School's changing classes for all sports excluding football. These changes take effect&nbsp;immediately.

Moving to Class 6A:&nbsp;Maize Moving to Class 5A:&nbsp;Kansas City Harmon Moving to Class 4A:&nbsp;Concordia, Scott City Moving to Class 3A:&nbsp;Iola, Leon-Bluestem, St. Mary's, Topeka Hayden Moving to Class 2A:&nbsp;Atchison-Maur Hill Academy, Eureka, Lincoln, Oxford, Wichita-Classical Moving to Class 1A:&nbsp;Northern Heights, Rawlins County, Elkhart, Weskan

School's changing classes for football (24-25 seasons)

Moving to Class 6A:&nbsp;Maize, Wichita West Moving to Class 5A:&nbsp;Basehor-Linwood, St. James Academy, Blue Valley, Blue Valley North, St. Thomas Aquinas Moving to Class 4A: K.C. Sumner Academy, Lansing, Kapaun Mt. Carmel Moving to Class 3A:&nbsp;Chaparral, Neodesha Moving to Class 2A:&nbsp;Belle Plaine, Galena, Royal Valley, Leon-Bluestem, Oskaloosa, Central Heights, St. Mary's Moving to Class 1A:&nbsp;Atchison-Maur Hill Academy, Bennington, Pleasant Ridge, Thomas More Prep, Herington, Doniphan West, Horton, Marantha Academy, Rossville, Moundridge, South Sumner, Topeka Cair Paravel Moving to 8-Man DI:&nbsp;Northern Heights, Arma-Northeast, Canton-Galva, Central Plains, South Central, Lakeside, Ellis, Kinsley, St. Francis, Sylvan-Lucas Moving to 8-Man DII:&nbsp;Ashland, Attica-Argonia, Burlingame, Deerfield, Lost Springs-Centre, Macksville, Osborne, Pretty Prairie, Greely County, Waverly Moving to 6-Man:&nbsp;South Barber, Marais Des Cygnes Valley, Otis-Bison, Weskan

School's changing classes for all sports excluding football. These changes take effect&nbsp;immediately.Moving to Class 6A:&nbsp;Maize Moving to Class 5A:&nbsp;Kansas City Harmon Moving to Class 4A:&nbsp;Concordia, Scott City Moving to Class 3A:&nbsp;Iola, Leon-Bluestem, St. Mary's, Topeka Hayden Moving to Class 2A:&nbsp;Atchison-Maur Hill Academy, Eureka, Lincoln, Oxford, Wichita-Classical Moving to Class 1A:&nbsp;Northern Heights, Rawlins County, Elkhart, WeskanSchool's changing classes for football (24-25 seasons)Moving to Class 6A:&nbsp;Maize, Wichita West Moving to Class 5A:&nbsp;Basehor-Linwood, St. James Academy, Blue Valley, Blue Valley North, St. Thomas Aquinas Moving to Class 4A: K.C. Sumner Academy, Lansing, Kapaun Mt. Carmel Moving to Class 3A:&nbsp;Chaparral, Neodesha Moving to Class 2A:&nbsp;Belle Plaine, Galena, Royal Valley, Leon-Bluestem, Oskaloosa, Central Heights, St. Mary's Moving to Class 1A:&nbsp;Atchison-Maur Hill Academy, Bennington, Pleasant Ridge, Thomas More Prep, Herington, Doniphan West, Horton, Marantha Academy, Rossville, Moundridge, South Sumner, Topeka Cair Paravel Moving to 8-Man DI:&nbsp;Northern Heights, Arma-Northeast, Canton-Galva, Central Plains, South Central, Lakeside, Ellis, Kinsley, St. Francis, Sylvan-Lucas Moving to 8-Man DII:&nbsp;Ashland, Attica-Argonia, Burlingame, Deerfield, Lost Springs-Centre, Macksville, Osborne, Pretty Prairie, Greely County, Waverly Moving to 6-Man:&nbsp;South Barber, Marais Des Cygnes Valley, Otis-Bison, Weskan

KSHSAA announces classification changes for football and other sports

- The "Voice of the Panthers" Aaron Clark recaps Great Bend's 55-0 rout of Wichita Southeast Friday night and looks ahead to Saturday's WAC encounter with Dodge City.

- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misuanas

- Great Bend Panther Cross Country coach Lyles Lashley

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Friday show Lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Friday show Lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X84nDqDpbb0?si=M-MaScD_gFkbRyZ6" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- The "Voice of the Panthers" Aaron Clark recaps Great Bend's 55-0 rout of Wichita Southeast Friday night and looks ahead to Saturday's WAC encounter with Dodge City.- Great Bend Tribune Sports Editor Jim Misuanas- Great Bend Panther Cross Country coach Lyles Lashley- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the Weekend

Monday on Sports Day(Watch)

Kpreps.com released its week 5 high school football rankings on Monday morning. There were a total of ten ranked teams from last week that fell in Week 4.

CLASS 6A 1) Gardner-Edgerton (4-0) 2) Olathe North (4-0) 3) Washburn Rural (4-0) 4) Wichita NW (3-1) 5) Manhattan (3-1)

CLASS 5A 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel (3-1) 2) Mill Valley (3-1)&nbsp; 3) Blue Valley SW (3-1) 4) Goddard Eisenhower (4-0) 5) De Soto (3-1)

CLASS 4A 1) Bishop Miege (3-1) 2) St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) 3) Louisburg (4-0) 4) Tonganoxie (3-1) 5) Wamego (3-1)

CLASS 3A 1) Andale (4-0) 2) Cheney (4-0) 3) Topeka Hayden (4-0) 4) Wichita Collegiate (4-0) 5) Clay Center (4-0)

CLASS 2A 1) Nemaha Central (4-0) 2) Sabetha (4-0) 3) Hoisington (4-0) 4) Southeast of Saline (4-0) 5) Ellsworth (4-0)

CLASS 1A 1) St. Mary's Colgan (4-0) 2) Centralia (4-0) 3) Jefferson County North (4-0) 4) Marion (4-0) 5) Smith Center (3-1)

8-MAN DIVISION I 1) Leoti-Wichita County (4-0) 2) Lyndon (4-0) 3) Meade (4-0) 4) Moundridge (4-0) 5) Central Burden (4-0)

8-MAN DIVISION II 1) Axtell (4-0) 2) Kinsley (4-0) 3) Victoria (3-1) 4) Canton-Galva (3-1) 5) Minneola (4-0)

