Sports News

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani unleashed a mighty swing and flung his bat just as ferociously. For a brief moment, before making his way up the first-base line to commemorate his two-out, game-tying three-run homer in Saturday's second inning, he even sauntered. "I could really feel the intensity of the stadium before the game began," Ohtani said, "and I thoroughly enjoyed it." With one swing, Ohtani somehow met the enormous hype he carried into his postseason debut. And through nine innings, the buzz that surrounded a National League Division Series showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres actually lived up to its billing. It finished with a 7-5 Dodgers win in Game 1 in front of a sold-out crowd. Before that, there were lead changes and early runs, defensive gems and critical errors, and tense jams and constant electricity. The first jolt was provided by Ohtani. "I don't even try to explain him anymore," Dodgers reliever ...

One of the most remarkable runs in UFC history continues, but after much more difficulty than expected. Alex Pereira methodically broke down a game Khalil Rountree Jr. and used a bruising sequence of body punches to retain his light heavyweight championship with a fourth-round stoppage Saturday night in the main event of UFC 307 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) was slotted into his third title defense in 176 days after headlining UFC 300 in April and UFC 303 in June. Unlike his knockout victories against Jamahal Hill and Jirí Procházka, Pereira faced adversity against an opponent who refused to go away willingly. Rountree was up on all three of the judges' scorecards 29-28 heading into the fourth. "This was one of my toughest fights. I expected that," Pereira said. "The game plan was to let him tire. I saw he started decreasing his stamina in the second round. My stamina only goes up." Fighting out of Las Vegas, Rountree...

NEW YORK -- Jazz Chisholm Jr. stood at first base in the seventh inning of the New York Yankees' 6-5 win Saturday night, reading the game in front of him, calculating whether there was a chance for him to swipe second. He represented the winning run in the Yankees' seesaw clash against the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Reaching scoring position was paramount. Finally, with Anthony Volpe in a full count against Michael Lorenzen, he let first-base coach Travis Chapman know it was time. "Hey, I might go here," Chisholm told Chapman. "He might bury one now." Sure enough, Chisholm dashed for second as Lorenzen buried a sweeper in the dirt to strike out Volpe. He got a poor jump, but Royals catcher Salvador Pérez's throw sailed, forcing second baseman Michael Massey to leap to make the catch before applying an acrobatic tag. Chisholm's left foot just beat Massey's glove -- or so...

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty continued his record-chasing run to Heisman Trophy front-runner status Saturday night in the No. 21 Broncos' 62-30 win over visiting Utah State. Jeanty surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season on just his 90th carry and produced 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 13 attempts in the first half of the blowout win. He tied an FBS record in needing just five games to achieve 1,000 rushing yards. "First off, Ashton Jeanty? Best player in the country. Next question," Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. The junior running back has rushed for 1,031 yards and 16 touchdowns on 10.9 yards per carry for the 4-1 Broncos and is now averaging 206.2 rushing yards per game. His 1,031 yards through five games ranks eighth most in FBS history, according to ESPN Research. Jeanty turned his first carry versus Utah State into a 63-yard touchdown. He then scored on a 75-yard run early in the second quarter, eclipsing the...

NEW YORK -- Jazz Chisholm stood at first base in the seventh inning of the New York Yankees' 6-5 win Saturday night, reading the game in front of him, calculating whether there was a chance for him to swipe second. He represented the winning run in the Yankees' seesaw clash against the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Reaching scoring position was paramount. Finally, with Anthony Volpe in a full count against Michael Lorenzen, he let first base coach Travis Chapman know it was time. "Hey, I might go here," Chisholm told Chapman. "He might bury one now." Sure enough, Chisholm dashed for second as Lorenzen buried a sweeper in the dirt to strike out Volpe. He got a poor jump, but Royals catcher Salvador Pérez's throw sailed, forcing second baseman Michael Massey to leap to make the catch before applying an acrobatic tag. Chisholm's left foot just beat Massey's glove -- or so second base umpire Lance Barrett...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --  Malachi Singleton scored on an 11-yard run with 1:17 remaining to lift Arkansas to a 19-14 win over No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday night. The Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) overcame a 14-3 third-quarter deficit to notch their first win over an AP top-5 team since 2007 against No. 1 LSU. They had lost 18 straight against such teams entering Saturday. It was also their first home win over a top-5 opponent since beating the No. 3 Volunteers in 1999. Singleton, the backup to starting quarterback Taylen Green, led the game-winning drive after the Boise State transfer exited the game with an injury. "Our kids, our coaches did a wonderful job of preparing our guys and making them believe that we can go win tonight," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. "These guys are happy; they're not surprised. If we have the same amount of turnovers, we can play with anybody. "You get into coaching for moments like what just happened, and it's to...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Fans of the Vanderbilt Commodores danced onto the field, jumping up and down as they tore down a goalpost, carried it out of the stadium and rang out sweet sounds of victory. Then they toted the goalpost a couple of miles and tossed it into the Cumberland River. Their school's historic win over No. 1 Alabama deserved to be celebrated this way. Sedrick Alexander ran for two touchdowns, Randon Fontenette scored on a pick-six and Diego Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy contender  Jalen Milroe as Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40-35 on Saturday for the Commodores' first win over a top-ranked team. Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) was 0-60 all time versus AP top-five teams before Saturday, the longest such streak in the poll era (since 1936). The Commodores hadn't beaten Alabama on the field in 40 years, but they snapped a 23-game skid by making big play after big play to give coach Clark Lea his alma mater's biggest win ever. "This...

