Dolphins’ Malik Willis makes ‘tight’ injury admission after ugly loss to Lions appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As the Miami Dolphins were hoping to bounce back after the loss to the New England Patriots in Week 8, 24-19, the team would lose their second straight game on Sunday to the Detroit Lions, 19-9. With quarterback Malik Willis leading the way for the Dolphins, he would give more insight into the injury he has been dealing with, which was evident during the loss to the Lions.

Willis would finish the game with 128 passing yards on completing 13 of 25 passes to go along with zero touchdown passes and one interception. The 27-year-old also recorded seven rushing yards, as it was clear that an injury was bothering him when he went outside the pocket or tried to improvise on a broken play.

If anybody has been paying attention to Willis’ listing on the injury report, he has been dealing with a lingering groin injury, as once again, it was easy to see in Sunday’s loss to the Lions. After the game, Willis said in his post-game press conference that his groin was “a little tight today,” according to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post.

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When speaking about whether he feels that the groin will be better this upcoming week and in the Week 10 contest against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 15, his answer could be one that could concern fans. 

“Lord willing,” Willis said, via Schad.

That type of answer might not sit well with fans since Willis doesn’t have a certain outlook on the groin injury, as he’s been dealing with it for some weeks now. At any rate, it remains to be seen how Willis progresses with the groin injury, as Miami looks to get back in the winning column next Sunday against the Colts, as the team has a 1-7 record.

Related: The 1 trade Dolphins must make in final week before 2026 NFL trade deadline

Blades Brown pumped his right fist after burying a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th green at El Cardonal at Diamante on Sunday, capping a ferocious comeback on the second extra hole to become the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since World War II.

Brown did so at a course designed by another golf prodigy, Tiger Woods. Entering the final round in Los Cabos, Mexico, trailing by seven strokes, the teen sensation fired a final-round 9-under 63 to edge Ben James in a sudden-death playoff at the World Wide Technology Championship. The victory came in just his 22nd career PGA Tour start.

"He's just an unbelievable talent," said Michael Kim, who played alongside Brown in the final round and finished a stroke out of the playoff. "I feel like he might be the best out of all the younger guys that I played with. The way his club makes contact with the ball, that's kind of only those that are true, true talents of the game can kind of make that contact."

Officially, Brown became the fourth-youngest winner in PGA Tour history at 19 years, 5 months, 18 days old. However, the three players who won at a younger age, including Chuck Kocsis at age 18, accomplished the feat in 1931 or earlier. Brown is the first teenager to win on Tour since Jordan Spieth captured the 2013 John Deere Classic.

Brown turned professional at age 17 in December 2024 after being named the 2024 AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, bypassing college and making his professional debut at the 2025 American Express. He previously made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur at the 2024 Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic, where he tied for 26th as a sponsor exemption at 16 years, 11 months, 21 days old.

Blades Brown is CLUTCH!

Four under in his last six holes and he is the clubhouse leader by one @WWTChampionship.

📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/0pw2EGwi2H

— PGA Tour (@PGATour) November 8, 2026

His amateur résumé was equally impressive. At the 2023 U.S. Amateur, Brown shared medalist honors, becoming the youngest stroke-play medalist in championship history at age 16, surpassing Bobby Jones, who was 18 when he earned medalist honors in 1920. Brown also was medalist at the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur. By earning medalist honors at both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur, he joined Bobby Clampett and Tiger Woods as only the third player to accomplish the feat.

Brown added another milestone on Oct. 11 when he became the youngest player ever to secure PGA Tour membership through the Korn Ferry Tour.

On Sunday, Brown pulled even for the lead with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 13 and 14 to reach 21 under par. From 163 yards at the par-4 15th, he stuffed his approach to 23 feet and converted the putt for a third consecutive birdie, regaining a share of the lead with Denny McCarthy at 22 under.

Imari Berry added 19 points, Zamareya Jones had 13 and Ariyana Cradle added 12 for the Cardinals (3-0).

The Cardinals used a 10-0 run in the first quarter to build a 22-15 lead after the opening 10 minutes. Another 10-0 run in the second quarter, capped by Roberts' third 3-pointer fo the game extended the advantage. Berry hit a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to give the Cardinals a 42-27 lead at the break.

Louisville put the game away in the third quarter, hitting five 3-pointers, including three by Berry to push the advantage to 68-39 heading into the final quarter.

Channah Gannon and Sophia Loden each scored nine points to lead Southern Indiana (0-3).

Up next

Louisville: hosts Lindenwood on Tuesday.

Southern Indiana: The Screaming Eagles host Spalding on Thursday.

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college basketball coverage here

It's a historic Sunday at the World Wide Technology Championship.

Blades Brown, the 19-year-old from Tennessee, shot a final-round 63 to come from seven behind and win his first PGA Tour event, and he had to do so in a playoff against 23-year-old Ben James, who eagled the 72nd hole just to get into a playoff. Brown becomes the fourth-youngest winner in PGA Tour history (the youngest since World War II) and is the first teenager to win on Tour since Jordan Spieth. Brown won with a birdie on the second playoff hole.

With the win, he'll also take home a seven-figure check.

Here's the breakdown of how much money each PGA Tour player earned at the World Wide Technology Championship, where there was a $6 million purse.

Puka Nacua trails only Justin Jefferson on exclusive list after breaking tie with Jerry Rice, Randy Moss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Rams pulled off an incredibly important win in Week 9. LA is now over .500 on the season after their 20-13 win over Washington on Sunday. The Rams received incredible performances from their superstar on both sides of the field. That includes superstar Puka Nacua, who was the team’s most productive offensive player against the Commanders.

Nacua logged his ninth career game with over 150 receiving yards on Sunday, per ESPN Insights. That breaks a tie between Nacua, Jerry Rice, and Randy Moss for the second-most by a player within their first four seasons since 1970.

The only NFL player with more 150-yard performances is Justin Jefferson, who had 11 during his first four seasons.

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Puka had 14 receptions for exactly 150 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Commanders. He also added two carries for 20 rushing yards on the ground.

The defense played their part too, with Myles Garrett logging three sacks and a forced fumble in his return for LA. His impressive performance gave the Rams just enough of an edge to come out on top.

It is great that Nacua is continuing the thrive on offense even without teammate Davante Adams backing him up. Unfortunately, the Rams could be without Nacua after he picked up a new ankle injury.

Puka suffered a knee injury on LA’s final offensive snap of the game. He will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of the damage. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that LA does not believe he suffered a torn ACL. However, only the results of the MRI will reveal what’s actually going on.

This is far from the first time that Nacua has landed on the injury report this season. He’s already battled through groin and calf injuries, which only caused him to take a brief absence.

Hopefully Puka is able to return to the field soon as LA fights to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Next up for the Rams is a Week 10 road trip to Arizona.

Related: Rams’ Aaron Donald is over the moon after playing first game with Myles Garrett

Related: Rams’ Puka Nacua suffered concerning knee injury during Commanders game that requires MRI

The Washington Commanders fell to the Los Angeles Rams 20-13 in their eighth game of the season in Northwest Stadium. It was their fifth loss of the season dropping them to 2-5-1, furthering the divide between the Commanders and the New York Giants in the NFC East after the Giants’ win.

This was a defense-dominated game from the start. Both teams only had one drive in the first quarter and both ended in a field goal. However, Washington was able to get the first touchdown of the game on a six-play, 80-yard drive. The touchdown to wide receiver Van Jefferson was set up by a 45-yard catch-and-run to running back Rachaad White.

The next four drives for the Commanders and the Rams ended in punts, followed by back-to-back drives that ended in fumbles. However, Los Angeles got down to Washington’s two-yard line, but the Commanders’ defense held up to keep the Rams to a field goal, taking a 10-6 lead into halftime.

Los Angeles took its first lead of the game on its opening drive of the second half, but Washington couldn’t respond with punts on its next two drives. However, the Commanders’ defense forced their second turnover of the game on a Matthew Stafford interception, which set up a field goal to tie the game 13-13 going into the fourth quarter.

There were more punts after Los Angeles’ touchdown, but the Commanders got a chance to score in the final few minutes of the game. After failing to convert a fourth-and-17 from midfield, Washington’s defense forced the Rams into a three-and-out and gave them one final chance to win with 52 seconds left and no timeouts.

It started well with a 42-yard completion to Stefon Diggs to get the Commanders into Rams territory. Los Angeles got a five-yard penalty after that, moving Washington a little closer. However, the drive stalled with incompletions on three of the next five plays. On the final play of the game, Daniels got the ball to tight end Chig Okonkwo, who lateralled it backward a few times to try and keep the play alive. But it ultimately failed, and Washington lost the game 20-13.

Play of the Game

first one of the season for Van Jefferson 🙌

📺 #LARvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/7SbDhDOCZy

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) November 8, 2026

First, this was Washington’s only touchdown of the game, which makes it a pretty important play for the Commanders. He also scored against his former team for a revenge touchdown. It also proves anyone can step up for Washington to replace the production lost by Terry McLaurin’s injury.

Numbers to know

• 2: While the Commanders’ defense generated two takeaways, they also turned it over twice. One was on their laterals at the end of the game, so it doesn’t really count. However, their first turnover was on a strip sack on a drive that started out promising in Rams’ territory. Any mistake can be the difference between winning or losing, and this was a big mistake.
• 60: Part of Washington’s problem in this game was their inability to run the ball. They finished with only 60 rushing yards, compared to Los Angeles’ 124. Their leading rusher was Rachaad White, who only had 28 yards. They averaged 3.2 yards per carry. That is not winning football.
• 3/12: Another problem for the Commanders in this game was their lack of third-down efficiency. They converted only three third downs on 12 attempts throughout the game. This is also not the way to win football games, but Los Angeles’ defense also contributed to that.

Game balls

• QB Jayden Daniels: Daniels had the lost fumble, but besides that, he had a good day with 274 passing yards and a touchdown. He also had 16 rushing yards on four attempts. At the end of the game, he tried valiantly to get Washington in the end zone, and his completion to Stefon Diggs was perfect. Despite another loss, Daniels is getting better.
• TE Chig Okonkwo: Okonkwo led the Commanders in targets and receptions in this game with six receptions for 57 yards. He now has two games with at least six receptions in the past three weeks, showing how much he has stepped up since Terry McLaurin’s injury.
• LB Frankie Luvu: Luvu had his best game of the season with 15 total tackles, including seven solo tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, as well as two quarterback hits. He will remain a key part of Washington’s defense through the rest of the season.

What’s next

With the Commanders sitting in third place in the NFC East and three games behind the Giants, they desperately need a win when they take on New York on Thursday Night Football. Washington would fall to four games behind in the division with a loss to the Giants on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Instant analysis of the Commanders’ 20-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams

After posting 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his rookie season, some have debated how talented Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is and whether he's cut out for the NFL. But on Sunday, he proved that he belongs at the highest level of the sport.

With Deshaun Watson practicing very little during the week because of a concussion, Sanders earned the starting role on Sunday as the Browns battled the Saints. Despite a 23-22 overtime loss on the road in New Orleans, Sanders put his skill set on display in a hard-to-deny performance, completing 19-of-31 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns while adding 10 rushes for 28 yards.

Despite the loss, Shedeur Sanders had a strong debut start in 2026 leading the Browns to two comebacks in regulation and OT.

Cleveland fell 23-22 on the failed two-point conversion. pic.twitter.com/pZc0SuBPES

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 8, 2026

It wasn't just the impressive numbers; it was also the way Sanders helped keep Cleveland alive. The Browns trailed 9-6 and 16-13 at different points in regulation, but Sanders led them back from both deficits to tie at 16-16 and force overtime. He also recorded Cleveland's touchdown in overtime, but a failed two-point conversion prevented a win.

The Browns may keep Watson as their starting quarterback, as they did even after his lackluster preseason performance upon returning from missing over a year of action. But if they do, expect Sanders to inherit a starting NFL quarterback role sooner rather than later – even if it means he ends up playing somewhere other than in Cleveland. He's clearly shown he has what it takes to start in the NFL and play at a high level.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Shedeur Sanders proves he's an NFL-caliber starting QB

The Houston Dynamo will open its best-of-three first round series on the road at the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Game 1 has a scheduled kickoff time of 9 p.m. CT. The Dynamo will host Game 2 at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 1:30 p.m.

If necessary, the Earthquakes will host a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday, Dec. 2. 

The Dynamo finished the MLS regular season Saturday in fifth place in the Western Conference after losing 1-0 to St. Louis City SC while the Earthquakes finished in fourth place.

Houston won only two games with seven ties over its final 14 matches but coach Ben Olsen and the team were positive following the loss. Olsen said the Dynamo looked as good as they've been in a while against St. Louis.

"We've been a tough team to beat, I think by and large, but the wins have not come easy over this last stretch," Olsen said after Saturday's season finale. "But I don't care. It's a clean slate, man. We're gonna start anew."

All three matches will be broadcast on Apple TV, but Game 1 will also be shown on FS1.

Houston is in the playoffs for the third time in four years under Olsen. The Dynamo made the semifinals in 2023 but lost in the first round in 2024.

"We have a good rhythm now," captain Artur said. "Playoffs is different, and we're gonna be ready for that."

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This article originally published at Houston Dynamo to open MLS playoffs at San Jose on Nov. 24.

Three local teams, all from Lawrence County, brought home red runner-up trophies at the State Cross Country Meet at Oakville on Saturday.

The Hatton boys were 20 points off of White Plains for the Class 3A title. Both Lawrence County boys and girls were also second in Class 4A.

"I'm trying to hold back tears," Lawrence County coach Stanley Johnson said. "Because not many people know what both teams have been through and accomplished."

Hartselle's Grace Goldman capped off a dominant season, winning every race on the way to the individual Class 5A girls title.

" We came out here yesterday to do a course preview, and I was really excited," she said. "I just wanted to go fast." — Lawrence County boys take best state finish since 2015

It's the day before the race and Lawrence County coach Stanley Johnson is dressed up like a Stormtrooper laughing with his runners.

"I started having fun with them. I'm already unorthodox but I mean extra. I was dressed up in my Stormtrooper outfit yesterday here," he said.

A few weeks ago, Johnson decided to make the switch in coaching styles.

"I loosened up," he said. "They loosened up too and they finally formed their identity."

Led by Tristan Evans in 12th and Owen Hayes in 17th, the Lawrence County boys finished second (103) at state in team scores.

It's the highest mark at state since the boys won it all in 2015.

"We're like brothers almost," Evans said. "We're all together, all the time. Cross country's just about all we talk about."

Boys Class 4A Local Results

4th — Tyler Morring, Ardmore — 15:28.2

12th — Tristan Evans, Lawrence County — 16:28.90

17th — Owen Hayes, Lawrence County — 16:35.50

21st — Landon Smith, Lawrence County — 16:51.50

35th — Bryce McConnell, Lawrence County — 17:27.10

37th — Bill Solway, Lawrence County — 17:33.30

41st — Cole Smith, Lawrence County — 17:40.60

65th — Easton Shelton, Ardmore — 18:26.40

66th — Boone Stewart, Lawrence County — 18:27.70

93rd — Justin Vess, Lawrence County — 19:03.60 — Lawrence County girls keep winning despite everything

When the Red Devil girls started this year, they couldn't even field an entire team.

