19, 2022) that sidelined him for the remainder of his junior year.

KJ KA-BOOM         

• Kydran Jenkins has been a force in creating negative plays for opposing offenses.

• The senior outside linebacker leads the Big Ten in both tackles-for-loss (5.0) and sacks (3.0).

• He has recorded at least one TFL in all four games, while making a sack in each of the first three games of the season.

• Last week against Wisconsin, Jenkins paced Purdue with a career-high nine tackles.

ILLINOIS NOTES:

Illinois Visits Purdue for First Big Ten Road Game • Illinois and Purdue meet for the 99th time on Saturday with The Cannon rivalry trophy on the line. • The matchup will be the first between Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and former Illini defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who is now the head coach at Purdue. After leading the Illinois defense for two seasons, Walters was introduced as head coach at Purdue on Dec. 14, 2022. • Illinois plays eight straight Big Ten opponents over the next nine weeks, including six Big Ten West games. The Law Firm of Newton and Randolph • Defensive tackles Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., who go by the nickname “The Law Firm,” are one of the top defensive tackle duos in the nation over the last two seasons • Newton is tied for third in the nation in QB pressures among DTs with 15, according to PFF. • Newton had seven pressures against #7 Penn State in Illinois’ Big Ten opener, the second-most by a Power-5 defensive tackle in a game this season. Newton was the highest-rated Power-5 defensive tackle in the nation during Week 3 vs. Penn State (minimum 30 snaps), according to PFF. • Randolph is tied for the national lead in tackles (27) among defensive linemen, including both interior and edge rushers. He has four more tackles than any other Power-5 defensive tackle. • Among defensive linemen (both interior and edge), Newton is tied for third in the nation in PFF’s defensive stops statistic with 13. • Both Newton and Randolph were named Preseason All-Americans by multiple outlets prior to the start of the 2023 season. Newton was Illinois’ first-ever Preseason AP All-American. • Johnny Newton was the No. 9 graded defender in the nation by PFF (91.5) in 2022. • Newton led the nation in QB hits (19) and ranked sixth in the nation in pressures (54) in 2022. • Newton and Randolph led the nation in TFLs (27.0) and QB pressures (81) among defensive line partners (81) in 2022. • Newton and Randolph were second and third in the Big Ten in TFLs (14.0, 13.0) and ranked first and second among interior defensive linemen in 2022. • Newton tied Pitt’s Calijah Kancey (14.0) for the most TFLs by any Power-5 interior defensive linemen in 2022, and Randolph was third (13.0). Kancey was the ACC Def. Player of the Year. #1 Among Nation’s Most Reliable • Isaiah Williams leads the Big Ten in receptions (24) and ranks second in receiving yards (333), only three yards behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. Saturday’s game features the two top pass-catchers in the conference, as Purdue’s Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen ranks second in the Big Ten in receptions (22). • Williams has at least one catch in all 29 games since he switched from QB prior to the start of the 2021 season, which is the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten behind Penn State’s Dante Cephas (31) and tied for the 12th-longest active streak in the nation. • Williams has at least three catches in 18 straight games. • Williams has 17 first-down receptions this season, tied for the most in the Big Ten with Purdue’s Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen. The 17 first-down receptions ranks tied for the ninth-most in the nation. Six of Williams’ eight receptions last week against Florida Atlantic went for first downs. • Williams has 156 career receptions, currently eighth all-time at Illinois. He is only five catches from passing Brandon Lloyd (160 catches from 1999-02) to crack the program’s top five. • Williams has 1,582 career receiving yards, just 33 yards from Illinois’ all-time top 10. Shawn Wax ranks 10th with 1,614 yards from 1987-90.

PURDUE WOMEN’S SOCCER

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue soccer team is back home for a nationally-televised contest on the Big Ten Network against Iowa at Folk Field on Thursday, September 28, at 6 p.m. ET.

Admission is free for all fans to the contest and to each regular-season home game in 2023. Thursday is $2 Beer Night, with beer available for just $2 for fans 21 and older. There also will be a Purdue bucket hat giveaway for early-arriving students. As a reminder to all fans, a clear bag policy is in effect for all Purdue Athletics events once again in 2023.

The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, with Jack Kizer and Lauren Link on the call. Live stats are available at PurdueStats.com. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, while direct links to follow along are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.

Purdue returns to West Lafayette with a 3-7-1 record, a 0-2-1 mark in Big Ten play and a 3-4-0 record at Folk Field. The Boilermakers have played four top-25 teams, and another two past opponents are ranked or receiving votes in the latest polls. Purdue has allowed two goals in three Big Ten games, tied for second-best in the conference, and the defense has given up one or zero goals in seven of the eleven games.

The Boilermakers have scored 15 goals with 18 assists for 48 points on 134 shots and 54 shots on target. Eight of Purdue’s 15 goals have come from different players, and four of those are first career goals. The Old Gold and Black have allowed 16 goals on 115 shots, 52 on goal, for a .692 save percentage and a 1.45 goals-against average.

Sophomore forward Kayla Budish paces the team with eight points, and she and junior forward/midfielder Gracie Dunaway share the team lead of three goals. Dunaway also leads the squad with 25 shots and is second on the team with six points, along with senior midfielder Emily Mathews and junior forward Megan Hutchinson. Mathews has a team-leading four assists, and freshman forward Lauren Omholt’s 12 shots on goal is the best on the team. In goal, senior Charlotte Cyr has made 29 saves with a 1.70 goals-against average and a .644 save percentage.

SCOUTING IOWA

Iowa is 6-1-3 with a 0-1-2 Big Ten record. The Hawkeyes are 3-1-1 on the road, with a 1-0 loss at Wisconsin on September 21 the team’s lone conference road game. UI is coming off a goalless draw to Minnesota on September 24, and the team also owns a 1-1 tie to Illinois to begin league play.

The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the latest College Soccer News rankings.

Iowa is No. 4 nationally with a 0.300 goals-against average and fifth with a .96 save percentage. The Hawkeyes are seventh in the NCAA with a .700 shutout percentage. They have scored 14 goals with 11 assists for 39 points with 143 shots, 67 on goal. UI has allowed three goals on 67 shots.

Individually, Macy Enneking is sixth in the country with six shutouts and eighth with a .906 save percentage and a 0.305 goals-against average. While starting all 10 games, she has made 29 saves with three goals allowed. Elle Otto paces the team with three goals and Kenzie Roling has four assists and eight points to lead the squad. Kelli McGroarty has a team-best 23 shots.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HAWKEYES

Purdue owns an 8-10-5 record all-time against Iowa and a 5-3-2 mark in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers are 2-1-2 in the last five matchups after a 2-2 draw on the road in 2022. In the last meeting at Folk Field, Purdue won a 2-1 overtime contest in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion.

A year ago, on October 13, 2022, in Iowa City, the Boilermakers took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on a goal by Budish, and the visitors made it 2-0 as Mathews converted a penalty kick in the 42nd. The Hawkeyes answered to tie the game early in the second half in the 46th minute and got the equalizer in the 55th. A complete recap is available here.

In 2021, on September 26 at Folk Field, Purdue notched a 2-1 overtime win. Then-senior forward Sarah Griffith tied the match at 1-1 with 18.9 seconds left in regulation before then-senior midfielder Teagan Jones won it in the 98th minute. Their heroics came after the Hawkeyes scored the game’s first goal in the 87th minute. A recap can be found here, as the victory extended the team’s win streak to six and helped propel the Boilermakers to a Big Ten runner-up finish and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

LAST TIME OUT: RAINY EAST COAST DEFEAT

Purdue concluded a two-game east coast roadtrip with a 2-1 loss at Rutgers on September 24. On a rainy and windy Sunday afternoon at Yurcak Field, the Boilermakers had a flurry of chances throughout the contest, and controlled much of the play, but could not get the equalizer after the Scarlet Knights found the game’s lone goal in the second minute.

Purdue recorded a season-high-tying 19 shots, six on target, while holding Rutgers to 10 shots, four on frame. Both teams had seven corner kicks, a season-best total for Purdue, and the home side was called for 13 fouls to the visitors’ eight. Three yellow cards were shown in the contest, all to RU.

Mathews had a game-high, and season-best, four shots. Senior forward Zoie Allen and sophomore forward Brooke Haarala both came off the bench and registered a career-high-tying three shots, and Allen had a match-best two shots on goal. Cyr made three saves and Rutgers’ keeper stopped all six shots she faced.

A complete recap from the game is available at PurdueSports.com/Soccer.

UP NEXT: OFF TO WISCONSIN

Purdue is back on the road to conclude the week with a visit to Wisconsin on Sunday, October 1. Kickoff in Madison is at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT. The Boilermakers then come back to Folk Field for a rivalry matchup against Indiana on Sunday, October 8, at 1 p.m. ET. Admission is free for all fans as Purdue will look to retain the Golden Boot Trophy for the ninth consecutive year. It is Kids Club Day and there will be a scarf giveaway for students.

PURDUE WOMEN’S TENNIS

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The fall season continues as the Purdue Women’s Tennis team travels to Bloomington for another rendition of the Hoosier Classic.

Fresh off their first test of the year, the Boilers tallied 18 total (12 singles, 6 doubles) wins at Vanderbilt’s June Stewart Invitational.

Carmen Gallardo Guevara and Kennedy Gibbs flashed as they went undefeated in singles play.

Gibbs won two of her three matches in straight sets over Ole Miss’s Reka Zadori and Louisville’s Germany Davis. Guevara showed resilience coming up with two victories in super-tiebreak matches. Her first win over Valeria Ray of Vanderbilt was dominant as she won 6-0 in the first set and clinched 10-5 in a tiebreak. She achieved a similar result in a 6-1, 3-6, 10-7 win over Louisville’s Berta Miret.

The new doubles pair of Juana Larranaga/Calissa Dellabarca led the way with a 2-1 record. The duo won their first two matches of the weekend and nearly went undefeated. In their final match of the Invitational, the tandem was just edged out in a 7-6(2) loss to Vanderbilt’s Valeria Ray/Amy Stevens.

The Hoosier Classic will feature Indiana, Xavier, Cincinnati, Northern Illinois and Miami (Ohio). Last spring, Purdue faced the Hoosiers, Bearcats and Musketeers in dual matches defeating all three.

Fifth-year senior Csilla Fodor will not travel to Bloomington as she embarks for the ITA All-American Championships in Cary, N.C. The pre-qualifying draw of 96 will take place on Sat. Sept. 30-Sun. Oct. 1. The qualifying draw will follow early next week with the main draw beginning on Thurs. Oct. 5.

NOTES

Calissa Dellabarca: Part of a 2-1 doubles team in her first weekend as a Boilermaker. Looking for her first singles win this weekend.

Csilla Fodor: Picked up two singles wins in the first weekend. She is 0-1 all-time as a singles competitor at the ITA All-American Championships.

Carmen Gallardo Guevara: Won four of her six matches in the opening weekend. Did not compete in last year’s Hoosier Classic as she went 0-1 in the 2022 ITA All-American Championships at No. 67.

Kennedy Gibbs: One of two Boilermakers to go undefeated in singles play in Nashville. She is 10-3 all-time against all represented opponents this upcoming weekend.

Juana Larranaga: Won four of her six matches in the first weekend. Went 2-5 across singles and doubles at last year’s Hoosier Classic.

Tara Katrina Milic: Won two matches at the June Stewart Invitational. Did not participate in last year’s Hoosier Classic.

Antonia Pareja: Defeated Vanderbilt’s Naomi Katz in straight sets in the first weekend. Did not play doubles in Nashville.

Ashlie Wilson: Did not play at the June Stewart Invitational. Defeated Middle Tennessee State in a doubles match with Rut Galindo at last year’s Hoosier Classic.

PURDUE VOLLEYBALL

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 17 Purdue volleyball squad is set to begin its four-match homestand with No. 2 Nebraska on Friday night, followed by Northwestern on Sunday.

The Boilermakers will host the Huskers on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on BTN, while Sunday’s matchup with the Wildcats will be at 2 p.m. ET on B1G+.

LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE

The Boilermakers earned their 1,000th program win with the 3-1 victory at Maryland in the Big Ten season-opener.

Eva Hudson led the team in both matches: 30 kills at Maryland and 15 at Rutgers.

Raven Colvin was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the week after averaging 2.29 blocks per set (16 total). The junior set a season-high 10 blocks at Maryland (1-9) and added four aces (one shy of her career-high) and seven kills (.385 attack %). Her 16.5 points in the match were the most since the season-opener.

Purdue hit .611% (11 kills, 0 errors on 18 swings) in the fourth set at Maryland, a season-high.

Six Boilermakers saw action in their first-ever Big Ten match.

Purdue has recorded a .234 or higher hitting % in five straight matches.

Freshman outside hitter Kenna Wollard had a career-setting day at Rutgers with six kills and just one error (.385 attack %) alongside four total blocks. On the weekend, she averaged a .400 attack %.

THE COMPARISON: PURDUE AND NEBRASKA

Similar to Purdue’s Taylor Anderson and Chloe Chicoine, Nebraska has a young starting lineup, with a freshman setter Bergen Reilly and freshman outside hitter Harper Murray each among the underclassmen with a significant impact on the team.

Purdue and Nebraska freshmen have split all five weeks of Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors: Chloe Chicoine (2), Murray (2) and Reilly (1).

Purdue and Nebraska are the only two programs with two players each ranked among the Big Ten’s top-10 in points and kills:

            Points per Set:

            4. Chloe Chicoine (4.52)

            5. Eva Hudson (4.24)

            6. Merritt Beason (4.21)

            7. Harper Murray (3.96)

            Kills per Set:

            4. Chloe Chicoine (4.11)

            5. Eva Hudson (3.84)

            7. Merritt Beason (3.44)

            10. Harper Murray (3.36)

SCOUTING THE #2 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

Nebraska will be Purdue’s first top-10 foe faced this year.

Not only are the Huskers one of just four teams left undefeated this season, but they rank #1 in the nation in opponent hitting % (.106). Meanwhile, the team averages a .294 attack %, 10th in the nation and second among Big Ten Teams.

Bekka Allick leads the league and ranks fourth in the nation with 1.63 blocks per set.

Offensively, Andi Jackson leads the nation with a .504 hitting %.

Leading the team in points per set are Merritt Beason (4.21) and Harper Murray (3.96).

SCOUTING THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS

The Boilermakers will welcome back alum Maddy Chinn, who is playing her fifth year at Northwestern, where she has played in every set, averaging 2.86 points per set, 2.38 kills per set and a .247 attack %.

As a team, Northwestern is averaging a 2.62 attack %, backed by Leilani Dodson’s .426 hitting %. Dodson and Julia Sangiacomo lead the offensive effort, with Sangiacomo posting 3.57 and Dodson 3.21 points per set.

Notable wins include a 3-1 victory vs. then-#13 San Diego.

The Wildcats have limited opponents to 1.60 blocks per set, second-best in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin.

Defensive specialist Ellee Stinson leads the Big Ten with 4.33 digs per set.

BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler women’s soccer team held a one-goal lead until one second before the halftime break, when Providence knocked in an equalizer. In the second half, the Bulldogs (5-4-3, 1-0-2 BIG EAST) outshot the Friars (6-2-1, 1-0-1 BIG EAST) in the run of play, 7-5, but neither side was able find the back of the net to take a lead.

Key Moments

15′ | Talia Sommer draws a foul on the left side just outside the penalty area. The ensuing service from Abigail Isger is punched into the air by the Providence keeper but lands right in front of the goal. A wide-open Caitlin O’Malley taps it in for the 1-0 lead.

45′ | With nine seconds remaining before the break, Providence sends a long service towards Butler’s defensive end. An attempted defensive clear is disrupted by the Friars’ Marryn Gruhn, who then sends a low ball into the right side of the net, one second prior to the horn.

Butler Points Summary

GOALS: Caitlin O’Malley

ASSISTS: Abigail Isger

Bulldog Bits

Caitlin O’Malley’s goal was her first of the season and the second of her career.

Abigail Isger’s assist was her third of the season and the 17th of her career.

Eight Bulldogs registered at least one shot, with Arianna Jalics, Talia Sommer, and Becky Dean each producing a pair.

BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler women’s basketball team will open BIG EAST action on Dec. 18 this year with a 7 PM tip at UConn. The Huskies will host the Bulldogs at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. After the New Year, Butler will play three of their first four games at Hinkle Fieldhouse! BU also has two nationally televised games on the schedule, hosting Providence on FS1 (Jan. 21) and Xavier on FS2 (Feb. 21).

The Bulldogs will only play the Huskies one time this upcoming season. The matchup will be the sixth in the all-time series and the first to be played off campus in Hartford. The Bulldogs will step away from conference competition on Dec. 21 to end their non-conference slate vs. Ohio, and then come back to league play after the holiday break.

Home games vs. Georgetown (Jan. 3), Seton Hall (Jan. 6) and Villanova (Jan. 13) will get the Bulldogs started in 2024. The lone road game during that stretch takes the team to Creighton on Jan. 10.

BU will travel to Queens on Jan. 17 to face the Red Storm and return home to host Providence on FS1. The national broadcast at Hinkle will tip at 12 PM vs. the Friars on Sunday, Jan. 21. Back-to-back road games follow the FS1 contest with Butler playing at Xavier on Jan. 24 and at Marquette on Jan. 27.

Butler will enjoy three-straight home games near the midway point of the conference slate. The ‘Dawgs will host DePaul on Jan. 31, Creighton on Feb. 4 and St. John’s on Feb. 9.

The tough stretch of the schedule will follow as BU ends the regular season playing four of their final six games on the road. Trips to Providence (Feb. 14) and Villanova (Feb. 17) will land before Butler’s FS2 game at home vs. Xavier on Feb. 21.

The final two road trips will send the Bulldogs to Georgetown (Feb. 24) and DePaul (Feb. 28). Senior Day for BU will be on March 2 this year when the team hosts Marquette.

Head Coach Austin Parkinson enters his second season at the helm of the program in 2023-24. The Bulldogs went 11-19 last year, winning four of their final five games of the regular season. Season tickets for the upcoming season are on sale now.