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Mets exist for the moments that make those of lesser stock and constitution crumble. The late innings are their playground, the comeback their wheelhouse, and no matter how many times they pull off this magic trick, the prestige won't be any less impressive. The latest came early Saturday evening, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Feckless and shut out for seven innings, the Mets turned the eighth into death by a half-dozen cuts for the Phillies, dropping five runs and silencing Citizens Bank Park in an eventual 6-2 victory that stole home-field advantage in the five-game series and continued New York's charmed week. It's an enchanted season, really, but over the most recent six-day stretch, the Mets used eighth- and ninth-inning comebacks to clinch a playoff spot, won the deciding game in their wild-card series with a ninth-inning rebirth and blitzed a pair of All-Star Phillies...

PHILADELPHIA -- Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo keyed another comeback in New York's electric run through the National League playoffs, helping the Mets break through for five runs in the eighth inning against a pair of All-Star relievers as they rallied for a 6-2 win Saturday over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of their division series. The Mets had been stymied by Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, held to just one hit while trailing 1-0 and unable to muster any real scoring chances over the first seven innings. With Wheeler lifted after nine strikeouts and a startling 30 swings-and-misses over 111 pitches, the Mets -- whose whirlwind week included a victory in a makeup doubleheader at Atlanta to clinch a postseason spot and three games in the NL Wild Card Series at Milwaukee -- pounced against Phillies relievers Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm in the eighth. In true New York fashion this October, the Mets had to rally, not just...

NEW YORK -- Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener. New York's Gleyber Torres and Kansas City's MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. "What a game!" Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off losing pitcher Michael Lorenzen. Verdugo's hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole...

NEW YORK -- Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener. New York's Gleyber Torres and Kansas City's MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off losing pitcher  Michael Lorenzen. Verdugo's hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review....

With the Chiefs bracing for Rashee Rice to be out for an extended period, Kansas City intends to make another move at wide receiver -- just as it has in each of the past two years, league sources told ESPN on Saturday. The Chiefs first will want to get doctors' final determination of Rice's status, which could come as early as Monday after he undergoes a knee procedure, according to league sources. There remains hope that Rice could return this season and be sidelined six to eight weeks, according to league sources, but nothing will be determined until early next week at the earliest. It is difficult to know how realistic it is that Rice could return this season, although the Chiefs have not given up hopes of that possibility yet. Once the Chiefs do have clarity on Rice's injury, they can move into action. Two years ago, the Chiefs acquired Kadarius Toney from the Giants before the trade deadline. Last year, they brought back Mecole Hardman...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Fans of the Vanderbilt Commodores danced onto the field, jumping up and down as they tore down a goalpost, carried it out of the stadium and rang out sweet sounds of victory. Then they toted the goalpost a couple of miles and tossed it into the Cumberland River. Their school's historic win over No. 1 Alabama deserved to be celebrated this way. Sedrick Alexander ran for two touchdowns, Randon Fontenette scored on a pick-six and Diego Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy contender  Jalen Milroe as Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40-35 on Saturday for the Commodores' first win over a top-ranked team. Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) was 0-60 all time versus AP top-five teams before Saturday, the longest such streak in the poll era (since 1936). The Commodores hadn't beaten Alabama on the field in 40 years, but they snapped a 23-game skid by making big play after big play to give coach Clark Lea his alma mater's biggest win ever. "This...

