Alabama football and its fans got their long-awaited revenge over Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 4, downing the Commodores 30-14 in Tuscaloosa.

Even in the loss, though, Pavia found ways to get under the skin of the Crimson Tide and their fans. That began before the game, with the Commodores signal-caller practicing a victory kneel — even a celebratory football toss.

That naturally bled into postgame, with video capturing Pavia getting into it with an irate Alabama fan as the former exited the field with his teammates. Video of the incident (warning: explicit language used) showed the fan shout at Pavia from behind the barrier, prompting the latter to say, ‘I do whatever the (expletive) I want. I do whatever the (expletive) I want.’

Several Vanderbilt support staff began chirping at the Alabama fan as well, with someone yelling, ‘You’re talking to a (expletive) kid!’

But Pavia, 24, wasn’t the only person to rile Alabama fans.

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, who famously led Texas A&M to an upset of the Crimson Tide as a freshman in 2012, was also on the Vanderbilt sideline sporting a Pavia jersey in support of the Commodores quarterback.

In the final minutes of Alabama’s win over Vanderbilt, he could be seen giving the middle finger on both hands to Alabama fans in the crowd.

It’s clear Pavia’s trash-talking habits — ‘If we play our game, it won’t be close,’ he told On3 in the leadup to the game — made for a fraught situation with Alabama fans on Oct. 4. That’s especially true after what already stood to be elevated emotions from the last year’s 40-35 upset of the Crimson Tide in Nashville.

Pavia finished Saturday completing 21-of-35 passes for 198 yards and one touchdown to one interception. He also rushed 12 times for 58 yards, including a long of 36.

Riding the unexpected heroics of guard Dana Evans, the Las Vegas Aces take a 1-0 lead over the Phoenix Mercury into Game 2 of WNBA Finals on Sunday.

Coming off the bench, Evans scored 21 points in just 26 minutes, shooting 8-of-13 from the field including 5-of-6 from 3-point range in the Aces’ 89-86 home win on Friday night.

Phoenix had a chance to steal the opener in the first best-of-seven championship series in WNBA history, but Las Vegas rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Mercury 22-15 over the final 10 minutes to earn the win.

Here’ are the details of Sunday’s Game 2:

What time is Mercury vs. Aces Game 2?

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

How to watch Mercury vs. Aces in WNBA Finals: TV, streaming for Game 2

• Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
• Time: 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT)
• Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas)
• TV: ABC
• Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Stream Aces-Mercury series on Fubo (free trial)

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning don’t like each other after meeting in the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

The 2025 playoffs, won by Florida, was particularly nasty with Brandon Hagel suspended one game for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad suspended two games for injuring Hagel with an elbow.

The teams remembered that when they met Thursday, Oct. 2, and combined for 186 penalty minutes. A.J. Greer was fined for roughing and injuring Hagel.

Saturday’s preseason game blew past that with 65 penalties and 322 total penalty minutes. It has led to two fines and two players are facing disciplinary hearings.

The rough stuff started early when Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin took down Ekblad in the first period and then punched him when he got up. Ekblad wouldn’t return to the game and Sabourin received a match penalty for intent to injure. Coach Paul Maurice told reporters the defenseman would be evaluated on Sunday.

Before the end of the period, Tampa Bay’s J.J. Moser and Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe and Jonah Gadjovich received game misconducts.

The scrums and penalty minutes continued to pile up in the second period.

Early in the third period, a hit by Tampa Bay’s Oliver Bjorkstrand led to him and other players being ejected.

All told, the game featured five fights, 20 roughing minors, six misconduct penalties and 12 game misconducts.

At one point, the Lightning had three players on the bench.

‘That’s a first for me,’ Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. ‘I think we had more coaches than players on the bench at one point.’

The Panthers won 7-0. The teams will next meet on Nov. 15 at the Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena.

NHL Player Safety disciplinary action after Lightning-Panthers game

• Sabourin will have a hearing for roughing Ekblad. Date and time to be determined.
• Moser will have a hearing for boarding Florida’s Jesper Boqvist. Date and time TBD.
• Tampa Bay’s Gage Goncalves was fined $3,125.00 for cross-checking Florida’s Evan Rodrigues.
• Tampa Bay’s Roman Schmidt was fined $2,098.52 for cross-checking Verhaeghe.

