Ohio State and Indiana Prepare for Another Defining, Heavyweight Showdown

Two programs, two national championships, and a rivalry that has taken on an entirely different meaning over the past two seasons.

When No. 4 Ohio State travels to Bloomington to face No. 5 Indiana on Saturday afternoon, the matchup will feature the last two national champions in college football, with both programs looking to strengthen their position in the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff race.

For Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, the meeting presents an opportunity to avenge last December’s Big Ten Championship loss, a defeat that ended Ohio State’s pursuit of consecutive national titles. For Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers, it represents another opportunity to demonstrate that Indiana’s remarkable rise to the top of college football was no one-season accomplishment.

Saturday’s contest will also mark the first top-five matchup ever played at Indiana’s Memorial Stadium, adding another chapter to a series that has become one of the Big Ten’s most compelling matchups. (Indiana Athletics)

2024: Ohio State Delivers a Reality Check on Its Way to a National Championship

The recent history between these programs begins on November 23, 2024, when an undefeated Indiana team arrived in Columbus with an opportunity to make one of the biggest statements in program history.

Cignetti, then in his first season leading the Hoosiers, had transformed a struggling program into an unlikely College Football Playoff contender. Indiana entered Ohio Stadium with a perfect 10-0 record, but standing across the field was a Buckeyes team determined to prove it belonged among the nation’s elite.

Indiana struck first, taking a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter. However, Ohio State quickly seized control, scoring 31 unanswered points before eventually securing a convincing 38-15 victory.

The Buckeyes overwhelmed Indiana with their defensive pressure, special teams contributions, and superior execution. What began as an opportunity for the Hoosiers to announce themselves as legitimate national championship contenders instead became a reminder of the gap they still needed to close.

For Ohio State, the victory became an important chapter in a season that would eventually end with Ryan Day capturing his first national championship as head coach.

Despite suffering a devastating regular-season loss to Michigan the following week, the Buckeyes regrouped during the College Football Playoff, defeating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and ultimately Notre Dame to capture the program’s first national championship since the 2014 season.

Indiana, meanwhile, finished its remarkable 2024 campaign with an 11-2 record after falling to Notre Dame in the opening round of the playoff.

The loss in Columbus, however, would remain significant for Cignetti and his program. (Indiana Daily Student)

2025: Cignetti Gets His Revenge, Then Completes an Unthinkable Championship Run

Just over a year later, the two programs met again under dramatically different circumstances.

This time, the stakes were even higher.

No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana entered the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game undefeated, setting up a historic meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Ohio State arrived as the defending national champion, while Indiana was seeking its first outright Big Ten championship since 1945.

Unlike their previous meeting, the Hoosiers were prepared to match Ohio State’s physicality and defensive intensity.

In a tightly contested defensive battle, Indiana limited the Buckeyes to just 10 points, disrupting an offense that had been among the most talented in college football.

The Hoosiers eventually emerged with a 13-10 victory, ending Ohio State’s 30-game winning streak in the series and delivering Cignetti his first victory over Ryan Day.

It was a defining moment for Indiana football.

The same program that had been overwhelmed in Columbus a year earlier had now defeated the defending national champions on one of college football’s biggest stages.

More importantly, the victory proved to be the beginning of something even greater.

Indiana carried its momentum into the College Football Playoff, defeating Alabama, Oregon, and Miami to complete a perfect 16-0 season and capture the first national championship in school history.

In just two seasons, Cignetti had transformed Indiana from a Big Ten afterthought into the best team in college football.

Ohio State’s season, meanwhile, ended with a College Football Playoff defeat to Miami, leaving the Buckeyes without the opportunity to defend their national championship.

The balance of power between the two programs had shifted, and for the first time in decades, Indiana entered the following season with something Ohio State wanted back. (Big Ten Conference)

2026: Two Championship Programs With Plenty Left to Prove

Saturday’s matchup brings together two teams that have once again established themselves among the nation’s best.

Ohio State enters the contest at 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play, while Indiana remains undefeated at 6-0 with an identical conference record.

The Buckeyes are coming off a 45-16 victory over Maryland, while the Hoosiers survived a difficult road matchup against Nebraska, escaping Lincoln with a 20-17 win.

Indiana’s victory extended its winning streak to 22 consecutive games, a remarkable stretch that includes its undefeated national championship campaign last season.

Despite the Hoosiers’ success, Ohio State enters Saturday with considerable motivation.

Day’s program has retained much of its offensive talent, including quarterback Julian Sayin and star receiver Jeremiah Smith, giving the Buckeyes the personnel to challenge one of the Big Ten’s most disciplined defensive units.

Indiana, meanwhile, has undergone significant roster changes following its championship season, including the departure of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Nevertheless, Cignetti has continued to demonstrate his ability to build competitive teams through player development, the transfer portal, and a disciplined approach that has become the foundation of Indiana’s success.

The Hoosiers will also have the advantage of playing in Bloomington, where they have won 19 consecutive home games.

For Ohio State, the challenge will be maintaining offensive consistency against an Indiana team that has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to win close games. For the Hoosiers, containing Ohio State’s explosive passing attack could prove essential to extending their unbeaten season. (CBS Sports)

More Than Another Regular-Season Matchup

The significance of Saturday’s game extends well beyond the conference standings.

In 2024, Ohio State used its dominant victory over Indiana as part of a championship season that solidified Day’s standing among college football’s elite coaches.

In 2025, Cignetti returned the favor, defeating the Buckeyes in Indianapolis before guiding Indiana to one of the most extraordinary national championship runs in college football history.

Now, the two coaches enter their third meeting with one victory apiece and another opportunity to shape the direction of the Big Ten championship race.

Ohio State still holds a commanding advantage in the all-time series, but Indiana’s emergence has fundamentally changed the expectations surrounding this matchup.

The Hoosiers are no longer simply trying to compete with the Buckeyes. They have proven they can beat them, win conference championships, and reach the pinnacle of the sport.

For Ohio State, Saturday is an opportunity to reassert itself against the program that ended its hopes of repeating as national champion.

For Indiana, it is a chance to defend its position atop the college football landscape and demonstrate that the success of the Cignetti era is built to last.

Over the past two seasons, these programs have traded decisive victories before each went on to lift the national championship trophy.

Saturday afternoon in Bloomington will not determine this year’s national champion, but it could provide an early indication of which program is better positioned to pursue another title.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on Saturday, October 17, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. The game will be nationally televised on FOX. (Ohio State Athletics)

Last-Second Field Goals, Overtime Drama Highlight Wild Weekend Across the NFL

The NFL delivered another unpredictable weekend of football, with last-second field goals, dramatic comebacks and overtime finishes defining a Week 5 slate that kept fans on edge until the final whistle.

From Jacksonville’s improbable victory over Philadelphia in London to Buffalo’s overtime thriller against Los Angeles, special teams played a decisive role in several of the weekend’s biggest games. Elsewhere, San Francisco survived a divisional showdown in Seattle, while the Giants and Commanders played to the season’s first tie.

The weekend served as another reminder that even the smallest mistakes can determine the outcome of an NFL game, particularly when the difference between winning and losing comes down to a single kick.

Jaguars Steal Victory From Eagles on Cam Little’s 57-Yard Walk-Off Field Goal

Few games this season have produced a finish quite like Jacksonville’s 19-17 victory over Philadelphia at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

The Eagles appeared to have secured a much-needed victory when Jake Elliott connected on a 48-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, giving Philadelphia a 17-16 advantage.

However, Jacksonville had other plans.

Veteran return specialist Ameer Abdullah fielded the ensuing kickoff and broke free for a 53-yard return, advancing the ball to Philadelphia’s 39-yard line with just one second remaining.

That was all Cam Little needed.

The Jaguars kicker stepped onto the field and drilled a 57-yard field goal as time expired, completing one of the most remarkable finishes of the young NFL season.

The sequence marked the first game of the Super Bowl era in which both teams recorded go-ahead scores within the final 10 seconds of regulation.

For Jacksonville, the victory improved its record to 4-1 and reinforced the team’s ability to win under pressure. Philadelphia, meanwhile, dropped to 2-3 after suffering its third consecutive defeat.

The Eagles had opportunities to put the game away earlier, but another quiet second half offensively ultimately proved costly. Philadelphia managed just three points after halftime, leaving the door open for Jacksonville’s extraordinary finish. (Eagles)

Bills Outlast Rams in Overtime as Tyler Bass Delivers Game-Winning Kick

Monday Night Football provided a fitting conclusion to the weekend’s drama, with the Buffalo Bills defeating the Los Angeles Rams 37-34 in overtime following a wild second half.

The game featured six lead changes and 48 combined points after halftime, as Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford repeatedly answered one another in a matchup between two of the league’s most accomplished quarterbacks.

Buffalo appeared to have secured the victory when James Cook scored with 1:39 remaining in regulation. Stafford, however, orchestrated another late drive, setting up Kyren Williams for a one-yard touchdown with four seconds remaining to force overtime.

The extra period brought even more uncertainty.

Cook fumbled on Buffalo’s opening overtime possession, giving Los Angeles an opportunity to end the game. Stafford moved the Rams into field-goal range, but Greg Rousseau blocked Harrison Mevis’ attempt, returning possession to the Bills.

Allen took advantage of the second opportunity, using his legs to move Buffalo into scoring position before Tyler Bass connected on a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining in overtime.

Allen finished with 210 passing yards and 121 rushing yards, while Stafford threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns.

The victory improved Buffalo to 4-1 and delivered Allen his first career overtime win. For Los Angeles, the defeat was especially frustrating considering the opportunities the Rams had to put the game away.

Jacksonville’s walk-off kick may have been the weekend’s most dramatic moment, but Buffalo’s victory was another example of how special teams can completely reverse the direction of a game. (NFL.com)

49ers Remain Undefeated After Late Field Goal Sinks Seahawks

While Jacksonville and Buffalo delivered the weekend’s most memorable kicking moments, San Francisco relied on a late field goal of its own to escape Seattle with a 32-29 victory.

The NFC West showdown featured constant momentum swings, with both teams struggling to protect possession throughout the afternoon.

Seattle committed four turnovers, including a costly fumble recovered in the end zone by San Francisco defensive lineman Gracen Halton just before halftime.

Despite those mistakes, the Seahawks remained competitive behind Sam Darnold and kicker Jason Myers, who connected on five field goals.

Seattle entered the fourth quarter holding a 26-21 advantage, but Brock Purdy responded by leading the 49ers on a touchdown drive capped by a seven-yard scoring pass to Brandin Cooks. A successful two-point conversion gave San Francisco a 29-26 lead.

Myers answered with a 40-yard field goal to tie the game before Eddy Piñeiro converted from 44 yards with 1:56 remaining.

Seattle received one final opportunity, but a fourth-down completion to Cooper Kupp came up just short of the necessary yardage, allowing San Francisco to run out the clock.

Purdy finished with 189 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Mike Evans caught seven passes for 113 yards.

The victory moved the 49ers to 5-0, maintaining their undefeated record and strengthening their early position atop the NFC West.

For Seattle, the defeat was another reminder that turnovers can overshadow an otherwise competitive performance. The Seahawks showed they could match San Francisco for much of the afternoon, but ultimately could not overcome their own mistakes. (49ers)

Ravens Complete Late Comeback, Defeat Falcons in Overtime

Baltimore entered Sunday night’s matchup against Atlanta without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, leaving Tyler Huntley responsible for directing the Ravens’ offense against a difficult Falcons defense.

For much of the evening, Atlanta appeared positioned to secure the victory.

The Falcons led 23-15 with less than three minutes remaining, but Huntley delivered when Baltimore needed him most.

He led a 71-yard touchdown drive, finding Devontez Walker for a seven-yard score with 40 seconds remaining. Derrick Henry then converted the two-point attempt, tying the game at 23 and forcing overtime.

Baltimore carried that momentum into the extra period, assembling a 14-play, 68-yard drive that ended with Huntley scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak.

