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Julian Sayin Injury: What We Know About Ohio State's Star Quarterback

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 16:06:09 -0400

Ohio State defeated Indiana in Bloomington last Saturday, getting revenge for the 2025 Big Ten championship game. But the Buckeyes might have bigger problems after starting quarterback Julian Sayin was injured.

Sayin — who entered Week 7 tied for fourth with 17 passing touchdowns this season and ranked sixth among FBS quarterbacks with 1,772 passing yards — left the field and went to the locker room with about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

On Tuesday, three days removed from the game, head coach Ryan Day provided an update that Sayin is "out indefinitely," and Ohio State's reportedly planning for the scenario where he misses the rest of the season and postseason.

In the fourth quarter against Indiana in Bloomington, the Hoosiers sacked Sayin on first-and-10 from Indiana's 38-yard line. He fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by the Buckeyes. But it appears Sayin was injured on this play.

When Sayin left the game, he had completed 15-of-29 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions against the Hoosiers.

Sayin left the game in the middle of the fourth quarter, and while he didn't return to action, he was back on the field for the end of the game. When he came back out of the locker room, he had his throwing arm (right) in a sling.

Following the Buckeyes' 19-15 road win over Indiana, FOX Sports' Jenny Taft asked Ohio State coach Ryan Day if he had an update about Sayin's injury.

"I don't have [an update] right now," Day told Taft. "Obviously, that was a big blow to us, but the rest of the team picked it up for us."

At Day's post-game press conference, the head coach offered an additional update on Sayin. As our Ben Portnoy reported, Day expects Sayin to be out for a couple weeks.

Three days later, Day addressed the media with a further update:

"We're not going to put any timeline on his recovery, but he is out indefinitely," Day said. "Based on the nature of the injury, we are putting a plan for him not being available for the regular season, and then also, him not being available for the postseason."

When Sayin left the Indiana game during the fourth quarter, true freshman quarterback Luke Fahey replaced him as the top-5 matchup was on the line. Fahey was a three-star recruit, per 24/7 Sports' composite ratings, from Mission Viejo, California.

Saturday's Week 7 game was the third game Fahey has played in so far this season, along with Ohio State's wins against Ball State and Kent State in September. On the year, he completed 9-of-11 passes for 203 total yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

After beating Indiana on Saturday, the Buckeyes are now 6-1 with their only loss being against Texas. Ohio State is on a bye for Week 8, and then it will travel to Southern California to take on USC.

Here's a look at Ohio State's remaining regular-season schedule:

Brewers Fan Cashing In On 'Timeless Ticket' Purchase For 2026 World Series Seat

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:37:56 -0400

Willy Wonka gave away five golden tickets to visit his Chocolate Factory. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers offered up 1,000 "Timeless Tickets."

"Excuse me, what?"

In 2015, the Brewers put 1,000 "Timeless Tickets" up for sale, which entailed a $1,000 payment for a ticket that could be used for any future contest with no deadline to select a game. That select contest could be a Wednesday night game in May, a Wild Card Series game or even a seat for the Fall Classic.

On their website, the Brewers, who are going to the 2026 World Series, define a "timeless ticket" as "a brass ticket personalized with an engraving of the owner's name and is authenticated through the Major League Baseball Authentication Program."

"Timeless Ticket owners can redeem their Timeless Ticket to any future Brewers home game at American Family Field," their site also reads. "Whether it's this season, the year 2050, or the 7th game of the World Series, all are valid games to redeem a Timeless Ticket."

And there's proof of at least one fan trying to finally cash in on their investment.

"I think I bought it the first day they were on sale because it sounded like a good idea," Nate Holzman, a Brewers fan who now lives in Los Angeles, said in an interview with WISN Friday. "You could put down a thousand dollars and that would guarantee you a ticket for any future game of your choice. …

"If they can redeem this ticket for me and get me to the game as I've pictured in my mind for the last 12 years, it would be the best thing ever."

After winning an MLB-best 103 games in the regular season and beating the San Diego Padres in four games in the National League Division Series, the Brewers swept the defending, back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. Milwaukee will be making its first trip to the World Series since 1982 and will play either the Cleveland Guardians or Tampa Bay Rays.

Game 1 of the 2026 World Series is on Friday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET from American Family Field in Milwaukee.

How to Watch Nebraska vs. Purdue Volleyball: TV Channel, Streaming, Time

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:19:23 -0400

No. 1 Nebraska hosts No. 13 Purdue on Saturday at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, a Big Ten matchup between two ranked teams. The Cornhuskers are 18-0 overall and 7-0 in conference play, and Purdue is 11-5 and 4-3.

Nebraska swept Northwestern 3-0 on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Purdue swept Iowa 3-0 the same night.

Nebraska is No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll released Oct. 12, and Purdue is No. 13, up three spots from the previous poll.

Nebraska and Purdue met once last season. The Huskers won the Oct. 12 matchup at Purdue's Holloway Gymnasium in straight sets, 25-23, 25-16 and 25-15.

Here is every Nebraska match left this season that airs on FOX, FS1 or BTN, current as of Oct. 17. All times are Eastern and subject to change.

Nebraska's schedule also includes matches on B1G+ and other outlets outside FOX's family of networks. Stream every FOX, FS1 and BTN broadcast with FOX One, which brings all of FOX's Nebraska volleyball coverage into one subscription. The Big Ten Volleyball Tournament runs Nov. 20-25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, and FOX will air the championship match at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 25 if the Huskers advance that far.

Nebraska's schedule is subject to change. Check back for updated start times and TV designations.

Rays-Guardians Postponed: When Will ALCS Game 4 Be Played?

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 23:13:40 -0400

Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was postponed because of rain Friday night.

Major League Baseball was hoping there would be a three-hour window of dry weather to get the game in, but the showers never let up.

"It never cleared out the way they were hoping. It started to get later in the hour, and MLB and I think both clubs did everything they could to try to get it in," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Made the most sense, like, at this point and this hour, with no guarantee that there wasn’t another band coming."

The teams will resume their playoff series Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. According to FOX Weather, Saturday's forecast with morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. Highs will be in the low 50s and lows in the upper 30s.

Game 5 will also be at Progressive Field on Sunday at 5 p.m., and Game 6, if necessary, on Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida. A potential Game 7 would also be played Tuesday, 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"We knew how many days ago that today was going to be a challenge. Numerous weather calls, numerous back and forths, and ultimately MLB decided we needed to wait it out," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "Obviously it’s an important game, and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to play the games when they’re scheduled. But MLB ultimately decided to wait this one out."

It is the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since 2019, when the New York Yankees were hosting the Houston Astros.

The Guardians have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Petey Halpin’s two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.

Both teams will stick with their scheduled Game 4 starters from Friday. Cleveland will go with a bullpen game, with Shawn Armstrong being the opener. Nick Martinez will pitch for Tampa Bay.

It will be Armstrong’s fifth appearance this postseason. The right-hander has allowed only one hit in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

Armstrong thought his season was done in late July when he strained a calf muscle, but he returned during the final week of the regular season.

Armstrong was drafted by Cleveland in the 18th round in 2011 and made his big league debut four years later. He was traded to Seattle in 2017 and spent time with four other organizations, including Tampa Bay, before signing with the Guardians this season.

"I think I said it to (Erik) Sabrowski, whenever we were standing in the outfield in Game 2 in Tampa — obviously I played here, I got drafted here, coming back here and being able to be in this situation is — words can’t describe it," Armstrong said before Game 3 on Thursday.

Martinez started Game 3 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The right-hander was 15-6 during the regular season and ranked sixth in the AL with a 3.10 ERA. He was third in the AL with 26 starts in which he allowed three runs or fewer.

"It’s just like my starts throughout the year; it’s going to be a dogfight going in, just to see how many outs I can get for this team. It’s important," he said Thursday.

The teams might have to play the final four games of the series without a day off, culminating in a potential Game 7 on Tuesday. That could be welcome news for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have a week off before they open the World Series at home on Oct. 23 against the Cleveland-Tampa Bay winner.

Milwaukee is in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982 after completing a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series on Thursday night.

"We’ve got four games in a row. We have an opportunity to win some games and move on. And that’s all we’re focused on," Vogt said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

College Football Week 7 Schedule: Top Games, TV Channels, Streaming, Previews

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:22:18 -0400

College football Week 7 brings a top-five Big Ten matchup to Bloomington, where No. 4 Ohio State visits No. 5 Indiana on FOX at noon ET on Saturday. This guide covers nine games on FOX, FS1 and BTN, starting with Washington at Purdue on Friday night, plus three more national matchups, including No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU.

This is a curated top-games schedule, not the complete national slate. Rankings reflect the AP Top 25 released Oct. 11.

Washington is 3-3 and has lost three straight, most recently 41-24 to Iowa last Friday. Purdue is also 3-3 after a 41-13 win over Minnesota last Saturday.

Washington won the 2025 meeting 49-13.

Kansas is 2-3 after a 41-24 loss at Utah, one week after a 55-0 win over Middle Tennessee. Kansas State is 3-2 and has lost two straight, most recently 35-16 to Houston.

Kansas State won the 2025 meeting 42-17.

Ohio State is 5-1, with its lone loss a 24-23 defeat at Texas on Sept. 12. The Buckeyes beat Maryland 45-16 on Oct. 10. Indiana is 6-0 after a 20-17 win at Nebraska last Saturday.

It is Ohio State's second top-five matchup of the season. Indiana won the most recent meeting, 13-10 in the 2025 Big Ten championship game.

Rutgers is 1-4 and had a bye last week after a 47-15 loss to Indiana. Maryland is 2-4 and has lost four straight, including 45-16 at Ohio State last week.

Rutgers has won the last two meetings, 35-20 in 2025 and 31-17 in 2024.

Texas Tech is 5-0 and comes off a bye after a 29-7 win over Colorado on Oct. 3. Arizona State is 3-2 after a 30-12 win over Hawai'i last Saturday, which followed a 55-19 loss at Baylor.

Arizona State won the 2025 meeting 26-22.

Baylor is 4-1 and has won four straight. The Bears beat Arizona State 55-19 on Oct. 3 and had a bye last week. TCU is 2-3 after a 17-10 loss to BYU on Oct. 3.