This story has been updated with new information.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

AI-assisted summary
• Colorado football fell to 2-4 after a 35-21 loss to TCU, marking their third consecutive Big 12 defeat.
• Quarterback Kaidon Salter’s performance, including three interceptions, has drawn criticism and raised questions about the position.
• Sanders is also dealing with health concerns, citing significant leg pain and a doctor’s appointment to check for blood clots.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders got frustrated Saturday night after his team suffered a 35-21 loss at TCU. His face was sweating. His leg was “hurting like crazy.” And flies were buzzing around him, bothering him. So he interrupted his postgame news conference to call them out.

“Where are flies coming from?” Sanders asked. “Are we that stinking that flies are flying around like buzzards with helmets on? Jesus.”

Sanders had to wonder after his team stunk it up again after taking a 14-0 lead for the second week in a row, only to lose again with substandard quarterback play down the stretch. The loss drops Colorado to 2-4 in Sanders’ third season as coach, including 0-3 in Big 12 Conference play.

Quarterback Kaidon Salter threw three interceptions on the night, reminding the Buffaloes just how much they miss Sanders’ quarterback son Shedeur, now a backup with the Cleveland Browns. Salter, a transfer from Liberty, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another but failed to convert after halftime, when the Buffs punted on four of their first five possessions.

“We seem like we faint instead of overcoming that adversity,” Sanders said.

What next for Deion Sanders and Colorado after this?

Sanders has a doctor’s appointment on Monday to find out if he has more blood clots in his leg. He admitted to being in pain Saturday night, raising questions about his health after recovering from bladder cancer in May. Then comes a home game against No. 12 Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Unless something changes, this season could go south in a hurry. But Sanders didn’t use his pain as an excuse or absolve himself of blame.

“For some strange reasons, we’re not preparing these young men and equipping them enough to get over that hump, because we get to the same situational football every week,” Sanders said.

That situation is building a lead and then blowing it. It happened last week, when BYU freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier outplayed Salter by seizing the moment. It happened again Saturday, when TCU quarterback Josh Hoover threw four touchdown passes and ran for another.  

As a result, Salter’s critics grew louder on social media.

“We need!! a real power 4 QB man!” former Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay wrote on social media site X. “It’s ridiculous!!”

What will Deion Sanders do at quarterback now?

Colorado previously benched Salter for one game in favor of former third-string quarterback Ryan Staub. Celebrated freshman Julian Lewis is waiting for his chance, too, but has only appeared in one game and attempted four passes.

“We got to stay together,” Salter said afterward. “And that’s one big thing you have to do when you’re having a season like we’re having so far.”

It wasn’t all Salter’s fault. Among other things, a big miscue on a punt return in the fourth quarter put the Buffs on the losing track. The game was tied at 21-21 with about seven minutes left when TCU punted to Colorado freshman returner Quentin Gibson, who misplayed it instead of calling for a fair catch. TCU recovered the bouncing ball and took over at the Colorado 27-yard line. Three plays later, Hoover threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to help the Horned Frogs take a 28-21 lead with 5:44 left.

“It was just a freshman mistake, man,” Sanders said. “You gotta run up and fair-catch that.”

No ‘disrespect’ to TCU, but Sanders feels Colorado is better

Hoover added another touchdown pass of 21 yards to account for the final score with 19 seconds remaining. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 275 yards. Salter completed 18 of 29 for 217 yards while adding only 11 yards rushing on seven carries.

Sanders said he’s seeking a “killer” mentality that hasn’t been there much yet.

“I feel like we’re the better team,” Sanders said, adding that he meant no disrespect to TCU. “Felt like that last week, the week before. But yet it’s still we in this situation.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables offered a positive update on Sooners receiver Keontez Lewis’ scary injury after a 44-0 win over Kent State on Oct. 4.

Lewis ran full speed into a brick wall in one of Oklahoma’s end zones on the Sooners’ first offensive possession of the game. He was down on the field being checked by trainers for several moments before being stretchered off.

‘He was alert,’ Venables said after the game. ‘He was in some pain in his back. And I won’t get into all the details, but yeah, he was going full speed, and ran into the wall. You’re dang right, I was very concerned.

