Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo is ‘stable and alert’ after being stretchered off the field following a collapse in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Reign.

Near the end of the first half at Lumen Field, DeMelo sat down on the field and appeared unresponsive. She did manage to sit up as medics rushed onto the pitch to treat her.

DeMelo was stretchered into an ambulance, with referees opting to end the first half early. The game was eventually abandoned with the score tied 0-0. It will be resumed at a later date from where it was stopped.

Several of DeMelo’s teammates appeared to be emotional on the field, as was Racing Louisville head coach Bev Yanez.

Racing Louisville released a statement after the match was abandoned, saying that DeMelo was ‘stable and alert’ following a ‘medical emergency.’

Louisville said that DeMelo had been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

The Reign said in a statement that they ‘stand side by side with Louisville during this time.’

DeMelo’s health was brought to the forefront in March when she was forced to leave a match at Bay FC due to feeling lightheaded.

The midfielder revealed this May that she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism last fall.

Hyperthyroidism can cause a number of symptoms, including an increased or irregular heartbeat, tiredness, muscle weakness and weight loss. Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder that can lead to hyperthyroidism.

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The NFL season is in full swing and Sunday’s Week 2 is nearly in the books.

There’s a lot to unpack from all of the action in Week 2. Whether your team is undefeated or winless, fantasy managers must tinker with lineups each week.

One way to make those roster moves is via the fantasy football waiver wire. This is the next chance to make those lineup changes. Here are five players to target on waivers this week:

Week 2 fantasy football waiver wire targets

WR Cedric Tillman, Browns (Rostered in 38% of Yahoo leagues)

Tillman was featured in last week’s waiver wire adds and he headlines the list heading into Week 3. He caught 5 of 8 targets for 52 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 and followed it up with a 2 catch, 22-yard showing today against the Ravens. He also scored for the second consecutive week and led the team in targets.

Tillman had an insane stretch in 2024, finishing as WR12 in fantasy points per game in Weeks 7-12. The Browns should continue to throw plenty while Joe Flacco remains the starter.

WR Elic Ayomanor, Titans (Rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues)

Another young wide receiver should be added. This Titans rookie is quickly building a strong rapport with his fellow rookie QB Cam Ward. The rookie caught 4 of 6 targets for 56 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 and has overtaken veteran Tyler Lockett as the WR2 in the Titans offense.

Ayomanor had an 82% route participation rate in Week 1 and didn’t slow down in Week 2. As Ward continues to develop and catch up to speed, expect him to do it alongside his rookie running mate.

WR, Romeo Doubs, Packers (Rostered in 49% of Yahoo leagues)

The Green Bay Packers have one of the most frustrating receiver rooms to decipher week to week, but with Jayden Reed out for a spell, things become a bit more siloed. Doubs leads Packers receivers in route percentage through the first two weeks, and he should be more involved in Reed’s absence. He should be rostered in all 12-team leagues.

WR Troy Franklin, Broncos (Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues)

The Broncos wide receiver room is beginning to get some clarity. Second-year receiver Troy Franklin played with Bo Nix at Oregon, and now the connection is being revived in the NFL. Franklin finished Week 2 with eight receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown on a team-high nine targets. In Week 1 he played in over 50% out of the slot which typically leads to stronger fantasy production. He could be a valuable addition to rosters once bye weeks arrive.

WR, Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (Rostered in 49% of Yahoo leagues)

The 49ers veteran wide receiver is still sidelined but if he’s sitting on waivers in your league, a savvy manager would look to add him this week or next. The 49ers are bruised and battered right now but find themselves 2-0 after the season’s first two weeks. Brock Purdy is expected to miss some time with an injury of his own, but he and Aiyuk’s return could coincide around Week 5 or 6. Aiyuk is a sneaky bench stash who could end up posting top-20 numbers in the second half of the season.

Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase called out the referees after her team lost 101-72 to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of their WNBA playoff series on Sunday, Sept. 14 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The Lynx, who advanced to last year’s WNBA Finals, earned the No. 1 seed in the 2025 playoffs, while the Valkyries, who became the first WNBA expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural season, are the No. 8 seed.

‘When Iliana Rupert is trying to fight for the rebound and she’s getting called for a foul on a rebound, it takes our aggression away and that’s where I’m not OK with it,’ Nakase said. ‘I want a fair fight. I really do. I want a clean fight, but I love the fact that both teams are playing their hearts out. They’re fighting. But I would like it to be fair.

‘And for me, that’s why I got a [technical foul] because at what point is it going to be fair?’

Nakase was given a technical foul for arguing a call in the second half. After the game, she inferred that the refs might be playing favorites. The Lynx had the best record in the regular season at 34-10, while the Valkyries were 23-21.

‘We’re playing the No. 1 team,’ she said. ‘We’re playing the best team in the league. They don’t need no help. This team is great. They’re stacked. They play well. They play beautiful basketball. They’re coached well. They don’t need the help.’

The Valkyries had 22 team fouls and 27 free throw attempts, while the Lynx finished with 23 team fouls and 24 free throw attempts. But after Golden State took a 28-21 in the first quarter, Minnesota had 11 free throw attempts in the second quarter and the Valkyries had one. Over the final three quarters of the game, the Lynx outscored the Valkyries 80-44.

The Lynx travel to Golden State for Game 2 of the best-of-three series on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) at SAP Center in San Jose, California. It will be telecast on ESPN. 

PHOENIX — The New York Liberty came away with a 76-69 overtime win over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, but the victory was bittersweet as Breanna Stewart exited early with an apparent injury. 

Stewart, 31, went down with 3:01 remaining in overtime after making a driving layup to put the Liberty up, 70-65. Stewart remained on the court, clutching her left knee and was eventually helped to her feet by teammates. She gingerly walked over to the bench for a timeout and missed a free throw attempt when the game resumed.

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said its too soon to provide an update on Stewart following the overtime victory, but said the two-time WNBA MVP will undergo evaluations with the team’s medical staff. 

2025 WNBA PLAYOFF BRACKET: Everything you need to know from matchups to X-factors

Stewart attempted to play through her injury but asked to be subbed out the game about a minute later, Brondello said. Stewart didn’t check back into the game, finishing the night with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, and was spotted wearing a brace on her left knee after the game.

‘She asked me to sub her out then. She looked uncomfortable,’ Brondello said. ‘That’s the reason we took her out. We’re just hoping that she will be OK.’

Stewart previously missed 13 games in the regular season after sustaining a bone bruise in her right knee on July 26. 

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The Aces closed out the regular season with a 103-75 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday to extend their win streak to 16, tying the Phoenix Mercury (2014) for the second longest streak in WNBA history. If that wasn’t enough, the Aces also set a WNBA record for the most 3-pointers made in a game with 22. The win helped the Aces capture the No. 2 seed, setting up a first-round matchup with the No. 7 Seattle Storm.

The win punctuates a remarkable turnaround for the Aces, who looked like a shell of themselves to start the season with a 5-7 record. But A’ja Wilson led them back to the championship contention with another MVP caliber season, leading the league in points per game (23.4) and blocks (2.3). Can the Aces win the franchise’s third WNBA title in four years? They’ll have to go through a feisty Storm that won’t be an easy out.

10 BEST PLAYERS: Ranking stars entering WNBA playoffs from ‘unicorn’ to top-tier

Veteran Nneka Ogwumike is the Storm’s leading scorer, averaging 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Gabby Williams, who leads the league in steals with 99, and Ezi Magbegorin, who leads the league in blocks with 96, anchor the fourth-best defense in the WNBA.

Las Vegas and Seattle tied in the regular-season series, 2-2. Who will take Game 1? Here’s everything you need to know about the Valkyries-Lynx game on Sunday:

Halftime: Aces 45, Storm 25

A’ja Wilson led all players with 16 points and five rebounds for the Aces in the first half. She shot five of 10 from the field in 18 minutes of play.