Atlanta still had an opportunity to respond, but safety Kyle Hamilton intercepted Tua Tagovailoa, sealing the Ravens’ 30-23 victory.

Huntley finished with 201 passing yards and accounted for three touchdowns, while Henry rushed for 102 yards.

Baltimore improved to 4-1, securing an important victory despite missing its starting quarterback. The Ravens also demonstrated an ability to manufacture offense under pressure after struggling to move the football consistently through the first three quarters. (Reuters)

Giants and Commanders Settle for Rare Tie After Missed Opportunities

Not every close game produced a winner.

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders played to a 27-27 tie Sunday afternoon, with both teams squandering opportunities to secure the victory in overtime.

Giants quarterback Jameis Winston helped erase a fourth-quarter deficit, throwing two touchdown passes to force the extra period.

New York moved into scoring position in overtime but struggled to finish the drive. Kicker Dominic Zvada had already missed multiple attempts, including a 46-yard try in overtime, before the Giants elected to continue running their offense.

That decision backfired when Cam Skattebo lost a fumble, giving Washington another opportunity.

The Commanders advanced to the Giants’ 24-yard line with 12 seconds remaining, but Jayden Daniels elected to run with the football despite Washington having no timeouts.

The clock expired before the Commanders could stop it, ending the game without a winner.

Winston threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns, while Daniels recorded 199 passing yards and another 103 on the ground.

For both teams, the result represented a missed opportunity in an NFC East division where every victory could become increasingly important as the season progresses. (Reuters)

Around the League: Lions, Packers and Patriots Deliver Statement Victories

While several games required dramatic finishes, other teams left little doubt about the outcome.

Detroit continued its impressive offensive production with a 45-21 victory over Arizona. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while Jared Goff added three passing touchdowns without an interception.

Green Bay dominated Chicago 31-7 in an NFC North matchup, with Jordan Love throwing for 367 yards as the Packers controlled the game.

New England also delivered one of the weekend’s most convincing performances, defeating Las Vegas 45-17 behind a strong outing from Drake Maye, who threw for 374 yards.

Elsewhere, Pittsburgh defeated Indianapolis 34-22, Cincinnati topped Miami 31-24, and Denver earned a 23-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The New York Jets edged Cleveland 17-12, Minnesota defeated New Orleans 23-13, and Houston handled Tennessee 26-3.

Each result added another layer to a season in which several divisions remain highly competitive through the opening five weeks. (NFL.com)

A Weekend Decided by the Smallest Margins

Through five weeks, the 2026 NFL season has already produced its share of unforgettable moments. Yet this weekend stood out for the extraordinary influence of special teams and late-game execution.

Jacksonville needed just eight seconds to turn a seemingly certain defeat into victory. Buffalo relied on a blocked field goal and another successful kick to survive overtime. San Francisco needed a fourth-quarter field goal and one final defensive stand to preserve its undefeated record.

Meanwhile, Baltimore overcame an eight-point deficit in the closing minutes, and the Giants and Commanders demonstrated just how costly poor execution can become when the game hangs in the balance.

For the teams that escaped with victories, these are the kinds of games that can build confidence and shape a successful season. For those on the losing end, the difference between celebration and disappointment often came down to a handful of plays.

Week 5 offered a little bit of everything, but above all, it reinforced one of football’s oldest lessons: no lead is truly safe until the clock reaches zero.

And this weekend, nobody understood that better than the kickers.

Flyers’ Nightmare Start Continues as Philadelphia Remains Winless Through Seven Games

The Philadelphia Flyers entered the 2026-27 NHL season hoping to take another step forward in their rebuilding process. Instead, the opening weeks have brought frustration, offensive struggles, and growing concerns about the direction of a team still searching for its first victory.

Philadelphia has stumbled to an 0-5-2 record through its first seven games, sitting at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division with just two points. What was supposed to be an opportunity for the Flyers’ young talent to establish itself has quickly turned into one of the most disappointing starts in the NHL.

The struggles began immediately on September 30, when the Pittsburgh Penguins handed Philadelphia an embarrassing 7-0 defeat in its season opener. Rather than responding with a convincing performance, the Flyers followed with consecutive overtime losses against New Jersey and Carolina before dropping regulation decisions to Tampa Bay, Ottawa, and Boston. (Hockey Reference)

Philadelphia’s difficulties continued Sunday night, when the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Flyers 4-1, extending their winless start to seven games. The loss also marked Philadelphia’s 11th consecutive defeat dating back to last season, further emphasizing the challenges facing the organization. (Reuters)

Offensive Struggles Becoming Impossible to Ignore

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of Philadelphia’s start has been its inability to generate consistent offense.

Through the first six games, the Flyers managed just seven goals, averaging a little over one goal per contest. Philadelphia ranked last in the NHL in goals scored during that stretch, an alarming figure for a roster featuring several promising offensive players. (Hockey Reference)

Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster represent a significant portion of Philadelphia’s offensive potential. However, the Flyers have struggled to turn that individual talent into sustained pressure, quality scoring opportunities, or meaningful production.

The October 5 loss against Tampa Bay offered a particularly troubling example. Philadelphia was outshot heavily throughout the contest, forcing goaltender Dan Vladar to make 32 saves while the Flyers managed only 14 shots on goal.

Following the defeat, rookie forward Porter Martone acknowledged that the team needed to be more connected and that its performances were falling short of expectations. (NHL.com)

For a team attempting to develop a competitive identity around its younger players, the lack of offensive cohesion is particularly discouraging. Philadelphia has enough individual skill to create problems for opposing defenses, but that ability has rarely translated into consistent results.

Defensive Issues Only Adding to Philadelphia’s Problems

While the offensive struggles have attracted considerable attention, Philadelphia’s difficulties extend well beyond its inability to score.

The Flyers surrendered 24 goals over their first six contests, including seven against Pittsburgh and five against Boston. Those performances have exposed weaknesses in defensive coverage, puck management, and the team’s ability to withstand sustained pressure. (Hockey Reference)

The combination has created a difficult situation for Philadelphia’s goaltenders. With little offensive support, even relatively strong performances in net have left the Flyers with limited opportunities to collect points.

There have been moments when Philadelphia has looked capable of competing. Consecutive overtime losses against New Jersey and Carolina demonstrated that the Flyers could remain competitive against quality opponents. However, those performances have been overshadowed by lopsided defeats and an inability to finish games.

The October 3 matchup against Carolina was especially frustrating, as former Flyer Shayne Gostisbehere scored the overtime winner to hand Philadelphia another defeat. (NHL.com)

Pressure Building on Rick Tocchet and Philadelphia’s Young Core

For head coach Rick Tocchet, the challenge now goes beyond simply finding the team’s first victory.

Philadelphia is attempting to establish a foundation capable of supporting long-term success, and the early results suggest that considerable work remains.

Tocchet’s responsibility is to develop consistency within a relatively young roster while ensuring that the Flyers remain competitive throughout the rebuilding process. That task becomes increasingly difficult when the team struggles to generate offense and spends extended periods defending in its own zone.

The development of Michkov remains especially important to Philadelphia’s future. Alongside Zegras, Tippett, Foerster, and Martone, the young Russian forward represents part of a group expected to help transform the Flyers into a more dangerous offensive team.

However, individual potential alone will not be enough to reverse Philadelphia’s fortunes. The Flyers must find a way to establish chemistry throughout their forward lines, improve their defensive structure, and create a more consistent offensive attack.

Seven games are hardly enough to determine the outcome of an 82-game season, but Philadelphia is already putting itself in a difficult position within a competitive Metropolitan Division.

A Season Already Approaching a Critical Point

There is still plenty of hockey remaining, and the Flyers have time to recover from their disappointing opening stretch. Nevertheless, the urgency surrounding the organization is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

For a franchise that has spent several seasons attempting to return to playoff contention, another prolonged stretch of losing would represent a significant setback.

Philadelphia’s young players need opportunities to develop, but they also need to experience meaningful success. Continued offensive struggles and mounting losses could make that process considerably more challenging.

The Flyers entered the season looking to demonstrate that their rebuild was beginning to produce tangible progress. Through seven games, however, they have offered little evidence that the organization is ready to take that next step.

The talent is there, and the season is still young. But unless Philadelphia can find answers quickly, what began as a disappointing opening stretch could develop into another long winter of frustration for one of hockey’s most passionate fan bases.

Four Teams, Two Pennants: Previewing the ALCS and NLCS Matchups

By Will Dzurnak | Great Lakes Sports Network

The road to the 2026 World Series has narrowed to four teams, with the American and National League Championship Series set to begin this week.

The Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers are the last remaining clubs in a postseason that has already featured historic pitching performances, dramatic comebacks and several surprising eliminations.

In the American League, Cleveland will look to carry the momentum of its remarkable comeback against the Chicago White Sox into a matchup with top-seeded Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the National League will feature a rematch of last year’s championship series, as Milwaukee attempts to dethrone the defending champion Dodgers.

Both best-of-seven series will determine which two teams advance to the World Series, scheduled to begin October 23. (MLB.com)

ALCS Preview: Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Game 1: Monday, October 12 | 8:00 p.m. ET | Tropicana Field

Few teams enter the League Championship Series with more momentum than the Cleveland Guardians.

After falling behind 2-0 against the Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series, Cleveland responded with three consecutive victories to complete one of the most memorable postseason comebacks in franchise history.

The Guardians capped their comeback Saturday night with a 2-0 victory in Game 5, highlighted by a historic pitching performance that saw Cleveland’s staff combine for 21 strikeouts, setting a Major League Baseball record for a nine-inning game.

Gavin Williams led the charge with 12 strikeouts across 5⅔ scoreless innings, while José Ramírez provided the game’s only offense with a two-run home run.

Cleveland’s ability to respond under pressure has become one of its defining characteristics this season. After overcoming a significant deficit in the American League Central standings to capture its third consecutive division title, the Guardians have carried that same resilience into October. (MLB.com)

Standing in Cleveland’s way is a Tampa Bay Rays team that has been among the American League’s most consistent clubs throughout the season.

The Rays secured the league’s top postseason seed and made quick work of the New York Yankees in the ALDS, completing a three-game sweep to advance to the ALCS.

Unlike Cleveland, Tampa Bay enters the series with several additional days of rest, an advantage that could prove significant for its starting rotation and bullpen.

The Rays also dominated the regular-season series against Cleveland, winning five of their six meetings. While regular-season results do not always translate into postseason success, Tampa Bay has already demonstrated its ability to neutralize the Guardians’ offense. (NBC Sports)

For Cleveland, the key to advancing will likely come down to its pitching staff’s ability to maintain the dominance displayed against Chicago.

Williams, Tanner Bibee and the Guardians’ bullpen will be tasked with slowing a Tampa Bay lineup that has consistently found ways to manufacture runs. Meanwhile, Ramírez will remain the centerpiece of Cleveland’s offensive attack, with Steven Kwan and the rest of the lineup needing to provide consistent production.

One of the more intriguing aspects of the matchup is the contrast in preparation. Tampa Bay enters well-rested after its sweep, while Cleveland arrives having played three consecutive elimination games.

The Guardians have already proven capable of overcoming adversity, but facing the American League’s top seed presents another significant challenge.

Cleveland is seeking its first World Series appearance since 2016, while Tampa Bay hopes to return to the Fall Classic for the first time since 2020.

With both organizations relying heavily on pitching, defense and timely offensive production, the ALCS has the potential to develop into a closely contested series where a handful of runs could ultimately determine the American League champion.

NLCS Preview: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 1: Sunday, October 11 | 8:00 p.m. ET | American Family Field

For the second consecutive postseason, the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers will meet with a National League pennant on the line.

Last October, Los Angeles swept Milwaukee in four games to advance to the World Series. This season, however, the Brewers enter the matchup with home-field advantage and an opportunity to reverse the outcome.