TCU won the 2025 meeting 42-36.

Houston is 5-1 after a 35-16 win over Kansas State last week. Oklahoma State is 4-1 after a 42-28 win over UCF. The Cowboys' lone loss was 24-10 at Tulsa on Sept. 5.

It is the first meeting between the teams as ranked opponents. Houston won the 2025 meeting 39-17.

New Mexico is 4-1 and had a bye last week after a 61-7 win over UTEP. Hawai'i is 1-5 and has lost three straight, most recently 30-12 at Arizona State.

Hawai'i won the 2024 meeting 38-30.

Nebraska is 5-1 after a 20-17 loss to Indiana last week. Oregon is 3-2 and fell out of the AP Top 25 after a 17-15 home loss to UCLA.

Oregon won the most recent meeting, 42-35 in 2017.

FOX, FS1 and BTN games in this guide stream on FOX One. Fans can watch college football on FOX One, subject to the service and plan available in their market.

Alabama is coming off a 20-17 home loss to Georgia. Tennessee beat Arkansas 24-17 last week.

Alabama has lost its last two visits to Knoxville.

Missouri beat Texas A&M 27-6 last week, and its lone loss was 31-24 at Mississippi State on Sept. 26. Ole Miss beat Vanderbilt 52-17 last week after a 52-28 loss at Florida.

Missouri won the most recent meeting, 38-27 in 2019.

Notre Dame beat Stanford 58-7 last week. BYU beat Iowa State 24-10 last Friday and won 17-10 at TCU on Oct. 3.

It is the first top-10 matchup at LaVell Edwards Stadium. BYU won the last time Notre Dame visited, in 2004, and Notre Dame won the 2022 meeting 28-20.

The nine FOX-family games in this guide air on FOX, FS1 or BTN and stream on FOX One. Washington at Purdue, Ohio State at Indiana, Arizona State at Texas Tech, Oklahoma State at Houston and Nebraska at Oregon air on FOX. Kansas at Kansas State, TCU at Baylor and New Mexico at Hawai'i air on FS1. Rutgers at Maryland airs on BTN.

Alabama at Tennessee, Missouri at Ole Miss and Notre Dame at BYU are available through ESPN Unlimited via the FOX One / ESPN Bundle. Subscriptions, authentication requirements and availability vary by service, plan and location.

Check local listings before kickoff. College football times and network assignments can change during the week.

The Week 7 FOX-family schedule opens Friday with Washington at Purdue and runs through Saturday night, with Ohio State at Indiana at noon ET and Nebraska at Oregon at 11 p.m. ET, while Notre Dame at BYU and Alabama at Tennessee headline the national slate.

NFL Week 6 Schedule: How to Watch, TV Channels, Streaming, Game Previews

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:15:39 -0400

Week 6 of the NFL regular season runs from Thursday, Oct. 15 through Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, with 14 games on the schedule and an International Series game at Wembley Stadium in London. FOX carries five of them: four at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday and one at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Below is the complete Week 6 schedule with kickoff times and TV networks, followed by previews of the biggest matchups and everything you need to know about how to watch.

Four FOX games share the 1 p.m. ET window, so most viewers will see one of them based on their market. The Cardinals-Rams game at 4:05 p.m. ET is the only FOX game in the late window.

The Ravens are 4-1, while the Browns are 3-2. This AFC North game pairs two teams over .500 in the same division.

The Bears are 3-2 and visit the Falcons, who are 2-3. Atlanta looks to even its record at home.

The Giants are 3-1-1, while the Saints are 1-4. New York hosts a New Orleans team looking for its second win of the season.

The Colts are 2-3, while the Titans are 0-5. Tennessee looks for its first win of the season in this AFC South game.

The Cardinals are 1-4 and visit the Rams in an NFC West game. The Rams are 2-3.

Want to watch every FOX game the rest of the season? Sign up for FOX One to stream every FOX NFL broadcast, including all five Week 6 games above, right from your phone, tablet or connected TV.

The Broncos beat the Seahawks 17-14 in overtime on Thursday Night Football to improve to 4-2. Seattle fell to 3-3.

The Packers are 3-2 and host the Cowboys, who are 2-3, on Sunday Night Football.

The 49ers are 5-0, the league's lone unbeaten team, and host the Commanders, who are 1-3-1, on Monday Night Football.

FOX has five games in Week 6, including a four-game window at 1 p.m. ET and a single game at 4:05 p.m. ET. Because four FOX games overlap at 1 p.m. ET, the matchup available in your market depends on your local broadcast map, so check local listings before kickoff.

The Texans-Jaguars International Series game from London airs on NFL Network at 9:30 a.m. ET. CBS carries six Sunday games, including the Chargers-Chiefs and Bills-Raiders games at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Cowboys-Packers Sunday night game airs on NBC and streams on Peacock. The Monday night Commanders-49ers game airs on ABC and ESPN.

Ohio State's Ryan Day Welcomes College Football Playoff Expansion

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:11:05 -0400

When Ohio State reached the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game, it became the first team to navigate the 12-team CFP field to win a trophy.

Now, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is welcoming the idea of competing in a field twice that size.

With the anticipation that the CFP will expand to include 24 teams, Day showed support of the idea.

"It's great for college football for a lot of reasons," he said, appearing on FOX Sports' "The Herd With Colin Cowherd" on Friday. "More teams are involved and relevant. I think it's great for fanbases, overall."

The 24-team field would provide leeway to teams that stumble early in the season, potentially opening the door for three-loss teams to compete in the postseason. The counterpoint might be that it would diminish the competition of first-round matchups, but it would also incentivize scheduling better nonconference opponents.

For example, Ohio State and Texas played in consecutive seasons, splitting the series. In 2025, the Longhorns' loss to the Buckeyes — before going on to lose twice in SEC play — was the difference between them qualifying for the 12-team CFP. If they had faced a less-competitive nonconference opponent early on, the Longhorns may have played deep into January.

The Buckeyes, who lost to Texas this season in Week 2, could experience that same fate. If Ohio State loses to Indiana this Saturday and suffers another loss in the regular season or the Big Ten championship game, a three-loss record could leave them out of the CFP field.

"The expansion allows all of us to play some of those nonconference games earlier in the year, which is good for the game," Day said.

"Facing a great team early offers clarity to a coaching staff," Cowherd emphasized in agreement. "That's what you really want as a staff. It's hard to get those winning by four touchdowns."

A more competitive schedule could help teams be more polished as the year progresses and the games matter more. In addition, they'd have experience playing the caliber of opponent they'd be set to face in the CFP.

"The way things go now, your team is growing. We're a different team than we were earlier in the season. Indiana's a different team than they were earlier in the season. So as you continue to evolve — you know you want to be playing your best football at the end of the season," Day said.

The CFP's expansion to 24 teams now seems a matter of when not if. Day and the Buckeyes are getting ahead of that, embracing the challenges and opportunities it will bring.

Real Madrid Magic And Drama In Manchester: What Stood Out With Europe's Top Clubs

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:58:24 -0400

"When kings fall, they fall on top of us."

Those are the words of one of my favorite writers, the Jamaican author Marlon James, as he poignantly says in his fantasy novel Black Leopard, Red Wolf.

There is something so delicate about an empire. Its longevity very much depends on not just the health of the institution but of the stakeholders who make the decisions.

And as we take a look around the world of global football, you can’t find a truer phrase when discussing Manchester City, which has become one of the biggest talking points in sports right now. But plenty of other top clubs are making news, so let's dive into what's sticking out.

There is such a current alienated experience when discussing Manchester City because nothing that happens on the pitch for Enzo Maresca’s side will escape the gray cloud that hovers over the Etihad. I am, of course, talking about the verdict that was handed to them last month when an independent commission found Man City guilty of the vast majority of 115 charges for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules. The most damning of them being the creation of "sham" contracts, which were hidden funds through their own ownership (Abu Dhabi United Group) thus inflating revenue by more than a billion dollars over the course of 10 years.

City basically invented external revenue and in the Premier League and European football, where the pyramid of club hierarchy is the core foundation of the game. When an owner does something like this and it doesn’t get regulated, it becomes a slippery slope for everyone else. Teams will take advantage of its own expenditure against everyone else, who may not have the means of a state-owned club.

This is a devastating but just outcome for City, one the club is appealing, which means the people, the fans, both inside and outside of the club, will have to wait until the beginning of 2027 to hear the punishment. But a punishment must be given because this is a historic breach that has shaken the game.

And as I said, when the power crumbles, it is not the mighty who truly suffer, it is the community and until Man City deal with the consequences, Premier League fans of other clubs will treat them as villains, and rightly so. It will be the football equivalent of Cersei’s shameful walk of atonement in Game of Thrones where we, the people, scream ‘Shame!’ every time they touch the ball.

That’s what you saw last weekend as City, quite happily playing the role of a theater villain, won convincingly 3-0 at Liverpool. As City fans celebrated after the final whistle, Anfield’s DJ played Fleetwood Mac’s "Little Lies," which was the perfect way to describe the current state of things in the Premier League.

But this week in the UEFA Champions League, back at their stadium, in front of Pep Guardiola who was sitting behind chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO Ferran Soriano, City suffered a 4-2 loss to the mighty PSG (also state owned who has dealt with similar breaches with UEFA in the past) in a performance that quite literally shook them. Luis Enrique’s defending champions were incredible, especially in the first half and City simply couldn’t escape the wrath of the French giants as the brilliant Desire Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha scored in the space of 19 minutes.

City improved in the second half thanks to striker Erling Haaland’s brace, thus becoming the club’s highest goalscorer in the competition with 60 goals in 60 career appearances. No player has ever done that at such an age and at that pace.

But in the end, it was the defending champion PSG who outclassed its opponent.

So what’s next? City host Ipswich Town this Saturday in what should be a better result (though the newly promoted side is showing some fight and currently in 10th place) but the gray cloud will continue to drift above the Etihad and it won’t end until we learn of the punishment. But as I said, don’t hold your breath.

On the west side of Manchester, Manchester United lost to Atlético de Madrid this week in the Champions League in what was once again a flat, naive performance from the Red Devils. Michael Carrick’s side is now winless in its last five matches and the latest loss against Atletico Madrid gave us an interview from defender Lisandro Martínez for the ages where the Argentinian defender criticized the direction of the club, specifically highlighting the issues with the hierarchy.