6-MAN 1) Cheylin (4-0) 2) Ashland (3-1) 3) Cunningham (3-1) 4) Waverly (4-0) 5) Northern Valley (3-1)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693413418452.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kpreps.com released its week 5 high school football rankings on Monday morning. There were a total of ten ranked teams from last week that fell in Week 4.CLASS 6A 1) Gardner-Edgerton (4-0) 2) Olathe North (4-0) 3) Washburn Rural (4-0) 4) Wichita NW (3-1) 5) Manhattan (3-1)CLASS 5A 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel (3-1) 2) Mill Valley (3-1)&nbsp; 3) Blue Valley SW (3-1) 4) Goddard Eisenhower (4-0) 5) De Soto (3-1)CLASS 4A 1) Bishop Miege (3-1) 2) St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) 3) Louisburg (4-0) 4) Tonganoxie (3-1) 5) Wamego (3-1)CLASS 3A 1) Andale (4-0) 2) Cheney (4-0) 3) Topeka Hayden (4-0) 4) Wichita Collegiate (4-0) 5) Clay Center (4-0)CLASS 2A 1) Nemaha Central (4-0) 2) Sabetha (4-0) 3) Hoisington (4-0) 4) Southeast of Saline (4-0) 5) Ellsworth (4-0)CLASS 1A 1) St. Mary's Colgan (4-0) 2) Centralia (4-0) 3) Jefferson County North (4-0) 4) Marion (4-0) 5) Smith Center (3-1)8-MAN DIVISION I 1) Leoti-Wichita County (4-0) 2) Lyndon (4-0) 3) Meade (4-0) 4) Moundridge (4-0) 5) Central Burden (4-0)8-MAN DIVISION II 1) Axtell (4-0) 2) Kinsley (4-0) 3) Victoria (3-1) 4) Canton-Galva (3-1) 5) Minneola (4-0)6-MAN 1) Cheylin (4-0) 2) Ashland (3-1) 3) Cunningham (3-1) 4) Waverly (4-0) 5) Northern Valley (3-1)

🏈 Week 5 Kpreps high school rankings

Getting out of Central Kansas competition, the Lady Panther tennis team headed to another large invitational Saturday against Western Kansas teams in Garden City. Fifteen teams from 10 schools made up the field. Garden City cruised to the title with 120 points, followed by Great Bend with 91 points, and Cimarron with 87 points.

The brackets again put all the players together with no No. 1 or No. 2 designation. Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley made it to the semifinals in the doubles bracket. The girls downed Scott City 8-3 in round one, then snuck by Dodge City 8-6 to reach the quarters. They bumped off Cimarron 8-4 before falling to Garden City's runner-up team 8-6. Mayers and Lashley lost to Scott City 8-3 in the consolation finals. Mac Lindberg and Darcy Feist had a tough draw in the bracket. After an 8-4 win over Ulysses, the girls fell 8-4 to the eventual champions from Garden City. The girls went on to beat Cimarron 8-3 and Dodge City 8-1 to advance to the ninth-place match where they were defeated by Dodge City 8-3.

Kaylin Wahlmeier and Paige Stacey both made the quarterfinals in the singles bracket. After a bye, Wahlmeier downed Scott City 8-1 before falling to Garden City's third-place finisher 8-3. After an 8-4 loss to Scott City's fifth-place finisher, Wahlmeier defeated Stacey 8-4 for seventh place. Stacey defeated her first opponent from Ulysses 8-1 before losing to Garden City's fourth-place finisher 8-3. An 8-6 loss to Dodge City pitted Stacey against Wahlmeier in the seventh-place match. Cimarron's Emily Goetz, the reining fourth-place finisher in Class 3-2-1A won the bracket with wins of 8-0, 8-1, 8-1, and 8-1.

The Lady Panthers take some time off before heading to Garden City for Western Athletic Conference action on Monday, Oct. 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695646898693.jpeg" alt="Taylor Lashley and Sam Mayers placed third in the doubles bracket at Garden City Saturday." />
 <figcaption>Taylor Lashley and Sam Mayers placed third in the doubles bracket at Garden City Saturday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsGetting out of Central Kansas competition, the Lady Panther tennis team headed to another large invitational Saturday against Western Kansas teams in Garden City. Fifteen teams from 10 schools made up the field. Garden City cruised to the title with 120 points, followed by Great Bend with 91 points, and Cimarron with 87 points.The brackets again put all the players together with no No. 1 or No. 2 designation. Sam Mayers and Taylor Lashley made it to the semifinals in the doubles bracket. The girls downed Scott City 8-3 in round one, then snuck by Dodge City 8-6 to reach the quarters. They bumped off Cimarron 8-4 before falling to Garden City's runner-up team 8-6. Mayers and Lashley lost to Scott City 8-3 in the consolation finals. Mac Lindberg and Darcy Feist had a tough draw in the bracket. After an 8-4 win over Ulysses, the girls fell 8-4 to the eventual champions from Garden City. The girls went on to beat Cimarron 8-3 and Dodge City 8-1 to advance to the ninth-place match where they were defeated by Dodge City 8-3.Kaylin Wahlmeier and Paige Stacey both made the quarterfinals in the singles bracket. After a bye, Wahlmeier downed Scott City 8-1 before falling to Garden City's third-place finisher 8-3. After an 8-4 loss to Scott City's fifth-place finisher, Wahlmeier defeated Stacey 8-4 for seventh place. Stacey defeated her first opponent from Ulysses 8-1 before losing to Garden City's fourth-place finisher 8-3. An 8-6 loss to Dodge City pitted Stacey against Wahlmeier in the seventh-place match. Cimarron's Emily Goetz, the reining fourth-place finisher in Class 3-2-1A won the bracket with wins of 8-0, 8-1, 8-1, and 8-1.The Lady Panthers take some time off before heading to Garden City for Western Athletic Conference action on Monday, Oct. 2.

Lady Panthers just miss title at large Garden City invite

UNDATED (AP) — Colorado fell out of The Associated Press college football poll after a resounding loss in one of the weekend’s showcase games and the teams toward the top of the rankings were shuffled and tightened. Six teams received first-place votes. Georgia is still where it started at No. 1 but down to 55 first-place votes. Michigan remained No. 2 and got a first-place vote. Texas stayed at No. 3 with two first-place votes. Ohio State moved up two spots to No. 4 and got a first-place vote after beating Notre Dame. Colorado went from 19th to out after losing 42-7 to Oregon.

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sep. 23, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

Others receiving votes: Kansas St. 57, Kentucky 41, Colorado 32, Louisville 32, UCLA 28, Maryland 20, TCU 17, Tulane 11, Syracuse 8, Wisconsin 6, Air Force 6, Clemson 5, Texas A&amp;M 5.