‘I’m thankful once I got over there, realized based on the things and questions he was answering, was very coherent. (He said), ‘My head’s fine, my legs are fine.’ Again, just probably being like being in a car wreck, I would guess. I haven’t seen the video of it. I was thankful it seemed and appeared that all things considered he was OK.’

Lewis was attempting to haul in a touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., but the pass sailed and led Lewis into the wall.

The fifth-year senior receiver has 17 receptions for 210 yards with two touchdowns this season after transferring from Southern Illinois. He started his career at UCLA in 2021 before transferring to Wisconsin for two seasons.

Here’s what to know of Lewis’ injury:

Keontez Lewis injury update

Lewis suffered a scary injury against Kent State on Oct. 4, as he hit his head against a brick wall at full speed in the first quarter after trying to catch a touchdown pass.

‘The initial evaluation was good,’ Venables said after the game. ‘Promising. The latest scans were good as well. But man, what a scary thing for him. Hopefully he’ll be OK long term here.’

• Shohei Ohtani earned the win in Game 1 with Tyler Glasnow getting a hold and Rōki Sasaki closed it out.
• Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run homer in the seventh put the Dodgers ahead.
• Ohtani went 0-for-4 at the plate but struck out nine in six innings on the mound.

PHILADELPHIA — It happens all the time in Hollywood.

Movie scripts are written and then stolen by producers.

Original ideas are created and then copied.

Well, here are the Los Angeles Dodgers are showing just how it’s done in the baseball business.

They not only are copying this postseason formula, but stealing it as their own, knowing that it may be their only path to get to their ultimate destination.

The Dodgers, whose bullpen has cratered in the last month, came up with a way this postseason to magically cure their blemishes, putting their blueprint on display Saturday in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies with an audience of 45,777 at Citizens Bank Park.

The Dodgers’ game plan is to have their starters go as long as they possibly can, with Shohei Ohtani doing the honors this night, but instead of using their traditional relievers to close out the game, are turning to the rest of their starting rotation to fulfill the duties.

It worked like an Oscar winner in Game 1 with the Dodgers coming back to take the lead on Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run homer in the seventh, and then holding it for the final three innings – thanks to the starters who suddenly are relievers.

It was Tyler Glasnow, who had not pitched in relief since 2018, coming in for 1 ⅔ innings. Reliever Alex Vesia came in to get one out and escape a jam. And then it was Rōki Sasaki, who had never pitched out of the bullpen in his life until September, closing it out.

The Dodgers may have a plan that puts them in the drivers’ seat on the road to their second consecutive World Series title.

It certainly worked like a charm for the Washington Nationals en route to winning the 2019 World Series championship, with their rotation covering 75% of the innings.

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner became a folk hero in San Francisco when he came out of the bullpen in Game 7 against the Kansas City Royals, pitching five shutout innings, and leading them to the 2014 World Series championship.

Starter Chris Sale was the one closed out the clinching game in the 2018 World Series for the Boston Red Sox while Craig Kimbrel watched.

And who can forget Cy Young winner Randy Johnson winning Game 6 for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the New York Yankees in 2001, and on no days’ rest, getting the final four outs and being the winning pitcher in Game 7?

Start one night, come out of the bullpen the next – and then enjoy the ride on the parade float.

Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ two-way MVP making his first career postseason start as a pitcher, played his role by pitching six dominant innings. He gave up three hits and three runs, while retiring 15 of the last 17 batters he faced. His only blemish was a two-run triple by catcher J.T. Realmuto.

“I was a little nervous imagining myself out there on the mound,’ Ohtani said. “But once I was on the mound and on the field, that went away and it was really me focusing.’

He even hit like a pitcher striking out four consecutive times for only the second time in his career. He’ll be back doing his regular DH duties until Game 5, if the game is necessary.

“The reason why I’m a two-way player is because that’s who I am,’’ Ohtani said, “and it’s what I can do. And also at the same time it’s what the team wants.’’

Oh, yeah, do they ever.

“It’s certainly never been done, certainly at this level,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I use the word compartmentalize a lot, but this epitomizes compartmentalizing. He’s essentially two people in one night, in one game. …

“To go out there and give us six innings, keep us in the ball game, I just don’t know any human that can manage that, those emotions and how do you not take that to the mound? We continue to just witness history.’