It was just Haley Dumas and Catie Warren for the first two races of the season due to injuries to everyone else.

"It unmotivated me, just to see the girls injured," Dumas said. "It's hard to not have a team to run beside you."

Lawrence County lost five seniors from its state championship team over the summer and half its new team was 8th graders.

But despite it all, they finished runners-up (88) in Class 4A, led by Dumas in 5th and Avery Dutton in 7th, just 35 points from a state championship.

" I love seeing the girls out there running, and they love it too," Dumas said. "It's just great to have a team that cares for the sport and truly loves it."

Every year since the start of the decade, the Lawrence County girls have finished first or second at state, winning championships in five of the last seven seasons.

Girls Class 4A Local Results

5th — Haley Dumas, Lawrence County — 19:40.40

7th — Avery Dutton, Lawrence County — 19:41.90

19th — Bailey Reeves, Lawrence County — 20:52.40

30th — Alivia Templeton, Lawrence County — 21:20.90

49th — Addy Robertson, Lawrence County — 22:11.50

58th — Catie Warren, Lawrence County — 22:24.80

94th — Sadie Morgan, Lawrence County — 23:57.40 — Hatton finishes strong for best state finish since 2023

After a bumpy start, the Hatton boys put together the best two races of the season when it mattered most.

They won sectionals and were just 20 points away from beating White Plains for the Class 3A state title behind Jonah Owens in 14th and Reece McDonald in 19th.

Before the postseason, their best finish in a race was second.

"There were times in September where I was like, 'Man, are we just not quite ready for the amp up and rigor with our training?'" Hatton coach Hunter Haynes said. " But ultimately, this was the goal, to be peaking at the right time."

It's the Hornets' highest finish at state since 2023.

"I hope the younger kids can look up to this," Owens said. "And next year we can be even at a higher level than we were this year."

Boys Class 3A Local Results

14th — Jonah Owens, Hatton — 17:34.80

19th — Reece McDonald, Hatton — 17:45.50

24th — Drake Yarbrough, Hatton — 18:13.10

28th — Hunter Mears, Hatton — 18:20.10

31st — Gideon Gallahair, Hatton — 18:33.20 — Hartselle's Goldman caps off dominant season with individual 5A title

Dominant. That's the only adjective that comes close to describing Hartselle's star runner this season.

Grace Goldman won every single race on her way to her second consecutive individual state title, taking the Class 5A race by 24 seconds.

"I was just trying to stay consistent this season," Goldman said.

The junior will have some time to celebrate, but it won't be long. There's always another gear.

"I'm going to run the Rocket City marathon on December 13th," she said.

"I don't think any human is limited," said Goldman. "There's always somewhere above. There's always faster."

Girls Class 5A Local Results

1st — Grace Goldman, Hartselle — 17:46.50

14th — Kate Sanders, Athens — 19:07.90

48th — Claudia Burroughs, Hartselle — 20:50.00

73rd — Lucy Daigre, Hartselle — 21:35.30

85th — Gabriella Goldman, Hartselle — 21:46.90

94th — Lily Novosel, Hartselle — 22:11.40 — Other local results

Boys 5A

14th — Aidan Ennis, Athens — 15:58.90

19th — Dawson Zorio, Athens — 16:09.70

28th — Houston Ramsden, Athens — 16:25.30

72nd — Evan Lawrence, Athens — 17:39.20

Girls 3A

33rd — Isabella Wright, East Lawrence — 22:35.0

Boys 1A/2A

17th — Tyson Johnston, Falkville — 17:55.50

56th — Tristan Moore, Falkville — 19:23.50

63rd — Bryant Alexander, Falkville — 19:39.40

74th — Gunner Halbrooks, Falkville — 20:06.80

89th — Mason Alexander, Falkville — 20:27.50

Girls Single A

4th — Kaylie Key, Athens Bible — 19:09.20

45th — Kylie Murrell, Athens Bible — 21:51.40

53rd — Lily Persell, Athens Bible — 22:24.20

72nd — Kaylee Dennis, Athens Bible — 23:21.90

73rd — Audrey Barnes, Athens Bible — 23:23.50

Boys Single A

11th — Ethan Barnes, Athens Bible — 16:50.50

19th — Eli Britnell, Athens Bible — 17:14.30

33rd — Jake Banta, Athens Bible — 17:50.90

36th — Chandler James, Athens Bible — 18:03.60

40th — Davis Bradford, Athens Bible — 18:25.40

The New York Giants won on Sunday in Philadelphia for the first time since before "Frozen" hit movie theaters. And somehow, despite injuries up and down the roster, Big Blue is now firmly in charge of the NFC East.

The Giants' resurgence is coinciding with the career rebirth of J.J. McCarthy, who shook off an apparent hip injury to lead New York to a 19-11 win. It wasn't pretty, and this isn't a graceful resurgence — less "bird of prey taking flight" and more "baby deer getting to its feet" — but when you're a member of the NFC East, you can limp your way to a division title. 

McCarthy could follow in the footsteps of Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith, all of whom rejuvenated their careers with other teams than the ones that drafted them. But it's clear McCarthy — who was 12-of-19 passing for 127 yards — is finding more room to develop in New York than he did in Minnesota. 

For a moment during the game, the Giants looked as snakebit as any franchise in the league. McCarthy looked like he suffered a severe hip injury, collapsing to the ground in pain after taking a vicious hit: 

But he returned just two series later, during which Jameis Winston led New York to its only touchdown of the afternoon. Giants head coach John Harbaugh said he and his staff considered leaving Winston in for the rest of the game, but ultimately decided to go back to their starter. 

"Trainers and the docs said he was good, and he said he was ready to go," Harbaugh said. "With that, we decided to put him back out there." 

Behind McCarthy, the Giants' running back room remains a work in progress. Cam Skattebo missed the game with a hamstring injury; Devin Singletary got more carries Sunday (21) than he had all season to date (18), and Gregory Desrosiers jumped up from the practice squad to carry the ball three times for 20 yards. Those numbers would seem to suggest a possibility, perhaps even a mandate, for New York to make a deadline deal over the next 48 hours. 

New York maintains a lead over Dallas, including a Week 1 victory, with both Philadelphia and Washington floundering. The temptation is surely there to buff up the Giants' roster via trade — perhaps through a running back like Jonathan Taylor — but Harbaugh has stressed that the Giants aren't in the market for a quick fix. 

Sunday night's matchup between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers was going to be the legendary Mike Tirico's 300th broadcast as a play-by-play commentator. Unfortunately, the NBC announcer will instead have to miss the game at the last minute.

On Sunday afternoon, Tirico released a statement through NBC's PR team that he was dealing with an undisclosed health issue and would, as a result, miss Sunday night's game in Chicago. However, it is not expected to be an extended absence for the broadcaster. In the same statement, Tirico noted that he will be back in the booth for the Cincinnati Bengals' matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Cincinnati next Sunday evening.

That's very good news, even if it is a bummer we won't get to hear Tirico's voice this Sunday night.

pic.twitter.com/eKyVRb8ZOn

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) November 8, 2026

It's good to hear that Tirico is doing OK. Hopefully, he gets well from whatever is troubling his health very soon.

Who will fill in for Mike Tirico on NBC on Sunday night?

Noah Eagle will call Bears-Buccaneers alongside Cris Collinsworth. Eagle called Notre Dame vs. Miami in South Bend on Saturday night, which probably made him the easiest choice to fill in for Tirico on the fly, given his proximity to Chicago.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why is Mike Tirico missing Sunday night's Bears vs. Buccaneers game?

It was a dream start for Racing Bulls’ Lawson to be second after passing McLaren’s Lando Norris in the F1São Paulo GP, behind Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli. He challenged the Italian for the lead, but once things settled, he bogged down.

“Yeah, I mean, crazy race honestly. Had a really good start, good grip in Turn 1,” said Lawson to the media. “Obviously, made up a place and then, to be honest, I was thinking I might try and attack Kimi at some point in the lap.

“But yeah, just once the pace stabilized, they were a lot quicker than us, and we started to fall back. We were damaging our tires, I think, quite a lot more than them.” He steadied himself around the seventh position, being chased by the Ferrari drivers.

He had Lewis Hamilton on his tail initially, but a mistake by the Brit left Lawson clear, which got Leclerc in the picture. The Monegasque tried a move in the final sector and made contact after their wheels banged. The move was put under investigation.

Lawson Calls Out Leclerc for a GP2 Move

Leclerc eventually succeeded in clearing him at the start of the new lap to end up seventh, with Lawson eighth. The Kiwi took a dig at the Monegasque, reminding viewers of the last-lap move the Ferrari driver pulled on Alexander Albon at Abu Dhabi in 2017, the year GP2 became Formula 2.

“I think the pace on the dry was okay,” continued Lawson. “Then at the end, I tried to keep Charles there. We had some contact in 12. I’ll go and review it. I don’t really know exactly what to say yet, but obviously I ended up losing the place.

“I mean, I think it was his wing that hit my tire. So, I think we got really lucky. I feel like it was exactly like his GP2 move in Abu Dhabi, like on Albon years ago. He did the same kind of thing. So maybe it’s his specialty. I don’t know if it’s legal or not.

“Obviously going to review it, but it was a good battle overall,” summed up Lawson, as the FIA stewards sided with the Kiwi on the matter. They handed a 5s time penalty to Leclerc, which dropped him back to eighth and promoted the Racing Bulls driver to another seventh-place finish.

Leclerc Handed Penalty for Collision

Lawson acknowledged that his wheel rim got damaged in the contact, which brought Leclerc closer to him to make an overtake. The Monegasque argued that there was no sporting consequence, but the stewards sided with the Kiwi.

They felt the onus was on Leclerc to avoid the collision, no matter how minor it was. They agreed that there was a sporting consequence of it that helped him to get close to Lawson. Taking the mitigating circumstances on board, they handed him a 5s time penalty.

#F1 #SaoPauloGP Charles Leclerc finished 7th but this penalty means he’ll drop to 8th and Liam Lawson gets 7th. #MsportXtra https://t.co/j2ZYFNx3He

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) November 8, 2026

#F1 #SaoPauloGP The final results of the race, with Charles Leclerc dropping 1 position and no change in outcome for both Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman. #MsportXtra https://t.co/ep273pdBhv

— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra) November 8, 2026

Sunday's NFL schedule wraps up with a primetime matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears. Tampa Bay travels to Soldier Field to face a Chicago team that has gotten off to a strong 6-2 start. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

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Sunday Night Football: Buccaneers vs. Bears Preview

Chicago is 6-2 and favored by 6.5, but I think Tampa Bay can keep this game competitive. The Bears average 26.8 points and 404.6 yards per game, ranking second in rushing and first in time of possession.

Tampa Bay also has an excellent ground game, averaging an NFL-best 168.6 rushing yards per contest. The Buccaneers' defense is the bigger reason I like them here, allowing just 18.9 points and 285.9 yards per game. They're also tied for the league lead with 12 interceptions.

I expect Tampa Bay's defense, and focus on running the ball on offense to make things difficult early for the Bears to get going. Things could open up late, but I like the first-half UNDER 23.5 total points. I also like the Buccaneers +6.5 or the full game, as I think they will keep this close.

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Patriots vs. Packers Score, Live Updates, Highlights From Week 9 Game originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Patriots will look to keep their momentum going Sunday when they host the Packers at Gillette Stadium. Mike Vrabel's team has won four of its last five games and enters the weekend at 5-3, giving New England an opportunity to make another statement against an NFC contender.

The Patriots are coming off a 24-19 comeback victory over the Dolphins in Week 8. New England trailed 13-3 at halftime, but it rallied behind Drake Maye to secure its fifth win of the season.

The Packers also enter this matchup at 5-3 after defeating the Panthers on Oct. 29. Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes against Carolina, and Green Bay's defense recorded six sacks to help secure the victory.

NESN will provide live coverage of Sunday's game between the Patriots and Packers.

Patriots vs. Packers score

Patriots vs. Packers live updates, highlights from Week 9 game

(All times Eastern)

Packers 42, Patriots 21

6:59 p.m.: Maye finds Henry for a 21-yard pass gain. Maye sends the next pass deep to the right side. Mack Hollins is on the reception, and it's a 22-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick is good. 

6:57 p.m.: Oh man. Almost another interception. Maye's pass intended for Lan Larison falls incomplete. E. Williams went down after the play, but got up and walked back into the huddle. 

6:56 p.m.: Maye is able to get rid of the ball and get it to Raridon for a 15-yard pass. Then he sends a pass to Douglas on the outside edge for a gain of 5. 

6:54 p.m.: Maye's pass to Stevenson is good for a 6-yard gain. Stevenson went down after the play. It is not looking good for the Pats. 

6:52 p.m.: Smack on the kickoff. Kiner on the catch. Cameron Latu was injured on the play, and we will go to an injury timeout. 

Packers 42, Patriots 14

6:48 p.m.: Green Bay doesn't waste any time. Love sends a deep pass down the middle to Watson for a 39-yard touchdown pass. They are going to go for two. Love walks it in. 

6:47 p.m.: Stevenson on the carry. The ball is punched free by McDuffie on the tackle and recovered by McDuffie at the NE 39. 

6:44 p.m.: Kiner bobbles the ball on the catch, but is able to bring it in and is taken down at the NE 39. Maye hesitates, can't find anyone down the field, and is sacked for a loss of 2. 

Packers 34, Patriots 14

6:40 p.m.: Love is trying to get Kraft in on the fun, but the ball slips out of Kraft's fingers. Smack will attempt a 51-yard field goal, and it's good. 

6:37 p.m.: Patriots try to blitz. Love sends a 33-yard pass to Watson. Green Bay takes their first timeout of the half. 

6:35 p.m.: Packers will start at their own 22. Love sends a 1-yard pass to Tucker Kraft. 

6:32 p.m.: Nice little hook-and-ladder play at 3rd & 11, but Patriots will fall three yards short. The ball is punted by Wishnowsky. 

6:30 p.m.: Patriots have some ground to make up. Maye is 11-for-24 with 181 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Maye is sacked for a loss of 6 yards, and he almost lost the ball. 

Packers 31, Patriots 14

6:25 p.m.: It's 3rd & 7. Love finds S. Williams in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The extra point is up and good. 

Okay, Savion 👀 📺: FOX https://t.co/fkmwnEhVSW

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 8, 2026

6:23 p.m.: Love is 14-for-19 tonight with 260 yards and one touchdown. 

6:21 p.m.: Love's pass to Watson is good for a 9-yard gain. An encroachment penalty is called on Cory Durden, giving Green Bay a free first down. With a new set of downs, Love sends a 28-yard pass to Watson. 

6:20 p.m.: Packers will get the ball to begin the third quarter. 

End of second quarter/ Halftime: Packers 24, Patriots 14

6:05 p.m.: Love is sacked by Ponder for a loss of 6 yards, and that will bring us to the end of the half. 

6:03 p.m.: Brown gingerly walks off the field. It's 3rd & 10. Maye's pass is nearly intercepted for the fourth time tonight, but Kamal Hadden wasn't able to bring it in. Wishnowsky and the punting unit come out. Green Bay will begin from their own 15. 