Milwaukee finished the regular season with a franchise-record 103 victories, establishing itself as one of baseball’s most complete teams.

The Brewers advanced past the San Diego Padres in four games during the NLDS, relying on timely hitting and strong pitching performances to secure their return to the championship series.

Jackson Chourio has continued to emerge as one of Milwaukee’s most important postseason contributors. The young outfielder delivered a walk-off hit against San Diego in Game 2 and has already established himself among the franchise’s most productive October performers.

Alongside veterans Christian Yelich and William Contreras, Chourio gives Milwaukee an offensive foundation capable of challenging even the most talented pitching staffs. (MLB.com)

Los Angeles, meanwhile, enters the NLCS pursuing something rarely accomplished in modern baseball: a third consecutive World Series championship.

The Dodgers eliminated the Atlanta Braves in four games during the Division Series, continuing their pursuit of another championship behind one of the most talented rosters in Major League Baseball.

With Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy anchoring the lineup, Los Angeles possesses the offensive firepower to change a game with a single swing.

However, Ohtani’s recent offensive struggles have created an interesting storyline heading into the series. After an unusually quiet performance against Atlanta, the three-time MVP will look to rediscover the production that has made him one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters.

The Dodgers’ starting rotation could prove equally important.

Los Angeles features an imposing group led by Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, providing manager Dave Roberts with several high-level options throughout a potential seven-game series.

Skubal is expected to start Game 1 against Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, setting up an intriguing opening matchup between two powerful arms. (MLB.com)

For Milwaukee, the challenge will be finding ways to generate consistent offense against a Dodgers rotation that has the potential to control an entire series.

The Brewers managed just one run per game during last year’s NLCS sweep, a statistic they will be determined to improve upon this October.

Milwaukee did win the 2026 regular-season series against Los Angeles, taking four of seven meetings, including three victories during an important August series at Dodger Stadium.

That success provides some encouragement for a Brewers team attempting to reach its first World Series since 1982.

The Dodgers, however, have eliminated Milwaukee in each of their previous three postseason meetings, including the 2018 and 2025 NLCS and the 2020 Wild Card Series.

While Los Angeles enters with considerably more recent postseason experience, Milwaukee has assembled a roster capable of competing with baseball’s most accomplished teams.

The Brewers will have the benefit of opening the series at American Family Field, where their ability to generate offensive pressure and capitalize on scoring opportunities could be particularly important.

For Los Angeles, the objective remains unchanged: continue its postseason dominance and move one step closer to establishing one of the most successful championship runs in recent MLB history.

Two Very Different Paths to the World Series

Although all four remaining teams are just four victories away from reaching the World Series, their journeys to this point have been considerably different.

Cleveland enters the ALCS following an exhausting five-game series that required three consecutive elimination victories. Tampa Bay, by comparison, advanced with a commanding sweep and will have the advantage of additional rest.

In the National League, Milwaukee hopes to turn its franchise-record regular season into a long-awaited World Series appearance, while Los Angeles continues its pursuit of a third straight championship.

Both matchups present compelling questions.

Can Cleveland’s pitching staff maintain its historic postseason form against the American League’s top seed? Will Tampa Bay’s rest and regular-season success translate into another series victory?

Can Milwaukee finally overcome the Dodgers after years of postseason frustration? Or will Los Angeles once again demonstrate why it has become the standard for sustained success in the National League?

The answers will begin unfolding Sunday night in Milwaukee, followed by the opening game of the ALCS on Monday in Tampa Bay.

By the time the two series conclude, only two teams will remain in pursuit of baseball’s ultimate prize.

And with the way October has unfolded so far, there is little reason to believe the road to the World Series will be predictable.

SEC Heavyweights Collide as No. 2 Georgia Visits No. 6 Alabama in Battle of Unbeatens

Two of college football’s most recognizable programs will meet Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, where No. 2 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama square off in a matchup that could significantly influence the Southeastern Conference championship race and the College Football Playoff picture.

Both teams enter the contest undefeated at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play, having established themselves among the nation’s strongest teams through the opening five weeks. Georgia arrives with the country’s highest-scoring offense, while Alabama has demonstrated similar firepower behind an emerging young quarterback.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with national television coverage on ABC. (ESPN Game Preview)

Georgia Looks to Continue Dominant Start

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs have made an emphatic statement through their first five games, averaging an impressive 51.4 points per contest while allowing just 13.4 points defensively.

Georgia has been particularly dominant against SEC competition, recording convincing victories over Arkansas, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs have yet to trail in a game this season, illustrating their ability to establish control early and maintain it throughout four quarters.

Senior quarterback Gunner Stockton has been central to that success, completing 75.5% of his passes while throwing 13 touchdowns against just one interception. His efficiency has allowed Georgia to maintain an explosive passing attack without sacrificing the physical running game that has long defined Smart’s program.

Defensively, Georgia enters Saturday allowing just 57.4 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the SEC. That defensive front will face one of its most difficult assignments yet against an Alabama offense averaging nearly 50 points per contest. (University of Georgia Athletics)

Alabama’s Explosive Offense Faces Its Biggest Test

Alabama has been equally impressive offensively, averaging 49.6 points per game and scoring at least 45 points in each of its five victories.

Under head coach Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide have continued to build an offense capable of attacking defenses through the air while maintaining a productive ground game.

Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has emerged as one of the conference’s most intriguing young players. Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s 56-23 victory over Mississippi State last weekend, further demonstrating the arm talent and composure that have helped fuel the Crimson Tide’s undefeated start.

Saturday will present a considerably different challenge.

Georgia’s defensive personnel, particularly in the secondary, have helped limit opposing offenses throughout the season. Alabama will need to protect Russell against a physical Georgia front while creating opportunities for explosive plays downfield.

The Crimson Tide will also benefit from playing in one of college football’s most intimidating environments. Bryant-Denny Stadium has historically been a difficult destination for visiting opponents, and Georgia has experienced those challenges firsthand. (CBS Sports Game Preview)

A Rivalry Defined by Championship Implications

Few matchups have carried greater significance in recent college football history than Georgia and Alabama.

The Crimson Tide hold a 45-27-4 advantage in the all-time series, including a 9-2 record against Georgia in Tuscaloosa. Under Smart, the Bulldogs are just 2-7 against Alabama, despite having captured two national championships during his tenure.

Their recent meetings have produced some of the sport’s most memorable moments.

In 2024, Alabama survived a remarkable Georgia comeback in Tuscaloosa, winning 41-34 after the Bulldogs briefly took the lead late in the fourth quarter.

The programs split their two meetings in 2025. Alabama claimed a 24-21 regular-season victory in Athens before Georgia responded with a convincing 28-7 win in the SEC Championship Game.

That conference championship victory gave Georgia another major accomplishment under Smart, but winning a regular-season game in Tuscaloosa remains an unfinished objective. The Bulldogs have not accomplished that feat since 2007.

Saturday offers another opportunity to change that history. (University of Georgia Athletics)

Hurricane Isaias Adds Uncertainty to Saturday’s Showdown

Beyond the matchup itself, both programs have been monitoring Hurricane Isaias as the storm approaches the Gulf Coast.

Concerns surrounding heavy rainfall, strong winds and potential flooding have prompted adjustments to several game-day activities in Tuscaloosa.

ESPN’s College GameDay has moved its broadcast indoors, while Alabama has implemented restrictions on campus tailgating because of the potential weather conditions.

Despite those concerns, the game remains scheduled for Saturday evening, with officials continuing to monitor developments.

Wet conditions could also become an important factor on the field, potentially influencing ball security, offensive play-calling and the effectiveness of both passing attacks. (Associated Press)

A Potential Turning Point in the SEC Championship Race

Although both teams remain well-positioned for postseason consideration, Saturday’s outcome could provide a substantial advantage in the conference standings.

Georgia enters with the more statistically dominant defense, while Alabama possesses the offensive explosiveness and home-field advantage necessary to challenge the Bulldogs.

The matchup between Stockton and Russell will draw considerable attention, but the battle along the line of scrimmage could ultimately determine the outcome. Georgia’s ability to limit Alabama’s rushing attack and pressure Russell will be crucial, particularly if weather conditions make passing more difficult.

For Alabama, protecting its quarterback and preventing Georgia from controlling possession will be equally important.

A victory for either program would strengthen its national championship credentials and provide an important head-to-head advantage in an increasingly competitive SEC race.

Georgia has spent the opening five weeks demonstrating why it belongs among the nation’s elite. Alabama has done much the same, continuing to establish itself as a championship contender under DeBoer.

On Saturday night, those impressive starts will finally be tested against one another.

With two undefeated teams, national championship expectations and years of rivalry history surrounding the matchup, Tuscaloosa will once again host one of college football’s defining regular-season contests. (Roll Bama Roll – Game Preview)

Remembering the Legendary Mike Ditka: The Heart of Chicago Football

Few figures in NFL history have left their mark on the game quite like Mike Ditka. From his groundbreaking years as a tight end to his fiery leadership on the sidelines, Ditka built a football legacy defined by toughness, competitiveness, and an unmistakable personality.

Best remembered for leading the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX, Ditka’s influence extends well beyond one championship season. His playing career helped transform the tight end position into a legitimate offensive weapon, while his coaching career produced one of the most recognizable and dominant teams in NFL history.

For generations of football fans, particularly those in Chicago, Ditka became more than a successful player and coach. He became a symbol of the city’s football identity. (Chicago Bears)

From Pennsylvania Roots to College Football Stardom

Born October 18, 1939, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Michael Keller Ditka grew up in the blue-collar environment of western Pennsylvania, where football was deeply embedded in the local culture.

Ditka attended Aliquippa High School before continuing his football career at the University of Pittsburgh. Playing for the Panthers from 1958 through 1960, he developed a reputation as a physical, versatile player who could contribute both as a receiver and a blocker.

At a time when tight ends were primarily expected to serve as additional offensive linemen, Ditka demonstrated that the position could offer considerably more.

His outstanding college career earned him consensus All-American recognition in 1960, establishing him as one of the nation’s premier prospects. Decades later, his accomplishments would be recognized with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Revolutionizing the Tight End Position in Chicago

The Chicago Bears selected Ditka with the fifth overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, beginning a professional playing career that would ultimately span 12 seasons.

His impact was immediate.

During his rookie season, Ditka caught 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns, extraordinary production for a tight end in an era dominated by rushing attacks. His performance earned him NFL Rookie of the Year honors and helped establish a new standard for the position. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Ditka combined the physicality of a traditional tight end with the receiving ability of a wideout, forcing opposing defenses to account for him in ways they rarely had before.

His success continued throughout the early 1960s. Ditka earned five consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1961 through 1965 and received first-team All-Pro recognition twice.

In 1963, he helped Chicago capture the NFL championship under legendary head coach George Halas. The Bears defeated the New York Giants 14-10, giving Ditka his first professional championship. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Ditka remained with Chicago through the 1966 season before spending two years with the Philadelphia Eagles. He then joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969, where he would add another championship to his résumé.

As a member of the Cowboys, Ditka helped Dallas defeat the Miami Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl VI. He caught a touchdown pass in the victory, becoming a champion once again before retiring following the 1972 season.

By the end of his playing career, Ditka had accumulated 427 receptions, 5,812 receiving yards, and 43 touchdowns.

His contributions were formally recognized in 1988 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the first player inducted primarily for his accomplishments as a tight end. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Learning the Coaching Profession Under Tom Landry

Following his retirement as a player, Ditka immediately transitioned into coaching, joining the Dallas Cowboys staff under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry in 1973.

The move gave Ditka an opportunity to study the game from an entirely different perspective. Landry was widely respected for his disciplined approach, preparation, and innovative football strategies, providing an invaluable learning environment for the former tight end.

Ditka spent nine seasons with Dallas as an assistant, working with receivers and special teams while helping the Cowboys remain among the NFL’s premier organizations.

During his tenure, Dallas made three Super Bowl appearances and defeated the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII following the 1977 season.