Christian McCaffrey will not be activated for Thursday night's game in Seattle against the Seahawks, league sources told ESPN on Saturday, even though the 49ers star running back is eligible to return. The bigger question continues to be when McCaffrey, who has been on injured reserve since Week 2 with calf and Achilles tendinitis issues, will be able to return. McCaffrey's return depends on how he fares in practice, but for now, there is some mild encouragement because the three-time Pro Bowler's calf and Achilles issues did not flare up after on-field work this week -- his first on-field work since being placed on IR, according to league sources. Although McCaffrey has been dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, his issue is concentrated to one of his legs -- and the other is faring better, according to sources. The bilateral Achilles tendinitis is not considered a concern, according to sources, who told ESPN that McCaffrey is focused on avoiding setbacks...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sedrick Alexander ran for two touchdowns, Randon Fontenette scored on a pick-six and Diego Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy contender  Jalen Milroe as Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40-35 Saturday for the Commodores' first win over the nation's top-ranked team. Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1) was 0-60 all time vs. AP top-5 teams before Saturday, the longest such streak in the poll era (since 1936). The Commodores hadn't beaten Alabama on the field in 40 years, but they snapped a 23-game skid by making big play after big play to give coach Clark Lea his alma mater's biggest win ever. Alabama won the opening toss and deferred to start the game. Alexander capped the opening drive with a 7-yard touchdown to put Vandy ahead to stay. It marked the first time since 2007 that Vandy had opened a game against Alabama with a touchdown -- Nick Saban's second game as coach. Alabama rallied and won that day 24-10. This time, the Tide (4-1, 1-1) helped...

Trade talks involving Davante Adams are expected to intensify next week as the Las Vegas Raiders star's hamstring heals and as more teams weigh what they are willing to offer for the Pro Bowl wide receiver, league sources told ESPN. Talks are not thought to be as far along as some have intimated, according to sources, but that partly has to do with Adams' health, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury that could sideline him through Week 6, according to league sources. Potential acquiring teams also are hesitant to make firm offers knowing that the Raiders could use those offers to establish a market for Adams. That market therefore has not warmed up as much as it will in the future, with the NFL's Nov. 5 trade deadline looming. The Raiders have let interested teams know that team owner Mark Davis will not accept anything less than a second-round draft pick in return for Adams, along with additional compensation that could be in the form of a draft pick...

NC State quarterback Grayson McCall was carted off the field after taking a hit to the head following an interception in the first quarter of Saturday's 34-30 loss to Wake Forest in Raleigh, N.C.  McCall was transported to a nearby hospital but later released with NC State announcing that the quarterback "is alert and in good spirits." All scans were normal, according to the team.  McCall was making his first start after missing the past two games for the Wolfpack due to a concussion. After the game, coach Dave Doeren said McCall had passed all concussion protocols in advance of the Wake game and was cleared to play. "He was ready to play, and he took a really vicious hit," Doeren said. "Sometimes football is a very violent sport, at times, and that was a big hit that he took. ... I hate it for him. You just hate to see a guy get hit like that. And obviously the results of hits like that are scary." McCall has a history of concussions, including a...

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- No. 25 Texas A&M recorded its biggest win over a top-10 team in program history Saturday with a 41-10 blowout of No. 9 Missouri and appreciated the assist by Tigers quarterback Brady Cook. Before heading to Texas, Cook was asked about how Missouri prepared to play in front of the crowd at Kyle Field. "The noise at practice is actually louder," he said, attributing it to the speakers used to simulate the playing environment. Aggies coach Mike Elko didn't seem to mind the comments making their way to the 97,049 Texas A&M fans in attendance. "The 12th Man certainly heard some of the statements made about how easy it was to play in Kyle Field, and that was good," Elko said with a smile after the Aggies improved to 5-1 and 3-0 in the SEC. Cook finished 13-of-31 for 186 yards with a touchdown and was pressured on 13 of 37 dropbacks despite the Aggies only blitzing him seven times, according to ESPN Research. Texas A&M defensive end ...

CLEVELAND -- For playoff teams that earn a bye into the division series, there's always a bit of trepidation that they'll exhibit some rust in their first postseason game. The Cleveland Guardians, however, weren't having any of it Saturday. After a five-day layoff, the Guardians ambushed the Detroit Tigers, scoring five times in the first inning and winning 7-0 to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five AL Division Series. "It was definitely a topic for a lot of the coaches, not to go in and just go through the motions," left fielder Steven Kwan said of the team's week of practice. "Try to be intentional. It worked out today." Kwan got the ball rolling for the home team, missing a home run by inches to lead off the game while settling for a double. He nearly batted again in the inning as Cleveland blew up the Tigers' strategy of using an opener. Starter Tyler Holton didn't record an out, and the man who replaced him -- righty Reese...