"…I expect more [investment]. 100%," said Martínez, speaking to Amazon Prime in the UK during his post-game interview. "I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more, but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night."

Some pockets of the media think this was a monologue spoken in the wrong environment, including club legend Wayne Rooney, whilst others want him to suffer more consequences than simply a fine. But to me, this was a refreshing piece of honesty from a player who is entering his final year of his contract, knowing too well he is not staying. And just like Jerry Maguire’s mission statement, he spoke out on what needed to change within a powerful institution.

And he’s right.

United, at this point, are not equipped to deal with both domestic and Champions League football against strong opponents and a lot of that has to do with executive decision-making that failed to bring the right personnel this summer. There is not enough cover at the left-back role and the No. 9 position remains in desperate need for a 20+ goal scorer. The midfield is also in question. Problems continue for a club who has a manager entering, for the first time ever as a head coach, a season where he has to handle domestic and European football.

But just like Jerry — as he dramatically left the agency with a goldfish and Renée Zellweger’s Dorothy Boyd - Martínez will also say goodbye to Man United at some point when in reality, many fans wish it was the ownership.

There’s a massive match coming up this weekend against Leeds United at Elland Road and if the Red Devils lose and do it badly, the temperature at United will rise and Carrick’s future might just be in peril.

Let’s discuss another giant of European football in Real Madrid. Its incredible 4-3 comeback against Roma at the Olimpico was a testament of Madrid’s undying reputation. In the spirit of October, Kylian Mbappé and Co. are the football equivalent of Halloween’s Michael Myers. No matter how many times you may think you have escaped or overcome the adversary, it will always come back to haunt you. You simply cannot kill it. And that’s Real Madrid, even this version, which is still trying to figure itself out under manager Jose Mourinho.

The issue for the Spanish giant is that there is quite a distance between Los Blancos and Barcelona and the special one has to find a way to help the most valuable club in the world find its identity. It doesn’t help when you have a chaotic midfield and a star like Vinícius Júnior, who continues to give subpar performances. He is also now suspended for pulling an opponent’s hair in the previous domestic match, thus missing four matches, one of them being El Clásico on October 25th.

But this might be a blessing in disguise because Vini’s absence might just allow Real Madrid to breathe a little better going forward and prioritize the truly important area: midfield.

All I know is that Mourinho has to figure out Madrid’s consistency sooner rather than later because, in the end, Jamie Lee Curtis did overcome Michael Myers. Madrid can possibly fall deeper and create an even larger gap between themselves and Barcelona – who, alongside PSG, is currently the best team in Europe.

Allow me to talk about Internazionale for a moment. The Italian defending champions lost 4-3 to Club Brugge in the Champions League this week and despite leading Serie A, things are very tight at the top as the club has an advantage only on goal difference over Lazio. Roma is also creeping behind by only two points and Cagliari by three. If there are any more mishaps for the Nerazzurri it could see Cristian Chivu’s team lose its advantage at the top. What’s made matters worse is that its legendary striker and leader Lautaro Martínez — who scored a brace against Brugge and is the team’s top scorer — suffered a hamstring injury after the match and will sadly miss a significant amount of time, including the Milan derby on October 31st, which is of course, Halloween.

And to that point, allow me to use another fun analogy.

If Inter was a horror movie character, who would it be? At this very moment, it is undoubtedly the costumed serial killer from Wes Craven’s slasher classic from 1996, Scream, specifically the scene when he is chasing a screaming Drew Barrymore. We know how dangerous it is, we know the threat and the terror of the masked character as they run up the stairs chasing the desperate victim — but at every given opportunity to attack and finish the job, they just continue to trip.

And that’s Inter. It is a threatening opponent with much to worry about, but for some reason, at this moment and as we saw in the Champions League, the Italian giants continue to stumble due to their own undoing.

Ryan Day Buyout: What Would It Cost Ohio State To Fire Its Football Coach?

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:40:02 -0400

Ryan Day became the first Ohio State head coach to lose to Indiana since John Cooper in 1988. If the Buckeyes lose again on Saturday in Bloomington, Indiana, he'd be the first Buckeyes head coach in the last 113 years of Ohio State football to lose consecutive games to the Hoosiers.

Despite leading the Buckeyes to win the 2024 College Football Playoff less than two years ago, that losing streak to the Hoosiers could cause concern. Combine that with a 2-4 record against Michigan – a game that means more to many Ohio State fans than winning the national title – Day's time in Columbus could be nearing an end.

But after signing a seven-year contract extension through the 2031 season, what would it cost for Ohio State to fire its football coach now?

Ohio State would have to fund the remaining $75 million that Day is guaranteed over the next five-plus years of his contract.

After leading the Buckeyes to defeat Notre Dame in the 2024 national championship game, Ohio State rewarded Day with a five-year, $87.5 million deal. Not only did he help them win the title, but they navigated the first 12-team playoff to get there, defeating Oregon and Texas before taking down the Fighting Irish.

In the following season, Day led Ohio State back to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since defeating Northwestern in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, where they fell 13-10 to Indiana. Still, they received a bye in the first round of the CFP, but lost in the quarterfinals to 10-seed Miami in the Cotton Bowl.

Overall, Day holds an 87-13 record at Ohio State. He's won two Big Ten Championships and a CFP national championship. But with his inability to consistently defeat Michigan, a potential second consecutive defeat to Indiana could spell his demise.

Is Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Playing Against Browns In Week 6?

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 15:13:08 -0400

Lamar Jackson will miss a second straight game this weekend because of his ankle injury.

Coach Jesse Minter said Friday that Jackson would not play Sunday at the Cleveland Browns (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX). Tyler Huntley led the Ravens (4-1) to an overtime win at the Atlanta Falcons last weekend.

Huntley also won both his starts for Baltimore last season.

Jackson was hurt while taking a sack near the end of the first half in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans. The Ravens held on to win that game.

Jackson missed four games last season, and Baltimore went 2-2 without him. The two defeats were started by Cooper Rush before the team turned back to Huntley, who had returned for another stint with the Ravens.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

How Has Ohio State Star WR Jeremiah Smith Performed Against Indiana?

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:55:34 -0400

"Where's Jeremiah Smith?"

That's the question every defense has to answer when they play the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. In Week 7 of the 2026 college football season, that team will be the defending-national champion and currently No. 5-ranked Indiana Hoosiers, who have won 22 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Kickoff for the Big Ten showdown, which will be the first time the two teams square off against each other since last season's Big Ten Championship game, is Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on FOX, with FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" on site in Bloomington.

Here's how Smith has performed against Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines' unit:

In short: Smith ripped apart the Hoosiers' defense when the two teams met in the 2025 Big Ten Championship.

Smith reeled in eight receptions for 144 yards – 18.0 yards per reception – marking his then-fifth 100-plus-yard receiving game of the season. The problem? Ohio State lost to Indiana, 13-10, shortly after a 7:57 drive ended with a 22-yard missed field goal from Buckeyes kicker Jayden Fielding with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Both the Buckeyes and Hoosiers were 12-0 entering the conference title game.

The win was Indiana's first against Ohio State since 1988.

A Week 13 matchup in 2024 between Ohio State and Indiana saw the Hoosiers enter the game at 10-0, but the Buckeyes put a stop to that undefeated streak.

As part of a 38-15 win, the Buckeyes outgained the Hoosiers in total yards, 316-151, with Ohio State quarterback Will Howard completing 22 of 26 passes. That said, Smith only had three receptions for 34 yards, with him also recording a 12-yard carry. The 34 receiving yards are the second-lowest mark of Smith's three-year collegiate career.

Through Ohio State's six games this season, Smith has totaled 48 receptions for 916 yards (19.1 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns, which all lead the Big Ten and are second in the nation altogether.

Over the Buckeyes' Week 4 and 5 victories over the Illinois Fighting Illini and Iowa Hawkeyes, Smith averaged a whopping 11.5 receptions for 211.5 yards and three touchdowns per contest. According to FOX Sports Research, Smith is just the second player in Big Ten history to have back-to-back, 200-plus-yard receiving games, the other player being Indiana's Ty Fryfrogle (2020).

Furthermore, Smith is now the Buckeyes' all-time leader in receptions (211), receiving yards (3,474) and receiving touchdowns (38). He's two receiving touchdowns away from being first in Big Ten history; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Braylon Edwards is first with 39 receiving scores. Earlier this week, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti expressed that there's "no one" like Smith "playing at this level."

Smith previously led the Big Ten in receiving yards in 2024 (1,315) and 2025 (1,243), receptions in 2025 (87) and receiving touchdowns in 2024 (15).

Will Dodgers Recover From Unsuccessful 3-Peat? MLB History Says It's Complicated

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:39:25 -0400

The Los Angeles Dodgers came up eight wins short of three-peating.

With the Dodgers – who were the defending, back-to-back World Series champions – being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2026 National League Championship Series, the 1998-2000 New York Yankees remain the last MLB team to three-peat.

Will the Dodgers bounce back in 2027?

Here's what happened to the last 10 MLB teams that repeated as World Series champions but didn't win a third consecutive championship.

The Toronto Blue Jays were the rippers of the American League East in the early 1990s.

John Olerud, Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter, accompanied by Dave Winfield in 1992 and Paul Molitor in 1993, made for one of MLB's most fearsome offenses, with Juan Guzmán and Pat Hentgen, among others, taking the hill in their starting rotation. Toronto beat the Atlanta Braves in six games in the 1992 World Series and the Philadelphia Phillies in six games in the 1993 World Series, which came after the Blue Jays were eliminated in the AL Championship Series twice from 1989-91.

What happened after winning back-to-back titles? The Blue Jays went 55-60 before a players' strike ended the 1994 season. They then had four consecutive losing seasons, the bulk of the aforementioned sluggers were gone in the ensuing years and the franchise wouldn't make the playoffs again until 2015.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

After being swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1976 World Series, the Yankees got back to doing one of the things they did best: beating the Dodgers in the World Series.

In both 1977 and 1978, the Yankees won 100 games in the regular season and beat the Dodgers in the World Series in six games. The consecutive championship triumphs improved the Yankees to 8-2 all time against the Dodgers in the World Series. This rendition of the former New York baseball rivals – the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958 – was defined by "Mr. October," Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson.