That championship gave Ditka another Super Bowl ring, this time as an assistant coach.

His years in Dallas helped shape the demanding coaching philosophy that would eventually become his trademark. While Landry was known for his measured demeanor, Ditka brought considerably more emotion to the sidelines. Nevertheless, both men shared an uncompromising expectation of preparation, discipline, and winning.

By the early 1980s, Ditka was ready for an opportunity to lead his own team. (NFL.com)

Returning to Chicago: Building a Championship Culture

In 1982, Ditka returned to the organization where his professional career began, accepting the head coaching position with the Chicago Bears.

The franchise had struggled to recapture the success it experienced under George Halas, having gone nearly two decades without another NFL championship.

Ditka inherited a roster featuring several talented players, including legendary running back Walter Payton, but Chicago lacked the consistency necessary to compete with the league’s elite.

His arrival brought an immediate change in expectations.

Ditka demanded physical football, accountability, and a relentless commitment to winning. His confrontational coaching style was not universally embraced, but it quickly became part of the team’s identity.

After finishing 3-6 during the strike-shortened 1982 season, Chicago gradually developed into a serious contender.

By 1984, the Bears had captured the NFC Central division title and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, where they fell to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers.

Although Chicago’s season ended one victory short of the Super Bowl, the foundation had been established for something considerably greater. (Chicago Bears)

The 1985 Chicago Bears: One of Football’s Greatest Teams

The defining achievement of Ditka’s coaching career came during the 1985 NFL season.

Under his leadership, Chicago assembled one of the most dominant teams professional football had ever witnessed.

The Bears finished the regular season with a remarkable 15-1 record, combining a punishing rushing attack with a historically dominant defense coordinated by Buddy Ryan.

Led offensively by Walter Payton and quarterback Jim McMahon, Chicago featured a physical, aggressive approach that perfectly reflected its head coach.

Defensively, the Bears possessed an extraordinary collection of talent, including Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, and William “Refrigerator” Perry.

Ryan’s famous 46 defense overwhelmed opposing offenses through relentless pressure, producing one of the most intimidating defensive units in league history. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

Chicago’s only regular-season loss came against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins in a 38-24 Monday Night Football defeat.

Outside of that setback, few opponents could match the Bears’ physicality or talent.

The postseason proved even more impressive.

Chicago opened its playoff run with a 21-0 shutout of the New York Giants before defeating the Los Angeles Rams 24-0 in the NFC Championship Game.

The Bears then completed their championship campaign with a commanding 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.

The 36-point margin of victory was the largest in Super Bowl history at the time, cementing Chicago’s place among the greatest single-season teams the NFL had ever produced. (NFL.com)

Ditka earned NFL Coach of the Year honors for his leadership, while the 1985 Bears became a cultural phenomenon whose popularity extended far beyond football.

The team’s personalities, celebrations, and famous “Super Bowl Shuffle” helped create an identity that remains recognizable more than four decades later.

For Ditka, the championship represented the culmination of everything he had worked toward since returning to Chicago.

He had now won championships with the Bears as both a player and head coach. (Chicago Bears)

Sustaining Success and His Final Years in Chicago

Although the Bears never returned to the Super Bowl under Ditka, the franchise remained among the NFC’s strongest teams throughout much of the late 1980s.

Chicago captured five consecutive NFC Central titles from 1984 through 1988, a remarkable stretch that demonstrated the program’s consistency beyond its historic championship season.

Ditka’s leadership helped maintain a winning culture despite injuries, roster changes, and the challenges of remaining competitive in an increasingly demanding conference.

In 1988, he faced a serious personal health scare when he suffered a heart attack during the season.

Despite the setback, Ditka returned to the sidelines remarkably quickly and helped guide Chicago to a 12-4 record and another NFC Championship Game appearance.

His efforts earned him a second NFL Coach of the Year award.

However, the Bears gradually began to decline in the early 1990s. After consecutive losing seasons in 1992, Chicago parted ways with Ditka.

He finished his 11-season tenure with the Bears with a 106-62 regular-season record, along with six division championships and seven playoff appearances.

His departure marked the conclusion of one of the most successful coaching periods in franchise history. (Pro Football Reference)

A Final Coaching Opportunity in New Orleans

After several years away from coaching, Ditka returned to the NFL in 1997 when he became head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

The move represented an opportunity to rebuild a franchise that had struggled to establish consistent success.

However, Ditka’s tenure in New Orleans proved considerably more difficult than his years in Chicago.

The Saints finished 6-10 in each of his first two seasons before falling to 3-13 in 1999.

One of the most memorable decisions of his New Orleans tenure came during the 1999 NFL Draft, when the Saints traded their entire collection of picks that year, along with additional selections, to Washington to acquire running back Ricky Williams.

The aggressive move generated national attention but ultimately failed to produce the immediate turnaround Ditka envisioned.

Following the 1999 season, New Orleans dismissed him, bringing his NFL head coaching career to an end.

Across 14 seasons with Chicago and New Orleans, Ditka compiled a 121-95 regular-season record.

While his final coaching chapter lacked the success of his earlier years, it did little to diminish the significance of his accomplishments in Chicago. (Pro Football Reference)

Beyond Football: The Personality Behind “Iron Mike”

Ditka’s influence extended well beyond the football field.

His trademark mustache, dark sunglasses, intense expressions, and outspoken personality made him one of the NFL’s most recognizable public figures.

Affectionately known as “Iron Mike” and “Da Coach,” he became a symbol of Chicago sports culture, with his personality inspiring the famous “Da Bears” sketches on Saturday Night Live.

Following his coaching career, Ditka remained involved with professional football through broadcasting, working as an analyst for major networks, including ESPN.

He also pursued business ventures, including restaurants and branded merchandise, while making appearances in television shows, commercials, and films.

Beyond his public persona, Ditka advocated for improved health care and pension benefits for retired NFL players, particularly those from earlier generations who faced financial and medical difficulties after leaving football.

His outspoken nature occasionally generated controversy, but it also contributed to the authenticity that made him such a memorable figure.

Whether celebrating a victory, criticizing a poor performance, or discussing the state of professional football, Ditka rarely left anyone wondering where he stood. (Reuters)

Remembering Mike Ditka: A Legacy That Transcends Generations

On October 9, 2026, the football world lost one of its most influential personalities when Mike Ditka died at the age of 86, just nine days before his 87th birthday.

His family confirmed his passing in a statement remembering him not only as a Hall of Fame player and championship-winning coach, but as a husband, father, grandfather, and friend. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. (Reuters)

Ditka’s career remains remarkable for its accomplishments across multiple generations of professional football.

As a player, he helped redefine the tight end position, demonstrating that physical blocking and elite receiving production could coexist in the same offensive role.

As an assistant coach, he contributed to the success of Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys.

As a head coach, he guided the Chicago Bears to one of the most dominant championships in NFL history.

He also achieved the rare distinction of winning Super Bowls as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, an accomplishment shared with fellow Hall of Famer Tom Flores. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

His honors include induction into both the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, five Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro selections, and two NFL Coach of the Year awards.

Yet statistics and championships alone cannot fully explain Ditka’s place in football history.

His greatest contribution may have been the identity he helped establish, particularly in Chicago, where toughness, accountability, and pride became inseparable from the Bears teams he represented.

More than 40 years after the 1985 championship, Chicago fans still celebrate that team as the standard against which every subsequent Bears roster is measured.

And at the center of those memories stands Ditka, a man whose passion for football helped turn an extraordinary championship season into an enduring piece of American sports culture.

Mike Ditka’s legacy will not be remembered solely through the championships he won, but through the generations of players, coaches, and fans who came to associate his name with the very essence of Chicago Bears football.

A New Home, a New LaMelo? Ball Gets Fresh Start Alongside Anthony Edwards in Minnesota

For most of his NBA career, LaMelo Ball has been defined by possibility.

The passes nobody else sees. The deep 3-pointers taken without hesitation. The creativity in transition that can turn an ordinary possession into a highlight in seconds.

Now, with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ball finally has something he rarely had during his six seasons in Charlotte: a legitimate championship-caliber roster around him.

Minnesota acquired Ball and Josh Green from the Charlotte Hornets over the summer in a blockbuster deal centered around Naz Reid and a collection of future draft capital. Ball arrives after averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds across 72 games last season, giving Minnesota a true playmaking point guard to pair with Anthony Edwards. (NBA.com)

The talent has never been the question with Ball. What Minnesota may discover is whether a different environment can produce the most complete version of him yet.

Ball and Edwards Could Unlock Each Other

Edwards has developed into the unquestioned centerpiece of the Timberwolves, but much of Minnesota’s offense in recent seasons has still required him to create difficult opportunities for himself.

Ball changes that dynamic.

Few guards in basketball are as comfortable throwing ahead in transition, manipulating defenders or delivering passes from unconventional angles. His presence should allow Edwards to spend more possessions attacking defenses that are already moving instead of constantly being responsible for initiating the offense himself.

That could mean more cuts, transition opportunities and catch-and-shoot looks for Edwards — and fewer possessions in which Minnesota simply asks him to beat a set defense one-on-one.

Head coach Chris Finch has already discussed the possibility of Minnesota playing faster and becoming a better passing team with Ball running the offense. (NBC Sports)

There were already flashes of it during Minnesota’s preseason opener against Milwaukee on Monday. Ball’s ability to penetrate and create helped generate cleaner opportunities for Edwards, including an early drive-and-kick that produced an open Edwards 3-pointer. Minnesota ultimately won 116-97, offering its first glimpse of what the revamped offense could become. (Star Tribune)

And the partnership should work both ways.

Ball spent years as the primary focus of opposing defenses in Charlotte. In Minnesota, defenses cannot simply load up against him knowing Edwards is waiting on the other side.

That freedom could be just as important for Ball as it is for Edwards.

A Different Stage of LaMelo’s Career

This season could also represent an important transition for Ball individually.

He is no longer the 19-year-old prospect who entered the league with enormous expectations in 2020. Ball is 25 years old, entering his seventh NBA season and joining an organization with expectations extending well beyond simply reaching the playoffs.

There will still be room for the creativity that makes him special. Minnesota shouldn’t want to eliminate that.

The challenge will be finding the balance between creativity and control.

Ball’s best basketball doesn’t necessarily require the spectacular pass or 30-foot 3-pointer every trip down the floor. Playing alongside Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and an experienced Minnesota rotation means Ball can afford to pick his spots more carefully.

Sometimes the simple pass will be enough.

Sometimes Edwards should control the possession.

Sometimes Ball’s biggest contribution will come from pushing the tempo, organizing the offense and getting Minnesota into the right action.

That may ultimately be where the next evolution of his game occurs.

Finch recently compared some elements of Ball’s basketball intelligence and creativity to Rajon Rondo, emphasizing the importance of giving instinctive playmakers freedom while still coaching them toward better decisions. (Yahoo Sports)

For Ball, Minnesota provides an opportunity to prove that his game can be both entertaining and winning.

Minnesota Has the Pieces to Help Him

There is another major difference between Ball’s situation in Charlotte and the one awaiting him in Minnesota: he doesn’t have to carry everything.

Edwards is the franchise player. Gobert provides an established defensive anchor. McDaniels gives Minnesota one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, while players such as Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu and Jonathan Kuminga give Finch additional options around his stars.

That structure could benefit Ball tremendously.

His defensive consistency and decision-making have been questioned throughout his career. Minnesota has enough defensive talent around him to ease some of that burden, but competing deep into the Western Conference will also demand greater attention to detail from Ball himself.

There have already been encouraging signs. Ball said at Minnesota’s media day that he spent the summer working on both sides of the ball, while reports around the team have noted his consistent presence in the practice facility since arriving. (SI)

None of that guarantees a transformation.

But this is a different opportunity.

The Most Important Season of Ball’s Career

LaMelo Ball doesn’t need to stop being LaMelo Ball for this experiment to work.