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- No. 25 Texas A&M got its biggest win over a top-10 team in program history on Saturday in a 41-10 blowout of No. 9 Missouri, and appreciated the assist by Tigers quarterback Brady Cook. Before heading to Texas, Cook was asked about how Missouri prepared to play in front of the crowd at Kyle Field. "The noise at practice is actually louder," he said, attributing it to the speakers used to simulate the playing environment. Aggies head coach Mike Elko didn't seem to mind the comments making their way to the 97,049 Texas A&M fans in attendance. "The 12th Man certainly heard some of the statements made about how easy it was to play in Kyle Field and that was good," Elko said with a smile after the Aggies improved to 5-1 and 3-0 in the SEC. Cook finished 13-of-31 for 186 yards with a touchdown and was pressured on 13 of 37 dropbacks despite the Aggies only blitzing him seven times, according to ESPN Research. Texas A&M defensive end Nic...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers have suspended wide receiver Romeo Doubs for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. The Packers made the announcement shortly before they departed for Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Rams. The suspension came after Doubs missed two days of practice and meetings. The team initially explained his absence as for personal reasons, but Sports Illustrated reported that Doubs was upset with his opportunities in the passing game. Neither Doubs nor his agent returned messages, but sources said his absence was not injury related or because of a family matter. "Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to suspend Romeo for this week's game," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement Saturday. "His decisions and actions during the week negatively impacted the team and required us to take this action. While we are certainly disappointed, we are confident that we will be able to move forward in a...

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw, who has spent the past five weeks rehabbing an ailing toe, will not pitch this postseason no matter how far the Los Angeles Dodgers advance. But the Dodgers got some immediate good news a little more than two hours before Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday, when Freddie Freeman was inserted into the starting lineup. Freeman's status was in serious question when the Dodgers began their pregame work Saturday, but he came onto the field at roughly 2:45 p.m. PT for some light baserunning and defensive work and felt good enough coming out of it. He then went inside to hit off one of the Dodgers' high-velocity pitching machines, after which the team inserted him at first base and in his customary No. 3 spot of the lineup. Freeman sprained his right ankle while avoiding a tag near first base Sept. 26 and spent the past eight days rehabbing the injury. He expressed confidence he'd start Game 1 while meeting with...

Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe suffered a small posterior labral tear in his left shoulder and will likely miss the beginning of the season, the team announced Saturday. An MRI this week confirmed the tear. Sharpe will begin rehabbing and is expected to miss four to six weeks, according to the team.   The Blazers open their regular season on Oct. 23 vs. the Golden State Warriors. Sharpe, 21, had a breakout season last year for the rebuilding Blazers, averaging nearly 16 points, but played sparingly after suffering an abdominal strain in December. He eventually underwent surgery in February and missed the rest of the season. Portland selected Sharpe with the No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft.

CLEVELAND --  Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer in a five-run outburst before Detroit got an out, and the Cleveland Guardians unleashed their lights-out bullpen to complete a four-hitter in a 7-0 win over the Tigers in an AL Division Series opener on Saturday. Thomas' shot -- on his first career postseason swing -- helped the Guardians cool off the Tigers, who stormed into the playoffs with a second-half surge before sweeping AL West champion Houston in the wild-card round. Tanner Bibee pitched 4⅔ innings before Guardians manager Stephen Vogt swung the door open to baseball's best bullpen to finish off the Tigers. Relievers combined for 4⅓ hitless innings to finish the largest shutout victory margin in Cleveland postseason history. "It started with the guys in front of me," Thomas said. Detroit struck out 13 times and didn't get a runner past first in the final four innings. Cleveland's bullpen was as advertised. Rookie Cade Smith...

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Le'Veon Moss ran for a career-high 138 yards with three touchdowns and No. 25 Texas A&M handed ninth-ranked Missouri its first loss with a 41-10 victory Saturday. It's the fifth straight win for Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC) and first-year coach Mike Elko after a loss to Notre Dame in the season-opener. "We are in a growth mindset... we are trying to grow every single day," Elko said. "We didn't flinch when we didn't get the job done against Notre Dame." Texas A&M was up 24-0 at halftime and padded the lead when Moss ran 75 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the third quarter. He burst through a hole in the line and evaded one tackle before simply outrunning everyone for his second score of the day. "We just wanted to come out and continue to put our foot on their neck," Moss said. "That's it." When he scored his third TD on an 18-yard run early in the fourth quarter that made it 41-7, the crowd of 97,049 broke into chants of: "overrated,...