While Yankees shortstop Bucky Dent won 1978 World Series MVP honors, Jackson blasted two home runs and drove in eight runs in the series, which came after he obliterated five home runs and won MVP honors in the 1977 World Series. With that said, the Yankees missed the playoffs in 1979 and were swept by the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 AL Championship Series before losing to the Dodgers in six games in the 1981 World Series. New York wouldn't make the playoffs again until 1995.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

After years of postseason heartbreak, the Big Red Machine won back-to-back titles in 1975 and '76.

As previously alluded to, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, George Foster, Joe Morgan & Co. swept the Yankees in the 1976 World Series, which saw Bench blast two home runs and go 8 for 15 in the series en route to earning World Series MVP honors. The year before, the Reds squeaked past the Boston Red Sox in seven games in the 1975 World Series, with Rose hitting .370 in the series and winning MVP honors.

Then, though, the Reds missed the playoffs in each of the next two seasons, were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1979 NLCS and wouldn't make the playoffs again until their 1990 championship series.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

Bill Mazeroski walked off the Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, which resulted in New York winning back-to-back World Series in rage.

In 1961, the Yankees won 109 games and beat the Reds in five games in the World Series, with them then beating the San Francisco Giants in seven games in the 1962 Fall Classic. However, the Dodgers swept the Yankees in the 1963 World Series, with Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres holding New York to just four runs. The ensuing year, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Yankees in seven games in the 1964 World Series.

New York wouldn't make the playoffs again until 1976.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

The Athletics were a force to be reckoned with.

Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane and Bing Miller spearheaded a potent A's offense, while the franchise had southpaw Lefty Grove emerging into a Hall of Fame force on the rubber. They beat the Chicago Cubs in five games in the 1929 World Series and the Cardinals in six games in the 1930 Fall Classic.

Ironically, the A's won a still-franchise-record 107 games in 1931, but it ended with them losing to the Cardinals in seven games in the World Series, highlighted by outfielder/third baseman Pepper Martin hitting .500 in the series. The Athletics wouldn't make the playoffs again until 1971.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

Yeah, the Yankees have won a few titles here and there.

After losing to the Cardinals in seven games in the 1926 World Series, the Yankees swept consecutive World Series in 1927 and 1928 over the Pirates and Cardinals. While they missed the playoffs from 1929-31, New York got off the mat in 1932, winning 107 games and ultimately sweeping the Cubs in the World Series, adding yet another ring to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig's would-be deep collection. That was also the series when Ruth "called his shot" on a home run.

The Yankees would commence another three-year playoff drought from 1933-35, but they followed it up by winning four consecutive World Series. Suffice to say: New York got back on track.

Verdict: Bounced back

The New York Giants opened the decade of the 1920s with a bang.

Led by the offensive firepower of George Kelly, Dave Bancroft, Irish Meusel, Ross Youngs and Frankie Frisch, the Giants defeated the Yankees in both the 1921 (eight games) and 1922 World Series (five games).

The Giants returned to the World Series in each of the next two seasons but lost both times, with the Yankees beating them in six games in 1923 and the Washington Nationals winning in seven games against them in 1924. They wouldn't make the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons before beating the Nationals in five games in the 1933 World Series.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

Arguably the best era of Boston Red Sox baseball came in the decade of the 1910s.

Three years after winning the 1912 World Series, the Red Sox were victorious again, beating the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the 1915 World Series and the Brooklyn Robins in five games in the 1916 Fall Classic. In both seasons, Boston rode elite starting pitching, which included Ruth (originally a primary starting pitcher), Smoky Joe Wood (in 1915), Ernie Shore and Rube Foster, among other hurlers.

After missing the playoffs in 1917, the Red Sox beat the Cubs in six games in the 1918 World Series. Granted, a 28-year playoff drought and an 86-year championship drought would begin in 1919. Still, Boston won the next season after failing to execute the three-peat.

Verdict: Bounced back

The Athletics came of age in 1910.

In said year, they won a then-franchise record 102 games and defeated the Cubs in five games in the 1910 World Series for their first franchise triumph. They then won 101 games in 1911 and beat the Giants in six games in the Fall Classic. Home Run Baker (what a name!), Eddie Collins, Danny Murphy and Bris Lord led the charge for their lineup, while Jack Coombs, Eddie Plank, Charles Bender and Cy Morgan, among others, formed a stellar starting rotation.

Now, the A's missed the playoffs in 1912, but they'd get back to and win the World Series in 1913, knocking off the Giants in five games. The Athletics would reach the World Series again in 1914.

Verdict: Bounced back

Starting pitching was the name of the game for the Cubs in the late 1900s.

Chicago beat the Detroit Tigers in five games in both the 1907 and 1908 World Series, with historical pitching on its side: Hall of Famer Mordecai Brown, Ed Reulbach, Jack Pfiester, Orvall Overall and Carl Lundgren, to name some.

All that said, while they reached the World Series in 1910 after missing the playoffs in 1909, the Cubs would lose to the Athletics in five games. For any history buffs, the Cubs wouldn't win the World Series again until 2016.

Verdict: Didn't bounce back

NLCS MVP Jake Bauers Picks Most Memorable Moment From Series Full Of Them

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:46:50 -0400

What was Jake Bauers' favorite at-bat from the Milwaukee Brewers' National League Championship Series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers?

His fourth-inning two-run double in the decisive Game 4 win? His epic two-run homer in Game 3 to put the Brewers ahead? Maybe his iconic 12-pitch at-bat in Game 2 that chased Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the game?

When you have that many choices, the performance is worthy of some hardware. That's why Bauers was named the NLCS MVP following Thursday's 6-4 win at Dodger Stadium, which sealed the Brewers' first trip to the Fall Classic in 44 years.

When asked by MLB on FOX's Alex Rodriguez which moment stood out, Bauers went with his Game 3 homer, which saw him work Dodgers starter Blake Snell into an 11-pitch battle before launching the ball into right-field seats.

"That's a special one. I'll never forget that," Bauers said, with his wife and parents joining him on the field in the Brewers' celebrations following the win.

The 31-year-old journeyman first baseman was nearly done with baseball in 2024, but he's part of a Brewers team that will be heading to the World Series for the first time in 44 years. Now on the fifth team of his career, Bauers has emerged as a clubhouse leader for the Brewers during a season in which he hit 26 homers with 86 RBIs.

Bauers explained to David "Big Papi" Ortiz that his previous struggles at the plate have given him confidence to be more comfortable. Along with his two-run double in Game 4 that cut into the Dodgers' lead, he got a bases-loaded walk to tie things up in the fifth inning.

"I've been through a lot. Been through a lot in this game. Doubted myself a ton, and somewhere along the way, I just let it go. I chose to be confident. I chose to believe in myself," Bauers said.

Asked by Derek Jeter how he remains calm during the big-pressure moments, Bauers explained it's about accepting that he will make mistakes and get down.

"If you're trying too hard, you're going to chase pitches. You're not going to get the job done. It's really just about letting the game come to me as much as I can, and just meeting it where I can."

Bauers' turnaround season can certainly be credited to experience and veteran poise. His postseason success can be slightly credited to his father's lucky "Rake Bauers" T-shirt, which Stu Bauers has worn to each of the Brewers' four games of this series.

"There's no words that can put in the pride, the joy. There's just no words. It's amazing," the elder Bauers said,.

Seattle, Sam Darnold Are Struggling: 3 Takeaways From Broncos' OT Win vs. Seahawks

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:01:35 -0400

In a game that looked like a 1980s flashback with the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos wearing their throwback uniforms from their AFC West rivalry days, the defending Super Bowl champs appear to have lost their swagger.

The Broncos took a double-digit lead into halftime, but needed overtime to escape with a 17-14 victory over the visiting Seahawks in primetime on Thursday night. The victory upped Denver’s record to 4-2 on the year and improved their home record to 17-3 since the start of the 2024 season, while Seattle dropped to the .500 mark at 3-3 for the first time this season. The reeling Seahawks have lost three of their last four games.

The Broncos remain fortunate in close games. All four of Denver's wins this season have come by seven points or fewer, and dating back to last season, the Broncos have won their last 14 regular-season games decided by a single score.

Here are my takeaways.

Since returning from a glute injury, Darnold’s struggles have continued for Seattle. He finished 27 of 51 for 278 yards, with no touchdown passes and two interceptions — and both picks came at a bad time.

The first one was on a bad throw that stopped a potential scoring drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and the second one came in overtime, which sealed Seattle’s fate. Darnold now has seven interceptions this season, and he was under duress most of the night by Denver’s defense and didn’t make many plays down the field.

Darnold was sacked five times and struggled to handle Denver’s pressure. Darnold finished 6 of 19 for 47 yards and two interceptions when pressured by the Broncos’ defensive front, according to Next Gen Stats. It’s fair to wonder if the Seahawks might consider a change to Drew Lock at quarterback, who played well while Darnold was injured.

With Broncos standout defensive backs Patrick Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga unavailable because of injury, Denver slowed down Seattle’s No. 1 target Jaxon Smith-Njigba early. However, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year exploded late, finishing with 12 receptions for 134 yards. Entering Thursday’s contest, Smith-Njigba led the NFL with 583 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who was serving in his second game as Denver’s offensive playcaller since taking back that role from offensive coordinator Davis Webb, had Nix playing with his most confidence this season, at least in the opening portion of Thursday's game.

The Broncos leaned on the running game to take pressure off Nix, which created easy completions for the Oregon product. Nix was an efficient 17-of-27, but that led to just 107 yards without a touchdown or interception. Payton schemed up quick throws for Nix, who was sacked twice and rarely felt pressure from one of the best defenses in the NFL.

However, that momentum from the first half failed to carry into the second half. Denver couldn't close out the game, totaling just 30 yards and six punts in the second half. It went three-and-out ahead of four of those punts, allowing Seattle to get back into the game despite its offensive woes all night long.

Speaking of that Seattle defense, the Seahawks are off their game defensively to start the year. Seattle allowed 30 or more points just twice last season. However, the Seahawks have given up at least 30 points in two of their last three games and allowed a Denver offense that had been struggling to establish control of the game early by taking a 14-3 lead into halftime.