BIG EAST Notes

– League shifting to an 18-game schedule

– FOX Sports to nationally televise 19 regular-season games

– Five will air on the FOX broadcast network

– BIG EAST Digital Network and FloSports to stream more than 120 contests

– CBS Sports Network and SNY to provide additional coverage

– Additional content on BEDN on FloSports includes “In The Bonus,” the Conference’s weekly women’s basketball feature show and podcast

BUTLER BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS – Butler Baseball Head Coach Blake Beemer added 22 student-athletes to the 2024 roster over the off-season. Nearly half of the newcomers will pitch for the Bulldogs this year as the Butler staff added 10 arms to the team. Four infielders, two outfielders and two catchers are also in the mix to see playing time. BU also added four utility players that will look to carve out a role in 2024.

Beemer and his staff added five players from Indiana, four from California and a pair from Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Other Bulldogs will come to campus from Texas, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan and British Columbia, Canada.

The 2023 season was highlighted by Butler winning weekend series’ at Seton Hall and Georgetown. They knocked off #9 UConn 11-8 in Storrs to come up with one of the biggest wins in program history, and were recognized with a BIG EAST Academic Excellence Award for compiling the highest collective grade-point average among all baseball programs in the conference (3.385).

Butler will prep for the 2024 campaign by playing three games during the fall. The first test will be today at Bulldog Park when Butler hosts Team Ontario at 4:30 PM. BU will play at Ball State on Sept. 30 and end the fall season with a home game vs. Taylor on Oct. 14. Get to know the 22 newcomers before first pitch by viewing the roster below:

2024 Butler Baseball Newcomers

Pitchers (10)

#20 Tyler Banks: R/R, 6-2, 205, Littleton, Colo. / Arapahoe (North Park)

#21

Colin Dailey

Colin Dailey: R/R, 6-0, 190, Cedarburg, Wis. / Cedarburg (St. Thomas)

#36 Christian Finnigan: R/R, 6-3, 205, Ladera Ranch, Calif. / San Juan Hills (Saddleback College)

#19 Tate Foxson: R/R, 6-4, 187, Venice Beach, Calif. / Palisades Carter

#18 Justin Hornschemeier: R/R, 6-5, 235, Cincinnati, Ohio / Moeller (Wright State)

#23 Simon Linde: R/R, 6-1, 195, Kansas City, Mo. / Liberty

#33 Jake Putnam: R/R, 6-5, 210, Danville, Calif. / San Ramon Valley (Santa Clara)

#27 Nate Rosser: R/R, 6-4, 190, Tsawwassen, BC, Canada / South Delta (Ohlone College)

#28 Gage Vota: R/R, 6-6, 185, Stevensville, Mich. / Stevensville Lakeshore

#39 Seth White: L/R, 6-3, 215, Ventura, Calif. / Westlake (Santa Barbara City College)

Catchers (2)

#11 Drew Charney: R/R, 5-10, 200, Hopkins, Minn. / Hopkins

#10 Zach Munton: L/L, 6-0, 200, Houston, Texas / Houston Christian (Paris JC)

Infielders (4)

#2 David Ayers: L/R, 6-4, 185, Fishers, Ind. / Cathedral

#5 Jace Eslinger: R/R, 6-1, 190, Colorado Springs, Colo. / Cheyenne Mountain

#3 AJ Solomon: L/R, 5-9, 180, South Bend, Ind. / Chaminade Julienne (Gardner-Webb)

#9 Tommy Townsend: L/L, 6-4, 230, Sycamore, Ill. / Sycamore

Outfielders (2)

#31 Ryan Drumm: R/R, 5-11, 200, Madison, Wis. / Edgewood

#1 Ethan Vecrumba: L/R, 6-4, 220, Bloomington, Ind. / Edgewood (Indiana)

Utility (4)

#22 Adam Galdoni: R/R, 6-5, 220, Hawthorn Woods, Ill. / Carmel Catholic

#6 Kade Lewis: L/R, 6-3, 220, Sartell, Minn. / Sartell

#38 Ryan Lezon: R/R, 6-2, 220, Southport, Ind. / Southport

#37 Brett Sherrard: L/R, 5-10, 175, Bloomfield, Ind. / Bloomfield

IUPUI CROSS COUNTRY

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The IUPUI men’s and women’s cross country teams will head to Notre Dame for the Joe Piane Invitational on Friday (Sept. 29), competing against elite fields at Burke Golf Course. The women’s team will compete in the Gold Division 5,000m race at 12:45 p.m. while the men’s team will run the Gold Division 5-mile race at 1:30 p.m.

Head coach Justin Roeder’s men’s team has been off to a blistering start to the year, earning a runner-up finish at the season opening Mike Baumer XC Classic in Dayton before winning its own Jaguar Invitational in Shelbyville. Senior Nate Kaiser paced the team at both meets, earning #HLXC Men’s Runner of the Week honors on both occasions. Behind him, Purdue Fort Wayne-transfer Andrew Whitinger has been steady as the Jaguars’ No. 2 finisher on both occasions and both Eric Petersen and Grant Moon have been among the team’s top-5 finishers in both early season entries. Will Clark finished among the team’s top-5 at Wright State while Nick Perkins filled the No. 5 role at the Jaguar Invite. Mitchell Gits, Deion Guise and Mitchell Rans provide impressive depth and Matt Mitsch has shown steady improvement in the early going.

On the women’s side, Ellie Cates, Madison Fry and Julie Smith have headlined head coach Antonio McDaniel’s team to start the year. Cates ran a personal best 5K time of 18:02.4 at the Mike Baumer XC Classic to start the year and Smith ran 18:07.7 at that meet. Fry moved up as the team’s No. 2 runner at the Jag Invite on Sept. 15, placing 16th overall. Behind them, McDaniel has relied on Laci Provenzano, Hannah Sale, Kara Krol and Wini Barnett have filled the next four spots.

The men’s team finished third of 14 teams at last year’s Joe Piane Invite as Moon ran 24:42.5 to place 13th and Petersen was 19th at 24:57.5. The women’s team placed 11th with Cates running 18:05.7 and Fry crossing at 18:07.2.

A full recap, results and photos from Friday’s meet will be posted to IUPUIJags.com immediately afterwards.

IUPUI SWIMMING

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI swim and dive teams were voted to finish first (men’s swim/dive) and second (women’s swim/dive) in this season’s #HLSD preseason poll. Head coach Damion Dennis’ team finished in second place at last year’s Horizon League Championships behind Oakland.

IUPUI’s men’s squad nearly missed the first-place podium last season finishing in second behind Oakland by just 11 points. With a strong core group returning, the Jags received three first-place votes to take first place in this year’s preseason poll.

The Jags bring back Logan Kelly, who became the first IUPUI male swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 200 breast. Kelly was named the 2022-23 #HLSD Athlete of the Year and has already qualified for the upcoming Olympic Trials located here in Indianapolis. The men’s team also returns some senior leadership in Kevin Burke, Spencer Jyawook, Nick Cavanah, Ben Kimmel and Thomas Reedy.

With the returning leadership the Jags have a dominate young group that look to add points to the final championship total. Grayson Tidwell and Isaac Wilson are too strong sophomores returning for the Jags while freshman Nathan Rariden and Youssef Magdy have already collected two first place finishes at the Butler Double Duals.

On the boards, the Jags return IUPUI’s Male Freshman of the Year and Horizon League Freshman of the Yearr, Sebastian Otero. Otero swept the men’s competition last season while Adam Schmehl and Blake Vanderjeugdt also collected points at the Championships.

The women’s team was voted to finish second again this season after placing second at the 2023 Horizon League Championships behind Oakland. A strong returning upper class made up of 2023 Co-Swimmer of the Meet, Emmaleigh Zietlow, Lillian Brandt, Zoe Hendrickx, Malayna Mancinelli, Lela Wagner and Lauren Thompson join a younger returning class of Priscilla Zavala, Madelyn Weber,  Jenna Taylor, Lylah Hutson and Kaylee Dexter. The Jags added several new faces on the women’s side including transfer from South Carolina Hanna Barton.

The women’s squad returns a solid group of divers including Sadie Smith, Bella Smith, Midori Adams, Kayla Gott and Deirdre Leib while adding IU transfer Alaina Heyde.

The Jaguars next compete on October 7 at 2:00 PM when they host Southern Indiana in the IUPUI Natatorium.

2023 Under Armour #HLWSD Preseason Poll

     Pl.        Team – Pts. (First-place votes)

1.      Oakland (6) – 36

2.      IUPUI – 29

3.      Milwaukee – 25

4.      Youngstown State – 17

5.      Cleveland State – 12

6.      Green Bay – 7

2023 Under Armour #HLMSD Preseason Poll

     Pl.        Team – Pts. (First-place votes)

1.      IUPUI (3) – 33

2.      Oakland (3) – 32

3.      Cleveland State – 23

4.      Youngstown State – 20

5.      Milwaukee – 11

6.      Green Bay – 7

BALL STATE CROSS COUNTRY

MUNCIE, Ind. – Cross country heads to Chicago for the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Friday, September 29. The 6k will begin at 10 a.m. CT.

The Cardinals are coming off a strong performance at the Mel Brodt Open in Bowling Green, Ohio. Sarah Mahnensmith led the pack, finishing 17th with a time of 21:54.1. Closely following were Shelby Christman and Carly Spletzer who finished 24th and 27th.

Ball State will meet 23 other schools on Friday, including Chicago State, College of DuPage, DePaul, Drake, Furman, Gonzaga, Illinois State, Indiana, Iona, Kentucky, Lipscomb, Loyola, Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, North Central, Northwestern, Ohio, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Saint Louis, Toledo, Tulsa, Wisconsin.

Following Friday’s meet, the Cardinals will prepare for the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Illinois.

BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State soccer team scored two goals in a two-and-a-half-minute span early in the second half to secure a 2-1 result over Toledo Thursday afternoon in Mid-American Conference play at the Briner Sports Complex.

“I thought we played well in the first half, there were just a couple of things we needed to adjust,” head coach Josh Rife said. “One of the best things about this group, outside of our depth and competitiveness, is our ability to take information at half and make adjustments. That showed that today.”

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the league’s top two offenses came out firing in the second half, starting with a great save by Cardinals (4-5-1; 2-0-1 MAC) goalkeeper Bethany Moser in the 46th minute.

Moments later, Ball State was able to draw a corner at the other end of the pitch. The Cardinals worked the set piece to perfection as the insert from junior forward Lexi Fraley found the head of sophomore forward Emily Roper. The header then found the foot of sophomore forward Delaney Caldwell who smashed the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the season one second into the 50th minute.

The Cardinals kept the pressure on the Rockets (3-5-2; 0-2-1 MAC) drawing a throw in deep in the offensive zone, which junior middle Kaitlyn Fraser popped into the goal area. A miscommunication on the clearance attempt between a Toledo defender and keeper allowed the ball to be headed right to an attacking Avery Fenchel who promptly scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season midway through the 52nd minute.

“It’s great to play with the lead,” Rife said about the impact of the two quick goals. “It takes a little pressure off and that’s the balance with our group, we can play more free.”

While Toledo would add a goal of its own 1:11 later, thanks to Kaema Amachree, the Cardinals defense stood tall the rest of the match. The biggest defensive play was made by Moser, who came up with a brilliant diving save in the 82nd minute after a Toledo attacker received a pass just outside the box and attempted to place the ball in the lower left corner.

It was the final of three saves Moser made in the contest, helping stymie the league’s top scoring team entering the day.

“Bethany keeps getting better and better,” Rife added about his goalkeeper. “Her past is well documented, and I think she is finally settling into consistent minutes. I’m happy for her success and every game she plays with a little more confidence.

The Ball State soccer team will be up for another big test Sunday, when it travels to Western Michigan for a 1 p.m. showdown at the WMU Soccer Complex.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. DUKE

NOTRE DAME NOTES:

IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS

1st

The contest with Duke Saturday is the sixth game of the season for

Notre Dame which is the program’s the high-water mark for games

played before the calendar turns to October. The Irish have the opportunity to match the 2015 team as the only Notre Dame teams to claim

five victories in a season before October 1.

1

Saturday will be the eighth meeting between Notre Dame and Duke

but the first with both teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Irish enter the weekend 11th, while Duke is 17th.

2

This weekend marks the second consecutive appearance of ESPN’s

College Game Day to preview a Notre Dame contest. It will be the 20th

time that the show has featured the same team during the regular

season on back-to-back weeks and the second time for Notre Dame

(2002, at Air Force, at Florida State). See page 9 for more.

4

This weekend’s prime time game is the second of four-straight night

games for the Irish. The team has only played three night games in a

row four times previously – and never faced four consecutive games

in prime time. See page 8 for more.

6

Freshman running back Gi’Bran Payne has developed into a third down specialist for the Irish this season and leads the team with six

third-down conversions. See page 19 for a full list of third/fourth

down conversions and defensive stops.

7

Junior tight end Mitchell Evans returned from a one-game absence in

concussion protocol to lead the Irish with a career-high seven catches for 75 yards against Ohio State last weekend.

8

Senior defensive end Javonte Jean-Baptiste, who transferred to Notre Dame from Ohio State during the offseason, played perhaps his

finest college football game against his former team last weekend.

Jean-Baptiste tied for the team lead with eight tackles, posted two

third-down stops, shared a fourth-down stop and added a quarterback hurry. He is currently second on the team with 23 tackles this

season.

14.3

The peak for millions of viewers of the Notre Dame – Ohio State game

last weekend on NBC. The contest was the most-watched primetime

regular season college football game since 2018 (excluding Labor Day

weekend) with an average of 10.5 million viewers. It was the mostwatched Notre Dame game on NBC since the 1993 match-up between

Notre Dame and Florida State.

29

Notre Dame is hoping to extend its 29-game regular-season win

streak against Atlantic Coast Conference teams this weekend at

Duke. The Irish have not lost a regular-season game to an ACC team

since 2017. See page 12 for more.

91 Irish quarterback Sam Hartman has thrown 91 touchdown passes

since 2021 – the most of any Power 5 quarterback.

124

Total career touchdown passes for Sam Hartman, who is on pace to

finish as high as second on the all-time FBS passing touchdown list.

Case Keenum has the all-time record with 155, while Kellen Moore sits

in second place at 142.

TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE Jayden Thomas is the leading returning receiver for the Irish in 2023. He also is the leading receiver so far this season with 13 catches for 195 yards. He caught a careerlong 39-yard pass against Central Michigan. Chris Tyree has shifted to wide receiver after three years as a running back with the Irish. He has made a big play in each of Notre Dame’s four victories this season. Tyree caught a 20-yard pass versus Navy, nabbed a 24-yard touchdown against TSU and keyed Notre Dame’s two-minute drill at NC State with a 65-yard reception, which led to a ND score on the next play. Against CMU, he caught a career-best 76-yard touchdown pass. True freshman Jaden Greathouse nabbed a 35-yard touchdown pass on his first career touch against Navy. He followed up with a 20-yard scoring catch later in the game. He is second on the team in touchdown receptions after a 13-yard scoring grab against NC State. Joe Alt, the son of former NFL All-Pro John Alt, is one of four team captains for the Irish this season, has been selected as a consensus preseason All-American and is on the Outland, Lombardi and Walter Camp Award watch lists. See page 7 for more on Alt. Pat Coogan made his first career start in just his second game played against Navy. He has helped the Irish average 198.8 rushing yards per game. Zeke Correll has played guard and center during his career and now enters the season as one of the top snappers in the nation. He will make his 28th-career start on the Irish offensive line at Duke and is on the Rimington Award watch list. Rocco Spindler joined Coogan to make his first career start at guard for the Irish against Navy and helped pave the way for 236 rushing yards against Central Michigan. Blake Fisher one of the more athletic right tackles in the nation, Fisher combines with Joe Alt to provide Notre Dame one of the best offensive tackle bookends in the nation. Mitchell Evans returned from missing the CMU game in concussion protocol to lead the Irish with seven catches for 70 yards – both career highs – against Ohio State. Evans also has a four-catch, 61-yard performance this year against Tennessee State. He also plays a key role in some of Notre Dame’s short yardage packages by taking direct snaps. He rushed for five first downs and a touchdown from under center last season. Holden Staes has three touchdown receptions over Notre Dame’s last three games. He capped the scoring against Central Michigan with a four-yard catch which followed up his career-best game at NC State which included four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdowns came from more than 30 yards (30, 45). Rico Flores Jr. earned his first career start against Central Michigan and responded with early career-highs of three catches and 60 receiving yards. His first career touchdown reception against Ohio State provided the Irish their first lead of the game last weekend. Sam Hartman continues his ascent up the FBS career passing touchdown and yardage lists this season. See page 6 for much more on Hartman. Audric Estimé leads all FBS running backs with 591 rushing yards this season and owns three 100-yard performances in the first five games of the year. Jadarian Price’s first career carry against Navy was a 19-yard touchdown. His second career catch was a 40-yard touchdown reception vs. Tennessee State. Spencer Shrader showed off his incredibly strong leg at NC State, connecting on a Notre Dame record 54-yard field goal in the first quarter, then just missing a 56-yard attempt later the in the game. The 56-yard effort had plenty of distance and hit the left upright. Shrader follwed up with a 50-yard field goal against Central Michigan. Shrader is already tied for fifth on the Notre Dame career charts for 50-yard field goals with two. The school record is four held by Jonathan Doerer (2017-21) and Kyle Brindza (2011-14). Bryce McFerson has a booming leg showed that off against NC State. He punted six times in the game, averaging 50.7 yards per attempt. He also posted a career-best 59- yard punt against the Wolfpack. Michael Vinson is in his sixth year at Notre Dame and is one of the top long snappers in the nation. He has developed into a clear leader not only for the Irish special teams, but the entire roster.