Who else can completely shut down the top of the Phillies’ vaunted lineup with Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, who combined to go 1-for-11 with five strikeouts?

Still, it looked like Ohtani would be the losing pitcher, trailing 3-0, until Enrique Hernandez hit a two-run double in the sixth inning, followed by the go-ahead shot by Teoscar Hernandez in the seventh.

Roberts, who knew before Hernandez’s homer that Ohtani had pitched his last inning, turned to Glasnow in the seventh inning. He promptly mowed down the Phillies in the seventh, and got two outs in the eighth before running into trouble.

“It was kind of nice, like an adrenaline boost,’’ Glasnow said. “It was just kind of different. I enjoyed it. ..

“It’s just cool that I haven’t thrown in the bullpen in a long time, and then just to trust me, go out there and throw some big innings, it was awesome.’

Besides, it was nice to see the game from a different vantage point, he says, watching it from the bullpen instead of the bench, soaking in the atmosphere.

“It’s really nice, everybody’s got their thing, there’s a lot of good banter,’ Glasnow said. “It’s a good view. There’s fans yelling at you. It’s fun. It’s easier to lock in.’

Glasnow departed with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, left-handed reliever Alex Vesia came in and retired Edmundo Sosa, and then it was Sasaki’s turn in the ninth. There was pressure. The fans were screaming. And Sasaki kept his cool.

He calmly struck out Realmuto, gave up a double to Max Kepler, and promptly induced a weak groundout by Nick Castellanos and a weak pop-up by Byson Stott.

The Dodgers, just like that, have found their postseason closer.

“What he’s been doing since he’s been back has been a godsend to us,’ Dodgers veteran reliever Blake Treinen said. “It’s been amazing somebody that is presumably that confident, and dominant, because we’re seeing what Rōki Sasaki really is as a pitcher.’

Pretty hard to believe considering Sasaki was in the minors and on the injured list for nearly four months until returning Sept. 24. The Dodgers, almost out of desperation decided to see if he could pitch out of the bullpen, and here he is after four appearances, yielding a .143 batting average (2-for-14) with eight strikeouts.

“It’s great seeing what these guys are doing for us,’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said. “It’s not an easy transition being a starter, and having to change your entire routine to come out of the pen. For Glas to do that, and give us solid innings, it’s pretty incredible.

“You know, as an offense we got to do our job, but we’re going to rely on our pitching. We tell them every single day we believe in them, and they know that.’’

And in the Dodgers’ revamped bullpen, well, why not add a few more fellas to the party.

“They’ve been great, their personalities mesh well,’ Treinen said. “It’s been fun. I don’t think it’s weird at all. But at the end of the day, we’re still throwing the ball 60 feet, 6 inches, and our stuff still plays, whether it’s the first inning or the ninth.

“There’s no perfect blueprint in October. It’s stay healthy. Play clean baseball. And have a little bit of fortune on your side.

“That’s what we’re doing. We’re looking to push it, make it as awkward as we can, to end this thing as quick as possible.’

Yep, no matter how many starters it may take.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

AI-assisted summary
• Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team is struggling, falling to 0-3 against Power Four opponents after a 38-10 loss to Clemson.
• Alabama, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati were among the weekend’s biggest winners, securing key victories.
• Penn State and Texas suffered surprising upset losses, damaging their playoff aspirations.

Let’s be honest: If Bill Belichick still had his fastball he’d be in the NFL.

North Carolina’s stunning incompetence through the first five games of Belichick’s debut is proof positive that college football may be too much for him, just as success in the NFL escaped his grasp after losing Tom Brady as his starting quarterback.

After losing 38-10 to Clemson, the Tar Heels are 0-3 against Power Four competition with a losing margin of 120-33. UNC isn’t just bad; this is one the worst major-conference teams in the country.

‘Main thing is keep doing what we’re doing and do it better,” Belichick said postgame. “We’re doing a lot of things. We’re just not doing it well.”

Yes, this is where the six-time Super Bowl champion lands in his autopsy of what ails the Tar Heels after five games: UNC has to play good football, not bad.

That doesn’t inspire confidence. The 73-year-old Belichick — the oldest coach in college football — clearly has no answers for what ails a program that had made six bowl appearances in a row under former coach Mack Brown.