6:00 p.m.: Maye hesitates before rushing for a 3-yard gain. Then, with no huddle, Maye's pass to Douglas is incomplete. Another incomplete pass to Douglas. Ben Brown is injured on the play, causing New England to use their final timeout of the half. 

5:58 p.m.: Patriots really need to take advantage of the short field. They take over at their own 43. Maye sends an 8-yard pass to Douglas, who is hit hard on the tackle. A flag was thrown, but there was no penalty on the play. 

5:56 p.m.: Green Bay decided to keep the offense on for 4th & 3. Love finds S. Williams, but the play is called incomplete as it looks like the ball hit the ground first while Williams was diving for it. Carlton Davis was injured on the play. He is walking slowly off the field as the Patriots begin to take over on downs. 

5:50 p.m.: Melton is on the return. He catches the ball at the 3 and is finally taken down by the Borregales, the kicker, at the 50. Melton was dangerously close to breaking free on that one. 

Packers 24, Patriots 14

5:47 p.m.: Maye just barely gets the throw off, but he does and finds Raridon for a 28-yard gain. Then Stevenson rushes for 19 yards, making it 1st & Goal. Maye's pass to Chism is good for an 8-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick is good. 

Maye & Chism for the score! 📺 FOX https://t.co/FglnbRIgNx

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 8, 2026

5:45 p.m.: Maye sends a high throw to Hollins for a 9-yard gain. 

Packers 24, Patriots 7

5:42 p.m.: It is 1st & Goal. Love hands off to Kaleb Johnson, who takes it up the center for a 2-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Smack is good. 

LET'S GO 📺: FOX https://t.co/gE2sDiD9Y2

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 8, 2026

5:40 p.m.: Love sends another deep pass this time to Watson at the NE 2 for a 43-yard pass. A penalty is called on Davis for defensive pass interference, but it is declined. Then Vrabel throws the red challenge flag, challenging the call that the pass was complete. After review, the call stands. 

5:39 p.m.: Green Bay will begin their drive from their own 31. Love sends a deep pass to Golden for a 24-yard gain. 

5:36 p.m.: Maye's pass intended for Eli Raridon is intercepted by McKinney for the second time tonight. Green Bay's safeties now have three on the night. Head coach Mike Vrabel does not look happy.

5:34 p.m.: Maye fakes a handoff and finds Douglas for a 33-yard pass. 

5:31 p.m.: The call stands, and Green Bay loses their challenge. After a zero-yard gain brings up 4th & 1, a false start is called on Love, sending the Packers back 5. Whelan will punt, and it will result in a touchback. 

5:28 p.m.: The red flag is thrown from Green Bay's sideline. The ruling on the field was that Green Bay was short of the first-down marker, making it 3rd & 1.

5:26 p.m.: Green Bay will begin their drive from the 33. Love hands off to Savion Williams for a 13-yard run. An incomplete pass from Love brings up 2nd & 10. What a catch by Watson. He makes a one-handed catch for a 9-yard gain. 

Packers 17, Patriots 7

5:21 p.m.: Maye sends a deep pass to Stevenson. It's a 30-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick by Andy Borregales is good. Pats are finally on the board. 

Touchdown Drake to Dre! 📺 FOX https://t.co/uyN2vlDvIs

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 8, 2026

5:19 p.m.: Maye takes a deep shot and finds DeMario Douglas for a much-needed 36-yard pass. 

5:15 p.m.: Daniel Whelan and the punting unit come out. Patriots will begin their drive from their own 32. 

5:13 p.m.: Love sends a deep pass intended for Watson, but Carlton Davis is on defensive coverage, and the pass falls incomplete. Love is sacked for a loss of 8 by Christian Barmore. 

5:08 p.m.: Kiner is on the return. He takes the ball from the 2 to the 28. Maye hands off to Stevenson, who rushes on the left side for a gain of 12. Maye sends a deep pass downfield intended for Kyle Williams. Out of nowhere comes Evan Williams, who intercepts the ball at the GB 23 after it bounced off of K. Williams' hands. 

Packers 17, Patriots 0

5:03 p.m.: We've switched sides. Green Bay will continue their drive with a 2-yard gain. Elijah Ponder sacks Love for a loss of 9 yards. It's 4th & 14 from the 23. Smack comes out for a field goal attempt, and the 41-yard kick is good. 

End of first quarter: Packers 14, Patriots 0

4:59 p.m.: Love sends a 43-yard pass to Golden, putting the Packers within the 20. Golden is having a day! 

4:57 p.m.: A neutral zone infraction is called on Gabe Jacas, giving the Packers 5 free yards. 

4:55 p.m.: Love finds Christian Watson for a much-needed 10-yard gain to move up to the 15. 

4:53 p.m.: Packers will start from their own 2. Love is forced to throw the ball away while in their end zone to avoid a safety. 

4:50 p.m.: Back-to-back incompletions bring up 4th & 17. Maye was looking for Williams deep on the latter play, but it went over his head. Wishnowsky is back out to punt. 

4:47 p.m.: Maye is forced to throw the ball away before he could be tackled for a loss. Maye hesitates again; right as he is getting taken down, he finds Efton Chism III for a 10-yard pass. There was a defensive holding penalty on the play, but it was declined. Pats move the chains. 

4:45 p.m.: Maye sends a short pass to Hollins for a gain of 5. Hunter Henry gets the first down with a 9-yard pass. 

Packers 14, Patriots 0

4:40 p.m.: Love hands off to Josh Jacobs, who goes left. He fumbles the ball as he is pushed out of bounds. On the next play, Love finds Golden for a 5-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick by Smack is good. 

💯 📺: FOX https://t.co/lCspSQ9m6q

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 8, 2026

4:37 p.m.: Love sends a 16-yard pass to Matthew Golden. Then Love finds Golden on the next play for a 49-yard pass, putting Green Bay at the 18-yard line. Love's pass intended for Bo Melton is intercepted by Christian Gonzalez, but a defensive pass interference wipes it out. 

4:35 p.m.: Mitch Wishnowsky punts for 58 yards, considerably short, but the ball bounces to Green Bay's 14. 

4:32 p.m.: Patriots get the ball back after trailing in the first two minutes. Maye hands off to Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushes for 3 yards.  Maye looks for a screen pass, finds no one. Maye is sacked by Isaiah McDuffie for a loss of 9 yards. Here comes the punting unit. 

Packers 7, Patriots 0

4:30 p.m.: Jordan Love scrambles up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown. The extra point kick by Smack is good.

SILLY BODY DOING SILLY THINGS 📺: FOX https://t.co/oDoSrcbGLK

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 8, 2026

4:28 p.m.: Refs said there was no foul on the play. Packers have a pick to begin the game. Packers take over in New England territory. 

4:26 p.m.: Green Bay won the toss and chose to defer. Trey Smack is on the kickoff. Corey Kiner catches and rushes to their own 25-yard line. There is a penalty on the first play of the game. An illegal shift was called on New England, but the Packers declined it.

And Drake Maye's pass intended for Mack Hollins is picked off by Xavier McKinney. Not the most ideal start, but there is a flag on the play. 

4:04 p.m.: Kevin Byard is getting the guys hyped up. It's almost game time. 

Be at your best when your best is required 🗣️ https://t.co/zWYv7l1zO3

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 8, 2026

3:45 p.m.: Looks like it is going to be a perfect fall day in New England. Temperature at kickoff will be around 55 degrees, a little overcast, with winds coming from the west at 12 mph. 

2:57 p.m.: The Patriots will be without A.J. Brown and TreVeyon Henderson again this week as they are both listed on the inactive list ahead of the game. 

Patriots inactives for GB vs. NE. https://t.co/pdwcMi2bHp

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 8, 2026

2:55 p.m.: The Packers have released their inactive list. 

The inactives for today's Week 9 game against the Patriots

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 8, 2026

2:43 p.m.: Tom Brady will be on the call for his first Patriots game since becoming a game analyst in 2024. 

🐐 is home https://t.co/Oca7xFR2zQ

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 8, 2026

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Patriots vs. Packers date, start time

• Date: Sunday, Nov. 8
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

Patriots vs. Packers is scheduled to start at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 8. The game will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

New England Patriots schedule 2026

More Patriots

• Latest Patriots news
• Tom Brady's Patriots legacy: How legendary QB set new standard
• Complete history of Patriots championships

Sophie Cunningham has her sights set on a different kind of competition, and it doesn’t involve a basketball. The Indiana Fever guard has revealed that she still wants to compete on “Dancing With the Stars,” even admitting that she’s been in contact with the show for years. However, her WNBA commitments have repeatedly stood in the way of making that dream happen.

The 30-year-old shared the latest update on her “No Hesitation” podcast, where she also recalled a memorable encounter with professional dancer Daniella Karagach. Her comments come as she faces another major career decision, with her future in Indiana uncertain following the expiration of her contract.

Sophie Cunningham Reveals What’s Keeping Her From ‘Dancing With The Stars’

Cunningham isn’t hiding her enthusiasm for the ABC competition, but making room for it in her schedule has proven difficult. According to Athlon Sports, the basketball star revisited her longtime interest in “Dancing With the Stars” during a recent episode of “No Hesitation,” which she co-hosts with basketball trainer Drew Hanlen.

“I truly do hope that I can do it one day,” Cunningham said.

She then explained the biggest obstacle.

“It gets in the way of our WNBA season. So, that’s kind of my hold-up, but it’s not out of the question.”

The timing is particularly tricky for professional basketball players. “Dancing With the Stars” typically begins in September, when the WNBA season is entering its final stretch and teams are preparing for the playoffs. Taking part in the show would require weeks of rehearsals and live performances, making it difficult for Cunningham to balance both commitments. For now, she hasn’t announced any agreement to join the cast, but she clearly hasn’t abandoned the idea.

Sophie Cunningham Gets A Surprise Invitation From Daniella Karagach

Cunningham’s interest in the ballroom competition became even more exciting after she recently attended the show as an audience member. During the visit, she met professional dancer Daniella Karagach, and the two apparently hit it off immediately. Cunningham recalled being impressed by Karagach’s dancing ability and was surprised to discover that the admiration went both ways.

“She saw me, she was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m a huge fan,’ and I was like, ‘I’m a huge fan of you,'” Cunningham shared.

But Karagach didn’t stop at exchanging compliments.

“Well, come next season … come be my partner next year. You can lift me up,” the professional dancer reportedly told her.

The invitation caught Cunningham off guard.

“Oh. That’s awesome,” she recalled responding, before describing the encounter as “a really fun experience.”

At 6-foot-1, Cunningham would certainly bring a height advantage to the ballroom, something Karagach appeared eager to put to use. Still, the conversation was an informal invitation rather than confirmation of a future partnership. Whether the two ever share the dance floor will depend on Cunningham’s basketball commitments and the show’s casting decisions.

• Sophie Cunningham gave fans a glimpse into her pre-game beauty routine.
• Questions surrounding Cunningham’s future with the Indiana Fever intensified after rumors about her possible release sparked concern among fans.
• Cunningham found herself at the center of controversy when her remarks about transgender athletes drew criticism within the WNBA.
• Tennis icon Martina Navratilova weighed in on the debate, publicly defending Cunningham.
• Megyn Kelly appeared to take aim at Caitlin Clark over her silence on the Cunningham controversy.
• Another WNBA player fueled the ongoing debate by criticizing “white players” for remaining silent.

Sophie Cunningham Faces Uncertain Future With Indiana Fever

While Cunningham is considering opportunities outside basketball, her immediate professional future remains unresolved. The veteran guard completed the 2026 WNBA season with Indiana, but her one-year contract has expired, leaving her eligible for unrestricted free agency. That means Cunningham can explore opportunities with other teams or negotiate a return to the Fever. She averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 43 regular-season appearances in 2026, providing Indiana with experience and shooting off the bench.

The Fever finished the regular season with a 28-16 record before falling to the Las Vegas Aces in the opening round of the playoffs. Despite the disappointing postseason exit, Cunningham remained an important contributor throughout the campaign. Her uncertain contract situation also comes amid changes within Indiana’s front office, including the departures of team president Kelly Krauskopf and general manager Amber Cox.

Sophie Cunningham Continues Building Career Beyond Basketball

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A post shared by Sophie Cunningham (@sophie_cham)

Cunningham has been making the most of her growing popularity away from the WNBA court. The Missouri native has developed partnerships with major brands, including Adidas, Arby’s, and Marriott Bonvoy, while also appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. She has also expanded into podcasting through “No Hesitation,” where she and Hanlen discuss basketball alongside developments in her personal and professional life.

According to Athlon Sports, Cunningham has also committed to Project B, an emerging international basketball league scheduled to begin competition in January. Speaking about her growing business interests, she explained that her goals extend beyond her performance on the court.

“It’s becoming a businesswoman,” Cunningham said. “It’s owning things. It’s growing into who I am, and my personal life and my faith, but also on the basketball court.”

She also confirmed her enthusiasm for Project B’s upcoming launch, saying she was “super excited” about the opportunity. The venture gives Cunningham another basketball commitment to consider as she weighs her next WNBA contract and possible entertainment opportunities.

Sophie Cunningham Keeps Her Options Open As Free Agency Approaches

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sophie Cunningham (@sophie_cham)

Cunningham has previously acknowledged that she doesn’t know exactly where her WNBA career will take her next. Before the offseason, Cox praised the guard’s contributions, describing her as an experienced locker-room presence and a reliable shooter.

“Sophie’s had two really productive years for us in terms of shooting the basketball,” Cox said during Indiana’s exit interviews.

She also described Cunningham as “a really solid leader in the locker room” and “an important voice” when the team needed to focus.

At the time, Cox said the organization expected to have conversations with Cunningham about her future, although no agreement had been announced.

For her part, Cunningham has tried to maintain a positive outlook while navigating the uncertainty.

“I’m just embracing where my two feet are at,” she said in a separate interview about her career plans. “I live a pretty blessed lifestyle. I’m going to live it up, and I’m just happy to be where I’m at.”

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Read more at The Blast

Claire Liu, the world number 102, is set to rise by over 30 places in the ranking following her 6-3, 6-0 victory over Eala in Sunday’s final.

Eala and Liu were tied at 3-3 in the first set when the American rattled off nine consecutive games to clinch her second title of 2026.

Alex Eala and Claire Liu’s new WTA rankings

• Alex Eala will rise two places to world number 15
• Claire Liu will rise 33 places to world number 69

With defeat, Eala was unable to add her name to the short list of Asian players who have won a Hong Kong Open singles title.

The three Asian Hong Kong Open champions

Legendary Indian tennis player Ramesh Krishnan became the first Asian player to win the Hong Kong Open when he defeated Ecuadorian Andres Gomez in the 1986 final.

Krishnan, a former world number 23 and three-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, triumphed 7–6, 6–0, 7–5 against the two-time defending champion.

Seven years later, an Asian woman won the Hong Kong Open title for the first time.

Wang Shi-ting, a six-time WTA champion and former world number 26, defeated American player Marianne Witmeyer in the 1993 final, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5.

Asian tennis fans had to wait another 33 years before witnessing a third Asian Hong Kong Open champion.