WO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE Jordan Botelho has been active through three games from his defensive end position with 13 tackles, two sacks and a quarterback hurry. Joshua Burnham is tied for the team lead in tackles-for-loss with two, while also posting a sack and two quarterback hurries. Rylie Mills is No. 10 on The Athletic’s Freak List for his work in the weight room and has been disruptive on the defensive line so far in 2023. Mills’ timely sack against Navy in the fourth quarter pushed the Midshipmen back from the four-yard line that eventually led to a field goal. Jason Onye posted an early-career-best game with five tackles against Tennesee State. He also blocked his first career field goal, preventing TSU points after the Irish fumbled a kick return and gifted the Tigers the ball at the ND 12-yard line. Howard Cross III is third on the team with 22 tackles coming from the middle of the Irish defensive line. Javontae Jean-Baptiste played perhaps the best game of his career against Ohio State last weekend, posting a career-high eight tackles. JJB has been consistent across the Irish defensive line all season and is second on the team in tackles (23) and leads the Irish with five quarterback hurries. Nana Osafo-Mensah is a leader in the defensive line group and a steady force against the run. Marist Liufau enters his second full season as a starter in 2023 and has been all over the field through the first five games of the year. He has 17 tackles on the season, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. JD Bertrand missed the CMU game in concussion protocol and returned against Ohio State to tie for the team lead in tackles with eight. Jack Kiser does a little bit of everything for the Irish defense, and can appear on the line or even as a spot safety if necessary. He leads the team with 28 tackles after piling up a career-best 10 while starting at Mike linebacker for JD Bertrand against Central Michigan. Cam Hart was voted a captain by his teammates this season, and looks poised for a highly productive final season with the Irish. Among the most veteran defenders on the team (40 games played) Hart has 78 career tackles, 16 PBUs and two interceptions. DJ Brown returned for a fifth year and is the ‘quarterback’ of the back seven for Notre Dame’s defense. Brown picked off his fourth career pass against NC State, missed the CMU game with a leg injury but returned against Ohio State to finish with three tackles and two PBUs. Xavier Watts has grown from a rookie wide receiver into one of Notre Dame’s starting safeties. He nabbed his first career interception against NC State, setting the Irish up in the redzone. Benjamin Morrison was a Freshman All-American last season, and is focused on taking his game to an even higher level in 2023. He intercepted his first pass of the season at NC State. See page 7 for more on Morrison. The Irish defense is filled with talented younger players eager to make their mark with increased playing time in 2023. Jaylen Sneed loves to pressure the quarterback and get downhill on running situations. Christian Gray, a true freshman, has earned the trust of position coach Mike Mickens to be listed as a back up to Benjamin Morrison. While those talented younger players are ready for their moment, there are three key veterans in the back seven of the defense who will play key roles. Clarence Lewis has played in 42 games at Notre Dame and scored his first career touchdown on a 33-yard interception return against Tennessee State. Thomas Harper, a transfer from Oklahoma State, made his first start in an Irish uniform against TSU and followed up with a team-high seven tackles at NC State. He continued his playmaking moments with his first career sack against Central Michigan. Antonio Carter II jumps up a level from Rhode Island and will provide the Irish safeties depth and contribute across the Irish special teams.

DUKE NOTES:

• No. 17 Duke hosts No. 11 Notre Dame at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night … kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with the game being televised live by ABC. • The last time a nationally-ranked Duke team hosted a ranked opponent was November 5, 1994, when the No. 23 Blue Devils defeated No. 13 Virginia, 28-25, behind Spence Fischer’s three touchdowns (2 rush & 1 pass) and a game-sealing interception by Ray Farmer as time expired … the Duke-Virginia game also marks the last regular season game between a ranked Duke team and a ranked opponent, regardless of location … Duke’s last game as a ranked squad facing another ranked team came on December 31, 2013, in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Ga., with No. 20 Texas A&M earning a 52-48 win over the No. 22 Blue Devils. • This year’s game will mark the eighth on the gridiron between the two schools with Notre Dame leading the series, 5-2 … Duke’s first win over the Fighting Irish came on Dec. 2, 1961, when the Blue Devils secured a 37-13 victory in Durham … Notre Dame comes into the game having won two consecutive, including a 27-13 victory during the teams’ last meeting on Sept. 12, 2020. • Duke’s win over Connecticut last weekend marked its fourth in a row, matching the fifth-longest in-season winning streak for the Blue Devils since 1970 … additionally, Duke had never previously started a season with four consecutive 20-plus point wins. • The Blue Devils climbed to No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches’ polls heading into Saturday’s contest, marking their highest national ranking since Oct. 25, 1994 (No. 16). • Duke won the turnover battle, 2-0, against Connecticut during its last game, including a fumble recovery scoop-and score by defensive tackle DeWayne Carter in the third quarter … under head coach Mike Elko, Duke has won the turnover battle in 12 of its 17 games and has scored 115 points off those turnovers (15 touchdowns, three field goals and one two-point conversion). • Duke head coach Mike Elko is 13-4 (.765) through the first 17 games of his tenure with the Blue Devils, marking the best 17-game start to a head coaching stint in school history … additionally, Elko’s record through 17 games is the best among current ACC coaches to open their respective tenures at their current institutions.

NOTRE DAME CROSS COUNTRY

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country programs are set to host the 2o23 Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Friday, Sept. 29 at the Burke Golf Course on campus. The Fighting Irish women’s team enters the meet ranked No. 4 in the latest USTFCCCA poll while the men’s team checked in at No. 9. The meet is free to the public and spectators may enter via the gate adjacent to the Dorr Road parking lot.

Men’s Rosters | Women’s Rosters | Course Map | Box Assignments

Race times are as follows:

10:30 am Women’s Blue Division – 5,000 Meters
11:15 am Men’s Blue Division – 5 Miles
12:00 pm Men’s & Women’s Open Division – 5 Miles / 5,000 Meters
12:45 pm Women’s Gold Division – 5,000 Meters
1:30 pm Men’s Gold Division – 5 Miles

How to Follow
Results can also be followed through the following live results link – click here.

NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL

RALEIGH, NC – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) are back on the road as they take on the NC State Wolfpack on Friday, September 29 in Valvano Arena.

NOTRE DAME vs. NC STATE

Location: Raleigh, NC | Valvano Arena at Reynolds Coliseum

Time: 1 PM

TV: ACCNX

Live Stats: Click here

Twitter Updates: @NDvolleyball

A WEEK IN REVIEW

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered their first loss at home this season as the Irish (8-3) fell to the No. 5 Louisville Cardinals (12-1) at Purcell Pavilion on Wednesday, Sept. 27 in three sets (12-25, 18-25, 16-25).

The Irish were led by Lucy Trump with seven kills, followed by Sydney Palazzolo with six kills.

Charity McDowell recorded a team-best five blocks, while Phyona Schrader and Trump each chipped in four blocks a piece.

Priot to Wednesday’s match, Notre Dame started conference play 0-2 as the Irish opened up ACC play defeating the Eagles in a five set thriller (25-21, 16-25, 24-26, 25-15, 15-6) on Friday, Sept. 22.

Freshman Ava Lange led the Irish with a career-high 17 kills, followed by Sydney Palazzolo with 15 kills and 18 digs.

Nicole Drewnick dished out 47 assists, while also recording seven kills and a .438 hitting percentage.

Notre Dame capped off the weekend with a sweep over the Syracuse Orange (26-24, 25-9, 25-18).

Palazzolo led Sunday’s match with 13 kills and a .588 hitting percentage. Phyona Schrader also recorded 10 kills and a team-best .643 attack percentage.

HISTORY VS. NC STATE

This will be the 17th matchup between the Irish and the Wolfpack as Notre Dame trails the overall series 7-9.

The Irish were 0-2 against NC State last season as they fell in four sets in Purcell Pavilion (20-25, 25-22, 18-25, 23-25) on Nov. 6, 2022 and three sets on the road (20-25, 17-25, 23-25) on Nov. 19. 2022.

In their first faceoff last season, Lucy Trump lead Notre Dame with 13 kills and nine blocks.

In their second matchup on the road, the Irish were led by Lucy Trump and Avery Ross who tallied 10 kills a piece for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame’s last win over the Wolfpack was on Nov. 12, 2021 at Purcell Pavilion where the Irish swept the Wolfpack in three (25-16, 25-17, 25-20).

MEET THE TRANSFERS

Two transfers join the Irish for the 2023 season. Sydney Palazzolo enters into her junior season after spending freshman and sophomore year at High Point. Nicole Drewnick is a graduate transfer hailing from Georgia Tech.

Palazzolo had a decorated two seasons in North Carolina, earning a plethora of awards at High Point.

Last season, Palazzolo earned Big South Player of the Year and Big South First Team All-Conference honors and was named the Big South All-Tournament MVP. She was recognized as an AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region player and an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. She was also tabbed as the Big South Player of the Week three times.

Palazzolo finished her sophomore season with a team-best 443 kills, 321 digs, 27 blocks, and led the conference with 42 service aces.

Not only was she recognized as the Big South Freshman of the Year in 2021, but she was also named to the Big South All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman Team.

While Drewnick spent her freshman season at Nebraska, she most recently has spent the last two seasons with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Drewnick appeared in 20 matches and 43 sets last season with the Yellow Jackets and finished the season with 99 assists and 16 digs.

MEET THE FRESHMEN

Five freshmen join the Irish for the 2023 season. Freshmen additions include Alyssa Manitzas, Lily Fenton,  Logan Brannan, Olivia Maulding, and Ava Lange.

Manitzas was a part of the Under Armour All-American game and was also named the 2021 Prep Dig Top Libero in Texas. The San Antonio, TX native is the all-time dig leader at Cornerstone Christian High School.

Fenton was a First Team All-Conference and All-District player out of Latrobe, PA. Fenton was a three-year captain and was the Greater Latrobe High School program all-time assist leader.

Brannan hails from Lake Travis High School in Austin, TX and was a First Team All-District and TGCA All-State honoree.

A gradute of La Salle Prep, Maulding was named the 2022 Northwest Oregon Co-player of the Year, while also being named to the 2022 Oregon State Championship All-Tournament Team. Maulding was recognized as the 2022 Volleyball Magazine Top Performer in Oregon.

Lange was a nationally recognized four star player out of Playa Del Rey, CA, who was named to the AVCA All-America Watch List and played in the 2022 USAV Girls 17’s Junior National Championship.

RETURNERS

The Irish return six rising sophomore, a pair of rising juniors, and a trio of rising seniors.

Sophomores Lucy Trump and Avery Ross were offensive power houses for the Irish last season as both outside hitters led Notre Dame in their first years in an Irish uniform. Trump led the way with 252 kills, followed by Ross with 227 kills.

Juniors Phyona Schrader and Paris Thompson return for their third seasons at Notre Dame. Thompson returns after tallying 148 kills and 71 digs across 63 sets last season.

Schrader led the Irish last season with 877 assists and was second on the team with 333 digs. The setter also led the ACC with two triple-doubles and finished second in the conference with 17 double-doubles.

Hattie Monson, Lauren Tarnoff, and Charity McDowell are rising seniors for the Irish after playing in a combined 259 sets as a class last season.

Monson played in all 108 sets for the Irish as the libero recorded 453 digs in her junior campaign, while also surpassing the 1,000 career digs mark. She heads into her senior season with 1,163 career digs.

Both Tarnoff and McDowell return as middle blockers for the Irish as the duo finished with 141 combined blocks; Tarnoff was second on the team with 80 blocks and McDowell was third with 61. Tarnoff also led the Irish with a team-best 15 solo blocks.

INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State closes its four-match conference-opening road trip Friday and Saturday when it faces Missouri State and Southern Illinois.

Friday’s match against Missouri State starts at 7 p.m., with first serve in Saturday’s match against Southern Illinois set for 6 p.m. Friday’s match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Last Time Out

The Sycamores will look to rebound after going 0-2 in their opening weekend of MVC play. Indiana State lost to Belmont in three sets and Murray State in four sets, though more than half of the sets played were closely contested.

Emma Kaelin’s eight kills against Belmont were the second-most in a match in her career, while Avery Hales dished out 46 assists in her first career start against Murray State. Ella Scott tallied 18 kills against the Racers, the most by a Sycamore in a single match this season.

Fab Freshmen

Indiana State’s freshman class continues to make a significant impact in the Sycamore rotation, with all four freshmen who were active for Indiana State’s first two conference matches making major contributions.

Avery Hales dished out 46 assists in her first career start for the Blue and White against Murray State, while Ella Scott had a season-best 18 kills on 23 attempts against the Racers. Kira Holland tallied double-digit digs (13) against Belmont and double-digit kills against Murray State, and Macy Lengacher has firmly entrenched herself as Indiana State’s libero.

Aced It

Indiana State had 10 service aces in its most recent match against Murray State, marking the third time this season that the Sycamores served up double-digit aces in a match. The Sycamores had just one such match in 2022, with that not coming until the tail end of the season.

Emma Kaelin (sixth, 0.37) and Ella Scott (ninth, 0.36) both rank in the top 10 of the MVC in aces per set, while Macy Lengacher has also notched double-digit aces this season for the Sycamores. Four different Sycamores (Hannah Baudin, Avery Hales, Kaelin, Scott) have at least one match with three or more aces this season.

Night To Remember

Indiana State freshman middle blocker Ella Scott had one of the most efficient performances from an attacking standpoint in the Sycamores’ most recent match at Murray State. Scott finished with 18 kills and just one error in 23 attempts, hitting an astounding .739 against the Racers.

It was Scott’s fourth match this season where she hit .500 or better on 15 or more attempts, while her 18 kills and .739 hitting percentage were both season-best marks. Scott leads MVC freshmen with a .338 hitting percentage.

Welcome To The Club

Indiana State defensive specialist Emma Kaelin recently reached a career milestone, surpassing 500 career digs in the Sycamores’ conference-opening match at Belmont. The match against the Bruins marked the first time this season and 19th time in her career that she recorded double-digit kills in a match.

Kaelin is one of two players on the active roster with more than 500 career digs. Karinna Gall surpassed the milestone during the 2022 season.

On The Road Again

Indiana State is in the midst of a four-match road trip to open conference play, the longest conference-opening road trip in program history. The Sycamores opened conference play at Belmont and Murray State prior to this weekend’s meetings at Missouri State and Southern Illinois.

Prior to this season, the Sycamores have never opened MVC play with more than three consecutive road matches. In addition, the Sycamores’ four matches during the road trip all take place in different states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois).

Opponents At A Glance

Missouri State opens the weekend at 6-8 overall and 0-2 in conference play. The Bears opened their MVC slate with losses to Valparaiso (five sets) and UIC (three sets). Four Bears have racked up more than 100 kills this season, with Maddy Bushnell leading the way with 142. Josie Halbleib and Morgan Sprague split the setting duties, while Teagan Polcovich has a team-high 273 digs. Azyah Green leads the Bears with 53 blocks.

Southern Illinois sits at 9-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play, defeating UIC (four sets) and falling to Valparaiso (three sets). Nataly Garcia leads the Salukis with 152 kills, with Ema Stermenska and Anna Jaworski splitting the setting duties. Cecelia Bulmahn has a team-leading 141 digs, while Imani Hartfield leads SIU with 34 blocks.

Series History

Missouri State leads the all-time series between the programs 71-4, though the Bears and Sycamores split the two meetings last season. Three of Indiana State’s four wins in the series have come within the last five seasons.

Southern Illinois has a 53-25 lead in the all-time series, though Indiana State has won seven of the last 10 matches played between the programs. The Sycamores had a six-match win streak against the Salukis snapped last season.

Up Next

Indiana State plays four of its next five matches at home, starting with contests against preseason favorites Drake (Oct. 6) and Northern Iowa (Oct. 7).

INDIANA STATE CROSS COUNTRY

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State cross country will compete in a pair of meets over the weekend, with the Sycamores fielding teams in both the Nike XC Town Twilight meet on Friday and the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic on Saturday.

Race times for the Nike XC Town Twilight are at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday night. The two races at the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic will commence at 9:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Saturday morning.

Who’s in the Field?

Teams scheduled to compete in the Nike XC Town Twilight alongside the Sycamores are Anderson (Ind.), Asbury, Bethel (Tenn.), Cuyahoga CC, DePauw, Eastern Illinois, Franklin, IU East, IUPUC, Judson, Madonna, Mineral Area College, Oberlin, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Rose-Hulman, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and St. Francis (Ind.)

Teams scheduled to compete in the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic alongside the Sycamores are Adams State, Appalachian State, Azusa Pacific, Bellarmine, Bowling Green, Butler, Cedarville, Charleston Southern, Clemson, College of Charleston, Davidson, Dayton, East Tennessee State, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Washington, Grand Valley State, Illinois-Springfield, Kent State, Lee (Tenn.), Louisville, Malone, Marshall, Memphis, Miami (Ohio), North Alabama, North Central (Ill.), Northern Colorado, Northwood, Pittsburg State, Purdue, Queens, Rice, Roberts Wesleyan, Samford, Southern Indiana, UIC, UNC Asheville, West Texas A&M and Xavier.

Last Time Out

Jackson Krieg and Emma Gresham led the way for Indiana State in the men’s 8k and women’s 5k races, respectively, helping the Sycamores earn top-10 team finishes in both races at the John McNichols Invitational. Indiana State finished sixth on the men’s side and eighth on the women’s side.

Krieg had the top time for the Trees in the 8k, with his mark of 24:48.9 placing 30th overall. Logan Pietrzak was right behind him in 31st at 24:49.9, while Jason Dworak (24:54.4) also earned a top-40 finish. Ethan Breen (25:01.0) and Cael Light (25:06.9) rounded out the top five for the Sycamores in 42nd and 47th, respectively. Jocqael Thorpe ran a time of 25:15.0, while Layton Hall crossed the line in 25:25.2 to close out Indiana State entries towards the team scores.

Gresham was the top finisher among any Sycamore in either race, her 5k time of 18:08.6 placing her 22nd overall. She was followed by Rachel Conhoff (18:24.1) in 33rd, while Morgan Dyer was the third Sycamore to cross the line, finishing 51st with a time of 18:47.8. Hadley Gradolf (18:49.8) and Sara Skaff (18:57.0) rounded out the top five for the Trees, while Kyra Young (19:08.1) and Halle Miller (19:09.8) closed out the Sycamores’ entries towards team scores.

Sycamores in the Spotlight

Prior to the John McNichols Invitational, Indiana State was featured across the NCAA Cross Country social media platforms, showcasing the Sycamores’ history, campus and course on a national stage.

INDIANA STATE SWIMMING

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State swimming & diving makes its home debut for the 2023-24 season as the Sycamores host their annual Blue-Gray exhibition at the Vigo County Aquatic Center. Competition is set to start at 6:30 p.m.

“The first few weeks of the season have gone really well,” Head Coach Josh Christensen said. “This is a big transition year for us, after graduating a large class, and it’s been exciting to see how quickly this team has meshed.”

The meet culminates the fall preseason schedule that included a September 16 competition against Ball State in Muncie. The Sycamores full roster took part in the meet with multiple athletes swimming nearly every event in the field. The meet consisted of the 50-yard fly, 50-yard backstroke, 50-yard breaststroke, 50-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard IM, while the divers also competed on both the 1M and 3M boards.

“While we’ve already gotten a little bit of early racing in at Ball State, tomorrow evening will be a chance to get a run through of a normal dual meet lineup,” Christensen said. “It should be a lot of fun and a good learning opportunity that will help us prepare for our Fall dual meet schedule.”