UNDATED (AP) — Colorado fell out of The Associated Press college football poll after a resounding loss in one of the weekend’s showcase games and the teams toward the top of the rankings were shuffled and tightened. Six teams received first-place votes. Georgia is still where it started at No. 1 but down to 55 first-place votes. Michigan remained No. 2 and got a first-place vote. Texas stayed at No. 3 with two first-place votes. Ohio State moved up two spots to No. 4 and got a first-place vote after beating Notre Dame. Colorado went from 19th to out after losing 42-7 to Oregon.The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sep. 23, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:Record	Pts	Prv1. Georgia (55)	4-0	1562	12. Michigan (1)	4-0	1445	23. Texas (2)	4-0	1401	34. Ohio St. (1)	4-0	1370	65. Florida St. (3)	4-0	1366	46. Penn St.	4-0	1244	77. Washington (1)	4-0	1228	88. Southern Cal	4-0	1169	59. Oregon	4-0	1076	1010. Utah	4-0	981	1111. Notre Dame	4-1	904	912. Alabama	3-1	862	1313. LSU	3-1	813	1214. Oklahoma	4-0	716	1615. North Carolina	4-0	659	1716. Washington St.	4-0	652	2117. Duke	4-0	648	1818. Miami	4-0	523	2019. Oregon St.	3-1	366	1420. Mississippi	3-1	349	1521. Tennessee	3-1	260	2322. Florida	3-1	220	2523. Missouri	4-0	197	-24. Kansas	4-0	132	-25. Fresno St.	4-0	64	-Others receiving votes: Kansas St. 57, Kentucky 41, Colorado 32, Louisville 32, UCLA 28, Maryland 20, TCU 17, Tulane 11, Syracuse 8, Wisconsin 6, Air Force 6, Clemson 5, Texas A&amp;M 5.

Kansas moves into AP Top 25 Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce was chatting with Patrick Mahomes in practice this week when he mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that he thought Taylor Swift would take him up on his invitation to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

“Some things with Travis,” Mahomes explained later, “he says it and you don' t know if it's true or not, he says it so calmly.”

Mahomes and Kelce put on quite their own show for the pop star, too.

The reigning league MVP threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, his All-Pro tight end caught seven passes and one of the scoring throws, and the Chiefs romped to a 41-10 victory over the Bears — much to the delight of their newest fan, who joyfully pounded on the glass of her Arrowhead Stadium suite throughout the afternoon.

“I haven't gotten to meet her,” said Mahomes, who was left answering questions about Kelce and Swift's budding relationship after his good buddy ducked out on reporters. “I guess if she ends up being with Travis, I'll meet her at some point."

Jerick McKinnon had a pair of touchdown catches and Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added touchdown runs, helping the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (2-1) deal the Bears (0-3) their 13th consecutive loss dating to last season.

The game was so lopsided by the third quarter that Mahomes and most of the Chiefs' starters got the rest of the day off.

“We got things rolling and that's a plus against a defense that, you know, is banged up a little bit,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

Embattled Bears quarterback Justin Fields was 11 of 22 for 99 yards with an interception and a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes. He also led the Bears with 47 yards rushing, a good chunk of that coming on a 17-yard scramble, as the league's 27th-ranked offense finished with just 203 yards against one of the NFL's fast-improving defenses.

“We’ve got to keep this thing tight in our locker room. That’s the most important thing,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “There’s going to be a lot of outside noise, as there always is in the NFL. And we’ve played three games so far in the season. We’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. We’ve got two games in 11 days, and so we’re going to focus on that.”

Still, their poor performance Sunday was a brutal end to a dismal week of distractions.

In the span of a few hours Wednesday, Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams abruptly resigned, citing the need “to take care of my health and family,” and Fields had to walk back some comments he made blaming his “robotic” play through the first two weeks on the way he had been coached.

Eberflus was left to call defensive plays, just as he did in last weekend's loss to Tampa Bay, and Reid proceeded to make the former Indianapolis Colts coordinator look utterly lost.

The Chiefs began their assault with the first of Mahomes' two TD passes to McKinnon, then Edwards-Helaire scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. When the Bears punted a third consecutive time, Mahomes hit McKinnon again to extend the lead, and Kansas City proceeded to score on its next four possessions.

As for Fields, well, the QB was not just robotic but inaccurate. When one of the league's most porous offensive lines wasn't allowing the Chiefs to pressure him, Fields was consistently missing open targets down field.

“I need to be better,” Fields said simply.

He was picked off by Mike Edwards late in the first half, leading to Pacheco's touchdown run. And when Harrison Butker added the second of his two field goals, the Chiefs were able to take a 34-0 lead into the break.

Kelce added his short touchdown catch early in the second half, celebrating in the back of the end zone by revving the engine on an imaginary motorcycle. High above the stadium, Swift clapped her hands alongside his mother, Donna Kelce.

“On Friday he was like, ‘Yeah, I think she’s coming to the game this weekend,' and went about his business,” Mahomes recalled after the game, “and you're like, I guess that just happens. That's Travis.”

The Bears have not won in Kansas City since Week 5 of the 2015 season. ... Reid won his 271st game, moving him past Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry into fourth place on the career list. ... Mahomes went over 25,000 yards passing for his career. He did it in 83 games, the fastest in NFL history. ... Mahomes had his 22nd game with three TD passes and no interceptions, tying Aaron Rodgers for the most by a QB before turning 30. Mahomes turned 28 last Sunday. ... Kelce needs three more TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in Chiefs history.

Bears: Starting safety Eddie Jackson was inactive with a foot injury and cornerback Josh Blackwell was dealing with a hamstring injury, all before cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had to be evaluated for a concussion; he later was deemed to have an illness and did not return. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Jaylon Johnson also were hobbled during the game.

Bears: Host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.