Alex Eala’s 2026 Hong Kong Open campaign

• First round – defeated Emerson Jones 6-4, 6-3
• Second round – defeated Tereza Valentova 6-4, 7-6
• Quarter-finals – defeated Antonia Ruzic 7-6, 7-5
• Semi-finals – defeated Maria Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
• Final – lost to Claire Liu, 3-6, 0-6

Alexander Bublik ended the drought earlier this year after beating former world number five Lorenzo Musetti, 7-6, 6-3.

Bublik entered the world’s top 10 after capturing his ninth career title.

“The only goal for this season was to achieve the Top 10 and in the first week I have won the title and I am into the Top 10,” Bublik said after the final.

“If you had told me that last April I would never have believed you. But it is a pleasure and I hope to continue in the same way.”

Michigan football has a litany of problems, but most of them have come on the offensive side of the ball this season. Even when the defense struggled, it was often because the offense put it in an untenable position.

After dropping to No. 132 nationally of 138 teams, and after head coach Kyle Whittingham indicated after the 15-6 loss to Michigan State that no changes to leadership on offense would be made until after the season, he reversed course and fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck on Sunday.

Beck was the highest-paid offensive coordinator at any level in college football. He could make up to $10 million as part of the separation, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Several prominent media members took to social media to discuss the firing. Here are the best reactions we could find on X.

Big Ten Ben

Kyle Whittingham to Jason Beck. https://t.co/ewOEDL8K0zpic.twitter.com/zqoWYZGfAj

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) November 8, 2026

Dave Portnoy

Hallelujah!!!!! And so ends the worst job anybody has ever done at anything in not only football but the history of mankind https://t.co/ROd9puOpoY

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 8, 2026

Big Cat

Why? https://t.co/GGPxGAnNl1

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) November 8, 2026

Tom Fornelli

Why? What happened? https://t.co/9opBniOHDm

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 8, 2026

Chris Castellani

Not giving you credit for handing in an assignment 3 weeks late https://t.co/bZ9DuCoZTw

— Chris Castellani (@Castellani2014) November 8, 2026

Bob Wojnowski

Had to happen. Whittingham indicated he’d wait until after the season to evaluate, but that 15-6 loss to MSU was one of UM’s worst offensive performances in modern history. https://t.co/PilxJZssAu

— Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) November 8, 2026

Scott Bell

Jason Beck is being replaced by the only other coach on staff whose performance has rivaled Beck’s in terms of disappointment. https://t.co/e85QGTxEdX

— Scott Bell (@sbell021) November 8, 2026

Trent Knoop

Kyle Whittingham could only deflect the Jason Beck questions for so long. A change was a must. Especially if he wants another year at #Michigan, and as of now, it's hard to imagine another year.

— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) November 8, 2026

Taylor Lewan

Surprising after what the HC said last night. https://t.co/Lk5hBkOsgM

— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) November 8, 2026

JD PicKell

It was always bigger than Bryce Underwood https://t.co/lwupXrUhUO

— J.D. PicKell (@jdpickell) November 8, 2026

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football fires Jason Beck: Media reacts to stunning move

Garrett, who missed seven games following knee surgery, immediately made his presence felt in his first appearance since Week 1. The former Aggie finished with three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits, helping Los Angeles secure its third consecutive victory and improve to 5-4.

His biggest moment of the first half came when he stripped Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels during a sack late in the second quarter. Linebacker Omar Speights recovered the fumble, giving the Rams possession and setting up a field goal before halftime.

Garrett continued disrupting Washington's offense in the second half, adding two more sacks. His third came with 2:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, forcing the Commanders to punt while trailing by seven points.

According to Pro Football Focus, Garrett became the latest Rams defender to record at least three sacks in a single game, joining a group that includes Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd and Troy Reeder. Donald did so twice in 2020 and 2021, including a four-sack performance against San Francisco. Floyd and Reeder each recorded three sacks in 2020.

Garrett's dominant outing provided a significant boost to a Los Angeles defense that had been without its star pass rusher for nearly two months. With the Rams fighting to remain in playoff contention, his return could prove critical during the second half of the season.

three sacks for this Myles Garrett guy pic.twitter.com/RpsM3zwHyd

— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2026

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Former Texas A&M star Myles Garrett records 3 sacks in Rams win

How good is Philip Rivers’ son? What to know about N.C. State’s four-star QB recruit joining dad originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Next fall, Philip Rivers will be on the sideline for NC State. But he won't be the only one in his family to join the Wolfpack in 2027.

Rivers, who is reportedly finalizing a deal to become NC State's head coach, is making the leap from high school to college at a rapid pace — also just one year removed from his last NFL quarterbacking stint with the Colts. Not only is Rivers one of the best quarterbacks in Wolfpack history; his son was already set to follow in his father's shoes.

Gunner Rivers has been coached by his father in high school, and he's already been committed to NC State, where Philip is set to become his head coach. Like Deion Sanders did with Shedeur Sanders at Colorado, the Rivers could have a father and son as a coach-quarterback duo in the ACC.

Here's what to know about Gunner Rivers and his high school career playing under his father.

MORE: Why NC State is hiring Philip Rivers

Gunner Rivers recruiting

Gunner Rivers, who is Philip's oldest son and the fourth of 10 kids, is a consensus four-star recruit in the 2027 class, per 247Sports. The site's consensus rankings has Rivers pinned as the No. 12 quarterback in the country within the class and the No. 6 player coming out of Alabama.

The young quarterback, who has also played basketball, has started at St. Michael Catholic High School since his freshman year, standing at 6-4 and 230 pounds. 

In his high school career, Gunner Rivers became one of six quarterbacks in Alabama high school football history to pass for over 10,000 yards, joining Bo Nix, Jamarcus Russell, KJ Lacey, Trent Seaborn, Jack Hayes, per 247Sports. In 2025, he was ASWA Super All-State selection and a finalist for 4A Back of the Year, leading his team to the semifinals of the 4A playoffs.

Rivers has been praised for his distributing ability, his unique release and precision passing — just like Philip, who 247Sports scout Andrew Ivins compared him to.

"Not one that has been featured much as a runner to date, but can extend plays and avoid sacks with his mobility and clock," Ivins wrote of Gunner Rivers. "A sheltered recruitment has made it difficult to gather the usual data points, but projects at this stage as a future Power Four starter with plenty of upside given the arm talent, large frame and field command."

GUNNER RIVERS DROPS A DIME! 🎯 The NC State 4-star QB commit connects with Ken Thomas for an outstanding reception. 💪 Stream LIVE on the NFHS Network ⬇️ https://t.co/9jsmoTDdmv https://t.co/whyDw2xUTF

— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) November 7, 2026

Watching Rivers' throwing motion will certainly bring back some memories of his father.

Gunner Rivers with his second TD of the night on a 5-yard quick slant. St. Michael takes a 28-21 lead over Glenwood School in the third quarter. https://t.co/LRXhCaEesL

— Cory Smith (@RCorySmith) November 7, 2026

Rivers committed to NC State, Philip's alma mater, in February 2026 after interest from Auburn, Georgia, Miami, South Carolina and more. 

MORE:Inside Philip Rivers' high school record

Gunner Rivers high school stats

Stats via MaxPreps.

Rivers will be bringing plenty of starting experience to NC State after four years' worth of QB1 reps in high school. He was a star for St. Michael Catholic from the start, throwing for 29 touchdowns as a freshman, then 36 as a sophomore.

In 2025, Rivers finished second in Alabama with his 46 touchdown passes. His 2026 season has only resulted in a few games due to a knee injury, but Rivers has already proven himself as a Power 4 talent.

WATCH: NC State 4-star QB commit Gunner Rivers is back in action for St. Michael Catholic (AL)🔥 (via @murphsturph) https://t.co/SYRuB4FlIR

— Rivals High School (@RivalsHS) November 7, 2026

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Caio Borralho describes fighting Reinier de Ridder with a fractured rib, undergoing surgery and preparing for UFC 334

The Los Angeles Rams were never going to be sellers at the trade deadline, but their last three wins have put them squarely in "buyer" territory before Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. It's never been more evident that they badly need to trade for a wide receiver, even if Sean McVay said recently that the Rams aren't looking to bring in help at the position.

At 5-4, the Rams are still in the hunt for not only a playoff spot, but potentially the NFC West. But given the current state of the receiver room, it's hard to see them going very far in the postseason.

Against the Commanders on Sunday, Puka Nacua caught 14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. That's the good news. The bad news is he suffered a knee injury on the final offensive snap and is set for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity.

As if that's not concerning enough, the Rams once again got nothing out of their receivers in Landover this weekend. Of Matthew Stafford's 43 pass attempts, 19 went to Nacua. The next-closest player had five targets, and the next-closest wide receiver (Konata Mumpfield) caught two passes for 20 yards. Tutu Atwell, after being mentioned as someone who could get more looks, caught two passes for 16 yards.

Jordan Whittington didn't have a catch, and CJ Daniels didn't see a target, if he was on the field on offense at all. Mumpfield is third among Rams receivers in yards this season with a paltry 162, and 78 came on one drive in Week 3. Atwell has 99 yards on seven catches, which isn't nearly good enough. Whittington has a whopping two catches for 12 yards and barely plays on offense anymore.

The Rams can't survive like this, and you could argue their overreliance on Nacua is the reason he gets hurt as often as he does. His knee injury on the final snap came on a third-down jet sweep to him that went for 5 yards – a completely unnecessary play call in that situation by Sean McVay.

He was slow to get up after a deep shot down the right sideline, which caused him to be taken into the blue medical tent briefly to be checked for a concussion. He catches screen passes and gets walloped by waves of defenders. He catches slants over the middle where linebackers are waiting. Few players take as big a beating as Nacua does on a weekly basis.

Whether Nacua misses any time or not, the Rams must trade for wide receiver help. And the options will be there.

Brian Thomas Jr., Josh Downs, Keenan Allen, Jerry Jeudy, Calvin Ridley. Those are all wideouts who could be moved before Tuesday's deadline. And the Rams should make calls about at least a couple of them to gauge the asking price.

They don't have a lot of draft capital to trade away, but for a team that's all-in, they'll struggle to win a Super Bowl with their current collection of receivers.

Yes, Davante Adams will be back at some point after the bye, but that won't solve everything. The Rams can't use 11 personnel without three trustworthy, reliable receivers. After Nacua and Adams, they don't have a legitimate WR3, and they haven't in over a year.

No real deep threat, no sure-handed receiver over the middle, no chain-mover – except for Nacua, of course. And with Terrance Ferguson pulling his hamstring, which will sideline him for a couple more weeks, the Rams will be down another offensive weapon for a little while.

They shouldn't trade away the future for a half-year rental, but the Rams don't have much time left with Matthew Stafford. They have to do everything possible to win a ring this year.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams desperately need to trade for a WR before the deadline

Zack Baun’s afternoon ended with an injury concern attached to one of his strongest performances of the season. Before that concern took over, he helped give the Eagles a real shot at beating the Giants.

Baun finished with seven tackles, two sacks, and three tackles for loss in Philadelphia’s 19-11 defeat Sunday. His production set the tone for a defense that collected six sacks and held New York to 243 total yards. For that impact, Baun is Eagles Wire’s player of the game.

Baun helps establish the defensive tone

Philadelphia entered Sunday with 10 sacks through eight games, and Baun had not recorded one this season. He changed that quickly, then added another as the Eagles repeatedly disrupted J.J. McCarthy.

His two sacks came in a five-sack first half that helped Philadelphia maintain an 8-6 lead. The Giants moved the ball early but settled for field goals, and their offense struggled to sustain possessions as the pressure increased.

Baun’s contribution extended beyond reaching the quarterback. His three tackles for loss reflected an aggressive performance against an offense that could not establish a reliable rushing threat.

Injury interrupts a productive afternoon

Baun left after a third-quarter collision with McCarthy and was listed as questionable to return with a back injury. He later returned to the sideline, where he consulted with a trainer and tested his readiness.

The injury created another challenge for a linebacker group already playing without Jihaad Campbell. Smael Mondon Jr. entered alongside Jeremiah Trotter Jr., who finished with a team-leading 11 tackles.

Baun’s postgame condition becomes an important issue entering the bye. Philadelphia needs its most productive defenders available as it attempts to recover from a seven-game losing streak.

Defense cannot carry the entire result

The Eagles limited New York to 80 rushing yards on 31 attempts and recorded 14 tackles for loss. Their defensive front produced the kind of disruption that had been missing for much of the season.

The offense could not turn that support into a victory. Philadelphia finished with 220 yards, surrendered seven sacks, and scored only three points after the first quarter.

Baun’s performance therefore stands as an individual positive in an otherwise disappointing result. He helped set up a win, and his early pressure gave the Eagles control of the defensive matchup. Philadelphia’s inability to capitalize should not obscure how effectively he played before the injury cut his afternoon short.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Zack Baun is Eagles’ player of the game despite injury in Giants loss

The former Alabama running back, now a CBS Sports analyst, turned to former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, whom he credited with knowing Smith more personally, and laid out his case.

“We just watched Jeremiah Smith play his last snap at Ohio State. He’s done. He’s gonna pack it up. He’s not playing anymore this season. The season is gone. We saw this isn’t a College Football Playoff team. They were already on the outside looking in. The season’s over. He’s already etched his name in history. He’s got the touchdown record. He’s got the reception record. He’s got a national championship. He’s not going to get a Heisman this year. What’s there to play for now, Cardale? You can tell me if I’m wrong because you know him more personally. If he wants to continue to represent the brand, you still got the game up north. That’s a possibility. That’s still on the table. In my opinion, there’s nothing to gain. There’s everything to lose. If you’re Jeremiah Smith, I don’t think that he plays again the rest of the season for Ohio State, and that’s not a knock on Ohio State. It’s not a knock on Ryan Day. It’s not a knock on this team. It’s not a knock on Luke Fahey. It’s just there are bigger things out there for Jeremiah Smith than what the rest of the season has to offer,” Harris said.

“In my opinion, there’s nothing to gain, there’s everything to lose if you’re Jeremiah Smith. I don’t think that he plays again the rest of the season for Ohio State.”

@DHx34

#CFBPostgame https://t.co/ezHkYeUx7D

— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) November 8, 2026

Smith already owns Ohio State’s career records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, and his touchdown catch at USC on Oct. 31 was his 40th, the most in Big Ten history.

He won a national title as a freshman in 2024, and CBS Sports ranks him as the top overall prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Ohio State, meanwhile, is 6-3, No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings and out of the Big Ten title race, with back-to-back losses to USC and Oregon. On what Smith has left to prove in college, the record book backs Harris.

Smith finished with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, but he went most of the second and third quarters without a catch while Oregon scored 38 straight points.
When the ball finally found him late in the third quarter, with Ohio State down 31-14, cameras caught him yelling toward the Ohio State sideline.

Ohio State closes the regular season against the Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 28 at Ohio Stadium, the one game Harris left open, and Smith has tied his own name to it in a way nothing else on the schedule can match.

After Michigan beat Ohio State 13-10 in 2024, the Buckeyes’ fourth straight loss in the series, he made a promise.