Several familiar faces dot the Sycamore lineup, and they were among the headliners from the early meet against Ball State back in mid-September.

Kaimi Matsumoto put her mark in leading the Sycamores in the 50-yard Fly against the Cardinals, while Kalli Agapios was the team leader in the 50-yard Back. Matsumoto was second in the 50-yard Breast and third in the 100 IM, while Chloe Farro was the leader in the 50-yard Free to provide a veteran touch atop the leaderboard. Additional top-three finishers among the Sycamores over the opening meet include Olivia DiRuzza (Back) and Alexandria Cotter (100 IM).

Several newcomers additionally stood out early in the season with Allison Pearson topping the team in the 50-yard Breast, while Kayleigh Kelley led ISU in the 100 IM. Kelley showcased her versatility in the 50-Fly (2nd), 50-Breast (3rd), and the 50-Free (2nd). Kate Reeves also made her debut in the top-two of the ISU lineup finishing second in the 50-Back.

All four Sycamore divers return to the roster including All-Conference selections Bailey Betzer and Zoe Smith, as well as veterans Sierra Bowman and Daniela Orta Castaneda.

Last year’s Blue-Gray exhibition featured the Gray team taking home the title by a score of 175.5-120.5.

The exhibition ends the preseason slate as the Sycamores will be back in action next on October 13 as ISU travels to take on Milwaukee.

INDIANA STATE FOOTBALL

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hits the road this weekend for the start of Missouri Valley Football Play as the Sycamores travel to Murray, Ky. to take on MVFC newcomer Murray State on Saturday night. Kickoff inside Roy Stewart Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET with the game set to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.

Notes

First Time Valley Opponents

Indiana State welcomes Murray State to the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season as the Sycamores are the first official conference game for the Racers. Murray State joined the MVFC in the 2023 offseason after playing in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Racers became Missouri Valley Conference members in 2022-23 for all non-football sports, but due to the different conference affiliation of the Football league, the Racers were not granted membership until 2023-24. Murray State will play the full MVFC schedule this season.

First Game Outside the Hoosier State

Indiana State’s trip to Murray, Ky. this weekend marks ISU’s first road outing outside of Indiana in the 2023 season. The Sycamores opened the year at home against Eastern Illinois, before traveling to in-state opponents Indiana (Sept. 8) and Ball State (Sept. 16) on the year. It marks the first time since the 2013 season that Indiana State’s first trip outside the state came on the fourth game of the season.

Offensive Explosive Plays

The Indiana State offense found a groove in the last game at Ball State as the big arm of Elijah Owens opened up the creativity in the Sycamore playbook. ISU posted a season-high five plays of 20-plus yards as the Sycamores were able to move the ball downfield against the Cardinals. Tee Hodge showed off the opening burst with a 32-yard carry up the middle in the first quarter highlighting the ability that made him a three-star recruit out of high school. Harry Van Dyne broke loose for a 41-yard catch down the right sideline in the second quarter to put ISU in Ball State territory. Dakota Caton utilized a double move on the 49-yard touchdown reception to get behind the Cardinals secondary, while Van Dyne (36-yard reception) and Plez Lawrence (39-yard carry) both had 30-plus yard plays in the fourth quarter.

Indiana State’s offense produced two Missouri Valley Football games that featured five or more 20-yard plays last season as the Sycamores posted five against North Dakota State and six at Youngstown State. Key to both of those games was a Justin Dinka touchdown run (82 yards vs. NDSU, 75 yards vs. YSU).

Blackwell Brings Him Down

All Maddix Blackwell has done since seizing the starting safety position is dominate as the redshirt sophomore posted his second double-digit tackling effort of the season against Ball State. Blackwell posted a career-high 12 tackles against the Cardinals marking the third consecutive game he’s led the Sycamores in the statistical category, while also recovering his second fumble of the year to lead the team. Overall, Blackwell is tied for the MVFC lead in tackles per game (10.7) and has been a part of all three turnovers (an interception, two fumble recoveries) caused by the ISU defense.

About the Racers

Murray State opened up the 2023 season with a win in their home opener against Presbyterian, before falling in back-to-back road contests at Louisville and Middle Tennessee State. The Racers are in their first season competing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Murray State joined the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022-23, but competed in the Ohio Valley Conference in the 2022 football season. Murray State has lined up nine times against Indiana State in their respective program histories winning two of the three games played in Murray.

The Racers boast one of the nation’s toughest defenses to move the ball against sitting 23rd in the NCAA FCS rankings allowing just 59 first downs on the year. Murray State sits 29th in the NCAA in time of possession on the year at 31:46 on the season. The Racers look to move the ball on the ground – Murray State sits 32nd in FCS in rushing offense at 173.3 yards per game on the season.

On This Date

Indiana State has played nine games all-time on September 30 dating back to the 1961 season when the Sycamores traveled to Indiana Central

ISU is 1-8 all-time on the date, falling in the last three contests played dating back to 2000.

The Sycamores’ lone win on September 30 came back in the 1995 season when ISU topped Southern Illinois, 52-3. The home contest against SIU is the only time the Sycamores have played at home on the date.

1961 – at Indiana Central (L, 26-20)

1967 – at Northern Illinois (L, 34-0)

1972 – at Central Michigan (L, 34-0)

1978 – at Louisville (L, 31-12)

1989 – at Minnesota (L, 34-14)

1995 – vs. Southern Illinois (W, 52-3)

2000 – at Western Illinois (L, 49-7)

2006 – at Southern Illinois (L, 55-3)

2017 – at Illinois State (L, 24-13)

INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

DES MOINES, Iowa – Indiana State was unable to offset a pair of Drake goals on Thursday night as the Sycamores fell, 2-0, to the host Bulldogs in Missouri Valley play at Drake Stadium.

The Sycamores (1-4-6, 0-2-1) fought through the first half despite being outshot by the Bulldogs, 9-1, in the opening 45 minutes and appeared to be heading into the break with the score knotted up at 0-0. However, Drake (7-3-2, 3-1) took the lead on Madelyn Smith’s goal in the 45th minute to take the halftime advantage and Emma Nagel added a goal in the 75th minute to provide insurance in taking the conference win.

Alexa Mackey led ISU’s efforts in the game with two shots and a shot on goal, while Mackenzie Kent continued to provide flashes of brilliance atop the ISU formation, but the Sycamores were unable to crack the scoreboard in the match. Anna Chor and Isabel Garcia both had chances from distance in the second half with both attempts turned away by the Drake defense.

Maddie Alexander posted four saves while playing the full 90 minutes in goal. The Sycamore keeper faced 17 Drake shots in the contest while the Bulldogs added six corner kicks in the match.

Smith posted her first goal of the 2023 season for Drake inside the box off the assist from Laura Riesenbeck to give the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead at the 44:11 mark in the first half. Nagel collected a pass from Riesenbeck over the ISU defense and scored from six yards out at 74:49 in the match to provide the final scoring margin.

Nagel led the Bulldogs with three shots (two on target) in the match, while Amelia Crabtree and Zoey Mahoney both had two shots apiece. Addie Ford went the distance in goal with three saves in the win.

Up Next

Indiana State continues Missouri Valley play this weekend as the Sycamores travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on Northern Iowa on Sunday, October 1. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Panthers is set for 1 p.m. ET at the UNI Soccer Field.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golf team will play in a pair of tournaments over the next week: Miami’s The Indy and Cleveland State’s Tom Tontimonia Invitational.

Event Information (Friday)
Event: The Indy
Host: Miami (OH)
When: September 29, 36 holes
Where: Richmond, Ind.
Course: Forest Hills Country Club
Format: Individuals only
Live Results: Smart Golf

Event Information (Monday-Tuesday)
Event: Tom Tontimonia Invitational
Host: Cleveland State
When: October 2-3, 54 holes
Where: Westlake, Ohio
Course: Lakewood Country Club
Format: Play 5, take 4
Live Results: Golfstat

Meet the Fields
The Indy: There are 49 individuals competing.
Tom Tontimonia Invitational: TBD

About the Courses
Forest Hills Country Club: Nestled in more than 162 rolling acres on the southeast side of Richmond, Indiana, Forest Hills Country Club offers an exciting array of opportunities for everyone. With the richness and depth of the community’s premier country club, Forest Hills provides its members and their guests a myriad of social, recreational, and relaxing opportunities, from playing eighteen holes of golf on a beautiful, challenging course to splashing in the pool to enjoying fine dining with friends indoors or outdoors on the patio, overlooking the golf course.
Lakewood Country Club: Lakewood Country Club is the only golf course in the State of Ohio designed by one of the foremost designers of championship golf courses – A.W. Tillinghast. Not only was Tillinghast a founder of the PGA of America, but he was also an early organizer and enthusiastic supporter of the USGA Green Section. “Tilli’s” work consists of USGA and PGA Championship courses including Winged Foot, Baltrusol, Baltimore Five Arms, San Francisco Golf Club and Hermitage Club. Fifty-one national and international championships have been played on the famed architect’s courses, and we offer you the unique opportunity to play on our timeless and original Tillinghast golf course!

Mastodon Lineup
The Indy: Jadden Ousley, Reece Compton, AJ Agnew and Brock Reschly will play as individuals.
Tom Tontimonia Invitational: TBD

The GOATs
This season, Purdue Fort Wayne has the best single-season team scoring average in program history with an average of 286.7.

Record Breakers
The Mastodons set a pair of records at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational on September 11-12. The ‘Dons broke the 36-hole record with a 557 and the 54-hole record with an 846.

Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne took ninth at the Virtues Intercollegiate, topping four of the five other Horizon League schools in the field.

Coming Up
The Mastodons will wrap up the fall season on October 16-17 at the North Alabama Intercollegiate in Killen, Alabama.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE CROSS COUNTRY

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Mastodons cross country teams will take on a challenging field on Saturday (Sept. 30) at the Paul Short Run, hosted by Lehigh.

Meet: Paul Short Run

When: Saturday, September 30 | 11:00 a.m. (Men’s 8K) | 11:45 a.m. (Women’s 6K)

Where: Goodman Campus Cross Country Course, Bethlehem, Penn.

Men’s Field: American, Army West Point, Belmont, Binghamton, Boston U, Brown, Bucknell, Buffalo, Caldwell, Canisius, Carnegie Mellon, Delaware State, East Carolina, Fordham, George Mason, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Guelph, Howard, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh, Liberty, Lynchburg, Mercer, Monmouth, Navy, Norfolk State, North Dakota, Penn State, Princeton, Purdue Fort Wayne, Rutgers, SUNY Geneseo, Siena, St. Joseph’s (Pa.), Stony Brook, Temple, UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell, Utah Valley, Western Ontario, William & Mary, Wingate, Wis.-La Crosse, Yale

Women’s Field: Army West Point, Belmont, Binghamton, Boston U, Bowling Green, Brown, Bucknell, Buffalo, Canisius, Delaware, Fordham, George Mason, George Washington, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Guelph, Howard, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh, Maryland, Mercer, Monmouth, Navy, North Dakota, Penn State, Purdue Fort Wayne, Quinnipiac, Rhode Island, Rider, Rutgers, SUNY Geneseo, South Carolina, Stony Brook, Temple, UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell, Utah Valley, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Western Ontario, William & Mary, Wingate, Wis.-La Crosse, Yale

Live Results:Link

Men’s Preview

Harrison Niswander paced the ‘Dons in their last race at the Jaguar Invitational. The sophomore made up four spots in the final 7K to finish 12th overall with a time of 25:24.3. That’s a new personal best time for Niswander who now ranks ninth overall in the program’s records. Austin Hall was next for Purdue Fort Wayne, crossing the line at 26:03.5 with Nicholas Mills close behind at 26:08.4. Kehinde Oladapo (26:31.4) and Nathan Mills (27:00.5) rounded out the ‘Dons top five.

Men’s Entries:Andrew Arnos, Colin Gasson, Austin Hall, Jackson Marshall, Kobe Milledge, Jack Mills, Nathan Mills, Nicholas Mills, Jarred Neff, Harrison Niswander, Kehinde Oladapo, Cory Waldron

Women’s Preview

Madison King took home her second individual win of the season with a time of 17:16.91 at the Jaguar Invitational to pick up the Horizon League Runner of the Week Award. She ran a personal best 17:16.7 in the first 5K race of the season and ran within a second of her first time on her way to the individual title. Brooke Neal and Riley Tate each finished in the meet’s top 10 as well. Neal ran a time of 18:16.4 and placed seventh overall while Tate ran her new personal best time of 18:23.2 and placed ninth overall.

Women’s Entries:Faith Allen, Ava Genovese, Haylee Hile, Madison King, Brooke Neal, Mercedes Sarver, Riley Tate

Up Next

The Mastodons will run again at the Bradley Pink Classic hosted by Bradley on Oct. 13.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer will host the Youngstown State Penguins on Saturday (Sept. 30) for the Mastodons’ annual Pink Out game.

Game Day Information

Who: Youngstown State Penguins

When: Saturday, September 30 | 1 PM

Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex

Live Stats: Link

Watch: ESPN+

Tickets: FREE!

Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Youngstown State

Know Your Foe

Youngstown State is 5-5-1 and 1-3-0 in Horizon League play. The Penguins are still seeking their first league road win. They are coming off a 1-0 loss to IUPUI. YSU has four players with two goals this season: Taylor Berry, Lianna Van Sice, Chloe Weiland and Maddie Keister.

Series History

As one of the most played series in Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer history, it is also the closest of any series. It is tied 7-7 through 14 games, with the ‘Dons owning a 6-1 advantage at home and YSU having a 6-1 edge away from the Hefner Soccer Complex. YSU has won the last two, but the ‘Dons have won the last five home games.

In The Horizon League Record Book

Samantha Castaneda’s five Player of the Week awards ties for the fourth-most of any Horizon League player in league history.

15 – Sam Hagen, Milwaukee, 2008-11

9 – Elaina LaMacchia – 9, Milwaukee, 2018-21

6- Erin Kane, Milwaukee, 2005-08

5 – Samantha Castaneda, Purdue Fort Wayne, 2020-23

But Not Just For POTW

Samantha Castaneda also has a top-10 career goals against average in Horizon League history.

0.84 – Kerri St. Aubin, Milwaukee, 2000-04

0.89 – Halle Pyle, Wright State, 2012-15

0.90 – Nora Abolins, Detroit Mercy; 2010-12

0.90 – Meghan Hackerson, Wright State, 2007-10

0.96 – Samantha Castaneda, Purdue Fort Wayne, 2020-2023

A New Attendance Record

The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer program set a new all-time attendance record on September 14 when Robert Morris visited the Hefner Soccer Complex. It was the fourth annual Party at the Pitch, which garnered a record attendance of 1,014.

Defend The Fort

Samantha Castaneda is sixth in the country among goalkeepers with six shutouts to her name. She is the Horizon League leader in that category. She is also top-20 nationally with a 0.879 save percentage and 58 saves.

No Goals For You

Purdue Fort Wayne had a 350:16 stretch without giving up a goal from August 25-September 7. It was the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in program history, topping a 297-minute stretch in 2013.

Give Me Some Mo

Morgan Reitano is a top-10 goal scorer in program history.

1. Kristin Macdonald – 25 (2000-03)

2. Lisa Underwood – 23 (2009-11)

3. Shacina Hersey – 21 (2000-03)

4. Anika Apar – 18 (2004-06)

5. Tara O’Toole – 16 (2008-11)

6. Morgan Reitano – 13 (2019-23)

    Lindsay Williamson – 13 (2002-05)

Home Sweet Hefner!

Purdue Fort Wayne is unbeaten at home since October 27, 2021. In that time, they are 10-0-5 at the Hefner Soccer Complex. It is the longest home unbeaten streak in program history. There are only seven schools in the nation that have not lost a home game since the Mastodons last did.

Arkansas – 2/28/2021

South Alabama – 9/2/2021

Alabama – 9/9/2021

Stanford – 9/30/2021

Maine – 10/14/2021

Memphis – 10/17/2021

Liberty – 10/17/2021

Shut Down and Shut Out

Purdue Fort Wayne had eight shutouts last season, which was a program-best. The Mastodons have seven already this season.

Last Time Out

Purdue Fort Wayne recorded its seventh shutout of the season when they tied Northern Kentucky 0-0.

Coming Up

The Mastodons will welcome Horizon League preseason favorite Milwaukee to the Hefner Soccer Complex on October 5. Last season, the ‘Dons and Panthers tied 0-0.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S SOCCER

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s soccer team (5-2-1, 3-0-0 Horizon League) takes their perfect league record on the road to Robert Morris (3-3-3, 1-2-0 Horizon League) on Saturday (Sept. 30).

Game Day Information

Who: Purdue Fort Wayne at Robert Morris

When: Saturday, September 30 | 3 PM ET

Where: Moon Township, Pa. | North Athletic Complex

Live Stats: Link

Watch: None

Know Your Foe

Robert Morris owns a league win over Northern Kentucky and losses to IUPUI and Milwaukee this season. Anass Hadran leads the team with six points. Gabe Norris also has six assists.

Series History

The series with Robert Morris features three meetings and could not be more even at 1-1-1. The ‘Dons won 3-1 in  Fort Wayne in 2021, tied in 2022 0-0 in Moon Township. The Colonials won 1-0 in Moon Township during the Spring 2021 season.

RPI Time

The Mastodons’ 52nd ranking in the latest NCAA RPI is the best in the Horizon League.

From The Home Office in Fort Wayne, Indiana It’s This Week’s Top 10 List

The ‘Dons earned the No. 10 ranking in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Association North Region Rankings.

Smart Shooting

Purdue Fort Wayne ranks 13th in Division I in shot accuracy with 51.2 percent of their shots being on goal. Seth Mahlmeister is third in the Horizon League with 56.0 percent of his shots being on goal. Mahlmeister averages 2.00 shots on goal per game, a conference-best and No. 7 nationally as well.

Beat The Streak:

The Mastodons are undefeated in their last six games with the last five being victories:

T 2-2 vs. Bellarmine

W 3-0 at Milwaukee

W 1-0 vs. Chicago State

W 2-1 at Green Bay

W 3-1 vs. Wright State

W 4-0 vs Adrian

– The five match-win streak and the six-match unbeaten streak is the Mastodons’ longest since 1999. The ‘Dons had a 14-match unbeaten streak and a 10-match win streak in 1999.

– The six-match unbeaten streak if the Mastodons’ longest since 1999, and their longest as a Division I member.