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's status for Sunday's game has been downgraded to doubtful, making it unlikely the second-year player suits up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Richardson suffered an oblique injury after a high-speed collision with a defender in last week's 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He indicated Wednesday that his injury, effectively a deep bruise, was feeling considerably better in the days following the initial hit. But the Colts brought Richardson along slowly in practices this week, with the quarterback executing only casual throws in individual drills during the portions of practice open to media. Richardson was listed as a limited practice participant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The injury will likely press veteran backup Joe Flacco into action, one week after he entered the game and preserved the win over Pittsburgh. Flacco would be making his first start since his late-season...

PHILADELPHIA -- Cristopher Sánchez has a new job ahead of his playoff start for the Philadelphia Phillies: dad. Sánchez and his wife welcomed a baby boy days ahead of the All-Star pitcher's start in Game 2 of the NL Division Series against New York on Sunday. Sánchez, 27, earned his first All-Star berth on the strength of his regular-season performance, finishing at 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA and his first career shutout. The birth of his first son -- "BABY CRIS," he wrote on Instagram -- well, that trumped all his professional achievements. "I think there's nothing that beats getting home to my kid right now," Sánchez said Saturday through an interpreter. "I'm just spending time with him, holding him every five minutes. Just all around, being all over him. That's just something I can't describe right now." Sánchez said his son was born Monday. He captioned a photo of the boy, named Cristopher, with: "Our dream baby is here. Mommy and Daddy love you so...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Packers have suspended wide receiver Romeo Doubs for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. The Packers made the announcement shortly before they departed for Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Rams. The suspension came after Doubs missed two days of practice and meetings. The team initially explained his absence as for personal reasons, but Sports Illustrated reported that Doubs was upset with his opportunities in the passing game. Neither Doubs nor his agent returned messages, but sources said his absence was not injury related or because of a family matter. "Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to suspend Romeo for this week's game," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement Saturday. "His decisions and actions during the week negatively impacted the team and required us to take this action. While we are certainly disappointed, we are confident that we will be able to move forward in a...

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's status for Sunday's game has been downgraded to doubtful, making it unlikely the second-year player suits up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Richardson suffered an oblique injury after a high-speed collision with a defender in last week's 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He indicated on Wednesday that his injury, effectively a deep bruise, was feeling considerably better in the days following the initial hit. But the Colts brought Richardson along slowly in practices this week, with the quarterback executing only casual throws in individual drills during the portions of practice open to media. Richardson was listed as a limited practice participant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The injury will likely press veteran backup Joe Flacco into action, one week after he entered the game and preserved the win over Pittsburgh. Flacco would be making his first start since his late-season run in...

MIAMI -- Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was activated from the physically unable to perform list and is expected to play Sunday against the New England Patriots. Beckham spent the first four weeks of the season on the PUP list after he underwent a procedure on his knee this offseason. He signed with the team in May, but practiced for the first time this week. The three-time Pro Bowler was able to practice in full for three consecutive days without any setbacks, but was listed as questionable for Sunday's game. The Dolphins released quarterback Tim Boyle on Friday, which qualified as a corresponding move to make room for Beckham on their 53-man active roster. Miami re-signed Boyle to the practice squad Saturday and elevated him to the active roster for Sunday's game. Beckham's return provides much-needed reinforcements to a wide receivers room that has both struggled to produce and stay healthy. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle...

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have placed wide receiver Brandin Cooks on injured reserve because of a knee issue, which will keep him out of the next four games, the team announced Saturday. Cooks developed an infection in his knee after undergoing a procedure in New York following the Cowboys' win last week against the Giants. Cowboys doctors cleaned out the infection and fixed a meniscus issue that had been bothering Cooks since training camp. Cooks will miss Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as contests against the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. He will be eligible to return Nov. 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys are counting on Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy in Cooks' absence behind CeeDee Lamb. Cooks has nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. Dallas needed the roster spot...

Five-star defensive end Jahkeem Stewart, ESPN's No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2026, announced his reclassification into the 2025 class Saturday, immediately cementing him as one of the most coveted uncommitted prospects in the cycle two months out from the early signing period. Stewart, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher from New Orleans, announced his reclassification on social media. Ohio State, Oregon, LSU and USC are now considered the finalists for Stewart's pledge. He will visit each school over the next two months, a source confirmed to ESPN. "He's been dominating four- and five-star prospects since seventh grade," Clyde Alexander, a coach who represents Stewart, told ESPN. "Some of those kids are in the NFL now, and [Stewart] still had two more years of high school. Every head coach, coordinator and [defensive line coach] has him as the No. 1 player on their board regardless of class." Stewart emerged as the nation's...

FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys have placed wide receiver Brandin Cooks on injured reserve because of a knee issue, which will keep him out of the next four games, sources tell ESPN. Cooks developed an infection in his knee after undergoing a procedure in New York after the Cowboys win last week against the Giants. Cowboys doctors cleaned out the infection and fixed a meniscus issue that had been bothering Cooks since training camp. Cooks will miss Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as contests against the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. He will be eligible to return Nov. 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys are counting on Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy in Cooks' absence behind CeeDee Lamb. Cooks has nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys needed the roster spot with issues...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hollywood star Keanu Reeves' professional auto racing debut on Saturday was an eventful one for "The Matrix" actor. Reeves spun his car a little more than halfway through the 45-minute race at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, sliding across the grass without a collision on the exit of Turn 9 with 21 minutes remaining. Reeves, who qualified 31st out of the 35 cars, ran as high as 21st and successfully avoided a first lap crash in Turn 14. Reeves finished 25th. Reeves, 60, is competing at Indianapolis in Toyota GR Cup, a Toyota spec-racing series and a support series for this weekend's Indy 8 Hour sports car event. He has a second race Sunday. Reeves is driving the No. 92 BRZRKR car, which is promoting his graphic novel "The Book of Elsewhere." He is teammates with Cody Jones from "Dude Perfect." Reeves has previous racing experiencing as a former participant in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in the celebrity race. Reeves won the event in 2009. Information...

  Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney was sent off during his side's Championship match against Blackburn Rovers.  The former Manchester United and England forward was dismissed eight times during his illustrious playing career and has now been red-carded as a coach too. Rooney, who took over the club for the 2024-25 season, was sent off after kicking a bottle into the crowd as his frustration boiled over following Blackburn's equalising goal. However, his players handled the set-back well and responded to the fallout by scoring a 97th-minute winner through Morgan Whittaker.  Argyle have now won three home games in a row to leave them 14th in the Championship table.

NC State quarterback Grayson McCall was carted off the field after taking a hit to the head following an interception in the first quarter of Saturday's 34-30 loss to  Wake Forest. McCall was transported to a nearby hospital, where Dave Doeren said initial reports were positive. "Once they're done going through all the tests, we'll have more information," Doeren said. McCall was making his first start after missing the past two games for the Wolfpack due to a concussion. After the game -- a 34-30 loss -- Doeren said McCall had passed all concussion protocols in advance of Saturday's game and was cleared to play. "He was ready to play, and he took a really vicious hit," Doeren said. "Sometimes football is a very violent sport, at times, and that was a big hit that he took. ... I hate it for him. You just hate to see a guy get hit like that. And obviously the results of hits like that are scary." McCall has a history of concussions, including a serious head...

  Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney was sent off during his side's Championship match against Blackburn Rovers.  The former Manchester United and England forward was dismissed eight times during his illustrious playing career and has now been red-carded as a coach, too. Rooney, who took over the club for the 2024-25 season, was sent off after kicking a bottle into the crowd as his frustration boiled over following Blackburn's equalising goal. However, his players handled the setback well and responded to the fallout by scoring a 97th-minute winner through Morgan Whittaker.  Rooney was not allowed to talk to the media postmatch due to his sending off but his assistant Pete Shuttleworth stepped in. "He's still passionate -- we all watched him play for many years and we all know that passion is what drives him and he's been brilliant down here," Shuttleworth said. "I've seen him like that - he has still got that passion on the touchline. He likes to be calm and...