Chiefs: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce was chatting with Patrick Mahomes in practice this week when he mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that he thought Taylor Swift would take him up on his invitation to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears on Sunday.“Some things with Travis,” Mahomes explained later, “he says it and you don' t know if it's true or not, he says it so calmly.”Turns out it was true.Mahomes and Kelce put on quite their own show for the pop star, too.The reigning league MVP threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, his All-Pro tight end caught seven passes and one of the scoring throws, and the Chiefs romped to a 41-10 victory over the Bears — much to the delight of their newest fan, who joyfully pounded on the glass of her Arrowhead Stadium suite throughout the afternoon.“I haven't gotten to meet her,” said Mahomes, who was left answering questions about Kelce and Swift's budding relationship after his good buddy ducked out on reporters. “I guess if she ends up being with Travis, I'll meet her at some point."Jerick McKinnon had a pair of touchdown catches and Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added touchdown runs, helping the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (2-1) deal the Bears (0-3) their 13th consecutive loss dating to last season.The game was so lopsided by the third quarter that Mahomes and most of the Chiefs' starters got the rest of the day off.“We got things rolling and that's a plus against a defense that, you know, is banged up a little bit,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.Embattled Bears quarterback Justin Fields was 11 of 22 for 99 yards with an interception and a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes. He also led the Bears with 47 yards rushing, a good chunk of that coming on a 17-yard scramble, as the league's 27th-ranked offense finished with just 203 yards against one of the NFL's fast-improving defenses.“We’ve got to keep this thing tight in our locker room. That’s the most important thing,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “There’s going to be a lot of outside noise, as there always is in the NFL. And we’ve played three games so far in the season. We’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. We’ve got two games in 11 days, and so we’re going to focus on that.”Still, their poor performance Sunday was a brutal end to a dismal week of distractions.In the span of a few hours Wednesday, Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams abruptly resigned, citing the need “to take care of my health and family,” and Fields had to walk back some comments he made blaming his “robotic” play through the first two weeks on the way he had been coached.Eberflus was left to call defensive plays, just as he did in last weekend's loss to Tampa Bay, and Reid proceeded to make the former Indianapolis Colts coordinator look utterly lost.The Chiefs began their assault with the first of Mahomes' two TD passes to McKinnon, then Edwards-Helaire scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. When the Bears punted a third consecutive time, Mahomes hit McKinnon again to extend the lead, and Kansas City proceeded to score on its next four possessions.As for Fields, well, the QB was not just robotic but inaccurate. When one of the league's most porous offensive lines wasn't allowing the Chiefs to pressure him, Fields was consistently missing open targets down field.“I need to be better,” Fields said simply.He was picked off by Mike Edwards late in the first half, leading to Pacheco's touchdown run. And when Harrison Butker added the second of his two field goals, the Chiefs were able to take a 34-0 lead into the break.Kelce added his short touchdown catch early in the second half, celebrating in the back of the end zone by revving the engine on an imaginary motorcycle. High above the stadium, Swift clapped her hands alongside his mother, Donna Kelce.“On Friday he was like, ‘Yeah, I think she’s coming to the game this weekend,' and went about his business,” Mahomes recalled after the game, “and you're like, I guess that just happens. That's Travis.”STATS AND STREAKSThe Bears have not won in Kansas City since Week 5 of the 2015 season. ... Reid won his 271st game, moving him past Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry into fourth place on the career list. ... Mahomes went over 25,000 yards passing for his career. He did it in 83 games, the fastest in NFL history. ... Mahomes had his 22nd game with three TD passes and no interceptions, tying Aaron Rodgers for the most by a QB before turning 30. Mahomes turned 28 last Sunday. ... Kelce needs three more TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in Chiefs history.INJURIESBears: Starting safety Eddie Jackson was inactive with a foot injury and cornerback Josh Blackwell was dealing with a hamstring injury, all before cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had to be evaluated for a concussion; he later was deemed to have an illness and did not return. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Jaylon Johnson also were hobbled during the game.UP NEXTBears: Host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.Chiefs: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday night.

Patrick Mahomes throws 3 TD passes, Taylor Swift celebrates as Chiefs rout Bears 41-10

HOUSTON (AP) — Nelson Velázquez hit two home runs and Salvador Perez and Matt Duffy also homered as the Kansas City Royals built a big lead early and held on for a 6-5 win over the slumping Houston Astros Sunday.

The victory completed a three-game sweep and left Houston two games behind the Texas Rangers and tied with the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. Texas and Seattle were playing each other Sunday afternoon.

Houston finished 39-42 at Minute Maid Park, its first losing record at home since 2014.

Kansas City (54-102) has won six straight games and 10 of 11. The Royals raced to a 6-2 lead after tagging rookie Hunter Brown (11-13) for all four homers in just three innings.

Yordan Alvarez hit a solo homer to cut the lead to one run in the fifth. But the defending World Series champions couldn’t do anything after that on a day they went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and lost for the fifth time in six games.

Chas McCormick doubled with one out in the eighth inning, but Carlos Hernandez retired the next two batters to leave him stranded.

James McArthur gave up a single to Jose Altuve with one out in the ninth, but he retired Alex Bregman and Alvarez to end it and get his third save.

Steven Cruz opened the game for the Royals and allowed three hits and run in an inning before Alec Marsh (3-8) took over. He allowed three hits and four runs — three earned — with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for the win.

It’s the fifth win in a row for the 102-loss Royals, who took five of six from the Astros this season.

Altuve hit a leadoff single and moved to third on a one-out single by Alvarez. The Astros took a 1-0 lead when Altuve scored on a single by Jose Abreu with two outs.

The Royals tied it on a homer to right field by Velazquez to start the second. Nick Loftin singled before Duffy put Kansas City up 3-1 with his shot to the seats in left field with one out in the inning.

Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubón hit back-to-back singles with no outs in the second. Jeremy Peña moved them both over one with a sacrifice bunt. Houston cut the lead to 3-2 when Diaz scored on a groundout by Altuve.

Bobby Witt Jr. walked to open the third inning before Perez homered on a soaring shot that bounced off the wall in left field to make it 5-2. Five pitches later, Velazquez connected on his second home run of the game to push the lead to 6-2.

Marsh plunked Alvarez with not outs in the third before Kyle Tucker reached on catcher’s interference. Abreu walked to load the bases before Alvarez scored when McCormick grounded into a force out that left Abreu out at second.

The Astros cut the lead to two runs when Tucker scored on a groundout by Diaz before Dubón grounded out to end the inning.

Royals: Perez was activated from the injured list after sitting out since sustaining a mild concussion Sept. 16. … C Tyler Cropley was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make room for him on the roster.

Astros: OF Michael Brantley missed a sixth straight game Sunday with right shoulder soreness. But he took batting practice on the field before the game and could return as soon as Monday.

Royals: Kansas City is off Monday before opening a three-game series at Detroit Tuesday night when RHP Zack Greinke (1-15, 5.37 ERA) opposes RHP Reese Olson (5-7, 4.13).

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (11-8, 3.44) opposes Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (14-7, 3.06) in the opener of a three-game series against the Mariners Monday night.