– This is the first time the ‘Dons have won three straight league matches since 2000, the Mastodons’ final year as a Division II member in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

– Should the Mastodons win at Robert Morris on Saturday; it would also be the Mastodons’ first four-match league winning streak since 1999.

Over the last six matches the ‘Dons have…:

– Outscored opponents 15-4

– Earned three shutouts

– Limited opponents to 3.3 SOG per game

– Had 11 different players score a goal

Balanced Attack:

The Mastodons have seen 11 different players score a goal this season. Seth Mahlmeister owns a team-best four goals. Both of Abe Arellano’s goals were game-winning goals, one against Milwaukee and one against Green Bay. Two game-winning goals is tied for the Horizon League lead in that category.

A Helping Hand:

Soshi Fujioka owns five assists, tops in the league.

Shot, Shot, Shot, Shot:

The Mastodons’ 33 shots against Adrian on Sept. 27 set a new program record for shots in a single game.

Non-League Challenges:

The ‘Dons opened the regular season with a trip to Wisconsin to play at Wisconsin and Marquette. Both squads have been ranked in the top 25 in the nation this season. Purdue Fort Wayne tied Michigan State 2-2 in exhibition play and the Spartans recently made their initial appearance in the top 25.

Up Next:

The ‘Dons host Oakland on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Hefner Soccer Complex in a 1 p.m.

EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Week two of Missouri Valley Conference play will see the University of Evansville volleyball team travel to Southern Illinois and Missouri State.  UE opens the weekend on Friday evening in Carbondale at 6 p.m. before traveling to Springfield, Mo. for a 4 p.m. contest on Saturday; the match against the Bears will be carried on ESPN+.

Last Time Out

– In its second home match of the season, the Purple Aces welcomed Chicago State on Monday evening

– Hitting .329 in the contest, the Cougars earned a 3-0 win over UE

– Giulia Cardona and Melanie Feliciano finished with 10 kills each

She’s #1

– Giulia Cardona finished the first conference weekend with an unreal average of 8.86 kills per set

– After finishing with 26 at Murray State, Cardona reset her career-high with 36 at Belmont on Saturday

– Her 36 kills was the most in the NCAA in a 4-set match this season and tied for the highest tally in any match of the 2023 season

– For her efforts, Cardona was recognized as the MVC Player of the Week for the second time this season and third instance in her career

– She continues to lead the nation with 5.67 kills and 6.46 points per set while her 14.78 attacks per game is second nationally

Scouting the Opposition

– After splitting their first two MVC matches of 2023, Southern Illinois enters Friday’s match with a 9-4 overall record

– The Salukis defeated UIC last weekend by a 3-1 final before falling to Valpo in straight sets on Saturday

– One of the most accurate hitters in the MVC is Imani Hartfield, who is third in the league with a season tally of .394

– Missouri State dropped to 6-8 on the season with a pair of conference losses to Valparaiso and UIC

– Deja Bickers paces the Bears with 3.11 kills per frame

Setting up the Offense

– Averaging 11.86 assists over the first two MVC matches, Kora Ruff improved her season average to 10.71/set, which is third in the conference

– Ruff’s average is 15th in the nation

– Defensively, she has chipped an average of 2.62 digs, which is 20th in the league

– In the final two contests of the DePaul Invitational, Ruff averaged an unreal 14.57 assists including a season-high of 54 against Northern Illinois

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S SOCCER

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Evansville natives Ryleigh Anslinger (Evansville, Ind./Memorial) and Kaylee Woosley (Evansville, Ind./North) teamed up when it mattered the most on Thursday night to help the University of Evansville women’s soccer team keep its unbeaten streak alive with a 1-1 tie at Southern Illinois.

Anslinger took a feed from Woosley in the 86th minute on Thursday night and buried a shot into the bottom-right corner of the goal to knot the match at 1-1.  For Anslinger, it marked her first goal of the season, and second in her second season as a Purple Ace.  For Woosley, the assist marked her first career point as a Purple Ace.

The late goal was needed to keep the unbeaten streak alive, after the Salukis scored a goal early in the 12th minute.  SIU forward Emma Spotak, who netted an 89th minute goal last season to beat Evansville, found the back of the net again in the 12th minute with a right-footed shot to give the Salukis a 1-0 lead.

SIU maintained a majority of possession for the first half, until the final five minutes, when Evansville caught fire, and nearly tied the match on a shot by sixth-year midfielder Nicole Benati in the 43rd minute.  UE out-shot SIU, 3-0, in the final five minutes of the first half, but it would just be the start of the attack for the Purple Aces.

In the second half, Evansville pressed forward, beginning the half firing seven shots in the first 15 minutes to put the Salukis under constant pressure.  SIU would find its footing over the next 15 minutes, before Evansville would once again put pressure on and finally break through with Anslinger’s goal in the 86th minute.  Overall, Evansville held an 18-11 advantage in shots for the night, including a 15-4 edge from the 40th minute on.

With the draw, Evansville’s record moves to 0-3-7 and 0-0-4 in the MVC.  UE’s seven ties equal the most in program history, and is the second-highest mark in MVC history.  SIU, meanwhile, now stands at 1-6-4 overall and 0-3-1 in the MVC with the tie.  The Purple Aces will return home on Sunday afternoon to host Belmont (1-6-5, 0-1-3 MVC) at Arad McCutchan Stadium.  Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. and Sunday’s match can be seen live on ESPN+.

SOUTHERN INDIANA SWIMMING

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving prepare for their first meet of the 2023-24 season as they travel to Valparaiso University on Saturday, September 30 at 2 p.m. This is the second season for both programs.

The Screaming Eagles will compete in 11 regular season meets, including two home meets, and concludes with The Summit League Championships beginning February 21 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. USI travels to nine away meets including a Tri-Meet hosted by the University of Evansville on October 14 at Deaconess Aquatic Center. The two home meets include a men’s diving only meet on January 13 against the University of Evansville and Rose-Hulman University on January 27 with both squads.

The Eagles are under the direction of second year head coach Cameron Kainer. The native of Leander, Texas, helped lead the Eagles to three dual meet victories with the programs first win coming against Valparaiso last season.

USI Men

USI Men’s Swimming & Diving was predicted to finish eighth in The Summit League this season. Cole Baker (Springville, Tennessee) was named your swimmer to watch this season for the Eagles, while Nathan Deputy (Evansville, Indiana) was named the diver to watch this season.

The roster consists of 28 athletes that include ten freshman, 16 sophomores, one junior, and one senior. Lane Pollock (Boonville, Indiana) is the lone men’s athlete who competes as both a diver and swimmer.

USI Women

USI Women’s Swimming & Diving was predicted to finish eighth in The Summit League this season. Reagan Holmes (Henderson, Nevada) was named your swimmer to watch this season for the Eagles, while Maranda Uttke (Grafton, Wisconsin) was named the diver to watch this season.

The roster consists of 25 athletes that include nine freshman, 15 sophomores, and one senior. USI competes with a roster of two divers and 23 swimmers.

SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (6-9, 2-2 OVC) looks for its first road win in the NCAA Division I era this weekend as the Screaming Eagles face the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Champion, Tennessee State University (2-10, 2-0 OVC). USI is fifth in the conference standings and needs to be in the top eight to make it to the conference tournament in November.

Game Coverage

Information about USI Volleyball, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available on USIScreamingEagles.com.

Tickets

Admission to the USI Volleyball matches this weekend is free.

Screaming Eagles Headlines:

Eagles Can’t Tame Panthers. The Screaming Eagles took a tough loss to Eastern Illinois Tuesday night at home. USI bounced back with a stunning second set but could not keep the momentum, falling 3-1.

You Have To #OVCit. USI hits the road for a crucial matchup against the reigning OVC Champion, Tennessee State. The Eagles have yet to win on the road since joining NCAA DI and the OVC.

Consistent Starts. Junior Carly Sobieralski has totaled 20 or more assists in all 15 matches. Senior Leah Anderson has racked up 10 or more kills in 13 matches while sophomore Keira Moore has nabbed 10 or more digs in 12 matches.

Double-Doubles. Three Eagles have secured double-doubles this season. Junior Carly Sobieralski leads the team with eight double-doubles while senior Leah Anderson has recorded five and senior Abby Bednar has totaled four.

Nationally Acclaimed. Due to USI being in the DI reclassification period, the Eagles are not ranked in the NCAA statistical rankings. However, USI would rank 34th in service aces (98) and 47th in total attacks (1,946). Senior Leah Anderson would stand 15th in total attacks (556), 32nd in attacks per set (10.93), 36th in total points (231.5), and 45th in total kills (195) while senior Abby Bednar would stand 45th in aces (24). (as of 9/26)

OVC Leaderboard. USI ranks third in service aces per set (1.78), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.191), and fifth in opponent aces per set (1.51). The Eagles are fifth in the OVC standings going into the weekend.

Team Leaders. Senior Leah Anderson leads the pack with 195 kills with senior Abby Bednar trailing close behind with 176 kills. Bednar leads the team with 24 aces. Junior Paris Downing has nabbed 53 blocks while sophomore Keira Moore has added 194 digs. Junior Carly Sobieralski has shown true potential in the passing game, putting up 473 assists.

OVC Leaders. Senior Leah Anderson has her name in three categories, nabbing second in points per set (4.21), fourth in kills per set (3.55), and 10th in aces per set (0.38). Senior Abby Bednar sits fourth in aces per set (0.44) and fifth in points per set (4.00) and kills per set (3.26). Junior Carly Sobieralski ranks fifth in assists per set (8.60) while junior Paris Downing and sophomore Keira Moore round out the OVC leaders with Downing being fifth in blocks per set (0.96) and Moore being seventh in digs per set (3.53).

About Tennessee State. The Lady Tigers are on a roll going into the weekend after defeating Tennessee Tech, 3-2 in a pair of matches. TSU is 2-10 overall with a 2-0 OVC record. The Lady Tigers are one of the best defensively, leading the conference in blocks per set (2.45) and standing fourth in opponent digs per set (14.33) and opponent assists per set (11.25). TSU leads the all-time record against USI, 2-0.

Leading the Lady Tigers. The reigning defensive player of the week, Kennedy Davis, leads the conference and Lady Tigers in blocks per set (1.15) while Gabrielle Johnson stands close behind with 1.04 blocks per set. Celianiz Cabranes leads the pack in digs and is fifth in digs per set (4.54) within the conference. Hennesys Lalane is the leading passer for TSU with 256 assists and ranks seventh in the OVC in assists per set (7.31).

More Information. For more information about USI Volleyball and Athletics, go to USIScreamingEagles.com or follow USI Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOUTHERN INDIANA CROSS COUNTRY

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country return to action Saturday when the Screaming Eagles compete at the Live in the Lou Cross Country Classic at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.

The men’s eight-kilometer gold race begins at 8:30 a.m. (CDT), while the women’s 5k gold race follows at 9:15 a.m. The men’s 8k blue race is slated for 9:45 a.m., while the women’s 5k blue race is set for 10:30 a.m. Live results can be accessed at USIScreamingEagles.com.

USI’s men are coming off a ninth-place showing at the Indiana State University John McNichols Invitational two weeks ago. Senior Mitchell Hopf (Santa Claus, Indiana) and red-shirt freshman Alex Nolan (Evansville, Indiana) led the Eagles with respective placements of 21st and 46th.

Hopf was named the Ohio Valley Conference Runner of the Week for his efforts, which included an 8k time of 24 minutes, 40.8 seconds.

Junior Cameron Hough (Olney, Illinois) and freshman Zoe Seward (Rochester, Indiana) raced to top-20 finishes to lead USI’s women to a sixth-place finish. Hough was eighth in the 185-competitor field with a 5k time of 17:38.2, while Seward was 16th with a time of 17:50.7.

Following this weekend’s Live in the Lou Classic, the Eagles return to Evansville to co-host the Angel Mounds Invitational October 13, while the OVC Championships are October 28 in Morehead, Kentucky.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer returns home after a season-long, three-match road swing when the Screaming Eagles host Morehead State University Sunday at 1 p.m. in Ohio Valley Conference play.

Sunday at Strassweg Field will be USI’s pink game to help raise cancer awareness. Fans are also encouraged to wear pink in support.

The Screaming Eagles

The Screaming Eagles (1-6-4, 0-1-1) will take the field in game action for the first time in a week, as USI was idle during Thursday’s slate of contests in the OVC. USI will look to rebound after a 7-0 road loss last Sunday at Tennessee Tech University. Tennessee Tech’s offense took hold of momentum early in the game, converting a penalty kick in the first 12 minutes before scoring three more times before halftime and another three goals after the intermission. USI had its fair share of attacking opportunities but could not find the back of the net.

Last Sunday’s defeat snapped a four-match unbeaten streak for Southern Indiana, in which USI went 1-0-3. During that solid stretch of play from USI, the team outscored its opponents 4-2, despite being outshot 44-35 and at an average of 11 to 8.8 shots per match. Although, much of the credit must be given to USI’s defense during the unbeaten streak for forcing opponents into tough, low-percentage shots. The defense also stepped in front and blocked multiple shots. USI’s defense will look to regain its form against Morehead State on Sunday.

In recent weeks, Southern Indiana has seen its newcomers, especially freshmen, step up into big roles as USI has had to overcome some injuries and illness. USI had five players in the starting lineup against Tennessee Tech who were not on the 2022-23 roster. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) has started every match, taking the reins between the posts in her first season in a USI uniform. Markland is a two-time OVC co-Goalkeeper of the Week this season and is fifth in the OVC with 41 saves. Freshman forward Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) leads the team with two goals and has started a majority of the matches alongside fellow freshman defender Kamryn Bea (O’Fallon, Missouri). Freshmen midfielders Kerigan Kivisto (Collierville, Tennessee) and Lydia Bordfeld (Evansville, Indiana) each have an assist this season.

Torres has been one of USI’s top shot-takers this season with 14 attempts, trailing only sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana) and her team-high 15 shots. Both rank inside the top 10 in the Ohio Valley Conference. USI is fifth in the OVC with 99 attempts.

Morehead State (3-4-5, 2-0-2) is coming off a 1-1 draw at Eastern Illinois University on Thursday. The Eagles were doubled up in shots by the Panthers, 12-6. Graduate senior Colleen Swift scored a team-best fourth goal of the season on Thursday, giving her a team-high nine points on the campaign. Sophomore netminder Erin Gibbs made four saves against the Panthers, bringing her season total to 52 stops. Gibbs enters Sunday’s match against USI with a 1.36 GAA.

Overall, Morehead State has scored 13 times at a rate of 1.08 goals per outing this season. The team averages 11.4 shots per game and has placed over 46 percent of shots on target.

Sunday’s match will be the second all-time meeting between USI and Morehead State. Morehead State won last year’s meeting at home in Kentucky, 1-0, over USI in the conference opener in 2022.

Sunday’s contest can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage links are on the USI Women’s Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer opened its first Ohio Valley Conference schedule with a 6-0 loss to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Thursday evening at Strassweg Field. The Screaming Eagles fall to 1-7-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the OVC, while SIUE, who received votes for the NCAA Top 25 poll this week, goes to 6-0-2, 1-0-0 OVC.

USI hit a rough patch defensive midway first half when SIUE would post three goals between 17:41 and 33:19. The Cougars would maintain the momentum into the second half with three more goals to seal the 6-0 final score.

NEXT UP FOR USI:

The Eagles are on the road for the next three OVC matches, beginning with Lindenwood University Sunday in St. Charles, Missouri. The match is slated for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Lindenwood University opened its OVC slate with a 2-1 loss at Eastern Illinois University this afternoon and saw its record go to 3-4-2 overall, 0-1-0 OVC. The Lions, who are 2-1-1 in its last four matches, allowed two goals in the final 10 minutes in falling to EIU.

The Eagles and Lions are knotted up a 2-2-0 in the all-time series. Lindenwood has taken the last two matches, including last year’s matchup in St. Charles, Missouri, 2-0. USI snatched the first two meetings in the series, 2-0 and 4-3, with both being played in Evansville.

VALPO WOMEN’S SOCCER

The matchup of the top two teams in the MVC preseason poll failed to disappoint on Thursday night at Brown Field, as the Valpo soccer team battled Missouri State to a 0-0 draw. With the result, the Beacons are unbeaten in their first three Valley matches of the season.

How It Happened

The Bears outshot Valpo 7-4 over the first 45 minutes, but it was the Beacons who had what turned into the most dangerous chance of the half. Junior Abby White (Commerce Township, Mich./Walled Lake Central) lined up a free kick from 25 yards out in the 19th minute and sent it at goal, where MSU goalkeeper Camielle Day had to leap to push it over the crossbar.

Another free kick opportunity led to another White shot attempt in the 25th minute, parried away by Day. The rebound fell to fifth-year midfielder Allie Anderson (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South [Xavier]) just a couple yards from goal, but she was unable to get a clean touch on the follow effort.

Missouri State came out with a flurry of shots to open the second half, including an effort from Gracie English in the 50th minute that senior goalkeeper Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) had to leave her feet to knock it over the bar.

The Bears also had a 78th-minute shot from Grace O’Keefe which came back off the left goalpost as the game remained scoreless.

Inside the Match

Thursday’s matchup was between the two teams which finished 1-2 in the regular season standings last year (Valpo 1, Missouri State 2) and the two sides picked atop the preseason poll this season (Missouri State 1, Valpo 2).

Valpo owns a

Valpo owns a 16-2-5 record in its last 23 MVC regular season matches.

The Beacons are

The Beacons are unbeaten through three conference fixtures for the eighth time in program history, including each of the last three seasons.

Valpo has surrendered one goal or fewer in 28 of the last 29 Valley regular season matches dating back to the start of the spring 2021 season. Valpo has posted clean sheets in 16 of those matches.

Thursday’s result was the program’s first shutout of Missouri State since coming away with a 1-0 win in Springfield in 2017 in its first MVC match.

Missouri State finished with a 14-9 advantage in shots, including a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Coryell made seven saves for the second straight match, tying her season high, as she posted her fourth clean sheet of the season and 23rd of her career.

Fifth-year center back Nicole Norfolk (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) made her 77th career appearance and start on Thursday. Norfolk now is tied for fourth in program history in career starts and tied for sixth in appearances.

Thoughts From Coach Marovich

“I thought tonight was a very good Valley game. Both sides played really hard, really well. The draw is a good result in that moment. We had some opportunities tonight, but didn’t put them away.”

“I liked the way we played. I felt we played with a better tempo, we were composed, we didn’t panic when pressed — some really great growth moments for our group. There’s a lot of things we can definitely feel good about our performance, and then there were others we can look at and ask how can we enhance what we’re doing. At the end of the night, I really enjoyed our football today.”