And this is a new era of college football. Belichick had an entire offseason to rebuild the roster and create a two-deep based on a blueprint developed over his decades of player-personnel experience. Instead, he built a team that is inept offensively and even worse defensively.

UNC gave up 48 points and 542 yards in the season opener against TCU. Another 34 points and 366 yards against Central Florida. On Saturday, the Heels allowed the slumping Tigers to put up 488 yards on 6.9 yards per play, with quarterback Cade Klubnik completing 22 of 24 attempts for 254 yards and four touchdowns.

Clearly, the losing ways that defined Belichick’s home stretch with the New England Patriots have trickled into his stunning arrival in the ACC. What’s unfolding in Chapel Hill is an equally stunning repudiation of his coaching legacy.

The Tar Heels, Alabama and Penn State lead Saturday’s biggest winners and losers:

Winners

Alabama

Kalen DeBoer and the No. 11 Crimson Tide avoided a letdown after last week’s emotional win against No. 10 Georgia and beat No. 17 Vanderbilt 30-14 thanks to a big day from Ty Simpson, who had 340 yards and two scores to give him 13 touchdowns and just one interception on the year. There’s no going back and replaying that season-opening loss to No. 19 Florida State, which looks a little worse for the Tide after the Seminoles lost to Virginia. But Alabama has put that result in the rearview mirror with four wins in a row, two against ranked competition, and is back on track to compete for the SEC championship and one of the top playoff seeds.

Miami

Big scoring plays from Carson Beck helped overcome a weak running game and gave No. 3 Miami just enough of a buffer to beat No. 19 Florida State 28-22. Beck went 20 of 27 for 240 yards and had four touchdowns, including a pair of scores from 40 and 44 yards to freshman receiver Malachi Toney. Ahead 28-3 after Beck hit CJ Daniels from 24 yards out in the third quarter, the Hurricanes had to sweat things out after FSU made a field goal with 20 seconds left. While not a very strong performance overall, there was a stretch in the third quarter when Miami played elite football.

Notre Dame

No. 21 Notre Dame won a third game in a row by beating Boise State 28-7, pulling away in the second half behind another strong game from redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr. While Carr had 189 yards and two touchdowns, maybe the most positive development from the win was the continued success of a running game that has turned the corner after losses to Miami and No. 5 Texas A&M. Jeremiyah Love had 103 yards and a score, Jadarian Prince had 83 yards on 10.4 yards per carry and the Irish ran for 200 yards overall on 6.5 yards per carry.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s 38-30 with against No. 12 Iowa State is by far the program’s biggest win to date under third-year coach Scott Satterfield, who is no longer on the hot seat thanks to the play of quarterback Brendan Sorsby and an outstanding offense. Sorsby stayed hot with 214 passing yards, 64 rushing yards and three combined touchdowns, offsetting 314 pasing yards from the Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht. Now 4-1, the Bearcats look like one of the best teams in the Big 12 after two very weak years to start Satterfield’s tenure.

Navy

The Midshipmen took the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s series by beating Air Force 34-31 in a game that featured three lead changes and 977 combined yards of total offense. Navy broke the last of four ties on a 34-yard field goal with 6:47 left and then forced and recovered a fumble on the Falcons’ last possession. While the résumé isn’t quite there at this point for a spot in the US LBM Coaches Poll, the unbeaten Midshipmen could easily crack the national rankings at some point in October.

Memphis

Memphis became the first team in the country to reach bowl eligibility after rolling past Tulsa in a 45-7 win. Even if unranked for now, the 6-0 Tigers are easily among the top four teams in the Group of Five. More importantly, they have the offense to win key games against South Florida, Tulane and Navy. (All at home, by the way.) Memphis had 457 yards against Tulsa and has gained at least 400 yards in every game this season.

Losers

Penn State

Last Saturday’s loss to No. 2 Oregon was disappointing but still expected from No. 6 Penn State, which pushed the Ducks to the limit before falling 30-24 in double overtime. Losing 42-37 to UCLA, on the other hand, is a shocking result that does permanent damage to the Nittany Lions’ reputation as one of the top teams in the Big Ten and the Bowl Subdivision. This loss, Penn State’s first in 34 games against unranked competition, will be impossible for the playoff selection committee to ignore. UCLA had been awful through four games despite the offseason addition of quarterback Nico Iamaleava, leading to the firing of coach Deshaun Foster.