Specifically, Seattle’s usually stout defense allowed the Broncos to march down the field on two touchdown drives that went for a combined total of 153 yards on 25 plays. The Broncos' ability to run the football against the Seahawks allowed Nix to play from a comfortable pocket most of the game, and Seattle got little pressure on Denver's quarterback, who was pressured on just 20% of his dropbacks (He finished 0-for-4 on those throws).

But the Seahawks' defense had a stronger showing in the second half. As we mentioned earlier, the Broncos only had 30 yards in the final 30 minutes, as the Seahawks' defense gave their team a chance to win the game.

What Would It Take For Your Favorite Team To Sign Tyreek Hill?

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:50:46 -0400

After suffering a devastating knee injury in Week 4 last season, Tyreek Hill’s potential return is becoming closer to a reality. But where will Hill's return be?

Hill's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, provided an update on Hill's recovery and revealed that a deal could happen at any time in an interview with WSVN, confirming that they remain in active talks with several interested teams.

"I think it’s very fluid," Rosenhaus said. "I think a deal could happen anytime. We are looking for the right situation. The right contract. The right team. The right fit and the right approach from a medical standpoint.

Finding the right situation remains the top priority for Hill and his camp.

"Tyreek’s feeling really good healthwise," Rosenhause said. "I did say last week I thought a deal [with a team] could happen at any time, but in the NFL it really is day-to-day. We are still working to find the right situation."

Given Hill's track record in the league, Rosenhaus argues that he shouldn't be viewed as a standard midseason signing. Instead, he likens his addition to a blockbuster deadline deal, which offers immediate, top-tier impact without forcing a team to surrender draft assets.

"So, kind of look at Tyreek as similar to guys that are traded mid-season, [who] can really come in and help a team in the second half of the year," Rosenhaus said. "He can help a team advance to the next level."

If you’re wondering whether Hill could end up with your favorite team, here are the key checkmarks Rosenhaus laid out for his next destination:

If Hill is signed mid-season, all signs from Rosenhaus point toward him needing to join a Super Bowl contender. While several teams have areas of need, Hill’s prior familiarity with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes could make him a fit.

Rosenhaus clarified that Hill is looking for a strong receiver fit and a team with a clear need at the position. Given the recent injuries to Rashee Rice in Kansas City and D.J. Moore in Buffalo, both top contenders could be viewed as logical landing spots.

At 32, Hill wants to play with a Super Bowl contender with a proven quarterback without question marks. Mahomes and Allen make the most sense as landing spots, but the 49ers could be in the conversation with how well Brock Purdy has played.

With Ricky Pearsall out for the season, Deebo Samuel sidelined with a hamstring issue, and Mike Evans dealing with nagging injuries, there could be a potential need.

Rosenhaus made it clear that Hill won’t take a league-minimum deal and wants a fair contract based on his proven track record, regardless of his injury history. If the 49ers want to pursue him, they're in a great position since they currently hold the most cap space in the NFL.

According to Spotrac, the 49ers lead the league with $47.18 million in available cap space, while the Chiefs rank at the bottom with just $2.67 million. The Bills also sit near the low end with $4.70 million, which could make the 49ers a uniquely attractive destination for Hill.

To wrap up his interview, Rosenhaus addressed Hill’s health and availability. He said that while Hill is close to 100 percent, it will ultimately be up to an interested team to bring him in and judge his readiness for themselves.

"Health-wise, he's 100 percent ready to go," Rosenhaus said. I mean, I don't know that he's 100 percent today, but he's close and he'll get there really soon. I think that's probably something you have to wait until he gets out and practices, but he really is right there."

Bears QB Caleb Williams shuts down reporters asking about his hamstring injury: 'It's not deserving'

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 20:11:20 -0400

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams returned to full practice participation Thursday for the first time in nearly a month, but his news conference quickly turned into an icy standoff over his hamstring grade.

Williams refused to reveal the medical grade of what he called a "pretty serious" hamstring tear, shutting down reporters pressing for clarity on why he kept the diagnosis private.

CALEB WILLIAMS' INITIAL RESPONSE TO CRITICISM ABOUT HOW HE HANDLED HAMSTRING INJURY PROVES THE CRITICISM RIGHT

"Because it's not deserving," Williams informed the media. The testy exchange capped a five-minute opening statement in which Williams torched national reporting for trying to box his injury into a tidy Grade 2 timeline.

"There's nothing that has come out that has been right about what it is and what it has been," he said.

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Williams originally sustained the injury late in Chicago’s Week 2 loss to Minnesota, pulling up lame on a fourth-quarter scramble toward the end zone before being carted off in visible tears.

"I felt a pop," Williams said. "That's why I looked back. I looked back just like everybody else does when you feel a pop. Think somebody grabbed you and nobody grabbed me."

Williams didn't shy away from the emotional exit Thursday, defending the raw reaction as proof of just how much he cares about his locker room. "I'm always going to show emotion, especially when I can't be out there with the guys," Williams said. "Everybody making jokes and all of that, but that doesn't bother me."

CALEB WILLIAMS, LIMITED BY A HAMSTRING INJURY, SEEN CASUALLY PACING BEARS SIDELINE DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM

Williams underwent five to six hours of daily rehab and reported reaching top sprint speeds in recent workouts.

While he logged consecutive full practice designations this week, his status for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons remains undecided pending medical clearance.

"Before you start asking, do not know if I'm playing yet," Williams said.

"If I'm good to go, I'm good to go. If I'm not and we're just not ready, then we got to wait."

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

#AskTom: Which Team Would Tom Brady Most Want To Play For? Can Brock Purdy Win Super Bowl?

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:33:15 -0400

Rumors of Tom Brady's potential return to the gridiron have persisted since he last stepped off the gridiron at the end of the 2022 season. While he isn't planning a comeback, Brady knows exactly which team he would want to play for if he unretired today.

In the latest edition of #AskTom, Brady had a "pretty simple" answer when asked which team he'd most want to play for.

"I'm a veteran quarterback, and Matt Stafford's a veteran quarterback, too, playing for Sean McVay, playing with Puka [Nacua], playing with Davante [Adams], that three tight end grouping they run, Kyren Williams, Blake Corum (the Michigan Wolverine) and a damn good offensive line led by Ryan Wendell, my former center," Brady said, expressing a desire to quarterback the Los Angeles Rams in this hypothetical.

Even though the Rams are off to a disappointing 2-3 start, their talent at the skill positions is undeniable. Nacua was named an All-Pro for the second time in his career last season and logged a career-high 17 catches in the Rams' Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Adams, meanwhile, is statistically having another strong season, ranking sixth in receiving yards (441) and is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (4).

In fact, you could make the case that Stafford's play at quarterback could be hindering the Rams this season. While he leads the league in passing, Stafford's 88.3 passer rating is 21st in the league.

As for Brady, he threw for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 90.7 passer rating as a 45-year-old in 2022. Would the now-49-year-old Brady be able to put up similar stats if he played for the Rams now?

That we don't know. But we do know what Brady's thoughts are on Brock Purdy, as he praised the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback in the most recent edition of #AskTom. He also fielded questions from the MLB on FOX crew, with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz each asking for the GOAT's opinion on certain topics.

Here's all of what Brady said in this week's #AskTom.

Derek Jeter: I've been getting destroyed around here as of late, so I need an answer: Will our Wolverines bounce back?

Brady: Listen, we're throwing the stats out. We are throwing the records out to this point — because they don't look very good right now. Look, I'm a Michigan Man. Derek, you're a Michigan Man. I'm riding with the Maize & Blue. We're gonna turn it around, and we're gonna be ready for those Buckeyes in November.

Who's been the league's most impactful signing so far this season?

Brady: I got a few. I just covered one in Seattle — he was the LFG Player of the Game: Mike Evans, my former teammate in Tampa, with over 100 yards against that defense. He's been lighting it up. He got some cracked ribs playing with the toughness that I knew when I played with him, and I'm glad he's on the national scene like he is right now.

Also, don't forget about Nakobe Dean at the Raiders. What he's added at the middle linebacker position — so stout, so tough, some game-changing plays. That's another one.

And, of course, you can't forget about this guy: K9, Kenneth Walker. He was leading the league in rushing through Week 4. He had a bye, but he's been off the chain this year. The way he's running, his physical toughness, his breakaway and the speed. He's been explosive, he's been efficient and he's been a catalyst for that Kansas City Chiefs offense. That was a hell of a signing for the Chiefs this offseason.

Maybe you pick just one. Who is it?

Brady: You're an a--hole, Kevin (laughs). I'm not picking one. I gave three for a reason.

Can Brock Purdy lead his team to a Super Bowl if he needs to?

Brady: He sure can. He's playing like one of the MVP favorites right now. He was leading the league in passer rating going into Seattle, distributing the ball to Evans, [George] Kittle and [Christian] McCaffrey, making plays on the move, extending plays on third down and scrambling when he needs to.

He's making so many impact plays. So proud of him, the way that he's playing as a true field general out there, getting his team in the best place. He went up to Seattle and surprised a lot of people last Sunday. Way to go, Brock.

Tom, you mentioned once that Brock was managing games so well, and I think some people took that as a shot, but that's not what you meant, right?

Brady: Well, I think as a quarterback, you're always supposed to be managing every game. You're managing every situation. You're the coach on the field. You're the one that gets the last swipe of the pencil. You're the checks and balances of the whole offense, and when it's time to make a play out there, you do that too. You do what's easy, and when it requires, you do what's hard. Always get your team into the right play. And then sometimes, you gotta make something happen with your legs, and Brock's been able to do that.

Alex Rodriguez: Where does our guy, Kevin Burkhardt, rank as far as your favorite Super Bowl teammates?

Brady: Hey, two of my favorites on the Fox MLB desk. What a nice surprise. KB, A-Rod. You know what? It's hard to rank anyone at the top, but let me save this. KB, you are right at the top. I love being up there with you, partner. There's nobody I'd rather hang with on a Sunday. Let's do this for the rest of our lives. What do you say?

Who are your favorite receivers in the league right now? Here's the caveat: JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba), J'Marr Chase, JJ (Justin Jefferson) and Puka Nacua are a given. We want your next four.