HOUSTON (AP) — Nelson Velázquez hit two home runs and Salvador Perez and Matt Duffy also homered as the Kansas City Royals built a big lead early and held on for a 6-5 win over the slumping Houston Astros Sunday.The victory completed a three-game sweep and left Houston two games behind the Texas Rangers and tied with the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. Texas and Seattle were playing each other Sunday afternoon.Houston finished 39-42 at Minute Maid Park, its first losing record at home since 2014.Kansas City (54-102) has won six straight games and 10 of 11. The Royals raced to a 6-2 lead after tagging rookie Hunter Brown (11-13) for all four homers in just three innings.Yordan Alvarez hit a solo homer to cut the lead to one run in the fifth. But the defending World Series champions couldn’t do anything after that on a day they went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and lost for the fifth time in six games.Chas McCormick doubled with one out in the eighth inning, but Carlos Hernandez retired the next two batters to leave him stranded.James McArthur gave up a single to Jose Altuve with one out in the ninth, but he retired Alex Bregman and Alvarez to end it and get his third save.Steven Cruz opened the game for the Royals and allowed three hits and run in an inning before Alec Marsh (3-8) took over. He allowed three hits and four runs — three earned — with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for the win.It’s the fifth win in a row for the 102-loss Royals, who took five of six from the Astros this season.Altuve hit a leadoff single and moved to third on a one-out single by Alvarez. The Astros took a 1-0 lead when Altuve scored on a single by Jose Abreu with two outs.The Royals tied it on a homer to right field by Velazquez to start the second. Nick Loftin singled before Duffy put Kansas City up 3-1 with his shot to the seats in left field with one out in the inning.Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubón hit back-to-back singles with no outs in the second. Jeremy Peña moved them both over one with a sacrifice bunt. Houston cut the lead to 3-2 when Diaz scored on a groundout by Altuve.Bobby Witt Jr. walked to open the third inning before Perez homered on a soaring shot that bounced off the wall in left field to make it 5-2. Five pitches later, Velazquez connected on his second home run of the game to push the lead to 6-2.Marsh plunked Alvarez with not outs in the third before Kyle Tucker reached on catcher’s interference. Abreu walked to load the bases before Alvarez scored when McCormick grounded into a force out that left Abreu out at second.The Astros cut the lead to two runs when Tucker scored on a groundout by Diaz before Dubón grounded out to end the inning.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: Perez was activated from the injured list after sitting out since sustaining a mild concussion Sept. 16. … C Tyler Cropley was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make room for him on the roster.Astros: OF Michael Brantley missed a sixth straight game Sunday with right shoulder soreness. But he took batting practice on the field before the game and could return as soon as Monday.UP NEXTRoyals: Kansas City is off Monday before opening a three-game series at Detroit Tuesday night when RHP Zack Greinke (1-15, 5.37 ERA) opposes RHP Reese Olson (5-7, 4.13).Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (11-8, 3.44) opposes Seattle RHP Luis Castillo (14-7, 3.06) in the opener of a three-game series against the Mariners Monday night.

Royals beat slumping Astros 6-5 for sweep and 6-game winning streak

By TOOD MOORE and BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

The 7th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team scored four unanswered but had to hold off a late rally in surviving 4-3 versus Seward County Community College Saturday afternoon at Liberal's Redskin Field.

Victors of three straight, the Cougars improve to 8-0-2 overall and finish the first swing through the KJCCC with a league best 5-0-1 mark, while the first year Saints have their two-match win streak snapped falling to 4-4-2 on the season and 1-4-1 in conference play.

Barton will open the second round through the Jayhawk on Wednesday afternoon hosting Dodge City Community College in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at the Cougar Soccer Field.

The 12th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer team picked up its second straight shutout on Saturday with a 5-0 win at Seward County Community College.

The victory wraps up Barton's first half swing through the conference slate, staying tied atop the standings at 5-1-2 in league and overall while the first year Saints program drops to 1-6-1 in league and on the season.

By TOOD MOORE and BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoBarton Men 4, Seward County 3The 7th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team scored four unanswered but had to hold off a late rally in surviving 4-3 versus Seward County Community College Saturday afternoon at Liberal's Redskin Field.Victors of three straight, the Cougars improve to 8-0-2 overall and finish the first swing through the KJCCC with a league best 5-0-1 mark, while the first year Saints have their two-match win streak snapped falling to 4-4-2 on the season and 1-4-1 in conference play.Barton will open the second round through the Jayhawk on Wednesday afternoon hosting Dodge City Community College in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at the Cougar Soccer Field.Barton Women 5, Seward County 0The 12th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer team picked up its second straight shutout on Saturday with a 5-0 win at Seward County Community College.The victory wraps up Barton's first half swing through the conference slate, staying tied atop the standings at 5-1-2 in league and overall while the first year Saints program drops to 1-6-1 in league and on the season.

Barton Men and Women pick up wins at Seward County

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State had a rash of mistakes that led to all of Missouri Western's points on Saturday (Sept. 23). The Tigers fell by a score of 28-7, producing their only score of the game in the fourth quarter. FHSU is now 2-2 overall and 2-2 in the MIAA on the season, while Missouri Western improved to 3-1, 2-1 in the MIAA.

Missouri Western set the tone early when it intercepted a pass on the second play from scrimmage for the Tigers. The Griffons needed only 30 yards for their first touchdown, scored on a one-yard run to cap a seven-play drive. On the next FHSU series, Missouri Western blocked a punt and recovered at the FHSU 3-yardline. Two plays later a two-yard rushing touchdown put the Griffons up 14-0, which would be the eventual halftime score.

A Tiger fumble on their own 8-yardline late in the third quarter created another very short field for the Griffons. They scored two plays after the turnover with an 8-yard touchdown pass. The Griffons led 21-0 going to the final quarter.

The Tigers finally found some footing offensively early in the fourth quarter with a couple of big plays to get into the red zone. A 14-yard pass, 15-yard pass interference call, and a 36-yard run by Shane Watts set up the Tigers' only score of the game. Jack Dawson found Jayden Horace for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 10:02 to play.

A Makel Williams interception helped set up another Tiger drive that could have potentially made a one-score game with about three minutes to go, but a Tiger pass was intercepted in the endzone and taken all 100 yards back the other way for a Griffon touchdown.

The Tigers outgained the Griffons in total yards by nearly 100 yards, 331 to 237. But the five turnovers in the game were too much to overcome. The Tigers forced only two turnovers out of the Griffons, which included a Benyon Williams interception in the second quarter to go with Williams' pick in the fourth quarter.

Dawson finished the game with 257 passing yards and one touchdown. Shane Watts led the Tigers in rushing with 57 yards. Cale Cormaney led in receiving with eight receptions for 82 yards. Sam Brandt and John Johnson led in tackles with nine each, while Brandt had the lone sack of the day for the Tigers.

Armani Edden led MWSU with 112 passing yards and one touchdown. Brandon Hall led the Griffons in rushing with 52 yards and Traveon James led in receiving yards with 36. Dakari Streeter was a disrupter on defense with eight tackles and three of seven sacks in the game by the Griffons. Brayden Wright had the 100-yard interception return.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695566507875.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State had a rash of mistakes that led to all of Missouri Western's points on Saturday (Sept. 23). The Tigers fell by a score of 28-7, producing their only score of the game in the fourth quarter. FHSU is now 2-2 overall and 2-2 in the MIAA on the season, while Missouri Western improved to 3-1, 2-1 in the MIAA.Missouri Western set the tone early when it intercepted a pass on the second play from scrimmage for the Tigers. The Griffons needed only 30 yards for their first touchdown, scored on a one-yard run to cap a seven-play drive. On the next FHSU series, Missouri Western blocked a punt and recovered at the FHSU 3-yardline. Two plays later a two-yard rushing touchdown put the Griffons up 14-0, which would be the eventual halftime score.A Tiger fumble on their own 8-yardline late in the third quarter created another very short field for the Griffons. They scored two plays after the turnover with an 8-yard touchdown pass. The Griffons led 21-0 going to the final quarter.The Tigers finally found some footing offensively early in the fourth quarter with a couple of big plays to get into the red zone. A 14-yard pass, 15-yard pass interference call, and a 36-yard run by Shane Watts set up the Tigers' only score of the game. Jack Dawson found Jayden Horace for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 10:02 to play.A Makel Williams interception helped set up another Tiger drive that could have potentially made a one-score game with about three minutes to go, but a Tiger pass was intercepted in the endzone and taken all 100 yards back the other way for a Griffon touchdown.The Tigers outgained the Griffons in total yards by nearly 100 yards, 331 to 237. But the five turnovers in the game were too much to overcome. The Tigers forced only two turnovers out of the Griffons, which included a Benyon Williams interception in the second quarter to go with Williams' pick in the fourth quarter.Dawson finished the game with 257 passing yards and one touchdown. Shane Watts led the Tigers in rushing with 57 yards. Cale Cormaney led in receiving with eight receptions for 82 yards. Sam Brandt and John Johnson led in tackles with nine each, while Brandt had the lone sack of the day for the Tigers.Armani Edden led MWSU with 112 passing yards and one touchdown. Brandon Hall led the Griffons in rushing with 52 yards and Traveon James led in receiving yards with 36. Dakari Streeter was a disrupter on defense with eight tackles and three of seven sacks in the game by the Griffons. Brayden Wright had the 100-yard interception return.