Minnesota traded for him because of the creativity, confidence and unpredictability that made him an All-Star in Charlotte. Taking those qualities away would defeat the purpose.

Instead, the Timberwolves need a refined version of them.

A Ball who knows when to push the pace and when to slow things down. A Ball who can make the highlight-reel pass but is equally comfortable making the routine one. A Ball who understands that on some nights Edwards will take 25 shots while his own biggest responsibility is getting everyone else involved.

That version of LaMelo Ball could be frightening next to Edwards.

At 25, Ball is entering what should be the beginning of his prime. Edwards is already one of basketball’s premier stars. Minnesota has surrounded them with length, defense and enough complementary talent to make another serious run through the Western Conference.

Charlotte gave Ball the freedom to become one of the NBA’s most unique players.

Minnesota now gives him the opportunity to become something more important: a winning one.

If Ball can combine the creativity that has always defined his game with a more polished and mature approach, his move to Minnesota might eventually be remembered as more than a change of scenery.

It could be the move that finally unlocks the best version of LaMelo Ball.

Lane Johnson Retires After 14 Seasons, Leaving Behind an All-Time Eagles Legacy

PHILADELPHIA — Lane Johnson entered the NFL as one of the most unusual offensive line prospects in recent memory. He leaves it as one of the greatest players ever to wear a Philadelphia Eagles uniform.

Johnson announced his retirement Tuesday, bringing an end to a 14-season NFL career spent entirely in Philadelphia. The 36-year-old right tackle steps away as a two-time Super Bowl champion, six-time Pro Bowler and five-time Associated Press All-Pro selection, closing the book on a career that could eventually carry him to Canton. (Philadelphia Eagles)

In his retirement announcement, Johnson explained that although he had wanted to finish out one more season, his priorities had changed. He said focusing on his mental health and spending more time with his family had become more important, adding that he did not want to continue playing without being completely committed to the game. (Reuters)

It is an abrupt ending to a career that was anything but ordinary.

From Small-Town Quarterback to Oklahoma

Long before Johnson became a 6-foot-6, 300-plus-pound NFL offensive tackle, he was playing quarterback at Groveton High School in Groveton, Texas.

Johnson grew up in the small East Texas community and was a multi-sport athlete, competing in football and track. His athleticism was obvious, but his future position was anything but settled. He wasn’t a highly recruited offensive tackle preparing for a straightforward path to the NFL.

In fact, he wasn’t an offensive lineman at all.

Johnson began his college career at Kilgore College, a junior college in East Texas, as a roughly 200-pound quarterback. His time there became an important part of his development, with Johnson later crediting the demanding environment at Kilgore for helping shape the mentality he carried throughout his career. (Inquirer.com)

He eventually transferred to Oklahoma, and that was where his football career began taking a remarkable turn.

Johnson arrived at Oklahoma as a quarterback before moving around the roster. He spent time at tight end and defensive end before eventually transitioning to the offensive line. What initially looked like a player searching for a position instead revealed just how unusual Johnson’s athletic profile really was.

He had the movement skills of a former quarterback in the body of an NFL tackle.

By the end of his Oklahoma career, Johnson had developed into one of the nation’s premier offensive line prospects. Philadelphia saw enough potential to make him the fourth overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. (Philadelphia Eagles)

The Eagles would spend the next 14 seasons finding out just how valuable that decision was.

Becoming a Cornerstone in Philadelphia

Johnson immediately stepped into Philadelphia’s starting lineup as a rookie and developed into a fixture at right tackle.

His combination of size, strength and exceptional movement ability made him different from many players at the position. Johnson could handle powerful edge rushers, but his athleticism also allowed Philadelphia to use him in space in ways most teams couldn’t with a 300-pound offensive lineman.

As the seasons passed, coaches changed, quarterbacks changed and much of the roster around him changed.

Johnson remained.

He ultimately started 171 regular-season games for Philadelphia and 186 games when the postseason is included. (Reuters)

His individual résumé grew alongside the team’s success.

Johnson earned six Pro Bowl selections, making the team in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He was also recognized by the Associated Press as an All-Pro five times, including two First-Team All-Pro selections. Only Hall of Fame tackle Bob Brown earned as many AP All-Pro honors while playing for Philadelphia. (Eagles Media)

But Johnson’s legacy in Philadelphia will be remembered for more than individual awards.

It will be remembered in February.

A Champion Twice Over

Johnson was one of the anchors of the offensive line that helped Philadelphia make its run to Super Bowl LII following the 2017 season.

The Eagles eventually defeated the New England Patriots 41-33, delivering Philadelphia its first Super Bowl championship. Johnson was at the center of an offensive line that helped power one of the most memorable postseason runs in franchise history.

Seven years later, he did it again.

Johnson helped anchor Philadelphia’s dominant offensive line during the 2024 season as Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards. Including the playoffs, Barkley finished with 2,504 rushing yards while Philadelphia accumulated an NFL-record 3,866 combined rushing yards between the regular season and postseason. The Eagles finished the run by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. (Eagles Media)

Johnson retires as one of only three players in Eagles history to be part of multiple Super Bowl-winning teams — and the only offensive lineman in franchise history to accomplish it. He was also part of three NFC championship teams during his career. (Eagles Media)

Those championships bookended one of the most successful stretches the Eagles have ever experienced.

Johnson was there for nearly all of it.

Excellence That Was Easy to Overlook

Offensive tackles rarely accumulate statistics that immediately explain their dominance.

Johnson’s consistency told the story in other ways.

At one point in his career, he went 1,405 consecutive pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack and 961 consecutive snaps without allowing his quarterback to be knocked down. (People)

Even as he moved deeper into his 30s, Johnson continued performing among the NFL’s best tackles. Before stepping away this season, Philadelphia noted that Johnson ranked first among NFL offensive tackles in both pass-blocking grade and pass-block win rate through the opening three weeks. (Philadelphia Eagles)

There was little evidence that his ability had disappeared.

Instead, Johnson decided there were things beyond football that had become more important.

That part of his story matters, too.

Johnson has spoken openly over the years about his experiences with depression and anxiety, including taking time away from football during the 2021 season. His willingness to discuss those struggles publicly made him one of the NFL’s more prominent advocates for mental health awareness. Philadelphia later selected him as its nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. (Inquirer.com)

An Eagle From Beginning to End

There is something increasingly rare about Johnson’s career.

One team.

One city.

Fourteen seasons.

From the moment Philadelphia selected him fourth overall in 2013 until his final snap in 2026, Johnson never wore another NFL uniform.

He blocked for different quarterbacks, running backs and coaches. He played alongside fellow Eagles offensive line greats such as Jason Peters and Jason Kelce and later became the veteran leader younger Philadelphia linemen looked toward.

He helped block for two NFL rushing champions nearly a decade apart — LeSean McCoy in 2013 and Barkley in 2024. (Eagles Media)

More importantly, Johnson was part of the foundation that transformed Philadelphia from a franchise still searching for its first Super Bowl into a two-time champion.

Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie called Johnson an “all-time Eagle” following Tuesday’s announcement and said he believes Johnson will eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Philadelphia Eagles)

That debate will come later.

For now, Philadelphia says goodbye to a player whose journey was improbable from the beginning.

Johnson went from playing quarterback in tiny Groveton, Texas, to junior college football at Kilgore, to changing positions repeatedly at Oklahoma, to becoming the fourth pick in the NFL Draft.

Then he spent the next 14 seasons making sure the Eagles never regretted it.

Two Super Bowl rings, six Pro Bowls, five All-Pro selections and nearly a decade and a half later, Lane Johnson walks away having accomplished something much larger than simply becoming a successful NFL offensive lineman.

He became one of the defining Eagles of his generation.

Portland Reloaded: Ja Morant, Damian Lillard Give Trail Blazers Plenty to Watch

The Portland Trail Blazers have spent the last several seasons searching for what comes next. This year, the answer might finally be sitting in their own backcourt.

Ja Morant is in Portland. Damian Lillard is healthy and ready to play again. And suddenly, a Trail Blazers team that spent years building around youth enters the 2026-27 season with one of the NBA’s most fascinating collections of talent.

Portland is coming off a 42-40 season that ended its four-year playoff drought, but expectations have changed considerably since then. Morant arrived in a summer trade with Memphis, Lillard is returning from the torn Achilles that cost him all of last season, and first-year head coach Micah Nori now has the difficult task of turning an unusually deep roster into a legitimate Western Conference threat. (NBA.com)

A Fresh Start for Ja Morant

There may not be a player in basketball who needed a change of scenery more than Morant.

Portland acquired the two-time All-Star from Memphis in late June, sending Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Grizzlies. Morant arrives after averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in just 20 games last season, with a left elbow injury contributing to another shortened year. (NBA.com)

At 27, however, Morant is still young enough for Portland to believe his best basketball is not necessarily behind him.

When healthy and at his best, few guards place as much pressure on a defense. His first step changes possessions almost immediately. Defenders collapse when he reaches the paint, passing lanes open and Portland suddenly has an explosive downhill creator unlike anyone it had a year ago.

Training camp has already provided a glimpse at how his game could evolve. Morant has talked about receiving more catch-and-shoot opportunities than he was accustomed to in Memphis — something that could become particularly important when he shares the floor with Lillard and Portland’s other ball handlers. (Blazer’s Edge)

This isn’t Memphis anymore. Morant doesn’t necessarily have to carry everything.

And that might be exactly what he needs.

Dame Time Comes Home — For Real This Time

There is also something undeniably fitting about Damian Lillard being part of this.

Lillard requested a trade out of Portland in 2023 after 11 seasons with the franchise, eventually landing in Milwaukee alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. The partnership created championship expectations but never produced the deep postseason run Milwaukee envisioned.

Then came the torn Achilles during the 2025 playoffs.

Lillard eventually returned to the organization that drafted him, signing with Portland in July 2025, but the injury kept him off the court for the entire 2025-26 season. That makes this year different.

This is the actual basketball return.

For the first time since leaving Portland, Lillard is preparing to wear a Trail Blazers uniform in a regular-season game again. Now 36, he returns to a franchise that looks drastically different from the one he left. (NBA.com)

He also doesn’t need to be the same Lillard who once had to manufacture nearly everything for Portland’s offense.

That could work in his favor.

The last time Lillard played, he was still producing at an All-Star level. He averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists for Milwaukee in 2024-25 while shooting 37.6 percent from three. Asking him to immediately reproduce those numbers following an Achilles tear would be ambitious, but Portland doesn’t need to build its entire season around that possibility. (NBA.com)

Instead, Lillard can pick his moments.

And if the Trail Blazers get anything close to the shot-making and late-game confidence that defined his first run in Portland, they suddenly have one of basketball’s most accomplished closers standing next to one of its most explosive guards.

This Team Is More Than Morant and Lillard

The temptation will be to make Portland’s season entirely about its new superstar backcourt.

That would overlook how the Trail Blazers got here.

Deni Avdija emerged as arguably Portland’s most important player last season, increasing his scoring average from 16.9 to 24.2 points per game and finishing third in Most Improved Player voting. Donovan Clingan established himself as a legitimate interior presence, leading the NBA with 4.5 offensive rebounds per game while ranking among the league leaders in rebounding and blocks. (NBA.com)

Toumani Camara gives Portland another defensive weapon on the perimeter. Shaedon Sharpe still provides explosive scoring potential. Scoot Henderson remains part of the organization’s young guard group. Jeremy Sochan adds another versatile forward to the rotation, while Robert Williams III gives Portland additional size and rim protection when available. (NBA.com)

And then there is Jrue Holiday.

With Holiday, Morant, Lillard and Henderson all on the roster, Portland has an almost absurd amount of guard talent. General manager Joe Cronin has acknowledged that several of those players are most comfortable with the basketball in their hands, leaving Nori to determine how the pieces fit together. (NBA.com)

That could become Portland’s greatest strength.

It could also become its biggest puzzle.

Finding the Right Combination

There are only so many possessions to go around.