“I’m not a sore loser, but I hate losing, and losing to that team up north was pretty crazy. In the end, I think it really helped us play the way we did in the playoffs. But I didn’t want to go to Ohio State and lose to that team up north. I just hate them. Just something about them. For the next two years, I promise you, I will not lose to them. I can’t lose to them in the next two years,” Smith told The Athletic’s Manny Navarro in July 2025.

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The post Former Alabama RB Damien Harris has blunt take on Jeremiah Smith after Oregon loss appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

The Buccaneers (3-5) are very much alive in a (sort of) competitive NFC South. The division sits wide open, with each team sitting below .500, keeping Tampa Bay's hopes of the postseason alive after winning three of their last four games despite an 0-4 start to the year.

The Bears (6-2) have dropped just two games all season and are 4-0 in games that quarterback Caleb Williams has started and finished, as he dealt with a hamstring injury earlier this season. Chicago's offense has posted three straight games of 30-plus points, and after a stunning mid-season trade to acquire All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the defense is looking just as daunting for opponents.

Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Buccaneers and Bears close out the Sunday slate in primetime, airing on NBC and Peacock.

Ryan Blaney has won the NASCAR Cup finale for the second consecutive year, as Kyle Larson was crowned a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Blaney took the lead from Tyler Reddick with an outside pass coming to the white flag, holding on to claim victory in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford.

"I'm going to be honest with you. Every time I come here, that race (2024 Homestead loss) haunts me," said Blaney in Victory Lane. "I kind of gave that one away. I didn't do a very good job at the end of that race. Learned from it. Was able to apply some stuff we learned a couple years ago in that situation to tonight.

"Pretty cool night battling back from coming down pit road. Car was really, really fast. I appreciate everybody for sticking with it. Even though we weren't part of the championship fight, our goal was to try to win the race, end on a high note, get the most points we can.

"We'll rerack and hopefully be better next year. Congratulations to Kyle Larson, Mr. Hendrick, Cliff Daniels, championship number three, two in a row. Those guys are awesome. Hopefully we can race with them next year."

Ryan Blaney wins race, No. 12 Team Penske Ford

Reddick finished second, William Byron third, Christopher Bell fourth, and Bubba Wallace fifth.

Denny Hamlin, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, Noah Gragson, and Michael McDowell filled out the remainder of the top ten.

Larson finished 12th, clinching the title by the end of Stage 1 in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. 

"Yeah, I mean, you definitely think about it, but try not to," said Larsona bout winning the title earlier in the race. "I'm just so proud of my team, first and foremost. Hendrick Motorsports, this was statistically probably one of our worst years. To still come away with the championship shows how resilient everybody at the race shop is, everybody on my 5 team, all my teammates, 24, the 9, the 48. GM, too, Chevrolet, all the key partners there.

"We absolutely could not have done what we did in the Chase without the teamwork that it took. That's what this championship is, makes it so meaningful, just the teamwork. This one more than any of them took teamwork."

Reflecting on his 2026 title run, Larson added: "10 weeks ago, I don't know if my fans had a clue. I definitely didn't. We just didn't have the speed. Our execution was so-so at the time. I felt like we had glimpses all throughout really our career where we could turn it on when everything was right. That's what we did. We made no mistakes really until tonight, all of them behind the wheel. I got the word that we had clinched it. I started driving like an idiot (smiling). I'm more mad at myself.

"Again, thanks to Cliff Daniels, my whole team. Cliff mentioned on the radio our car chief, Jesse Saunders, he doesn't get enough credit for what he means to our race team, too. The boss here, Mr. H, Mr. Hendrick, Miss Linda, thank you for everything."

It's the 16th Cup championship for Hendrick Motorsports, and Larson is just the 11th driver to win three or more titles at the highest level of NASCAR.

Watch: Ryan Blaney wins Homestead thriller, Kyle Larson crowned champion

Stages 1 & 2

Kyle Larson wins 2026 NASCAR Cup championship with Stage 1 clinch at Homestead

Briscoe led the way from pole position, while Larson quickly began flirting with the wall similar to what we saw in practice.

In the early running, Ty Dillon angered both Chastain and Gibbs as they battled in the mid-field, and they both bumped him off into the corner on separate laps.

On Lap 35, the first lead change of the race happened as Briscoe pitted from the lead for a scheduled stop. He then had a slow, 16-second pit stop, knocking him outside the top five.

Larson ran a bit longer than Hamlin and Bell, pitting on Lap 40. Bell cycled into the lead via the undercut, but drivers on fresher tires were coming. Reddick also waited with Larson, and took the lead from Bell with 27 laps to go in the stage.

Heim suddenly slowed from inside the top 15 and pitted, telling the team that the engine shut off. He was the first driver to fall out of the race.

Larson ran down Hamlin and then Bell in the closing laps of the stage, but right as he was about to pass Bell, the caution flew as Briscoe's No. 19 went up in smoke. It was a catastrophic engine failure for the pole-sitter, ending the stage early.

However, Larson had done enough already, clinching the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series championship at the end of the opening stage.

Stage 1 ends under caution. 🟡 📺: NBC https://t.co/a5VBve9WV8

— NASCAR on USA (@NASCARonUSA) November 8, 2026

Reddick won Stage 1 under caution, followed by Blaney, Bell, Larson, Cindric, Hamlin, Wallace, Suarez, Byron, and Briscoe.

During the stage break, Reddick held the lead off pit road, while Blaney was forced to pit a second time to tighten a wheel.

On the restart, Reddick and Bell touched doors with Bell taking control early in Stage 2.

Larson spoke with Rick Hendrick on the radio, who gave him the green light to attack and go for the win. Shortly after, Larson ended up having to pit early as he got up into the wall and cut a right-rear tire.

During the green-flag pit stop cycle, Hamlin used the undercut to take the lead. However, the three-lap fresher tires of Bell helped him to make up the lost ground.

Once he got there, though, he struggled to find a way by. Hamlin held on to win Stage 2, followed by Bell, Reddick, Cindric, Blaney, Byron, Bowman, Elliott, Smith, and Suarez.

Stage 3

WHAT IS HAPPENING ON PIT ROAD?!?! 🤷‍♂️ 🤯 📺 : NBC https://t.co/5kHwsSxnWI

— NASCAR on USA (@NASCARonUSA) November 8, 2026

During the stage break, there was a stack-up entering the pits and Keselowski got spun sideways. Several cars continued with buckled hoods, compromising their aerodynamics. Elliott was among those cars with damage and his No. 9 had terrible pace for the rest of the night.

Hamlin held the lead through pit stops, while Elliott and McDowell got hit with penalties that sent them to the rear.

On the restart, Blaney jumped up to second and was shadowing Hamlin in the battle for the race lead.

Larson continued to be a non-factor after his wall contact as it caused slight damage to the car.

Up front, Reddick pulled off a dramatic three-wide pass for the lead, blowing by Blaney and Hamlin as they lapped Elliott.

During the final round of green-flag pit stops, Byron and Bell cycled to the front with the undercut, but those cars with fresher tires after running long were closing in.

Despite that, Byron did well to hang on to the race lead until the first caution for an on-track incident. With just over 10 laps to go, Suarez spun from 11th after contact from Gragson.

The entire field came down pit road, with Byron holding onto the lead for an eight-to-go restart.

It was a frantic battle, with Reddick taking the lead from Byron after a helpful push from his boss in the No. 11. Hamlin then got into the wall and slipped back a few positions. Larson also got into the wall on the restart, costing him a potential top ten.

Reddick continued to lead until Blaney ran him down, ripping by on the outside as they took the white flag. Blaney went on to collect his fourth win of the 2026 season and the 21st of his NASCAR Cup career.

Watch: Kyle Larson reflects on improbable third Cup title: 'So proud of my team'

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

SAN DIEGO – After seeing their 24-point halftime lead whittled to as little as 5 early in the fourth quarter, the San Diego State Aztecs bounced back to hold on for a 65-56 win over the UTSA Roadrunners on Sunday afternoon at Viejas Arena.

Six different Aztecs (3-0) scored in the final frame, as freshman forward Dionne Madjo had 7 of her game-high 15 points and junior guard Nayli Padilla scored all 6 of her points in the second half. Padilla also added 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a block. UTSA (0-2) saw their second half surge powered by junior guard Damayra Allen scoring 11 of her 13 points and redshirt-sophomore Taylor Ross scoring 10 of her 12 points in the second half.

SDSU extended their home court winning streak to 16 games, one shy of the program record set spanning the 2008-09 to 2009-10 seasons.

After being called for just 4 fouls in the opening half, the Aztecs were whistled for eight with 4:40 played in the third quarter, during which the Roadrunners went on a 14-2 run with 6 points coming at the stripe — two of those on and-ones.

There was also a scary moment on one of the fouls called on junior guard Natalia Martinez, as she left the court holding her hand and did not return for the remainder of the quarter.

Senior guard Eva DeChent made the first shot of the half for SDSU, who gradually pushed back after the initial UTSA surge, getting two buckets in the final 3:15 from Padilla. Her last came with 6 seconds remaining to push the lead back to 47-39 points.

Things settled in the fourth quarter as after UTSA made their third 3-pointer of the second half, DeChent was able to earn trips to the line on successive possessions, converting 3-of-4. But the boost came when Martinez returned to the game at the 6:35 mark and then promptly made a triple in her first possession back on the floor. SDSU outscored the Roadrunners 18-17 in the fourth.

After scoring a career-high 25 points against North Texas, Martinez followed up with 13 points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting while also grabbing 4 rebounds and dealing 3 assists with a steal. DeChent finished with 10 points, and tied with Madjo for the team lead in drawing 5 fouls.

Fourth quarter scoring would finish with an 18-17 edge as the Aztecs saw the result out despite not hitting another field goal after junior guard Alayna Kraus hit a paint jumper at the 4:58 mark. SDSU hit 8-of-10 free throws down the stretch.

It was a cagey opening quarter, as early on most all the offense for both sides came from the half-court sets. The Aztecs scored the first 6 points of the game, all driving the basket as they held the Roadrunners scoreless for the first 3:46.

Bailey Barnhard was the first player to score multiple buckets, making a sweet step-back fade in the heart of the lane to open an early 6-point edge, with UTSA pulling within a point twice until the Aztecs scored the final 8 points of the frame. The big buckets came on back-to-back 3-pointers from Martinez, continuing her hot shooting as SDSU led 18-9 after one, with 8 coming from the junior guard.

Martinez’s offensive gravity sucked the defense in on a probing drive across the free-throw line, leaving Kraus alone in the right corner for a triple that gave SDSU a double-digit lead. DeChent got into the action with a steal on the next possession, breaking free for an and-one as she was fouled while laying it in.

From there it was the Madjo show on offense, as the lanky Luxembourg national converted a pair of free-throws, then out-worked her defender with her Swiss-army selection of post moves to score on back-to-back possessions and make it a 12-0 run.

The Aztecs would finish with a 37-14 lead at the break after holding the Roadrunners to 9 and 4 points in the first two quarters. It’s the first two times the Scarlet and Black have held an opponent to single-digit scoring in a quarter this season after doing so 19 times in 2025-26.

Prior to the game, SDSU held a special ceremony featuring a highlight video recognizing former five-year Aztec guard and current UTSA assistant coach Sophia Ramos. She was warmly welcomed by the crowd and embraced Terry-Hutson before the game.

Up next San Diego State will welcome the Colorado Buffaloes for a 7 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Viejas Arena. It’s the second half of a twi-night double-header, as the SDSU men ‘s team will be facing the Bethune Cookman Wildcats at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on the Pac-12 Youtube channel, with the men’s game being broadcast on 760AM KGB.\

This story will be updated.

The Detroit Lions have until Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET to add to a roster that sits at 6-2, and general manager Brad Holmes has the cap room to be aggressive. Gardner is the kind of name that gets floated in a week like this one. Detroit should let someone else make that call.

Why a Sauce Gardner Trade Is Wrong for the Lions

Gardner has not looked sharp since the Jets sent him to Indianapolis last November, and he has not been fully healthy either. He left the Oct. 18 loss to Tennessee in the third quarter with a calf injury, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported he was week to week with a mild calf strain. He has since returned and played in both of the Colts’ last two games.

The production has not followed. Gardner has 20 tackles and six passes defended this season with no interceptions, and there are issues beyond the stats here. Handing Indianapolis a first-round or a second-round selection for that would be silly. There are other cornerback options out there that would be cheaper and better than Gardner.

The Contract Runs Four More Years

The money is the other problem. Gardner signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension in 2025, and the deal runs through the 2030 season, so whoever trades for him takes on four more years after this one. His base salary this season is $5.25 million. In 2027 it climbs to just under $14 million.

Cap space is not the issue for the Lions. The issue is committing that money and those picks to a 25-year-old corner who has not been worth either one this season. Holmes should be shopping on Tuesday. He should be shopping somewhere else.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion posted four receptions for 85 yards and his first NFL touchdown on six targets in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, and he ran once for three yards.

SOURCE: USA TODAY

Why it Matters: Concepcion's big games are coming a little more frequently. He had a 64-yard touchdown on an underthrown ball from Shedeur Sanders, adjusting to the throw, then turning on the jets with a bunch of yards after the catch. The rookie has a bright future, and he can safely be used as a WR4 or flex in most fantasy leagues with some upside. He is a must-have in dynasty formats, too.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: KC Concepcion records first NFL TD in Week 9

“The results have not matched our desired outcome, and I felt that a change in leadership was required for our offense,” Whittingham said in a statement Sunday night. “We need to put our offensive players and the entire team in the best possible position to be successful."

Whittingham named Jim Harding as interim offensive coordinator for the rest of the season. Harding is the team's offensive line coach and assistant head coach. He worked with Whittingham for 12 seasons at Utah, including two years as co-offensive coordinator.

The Wolverines (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten) started the season ranked No. 16 in the AP Top 25 and have fallen short of expectations with one of the nation's worst offenses, shaky special teams and a defense that has been solid at times.

Michigan might fall short of earning a bowl bid as underdogs at No. 18 Oregon (6-3, 3-2) on Saturday, at home against No. 4 UCLA and against rival and 21st-ranked Ohio State on the road.

The Wolverines barely avoided being shut out for the first time since 2014 against rival Michigan State, scoring with 1:35 left in a 15-6 loss after being favored to win by two touchdowns.

Michigan was been held scoreless in the first half three times in a season for the first time since 1979.

Under Beck, the Wolverines were ranked No. 132 out of 138 FBS teams in total offense, No. 126 in scoring, No. 125 in passing offense and No. 109 in rushing offense.

Beck was Whittingham's offensive coordinator at Utah last season, helping the team rank No. 2 in rushing, No. 4 in total offense and No. 5 in scoring offense. He was New Mexico's offensive coordinator in 2024.

“We appreciate the hard work and effort that Jason has dedicated to the program,” Whittingham said. “Jason is a great man and coach, and unfortunately, it did not work out the way that we wanted it to at Michigan. We wish Jason and his family nothing but the best in the future.”

After a 20-14 loss to Minnesota last month, when quarterback Bryce Underwood did not play well one week after making many positive plays in a loss to Iowa, tight end Zach Marshall criticized Beck in group text messages that were leaked on social media.

Marshall publicly apologized, but he did not play in the following game against Penn State due to a noninjury situation, according to Whittingham.