“Everyone who came in tonight gave a shift, put in some time and did some really good things. Getting Kelsie into the game, with her ability to hold the ball as a 9 with proper pace, really helped us tonight. Allie competed all 90 minutes in the middle of the park and I thought she was great, and Chase did what she does for us in the air. I thought Nicole and Anna had their best night of the season in terms of playing as a pair and the fluidity in their performance.”

“Nikki made some really good saves tonight, but I think what’s sometimes overlooked is how good she is with her feet. That’s a big reason why I felt like we were more composed in dealing with pressure, that we could play back to Nikki knowing a good decision would be made. Her ability with her feet doesn’t get talked about enough, and she was really good in that space tonight.”

Next Up

Valpo (5-2-4, 1-0-2 MVC) continues its three-match Valley homestand when Murray State comes to town at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The match can be seen live on ESPN+.

UINDY FOOTBALL

GAME 4

at Missouri S&T Miners (0-4, 0-0 GLVC)

Saturday | September 30 | 7 p.m. ET

The No. 14 UIndy football team opens conference play this Saturday night with a trip to Rolla, Mo., to face the Miners of Missouri S&T. The Greyhounds are one of two GLVC teams to survive their non-conference slate unscathed, while the Miners are still in search off their first win.

UIndy has come out on top in nine of the 10 all-time meetings with S&T. The Hounds’ only loss came in a 31-28 final in Rolla in October of 2021. Last season, UIndy avenged the aforementioned defeat with a convincing 42-16 victory in Indy on Halloween weekend.

DID YOU KNOW

With Justin Thomas being named the

GLVC Defensive Player

GLVC Defensive Player of the Week, UIndy now has five current starters (Clay Schulte, Kivonte Houston, Michael Brown and Dylan Shelton) that have claimed the league’s weekly defensive award since October of 2022.

GAME NOTES: https://athletics.uindy.edu/documents/2023/9/28/GAME_4_at_Missouri_S_T.pdf

MARIAN MEN’S SOCCER

INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian men’s soccer developmental team earned a 4-0 shutout victory on Thursday afternoon, taking down Huntington. The Knights victory moves them to 3-2-1 on the season.

Marian was first to get on the scoreboard, as Hugo Benavente fired one off that bounced off the goalie and to the foot of William Anders who blasted it in the back of the net. The Knights added to their lead at the 5:44 mark after Nicholas Merrion booted one past the Huntington keeper to carry the 2-0 advantage after the first 45 minutes of play. With 25:41 remaining in the second half, Anders blasted one in goal to score his second of the game the Knights’ third. Spencer McCumber scored the final goal of the match with under a minute to play to end the match 4-0.

The Knights got strong action in goal from Henry Yoder, as he gave up to scores to record the shutout.

Marian will next be in action on Monday as they travel to Manchester College at 5 p.m.

MARIAN FOOTBALL

INDIANAPOLIS – Coming off of a bye week, the No. 5 Marian football team is refreshed and re-energized as they get set to kick off their MSFA Mideast slate, as the Knights host Lawrence Tech this Saturday at 1:05 p.m. Kickoff from St. Vincent Field on Saturday highlights Marian University’s homecoming and family weekend festivities, as the Knights and Blue Devils meet for the fourth time in series history.

THE GAME AND THE SERIES

Marian comes into the game with a 3-0 record, while Lawrence Tech enters with a 1-3 mark. Marian is playing their first of seven MSFA Mideast contests this season, while the Blue Devils are playing their second, as they are 0-1 in the MSFA after losing to Indiana Wesleyan in week 0.

Marian enters the matchup on Saturday with a perfect record in the series, holding a 3-0 edge on Lawrence Tech. Marian has won each game in the series by an average of 37 points per contest, and are allowing just 7.0 points per game, with last year’s matchup showing the most combined points in a single contest. Quarterback Zach Bundalo threw for four touchdowns and 274 yards in last season’s 45-14 victory, one of three games last season the third all-time leader passer tossed for four scores. Jalen Jennings and Tirae Spence each caught a touchdown in last year’s meeting, while Baron Huebler and Christian Hunter scored on the ground.

Six players on Marian’s active roster have either scored a touchdown or forced a turnover against Lawrence Tech in the series which began in 2019.

KNIGHTS COME HOME

Since 2015 Marian is undefeated on homecoming, holding a 7-0 record in the annual game. The Knights won their last homecoming game defeating Taylor University by a runaway score of 67-7. In last year’s homecoming game seven different Knights found the end zone, with an 88-yard pick-six from senior linebacker Logan Blake highlighting the end of a 33-point first half.

WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG

Those fans unable to attend Saturday night’s game can watch live on the ISC Sports Network. This season, all Marian home games on the ISC Sports Network will be pay per view, and single game and season passes can be purchased now. The pay per view cost for Saturday’s game on the ISC Sports Network is $9.99, and revenue generated from the live stream will go directly back into the athletics department. Fans can also find live statistics at marianstats.com. Live updates of the game will be posted on the official Marian Athletics Twitter and Instagram pages @MUKnights.

TICKETS

Tickets for Saturday’s game are on sale now, with general admission ticket pricing starting at $10. Parking for Saturday’s game starts at $10 and is cash only. Parking for Saturday’s game against Lawrence Tech will not be available online and can only be purchased day-of on campus.

TAILGATING

Tailgate spots are filling fast for this weekend. For more information on tailgating, rules, and policies, click here. Tailgate lots will open at 10 a.m., and fans can join the picnic lunch on the quad, which begins at 11 a.m.

STUDENT GIVEAWAY

The Marian Maniacs have their third giveaway of the football season on Saturday, as they will be handing out Marian inspired belt bags. Students can claim their giveaway item at the end of the first quarter just off the student section.

CELEBRATION OF WELLNESS 5K

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, the Marian College of Osteopathic Medicine will host their annual 5K. The race will start at the velodrome, and registration and early check-in begins on Friday, September 29. View more information here.

POST GAME ACTIVITIES

Following Saturday’s game, the Marian women’s soccer team will take the field in the final home athletics event of the month of September. Marian takes on (RV) Taylor at 7 p.m. from St. Vincent Field, aiming for their second win in Crossroads League play.

In addition to the women’s soccer match, Marian University will host post game mass and also Knightro’s Alehouse. Knightro’s Alehouse is available for all fans and alumni as a post game celebration, and information can be found on Marian’s alumni page. Lastly, casino for all Marian students will begin at 8 p.m. in the Hall of Champions.

Marian and Lawrence Tech kick off from St. Vincent Field on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS

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

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS

American League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
X-Baltimore	100	59	.629	–	48 – 30	52 – 29	31 – 18	22 – 10	21 – 11	7 – 3	W 5
Y-Tampa Bay	97	62	.610	3	53 – 28	44 – 34	29 – 20	23 – 9	18 – 14	5 – 5	W 2
Toronto	88	71	.553	12	42 – 36	46 – 35	20 – 29	22 – 10	16 – 16	6 – 4	W 1
NY Yankees	81	78	.509	19	42 – 39	39 – 39	22 – 30	17 – 12	19 – 13	5 – 5	L 1
Boston	76	83	.478	24	39 – 42	37 – 41	22 – 27	19 – 13	15 – 17	2 – 8	L 5
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
X-Minnesota	85	74	.535	–	47 – 34	38 – 40	13 – 19	29 – 23	20 – 12	7 – 3	L 1
Detroit	76	83	.478	9	35 – 43	41 – 40	7 – 25	33 – 16	15 – 17	6 – 4	W 4
Cleveland	75	84	.472	10	42 – 39	33 – 45	16 – 16	22 – 27	17 – 15	4 – 6	W 1
Chi White Sox	61	98	.384	24	31 – 47	30 – 51	11 – 20	23 – 29	12 – 21	4 – 6	W 1
Kansas City	54	105	.340	31	31 – 47	23 – 58	7 – 23	20 – 32	11 – 20	6 – 4	L 3
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Texas	89	70	.560	–	50 – 31	39 – 39	20 – 12	19 – 13	28 – 21	7 – 3	L 1
Houston	87	72	.547	2	39 – 42	48 – 30	16 – 17	14 – 17	32 – 20	4 – 6	W 1
Seattle	86	73	.541	3	43 – 35	43 – 38	13 – 18	20 – 13	31 – 18	5 – 5	W 1
LA Angels	71	88	.447	18	36 – 42	35 – 46	14 – 18	18 – 14	20 – 29	3 – 7	L 1
Oakland	49	110	.308	40	26 – 55	23 – 55	8 – 24	14 – 18	13 – 36	3 – 7	W 1

National League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
X-Atlanta	103	56	.648	–	51 – 27	52 – 29	34 – 15	22 – 9	21 – 12	7 – 3	W 4
Y-Philadelphia	89	70	.560	14	49 – 32	40 – 38	24 – 25	19 – 12	18 – 15	8 – 2	L 1
Miami	82	76	.519	20.5	46 – 35	36 – 41	26 – 25	16 – 14	14 – 17	6 – 4	W 1
NY Mets	72	86	.456	30.5	40 – 37	32 – 49	22 – 26	13 – 19	18 – 14	4 – 6	L 1
Washington	69	90	.434	34	34 – 47	35 – 43	17 – 32	14 – 19	15 – 16	4 – 6	L 3
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
X-Milwaukee	90	69	.566	–	47 – 31	43 – 38	18 – 14	31 – 18	13 – 19	6 – 4	W 2
Chi Cubs	82	77	.516	8	45 – 36	37 – 41	11 – 20	29 – 20	17 – 16	4 – 6	L 3
Cincinnati	81	78	.509	9	38 – 43	43 – 35	15 – 17	20 – 29	18 – 14	4 – 6	L 1
Pittsburgh	75	84	.472	15	38 – 40	37 – 44	15 – 15	25 – 27	16 – 15	6 – 4	W 1
St. Louis	69	90	.434	21	33 – 45	36 – 45	14 – 18	19 – 30	13 – 19	3 – 7	L 2
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
X-LA Dodgers	98	61	.616	–	53 – 28	45 – 33	17 – 14	19 – 14	32 – 17	6 – 4	L 1
Arizona	84	75	.528	14	43 – 35	41 – 40	14 – 18	20 – 12	29 – 23	7 – 3	L 1
San Diego	79	80	.497	19	44 – 37	35 – 43	16 – 16	11 – 21	27 – 25	8 – 2	W 2
San Francisco	78	81	.491	20	44 – 34	34 – 47	13 – 18	20 – 13	25 – 24	3 – 7	L 2
Colorado	58	101	.365	40	36 – 42	22 – 59	14 – 20	13 – 17	14 – 38	2 – 8	W 1

X – Clinched Division,  Y – Clinched Playoff Spot

WILD CARD STANDINGS

AL Wild Card Standings
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Last 10	Streak
Y-Tampa Bay	97	62	.610	+10.0	53-28	44-34	5-5	W 2
Toronto	88	71	.553	+1.0	42-36	46-35	6-4	W 1
Houston	87	72	.547	–	39-42	48-30	4-6	W 1
Seattle	86	73	.541	1.0	43-35	43-38	5-5	W 1
NY Yankees	81	78	.509	6.0	42-39	39-39	5-5	L 1
Boston	76	83	.478	11.0	39-42	37-41	2-8	L 5
Detroit	76	83	.478	11.0	35-43	41-40	6-4	W 4
Cleveland	75	84	.472	12.0	42-39	33-45	4-6	W 1
LA Angels	71	88	.447	16.0	36-42	35-46	3-7	L 1
Chi White Sox	61	98	.384	26.0	31-47	30-51	4-6	W 1
Kansas City	54	105	.340	33.0	31-47	23-58	6-4	L 3
Oakland	49	110	.308	38.0	26-55	23-55	3-7	W 1

NL Wild Card Standings
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Last 10	Streak
Y-Philadelphia	89	70	.560	+6.5	49-32	40-38	8-2	L 1
Arizona	84	75	.528	+1.5	43-35	41-40	7-3	L 1
Miami	82	76	.519	–	46-35	36-41	6-4	W 1
Chi Cubs	82	77	.516	0.5	45-36	37-41	4-6	L 3
Cincinnati	81	78	.509	1.5	38-43	43-35	4-6	L 1
San Diego	79	80	.497	3.5	44-37	35-43	8-2	W 2
San Francisco	78	81	.491	4.5	44-34	34-47	3-7	L 2
Pittsburgh	75	84	.472	7.5	38-40	37-44	6-4	W 1
NY Mets	72	86	.456	10.0	40-37	32-49	4-6	L 1
Washington	69	90	.434	13.5	34-47	35-43	4-6	L 3
St. Louis	69	90	.434	13.5	33-45	36-45	3-7	L 2
Colorado	58	101	.365	24.5	36-42	22-59	2-8	W 1

Y – Clinched Playoff Spot

NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Miami Dolphins	3	0	0	1.000	0.0	130	71	1-0-0	2-0-0	3-0-0	1-0-0	3 W
Buffalo Bills	2	1	0	.667	1.0	91	35	1-0-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	0-1-0	2 W
New England Patriots	1	2	0	.333	2.0	52	59	0-2-0	1-0-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	1 W
New York Jets	1	2	0	.333	2.0	42	61	1-1-0	0-1-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	2 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Kansas City Chiefs	2	1	0	.667	0.0	78	40	1-1-0	1-0-0	1-0-0	0-0-0	2 W
Las Vegas Raiders	1	2	0	.333	1.0	45	77	0-1-0	1-1-0	1-2-0	1-0-0	2 L
Los Angeles Chargers	1	2	0	.333	1.0	86	87	0-1-0	1-1-0	0-2-0	0-0-0	1 W
Denver Broncos	0	3	0	.000	2.0	69	122	0-2-0	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-1-0	3 L
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Pittsburgh Steelers	2	1	0	.667	0.0	56	70	1-1-0	1-0-0	2-0-0	1-0-0	2 W
Baltimore Ravens	2	1	0	.667	0.0	71	55	1-1-0	1-0-0	2-1-0	1-0-0	1 L
Cleveland Browns	2	1	0	.667	0.0	73	32	2-0-0	0-1-0	2-1-0	1-1-0	1 W
Cincinnati Bengals	1	2	0	.333	1.0	46	67	1-1-0	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	1 W
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Indianapolis Colts	2	1	0	.667	0.0	74	70	0-1-0	2-0-0	2-1-0	1-1-0	2 W
Houston Texans	1	2	0	.333	1.0	66	73	0-1-0	1-1-0	1-2-0	1-1-0	1 W
Jacksonville Jaguars	1	2	0	.333	1.0	57	75	0-2-0	1-0-0	1-2-0	1-1-0	2 L
Tennessee Titans	1	2	0	.333	1.0	45	67	1-0-0	0-2-0	1-1-0	0-0-0	1 L
National Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Philadelphia Eagles	3	0	0	1.000	0.0	84	59	1-0-0	2-0-0	2-0-0	0-0-0	3 W
Dallas Cowboys	2	1	0	.667	1.0	86	38	1-0-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	1-0-0	1 L
Washington Commanders	2	1	0	.667	1.0	58	86	1-1-0	1-0-0	1-0-0	0-0-0	1 L
New York Giants	1	2	0	.333	2.0	43	98	0-1-0	1-1-0	1-2-0	0-1-0	1 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
San Francisco 49ers	3	0	0	1.000	0.0	90	42	1-0-0	2-0-0	2-0-0	1-0-0	3 W
Seattle Seahawks	2	1	0	.667	1.0	87	88	1-1-0	1-0-0	2-1-0	0-1-0	2 W
Los Angeles Rams	1	2	0	.333	2.0	69	62	0-1-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	2 L
Arizona Cardinals	1	2	0	.333	2.0	72	67	1-1-0	0-1-0	1-2-0	0-0-0	1 W
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Detroit Lions	3	1	0	.750	0.0	106	83	1-1-0	2-0-0	2-1-0	1-0-0	2 W
Green Bay Packers	2	2	0	.500	1.0	100	96	1-1-0	1-1-0	2-2-0	1-1-0	1 L
Minnesota Vikings	0	3	0	.000	2.5	69	82	0-2-0	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-0-0	3 L
Chicago Bears	0	3	0	.000	2.5	47	106	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	0-1-0	3 L
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Atlanta Falcons	2	1	0	.667	0.0	55	54	2-0-0	0-1-0	2-1-0	1-0-0	1 L
New Orleans Saints	2	1	0	.667	0.0	53	50	1-0-0	1-1-0	1-1-0	1-0-0	1 L
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2	1	0	.667	0.0	58	59	1-1-0	1-0-0	2-1-0	0-0-0	1 L
Carolina Panthers	0	3	0	.000	2.0	54	81	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-3-0	0-2-0	3 L

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1907      Phillies’ freshman hurler George McQuillan begins his major league career with 25 shutout innings, establishing a rookie record. The 22-year-old right-hander’s feat will not be matched for 101 years until broken by A’s reliever Brad Ziegler, who will extend the mark to 39.1 innings in 2008.

1908      Allowing only one walk, Ed Walsh wins both ends of a doubleheader to establish an American League record. The Meriden (CT) resident beats the Red Sox at Chicago’s South Side Park 5-1 and 2-0.

1908      At Exposition Park, Pittsburgh blanks the Cardinals, 7-0. The last-place Redbirds are shut out for a record 33rd time, averaging more than one whitewash every five games.

1911      Phillies right-hander Pete Alexander sets the modern single-season record for wins for a rookie when he beats the Pirates at Forbes Field, 7-4, recording his 28th victory with a complete-game effort. The 24-year-old freshman surpasses the previous mark established by Russ Ford, who won 26 games last season hurling for the Highlanders.

1913      Senators’ legend Walter Johnson beats the Philadelphia A’s, 1-0, to finish the season with 36 victories. The future Hall of Fame right-hander will toss a record 110 shutouts during his 21 seasons in the major leagues.

1915      The Phillies clinch their first National League pennant when Grover Cleveland Alexander tosses a one-hitter, blanking Boston at Braves Field, 5-0. It will take another 35 years before the franchise wins another flag.

1921      Right-hander Allen Sothoron establishes a major league record by not yielding a home run during the 178 innings he throws this season. After starting season with the Browns and then appearing briefly with the Red Sox, the 28-year-old pitches most of his games with the Indians.