Brady: I got Amon-Ra St. Brown from the Lions. He could easily be in that top tier group you mentioned. He does it all. He's a non-diva receiver too. He always finds a way inside, outside, run after catch. He does it all and blocks in the run game.

Davante Adams, off to a hell of a year, a little throwback year from. The Rams weren't sure they were gonna bring him back this offseason, but he has proved them right being back in that uniform. He was great when Puka was out, still making those plays in the end zone. He's been ridiculous this year.

CeeDee Lamb, he's been unbelievable. The Cowboys' offense — what they do in that dome, how they pass the ball — they're going to need that passing game to show up every week because the defense is struggling. The run game is struggling a little bit, but between Dak [Prescott], CeeDee and [George] Pickens, they'll get that passing game going and be a threat in the NFC East.

And the last guy, I'm covering this Sunday in Atlanta for the very first time, Drake London. This is how you cut a promo right here. Drake London, I'm telling you, this guy is big, he's physical, he's fast and makes catches in traffic.

He and Bijan [Robinson], I can't wait to see those guys lined up for the very first time in the dome. I'll be up there in Atlanta. Yeah, Atlanta, I know you're probably not excited to see me up there. Don't worry, I won't make too many 28-3 references.

If Tom Brady had to step into one offense this season, with the goal of scoring the most possible points — so defense, head coach don't matter — who would it be? Where are you having the most fun?

Brady: Well, that one's pretty simple, actually. I'm a veteran quarterback, and Matt Stafford's a veteran quarterback, too, playing for Sean McVay, playing with Puka, playing with Davante, that three tight end grouping they run, Kyren Williams, Blake Corum (the Michigan Wolverine) and a damn good offensive line led by Ryan Wendell, my former center. He and I still keep in touch, though.

We still have a great relationship, not the same relationship I had when my hands were on his butt as a center with the New England Patriots for all those years, but we still have a great relationship. That's the offense I want to play for.

You tell me you wouldn't fit in the Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry RPO?

Brady: You know, that is a little different for me. I think with my skinny legs and my lack of power and speed, that is not the appropriate offense for me to light up the scoreboard.

What was the hardest defense that you ever went against schematically?

Brady: So early in my career, we played the Miami Dolphins. It was a pretty simple coverage structure, a lot of two-high defense, ridiculous defensive ends, led by Jason Taylor. He was a menace in the run game and the pass game. At middle linebacker was Zach Thomas, another Hall of Famer, he tackled everybody and never missed a tackle. He was a ridiculous player in the run game, supported the entire back end of the defense in the pass game. Pat Surtain, Sam Madison — they could do it all.

I think some of my worst career games came against those damn Dolphins defenses. I hated playing the Dolphins. They hemmed this up every time. We were lucky to get away with a few victories. Thank God we had a great defense, or we probably would have lost many more of those games.

David Ortiz: Who is the Big Papi of the NFL?

Brady: This one's easy. Head over to the "Gronk & Jules Show." Big Papi, it's "Gronk & Jules," two Boston legends, right there on the lot with me, just like you. We're all part of the FOX family.

Former Cleveland Browns WR David Bell seeks $300M after botched surgery allegedly nearly killed him

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:26:56 -0400

Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell is suing well-known surgeon Dr. William Meyers, Jefferson Health, and 14 other parties for more than $300 million. Bell claims an unnecessary surgery nearly cost him his life and forced him to walk away from the NFL at just 24 years old.

The trouble started after Bell hurt his hip during Week 2 of the 2024 season.

According to the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, doctors used misleading scan results to convince him he needed core muscle surgery, commonly known as a sports hernia repair, that he never actually required.

The complaint claims this was part of a profit-driven pattern of pushing pro athletes into procedures they did not need.

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Things went wrong on the operating table. The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Meyers cut Bell's femoral artery, the main artery supplying blood to the leg, causing massive internal bleeding.

The clinic was not equipped to handle that kind of emergency, so Bell was rushed by ambulance to Thomas Jefferson Hospital. Doctors there performed urgent surgery to repair the artery and save his leg, but the ordeal left him with lasting physical damage.

SUPREME COURT HANDS NFL A LOSS IN BRIAN FLORES DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT, CLEARING PATH TO TRIAL

Before the injury, Bell was a reliable target in Cleveland's offense. The Browns drafted the former Big Ten Receiver of the Year out of Purdue in the third round back in 2022.

Over three seasons, Bell appeared in 32 games, finishing his pro career with 41 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by a 214-yard rookie season.

Between the original injury and the surgical fallout, Bell could no longer play, leading Cleveland to place him on the reserve/retired list in 2025.

The $300 million lawsuit seeks payment for lost future NFL contracts, pain, and damages meant to hold the medical group accountable.

THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!

The Browns are not named in the suit, and the doctors have not yet filed a formal response in court.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

Phillies President Dave Dombrowski Stresses Trea Turner 'Has To Be Better'

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:55:41 -0400

By his standards, Trea Turner had arguably the worst season of his MLB career in 2026. What's more, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is being brutally honest about the team's star shortstop.

"We were very clear. He knows he has to be better at shortstop. And I told him that it's really mandatory that he’s like that," Dombrowski said about Turner's 2026 performance at a press conference at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday morning, according to MLB.com. "He feels he can play, and if he plays shortstop like he did in ’25, he can play shortstop. But if he plays it like he did in ’26, he can't. And he totally understands that."

Turner posted -17 defensive runs saved (DRS) at shortstop this season, marking the third time in Turner's four years with the Phillies that he has finished with a negative, double-digit DRS.

Meanwhile, Turner, a two-time batting champion and three-time All-Star, totaled 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, an 81 OPS+ and -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR), while posting a .242/.297/.378 slash line.

Turner's batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS+ and WAR were all career worsts over a full season. Just last season (2025), Turner led the National League with a .304 batting average and posted 5.4 wins above replacement.

"The reason we signed him at the beginning compared to some others, not only was he a good player, but we thought that he had the ability to continue to be a good player for a longer time period because of his quick-twitch muscles, the type of athlete he is, what he possesses," Dombrowski said of Turner. "I mean, he led the league in hitting last year, so I was surprised myself on the offensive year that he had and that we weren't able to get out of it, as he was, so it's up to us to try to fix all those types of things.

"We’ve already given [Turner] some information ourselves that we think could be helpful. … We need to leave it that he is very willing to do, if he doesn't play shortstop, what is best for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. So, that's how we left it with him, and he's determined to show us that he can play it. And I said, ‘You have to show it. You cannot play shortstop like [you] did defensively in ’26, going into ’27.'"

The 33-year-old Turner is four years into an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies. As for other positions, Turner primarily played second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers down the stretch of the 2021 MLB season and has made 79 career starts at the keystone. He also started 44 games in center field for the Washington Nationals in 2016. Granted, Turner, aside from being the team's designated hitter, hasn't played a position outside shortstop since 2021.

Elsewhere, the Phillies named interim manager Don Mattingly, who was promoted from bench coach after manager Rob Thomson was fired in the wake of the team's 9-19 start, their full-time skipper on a two-year deal Wednesday. Philadelphia went 79-55 after Mattingly took over as manager but lost in three games to the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Wild Card Series.

The Phillies haven't advanced past the NL Division Series since 2023.

Who Should Be Blamed For Commanders' OT Blunder? NFL Scouts, Execs Differ

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:22:52 -0400

The Washington Commanders had a blunder for the ages in their 27-27 tie against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Possessing the ball with a winding clock in the final minute of overtime, the Commanders opted to run another play from scrimmage instead of kicking a field goal from the Giants' 24-yard line with 12 seconds left. The result was a disaster, with Jayden Daniels scrambling around before taking a sack at the line of scrimmage. Washington wasn't able to get set on time to spike the ball before time ran out, causing the game to end in a tie.

The Commanders were instantly clowned for letting the game get away from them, falling to 1-3-1 on the year. Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn were quick to accept responsibility for the miscue as well, with several analysts pointing the finger at each party for allowing the massive screw-up to happen.

But who really is to blame for what transpired in the final moments of Sunday's tie? We asked people around the league, and most of them believe that one of them is more to blame than the other. Here's what we learned from our conversations.

Ralph Vacchiano: The reaction around the league to the brain freeze by Dan Quinn, Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Sunday was swift and seemingly universal. I received several texts from sources with a variation of "Oh my God!" to "Holy s---" and just "Wow."

But assigning who was to blame for the Commanders letting the clock run out in their 27-27 tie with the Giants when they were already within game-winning field goal range at the end of overtime wasn’t universal at all. NFL executives I contacted were much quicker to blame the coach. Coaches, though, were understandably a little more eager to let Quinn off the hook.

"I get why Dan gets all the heat," one assistant coach texted me. "It’s ultimately his responsibility. But do you really think he didn’t tell his players to watch the clock?"

"Sometimes players do stupid things, no matter how much you coach them," a former coach told me via text message.

Days later, it’s still unclear what Quinn and his coaches told Daniels — and, just as importantly, when they told him. But even the coaches understood that Quinn bears the ultimate responsibility and will likely be the one to take the fall. And the executives I spoke to agreed that a "fall" is probably coming, unless Quinn turns the Commanders around really fast.

"It’s not a fireable offense because you can’t overreact to one moment," an assistant general manager told me. "But it sure does make you think about it. If your coach isn’t prepared for that, if he hasn’t made his team completely prepared for that, then what is he doing?

"Ask any of the best coaches ever. They’ll tell you how much situational preparation matters. It’s not all about Xs and Os and locker-room speeches. It’s making sure all the little things are covered — the little things that can lose you games."

"It makes you question everything about his coaching ability," a former NFL general manager told me. "It doesn’t mean he’s a terrible coach. But the best coaches thrive in those situations. I get it. You’ve got time running out, 11 players on the field, multiple assistants in your ear, 20 things to consider.

"But he gets the big money to be the beacon in that storm."

In many ways, the quarterback is paid to be that beacon too. They are paid not just for their ability, but for their ability to be calm and clear-headed in chaotic, late-game situations. But teams are usually much more committed to their quarterback than they are to their coach. And since Daniels is still just 25 years old and hasn’t even played two full NFL seasons yet, he’ll likely get a much bigger pass.

Still, some coaches don’t think he should.