Morant needs the ball. Lillard has spent his career controlling an offense. Avdija earned a larger playmaking role with his performance last season. Holiday can initiate offense. Henderson needs opportunities to continue developing.

Someone will have to sacrifice.

Nori has indicated that Portland isn’t locking itself into a starting five yet, emphasizing during training camp that the players who finish games could matter considerably more than those who start them. Matchups, defense, shooting and availability could all influence his closing combinations. (Blazer’s Edge)

That’s probably the correct approach.

There will be nights when Portland needs Morant’s speed. Others when it needs Holiday’s defense. There will be possessions that belong to Avdija and, inevitably, moments when the Moda Center crowd knows exactly who should have the basketball.

Lillard has made a career out of those.

The intriguing part is that Portland no longer needs one player to solve every problem.

A Different Kind of Trail Blazers Season

Portland opens its regular season Oct. 21 at home against Phoenix, beginning a year that could reveal whether this roster is simply interesting or legitimately dangerous. (Roundtable.io Network)

There are fair questions.

Can Lillard remain productive at 36 after a torn Achilles? Can Morant rediscover the form that made him one of basketball’s brightest young stars? Can Portland keep enough touches available for Avdija, Sharpe and Henderson? And can Nori establish roles without taking away the qualities that make each of these players effective?

Nobody knows those answers yet.

That’s what makes Portland worth watching.

Three years ago, Lillard’s trade request seemed to officially close one of the most memorable chapters in Trail Blazers history. He left for Milwaukee searching for an opportunity to compete alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo for a championship.

Now he’s back.

But he isn’t returning to rescue the same franchise he left behind.

Morant is here. Avdija has developed into a centerpiece. Clingan anchors the middle. Camara provides defensive toughness. Holiday brings championship experience, and Portland’s young players have grown up considerably while Lillard has been away.

For years, the Trail Blazers were Damian Lillard’s team.

The most interesting question entering 2026-27 isn’t whether they can become his team again.

It’s what Portland can become now that he doesn’t have to do it alone.

Buccaneers’ Nightmare Start Continues as Tampa Bay Falls to 0-4

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the season expecting to contend for the NFC South.

Four weeks later, they are still searching for their first win.

Tampa Bay fell to 0-4 following Sunday’s 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers, continuing a stunning early-season slide for a franchise that had become one of the NFC’s most consistent division contenders over the past several years. It is the Buccaneers’ first 0-4 start since 2013. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Even more frustrating for Tampa Bay is how close it has repeatedly been.

The Buccaneers have been competitive throughout stretches of the season, but mistakes, injuries and an inability to finish games have continued to pile up. Sunday’s loss may have been the clearest example yet.

With Baker Mayfield sidelined by a dislocated right thumb, undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels made his first NFL start against Green Bay. Daniels completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while adding 55 yards with his legs. (Reuters)

It wasn’t a perfect debut, but Daniels gave Tampa Bay an opportunity.

The rookie helped pull the Buccaneers within three when he connected with Kenneth Gainwell for a 10-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay’s defense then did its part, forcing two turnovers in the final nine minutes to repeatedly give the offense a chance to either tie or win the game. (AOL.com)

Neither opportunity turned into points.

After Zyon McCollum recovered a fumble near the Tampa Bay goal line, the Buccaneers couldn’t capitalize. Jacob Parrish later intercepted Jordan Love with just over four minutes remaining, handing Daniels and the offense another opportunity.

Again, Tampa Bay came away empty.

Facing fourth-and-long on its final possession, the Buccaneers elected against attempting a potential 65-yard game-tying field goal. Green Bay brought pressure, Daniels was forced into an incompletion and Tampa Bay’s latest opportunity disappeared with it. (Yahoo Sports)

It has become an uncomfortable theme.

The Buccaneers haven’t necessarily been overwhelmed every week. Against Green Bay, Tampa Bay finished with 275 total yards compared with the Packers’ 283 and possessed the ball for 29:50. Both teams committed two turnovers. The difference was Green Bay making just enough plays when it mattered. (Packers)

Tampa Bay didn’t.

Mayfield’s Injury Makes a Bad Start Worse

An 0-4 record would be concerning under any circumstances.

Trying to recover without the starting quarterback makes the climb considerably steeper.

Mayfield dislocated his right thumb during Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss to Minnesota and is expected to miss at least three games. That leaves Daniels responsible for trying to keep the season alive despite entering the year as an undrafted rookie from Kansas. (NFL)

Daniels showed enough Sunday to give Tampa Bay some optimism. He looked comfortable using his legs and displayed poise late in the game despite playing behind protection that broke down on the Buccaneers’ decisive fourth-down attempt.

But asking a rookie quarterback to rescue an 0-4 team was never supposed to be part of Tampa Bay’s plan.

The Buccaneers entered 2026 hoping to return to the postseason after narrowly missing it last year. Before that, Tampa Bay had won the NFC South in four consecutive seasons from 2021 through 2024. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

That recent success makes the current slide even more jarring.

Pressure Beginning to Build in Tampa

At some point, close losses stop being encouraging.

Tampa Bay has reached that point.

The Buccaneers have now dropped 11 of their last 13 games dating back to last season, turning what initially looked like a difficult stretch into a much larger trend. (Yahoo Sports)

That naturally puts more attention on head coach Todd Bowles.

Following Sunday’s loss, Bowles acknowledged that Tampa Bay can no longer settle for simply being competitive.

“We can’t keep getting close and not winning,” Bowles said after the loss. (Pro Football Network)

He’s right.

The Buccaneers’ defense gave them chances Sunday. Their rookie quarterback kept them within striking distance. Tampa Bay committed only four penalties and avoided many of the self-inflicted mistakes that had hurt it earlier in the season. (Packers)

They still lost.

Now the margin for turning the season around is disappearing quickly.

Tampa Bay heads to Dallas for a Thursday night matchup with the Cowboys in Week 5, giving the Buccaneers only a few days to regroup before another nationally televised game. (NFL)

There is plenty of football remaining, but 0-4 changes the conversation.

The Buccaneers are no longer simply trying to correct a slow start. They are trying to prevent a season that began with playoff expectations from slipping away before it ever really gets going.

Giants Sit Atop NFC East for First Time in 11 Years as Harbaugh’s Impact Takes Hold

For most of the past decade, October has arrived with the New York Giants already searching for answers.

This year, they’re looking down at the rest of the NFC East.

Following Sunday’s 36-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the Giants improved to 3-1 and moved into sole possession of first place in the division. With Philadelphia falling to 2-2 against Los Angeles, New York stands alone atop the NFC East for the first time since Week 11 of the 2015 season.

Eleven years of coaching changes, quarterback questions, losing seasons and rebuilds separate those two moments.

John Harbaugh needed four games to get them back there.

Harbaugh Has Changed the Feeling in New York

The Giants hired Harbaugh because they needed more than a new playbook. They needed stability.

After 18 seasons in Baltimore, a Super Bowl championship, six AFC North titles and 12 playoff appearances, Harbaugh arrived in New York with something the organization had struggled to establish consistently for years: a proven standard.

Four games into his tenure, that influence is already showing.

The Giants aren’t 3-1 because they’ve played perfect football. Sunday’s victory was probably the clearest example.

New York fell behind Arizona 14-3 in the first quarter. Jameis Winston threw two interceptions. The Cardinals regained the lead in the third quarter, and Arizona still had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds.

Yet the Giants kept finding answers.

Winston overcame his mistakes to throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Malik Nabers broke through with six catches for 112 yards. Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada connected on all three of his field-goal attempts, including kicks from 50 and 52 yards. (Reuters)

Then, with Arizona facing fourth-and-goal and one final opportunity, Deonte Banks jumped Jacoby Brissett’s pass and took it 98 yards the other way for a game-ending pick-six.

It wasn’t clean.

It didn’t need to be.

Harbaugh described it afterward as the type of game winning teams find a way to finish. That mentality might be the biggest difference between these Giants and many of the teams that came before them. (Yahoo Sports)

Winning Despite Losing Dart

Perhaps nothing better demonstrates Harbaugh’s early impact than how New York has responded to adversity.

The Giants lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, the type of blow that could easily derail a young team’s season.

Instead, New York has won twice since.

Winston has stepped into the starting role, and the Giants have continued to find ways to survive. New York has now needed a late defensive interception to secure victories in consecutive weeks, with Jevón Holland making the decisive play in Week 3 before Banks delivered Sunday’s dramatic finish. (New York Giants)

That’s where Harbaugh’s influence becomes difficult to ignore.

New York isn’t dependent on one player carrying the roster. Different parts of the team have been responsible for different victories.

The defense has delivered late stops. Special teams have become a legitimate strength. Young players are contributing immediately. And when something goes wrong, this team has shown an ability to move onto the next play instead of allowing one mistake to become several.

Harbaugh has even reinforced that mentality away from Sundays. Last week, he distributed “1-0” shirts throughout the organization — a simple message designed to keep the Giants focused on winning the week directly in front of them rather than looking too far ahead. (Yahoo Sports)

So far, it’s working.

MetLife Has Become an Advantage Again

Another early change has come at home.

The Giants are 3-0 at MetLife Stadium, their first 3-0 home start since 2008. Harbaugh is only the sixth head coach in franchise history to win his first three home games. (New York Giants)

That matters for an organization trying to reconnect with its identity.

New York opened the Harbaugh era by beating Dallas 28-20. Two more home victories have followed, and Sunday’s win came while the franchise celebrated the 40th anniversary of its 1986 Super Bowl championship team.

There is still an enormous amount of football left to play.

The Eagles aren’t going away. Dallas remains in the picture. New York has imperfections, and losing Dart significantly changes what this offense can become over the course of a full season.

Harbaugh understands that better than anyone.

When asked about taking first place, he wasn’t interested in treating four games like an accomplishment. His message was about the opportunity New York has created for itself — get the lead, then extend it.

That’s the mentality of a coach who has spent most of his career expecting to play meaningful football in December and January.

The Giants haven’t been able to say that often enough over the past decade.

For the first time in 11 years, however, they’re alone in first place.

And only four games into the John Harbaugh era, it no longer feels accidental.

76ers Offer Encouraging First Look at New-Look Roster in Public Scrimmage

The Philadelphia 76ers are still weeks away from finding out exactly what their rebuilt roster can become, but Saturday’s Blue x White Scrimmage offered an intriguing first look.

Nearly 10,000 fans packed Xfinity Mobile Arena to see a starting group of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid share the floor publicly for the first time. The result was only an intrasquad scrimmage, but there were several encouraging signs for a team carrying championship expectations. (NBA.com)

Perhaps the most important was Embiid.

After years of knee issues and questions surrounding his availability, the former MVP looked noticeably more mobile. Embiid attacked the rim, stepped outside for a three and showed greater activity defensively, including defending higher in pick-and-roll situations than Philadelphia has typically asked of him in recent seasons.

More importantly, team president Mike Gansey said Embiid has participated in every practice and drill during training camp without restrictions. James, who played alongside Embiid during the 2024 Olympics, said the center looks considerably healthier than he did two years ago. (Allphly)

Then there was James.

At 41 years old, Philadelphia’s biggest offseason addition hardly looked like a player interested in easing into his new surroundings. James threw down multiple dunks, connected from outside and flashed his passing ability while helping push an offense that appears determined to play with more pace and movement. (NBA.com)

The most interesting takeaway, however, may have been how naturally Philadelphia’s pieces seemed to complement each other.