Turnovers Costly for Tigers in Loss at Missouri Western

Throw the state rankings out the window. Saturday's field in the Gold race at the Rim Rock Classic near Lawrence featured many of the region's top teams. The Great Bend girls still finished fourth overall, missing a top-three trophy by just two places and less than half a second. Seniors Makenzie Premer and Addy Nicholson both set school records for the famed course.

Olathe West showed its dominance with the win with 140 points. Denver East, ranked No. 7 in Colorado's largest classification, scored 190 points for second. Owasso, ranked No. 2 in Oklahoma's largest classification, finished two spots ahead of Great Bend with 201 points. The Lady Panthers beat Iowa's seventh-overall Dallas Center-Grimes High by eight spots, and Colorado's Classical Academy, ranked No. 1 in their Class 3A, by 11 spots. Top-ranked St. James Academy (5A in Kansas) finished with 265 points, and Rogers, the top-ranked team in Arkansas, scored 294 points in ninth.

Kansas runners also dominated in individual scoring. Salina Central junior Katelyn Rupe, who set the Rim Rock course record at last year's state meet, ran 20 seconds off her best time but still won Saturday's race by 48 seconds in 17:33.10. Freshman teammate Kaylie Schultz took the silver by two seconds in 18:21.00, and Junction City's Lorna Rae Pierce ran third in 18:23.20 to secure the bronze by a second.

Nicholson ran a 19:45 at state last year for 15th. Saturday, Premer led the team in 25th overall with a time of 19:22.20 to miss the top-10 by 38 seconds. Nicholson finished 30th in 19:28.30. Junior Marissa Boone ran 52nd overall in 20:05.80, and sophomore Sienna Smith and senior Eliana Beckham capped team scoring in 59th and 60th, respectively. Smith finished in 20:14.00, and Beckham crossed in 20:16.30. Senior Morgan Beckwith placed 126th in 21:27.50, and junior Kate Welcher finished 150th in 21:58.10.

Missing the final team trophy by just two spots Premer missed 24th by five seconds and saved a place by 1.6 seconds. Nicholson had a photo finish in her race, missing the next spot by just 0.1 seconds and two spots by 0.9 seconds, with the runner behind her crossing just 0.6 seconds later. Boone also crossed in a photo finish with the same time listed as the runner in front of her. Smith crossed less than a second later than the runner in front her.

The Panther boys placed 33rd in the crimson race. Buhler won that race with 89 points, followed by Lexington with 118 points and Bishop Carroll with 127 points. Dodge City placed a distant fourth with 292 points. Great Bend scored 787 points.

Sophomore Tavon Stroup had a big day, placing 35th in 17:27.30 to miss the top 20 by 26 seconds. Senior Braylon Moore ran 157th in 19:05.80, followed by freshmen Parker Coleman and Anthony Lawrence in 197th and 198th, respectively, both with a time of 19:51.80. Senior Bradon Suppes crossed in 20:14.10 for 227th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695516893732.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther senior Makenzie Premer set the school's Rim Rock course record and placed 25th overall Saturday near Lawrence." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther senior Makenzie Premer set the school's Rim Rock course record and placed 25th overall Saturday near Lawrence.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsThrow the state rankings out the window. Saturday's field in the Gold race at the Rim Rock Classic near Lawrence featured many of the region's top teams. The Great Bend girls still finished fourth overall, missing a top-three trophy by just two places and less than half a second. Seniors Makenzie Premer and Addy Nicholson both set school records for the famed course.Olathe West showed its dominance with the win with 140 points. Denver East, ranked No. 7 in Colorado's largest classification, scored 190 points for second. Owasso, ranked No. 2 in Oklahoma's largest classification, finished two spots ahead of Great Bend with 201 points. The Lady Panthers beat Iowa's seventh-overall Dallas Center-Grimes High by eight spots, and Colorado's Classical Academy, ranked No. 1 in their Class 3A, by 11 spots. Top-ranked St. James Academy (5A in Kansas) finished with 265 points, and Rogers, the top-ranked team in Arkansas, scored 294 points in ninth.Kansas runners also dominated in individual scoring. Salina Central junior Katelyn Rupe, who set the Rim Rock course record at last year's state meet, ran 20 seconds off her best time but still won Saturday's race by 48 seconds in 17:33.10. Freshman teammate Kaylie Schultz took the silver by two seconds in 18:21.00, and Junction City's Lorna Rae Pierce ran third in 18:23.20 to secure the bronze by a second.Nicholson ran a 19:45 at state last year for 15th. Saturday, Premer led the team in 25th overall with a time of 19:22.20 to miss the top-10 by 38 seconds. Nicholson finished 30th in 19:28.30. Junior Marissa Boone ran 52nd overall in 20:05.80, and sophomore Sienna Smith and senior Eliana Beckham capped team scoring in 59th and 60th, respectively. Smith finished in 20:14.00, and Beckham crossed in 20:16.30. Senior Morgan Beckwith placed 126th in 21:27.50, and junior Kate Welcher finished 150th in 21:58.10.Missing the final team trophy by just two spots Premer missed 24th by five seconds and saved a place by 1.6 seconds. Nicholson had a photo finish in her race, missing the next spot by just 0.1 seconds and two spots by 0.9 seconds, with the runner behind her crossing just 0.6 seconds later. Boone also crossed in a photo finish with the same time listed as the runner in front of her. Smith crossed less than a second later than the runner in front her.The Panther boys placed 33rd in the crimson race. Buhler won that race with 89 points, followed by Lexington with 118 points and Bishop Carroll with 127 points. Dodge City placed a distant fourth with 292 points. Great Bend scored 787 points.Sophomore Tavon Stroup had a big day, placing 35th in 17:27.30 to miss the top 20 by 26 seconds. Senior Braylon Moore ran 157th in 19:05.80, followed by freshmen Parker Coleman and Anthony Lawrence in 197th and 198th, respectively, both with a time of 19:51.80. Senior Bradon Suppes crossed in 20:14.10 for 227th.