"I wasn’t there, so I can’t know for sure, but I’ll never believe [Daniels] wasn’t told to ‘clock’ it, and probably right before the last play," the assistant coach told me. "I understand. He’s young. But this isn’t Pee Wee football. He’s an NFL quarterback. If he doesn’t know what to do by now, when the clock is running down, God help him."

Eric D. Williams: Green Bay Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons made a big claim on his podcast about the futures of Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels following their late-game blunder in Sunday's tie against the Giants. Parsons said that Daniels likely cost Quinn his job, and potentially a rich long-term deal.

However, NFL contract negotiators I spoke with believe that Daniels' mess-up won't hinder any extension negotiations down the line. But an NFL agent told me that the head-scratching mistake could affect Quinn's standing with the team.

"That’s where this has a bigger impact," the NFL contract negotiator told me. "It’s hard to find QBs, so one is more inclined to give Daniels a pass in this situation. But for a head coach who was already on the hot seat, it’s hard to give him a pass in this regard."

As the Commanders fell to 1-3-1 on the year with the loss, Quinn might firmly be on the hot seat in Washington. Ralph placed Quinn third in his hot seat rankings entering Week 5, with some sportsbooks placing him among the betting favorites to be the first head coach fired.

Daniels, meanwhile, was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year two years ago and led Washington to the NFC Championship Game, but has struggled to stay healthy since. But when upright, Daniels has still played high-level football. He's thrown for 1,721 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 481 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in 11 games since the start of last season.

In the third year of his rookie deal, Daniels is eligible for a contract extension this upcoming offseason that could pay him north of $50 million at the end of this season. Expect Washington to back up the Brink’s truck.

"The wound from the debacle is fresh right now," an NFL contract negotiator told me. "But the emotion/pain from it will eventually subside. That said, it will be one of the MANY considerations when contemplating an extension.

"How much weight this particular consideration holds will likely be small by the time they’re negotiating. It’s just a one-time ‘egg on the face’ moment that shouldn’t impact how they view Jayden in totality."

While Sunday's mishap might not have an impact on a future deal for Daniels, another NFL agent I spoke with believes Daniels still needs to play well for the rest of the season to earn a new deal.

"If he doesn’t play well, it doesn’t help him get a deal," the agent told me. "If he plays consistently like he did in 2024, it won’t affect it. But he hasn’t done that since 2024."

College Football Week 7 Expert Picks, Predictions For Ohio State-Indiana And More

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 07:00:04 -0400

Can No. 4 Ohio State avenge its Big Ten championship game loss to No. 5 Indiana on "Big Noon Kickoff"? Will No. 6 Alabama bounce back against No. 14 Tennessee after a loss to No. 1 Georgia?

Elsewhere, a College Football Playoff spot could be on the line when No. 2 Notre Dame visits No. 8 BYU. Austin Simmons leads No. 13 Missouri against his former team, No. 9 Ole Miss.

With six matchups between Associated Press Top 25 opponents, Week 7 of the college football season might feature the most exciting slate of the season. We’re breaking down our straight-up picks and the matchups to watch closely throughout the weekend.

When: Saturday, noon ET (FOX)
Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
Line: Ohio State -3.5

RJ Young: Ohio State
The best player in the sport is Jeremiah Smith, and Ohio State coach Ryan Day should not be shy about reminding Indiana about that.

Laken Litman: Ohio State
This is my answer for nearly every Ohio State game: The Buckeyes have Jeremiah Smith and Indiana doesn't.

Ben Portnoy: Indiana
OK, fine, this is probably a bit of a homer pick. I took the Hoosiers to win the Big Ten at the start of the season and I can't stray from that, right? Right. Give me Curt Cignetti's squad in the biggest home game in the history of Indiana football.

When: Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)
Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Line: LSU -14.5

Young: LSU
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor won't be 100% healthy even if he plays on Saturday. Advantage, LSU.

Litman: LSU
The Tigers will rebound at home after an upset loss to Kentucky in overtime last week. Plus, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor's status is still uncertain.

Portnoy: LSU
Kamario Taylor is still on the mend and while the spread feels pretty big for a matchup of two top-25 teams, I have a hard time seeing the Bulldogs pull this one out. I'll take LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt to get right against what's been just a mediocre Mississippi State defense.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
Line: Alabama -7.5

Young: Alabama
The Crimson Tide have the better quarterback and wide receiver room. Tennessee must run the ball well to win.

Litman: Alabama
Even after last week's loss to Georgia, Alabama looks like a team that could win it all. The Crimson Tide are not going to lose two in a row, especially not against a Tennessee team led by backup quarterback George MacIntyre.

Portnoy: Alabama
Nothing complicated about this one. Tennessee has real problems at quarterback and absolutely nothing the Vols put on tape last week against Arkansas makes me think they're up for this challenge. Bama rolls big.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Where: Galaxy Stadium, Lubbock, Texas
Line: Texas Tech -14.5

Young: Texas Tech
Texas Tech has flirted with disaster enough to make me feel nervous, but I think the Red Raiders have an answer for ASU running back Cardae Mack.

Litman: Texas Tech
In a heated Big 12 race, Texas Tech stays unbeaten with a decisive win over an inconsistent ASU team.

Portnoy: Texas Tech
Arizona State and quarterback Cutter Boley have had their moments and I still think Texas Tech is hardly a shoo-in for the Big 12 title, but the Red Raiders are just the more talented team in this one.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
Line: Ole Miss -5.5

Young: Missouri
Running back Jamal Roberts has rushed for at least 200 yards in back-to-back games and quarterback Austin Simmons is good enough to exploit Ole Miss' leaky secondary.

Litman: Missouri
The Tigers surprise Ole Miss on the road and further cement themselves as a legit SEC contender.

Portnoy: Ole Miss
I know Ole Miss got run by Florida a few weeks back, but I still think quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is one of the five best players in the sport this year. Austin Simmons has been awesome for Missouri and I think he'll find success against a bad Rebels defense, but Chambliss will make one more play down the stretch to win a shootout.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Line: Notre Dame -10.5

Young: Notre Dame
BYU will play its biggest game of the season without star tailback and 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year LJ Martin. I'll take Notre Dame.

Litman: Notre Dame
In both of these teams' first true test, Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr outduels the Cougars' Bear Bachmeier and removes any doubt that Notre Dame is a real threat to compete for the CFP title.

Portnoy: Notre Dame
Simply put, I don't think BYU has enough firepower without running back LJ Martin to get over the hump here. Notre Dame has been a touch shaky in spurts this fall, but I expect the Irish to handle the Cougars relatively comfortably in this one.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
Where: Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma
Line: Oklahoma -6.5

Young: Kentucky
The Sooners can't consistently move the ball offensively, and Kentucky has shown it can win close games late.

Litman: Kentucky
This is a letdown game for OU after a massive win over Texas last week, while coach Will Stein and Kentucky earn a third SEC road win.

Portnoy: Kentucky
Oklahoma might have won the "Red River Rivalry", but that had far more to do with the horrific play of Texas quarterback Arch Manning down the stretch than anything the Sooners did. Kentucky has won its last two by the skin of its teeth, but the Wildcat offense is simply a far more effective operation right now.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Where: TDECU Stadium, Houston, Texas
Line: Houston -4.5

Young: Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are just too explosive, and the Cougars can't win a shootout.

Litman: Oklahoma State
In a game with huge Big 12 standing implications, Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker gets the better of Houston's Conner Weigman and the Cowboys win their fifth consecutive game.

Portnoy: Oklahoma State
Drew Mestemaker has come on strong following whatever it is Oklahoma State did when it lost to Tulsa earlier this year. Houston should keep this close down to the wire, but I'll take the Cowboys offense to be the difference.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Line: UCLA -2.5

Young: Wisconsin
The Badgers have won four game in a row and will play a UCLA team that needed seven turnovers to win by two points against an Oregon team that started its backup quarterback last weekend.

Litman: UCLA
Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava is reportedly expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, but backup Ty Dieffenbach does enough to keep the offense rolling. UCLA remains undefeated.

Portnoy: UCLA
I know Nico Iamaleava is out for the season, but I'm not altogether sure how much that will matter for a UCLA offense that has lived and died by running back Wayne Knight. Wisconsin is riding a high and I like the pieces Luke Fickell has compiled, but I'm giving coach Bob Chesney's bunch the benefit of the doubt.

When: Saturday, 11:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
Line: Oregon -7

Young: Nebraska
With quarterback Dante Moore ruled out, Nebraska has the edge.

Litman: Nebraska
Nebraska had Indiana on the rails last week before the defending champs pulled away in the fourth quarter. The Huskers will rebound from the loss against a reeling Oregon team that's trying to keep its season alive.

Portnoy: Nebraska
Dylan Raiola was a disaster last week against UCLA and considering what Nebraska showed against Indiana, I like the Huskers defense to be disruptive in this one. Matt Rhule finally gets a marquee win.

Can Dodgers Flip A 3-Game Deficit? Big Papi, Jeter, A-Rod Know It Can Happen

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:23:48 -0400

If the Dodgers want to make it three straight World Series titles, they must now win four straight games against the Brewers in the NL Championship Series.

Improbable? Yes. Impossible? No.

Just ask someone who was an integral figure in one of MLB's most historic comebacks.

MLB on FOX analyst David "Big Papi" Ortiz, who helped the Boston Red Sox overcome a three-game ALCS deficit in 2004 against the New York Yankees, said it's time for the Dodgers to play like there is nothing to lose.

"It's funny how that works, because you feel more pressure at the beginning of the series than when you are 0-and-3 because once you get there, when you hit bottom like that, it feels like you have got nothing to lose," Ortiz said after the Brewers' 6-2 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night in Game 3.

History is certainly not on the Dodgers' side. In all best-of-seven postseason series, teams with a 3-0 lead have gone on to win the series 41 of 42 times, with 32 of those series being sweeps. Only two teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 – and only that 2004 Red Sox squad have come all the way back to win.

So what would Ortiz tell the Dodgers about taking that first step?

"There's no more room to go back. All you gotta do is just move forward. You hit bottom already. Let's just let things happen. Let's not try to get three hits in one at-bat. Let's not try to get three outs in one pitch. Let's go to the flow."

