The champion Dodgers are dominating October again. There's more behind their success than money
LOS ANGELES (AP) — During the Los Angeles Dodgers’ October rampage to the NL pennant, the defending World Series champions have actually been the dark eminence that many baseball people have long feared they would become. The Dodgers are 9-1 in the postseason, with near-flawless starting pitching and a deep, resilient lineup producing key hits and electrifying highlights. They swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Championship Series with a 5-1 victory featuring an iconic three-homer, 10-strikeout performance by Shohei Ohtani. Naysayers think the Dodgers' success is bad for baseball, but the players and coaches wearing the uniform simply don't care.
AP Top 25 shuffle on the way with No. 2 Miami going down before SEC showdowns take the spotlight
The AP Top 25 college football rankings are headed toward a shake-up. Unranked Louisville upset No. 2 Miami 24-21 to start things off. Louisville, a 13.5-point underdog, intercepted four passes from Miami's Carson Beck. Minnesota defeated No. 25 Nebraska, 24-6. The Southeastern Conference had three of the five AP Top 25 matchups this week. No. 5 Mississippi faces No. 9 Georgia, while No. 11 Tennessee takes on No. 6 Alabama. No. 10 LSU will play No. 17 Vanderbilt. These games could impact the rankings significantly.
James Franklin shocked at Penn State firing him months after playing for a chance at national title
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — James Franklin says he was shocked when Penn State fired him hours after a loss in which the Nittany Lions also lost quarterback Drew Allar to a season-ending injury but that he cannot wait to coach again elsewhere. Franklin said Saturday on ESPN’s “College GameDay” that Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft visited him ahead of a practice last Sunday and told him the university was making a change. Franklin said he was surprised because Penn State was fighting to play for a national title six games ago and was a two-minute drive away from beating Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl last season. He said decisions were made that didn't involve him.
Verstappen earns easy US Grand Prix sprint win after McLaren title leaders crash out on 1st lap
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cruised to an easy victory in a crash-filled United States Grand Prix sprint race that saw McLaren teammates and Formula 1 championship leaders Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both knocked out in the first turn when their cars collided. The loss of both McLaren cars could have a huge impact on the season championship as McLaren mechanics now face the challenge of fixing both cars before qualifying for the main event. Verstappen is making a late-season charge at a possible fifth consecutive Formula 1 championship with six grand prix and two more sprint races remaining.
Ohtani puts on 2-way Sho for the ages with 3 homers and 10 Ks to lead Dodgers back to World Series
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit three home runs and pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning for the Los Angeles Dodgers, putting on a spectacular two-way show in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. With 10 strikeouts on the mound and three homers that traveled a combined 1,342 feet at the plate, Ohtani made history in both of his dual roles for the defending champion Dodgers, who returned to the World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that completed a four-game sweep. After striking out three batters in the top of the first, Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history. He hit a second titanic drive in the fourth and launched a third solo homer in the seventh.
Mariners a win from first World Series, beat Blue Jays behind Suárez's grand slam for 3-2 ALCS lead
SEATTLE (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a go-ahead grand slam after Cal Raleigh’s tying drive in a five-run eighth inning, giving the Seattle Mariners a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays and a 3-2 AL Championship Series lead. Suárez also homered in the second inning for Seattle’s first run. The Mariners became the first home team to win in the series and moved within a victory of the first World Series trip for a franchise that started play in 1977. Game 6 is at Toronto on Sunday night.
Belichick's North Carolina tenure hit by heartbreaking loss to Cal after late fumble
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Bill Belichick's tenure at North Carolina has been challenging, with the team still seeking its first victory against a power opponent. The Tar Heels suffered a heartbreaking 21-18 loss to California on Friday night. Nathan Leacock's fumble at the goal line late in the fourth quarter turned a potential go-ahead touchdown into a defining moment. Despite improvements, turnovers have been costly for the team. Belichick, in his first year with a lucrative contract, faces scrutiny both on and off the field. The team's only wins have come against lower-level opponents, adding pressure to the NFL-style approach.
Miami's perfect season hopes are dashed as Beck throws 4 interceptions in loss to Louisville
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck and the Miami Hurricanes are dealing with a loss for the first time. Miami's hopes for a perfect season vanished Friday night when it lost 24-21 to Louisville. Beck, who had never thrown four interceptions in a college game, took the blame. He became the first Miami quarterback in 12 years to be intercepted four times. Despite completing 71.4% of his passes for 271 yards, those interceptions proved costly. Louisville didn't score off Beck's mistakes, but Miami couldn't overcome the wasted drives. Coach Mario Cristobal emphasized learning from the loss. Beck remains optimistic, noting there are six more games to play this season.
Ryan Blaney channels 'Macho Man' Randy Savage for Talladega inspiration
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Ryan Blaney faces a tough challenge in NASCAR's playoffs after a crash in Las Vegas. He's drawing inspiration from wrestling legend Randy Savage and his quote: "The cream will rise to the top." Blaney is last among the eight remaining playoff drivers with two races left. He's 31 points below the cutline. He aims to reach the championship four for the third straight season. Meanwhile, William Byron's crash in Las Vegas led to fallout, including his spotter losing his job. The unpredictable Talladega could be crucial for both drivers as they fight for a spot in the finale.
Postecoglou fired, Haaland scores 2 more for Man City and Arsenal profits again from a corner
It took around 20 minutes for Nottingham Forest to fire manager Ange Postecoglou after losing to Chelsea 3-0 in the Premier League. Erling Haaland needed five minutes in the second half to do his latest damage. Haaland scored twice for Manchester City in its 2-0 win over Everton to move to 11 goals in eight games in the league. Arsenal won at Fulham 1-0 and stayed in first place. Postecoglou departed after just 39 days in charge of Forest. The team didn’t win any of its eight matches under the Australian after he replaced Nuno Espirito Santo on Sept. 9. There were wins for Brighton, Burnley and Sunderland.