This began as a domination. UCLA led 27-7 at halftime after drilling a field goal as time expired, scoring on all five possessions and taking into the break a 285-92 edge in total yardage. The Nittany Lions rallied from there with a 28-point second half and had a chance to tie the game but botched a fourth-down play in the red zone to give the ball back to the Bruins with 37 seconds left. They had another shot after getting after UCLA took a safety with 23 seconds to play but did virtually nothing over three snaps. The Bruins’ win was the first by an 0-4 team against a top-10 opponent since Texas-El Paso knocked off defending national champion Brigham Young in 1985.

Texas

Losing 29-21 to reeling Florida doesn’t deal a fatal blow to the No. 7 Longhorns’ playoff hopes, but let’s get real: Teams that lose to Florida — the Gators were 0-3 against the Bowl Subdivision before Saturday — aren’t going to make the 12-team field. Arch Manning will draw the most scrutiny, as always, after throwing for 263 yards and another pair of interceptions. But blame for the loss falls on a defense that allowed 457 yards and had no answers for DJ Lagway, who threw for 298 yards on 10.6 yards per pass. After starting the year atop the Coaches Poll, Texas is in major trouble with Oklahoma next week.

Diego Pavia

Pavia should still end the regular season as Vanderbilt’s strongest Heisman Trophy candidate in about 90 years. But he has to own several key mistakes in the loss to the Crimson Tide, namely a pair of red-zone turnovers that ended up making the difference in the 16-point defeat. The redshirt senior and former New Mexico State transfer finished with 198 passing yards on a season-low 5.7 yards per pass and 58 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Wisconsin

The Badgers dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten after losing the plot in the second half of a 24-10 loss to No. 20 Michigan. The game wasn’t even as close as the 14-point margin might suggest. Wisconsin was outgained by nearly 200 yards and averaged just 2.7 yards per carry while failing to put the clamps on freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, who threw for a career-high 270 yards on 9.6 yards per throw. The Wolverines went for 175 yards on the ground led by Justice Haynes’ 117 yards and two scores.

Kansas State

The biggest flop in the Big 12 continues to pull defeat from the jaws of victory. Kansas State tossed a game-changing pick-six and was outscored 18-3 in the fourth quarter to lose 35-34 to Baylor, which drilled the go-ahead field goal from 53 yards with 31 seconds to play. The Wildcats had another shot in the final seconds but had their 56-yard attempt blocked to seal the Bears’ win. While the Big 12 no longer does a preseason poll, Kansas State was widely seen as one of the league’s top contenders for the playoff. At 2-4, the rest of the year will be about salvaging a bowl bid.

Syracuse

The Orange have gone from trendy ACC contenders to the bottom of the conference standings. After managing just a field goal in last week’s loss to Duke, Syracuse was blasted by SMU in a 31-18 loss that was over at halftime, with the Mustangs scoring three times in the second quarter to bring a 24-3 lead into the break. While this drop on offense can be linked to the loss of starting quarterback Steve Angeli, the Orange are clearly not the same as the 10-win team that took the ACC by storm last season.

Maryland

And maybe the most painful loss of the day belongs to the previously unbeaten Terrapins, who led Washington 20-0 five minutes into the second half and 20-3 entering the fourth quarter but were outscored 21-0 in the final frame to lose 24-20. Maryland is a better team than expected but still has a very thin margin for error in the hunt for a bowl bid, so this come-from-ahead loss could end up meaning the difference between five and six wins.

AI-assisted summary
• Colorado football coach Deion Sanders stated he believes he has more blood clots in his leg.
• Sanders revealed the health concern after his team’s 35-21 loss to TCU, noting he was in significant pain.
• Sanders has a history of blood clot-related surgeries, which previously led to the amputation of two toes.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders revealed after Saturday’s 35-21 loss at TCU that he thinks he has more blood clots in his leg after already undergoing numerous surgeries because of blood circulation in his lower body.

Sanders admitted he was in pain this week, in addition to his recovery from bladder cancer this year. He brought it up after being asked about it Saturday night, when he was seen sitting down during the game and wearing only one shoe.