1928      At Navin Field, the Tigers establish a club record, collecting 27 hits in a 19-10 victory over the first-place Yankees. The club equals the mark in 2004 in a 17-7 rout over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

1934      At Griffith Stadium in Washington, D. C., Yankees legend Babe Ruth hits his 659th and final home run wearing pinstripes. The ‘Bambino’ had 49 homers with the Red Sox before coming to New York and will add six additional round-trippers with the Braves before retiring next season.

1935      In his only major league game, Pirates rookie Aubrey Epps goes 3-for-4 in the Bucs’ season finale, a 9-6 loss to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The 23-year-old catcher, known as Yo-Yo to his teammates, finishes his one-game big league career with the same batting average (.750) and fielding percentage when he commits two errors in eight chances.

1935      Augie Galan, who makes a league-leading 748 plate appearances while playing the full 154-game schedule, ends the season without hitting into a double play. The Cubs center fielder did line into an eleventh-inning triple play in the team’s 3-2 loss to the Reds in April at Wrigley Field.

1943      Vern Stephens becomes the first player to hit two extra-inning home runs in the same game. The Browns shortstop puts St. Louis ahead with a solo shot in the 11th, and after the Red Sox tie the score in the bottom of the frame, he goes deep again in the 13th with the eventual winning run in the team’s 4-3 victory at Fenway Park.

1943      The Red Sox drop a 4-3 decision to the Browns at Fenway Park, thanks to Browns’ shortstop Vern Stephens’ home runs in the 11th and 13th frame. The contest marks Boston’s final and record 31st extra-inning contest this season, with the team on the field for 73 extra frames or the equivalent of eight nine-inning games, compiling a 15-14 record, along with two tied games.

1945      Paul Gillespie becomes the first of only two players, joined by John Miller in 1966, to hit a home run in their first and last big-league at-bats. The wartime Cubs reserve catcher went deep against the Giants at the Polo Grounds on September 11, 1942, and ends his career with a two-run round-tripper off Pirate right-hander Rip Swell in the team’s 5-0 victory at Forbes Fields.

1946      On the last day of the campaign, by striking out opposing pitcher Hal Newhouser and four others, Bob Feller establishes a major league record by striking out 348 batters in one season. Future research, however, will show Rube Waddell had struck out 349 in 1904.

1951      Don Newcombe becomes the first black to post twenty victories in a season. In a must-win contest for the Dodgers, the right-hander bests Robin Roberts, also a 20-game-winner, when he blanks the Phillies at Shibe Park, 5-0.

1954      Willie Mays gives the glove he used to make one of the most spectacular catches in baseball history, an amazing over-the-shoulder grab that robbed Vic Wertz of extra bases in Game 1 of the World Series, to teammate Don Liddle’s 6-year-old son. Craig Liddle will use the immortal piece of leather when he gets older in Little League games.

1954      At Polo Grounds, World Series opponents feature black players on both sides for the first time when the Giants beat the Indians in ten innings, 5-2. Eight Afro-Americans, four from each team, participate in the Fall Classic, including the future Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Larry Doby, and Monte Irvin.

1954      In a game best remembered for Willie Mays’ spectacular over-the-shoulder grab of a ball hit deep to center field, robbing Vic Wertz of an extra-base hit, Dusty Rhodes becomes the second player in World Series history to end a game with a homer. The Giants pinch-hitter’s walk-off three-run home run off Bob Lemon beats the Indians 5-2 in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

1956      On the last day of the season, Al Lopez resigns as the manager of the Indians after leading the team to five second-place finishes and a pennant in his six seasons in the dugout. Disappointed with the fans and organization’s lack of support for their slumping All-Star third baseman Al Rosen, the low-key skipper ends his Tribe tenure with a 570-354 record (.617).

1958      Solly Hemus is traded to St. Louis by the Phillies in exchange for utility infielder Gene Freese. The 36-year-old former Redbird will become the Cardinals’ player-manager for the next three seasons, compiling a 190-192 record.

1959      At the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, the Dodgers capture the NL flag with a dramatic 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Braves, taking the first two games of the three-game playoff necessitated by the teams tied on the last day of the season. The deciding run comes in the bottom of the 12th inning after the first two batters make outs when Gil Hodges walks and scores on singles by Joe Pignatano and Carl Furillo.

1961      Johnny Blanchard’s ninth-inning single plates Roger Maris, giving the Yankees a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Red Sox. The super-sub, playing right field, hit his 21st home run of the season in the fourth inning off of Boston’s complete-game loser Bill Monbouquette, accounting for New York’s other run.

1961      Whitey Ford goes six innings in the Yankees’ 2-1 victories over the Red Sox to finish the season with a 25-4 record. ‘Slick’ hurls 283 innings during the campaign without allowing a stolen base.

1962      Branch Rickey, returning to the Cardinals for the second time in his long career, becomes the team’s senior consultant for player development. The ‘Mahatma’ will have the power to make deals in this role, but the team owner Gussie Busch asks him to regularly confer with general manager Bing Devine.

1963      Stan Musial helps the Cardinals beat the Reds, 3-2 at Busch Stadium, getting two hits in the final three at-bats of his career. The ‘Man’ will retire with 3,630 hits during his 22-year tenure with the Redbirds, collecting 1,815 in St. Louis and the other 1,815 on the road.

1963      On the season’s final day, John Paciorek, brother of Tom and Jim, goes 3-for-3, driving in three runs and scoring four times in his big league debut as Houston routs the Mets at Colt Stadium, 13-4. The 18-year-old Colt .45s right fielder, who also makes two outstanding defensive catches, will never again play in a big-league game due to severe back problems.

1964      Masanori Murakami becomes the first player born in Japan to win a major league game. At Candlestick Park, the 20-year-old southpaw one-hits the Colt .45’s over three innings, and the Otsuki native gets the victory when Matty Alou, who hasn’t homered in two years, goes deep to give the Giants a dramatic walk-off 5-4 win in the bottom of the 11th inning.

1964      At a press conference, the Mets announce Casey Stengel, the only skipper the franchise has ever known, will continue to manage next season. Although the expansion team has finished last in all three years of its existence, the ‘Old Perfessor’ receives a raise.

1968      Ahead of Matty Alou by a slim percentage point on the last day of the season, Reds right fielder Pete Rose wins the batting title, going 1-for-3, to keep his average at .335, while the Pirates outfielder is hitless in four trips to the plate, finishing the year with a BA of .332. Yesterday, the batting crown rivals collectively went 9-for-9 in their respective games.

1968      In a pregame ceremony with Harry Caray as the master of ceremonies, the Cardinals honor retiring outfielder Roger Maris. The former two-time MVP with the Yankees, who has never had his accomplishments recognized in the Bronx, thanks the friendly Busch Stadium crowd and the team, remarking that his two seasons in St. Louis were his “most enjoyable years in baseball.”

1968      After the A’s drop a 4-3 decision to Minnesota, Charlie Finley fires Oakland manager Bob Kennedy on the last day of the season. The A’s owner, who has dismissed eight skippers in eight years, rehires Hank Bauer, who guided the team to ninth-places finishes in 1961 and 1962 when the club played in Kansas City.

1968      Carl Yastrzemski, who hit .326 last season, captures his second consecutive and third overall batting crown. The 29-year-old Red Sox outfielder’s .301 mark is the lowest average to win the title in the American League.

1969      Going deep off Senator hurler Jim Shellenback, Rico Petrocelli becomes the first shortstop in American League history to hit 40 home runs in a season. The Red Sox infielder’s record will stand until 1998 when Alex Rodriguez blasts 42 bombs with the Mariners.

1971      Expos’ second baseman Ron Hunt is plunked by a pitch for the 50th time this season, establishing a big-league record. By comparison, the runner-up in the league, teammate Rusty Staub, will be hit by a pitch only nine times.

1973      Hank Aaron takes Houston’s Jerry Reuss deep for his 40th home run in the Braves’ 7-0 victory at Atlanta Stadium. ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ joins teammates Davey Johnson and Darrell Evans in reaching the milestone, making them the first trio to accomplish the feat for the same club.

1973      Steve Carlton, a 27-game winner for the cellar-dwelling Phillies last year, suffers his 20th loss when the Cardinals beat Philadelphia, 7-1. ‘Lefty,’ who will post a 13-20 record and a 3.90 ERA for the last-place team, becomes the first major leaguer to drop 20 decisions after winning the Cy Young Award the previous season.

1976      Tommy Lasorda is named to succeed Walter Alston as the Dodger manager. ‘Smokey’ compiled a 2040-1613 record (.558) during his 23-year tenure with the club, winning seven pennants and four world championships.

1977      Win a 6-3 victory over the Angels at Royals Stadium, Kansas City reaches the 100-win mark for the first time in the franchise’s nine-year history. The eventual American League Western Division champions will finish the regular season with 102 victories.

1979      Manny Mota sets a major league record with his 146th career pinch-hit, a single to right field, in LA’s 6-2 victory over Chicago at Dodger Stadium. The Dominican Republic native surpasses the record set by Smoky Burgess, who collected his last hit as a pinch-hitter in 1967.

1983      In a game that lasts only two hours and twenty minutes, Mike Warren, in his last start of the season, no-hits the White Sox, 3-0, in front of 9,058 fans at the Oakland Coliseum. The 22-year-old right-hander from California, who will win only four more games in his three-year career, is the 15th rookie to throw a no-hitter.

1986      In his first visit to a big-league ballpark, Jay Bell hits the first pitch he sees in the major leagues for a home run off Minnesota hurler Bert Blyleven, the player traded for him last season. The Twins right-hander’s gopher ball to the Indians rookie shortstop breaks Robin Roberts’s infamous record when he serves up his 47th gopher ball this season.

1986      Mike and Greg Maddux become the first siblings to start a game against one another. In the rookie match-up, Cubs’ righty Greg beats his older brother and the Phillies in the ‘City of Brotherly Love,’ 6-3.

1987      Don Mattingly sets a major league record by hitting his sixth grand slam of the season, surpassing the mark shared by Ernie Banks (1955 Cubs) and Jim Gentile (1961 Orioles). Remarkably, the Yankees’ first baseman will not hit any other round-trippers with the bases loaded during his 14-year career.

1993      George Brett plays his last game at Kauffman Stadium, and after the Royals’ 3-2 ninth-inning walk-off victory, a post-game ceremony pays tribute to the future Hall of Famer. After the ceremony, with fireworks lighting up the sky, the KC third baseman circles the stadium in a golf cart and then kneels and kisses home plate.

1996      Two weeks after the Rangers retire Nolan Ryan’s number, the Astros follow suit and honor the ‘Ryan Express’ by retiring his #34. The right-handed fireballer played for nine seasons for Houston, striking out 1,866 batters en route to winning 106 games that included his fifth no-hitter against L.A. in 1981.

1996      During a 4-1 loss at the SkyDome, Orioles’ center fielder Brady Anderson becomes the 14th player to hit 50 home runs in a season. The power surge is a surprise, given the Baltimore leadoff hitter’s previous season-high was only 21 round-trippers.

1996      Hitting his 40th homer, Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla joins Andres Galarraga (47) and Ellis Burks (40) to become the first trio of teammates in 23 years to hit 40 homers for one team. Davey Johnson (43), Darrell Evans (41), and Hank Aaron (40) accomplished the feat for the Braves in 1973.

1996      Although he is four shy of the necessary 502 plate appearances requirement, Tony Gwynn, hitting .353, is given the National League’s batting crown using the Oh-fer Clause, which has been in the rule book for 30 years but never invoked. Adding four mythical hitless at-bats would leave the Padres outfielder with a .349 average, still five points better than the runner-up Ellis Burks of the Rockies.

1998      At Jacobs Field, Pedro Martinez snaps Boston’s span of 13 consecutive postseason losses by beating the Indians, 11-3, in Game 1 of the ALDS. Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn contributes to the victory with two homers and ties an LDS record with seven RBIs, but the team will begin a new streak when they drop the series’s final three contests.

1999      Doug Glanville becomes the first Phillie player to collect 200 hits in a season since Pete Rose accomplished the feat twenty years ago. The center fielder reaches the milestone with a fourth-inning three-run home run off Micah Bowie in Philadelphia’s 5-0 victory over Chicago at Veterans Stadium.

2000      At Edison Field, Darin Erstad becomes the first player to collect 100 RBIs batting leadoff when his sixth-inning sac fly plates Adam Kennedy in the Angels’ 9-3 victory over the Mariners. The Halo center fielder’s record will be surpassed in 2017 by Charlie Blackmon, who drives in 104 runs batting in the top spot for the Rockies.

2000      Gary Sheffield ties the Dodgers’ single-season home run record when he goes deep off Woody Williams in the team’s 3-0 victory over San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium. With his career-best 43rd round-tripper, the left fielder now shares the team mark with Duke Snider, who established the record in 1956 when he played for Brooklyn.

2001      Astros’ starter Dave Mlicki gives up homers to Fred McGriff, Rondell White, and Todd Hundley on three consecutive pitches. The back-to-back-to-back homers, which come in the first inning with two outs, enable the Cubs to beat Houston at Wrigley Field, 6-2.

2001      Mariners’ outfielder Ichiro Suzuki gets his 234th hit of the season, breaking ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson’s 1911 rookie record for the most in a season. The historic knock also ties the 1985 major league mark for singles, established by Wade Boggs with 187, playing with the Red Sox.

2001      Miguel Tejada’s seventh-inning grand slam makes him the 15th player in A’s history to hit for the cycle. The slugging shortstop had tripled in the first inning, singled in the third, and doubled in the sixth.

2002      On the last day of the season, the Braves use 24 players, with the Mets using 21 to tie the major league record for the most players employed in a nine-inning game. On September 5, 1978, the Expos and the Cubs combined to use 45 players.

2002      Barry Bonds sets a new season mark for on-base percentage with a .582 OBP. The 38-year-old Giant left fielder, who became the oldest first-time winner of a batting title, hitting .370, easily surpassed the 1941 mark established by Ted Williams with a .553 OBP.

2004      With the Braves beating the Mets 6-3, Bobby Cox becomes the ninth manager in baseball history to win 2,000 games. The other skippers who have reached this milestone are in the Hall of Fame, except for Tony La Russa, the current skipper of the Cardinals.

2004      Major League Baseball announces Washington, D.C. will become the Montreal Expos’ new home in time for the 2005 season. The nation’s capital, chosen over finalists including Las Vegas and Northern Virginia, will have baseball for the first time in 33 years since the expansion Senators left in 1971 to become the Texas Rangers.

2004      Hours after MLB’s announcing the franchise’s impending shift to Washington, D.C., the Expos played their final game in Montreal, a 9-1 loss to Florida in front of 31,395 enthusiastic fans at Olympic Stadium. As part of the ceremonies, the team commemorates their unfinished 1994 season by unfurling a banner that reads “1994 Meilleure quipe du Baseball/Best Team in Baseball,” a reference to the club’s 74-40 record before the work stoppage ended the season and the city’s hopes of playing in a World Series.

2005      Staving off what would have been one of the worst collapses in baseball history, the White Sox clinch their first American League Central title since 2000, beating the Tigers at Detroit’s Comerica Park, 4-2. The Pale Hose had watched their 15-game lead on August 1 shrink to only a game and a half over the rampaging Indians.

2005      Jhonny Peralta sets a new club record for home runs hit by an Indian shortstop. The 24-year-old’s third-inning blast against the Devil Rays gives the Dominican his 24th round-tripper of the season, one more than Woodie Held hit in 1961.

2007      During the sixth inning of a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays in Toronto, Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon pulls Delmon Young out of the lineup for showing “blatant disrespect” of the game and the team by not running hard to first base. The 21-year-old outfielder responds with a profanity-laced tirade, claiming he was unfairly singled out and says he will not play in tomorrow’s season finale, making it the only game in the 162-game season he will miss.

2007      One out away from clinching a playoff berth, Padres closer Trevor Hoffman gives up a game-tying pinch-hit triple to Tony Gwynn Jr, a former teammate’s son who he used to babysit. The Padres will lose the game and tomorrow’s season finale, resulting in a one-game playoff loss to Colorado that keeps the team out of the postseason.

2010      With the game tied 5-5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Texas pinch-hitter Nelson Cruz strikes out, apparently sending the game into extra innings. The third strike turns out to be a wild pitch, and when the catcher makes an errant throw trying to complete the putout, Mitch Moreland scores the winning run from first base to give the Rangers a 6-5 victory over the Mariners on a walk-off strikeout at the Ballpark in Arlington.

2012      With a 6-4 win in St. Louis, the Nationals establish a franchise record with their 96th victory of the season. In 1979, playing as the Expos, representing Montreal, the team won 95 games, finishing the season two games behind Pittsburgh.

2013      With 13 combined K’s in the season finale, the Tigers pitchers end the season with 1,428 to establish the major league record for strikeouts by a team, surpassing a mark set by the 2003 Cubs. Detroit’s starting rotation features Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Anibal Sanchez, who have struck out 200+ batters this season.

2013      The Rangers and Rays both win on the last day of the season to force a one-game tiebreaker for the second AL wild-card spot. Texas, who won its last seven games, will host Tampa Bay in the 163rd game of the season, with the winner playing the Indians in a third consecutive do-or-die game.

2017      At Coors Field, Charlie Blackmon’s second-inning 454-foot solo second-deck blast gives him 101 runs batted in as a leadoff batter, establishing a new high from that spot in the lineup. The Rockies’ center fielder surpasses Darin Erstad’s record, who collected 100 RBIs for the Angels in 2000.

2018      The Mets’ all-time hits leader, David Wright, sidelined by neck, back, and shoulder injuries for nearly two and a half years, plays his final game in the team’s 1-0 extra-inning victory over the Marlins. After an emotional ceremony, the 35-year-old seven-time All-Star third baseman exits the game in the top of the fifth frame, hugging shortstop Jose Reyes and acknowledging the overwhelming response from the sell-out crowd on-hand at Citi Field to say goodbye.

2019      In the season finale against the Royals, the Twins win the home run race en route to setting a record with 307 long balls, one more than the Yankees. Although Minnesota didn’t win the contest, round-trippers by C.J. Cron, Jake Cave, and Jason Castro overcome the Bronx Bombers’ total of 306, including today’s four-bagger hit by New York slugger Aaron Judge.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

September 29, 1946 – The Rams franchise plays it’s very first game representing the city of Los Angeles. Prior to 1946 the Rams called Cleveland their home.

September 29, 1968 – A new single game NFL punting return record was established as the St. Louis Cardinal, Chuck Latourette, sets NFL record 47.7 yards per return in a game against the New Orleans Saints on 3 returns!