The Sixers moved the basketball quickly rather than simply alternating isolation possessions between their stars. Maxey’s speed remained a weapon in transition, Brown attacked mismatches, Edgecombe consistently moved without the ball and Embiid operated as both a scorer and facilitator. (PhillyVoice)

Edgecombe could become particularly dangerous in that environment. With defenses forced to account for Embiid, James, Brown and Maxey, the 21-year-old should have plenty of opportunities to attack gaps rather than create everything himself. His athleticism was on full display Saturday, including several emphatic finishes around the rim. (SI)

Rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. was another player who helped himself. Philon showed patience with the ball and competed defensively against Philadelphia’s veteran stars, continuing an impressive start to training camp. Ariel Hukporti also made a case for minutes at backup center with Adem Bona sidelined by a foot sprain. (SI)

Of course, a public scrimmage in early October cannot answer the biggest questions facing Philadelphia. The Sixers still need to prove this group can stay healthy, establish roles and maintain the same chemistry once games begin to count.

But Saturday provided something Philadelphia has not always had entering recent seasons: a healthy Embiid, an unusually deep collection of star talent and genuine excitement about how all of the pieces might fit together.

For one afternoon, at least, the possibilities were difficult to ignore.

Jeremiah Smith Takes Over Ohio State Record Book With Historic Day at Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Jeremiah Smith now stands above all Ohio State’s finest in the three biggest receiving categories in program history.

Smith became Ohio State’s all-time leader in career receiving touchdowns Saturday, catching two scores in the Buckeyes’ 31-14 victory over No. 14 Iowa. The junior finished with 11 receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns, adding another historic afternoon to a career that has moved through the Ohio State record book at a remarkable pace. (Ohio State)

His first touchdown, a 12-yard reception just before halftime, tied Chris Olave’s previous school record of 35 career touchdown catches. Smith did not have to wait long to take the record for himself.

With 6:11 remaining in the third quarter, Julian Sayin found Smith downfield for a 57-yard touchdown. Smith crossed the goal line for the 36th receiving touchdown of his Ohio State career, officially moving past Olave and into first place. (Ohio State)

And that was not the only record Smith took Saturday.

Later in the game, Smith passed Emeka Egbuka for the most career receptions in Ohio State history. He left Kinnick Stadium with 207 career catches, surpassing Egbuka’s previous mark of 205. Smith accomplished it in just his 34th game as a Buckeye. (Ohio State)

The performance completed what amounts to Ohio State’s receiving Triple Crown.

Smith now owns the school records for career receptions (207), career receiving yards (3,381) and career receiving touchdowns (36). He had already broken Michael Jenkins’ career receiving-yardage record earlier this season against Kent State and is the first Ohio State receiver to surpass 3,000 career receiving yards. (Ohio State)

Smith’s Ohio State Record Book

Through 34 career games, Smith owns or shares several significant program marks:

• Career receiving yards — 3,381: No. 1 in Ohio State history, surpassing Michael Jenkins’ previous record of 2,898.

• Career receptions — 207: No. 1 in program history, passing Emeka Egbuka’s 205.

• Career receiving touchdowns — 36: No. 1 in program history, passing Chris Olave’s 35.

• Career 100-yard receiving games — 15: Tied with Marvin Harrison Jr. for the most in Ohio State history.

• Multiple career 200-yard receiving games: Smith joined Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the only Buckeyes to record multiple 200-yard receiving performances.

• Four 150-yard receiving games in 2026: Already tied the Ohio State single-season record previously set by David Boston in 1998. (Ohio State)

The numbers become even more striking considering how quickly Smith has accumulated them. He arrived at Ohio State in 2024 as one of the most highly regarded receiver prospects in recent memory and immediately became one of the centerpieces of the Buckeyes’ offense. Less than three full seasons later, there is no Ohio State receiver ahead of him in catches, yards or touchdowns.

And the next records are no longer confined to Columbus.

Smith’s 36 touchdown receptions leave him three behind Michigan’s Braylon Edwards, whose 39 remain the Big Ten career record. His 3,381 receiving yards also have him moving rapidly toward Purdue’s John Standeford, who holds the conference record with 3,788. (Ohio State)

For a program with perhaps the deepest collection of receiving talent in college football history, becoming Ohio State’s statistical leader in one category would be an accomplishment.

Smith now owns all three.

And his junior season is not finished yet.

Divisional Series Opens With Four Game 1 Matchups

The MLB Divisional Series opened Saturday with all eight remaining teams in action as the postseason moved into the best-of-five round.

The Chicago White Sox opened the ALDS with a 3-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, using strong pitching and timely power to take a 1-0 series lead.

Munetaka Murakami broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the fourth inning after Cleveland had twice failed to capitalize with the bases loaded. Colson Montgomery added an RBI double in the seventh. Five Chicago pitchers combined to hold the Guardians to three hits while striking out 12.

In the other American League matchup, the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 1-0 behind a dominant performance from Drew Rasmussen.

Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, finishing with eight scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts. Jonathan Aranda provided the game’s only run with a solo homer off Gerrit Cole in the third. Austin Wells broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out double in the eighth but was thrown out attempting to reach third.

In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-3 behind three home runs and six strong innings from Tarik Skubal.

Teoscar Hernández opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth before Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy went deep later in the game. Skubal allowed one run on two hits while striking out seven as Los Angeles took a 1-0 series advantage.

The Milwaukee Brewers completed Saturday’s schedule with a 3-2 comeback victory over the San Diego Padres.

San Diego jumped ahead 2-0 in the second inning before Jackson Chourio tied the game with a two-run homer in the third. William Contreras provided the deciding run with a solo home run in the seventh, and Milwaukee’s bullpen protected the one-run lead the rest of the way.

Following Saturday’s action, the White Sox, Rays, Dodgers and Brewers each hold 1-0 leads in their respective Division Series as the MLB postseason moves deeper into October.

No. 5 Ohio State Heads Back to Kinnick With 2017 Upset Still Looming

Ohio State is heading back to Kinnick Stadium, and for Buckeye fans, it is difficult to make the trip without remembering what happened the last time.

No. 5 Ohio State travels to Iowa City on Saturday for a Top-15 Big Ten matchup against No. 14 Iowa. It will mark the Buckeyes’ first game at Kinnick Stadium since Nov. 4, 2017, when an unranked Iowa team stunned Ohio State 55-24 in one of the biggest upsets of that college football season. (The Daily Iowan)

Nine years later, the circumstances are different, but Kinnick once again presents a difficult road test for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes enter Saturday at 3-1 and 1-0 in Big Ten play. Their lone defeat came in a 24-23 road loss to Texas, while Ohio State’s offense is coming off an impressive performance against Illinois. Star receiver Jeremiah Smith caught 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns in the 42-19 victory, becoming the first Buckeye to surpass 3,000 career receiving yards. (Sports Illustrated)

Smith will now face one of the country’s stingiest defenses.

Iowa enters the weekend 4-0 for the first time since 2021 and leads the nation in scoring defense at just 8.0 points allowed per game. The Hawkeyes have already recorded two shutouts and have surrendered only three touchdowns through their first four games. (Ohio State)

The Hawkeyes are also coming off their biggest victory of the season.

Iowa went into Ann Arbor last weekend and defeated then-No. 18 Michigan 20-19 on the final play of the game. Quarterback Hank Brown led a late 91-yard drive before connecting with Reece Vander Zee for a 16-yard touchdown as time expired. Brown has yet to turn the ball over through Iowa’s first four games. (Ohio State)

That victory pushed Iowa to No. 14 in the AP poll and set up one of the biggest games Kinnick Stadium has hosted in years.

ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Iowa City for the first time in 20 years, broadcasting from the Pentacrest Saturday morning. The Ohio State-Iowa matchup is also the first time since 2006 that both programs have been ranked inside the AP Top 15 when facing one another. (ESPN Press Room)

Then there is the history.

Ohio State entered Kinnick Stadium in 2017 ranked No. 6 in the AP poll and still firmly in the national championship picture. Iowa turned the afternoon into a rout, intercepting J.T. Barrett four times and handing the Buckeyes a stunning 31-point defeat. The loss ultimately played a major role in keeping Ohio State out of the College Football Playoff despite winning the Big Ten championship later that season. (The Daily Iowan)

Current Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was the Buckeyes’ co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the time. He has since described the defeat as a memory that has stuck with him. (Sports Illustrated)

Saturday isn’t 2017, and the names on both sidelines have largely changed. But the ingredients for another memorable afternoon in Iowa City are there.

An undefeated Iowa team is coming home after a dramatic road victory. The nation’s top scoring defense awaits one of college football’s most talented offenses. College GameDay is back in town, Kinnick is sold out, and Ohio State arrives carrying both playoff aspirations and the memory of what happened during its last visit.

Kickoff between No. 5 Ohio State and No. 14 Iowa is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS. (Hawkeyes Athletics)

MLB Division Series Matchups Officially Set as October Field Narrows to Eight

The Wild Card round is complete, and Major League Baseball’s final eight teams are officially set.

The 2026 Division Series begins Saturday, with four best-of-five matchups determining who moves one step closer to the World Series. The field features division rivals, recent champions and several clubs carrying momentum out of the Wild Card round. (MLB.com)

ALDS: Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox

The AL Central rivalry moves to October after Cleveland narrowly captured the division over Chicago. The White Sox actually won the regular-season series 7-6, with the teams separated by just one run across their 13 meetings. Chicago enters after sweeping Houston in the Wild Card Series, while Cleveland earned a first-round bye as the AL’s No. 2 seed. (MLB.com)

ALDS: Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees

Two AL East rivals will meet with a trip to the ALCS on the line. Tampa Bay earned the American League’s No. 1 seed, while New York made quick work of Boston with a two-game Wild Card sweep. The Yankees’ pitching was dominant in that series, but they now face a Rays club that finished 98-64 and earned home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. (MLB.com)

NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres

Baseball’s top regular-season team meets one of the hottest clubs entering October. Milwaukee finished with a franchise-record 103 victories, but San Diego won four of six against the Brewers during the regular season. The Padres also swept Milwaukee during a three-game August series and now enter the NLDS fresh off a Wild Card sweep of the Cubs. (MLB.com)

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

The defending back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers begin their title defense against Atlanta. Los Angeles earned the NL’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, while the Braves had to survive a three-game Wild Card battle against Philadelphia to advance. Now, two familiar National League powers meet again with a spot in the NLCS at stake. (SI)

All four series begin Saturday, Oct. 3, as the postseason field officially shrinks to eight and the road to the 2026 World Series enters its next stage. (MLB.com)

Browns Host Steelers in AFC North Showdown for First Place

The Browns and Steelers rarely need much help making a game feel important. Throw first place in the AFC North into the equation, and Thursday night in Cleveland suddenly feels much bigger than a typical Week 4 matchup.

Cleveland welcomes Pittsburgh to Huntington Bank Field tonight for Thursday Night Football, with both teams entering at 2-1. In fact, all four teams in the AFC North enter Week 4 with identical 2-1 records. Pittsburgh currently owns the top spot after its divisional win over Cincinnati, but the winner tonight will emerge from Thursday night alone atop the division. (NFL)

For the Browns, it is an opportunity to show that their turnaround over the past two weeks has some staying power.

Cleveland has responded to its season-opening loss with consecutive victories over Tampa Bay and Carolina, including a 21-18 win over the Panthers last week. Deshaun Watson hasn’t put up overwhelming numbers, but he has been much more composed when the Browns have needed him most. He has led game-winning drives in the fourth quarter in each of the past two weeks and has thrown four touchdowns without an interception over that stretch. (Cleveland)

Tonight presents a considerably different challenge.

Pittsburgh comes to Cleveland after a 30-27 victory over Cincinnati in which the Steelers produced more than 400 yards of offense. Aaron Rodgers has given Pittsburgh an experienced presence at quarterback, while Jaylen Warren is coming off a 127-yard rushing performance against the Bengals. (Baltimore Beatdown)

That puts plenty of responsibility on Cleveland’s defensive front.

The Browns need to make Rodgers uncomfortable without allowing Pittsburgh to establish the running game early. Cleveland has already shown an ability to generate pressure this season, and making a 42-year-old Rodgers consistently move inside and outside the pocket could become one of the defining battles of the night.

On the other side, Cleveland’s offensive line may be the matchup to watch.