NaLyssa Smith scored eight points and six rebounds against the Storm. Nneka Ogwumike led Seattle with nine points and six rebounds. She shot four of nine from the field in 17 minutes of play.

1Q: Aces 22, Storm 12

A’ja Wilson had eight points and three rebounds in the first quarter to lead the Aces.

Nneka Ogwumike told the ESPN broadcast what it will take for the Storm to stop Wilson throughout the night.

‘You just have to make things difficult,’ Wilson said. ‘Guarding her with team defense is what’s effective for us.’

Ogwumike had five points and two rebounds to lead the Storm.

Aces built early lead

The Aces scored the first four points of the game at home against the Storm. Las Vegas leads Seattle 15-5 with 4:43 left in the first quarter.

Skylar Diggins was spotted running back to the locker room after a substitution.

Storm’s starting lineup vs. Aces

Guard Skylar Diggins, guard Brittney Sykes, forward Gabby Williams, forward Nneka Ogwumike and center Ezi Magbegor will make up the starting lineup for Game 1 against the Las Vegas Aces.

Aces’ starting lineup vs. Storm

Forward NaLyssa Smith,  guard Jackie Young, guard Chelsea Gray, forward Kierstan Bell and center A’ja Wilson will start for the Aces in Game 1 against the Storm tonight.

What time is Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces?

The Minnesota Lynx host the Golden State Valkyries at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Sunday, Sept. 14 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

How to watch Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces: TV, stream

• Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
• Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas)
• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

Aces vs. Storm WNBA Playoffs schedule

• Game 1: Storm at Aces, 10 p.m. ET Sunday (ESPN)
• Game 2: Aces at Storm, 9:30 ET Tuesday (ESPN)
• Game 3: Storm at Aces, TBD Thursday (ESPN2)

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The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants squared off in NFL Week 2. The game turned into an instant classic.

The Cowboys and Giants combined for a whopping 41 points during a back-and-forth fourth quarter that saw five lead changes. The game went to overtime and nearly ended in a tie before Dallas won 40-37 thanks to a last-second Brandon Aubrey field goal.

Just how crazy was the end of the Cowboys vs. Giants game? Below is a look at the highlights that swung the action over the last 11 minutes of action in regulation and overtime.

Russell Wilson’s moonball TD to Malik Nabers

Many counted the Giants out after the Cowboys scored a go-ahead touchdown with 54 seconds remaining in regulation. However, just 27 seconds later, New York managed to find its way into the end-zone to retake the lead.

How did the Giants do it? Wilson unleashed a deep pass to Nabers, dropping it perfectly into the 22-year-old’s arms in stride for the 48-yard touchdown.

Nabers managed to make the catch despite being grabbed by the facemask just before the ball arrived. The play, and the ensuing extra point, gave the Giants a 3-point lead with 25 seconds left in regulation.

Brandon Aubrey’s game-tying 64-yard field goal

Dallas was able to erase New York’s lead just as quickly as the Giants had erased theirs. Dak Prescott and Co. managed to gain 25 yards, most of which came on an 18-yard completion to Jake Ferguson, to put Aubrey on the outer edge of his field goal range.

Aubrey managed to put the ball through the uprights from 64 yards as time expired in regulation to force overtime.

Aubrey is regarded as one of the league’s best kickers from long-distance and entered Sunday’s game having made 25 of his 28 career attempts from 50-plus yards out.

Russell Wilson throws deep-ball interception

Wilson’s deep ball giveth, but it also taketh away. Giants fans got a taste of that in overtime, when the veteran quarterback decided to launch another deep pass in the direction of Nabers.

This time, Wilson threw the ball too far to the inside. That allowed safety Donovan Wilson to easily go up and catch the pass, while Nabers came flying in to make the tackle.

Wilson’s pass was a long one, so it had the same impact as a punt. However, with so little time remaining in overtime, the interception all but guaranteed the Giants wouldn’t have a chance to get the ball back unless they could quickly force a three-and-out.