September 29, 1985 – Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon is sacked an NFL tying record 12 times by an aggressive Dallas Cowboys defense.

September 29, 2002 – Jerry Rice, as a member of the Oakland Raiders, surpasses Walter Payton  and his 21,281 all-purpose yards to become the NFL’s All Time Leader in yards from scrimmage. 

September 29, 2002 – Running back Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks sets an NFL record for most touchdowns in a half with 5 in 1st half of 48-23 win v Minnesota Vikings at Seahawks Stadium. The stalwart also tacked on 80-yard reception to his stats on the game.

September 29, 2003 – The new and improved and newly renovated Soldier Field opened in Chicago, Illinois with an attendance of 61,500 fans as Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers scored 17 unanswered points and defeated the Chicago Bears 38-23 on Monday Night Football. 

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HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAY FOR SEPTEMBER 29

September 29, 1902 – Edwin Babe Horrell was a former center from the University of California at Berkeley that played during the seasons of 1922 thru 1924. Per information garnered from the footballfoundation.org website, Babe Horrell was so good that his alma-mater high school in Pasadena, California named their football field after him, Horrell Field. Babe lettered in five different sports at the high school: football, basketball, track, swimming and tennis. This well rounded athlete translated to a great collegiate career. The Golden Bears had an undefeated 26-0-3 record in the three seasons that Horrell played on the team. Edwin was the Golden Bears captain and was voted as an All-American for the season of 1924. How influential can a center be in a game? Well ask the 1923 Stanford University team about that, as Horrell blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown then later sacked a Cardinal back in the end zone for a safety, final score was 9-0! After graduation Babe became an assistant coach at UCLA for 12 seasons before taking over the head job in 1939 for 5 more seasons. The National Football Foundation voted Edwin Horrell into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

September 29, 1926 – Pete Elliott was a quarterback from the University of Michigan that played from 1945 through the 1948 seasons. The National Football Foundation informs us on their website that Pete played halfback during his freshman season and even tossed a few passes that year. As a sophomore he was moved to the position of quarterback, which had the role of a blocker in the Wolverine single-wing offensive system.  On defense he played halfback and in 1948 he was named as an All-American at that position. Pete was a great athlete as he lettered 12 times at Michigan, four each from the sports of football, golf and basketball. The University served him the Big 10 Medal which was awarded to the student considered at the top of both athletics and academia. Pete was selected to enter the College Football Hall of Fame at the 1994 induction ceremonies. After graduation, Elliott went into coaching and served in the head position at Nebraska, California, Illinois and Miami Florida. Pete Elliott then eventually became the executive director of Canton, Ohio’s Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Elliott brood was indeed a football family, Pete’s father Dr. Norman Elliott played ball at Illinois Wesleyan, his brother Bump starred at both Purdue and Michigan and is also in the College Football Hall of Fame and Pete’s boys Dave and Bruce played for the Wolverines. Many of the family also entered into coaching after their playing days as Dr. Norman, Pete, Bump and Dave all held positions on coaching staffs in college football.

September 29, 1932 – Paul Giel played halfback at the University of Minnesota from 1951 through the 1953 seasons. The National Football Foundation voted Paul Giel into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975. The Minnesota teams that Giel played on were average at best posting a losing records overall in the three seasons Paul was on the squad.  Paul Giel was a bright spot on the team though as according to the footballfoundation.org website his career totals were 2188 yards rushing complimented with an additional 1922 yards passing. Girl started off in the Golden Gophers single-wing offense at the blocking quarterback position but eventually was moved to play at the left halfback spot where his running and passing skill sets could be utilized. One of the highlights of Paul’s collegiate career came in his senior season against the heavily favored Michigan Wolverines. The Gophers pulled off a massive upset powered by Giel’s two rushing touchdowns and an additional score attributed to Pauls arm resulting in a 22-0 blanking of Michigan. That season Giel was voted as the AP Back of the Year, the UP Player of the Year and won Minnesota’s Big 10 Award for being the top athlete in academics. He eventually became the University of Minnesota’s Athletic Director from 1971 through 1989.

September 29, 1942 – Dave Wilcox also known as “the Intimidator,” was a linebacker that hailed from the University of Oregon. He was an intimidating specimen just as his nickname suggests standing at 6’-3” and weighing in at 241 pounds when he was selected by both the Houston Oilers of the AFL and the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers in the 1964 respective league drafts. The 49ers won the bid and they drafted a great one in the 3rd round. Wilcox played for eleven seasons in the League as a linebacker and his aggressive style of play made many experts consider him as the best player at the position in that era of football. According to his bio on ProFootballHOF.com Wilcox prided himself in being unblockable and was known for jamming tight ends at the line and knocking them off of their designed routes. In those 11 seasons Dave Wilcox missed only one game due to injury and was selected as an All-NFL player 5 times and as a second-team All-NFL in three others!  The Pro Football Hall of Fame placed his bronze bust into their displays in the year 2000’s induction ceremonies.

September 29, 1985 – Calvin Johnson played wide receiver for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Calvin is arguably the greatest receiver to have ever come out of Georgia Tech as he twice was selected as a First-Team All-American at the position and was the winner of the Biletnikoff Award for being the nation’s top wideout in 2006.  According to the National Football Foundation Johnson is the Yellow Jackets All-Time leader in receiving yards posting 2927 yards, had 13 collegiate 100 yard games and scored 28 touchdowns in his 3 seasons played. Calvin Johnson’s great play was a big part of GT making it to three consecutive postseason bowl games. The Detroit Lions used the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft to select the man called “Megatron” and it paid immediate dividends to the franchise. In his 9 seasons with the team he was a Pro Bowl player 6 times and shattered almost all of the franchise’s receiving records and even holds the NFL’s single season receiving yards record! Megatron has also been a boost to his community as he has established the Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation to help at-risk youth and provide financial assistance to community organizations. The College Football Hall of Fame welcomed Calvin Johnson into their ranks in 2018 while the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed in Megatron into the 2021 class.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

25 – 20 – 6 – 10 – 32 – 8 – 26 – 6 – 26 – 50 – 11 – 43 – 1 – 31 – 44 – 23 – 16 – 37 

September 29, 1913 – MLB Washington Senator Walter Johnson won his 36th game of the season

September 29, 1920 – New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth set a then-MLB home run season record at 54 with a 9th inning shot off Dave Keefe in New York’s 7-3 win at the Philadelphia A’s

September 29, 1927 – Yankees slugger Babe Ruth ties MLB record by hitting grand slams in consecutive games; New York’s 7-4 win v Philadelphia A’s and 15-4 rout of Washington Senators

September 29, 1954 – Willie Mays, Number 25 of the New York Giants made his famous over-the-shoulder catch of Baltimore Orioles Number 20, Vic Wertz’s 460′ drive during Game One of the World Series

September 29, 1963 – The St Louis Cardinal’s celebrate Stan Musial Day in St Louis, for Number 6 Stan Musial’s final game, where he hits his 3,629th & 3,630th total hits (475 HRs)

September 29, 1965 – Philadelphia Phillies catcher Number 10, Pat Corrales set a record by reaching base twice on catcher’s interference in one game and a total of 6 times in one season

September 29, 1966 – LA Dodgers’ pitcher Number 32 Sandy Koufax pitches 3rd 300-strikeout season

September 29, 1968 – Boston Red Sox Number 8, Carl Yastrzemski .3005 avg wins his 2nd straight batting crown

September 29, 1968 – Chuck Latourette, Number 26 of the St Louis Cardinals football team set an NFL record 47.7 yd punt return avg of 3 punts.

September 29, 1969 – Boston Red Sox Number 6, Rico Petrocelli hits shortstop record 40th HR of season

September 29, 1969 – Steve O’Neal, Number 20 of NY Jets, kicks longest NFL punt; 98 yards vs Denver

September 29, 1976 – San Francisco Giant Number 26, John Montefusco no-hits Atlanta Braves, 9-0

September 29, 1979 – Houston Astros’ Number 50,  J R Richard strikes out NL season righty record of 313

September 29, 1979 – LA Dodger Number 11, Manny Mota hits record 146th pinch hit

September 29, 1983 – Oakland A’s Number 43, Mike Warren no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0

September 29, 1985 – Houston Oilers’ QB Warren Moon, Number 1 was sacked NFL tying record 12 times by the Dallas Cowboys defense

September 29, 1986 – Chicago Cubs Greg Maddux, Number 31 defeated his sibling Phillies Mike Maddux, Number 44. In a first for the MLB where two rookie brothers faced each other in a game as opposing pitchers. Mike Maddux was the elder by about 5 years but it was his first season in the Bigs.

September 29, 1986 – Cleveland Indians Number 16, Jay Bell a rookie became the 10th player to hit a home run on 1st major league pitch he sees

September 29, 1987 – New York Yankee Don Mattingly, Number 23 hits record 6th grand slam of year

September 29, 1996 – The Houston Astros organization has a ceremony to retire Nolan Ryan’s Number 34

September 29, 2002 – Seattle running back Shaun Alexander, Number 37 sets NFL record for most touchdowns in a half with 5 in 1st half of 48-23 win v Minnesota Vikings at Seahawks Stadium; runs for 4 plus 80-yard reception

September 29, 2018 – New York Yankees Venezuelan 2nd baseman Gleyber Torres, Number 25 smashed a 2-run homer in 8-5 win v Boston at Fenway Park; Yankees MLB record 265th homer of the season; Giancarlo Stanton adds #266 in 7th

TV FRIDAY

BOWLING	TIME ET	TV
PBA: Elias Cup	8:00pm	FS1
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
Louisville at NC State	7:00pm	ESPN
Utah at Oregon State	9:00pm	FS1
Louisiana Tech at UTEP	9:00pm	CBSSN
Cincinnati at BYU	10:15pm	ESPN
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
Ryder Cup	1:30am	USA
Ryder Cup	6:00am	USA
LPGA : NW Arkansas Championship	2:00pm	GOLF
MLB REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Miami at Pittsburgh	6:35pm	Bally Sports ATTSN-PIT
Cleveland at Detroit	6:40pm	Bally Sports
Boston at Baltimore	7:05pm	NESN MASN/2
Tampa Bay at Toronto	7:07pm	Bally Sports Sportsnet
Philadelphia at NY Mets	7:10pm	NBCS-PHI SNY
Washington at Atlanta	7:20pm	Bally Sports MASN/2
San Diego at Chi. White Sox	7:40pm	Bally Sports NBCS-CHI
Chi. Cubs at Milwaukee	8:10pm	MARQ Bally Sports
NY Yankees at Kansas City	8:10pm	YES Bally Sports
Minnesota at Colorado	8:10pm	ATTSN-RM Bally Sports
Cincinnati at St. Louis	8:15pm	Bally Sports
Oakland at LA Angels	9:38pm	NBCS-CA Bally Sports
Houston at Arizona	9:40pm	ATTSN-SW Bally Sports
Texas at Seattle	10:10pm	Bally Sports Root Sports
LA Dodgers at San Francisco	10:10pm	Spectrum NBCS-BAY
NHL PRESEASON	TIME ET	TV
Philadelphia vs. Boston	7:00pm	NHLN
NY Islanders vs. NY Rangers	10:00pm	NHLN
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund	2:30pm	ESPN+
La Liga: Barcelona vs Sevilla	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Lens	3:00pm	beIN Sports
Liga MX: Querétaro vs León	9:00pm	TUDN
Liga MX: Atlético San Luis vs Cruz Azul	11:00pm	TUDN
WNBA PLAYOFFS	TIME ET	TV
Semifinals Game 3: New York at Connecticut	7:30pm	ESPN2
Semifinals Game 3: Las Vegas at Dallas	9:30pm	ESPN2

TV SATURDAY

COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
UAB at Tulane	12:00pm	ESPN2
South Alabama at James Madison	12:00pm	ESPNU
Buffalo at Akron	12:00pm	ESPN+
Florida at Kentucky	12:00pm	ESPN
Louisiana at Minnesota	12:00pm	BTN
Penn State at Northwestern	12:00pm	BTN
Texas A&M vs Arkansas	12:00pm	SECN
Utah State at UConn	12:00pm	CBSSN
USC at Colorado	12:00pm	FOX
Clemson at Syracuse	12:00pm	ABC
Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan	1:30pm	ESPN+
Virginia at Boston College	2:00pm	CW
Miami (OH) at Kent State	2:30pm	ESPN+
Arizona State at California	3:00pm	PAC12N
Baylor at UCF	3:30pm	FS1
NIU at Toledo	3:30pm	ESPNU
Ball State at Western Michigan	3:30pm	ESPN+
Old Dominion at Marshall	3:30pm	ESPN+
Arkansas State at UMass	3:30pm	ESPN+
Kansas at Texas	3:30pm	ABC
Houston at Texas Tech	3:30pm	FS2
USF at Navy	3:30pm	CBSSN
Wagner at Rutgers	3:30pm	BTN
Indiana at Maryland	3:30pm	BTN
Illinois at Purdue	3:30pm	Peacock
Georgia at Auburn	3:30pm	CBS
Bowling Green at Georgia Tech	3:30pm	ACCN
Michigan at Nebraska	3:30pm	FOX
Boise State at Memphis	4:00pm	ESPN2
Missouri at Vanderbilt	4:00pm	SECN
Hawaii at UNLV	4:00pm	MWN
New Mexico at Wyoming	4:00pm	MWN
LSU at Ole Miss	6:00pm	ESPN
Oregon at Stanford	6:30pm	PAC12N
Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern	7:00pm	NFLN
Abilene Christian at North Texas	7:00pm	ESPN+
Troy at Georgia State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas State at Southern Miss	7:00pm	ESPN+
Iowa State at Oklahoma	7:00pm	FS1
East Carolina at Rice	7:00pm	ESPN+
Utah Tech at Colorado State	7:00pm	MWN
Michigan State at Iowa	7:30pm	NBC
South Carolina at Tennessee	7:30pm	SECN
Notre Dame at Duke	7:30pm	ABC
Charlotte at SMU	7:30pm	ESPNU
Pitt at Virginia Tech	8:00pm	ACCN
West Virginia at TCU	8:00pm	ESPN2
Appalachian State at ULM	8:00pm	ESPN+
San Diego State at Air Force	8:00pm	CBSSN
Alabama at Mississippi State	9:00pm	ESPN
Washington at Arizona	10:00pm	PAC12N
Nevada at Fresno State	10:30pm	FS1
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
Ryder Cup	1:30am	USA
Ryder Cup	3:00am	NBC
Ryder Cup	12:00pm	NBC
LPGA : NW Arkansas Championship	2:00pm	GOLF
MLB REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Cleveland at Detroit	1:10pm	Bally Sports
Tampa Bay at Toronto	3:07pm	Bally Sports Sportsnet
Miami at Pittsburgh	6:35pm	Bally Sports ATTSN-PIT
Boston at Baltimore	7:05pm	NESN MASN/2
Philadelphia at NY Mets	7:10pm	NBCS-PHI SNY
San Diego at Chi. White Sox	7:10pm	Bally Sports NBCS-CHI
Chi. Cubs at Milwaukee	7:10pm	MARQ Bally Sports
NY Yankees at Kansas City	7:10pm	YES Bally Sports
Cincinnati at St. Louis	7:15pm	Bally Sports
Washington at Atlanta	7:20pm	Bally Sports MASN/2
Minnesota at Colorado	8:10pm	ATTSN-RM Bally Sports
Houston at Arizona	8:10pm	ATTSN-SW Bally Sports
LA Dodgers at San Francisco	9:05pm	Spectrum NBCS-BAY
Oakland at LA Angels	9:07pm	NBCS-CA Bally Sports
Texas at Seattle	9:40pm	Bally Sports Root Sports
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
NASCAR Truck: Love’s RV Stop 250	1:00pm	FS1
NHL PRESEASON	TIME ET	TV
Toronto vs. Montreal	7:00pm	NHLN
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
EPL: Aston Villa vs Brighton & Hove Albion	7:30am	USA
La Liga: Getafe vs Villarreal	8:00am	ESPN+
Serie A: Lecce vs Napoli	9:00am	Paramount+
Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Mainz 05 vs Bayer Leverkusen	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Köln vs Stuttgart	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Bochum vs Borussia M’gladbach	9:30am	ESPN+
Bundesliga: Heidenheim vs Union Berlin	9:30am	ESPN+
EPL: Manchester United vs Crystal Palace	10:00am	USA
EPL: Everton vs Luton Town	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: AFC Bournemouth vs Arsenal	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: West Ham United vs Sheffield United	10:00am	Peacock
EPL: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City	10:00am	Peacock
La Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Mallorca	10:15am	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Clermont vs PSG	11:00am	beIN Sports
Serie A: Milan vs Lazio	12:00pm	Paramount+
EPL: Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool	12:30pm	NBC
La Liga: Girona vs Real Madrid	12:30pm	ESPN+
Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Bayern München	12:30pm	ESPN+
Serie A: Salernitana vs Internazionale	2:45pm	Paramount+
La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Athletic Club	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Monaco vs Olympique Marseille	3:00pm	beIN Sports
Argentina Primera División: San Lorenzo vs Huracán	3:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Flamengo vs Bahia	3:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Fortaleza vs Grêmio	3:00pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Rosario Central vs Newell’s Old Boys	3:30pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: São Paulo vs Corinthians	5:30pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Cuiabá vs Fluminense	5:30pm	Paramount+
NWSL: Washington Spirit vs Kansas City Current	7:00pm	Paramount+
MLS: Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union	7:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Inter Miami vs New York City	7:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: New England vs Charlotte	7:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: New York RB vs Chicago Fire	7:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Toronto FC vs Cincinnati	7:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Orlando City SC vs CF Montréal	7:30pm	MLS Pass
Brasileirão: Internacional vs Atlético Mineiro	8:00pm	Paramount+
NWSL: Chicago Red Stars vs Racing Louisville FC	8:00pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Banfield vs Lanús	8:30pm	Paramount+
MLS: Houston Dynamo vs Dallas	8:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Minnesota United vs SJ Earthquakes	8:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Nashville SC vs Seattle Sounders FC	8:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: St. Louis City vs Sporting KC	8:30pm	MLS Pass
Liga MX: Monterrey vs Santos Laguna	9:00pm	Univision
MLS: Colorado Rapids vs Austin	9:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers	10:30pm	MLS Pass
MLS: Vancouver Whitecaps vs DC United	10:30pm	MLS Pass
NWSL: Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave	10:30pm	Paramount+