Michigan's quarterback situation that Beck managed was closely watched with a former No. 1 recruit getting benched in favor of a backup with a familiar name.

Underwood was taken out of the game against Penn State after the team was held scoreless in a first half for the first of three straight home games. Tommy Carr, whose grandfathers are College Hall of Famers and brother is Notre Dame's quarterback, successfully filled in for Underwood in a comeback win against the Nittany Lions.

Carr struggled against the Spartans, but Whittingham said the offensive coaches wanted to stick with him and the head coach said he agreed with their call.

No matter who has taken snaps this season, Michigan has failed to consistently make plays on offense and it cost Beck his job.

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts head coach Shane Steichen ordered his defense to let the Cowboys score the go-ahead touchdown at the end of Sunday’s 27-23 loss at Lucas Oil Stadium.

A pass interference on Indianapolis defensive back Kapena Gushiken gave Dallas a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with 1:10 left in the game.

Normally, a team with a lead tries to protect that lead, but Steichen determined that his defense wouldn’t be able to stop Dallas on four consecutive plays with more than a minute left in the game.

“Yeah, we let them score right there,” Steichen said. “I mean, they’ve got four shots from the 1-yard line, so we get a chance to get the ball back. If not, they're bleeding the clock out.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Colts head coach Shane Steichen ordered his defense to let the Cowboys score the go-ahead touchdown at the end of Sunday’s 27-23 loss at Lucas Oil Stadium.

A pass interference on Indianapolis defensive back Kapena Gushiken gave Dallas a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with 1:10 left in the game.

Normally, a team with a lead tries to protect that lead, but Steichen determined that his defense wouldn’t be able to stop Dallas on four consecutive plays with more than a minute left in the game.

“Yeah, we let them score right there,” Steichen said. “I mean, they’ve got four shots from the 1-yard line, so we get a chance to get the ball back. If not, they're bleeding the clock out.”

One day after a number of Ohio High School Athletic Associationgirls soccer regional final games, it was the boys' turn to win some regional titles.

Greater Cincinnati had five teams in regional final games on Nov. 8. Sycamore and St. Xavier were in Division I contention. Kings played in Division II and Badin competed in Division III. Wyoming and Summit Country Day go head-to-head in Division IV.

Of those, only Wyoming will move on to the state semifinals. Here's what happened.

Editor's note: The Enquirer will update the gallery with more photos.

More: Cincinnati girls volleyball teams play in regional finals on Nov. 7

St. Xavier falls in penalty kicks to Kettering Fairmont

One day after a number of Ohio High School Athletic Associationgirls soccer regional final games, it was the boys' turn to win some regional titles.

Greater Cincinnati had five teams in regional final games on Nov. 8. Sycamore and St. Xavier were in Division I contention. Kings played in Division II and Badin competed in Division III. Wyoming and Summit Country Day go head-to-head in Division IV.

Of those, only Wyoming will move on to the state semifinals. Here's what happened.

Editor's note: The Enquirer will update the gallery with more photos.

More: Cincinnati girls volleyball teams play in regional finals on Nov. 7

St. Xavier falls in penalty kicks to Kettering Fairmont

A big part of pulling out the win on Saturday was the play of Michigan State's defense. Led by defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, the Spartans had a strong gameplan, and nearly shutout the Wolverines. Forcing four turnovers, getting five sacks and holding the Wolverines to just 192 yards, the Spartans flexed their muscle defensively.

After looking at the film, and evaluating the game, Pro Football Focus (Subscription Required) gave out their grades for the Spartans in the game.Check out who PFF ranked as the top five defenders from the Spartans game with the Wolverines:

• DE Kenny Soares Jr.: 87.3
• CB NiJhay Burt: 85.0
• DE Anelu Lafaele: 84.6
• LB Cam Stodghill: 75.0
• DT Derrick Simmons: 72.5

Michigan State was led by their edge rushers, who were constantly getting pressure on the Michigan offense. Burt, being thrusted into a starting spot, showed up in a massive way, forcing a fumble and getting an interception, while being lockdown in coverage.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State's top five defenders vs. Michigan, according to PFF

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Derrick Moore, after letting his first career sack quite literally slip through his hands, went to the sideline and told himself to stay calm.

Moore had chased Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis out of the pocket on a play in the first half, but Willis, as he so often does, used his strength and mobility to keep Moore away, buying himself enough time to throw the ball away, settling for an incompletion.

On the sideline, Moore's teammates reassured him he'd get another chance.

"When it comes again," Moore recalled of the message, "you've got to finish it that time."

"It came back twice."

Moore recorded his first and second career sacks in Detroit's 19-9 win over the Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 8. The first came on third down in the fourth quarter, as Miller engaged with right tackle Austin Jackson, drove him back and swiped the offensive lineman's right arm away to free himself up.

Willis rolled left, but he wasn't fast enough to outrun Moore.

Derrick Moore with a third-down sack 😤 pic.twitter.com/WPB62EpMNS

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 8, 2026

On the second play of Miami's next drive, Moore got home again, this time benefitting from initial pressure by defensive tackle Alim McNeill and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Willis evaded those two but ran out of gas as Moore arrived, unable to make a third defender miss.

"I feel like the game plan was really just rush like hell," Moore said. "Win your one-on-ones, get home, stay together, making sure we keep Malik in the pocket. I've got to give credit to Malik, (he's) one hell of a quarterback. He can run, he can break tackles, get out the pocket and things like that. As long as we stay together, that's all that matters."

More: Lions grades: Shorthanded defense lifts offense to win in Miami

More: Niyo: Lions keep word to honor Jack Campbell with win against Dolphins

Moore played 33 snaps on defense against the Dolphins, topping his previous high of 22 that came in a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 1. He had four pressures in Miami, according to Pro Football Focus. He had five pressures total heading into Sunday, and he hadn't yet had multiple pressures in a single game.

An increased role for Moore opened up due to defensive end D.J. Wonnum (concussion) missing the game.

"That’s what we’re about, and it’s why we got these guys. Because we think they can help us," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said when asked about players like Moore coming in and playing well. "They bring something. I mentioned this before, D-Moore, with every rep, he’s gonna get better. That’s how he is.

"So, the more reps he gets, the better he gets. He got a pretty good dose today, and he’s improving. That’s important. He stepped up for us."

Pending the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills playing on Monday Night Football, the Lions pace the league in sacks (27). Four members of the defensive line entered Sunday with at least two, in McNeill, Hutchinson, Wonnum and rookie defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard. Moore has now joined the club.

"I feel like right now as a D-line, as a unit, we're working to be the best D-line in the (league)," Moore said. "Week by week, we're trying to keep stacking. As a rookie in the room, I just keep learning from the guys, just trying to get better. When it's my opportunity, I try to take full advantage of it."

rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions rookie Derrick Moore makes good on increased role with 2 sacks

Denver Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins rushed for 18 yards on four carries against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. He also caught one pass for one pass for four yards during the game.

SOURCE: USA Today

Why It Matters: Dobbins has received a small role in the running game recently with under 10 carries in each of the last three games. It seems likely that he will continue to see a limited workload as long as Jonah Coleman is healthy but could still be a possible No. 3 running back or flex option in some leagues.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: J.K. Dobbins sees limited work in Week 9

Going up against the NFC has not been a pleasant experience for the New England Patriots so far this season. The hope is that this will change on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The team of head coach Mike Vrabel is 0-2 against the conference so far, losing in Week 1 to the Seattle Seahawks and again in Week 7 to the Chicago Bears. So, why might Week 9 be different? For starters, the Patriots are playing in front of their home crowd after playing both the Seahawks and Bears on the road.

Ultimately, however, the performance on the field will decide whether the crowd — home or road — will have something to cheer for.

Let’s find out together if that is going to be the case. Welcome to our Patriots-Packers live tracker and community discussion.

Live score: Patriots 14 : 42 Packers

Sunday, Nov. 8, 4:25 p.m. ET | Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA) | Broadcast information | Game day roster | Inactives | Weather forecast

First quarter

Starting the game on offense, it took the Patriots only two plays to turn the ball over against one of the NFL’s most opportunistic defenses. An apparent miscommunication between Drake Maye and Mack Hollins resulted in an uncontested interception, and a return that set the visitors up at the New England 9-yard line.

Just two plays later, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love found an opening up the middle and scrambled 13 yards for the game’s first touchdown. | Patriots 0 : 7 Packers

New England’s second possession of the game went better than the first, but only barely. While the unit did not turn the ball over this time around, it went three-and-out after a Drake Maye sack on third down.

Whereas the Patriots offense struggled to move the ball to start the game, the Packers had no such issues. Their second possession included back-to-back big pass plays to Matthew Golden for 16 and 49 yards to put them into into the red zone again, as well as an 11-yard Christian Gonzalez pass interference penalty to negate an interception. Golden capped off the series with a 5-yard touchdown when he got wide open on a busted coverage. | Patriots 0 : 14 Packers

Drake Maye hit his first pass of the day to start the Patriots’ third series, connecting with Mack Hollins for a gain of 5 yards. The successful drive starter set up New England’s first conversions of the day on throws to Hunter Henry and Efton Chism, the second putting the home team in Green Bay territory. Once there, however, things went wrong again: a Rhamondre Stevenson run on first down was blown up for a loss of 7, with a subsequent deep ball on 3rd-and-17 falling incomplete when Kyle Williams seemingly failed to locate the football in the air.

The Patriots’ best play of the day up until that point came on the subsequent punt, which was downed by Erick Hunter with an assist by Karon Prunty at the 2-yard line. It didn’t matter. With Green Bay successfully moving the ball to the air, and not shying away from testing the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, they found themselves at the New England 16-yard line to close out the first quarter.

Second quarter

Coming out of the first quarter break, the Patriots defense finally found a way to stop the bleeding when Elijah Ponder took Jordan Love down on a clean-up sack on third down. That said, Green Bay still managed to add three points to its lead. | Patriots 0 : 17 Packers

Rhamondre Stevenson gained 12 yards to start the next drive, but any potential positive momentum was quickly erased. On the very next play, Drake Maye attempted to hit Kyle Williams on a go-ball down the left sideline, but the pass attempt was deflected and intercepted at the Packers 23-yard line.

Unlike the first turnover, the second was not turned into any points by the Packers. With an 8-yard Christian Barmore sack as a pivotal play, the Patriots managed to force a quick three-and-out and their first punt of the day.

The defense started showing some life in the second quarter, and so did the offense. After finding a wide-open DeMario Douglas for a gain of 36 yards, Drake Maye hit Rhamondre Stevenson on a wheel route to turn a 3rd-and-10 into a 30-yard touchdown. | Patriots 7 : 17 Packers

While it took the Packers just two plays to return to Patriots territory on their next drive, the Patriots managed to force a second straight punt. Christian Barmore came up big again when he helped stop a 3rd-and-1 run, which was followed by a false start on the offense on an ensuing fourth down.

New England’s offense started its next drive at the 20-yard line, and with Drake Maye hitting DeMario Douglas for another big gain. The 33-yard pickup off of play-action was a promising way to start the series, but it once again ended in disaster: Maye tried to hit rookie Eli Raridon on a crossing route two snaps later, and safety Xavier McKinney jumped in front of the pass to record his second interception of the day.

Just like the offense, the Patriots defense also was unable to sustain the momentum it had built earlier in the second quarter. After Maye’s interception, the unit allowed passes of 24 and 43 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run. That was the entire drive: three plays, 69 yards, touchdown. | Patriots 7 : 24 Packers

The Patriots answered the Packers’ third touchdown with one of their own. After Drake Maye hit Mack Hollins and Eli Raridon to get the series started, a 19-yard Rhamondre Stevenson run set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Maye to Efton Chism. | Patriots 14 : 24 Packers

New England’s special teams had been solid up until the late second quarter, but the kickoff coverage unit allowed a return to midfield after the Efton Chism touchdown. However, the defense managed to bail the group out when it forced a quick turnover on downs. The pivotal play was an impressive pass breakup by Christian Gonzalez on a 4th-and-3.

The turnover on downs gave the Patriots the ball in prime field position, and with a chance to cut into their 10-point deficit. They couldn’t. While they did pick up one first down, the series eventually stalled after three straight incompletions. With almost a minute left on the clock in the first half and three timeouts available, Green Bay was therefore in possession of the ball again and had its own opportunity to score before intermission.

That said, the Packers didn’t do anything as well. After an 8-yard run to start the drive, a 6-yard sack by Elijah Ponder ended the half.

Third quarter

The Packers started the second half with the ball in their hands, and yet another chance to widen the gap between them and the Patriots. They did, marching 70 yards in seven plays to score another touchdown. This time, cornerback Karon Prunty came out on the wrong end: rookie, who was on the field for injured starter Carlton Davis, was beaten for a 10-yard touchdown on a 3rd-and-7. | Patriots 14 : 31 Packers

Trailing by 17 points, the Patriots offense was in need of an answer but it couldn’t deliver that or anything else. It wasn’t for a lack of trying — Efton Chism lateraled the ball to Rhamondre Stevenson on a 3rd-and-11 in hopes of catching the defense off guard — but the unit went three-and-out nonetheless.

Green Bay kept its foot on the pedal on its next drive, and continued making big plays. The latest came courtesy of Christian Watson getting open for a 33-yard gain. While that play did not set up another touchdown, it did help the Packers add three more points to their lead. | Patriots 14 : 34 Packers

The Patriots’ slim hopes of a comeback took another hit on the next drive, when they turned the ball over a fourth time. This time, it was Rhamondre Stevenson’s turn: trying to fight for yards after a short reception, running back lost the ball only for the Packers to recover at the New England 39-yard line.

Just one play after the Stevenson fumble, the Packers hit another big play. This time, it was Jordan Love connecting with Christian Watson for a 39-yard touchdown. | Patriots 14 : 42 Packers

McLaren's Lando Norris beat Max Verstappen to win a gripping Sao Paulo Grand Prix in which new world champion Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes team-mate George Russell both made critical mistakes in difficult conditions.

Norris, who started from pole, lost the lead to Antonelli at the start and dropped back when the track was wet.

But an earlier pit stop for dry-weather tyres put Norris on Antonelli's tail and the Italian spun away the lead at the first corner.

After reclaiming first place, Norris dominated through a late shower of rain which required a switch back to wet-weather tyres to take his first win since the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August.

A few laps before Antonelli lost the lead, Russell, who started seventh, spun exiting the pits and lost 15 to 20 seconds after working his way back into podium contention.

Despite their travails, Russell and Antonelli finished fourth and fifth to clinch the constructors' championship for Mercedes a week after the Italian had tied up the drivers' title.

Norris had too much pace for Verstappen whether the track was dry or wet and stamped his authority on the race.

But the Dutchman put in another supreme drive in changeable conditions in Interlagos to take second after starting in 21st place.

The key stories of the race were:

• An accomplished performance from Norris in a revived McLaren to take his first win for more than two months
• A superb comeback from Verstappen from an engine penalty
• A difficult day for both Mercedes, notwithstanding the greater glory of the constructors' win, and Ferrari in the tricky conditions

• Norris sparkles in Sao Paulo despite firework mishap
• Norris brilliant in wet & Verstappen recovery extraordinary - driver ratings

Norris had started from his first pole position since the Spanish Grand Prix in September, but lost first place immediately after Antonelli, alongside him on the front row, leaped into the lead.