The Browns will be without starting offensive linemen Elgton Jenkins and Teven Jenkins, creating an obvious concern against a Pittsburgh defense built to pressure quarterbacks. Watson has also had his share of problems against the Steelers throughout his career, losing all three of his previous starts against Pittsburgh while taking 18 sacks. (Cleveland)

Keeping him upright will be critical.

Cleveland doesn’t necessarily need Watson to throw for 300 yards. It needs the version of him that has emerged over the past two weeks — protecting the football, extending drives and delivering when opportunities arrive late in games. If the Browns can also establish Quinshon Judkins and avoid obvious passing situations, they can prevent Pittsburgh’s pass rush from dictating the night.

There is also something about this rivalry in Cleveland that has increasingly favored the Browns.

Pittsburgh has won just once in its last eight trips to Cleveland, while the Browns have taken the last four home meetings between the teams. Cleveland also enters tonight riding a seven-game Thursday night winning streak. (Draft Schedule)

None of that guarantees anything once the ball is kicked off, but it adds another layer to a matchup that already has plenty riding on it.

For Cleveland, this is more than an opportunity to move to 3-1.

It’s a chance to beat Pittsburgh under the lights, win its first divisional game of the season and wake up Friday morning sitting alone atop the AFC North.

For Pittsburgh, it’s an opportunity to strengthen its early grip on the division and take down a Browns team beginning to build some legitimate momentum.

Browns. Steelers. Thursday night in Cleveland.

First place is waiting.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at Huntington Bank Field, with the game streaming nationally on Prime Video. (Cleveland Browns)

Lamar Jackson and Ravens Stun Cowboys in Wild Finish

Seven seconds. That was all Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens needed to turn what looked like overtime into one of the wildest finishes of the NFL season.

Baltimore escaped Rio de Janeiro with a 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, closing out a back-and-forth battle with a sequence that almost seemed impossible given how little time remained. (WMAR 2 News Baltimore)

The Ravens appeared to have taken control when Jackson found rookie tight end Matt Hibner for a two-yard touchdown, giving Baltimore a 31-28 lead with 1:30 remaining. Dallas answered. Dak Prescott moved the Cowboys down the field, eventually setting up Brandon Aubrey for a 23-yard field goal that tied the game at 31.

There were seven seconds left.

Overtime felt inevitable. Lamar Jackson had other plans.

Dallas elected to send the ensuing kickoff through the end zone for a touchback, giving Baltimore possession at its own 35-yard line without taking any time off the clock. Jackson needed one play. He dropped back and fired a 27-yard strike over the middle to Zay Flowers, who went down at the Dallas 38. Jackson immediately found an official and called timeout with just one second remaining. (CBS Sports)

Suddenly, Baltimore had a chance to win.

Tyler Loop walked onto the field and drilled a 56-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Ravens into celebration and completing a game-winning drive that lasted all of seven seconds. According to ESPN’s database, it was the latest a game-winning drive following a kickoff has started since at least 1978. (Baltimore Ravens)

The ending also produced an unusual piece of NFL history. Aubrey’s game-tying kick and Loop’s game-winner meant both teams successfully kicked field goals in the final seven seconds. According to NFL Research, it was the first game in at least 25 years to feature two made field goals in the final seven seconds. (Athlon Sports)

The finish capped a game that had already delivered nearly everything. Baltimore led 24-13 in the third quarter before Dallas stormed back. Prescott connected with Jake Ferguson for a touchdown, CeeDee Lamb hauled in the ensuing two-point conversion, and KaVontae Turpin later scored on a nine-yard run to put Dallas ahead 28-24.

Jackson responded when Baltimore needed him most.

And in a game filled with momentum swings, touchdowns and late-game drama, the lasting image will be what happened when almost no time remained.

Seven seconds. One throw. One timeout. One 56-yard kick.

Somehow, that was enough for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.

Welcome to the SEC: Florida Hammers No. 4 Ole Miss in Gainesville

One week you’re celebrating a statement win over LSU.

The next, you’re walking out of The Swamp wondering what just hit you.

Welcome to life in the SEC.

No. 21 Florida delivered one of the loudest statements of the young college football season Saturday, hammering No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in Gainesville and improving to 4-0 under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall.

Ole Miss arrived in Gainesville carrying plenty of momentum. The Rebels had just beaten LSU 32-24 in an emotional victory that pushed them all the way to No. 4 in the AP poll. Trinidad Chambliss had emerged as one of college football’s biggest early-season names, and Ole Miss looked every bit like a legitimate national contender.

Seven days later, Florida gave the Rebels a reminder of just how quickly things can change in this conference.

Florida Ran Right Through Them

This wasn’t a fluky upset decided by a turnover in the final minutes.

Florida beat Ole Miss up front and eventually ran away from the Rebels.

The Gators piled up 302 rushing yards, with Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark combining for 268 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Baugh finished with 142 yards and three scores, while Clark added 126 yards and another touchdown.

Florida led 17-6 at halftime before Ole Miss made things interesting early in the third quarter. Chambliss helped cut the deficit to 17-14 and later 24-21, briefly making it look like the Rebels were preparing to turn the afternoon into another shootout.

Florida never blinked.

The Gators scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions of the second half. Jayden Woods delivered one of the game’s biggest defensive plays by sacking Chambliss and forcing a fumble, which Myles Graham recovered. Florida promptly turned the takeaway into another touchdown and a 38-21 advantage.

By the fourth quarter, a game that had briefly tightened up had become a Florida celebration.

Final score: Florida 52, Ole Miss 28.

The SEC Gauntlet Doesn’t Care About Last Week

Ole Miss’ last two Saturdays might be the perfect illustration of what makes the SEC so unforgiving.

Beat LSU, climb to No. 4 in the country and start receiving national attention as a potential College Football Playoff contender.

Your reward?

A road trip to Gainesville against an undefeated Florida team.

There are very few conferences where a major victory can immediately be followed by another matchup against a ranked opponent capable of beating you by 24 points. Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding essentially acknowledged that reality before Saturday’s game, noting that playing high-level competition week after week is simply expected in the SEC.

It’s what makes navigating this conference so difficult.

A team can look dominant one week and vulnerable the next — not necessarily because it suddenly became a bad football team, but because the opponent on the other sideline might be considerably better than its ranking suggests.

Florida certainly looks like one of those teams.

Stop Sleeping on Florida

The Gators entered Saturday ranked No. 21, but their first month under Sumrall has started to look like much more than a nice opening stretch.

Florida is now 4-0 and 2-0 in SEC play, marking its first 4-0 start since 2019. The Gators have also scored at least 44 points in every game this season.

That’s not an accident.

Baugh has become one of the country’s most productive running backs. Clark gives Florida another explosive option out of the backfield. Aaron Philo has weapons around him, and the offense has demonstrated an ability to score in bunches.

Against Ole Miss, Florida finished with 498 total yards while putting 52 points on a top-five opponent.

The Gators aren’t simply an interesting team flying under the radar anymore.

They’re dangerous.

And perhaps that’s the larger lesson from Saturday.

In the SEC, the difference between the teams receiving national attention and those waiting just outside the spotlight can be much smaller than the number beside their name suggests. Florida entered the weekend 17 spots behind Ole Miss in the AP poll.

For four quarters in Gainesville, that gap was nowhere to be found.

Ole Miss learned that the hard way.

The Rebels’ win over LSU was impressive. It still is. But the SEC rarely gives teams time to enjoy what they accomplished the week before.

There’s always another talented roster waiting on the schedule.

This week, that team was Florida.

And after Saturday’s demolition in The Swamp, the Gators won’t be flying under the radar much longer.

Jeremiah Smith Makes Heisman Statement With Four-Touchdown Performance

There are great games, and then there are performances that change the conversation around an entire season.

Jeremiah Smith may have just delivered the latter.

Ohio State’s superstar wide receiver put together the best statistical performance of his collegiate career Saturday, hauling in 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns as No. 7 Ohio State rolled past Illinois, 42-19, in its Big Ten opener at Ohio Stadium. All three numbers were career highs, while his four touchdown receptions tied the Ohio State single-game record. (FOX Sports)

For a Buckeye team trying to find its footing following an early-season loss to Texas, it was exactly the kind of afternoon Ohio State needed.

And for Smith, it might have been the afternoon that truly launched his Heisman campaign.

Smith Was Simply Unguardable

Illinois knew where the football was going.

It didn’t matter.

Smith scored on Ohio State’s opening possession with a seven-yard touchdown reception from Julian Sayin. A few minutes later, he turned a deep completion into a 72-yard touchdown, showing the combination of size, speed and open-field ability that has made him arguably the most difficult individual matchup in college football.

Before halftime, Smith added another — this time displaying the body control that has become almost routine for him, getting a foot down in the end zone for a nine-yard score.

Three touchdowns. Eight catches. 150 yards.

And that was just the first half. (Eleven Warriors)

Smith eventually added his fourth touchdown on a 26-yard reception in the fourth quarter, tying an Ohio State record previously reached by Bob Grimes, Terry Glenn, Dane Sanzenbacher and Noah Brown. He also became just the sixth Buckeye receiver to record a 200-yard receiving game. (Eleven Warriors)

At Ohio State, that’s saying something.

This is the same program that has sent Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Emeka Egbuka and countless other receivers to the NFL.

Yet Smith continues to make Ohio State receiving history look temporary.

Is It Time to Seriously Talk Heisman?

The Heisman Trophy has traditionally belonged to quarterbacks.

Smith is building a case that could challenge that tradition.

He entered Saturday with 400 receiving yards and three touchdowns through Ohio State’s first three games. After dismantling Illinois, his season totals jumped to 33 receptions, 617 yards and seven touchdowns through four games. (FOX Sports)

But Smith’s case goes beyond a stat sheet.

The Heisman is supposed to recognize one of college football’s most outstanding players, and there may not be another non-quarterback in the country who changes how an opposing defense operates quite like Smith.

He’s explosive enough to turn one mistake into a 70-yard touchdown. He’s physical enough to win contested catches. He can beat defenders underneath, over the top or after the catch.

And he’s producing despite everyone in the stadium knowing he’s Ohio State’s primary weapon.

Smith also has history working against him. Only three wide receivers have won the Heisman Trophy: Johnny Rodgers, Tim Brown and DeVonta Smith. The last to do it was DeVonta Smith at Alabama in 2020.

If Jeremiah Smith wants to become the next, performances like Saturday’s are exactly how it happens.

Even Ryan Day made the case for his receiver after the game.

“If there’s a better player in the country, it’s hard to imagine,” Day said following the victory. (CBS News)

There is still a long season ahead, and the Heisman race will change plenty between now and December. But Smith has firmly put himself in the center of that conversation.

Ohio State Looks Like Ohio State Again

Perhaps just as important as Smith’s individual performance was what Saturday represented for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State finally looked dangerous again.

Julian Sayin finished 27-of-36 for 367 yards and four passing touchdowns, while also adding a rushing score. His growing connection with Smith gave the Buckeyes the vertical threat that can make this offense nearly impossible to defend when everything is clicking. (Yahoo Sports)

After the disappointment of the loss to Texas, Ohio State has now responded with consecutive victories over Kent State and Illinois, improving to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play. (Eleven Warriors)

There are still issues to address.

Illinois accumulated more than 400 yards of offense, including 199 on the ground, becoming the first opponent since Oregon in 2024 to surpass 400 total yards against the Buckeyes. That won’t be good enough when Ohio State reaches the most difficult portion of its Big Ten schedule. (Eleven Warriors)

But offensively, the identity is becoming much clearer.

Get the ball to No. 4 and let him change the game.

Ohio State’s national championship aspirations took an early hit against Texas. They didn’t disappear. Saturday felt like another step toward putting that loss in the rearview mirror and getting the Buckeyes back into the national conversation.

And if Smith keeps producing afternoons like this one, Ohio State might not be the only thing returning to the national spotlight.

The Buckeyes could have another Heisman Trophy winner on their hands.