Dak Prescott scrambles to set up Cowboys field goal

Prescott missed more than half of the 2024 NFL season after tearing his hamstring off the bone. The 32-year-old showed against the Giants that he still has mobility despite the injury.

With just 37 seconds left in overtime, Prescott saw a running lane open in the middle of New York’s defense. He took advantage of it, scrambling for 14 yards and putting Dallas well within Aubrey’s field goal range.

The Cowboys decided not to run another offensive play after Prescott’s all-important run. Instead, they took a timeout with four seconds left and decided to let Aubrey try to win the game.

Brandon Aubrey seals Cowboys win with 46-yard field goal

Aubrey made a game-tying field goal as time expired in regulation. He did the same at the end of overtime, guaranteeing the Cowboys and Giants would avoid the tie.

Aubrey’s game-winning attempt was from 46 yards, making it easier than his 64-yarder at the end of regulation.

Aubrey’s make gave Brian Schottenheimer his first win as Dallas’ coach and allowed the Cowboys to extend their winning streak over the Giants to nine games.

The Cowboys are signing veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, owner and general manager Jerry Jones told reporters following his team’s 40-37 thrilling overtime victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Clowney, 32, was released by the Carolina Panthers in May, one season before his two-year deal with the team expired. He visited the Cowboys last week, ESPN reported. As a team, Dallas has four sacks through two games (three against New York).

Dallas traded Micah Parsons, perhaps the league’s best player at getting after the quarterback, one week before the season started amid a lingering contract dispute.

Clowney has 58 career sacks and was drafted first overall in 2014 by the Houston Texans. He’s spent the past six seasons with five teams, the most productive being his 9.5-sack campaign with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.

Another week of wild finishes and a few surprises shuffled the US LBM Coaches Poll. But once again, the changes didn’t reach the top.

The teams ranked No. 1 through No. 7 hold their positions, though some had an easier time this week than others. Ohio State remains in the top spot, receiving 62 of 67 first-place votes this week. Penn State stays at No. 2 with three No.-1 nods. No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 LSU claim a first-place vote each. Oregon, Miami (Fla.) and Texas also hold steady.

Illinois climbs a notch to No. 8, a season-high ranking for the Fighting Illini on the eve of a key Big Ten clash with No. 17 Indiana. Florida State vaults three places to No. 9. Texas A&M makes the week’s biggest move, climbing seven positions to No. 10 on the heels of its last-minute victory at Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, tumble from No. 8 to No. 21 as last season’s playoff runners-up are still seeking their first win of the campaign.

It was a rough weekend for the Palmetto State, as both Clemson and South Carolina went down to defeat. The Gamecocks, at least, stay in the poll at No. 24 after losing at home to Vanderbilt. The Commodores, thanks to that victory, make their season poll debut at No. 23.

Clemson falls out of the rankings after being handed its second loss of the young season by Georgia Tech, which also moves into the poll at No. 19. Also joining the rankings are No. 22 Missouri, after lurking just outside the Top 25 last week, and No. 25 Auburn, which edges out Brigham Young by just two poll points. South Florida and Arizona State also drop out.

(This story was updated to change a video.)

The Deshaun Foster experiment at UCLA is over.

The Bruins fired their second-year coach on Sunday, Sept. 14, two days after they took a 35-10 drubbing of New Mexico at home to start the season with three consecutive losses, two of which came against Group of Five opponents.

UCLA will owe Foster approximately $6 million in a buyout for terminating his contract without cause. Special assistant Tim Skipper will serve as the interim coach for UCLA.

‘Serving as the head coach at UCLA, my beloved alma mater, has been the honor of a lifetime,’ Foster said in a statement. ‘While I am deeply disappointed that we were unable to achieve the success that our players, fans, and university deserve, I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this program.’