The new world champion pulled away to build a five-second advantage in 10 laps as he began to look as if he might crown his achievement with a win at the first attempt.

Antonelli's lead was more than eight seconds by lap 13 but the track was drying and three laps later Norris came in for dry-weather slick tyres.

The Italian followed him in a lap later, but Norris had gained so much time with his earlier stop that he was on the Mercedes' gearbox when it rejoined.

Antonelli defended for a couple of laps but he was complaining over the radio that the car felt strange under acceleration, and on lap 20 he lost control on the entry to Turn One, spinning and handing the lead to Norris.

That left Norris three seconds ahead of Hadjar with Verstappen now close behind Antonelli, who ran wide again at Turn One four laps later and handed third place to the Dutchman.

Hadjar had every bit as much pace as Verstappen, but was not as consistent and made too many mistakes, and within 10 laps the team leader was on the Frenchman's tail.

Red Bull ordered Hadjar to let Verstappen by on lap 39 in the hope the four-time champion could close on Norris.

But the Briton had too much pace and held off Verstappen, switching to another set of soft tyres before needing intermediates when the rain came down increasingly heavily in the final 10 laps.

Norris said: "It was a very tough race - very, very tough. Not the best of launches off the line, but a lot of challenges today with the conditions and going on slicks in the wet is always tough.

"The main thing today was that I just kept it cool and I did not make any mistakes. I had the pace when I needed to so it was good. Nice to be back on the top step and what a place to do it as well."

Verstappen had made speedy progress up from his position at the back.

Initially, Lewis Hamilton, who had started alongside the Red Bull, progressed faster, and was ninth by lap two, but Verstappen soon got into his stride and passed the Ferrari within a further two laps and continued his forward progress.

By lap 10, Verstappen was up to a remarkable sixth place and right behind the Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson, with Hadjar ahead chasing Russell, who by then was up to third after starting seventh.

But Russell dashed his own hopes when he stopped on lap 16, at the same time as Norris, and spun in the pit lane exit which mirrors on the inside of the track the run through the Senna S first two corners.

Russell was broadside in the pit lane as rivals squeezed past him left and right as he manoeuvred his way straight again and rejoined the race, now down in 10th.

After that, he drove well with strong pace to put himself back in contention and a fourth-place finish was a strong result in the circumstances.

He had more pace than Antonelli in the closing laps and the team ordered them to swap positions as they sealed their ninth constructors' title, and first since 2021.

Both Antonelli and and Charles Leclerc were handed five-second time penalties by the stewards for separate incidents after the race.

The penalty for an unsafe release does not affect Antonelli's fifth-place finish, but Ferrari's Leclerc drops to eighth for causing a collision late on with Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, who is promoted to seventh.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri was sixth, nowhere near Norris' pace, while Hamilton took ninth.

After his initial burst up the field, the seven-time champion lacked pace, despite pushing correctly for an early stop for slicks, and could make no more ground.

Although leading Leclerc for much of the race, Hamilton fell behind him with his second stop for slicks, while Leclerc hung on for the change to intermediates to consolidate his position.

Audi's Nico Hulkenberg took the final point for 10th place.

Top 10

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

7. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

9. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

10. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

• Full Sao Paulo GP results

• Drivers' championship standings
• Constructors' championship standings

What's next?

The season is due to end with a final triple header, starting with the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The night race is due to start at 04:00 GMT on Sunday, 22 November.

• Andrew Benson Q&A: Send us your questions
• São Paulo GP Review: Brazil Delivers!
• Listen to Chequered Flag on BBC Sounds
• Watch the Chequered Flag on BBC iPlayer

Showing off on the podium after winning the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lando Norris made his first misstep of an afternoon that had challenged the Formula 1 drivers to their very limits.

Norris jumped off the top step, and tried to do his signature move, where he uncorks the champagne bottle by bashing it into the ground.

Except that, not for the first time, the force of his jump pushed things too far, and he smashed the bottle.

Then, holding up the shattered top to the crowd below, he stepped backwards and inadvertently put the side of his head into the sparkles blowing up from the fireworks on the front of the platform.

Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar showed no pity, and proceeded to drench him with the contents of their bottles.

In any case, Norris was fine, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella confirmed shortly afterwards, and the Briton showed no ill effects in his post-race interviews.

It was, he said, "one of the hardest races of the year in terms of focus needed every lap and therefore one of the best".

• Norris wins gripping race after Antonelli and Russell errors
• Norris brilliant in wet & Verstappen recovery extraordinary - driver ratings

Interlagos did what it often can, and threw everything at the drivers. The race started on a wet track, which dried progressively. There was more rain at the end.

Through it all, Norris was virtually impeccable. He made new world champion Kimi Antonelli look fallible for pretty much the first time all year, and then fended off what at one point was threatening to be one of those days when Verstappen appears to have descended from the Gods.

It says a lot for Norris' performance that it overshadowed Verstappen's drive from 21st on the grid to finish second.

Actually, perhaps the race had also started with a small blemish from the man who has had to hand his title of world champion to Antonelli this year without ever really being able to defend it.

Starting from pole, Norris was relatively slow away, at least compared with the Italian, and Antonelli blasted into a lead that for a while looked as if he would not lose.

But after the Mercedes driver had built an eight-second advantage in the first 13 laps, Norris began to come back at him as the track dried.

Stopping for slick tyres a lap before Antonelli cut a seven-second deficit to nothing, and when three laps later the new champion spun at Turn One under pressure from the old, Norris was promoted into a lead that he never again looked like losing.

"A lot was thrown at everyone on a day like today, but it was probably one of our best races in terms of execution and pit stops, timing of things," Norris said.

"We boxed one lap early on to the slicks. I came out and was right behind him and forced him to push a little bit more, and obviously he went into a mistake and I could capitalise on it.

"So, in terms of always being there where we needed to be, being able to put people under pressure was a very good day for that.

"Also, from my side, just not making any mistakes, which is so easy to do on a day like today. So, great performance from the whole team. Certainly up there with one of the best I've ever had."

For both Norris and McLaren, it was a welcome return to form. They started the year slowly, having fallen behind in development on their 2026 car as they diverted resources to ensure they got their title double over the line last year.

By mid-summer, they had caught up, and Norris took two consecutive wins either side of the summer break, and was unlucky not to get another in Madrid in September.

But then other teams overtook them again and McLaren have toiled relatively in recent races, especially in qualifying.

But the combination in Sao Paulo of some new parts, the circuit characteristics suiting them, and Norris excelling in the wet in qualifying and race, put him back in the game.

In so doing, he provided a performance that served as a reminder that he has been one of the drivers of the year, even if his equipment has not always met his exalted standards.

Stella said: "When Lando operates at his best, he's definitely one of the best drivers on the grid.

"We have seen that in these conditions, like yesterday (in qualifying), it's not the first time that when you have mixed variable conditions, he kind of is one of the fastest in finding the limit.

"And you have seen this today as well, when the track was in the middle between dry and wet. It was when he was probably gaining most throughout the races on anybody else.

"He's very sensitive in understanding how much grip is available. And very, I would say, even complete as a driver, despite he's still many years ahead of him, from a technical point of view, in terms of understanding how to deploy his tools to use the grip that is available, or to adapt to the balance of the car, because you're never going to have a really perfect car.

"You're never going to have the perfect conditions. So adaptability is actually probably the most important feature that you may want to possess as a driver. When there's a need to understand what's best, how to operate, he's definitely a master."

Verstappen raced with a car 'not in good shape'

For a time, it looked as if Verstappen might be in the running for a win.

A penalty for using too many engines this year left the four-time champion four places lower than the position from which he had won in similar slippery conditions at Interlagos two years ago.

So when he was up to fifth, and less than 15 seconds behind leader Antonelli, by the time the pit stops for dry tyres were looming on lap 15, with 56 still to go and more rain predicted, it looked ominous.

But once on to the slicks, Verstappen was not a threat to Norris on pace, even when heavy rain returned in the closing laps.

"That first stint went really, really well," Verstappen said. "We got very quickly back into the top 10, and the pace wasn't bad.

"But as soon as I switched to the slicks, I had an extreme amount of oversteer in the car in the high-speed corners, which made it super difficult to drive.

"So, we need to understand if something broke on the car, some kind of aero loss or whatever, because this was not normal.

"I sit here, of course, very happy with second, but at the same time, I know there was more in it if the car had been in good shape.

"Unfortunately, that was not the case. I actually did most of the race with a car that was not in good shape, and to finish second, of course, is fantastic.

"Maybe next year I'd love to start a bit further up front instead of starting from the back or the pit lane."

Mercedes back on top - but Wolff not expecting era of dominance

For a time, Antonelli looked set to celebrate clinching the title and becoming F1's youngest ever champion a week before in Mexico with a win.

But his most uncharacteristic spin ended that hope, and took him out of contention.

"Very disappointing because we were on for the win up to that point," he said.

"Also in this slicks, once I was able to get some temperature, I was getting to the rhythm, but yeah, the spin came, which still is something I need to look at because I don't know why I lost the rear so quickly as well, like no warning, nothing."

It was another bad day for team-mate George Russell, too, who had done excellent work to move up to third place right behind Norris after starting seventh.

He looked the one driver able to threaten Norris for raw pace, but his afternoon unravelled even before Antonelli's, when he spun exiting the pits and turned a 1.2-second deficit to the McLaren into 20. That was it for his hopes of a win.

Still, a fourth and a fifth place for Russell and Antonelli at the end was more than enough for Mercedes to clinch the constructors' championship. It was the team's ninth - but their first since 2021, after a difficult time through the last rule set.

Antonelli said: "I'm going to put all this aside for now because the team, you know, take the title, we take the title for the team and they all deserve it.

"I'm very proud to be part of this group and this team who has done and still does so much for me and I'm very happy for them."

Like Antonelli, team boss Toto Wolff was as focused on the lessons of the day and year as he was on the success.

He reflected on the fact that while Mercedes had dominated the first half of the season, not only have they been caught in the second, but upgrades brought to the car a few races ago did not have the expected effect.

"Look at the last few races," Wolff said. "We haven't won.

"Then today at the beginning of the race, Kimi was just storming away. It looked like this could be ours. But the competition has been getting tougher between Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and ourselves.

"It's four teams that can win races and will be challenging for a world championship. And I have no doubt that this is going to be very difficult for us next year."

Wolff is pleased that Mercedes have found their way back to the front after struggling relatively through what was known as the ground-effect era.

But he says he does not expect this to be the start of another dominant era such as they enjoyed with Lewis Hamilton in the last decade.

"Looking back, those last four years were very difficult between getting it wrong and then kind of understanding why it was wrong and then realising, no, we didn't understand. And that was a bit back and forth," he said.

"It wasn't that bad at all when you look at the sheer numbers, but it felt not good. And the resilience of the team, the people that held together in those tough times is a factor.

"So it feels really good sealing those two titles. Not many sports teams have done that after consecutive run of championships, then a difficult spell and then coming back.

"It looks like the most maybe competitive era that is about to start, because the teams have become so professional in capability, in resource, that this kind of runaway seasons, I don't see them any more, whether it's four in a row or eight in a row. And that is a completely new challenge.

"You can see how quickly it goes from being dominant. And within a few races, you realise that your upgrade doesn't work and you fall back and you're just third on the road.

"It's great for the sport. I wished it was the era of Mercedes and me running away with another few championships. I don't think it's the reality."

• Andrew Benson Q&A: Send us your questions
• São Paulo GP Review: Brazil Delivers!
• Listen to Chequered Flag on BBC Sounds
• Watch the Chequered Flag on BBC iPlayer

McLaren's Lando Norris secured his third win of the season on Sunday by beating Max Verstappen to victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Norris started on pole position but lost the lead of the wet-dry-wet race to new world champion Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap. But after an early pit stop for dry tyres, he regained control when Mercedes' Antonelli spun at the first corner.

Verstappen, meanwhile, claimed his eighth consecutive podium with another eye-catching drive in tricky conditions at Interlagos, while his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar finished third.

Here are my ratings for how the drivers performed across the whole weekend in Brazil.

Lando Norris - 10/10

Pretty difficult to ask for much more for the McLaren driver. Fastest in first practice on Friday, brilliant in the wet to take pole and then kept his head through constantly changing conditions to win comfortably. Losing the lead at the start was only a minor blemish.

Max Verstappen - 9.5/10

Another extraordinary recovery drive in the Red Bull. Fastest in final practice and then charged from 21st to second, making up 10 places almost immediately, and once again looking completely at home in difficult conditions.

Isack Hadjar - 9/10

One of his strongest weekends all season. Qualified well, ran with team-mate Verstappen for much of the race and delivered another podium despite a few mistakes along the way. Had the pace to make Red Bull think before eventually letting Verstappen through.

George Russell - 7.5/10

The pace was excellent all weekend and second in qualifying showed what was possible, even if his engine penalty dropped him to seventh. Spinning his Mercedes on the pit exit was a huge error and probably cost him a podium, but recovering to fourth was a very strong response.

Kimi Antonelli - 6.5/10

For the opening stint this looked like the perfect first race as world champion. A brilliant start and built a healthy lead, but spinning it away after switching to the slick tyres unlocked a messy afternoon.

Oscar Piastri - 6/10

Another weekend where things never really clicked. His qualifying result was compromised by the timing of the red flag, but he was a long way from Norris' pace in the race and finished almost a minute behind his McLaren team-mate.

Liam Lawson - 8.5/10

An excellent weekend in the Racing Bulls. Qualified fifth, started third and even ran second during the opening stages before eventually slipping backwards as the race developed.

Charles Leclerc - 6.5/10

A very good recovery from 14th on the grid after his power-unit penalty. Qualified fourth on pure pace and worked his way through to eighth. He passed Lawson towards the end but was given a five-second penalty for hitting the New Zealander, which means he finishes behind him.

Lewis Hamilton - 6.5/10

The opening few laps were vintage Hamilton as he charged from 20th to ninth, but the progress then stalled. He struggled for pace in the Ferrari on the intermediate tyres, and a late spin capped a race where more looked possible after such a promising start.

Nico Hulkenberg - 7.5/10

Outstanding in the wet qualifying session to put Audi sixth before penalties promoted him to fourth. A 10-second time penalty for going off track in his battle with Franco Colapinto hurt his Sunday, but he still came away with the final point.

• Norris wins gripping race after Antonelli and Russell errors
• Norris sparkles in Sao Paulo despite firework mishap

Arvid Lindblad - 7/10

His qualifying was cut short by a mechanical problem in his Racing Bulls and further power-unit changes left him starting well down the order. Recovered well to 11th and came extremely close to points.

Fernando Alonso - 8/10

Reaching Q3 for the first time this season was a big positive and he raced well enough to even get ahead of Hamilton with a spectacular move in the Aston Martin. P12 doesn't look spectacular, but there was plenty to like about the weekend.

Franco Colapinto - 6.5/10

Alpine struggled badly in the wet qualifying session but Colapinto made a reasonable recovery. Finished ahead of team-mate Pierre Gasly and was involved in the battle with Hulkenberg that eventually earned the Audi driver a penalty.