“I think I got more blood clots,” Sanders said after the game in Fort Worth, Texas. “Cat’s out of the bag, all right? I think I got more blood clots. It don’t make sense. I’m hurting like crazy.”

He said he has a doctor’s appointment on Monday to find out more.

“So that’s what’s going on,” Sanders said. ‘I’m not getting blood to my legs. That’s why my leg is throbbing. Sorry to get that out, but thank you for noticing.”

Sanders’ blood-circulation issues previously led to the amputation of two of his toes and the removal of parts of his left calf. That was when he was in the hospital for 23 days during the 2021 season as head coach at Jackson State.

He had more surgeries to remove clots in his legs before his first season in Colorado in 2023.

Then in May, he had his bladder removed because of a cancerous tumor. He said earlier in the week that he can’t make it through a game without urinating and uses Depend adult diapers to help him manage it.

He didn’t use his health situation as an excuse Saturday, but it raises questions about his status after a 2-4 start for his team in his third season as head coach. He previously said other members of his family have struggled with blood clots, too.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning don’t like each other after meeting in the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

The 2025 playoffs, won by Florida, was particularly nasty with Brandon Hagel suspended one game for a hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad suspended two games for injuring Hagel with an elbow.

The teams remembered that when they met Thursday, Oct. 2, and combined for 186 penalty minutes. A.J. Greer was fined for roughing and injuring Hagel.

Saturday’s preseason game blew past that with 65 penalties and 322 total penalty minutes.

It started early when Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin took down Ekblad in the first period and then punched him when he got up. Ekblad wouldn’t return to the game and Sabourin received a match penalty for intent to injure. Coach Paul Maurice told reporters the defenseman would be evaluated on Sunday.

Before the end of the period, Tampa Bay’s J.J. Moser and Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe and Jonah Gadjovich received game misconducts.

The scrums and penalty minutes continued to pile up in the second period.

Early in the third period, a hit by Tampa Bay’s Oliver Bjorkstrand led to him and other players being ejected.

All told, the game featured five fights, 20 roughing minors, six misconduct penalties and 12 game misconducts.

At one point, the Lightning had three players on the bench.

‘That’s a first for me,’ Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters. ‘I think we had more coaches than players on the bench at one point.’

The Panthers won 7-0. Scrutiny from the NHL Player Safety Department certainly will follow, especially with the match penalty to Sabourin.

The teams will next meet on Nov. 15 at the Panthers’ Amerant Bank Arena.

This story has been updated with new information.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Fox NFL analyst Mark Sanchez, 38, is hospitalized in stable condition after being stabbed early on Saturday, Oct. 4 in Indianapolis, and police said he has been arrested for his alleged role in the incident.

Sanchez, a former NFL quarterback, was in the city to cover the Raiders-Colts game on Fox this Sunday.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Sanchez was arrested at the hospital for ‘battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication, all which are misdemeanors. All involved parties have been identified and no further individuals are being sought by detectives.’

The statement said Sanchez was still in the hospital and had not been booked into the Adult Detention Center. It said the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office would determine final charges.

Police had released a statement earlier Saturday afternoon about the incident, which took place around 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

‘The incident involved two adult males, resulting in one man receiving lacerations and the other sustaining injuries consistent with stab wounds,’ the statement said. ‘Detectives believe this was an isolated incident between the two men and not a random act of violence. … The man with apparent stab wounds remains hospitalized in stable condition.’

Sanchez was set to announce the game with play-by-play announcer Chris Myers and sideline reporter Kristina Pink. He joined Fox Sports in 2021 and previously worked for ESPN/ABC for two years.

“Mark Sanchez was injured in Indianapolis on Saturday and is currently recovering in the hospital in stable condition. Fox Sports said in a social media statement on Saturday afternoon. ‘We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”

Brady Quinn will now be the analyst for the Raiders-Colts game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

Sanchez was a quarterback in the NFL for 10 seasons after being drafted fifth overall by the New York Jets in 2009. He played with the Jets (2009-13), Philadelphia Eagles (2014-15), Dallas Cowboys (2016), Chicago Bears (2017) and Washington (2018) before retiring in 2019.

‘Sending our thoughts and love to Mark Sanchez and his family,’ the Jets posted on social media Saturday. ‘Hoping for a speedy recovery, 6.’

This story has been updated with new information and to add a video and a gallery.