Four-star rusher Ousmane Kromah, ESPN's top uncommitted running back in 2025, gave his pledge to Georgia on Saturday morning, ending the Bulldogs' monthslong pursuit of a running back in the 2025 class. Kromah, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound prospect from Leesburg, Georgia, is ESPN's No. 127 overall prospect and the No. 9 running back in the 2025 cycle. He lands with coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs following official visits this summer to Auburn, Tennessee and Florida State. With Kromah's pledge, just three of ESPN's top 50 running backs in the 2025 class are uncommitted less than two months before the Dec. 4 early signing period. Kromah is the ninth-ranked prospect in an incoming Georgia class that includes pledges from 14 other ESPN 300 recruits, led by four-star outside linebacker  Zayden Walker (No. 16) and defensive end Isaiah Gibson (No. 30). Kromah visited the Bulldogs on Sept. 7, and his commitment comes at the end of a...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville announced Saturday that senior free safety Devin Neal has left the program a season after leading the Cardinals with four interceptions and earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. No reason for Neal's departure was stated in a release less than an hour before the No. 22 Cardinals hosted SMU in league play. He was listed as the "or" choice just below Tamarion McDonald on the two-deep chart, though McDonald has started all four contests. The Lexington, Kentucky, native was a third-team All-ACC selection last season after tying for third in the league in interceptions after playing three seasons at Baylor. Neal's 67 tackles ranked third on the team in 2023, with two of his pickoffs coming in a 33-20 home victory over No. 10 Notre Dame. He had nine tackles this season, four solo, and was tied for 12th on the team. Neal had three stops last week in a loss at Notre Dame and has also blocked a punt this...

Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman's injured shoulder is improving, and he is healthy enough to get the start against No. 9 Missouri on Saturday. After not dressing against last week against Arkansas and not playing since Sept. 7, Weigman has taken meaningful reps and improved enough to be back in uniform for the No. 25 Aggies. The decision whether to start Weigman or Marcel Reed was a game-time one. Reed had loomed as the expected starter for the fourth straight game and cautioned that if Weigman was feeling 100 percent, there was a chance that he could resume his starting role. Weigman's participation increased in practice this week after he was not cleared to play against Arkansas. With his activity in practice ramping up and with him available Saturday, a compelling decision at the quarterback position will loom for the Texas A&M coaching staff in the near future. Weigman clearly earned the job out of camp as Texas A&M's best quarterback,...

Arne Slot fears the hamstring injury  Alisson picked up in Liverpool's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace will rule him out for a "few weeks." Liverpool secured the points after  Diogo Jota scored in the ninth minute, but will face concerns over both Alisson and midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who was replaced at half-time after feeling a problem in his groin. Alisson missed their 3-0 win against  AFC Bournemouth through injury, and he was forced off in the 79th minute of their trip to Selhurst Park after injuring his hamstring. Third-choice goalkeeper  Vitězslav Jaroš replaced Alisson and made his Liverpool debut after usual second-choice keeper Caoimhín Kelleher was absent through illness for their match with Palace. The 32-year-old is established as Liverpool's first-choice keeper but is unlikely to link-up with Brazil in the forthcoming international break. Liverpool face a brutal run of matches after the...

BERKELEY, Calif. -- Nearly halfway through the college football season, there's still a fascinating race among the top quarterbacks to see who will be the first one taken in the NFL draft in the spring. Heading into Week 6, five quarterbacks could claim the top spot, making this a particularly "muddy" year, as one veteran scout termed it. Part of that lack of conviction comes from the caliber of the quarterback crop, as it's considered a distinctly lower-quality class after a record six quarterbacks were drafted in the top 12 picks this year. ESPN polled 20 NFL scouts and executives who evaluate college players to see where they stood on the top quarterback for the 2025 NFL draft. The variance of answers proved telling, as Colorado's Shedeur Sanders got nine votes, Georgia's Carson Beck got five, and Alabama's Jalen Milroe got four. Miami's Cam Ward and Texas' Quinn Ewers got one vote each, with Ward...

LOS ANGELES --  Shohei Ohtani was asked if he felt nervous going into his first postseason game and had an answer before an interpreter could even relay the question. "Nope," he said in English. Ohtani will make his highly anticipated playoff debut Saturday, when his Los Angeles Dodgers host the division rival San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. "It's always been my childhood dream to be able to be in an important game." Ohtani said through an interpreter, adding, "So I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else that I could possibly feel." For six years, Ohtani languished on Los Angeles Angels teams that didn't play meaningful games even in September. The excitement of being in high-pressure environments as a Dodger has seemed to positively impact his performance. On the night the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases, becoming the first member...

Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman's injured shoulder is improving and he is healthy enough where he's dressed and available against No. 9 Missouri on Saturday. After not dressing against last week against Arkansas and not playing since Sept. 7, Weigman has taken meaningful reps and improved enough where he will be back in uniform for the No. 25 Aggies, sources said. The decision whether to start Weigman or Marcel Reed is a game-time one, per sources. Reed looms as the expected starter for the fourth straight game, according to sources, who cautioned that if Weigman is feeling 100% that there is a chance that he could resume his starting role. Weigman's participation has increased in practice this week after he was not cleared to play against Arkansas. With his activity in practice ramping up and with him available Saturday, a compelling decision at the quarterback position will loom for the Texas A&M coaching staff in the near future. Weigman...

Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman's injured shoulder is improving and he's healthy enough where he's expected to dress and be available for the game against No. 9 Missouri on Saturday, sources told ESPN. After not dressing against last week against Arkansas and not playing since Sept. 7, Weigman has taken meaningful reps and improved enough where he'll be back in uniform for the Aggies, per sources. The decision whether to start Weigman or Marcel Reed is a game-time one, per sources. Reed looms as the expected starter for the fourth-straight game, per sources, but sources cautioned that if Weigman is feeling 100 percent there's a chance that he could resume his starting role. Weigman's participation has increased in practice this week after not dressing out last week against Arkansas, as he was not cleared to play. With his activity in practice ramping up and with him available Saturday, a compelling decision at the quarterback position will loom for the...

PALM DESERT, Calif. -- It might have come directly following his turnover and during Game 1 of the preseason instead of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but Bronny James had a chase-down block of his own in his Los Angeles Lakers debut Friday with his father, LeBron James, sitting on the bench to witness it. Bronny James finished with two points on 1-for-6 shooting in the Lakers' 124-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves to open their six-game exhibition slate, but he led the team with three blocked shots in 16 minutes while adding one rebound and one assist. The first block came less than a minute into his first shift to start the second quarter when the Timberwolves' Nickeil Alexander-Walker stole James' pass to D'Angelo Russell and streaked down the court toward the hoop. The Lakers' No. 55 pick did not give up on the play, sprinting to catch up to the 6-foot-5 Alexander-Walker and, despite being 6-2, easily leaping high enough...

LAS VEGAS -- Wherever Liberty guard  Sabrina Ionescu looked Friday while on offense, there were Aces defenders right on top of her. "They didn't give me the light of day," Ionescu said. Las Vegas staved off elimination with a 95-81 victory in Game 3 of its WNBA semifinal series with New York. That was thanks in large part to improved defense and a huge sense of urgency. Ionescu has been scoreless just once in her WNBA career, in 2021, but the Aces nearly pulled that off Friday. Her only points came on a free throw after an Aces technical foul and a 3-pointer, both in the fourth quarter. "Every game of the series, things have been changing," Ionescu said. "They lost two games allowing me to come off screens and pick them apart offensively. So I think this game you were able to see the adjustments they made -- sending two or three to the ball at one time and not letting me get anything easy. There were usually three people in my face, no matter...

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Despite losing Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said she felt optimistic about her team's chances to win the series. Its best player, Napheesa Collier, wasn't efficient offensively and the Connecticut Sun shot better than 40% from 3. Neither was likely to repeat itself throughout the series. "There was a level of confidence after Game 1, for sure," Reeve said. "This group, they're going to bounce back. They always do." Five days later, the Lynx now hold a 2-1 series lead after winning 90-81 on the Sun's home floor Friday night. Game 4 is Sunday here at Mohegan Sun Arena. Collier finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 11-for-19 from the field. She became the first player in Lynx history to produce multiple 25-point, 10-rebound performances in the playoffs. After a record-setting series against the Phoenix Mercury in which she scored 80 points in two games, the Sun were able to limit...

LOS ANGELES --  Shohei Ohtani was asked if he felt nervous going into his first postseason game and had an answer before an interpreter could even relay the question. "Nope," he said in English. Ohtani will make his highly anticipated playoff debut on Saturday, when his Los Angeles Dodgers host the division rival San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, said, "It's always been my childhood dream to be able to be in an important game." "So I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else that I could possibly feel," he added. For six years, Ohtani languished on Los Angeles Angels teams that didn't play meaningful games even in September. The excitement of being in high-pressure environments as a Dodger has seemed to positively impact his performance. On the night the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases, becoming...

LOS ANGELES -- Freddie Freeman is still hobbled by the sprained right ankle he suffered Sept. 26, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemingly doesn't have any doubt about the first baseman's availability for Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday. "I'm expecting him to be in the lineup," Roberts said before Friday's pre-NLDS workout. "What that looks like, I guess we'll know when we see him out there. But with Freddie, I don't doubt that he'll be ready to go." Freeman hit in the batting cages and took at-bats in an intrasquad scrimmage at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. He did not run the bases or play defense then, but Roberts nonetheless called it "a good step forward." On Friday, Freeman took a handful of ground balls at first base and briefly ran the bases, including a near-sprint from first to third. Freeman was visibly still favoring his tender ankle but said "the swelling has come down a lot" over the past eight days. "I feel...