Pierre Gasly - 5.5/10

A disappointing weekend after both Alpines went out in Q1. Made a little progress from 16th on the grid but finished behind Colapinto and never really threatened the points.

Alex Albon - 7/10

Saturday was the highlight after reaching Q3 for the first time this season and earning ninth on the grid. Unfortunately the race went the opposite way and he fell back to 15th in the Williams.

Gabriel Bortoleto - 5/10

Showed good speed before qualifying but his crash in the Audi in Q1 put him on the back foot for his home race.

Oliver Bearman - 5.5/10

A really strong Saturday to put the Haas eighth in qualifying and sixth on the grid. The race was a completely different story, though, as he tumbled out of contention and eventually finished 17th.

Sergio Perez - 5/10

Starting last because of his engine penalty made it difficult from the outset. Kept his nose clean, picked up several positions in his Cadillac and reached the finish ahead of a Williams and a Haas.

Carlos Sainz - 4.5/10

Unlucky to have his Q2 attempt interrupted by the red flag just as he switched to the intermediates, but Sunday offered little recovery.

Rafael Camara - 5.5/10

Plenty of raw speed on his F1 debut in the Haas but plenty of learning too. Reaching Q2 in those conditions was impressive, although two qualifying incidents and a difficult race ultimately left him 20th.

Lance Stroll - 4/10

Out in Q1 and never looked capable of matching Aston Martin team-mate Alonso across the weekend.

Valtteri Bottas - 4.5/10

Only 20th in qualifying before being promoted a couple of places on the grid. His race was over before it had even begun, with Cadillac retiring his car with a technical problem, so Sunday itself is impossible to judge.

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Ian Machado Garry (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will make a less than four-month turnaround from his failed bid to capture welterweight gold when he clashes with former Bellator titleholder Yaroslav Amosov (30-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the five-round co-main event of UFC Fight Night 295.

Yaroslav Amosov vs. Ian Machado Garry preview

Garry, 28, is set to compete for the first time since coming short of the 170-pound title UFC 330 in August when he lost a unanimous decision to champion Islam Makhachev. The loss came after back-to-back wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad.

Amosov, 33, has dazzled thus far in his UFC career, bowling over Neil Magny and Joel Alvarez since signing with the promotion in 2025. A Ukrainian military veteran, Amosov rose to notoriety during his 8-1 run for Bellator, during which he fought for his country against Russia and won welterweight gold. His lone loss was a November 2023 upset defeat to Jason Jackson.

Yaroslav Amosov vs. Ian Machado Garry preview odds

According to BetOnline, Machado Garry is a slight -145 favorite to beat Amosov, who's a +124 underdog for the biggest fight of his career so far.

How to watch Yaroslav Amosov vs. Ian Machado Garry

Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Broadcast/streaming: Paramount+

When: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Night 295: Yaroslav Amosov vs. Ian Machado Garry odds, what to know

The San Francisco 49ers entered their Week 9 battle with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday with only five cornerbacks on the active roster, with Nate Hobbs still inactive.

Early in the fourth quarter, the position group took a hit as 49ers cornerback Renardo Green intercepted Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins in the end zone, but when the starting cornerback came down with the ball, he remained down on the field.

After the play, Green eventually limped toward the bench and into the medical tent. It's currently unclear what the injury is and if Green will return, but we will update this post when the team makes an announcement or if he returns to the field.

If he can't come back, the 49ers will be left with Deommodore Lenoir, Upton Stout, Siran Neal and Ephesians Prysock at cornerback.

UPDATE

The team announced that he's questionable to return.

More 49ers: 49ers vs. Raiders live updates: Week 9 game score, highlights

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers starting CB suffers injury while making INT vs. Raiders

The Los Angeles Rams finally had most of their best players back on Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Then they got one of them hurt on a bizarre third-and-long play call at the end of the game.

Facing a third-and-11 from near the 50-yard line with just under two minutes remaining, the Rams handed the ball off to Puka Nacua. While Nacua would find some room upfield against the Commanders' defense, he ultimately fell way short of converting a game-ending first down. The bad news for Nacua and the Rams is that he injured his knee on the play after getting undercut on the tackle.

While the Rams don't believe Nacua tore his ACL, he will now reportedly undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the exact extent of his injury and how much time he could miss moving forward:

All-Pro WR Puka Nacua suffered a knee injury on the Rams’ final offensive snap today, and will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury, per @MikeGarafolo and me. The team does not believe he suffered a torn ACL, but the imaging Monday will tell more. pic.twitter.com/S264w2Fe0A

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 8, 2026

Woof. An extended absence from Nacua is just about the last thing the Rams could afford after they finally got Myles Garrett back on defense, with fellow star receiver Davante Adams still out for at least a few more weeks. Here's hoping for the best for the playmaker and the Rams, and that this injury turns out to be nothing too serious.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Puka Nacua injury: What happened to the Rams' star WR?

Atlético Madrid lost at home for the second time in the space of five days as FC Barcelona took advantage of a poor second half from Diego Simeone’s side to stay top of LaLiga.

Atleti were playing to take ownership of the summit away from Barça, and flew out of the traps to take an early lead through Giuliano Simeone. A lack of clarity in the final third from the hosts kept the score at 1-0 until the minutes right before half time, when Fermín López snapped a shot past Jan Oblak on his weaker left foot.

Atlético offered precious little after the restart and El Cholo seemed to have made some questionable changes, all resulting in Fermín capitalising on a sleeping Dávid Hancko to sneak in behind and grab his, and Barcelona’s, second of the night.

With Real Madrid winning earlier in the matchday, it leaves Los Rojiblancos in third position with a 9-1-2 record, and 28 points.

Here are the key talking points from this disappointing night at the Estadio Metropolitano.

There’s your answer

In the build up to the week when both Bayern Munich and Barcelona came to town, many were eager to see where Atlético Madrid’s level truly was.

It had been a perceived good start to the campaign: second place in the table plus a win in the Madrid derby was not to be frowned upon by any means.

However, questions about the team’s genuine quality quietly lingered behind the comparatively strong points tally and seven consecutive wins. So going up against one of the best teams in Europe, featuring a newly crowned Balón d’Or winner, followed by the highest scoring outfit on the continent seemed like a good way of putting Atleti’s credentials to the test.

Now, upon reflection at the end of the week, we’re able to conclude that they aren’t quite there just yet.

The insubstantial planteamiento that Atleti set out with on Tuesday night against Bayern was replaced by an enthusiasm to go after Barça tonight, that was rewarded with an early goal. At 1-0, the away team was firmly on the ropes, and Atlético had the chance to land blow after blow — much like the 4-0 dismantling of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey first leg in the spring.

Unfortunately, Simeone’s men proved a lack of quality to finish off the job, and left themselves vulnerable to receive a nasty jab before half time.

With Hansi Flick fielding a defence resembling a severed leg patched up with a couple of bandaids, this was the perfect opportunity for Atleti to show some ruthlessness and put the game to bed within the first 45 minutes. Space continually opened up in behind the Barça defence, but a disconnected forward line all ticked at different beats per minute when it really mattered. A lack of contundencia once more.

The 2-1 win at home to Madrid in September is now starting to look like a opportunity well-taken at a time of the season when José Mourinho was still unsure of what his team were setting up to do. That was a visiting team under construction that has since finished the build, and continues to expand the project.

As for Simeone, his “construction” project that he has so frequently quoted, seems to still be waiting for planning permission because the job site looks as it has done for a while now.

Alvarez misses chance to make statement

When your star player drops a stinker of a season, misses a penalty in your club’s first final in eight years, tries to force a move to a direct domestic rival, then misses every single chance they get in the first game played against said rival since the fiasco they caused, it leaves you feeling like a bit of a mug.

Julián Alvarez assisted Giuliano’s goal with a brilliant left-footed cross in the 10th minute, but then proceeded to give up three precious opportunities to provide Atlético Madrid fans with months worth of ammunition in the battle with culers. Not only that, but had la araña buried one of his chances and led Atleti to a win, he’d be 95 percent (or more) of the way to be forgiven by the majority of the Atlético fan base.

Unfortunately for colchoneros, he wasn’t able to do what he’s on the team for — score goals — and we go another LaLiga game against Barcelona without taking three points.

Until the 60th minute mark, his overall contribution was slightly more positive than negative, in my opinion, but the decision to let him play for the entirety of the match had me scratching my brain. We saw just how important Jonathan David is in the Madrid derby earlier this season, and in these sorts of matches it’s the clinicality that often separates the two teams. Fermín López was case in point.

Vuelve, Cuti

They are good football players, yes. But there is no denying that the two goals which Atlético Madrid conceded tonight came from mistakes made by Marc Pubill and Dávid Hancko respectively.

For the first, Pubill allows his interception to bundle off his leg, back into the path from which it came, acting as the perfect one-two that Fermín wasn’t expecting, but nonetheless allowed him to score from. I was trying to decide if it would be too harsh on the youngster to pin the blame on him in such a way, but I recognised that had that been Robin Le Normand, we at Into the Calderón would be openly crucifying the poor sod. It’s an unfortunate action as he thinks he’s doing his job by getting in the way of the original pass, but he reacts in haste and can only watch on as a controllable ball for him ends up in the back of the net at such a crucial moment in the match.

Talking of ‘thinking they’re doing their job’, Hancko seemed to display a classic example of channelised attention when analysing the second Barcelona goal. It was clear from the off that any time Lamine Yamal picked up the ball, he, Pablo Barrios and Alejandro Grimaldo were tasked with dealing with him. So much so in this occasion that the Slovakian was unaware of the drifting Fermín that snuck past him unnoticed, which provided Yamal with the perfect gap to slot a (pretty impressive) pass as the assist. Again, it’s a minutiae, but at this level Atleti can’t expect to win anything unless the players are held to a high standard.

We’re yet to see Cuti Romero up against Lamine Yamal in an Atleti shirt, and it’s easy to say that these goals don’t occur if he would have been on the pitch. But the team just hasn’t looked the same at the back since his absence.

The Detroit Pistons host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Both teams will play without key players, as Jalen Duren (right hamstring strain) and Luka Doncic (lower back soreness) are expected to miss this matchup.

Before the game, the Pistons released an update that claimed Jalen Duren has resumed full on-court activity but will be reevaluated after two weeks. Ahead of the game, the Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media and shared the latest reason for delaying Duren’s return.

“It’s a slow process because it’s one of those things you don’t want to push too far. We’re in a position where we want to ramp him up but also want him to be in a position to come back and stay back. We’re not going to rush him. We’re going to take our time and make sure we’re doing things right so when he comes back, he’s back for good,” Bickerstaff further said.

Jalen Duren last played on October 23, in just the second game of the season, against the Miami Heat. After a 22-point performance in the first game of the season, Duren was sidelined just 10 minutes into his second game.

Therefore, he is currently averaging 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 58.8% from the field. This timeline suggests Jalen Duren could return when the Pistons face the Magic on November 24 or the Bucks on November 27.

But while the Pistons will clearly miss his presence on the court tonight, they also face a shorthanded opponent, as the Lakers will play without their best player (Luka Doncic).

When J.B. Bickerstaff was asked how the Pistons plan to navigate the Lakers’ offensive threat in Luka Doncic’s absence, he said people shouldn’t underestimate Austin Reaves.

“I mean, Austin Reaves is obviously going to have a higher usage; we expect him to be aggressive. With Collin Sexton coming off the bench, if he does come off the bench, expect him to be aggressive,” Bickerstaff said.

“But they play their system, they move the ball well, and they’ve got guys that can make shots, shoot at a high level, especially in catch-and-shoot situations, so they’re definitely going to try and generate those.”

With Jalen Duren’s return still at least two weeks away, the Pistons will have to continue navigating life without their starting center. However, Luka Doncic’s absence presents an opportunity to secure a win tonight.

Bickerstaff’s comments also suggest the Pistons know Reaves remains a significant offensive threat. So it will be interesting to see how the Pistons perform tonight against the Lakers.

Quarterback Justin Herbert and the offensive woes of the Los Angeles Chargers continued at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 8.

The Chargers entered Sunday’s Week 9 game against the Houston Texans with seven straight losses. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel hasn’t helped his team score a touchdown, as the Chargers have gone 14 quarters without reaching the end zone.

“We just got to keep digging deep,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told CBS Sports coming out of halftime. “One play. One life.”

Herbert completed 9-of-17 passes for 63 yards in the first half against the Texans. Keaton Mitchen served as the leading rusher with 22 yards on four carries.

There was a chance at a two-loss American team entering the title race with the Florida Atlantic Owls taking down the UTSA Roadrunners.

It left the North Texas Mean Green as the only undefeated team in the league with a 5-0 slate in conference play and a 7-2 overall record on the year.

That put things into play where, if the Memphis Tigers and Roadrunners dropped one more game, the Green Wave would gain some standing if they were able to win out, hoping for a multi tiebreaker that wouldn’t come down to a head-to-head with UTSA.

Alas, all of that is a moot point now. Tulane is very far down in the conference standings now, and at this point are chasing a bowl game berth.

The Mean Green are certainly staring down the title game with their sole standings at the top of the American now.

Next up are the Tigers at 4-1 in the American and 7-2 overall, tied with the Roadrunners who have the same records.

The Army Black Knights stand alone at fourth in the league at 5-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play.

Three teams are tied for fifth. The FAU Owls are 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the American, and both the UAB Blazers and East Carolina Pirates are 5-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

Up next comes the three-way tie for eighth, including the Green Wave. It includes the final opponent for Tulane, the South Florida Bulls, who are 6-3 overall but are 2-3 in the American.

The other eighth place team, ironically, are the Golden Hurricane, who at least have an overall winning record at 5-4 and now sport a 2-3 conference record after their beatdown of the Green Wave, who now sit 4-5 overall and 2-3 in league play.

Things get pretty bleak after that, starting with the Navy Midshipmen in 11th place, who are 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the American.

The Charlotte 49ers and Temple Owls are tied for 12th. The 49ers fare slightly better at 1-8 overall and 1-4 in conference play. Temple is 2-7 on the year and sport the same 1-4 conference record.

In last place stand the Rice Owls, the Green Wave’s next opponent, who have yet to get a win in the American in their 0-5 slate, but aren’t winless on the year with a 1-8 campaign.

LANDOVER, Md. — The sweet sounds of Ray Charles filled Myles Garrett’s ears inside the Los Angeles Rams’ locker room Sunday afternoon, a fitting soundtrack for a superstar who had finally emerged from two months of hard times.

Garrett was listening to Charles’ music following the Rams’ 20-13 victory over Washington, a game in which he recorded three sacks and a forced fumble after missing nearly two months with a knee injury.

The song “Hard Times” could have been written for Garrett’s frustrating journey back to the football field.

“I usually listen to blues or soul after games,” Garrett said. “I’ve been listening to Ray since I can remember listening to music. That’s what my mother and my grandpa put me on to.”

Asked to name his two favorite Charles songs, Garrett selected “You Are My Sunshine” and “Leave My Woman Alone.”

After Sunday’s triumphant return, the sunshine was finally back in Garrett’s life.

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