On the losing side of that 2004 clash were fellow MLB on FOX analysts Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, who added their perspectives on how the Dodgers should approach Game 4.

"The pressure is almost off them right now. Now, they just go out and win a game," Rodriguez said. "And how many times have the Dodgers, over the last five years, won four in a row?… But you got to start with one pitch. You got [Tyler Glasnow] now on the mound tomorrow. If you win tomorrow, you got [Tarik Skubal] in Game 5 and then you never know.

"But it starts with the first pitch of the game, and you're playing for your life, and you do not want the Brewers to celebrate on your field."

Added Jeter: "Coming into this series, no one thought Milwaukee was going to win three games in a row. But no one expected [the Yankees] to win the first three games in a row against the [Red Sox]. We thought it was going to be evenly matched. If going into that series they said 'we're going to go to seven games', everyone would have believed it.

"It's the same thing here. If you're the Los Angeles Dodgers, you cannot take the field thinking that you're down three games. All you have to do is win one game."

The Dodgers actually have someone in their dugout who also played in that 2004 series. Manager Dave Roberts was Ortiz's teammate on that 2004 Red Sox team and alluded to that comeback when asked about the Dodgers' chances, starting with Game 4 on Thursday.

"It's certainly possible [to overcome a 0-3 deficit]. I've lived it. I think the thing is that our guys have been battle tested, as was that team I was a part of," Roberts said after the Game 3 loss. "They know what's at stake and, you know, we've won four in a row, a number of times this year …. But again, we got to win tomorrow. So that's, that's our only focus."

‘They Melt Your Soul Away’: A-Rod Stunned As Brewers Take 3-0 Lead Over Dodgers

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:27:59 -0400

A year ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the National League Championship Series. Now the Brewers are one win away from returning the favor.

Milwaukee beat the Dodgers 6-2 in Game 3 on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium to take a 3-0 series lead.

The MLB on FOX postgame crew could hardly believe what it was watching.

"It’s hard to watch," Alex Rodriguez said. "It reminds me of the first time I saw Mike Tyson get knocked out. You can’t believe what you’re seeing. We were in awe in the green room watching, our mouths open."

Rodriguez turned to David Ortiz: "Papi, the Brewers, they simply melt your soul away, and they did that again tonight."

The latest blow came from Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser, who who held the Dodgers scoreless for five innings. He allowed three hits and a walk and struck out three before DL Hall threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Trevor Megill got the final four outs for his fourth save of the postseason.

"Robert Gasser looked like he didn’t drop a sweat while he was out there facing these Dodgers," Ortiz said. "He was locating his pitches in an incredible type of way, and he just kept coming at them, kept keeping that offense down. He did an incredible job."

For Ortiz, Game 3 encapsulated what Milwaukee has done all season.

"This is the result of what they did all year long," Ortiz said. "They know how to shut down an offense."

Ortiz also singled out Jake Bauers, who has made a habit of wearing down the Dodgers’ best arms.

In Game 2, Bauers worked a 12-pitch, bases-loaded walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Then in the seventh inning on Wednesday, with Milwaukee trailing 2-1, he fouled off pitch after pitch from Blake Snell before hitting the 11th one for a go-ahead, two-run homer.

"You don’t get to watch many games of the Brewers on TV, but once you are following their steps during this playoff, you get to know how good they are," Ortiz said. "They are deep in every category of the game: pitching, defense, speed. They battle in the at-bat.

"Those two at-bats against Yamamoto, and tonight against Snell, those are the most impressive two at-bats that I have seen probably in my whole life."

Derek Jeter agreed, saying the most impressive part is who the Brewers are doing it against.

"They’ve been doing it all year," Jeter said. "I think the impressive thing is, as was mentioned, they’re doing it against the Dodgers, who swept them last year. It tells a lot about the mentality they have, the resilience they have to come back and face the two-time defending world champion, disregard what happened just 12 months ago, and now you’re up 3-0."

Still, Jeter cautioned that the series isn’t over.

Nobody knows that better than this crew. In the 2004 American League Championship Series, Ortiz’s Boston Red Sox became the only team in MLB history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. They did it against Jeter and Rodriguez’s New York Yankees.

The Dodgers will try to start their own comeback in Game 4 on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Brewers' Back-To-Back HRs Dent Dodgers' Hopes: 3 Takeaways From NLCS Game 3

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 23:11:42 -0400

DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles) — Milwaukee is on the verge of abolishing baseball’s Evil Empire. The Brewers are one win away from a trip to the World Series for the first time since 1982 after taking a 3-0 series lead over the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The Dodgers, backed into the smallest of corners, now face an uphill battle against a well-rounded and red-hot Brewers team that has found its rhythm and is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Brew Crew’s season-long combination of timely hitting, strong pitching, power from unexpected places, and a merciless energy has applied pressure on the defending-champion powerhouse, leaving the Dodgers with more questions than answers.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, looks determined to finish the job this year after coming up short against Los Angeles in last year’s NLCS.

Here are our takeaways from the Brewers’ 6-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 3:

Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers did it again. Two days after an epic 12-pitch battle against Yoshinobu Yamamoto that resulted in a walk, Bauers applied the same irritating and relentless pressure to Dodgers southpaw Blake Snell in the seventh inning of Game 3, with Milwaukee trailing Los Angeles, 2-1.

No matter what Snell threw at the plate, Bauers wasn’t biting. He fouled off five different pitches — really, Snell’s entire arsenal — in an 11-pitch battle that finally got the best of the left-hander. Snell’s 11th pitch of the at-bat was another meatball, nearly identical to the 97 mph fastball he threw over the heart of the zone to Jackson Chourio on his first pitch of the night.

Bauers was all over it. He launched it to right field for a go-ahead, two-run home run that gave the Brewers a 3-2 lead. The entire Brewers dugout spilled onto the field in celebration of Bauers’ first home run of the postseason, knowing it was the advantage they were hunting for against Snell all night.

But they weren’t done yet.

Batting sixth in the order right after Bauers, Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell joined the home-run party with a solo shot to right field off Snell, padding Milwaukee’s lead to 4-2 in the seventh inning. Snell, who had not allowed a single home run across nine starts in the regular season this year, looked exasperated.

Milwaukee knew it had Snell on the ropes. Even though Snell tried to get ahead of Milwaukee’s dogged style of play by watching some of the Brewers’ press conferences leading up to his Game 3 start, the extracurricular homework served no purpose between the lines. The Brewers’ back-to-back homers deflated Dodger Stadium, and perhaps even Los Angeles’ dreams of a three-peat. — Thosar

Dodgers right-hander Blake Snell threw his first pitch in 10 days over the middle of the plate. It was a 97.6 mph meatball, begging to be crushed. Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio didn’t miss.

The ball left Chourio’s bat at 106.1 mph and sailed toward the right-field seats, catching everyone off guard. Before fans even settled into their seats with their beverages and snacks, getting ready for a fun night at the ballpark, Chourio slugged his second home run of this postseason and gave the Brewers an instant 1-0 lead.

On the road, in a hostile Dodger Stadium environment, the young Brewers star delivered exactly the kind of statement swing Milwaukee needed to keep the pressure on the Dodgers from the jump. It was a reminder that even elite postseason pitchers — Snell entered Game 3 with a 3.23 ERA in 19 career playoff games (16 starts) — cannot afford to make mistakes in the strike zone.

Plus, this wasn’t Chourio’s first time.

In Game 2 of last year’s NLCS against the Dodgers, Chourio jumped on the first pitch from right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and sent it to deep right field for yet another ambush of a home run. Chourio now owns the most postseason RBI (18) before turning 23 years old. He achieved that mark in just 19 playoff games. Andruw Jones previously held that record with 17 RBI in 45 playoff games.

The first-pitch homer completely changed the complexion of the game. The blast Snell gave up to Chourio was the first home run he allowed all season. Snell entered his Game 3 start with the reputation of overpowering hitters. Once he gets going, he’s typically in complete control. We saw that unfold after Chourio’s solo shot. When he got into a groove in the middle innings, Snell retired 14 batters in a row at one point.

But once again, the Brewers were just better. — Thosar

Before Game 3, Brewers manager Pat Murphy mentioned that he thought Dodgers catcher Will Smith had been swinging better than the statistics had shown.

The numbers were not pretty.

And Smith’s spot in the batting order reflected that.

The scuffling Dodgers catcher began the postseason 1-for-23 with a single, a walk and eight strikeouts through his first six games. He was dropped from third in the lineup in Game 1 of the NLCS to fifth in Game 2 and then down to seventh in Game 3, right behind Shohei Ohtani, whose recent struggles also saw the designated hitter sliding down the order.

"I know the numbers aren’t there," Murphy said. "But if you do what I do, you watch the swing and you watch his approach, I think he’s looked good."

Before the Brewers’ seventh-inning onslaught, in what could have been the swing everyone remembered from Game 3, Smith backed up what his opposing manager saw.

The Milwaukee bullpen was virtually unhittable all postseason, entering Wednesday night with a 0.31 ERA this October. But after five scoreless innings from starter Robert Gasser, Murphy’s first reliever of the night didn’t have it in Game 3.

Abner Uribe walked Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker to start the sixth inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then pinch-hit Max Muncy for Andy Pages, a surprising decision that reflected the urgency of the moment.

The Dodgers entered the night just 2-for-26 with runners in scoring position this postseason. Each of those two hits belonged to Pages. But Uribe appeared to be on the ropes and needed to face the three-batter minimum, so Roberts turned to the platoon advantage with a chance to strike. Instead, Muncy struck out.

But Ohtani followed with another walk to load the bases, and Smith finally came through with the hit that had eluded the Dodgers all series, electrifying the 50,708 fans in attendance with a go-ahead, two-run double.

The glee, of course, was short-lived.

Roberts sent pinch-hitter Josue De Paula to the plate for Miguel Rojas. Murphy countered with lefty DL Hall. Roberts then brought up another pinch-hitter, KIké Hernández, who struck out. Another strikeout followed from Tommy Edman, as the Dodgers’ struggles with runners in scoring position persisted.

They failed to build their lead and had emptied their bench, save for backup catcher Hunter Feduccia, to try to go all in with their chance. One inning later, their lead was gone against a relentless Brewers lineup that has countered every punch all postseason. — Kavner

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