It’s a move that was expected with the disastrous start to the season for Foster. After he went a middling 5-7 in his first season as UCLA played its first campaign in the Big Ten, Foster’s team was expected to be drastically improved with the arrival of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Instead, the Bruins have struggled mightily. They were blown out by Utah in the season opener by 33 points and then lost to UNLV in Week 2. In Week 3, UCLA played New Mexico at home in what was viewed as the easiest game on its schedule, but the Lobos dominated the Bruins with a 25-point victory to push UCLA to 0-3 for the first time since 2019.

In three games, UCLA hasn’t led at all and averaged 16.5 points per game, tied for 115th in FBS out of 133 teams, and the 36.5 points allowed per games is ranked 120th. Its offense is ranked 101st in the country and defense is 111th.

The Bruins have been struggling to maintain relevance in a crowded Big Ten, including against crosstown rival Southern California. Attendance at the Rose Bowl has dropped more than 50% in the past decade, averaging 35,032 and 31,163 people in its two games this season, leaving much of the stadium empty and covered in tarps.

UCLA hired Foster in February 2024 after Chip Kelly abruptly left the program to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. A former running back for UCLA and longtime assistant, Foster’s hiring was a surprise given he had never been a head coach before, but the team had success at the running back position while he coached the position unit.

‘I want to extend my sincere appreciation to DeShaun for his contributions to UCLA Football over the course of many years, first as a Hall of Fame student-athlete, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach,’ said UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond. ‘He was named to this role at a challenging time of year, on the cusp of a move to a new conference, and he embraced it, putting his heart into moving the program forward. His legacy and love for this university are firmly established. He is a Bruin for life.’

Foster ends his tenure 5-10 in two seasons as coach, and the Bruins will be looking for their third head coach in four seasons.

UCLA said it will Jarmond, associate athletic director Erin Adkins and “a committee composed of accomplished sports and business executives and UCLA greats” will conduct an immediate search for a new coach.

(This story was updated with more information and to add a video.)

Virginia Tech has fired fourth-year coach Brent Pry, fewer than 24 hours after an embarrassing 45-26 loss to Old Dominion dropped the Hokies to 0-3 on the young season.

Pry, 55, is the second coach to be fired in the Bowl Subdivision after UCLA parted with DeShaun Foster. Once rare, such early-season firings have become more prevalent in the past decade.

Saturday’s loss was the last straw for a tenure that briefly showed promise heading into last season but ends at 16-24 overall and 10-13 in the ACC.

Old Dominion led Virginia Tech 28-0 at halftime and cruised to an easy victory. This was the Hokies’ second loss to the Monarchs under Pry.

That loss came on the heels of a 24-11 defeat to No. 10 South Carolina and coach Shane Beamer, the son of longtime Virginia Tech coach and Hall of Famer Frank Beamer. Last week, the Hokies were beaten 44-20 by Vanderbilt.

Tech went 3-8 in 2022, Pry’s first season, and then improved to 7-6 and 5-3 in the ACC in 2023. That team ended the year with a win against rival Virginia to earn a postseason bid and then a win against Tulane in the Military Bowl.

With nearly every starter set to return, last year’s team earned Top 25 consideration but flopped to a 6-7 record and an eighth-place finish in the ACC.

Expectations were lower this summer. The Hokies were picked 11th in the preseason media poll, though were one of just five teams to earn at least one first-place vote. But the ugliness of the 0-3 start will have Tech looking for its third head coach since Frank Beamer retired after the 2015 season.

Pry was previously the defensive coordinator at Penn State. He is a longtime assistant under current Nittany Lions coach James Franklin.

Pry is owed just over $6.8 million under a contract that had been set to run through Dec. 1, 2027, according to contract information obtained by USA TODAY.

If Pry accepts “another coaching, teaching, faculty, or staff position of any kind associated or dealing with athletics at any high school, college, or professional level during the stated term of the Contract,” the buyout is offset by the amount of that income.

Pry’s buyout is due to be paid in equal quarterly installments, each January, April, July and October.