Lady Panthers go head to head with best teams in region at Rim Rock

&nbsp;By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The Barton Community College volleyball team swept its fourth straight opponent, the latest coming Saturday afternoon with a home court victory over Colby Community College 25-18, 25-18, and 25-20.

Winners of five straight, Barton slips into the conference outright lead at 6-1 and 16-3 overall while Colby drops their third straight falling to 3-4 in league and 11-8 on the season.

A battle for the top spot concluding Barton's first swing around the conference slate looms next Wednesday in a trip to Hutchinson Community College (5-1, 14-7) for a 6:00 p.m. serve at the Sports Arena.

The Cougars were led by the .375 attack of 15 kills and two blocks from Phoebe Reyes, the 12th time this season the freshman has exceeded ten court punishers running her kills per set to 4.00 on a .310 attack in the last six matches.

Naya Danenberg got hot in the second set with five of her 8 kills and finished with 12 digs and a service ace. Kassidy Nixon, along with Danenberg, keyed a 6-2 Barton closeout securing the sweep chalking up three of her 7 kills on the afternoon.

The team's .213 overall attack was guided by Elena Stankovic's 14 assists and Maurin Reyes' 13 assists. Both recorded double-doubles by collecting 11 digs each, Stankovic's third of the year while Reyes' posted her team leading fifth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695564843899.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe Barton Community College volleyball team swept its fourth straight opponent, the latest coming Saturday afternoon with a home court victory over Colby Community College 25-18, 25-18, and 25-20.Winners of five straight, Barton slips into the conference outright lead at 6-1 and 16-3 overall while Colby drops their third straight falling to 3-4 in league and 11-8 on the season.A battle for the top spot concluding Barton's first swing around the conference slate looms next Wednesday in a trip to Hutchinson Community College (5-1, 14-7) for a 6:00 p.m. serve at the Sports Arena.The Cougars were led by the .375 attack of 15 kills and two blocks from Phoebe Reyes, the 12th time this season the freshman has exceeded ten court punishers running her kills per set to 4.00 on a .310 attack in the last six matches.Naya Danenberg got hot in the second set with five of her 8 kills and finished with 12 digs and a service ace. Kassidy Nixon, along with Danenberg, keyed a 6-2 Barton closeout securing the sweep chalking up three of her 7 kills on the afternoon.The team's .213 overall attack was guided by Elena Stankovic's 14 assists and Maurin Reyes' 13 assists. Both recorded double-doubles by collecting 11 digs each, Stankovic's third of the year while Reyes' posted her team leading fifth.

Cougars win fifth straight

HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Lyles gave up just two hits in five innings, Bobby Witt Jr. drove in his 93rd run of the season and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Saturday night.

“It’s like groundhog day,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “We’re playing hard, they’re playing good ball but we’re having trouble pushing runs across. You know hitting with runners in scoring position. When we do good we’re going to get a bunch of them for a period of time. I just feel that. We’re so close to breaking games open. Just didn’t get it done.”

Houston has lost four of its last five games and fell to 39-41 at home this year. Still, the Astros maintained their half-game lead for the final AL wild-card spot over Seattle with seven games remaining. The Mariners lost 2-0 to Texas earlier.

“It feels like we're playing terrible,” said Alex Bregman, who finished 0 for 3. “That's it. We're not playing good.”

The Royals have won nine of their last 10 games for the first time since July 20-30, 2017. The win also clinched a fourth straight series win for the first time since 2019.

“We know where we are as far as our youth and our inexperience," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “There's nobody that knows exactly what the timetable is but these kinds of wins are definitely going to go a long way for our guy's confidence.”

Lyles (5-17) held the Astros to just one hit through the first four innings, while striking out three and walking two. This was his best start since July 17 when he held Detroit to no runs and three hits in a no-decision.

“Every at-bat was a strong battle," Lyles said. "Those guys are one of the better lineups in baseball. It's going to make it difficult on you and they did a really good job. I wasn't able to go deep but five scoreless, team win, sign me up every day of the week for it.”

Taylor Clarke got the last five outs for his third save of the season.

“He just kept pumping strikes,” Quatraro said. “That last inning he was trying to not make a mistake and he just kept making quality after quality pitch. Those guys are dangerous and obviously without what he did we're not going to win that game.”

The Royals got to the Astros early again. Maikel Garcia led off the game against J.P. France (11-6) with an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Yanier Diaz. Garcia scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by M.J. Melendez to make it 1-0.

Kansas City leads the American League in sacrifice flies this season with 56 — second in the majors behind only the Dodgers (66).

In the fifth inning with the bases loaded, Witt reached on a fielder’s choice and drove in Nick Pratto. A wild pitch by France later in the inning allowed Kyle Isbel to score, making it 3-0.

France gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings, walking one and striking out five.

“Stuff was great, I'm pleased with that outing,” France said. “I went five innings, two earned. Was actually able to get some whiffs, get some strikeouts against these guys opposed to last time. ... Overall felt my stuff was really good today. Arm felt really good.”

Astros reliever Bryan Abreu struck out the side in the eighth inning to extend his scoreless innings streak to a major league-best 24 innings. Abreu has struck out 28 batters in this span.

Trailing 3-0, Chas McCormick led off the seventh inning blasting a ball 418 feet to the train tracks in left field to cut into the lead. It was the second straight game that McCormick homered.

“It's been frustrating, I've never been in this position before," McCormick said of the Astros' last eleven games. “Every team that's come to play us, they want to beat us badly and we just don't want it enough right now ... I don't think we're firing on all cylinders and putting a little pressure on ourselves."

The Astros inched closer in the eighth as back-to-back doubles by Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker made it 3-2. Alvarez finished 1 for 4 with the double, which extended his streak of games reaching base safely in to 29.

With 41,692 fans in attendance on Saturday night, the Astros surpassed 3 million fans for the fifth time in franchise history and for the first time since 2007.

Royals: C Salvador Perez (concussion) is likely to return to the lineup on Sunday, according to Quatraro. ... RHP Brad Keller has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. He will decide whether to undergo surgery in the coming days, according to Quatraro.

Astros: OF Michael Brantley was out of the lineup for a fifth straight game Saturday with right shoulder soreness.

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (11-12, 4.87 ERA) will start Houston’s final home game of the regular season on Sunday. The Royals have not announced a starter.

HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Lyles gave up just two hits in five innings, Bobby Witt Jr. drove in his 93rd run of the season and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Saturday night.“It’s like groundhog day,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “We’re playing hard, they’re playing good ball but we’re having trouble pushing runs across. You know hitting with runners in scoring position. When we do good we’re going to get a bunch of them for a period of time. I just feel that. We’re so close to breaking games open. Just didn’t get it done.”Houston has lost four of its last five games and fell to 39-41 at home this year. Still, the Astros maintained their half-game lead for the final AL wild-card spot over Seattle with seven games remaining. The Mariners lost 2-0 to Texas earlier.“It feels like we're playing terrible,” said Alex Bregman, who finished 0 for 3. “That's it. We're not playing good.”The Royals have won nine of their last 10 games for the first time since July 20-30, 2017. The win also clinched a fourth straight series win for the first time since 2019.“We know where we are as far as our youth and our inexperience," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “There's nobody that knows exactly what the timetable is but these kinds of wins are definitely going to go a long way for our guy's confidence.”Lyles (5-17) held the Astros to just one hit through the first four innings, while striking out three and walking two. This was his best start since July 17 when he held Detroit to no runs and three hits in a no-decision.“Every at-bat was a strong battle," Lyles said. "Those guys are one of the better lineups in baseball. It's going to make it difficult on you and they did a really good job. I wasn't able to go deep but five scoreless, team win, sign me up every day of the week for it.”Taylor Clarke got the last five outs for his third save of the season.“He just kept pumping strikes,” Quatraro said. “That last inning he was trying to not make a mistake and he just kept making quality after quality pitch. Those guys are dangerous and obviously without what he did we're not going to win that game.”The Royals got to the Astros early again. Maikel Garcia led off the game against J.P. France (11-6) with an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Yanier Diaz. Garcia scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by M.J. Melendez to make it 1-0.Kansas City leads the American League in sacrifice flies this season with 56 — second in the majors behind only the Dodgers (66).In the fifth inning with the bases loaded, Witt reached on a fielder’s choice and drove in Nick Pratto. A wild pitch by France later in the inning allowed Kyle Isbel to score, making it 3-0.France gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings, walking one and striking out five.“Stuff was great, I'm pleased with that outing,” France said. “I went five innings, two earned. Was actually able to get some whiffs, get some strikeouts against these guys opposed to last time. ... Overall felt my stuff was really good today. Arm felt really good.”Astros reliever Bryan Abreu struck out the side in the eighth inning to extend his scoreless innings streak to a major league-best 24 innings. Abreu has struck out 28 batters in this span.Trailing 3-0, Chas McCormick led off the seventh inning blasting a ball 418 feet to the train tracks in left field to cut into the lead. It was the second straight game that McCormick homered.“It's been frustrating, I've never been in this position before," McCormick said of the Astros' last eleven games. “Every team that's come to play us, they want to beat us badly and we just don't want it enough right now ... I don't think we're firing on all cylinders and putting a little pressure on ourselves."The Astros inched closer in the eighth as back-to-back doubles by Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker made it 3-2. Alvarez finished 1 for 4 with the double, which extended his streak of games reaching base safely in to 29.3 MILLION FANSWith 41,692 fans in attendance on Saturday night, the Astros surpassed 3 million fans for the fifth time in franchise history and for the first time since 2007.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Perez (concussion) is likely to return to the lineup on Sunday, according to Quatraro. ... RHP Brad Keller has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. He will decide whether to undergo surgery in the coming days, according to Quatraro.Astros: OF Michael Brantley was out of the lineup for a fifth straight game Saturday with right shoulder soreness.UP NEXTAstros RHP Hunter Brown (11-12, 4.87 ERA) will start Houston’s final home game of the regular season on Sunday. The Royals have not announced a starter.

Lyles pitches five scoreless, Royals beat Astros 3-2

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw two second-half touchdown passes to Luke Grimm, Kansas got a pair of touchdowns from its opportunistic defense, and the Jayhawks rallied to beat BYU 38-27 in the Cougars’ Big 12 debut. Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for a touchdown and Kenny Logan Jr. had a pick-six for the Jayhawks, who improved to 4-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1914 and ’15 seasons. Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two touchdowns and two picks for BYU, who joined the Big 12 after playing as an independent in recent seasons.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 in the Big 12 debut for the Knights. Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season. Timmy McClain threw three touchdowns passes and went 14 for 24 with 264 yards passing with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1).

WACO, Texas (AP) — Jonathon Brooks ran for two touchdowns and No. 3 Texas got a dominant game from its defense to overpower Baylor in a 38-6 win Saturday night to launch the Longhorns into their final Big 12 season. The 113th and last meeting between the old rivals saw Texas bolt to a 28-6 lead by halftime. Brooks scored on a 40-yard touchdown run and Quinn Ewers scored on a scramble from 29 yards. Texas sacked Baylor quarterbacks five times. The Longhorns will play in the Southeastern Conference next season.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dillon Gabriel threw for 322 yards and accounted for two touchdowns as No. 16 Oklahoma welcomed Cincinnati to the Big 12 Conference with a 20-6 defeat Saturday. The UCF transfer completed 26 of 38 passes, rebounding from his three-interception performance in his last trip to Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium in 2019 and notching his first career victory in three tries against the Bearcats. Oklahoma outgained Cincinnati 322-202 through the air, as the Bearcats got their first taste of the Big 12 since moving from the American Athletic Conference in July.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for 348 yards and three touchdowns as Iowa State held on to beat Oklahoma State 34-27 in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams. The Cyclones (2-2) were averaging just 16.7 points per game, the lowest total among Power 5 schools, but Becht spearheaded an offensive revival, completing 27 of 38 attempts. Oklahoma State (2-2) tried to rally from a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes, but the Cowboys’ last drive ended when Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa intercepted a fourth-and-10 pass near midfield.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Chandler Morris threw for three touchdowns, Emani Bailey ran for 126 yards and a score and TCU wore down SMU in the second half of a 34-17 victory in the Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry. The Horned Frogs intercepted Preston Stone twice in the second half in a second consecutive victory in the “Iron Skillet” game. It was the 102nd meeting in a series that isn't scheduled beyond 2025. TCU tight end Jared Wiley caught two short touchdown passes in the first half.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Chip Trayanum's 1-yard TD run with a second left to give No. 6 Ohio State a 17-14 victory at No. 9 Notre Dame. It was his second score of the night and came on a drive in which the Buckeyes (4-0) needed to convert one fourth down and a third-and-19 in the final 90 seconds to rally for a sixth straight victory over the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame appeared to be in control after Sam Hartman threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Rico Flores Jr. with 8:22 to go for a 14-10 lead. But the Notre Dame defense couldn't preserve it.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns and No. 10 Oregon took some sheen off of Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ showy start to the season with a 42-6 victory over the No. 19 Buffaloes on Saturday. Troy Franklin caught eight passes for 126 yards and two scores for Oregon (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12), which has opened the season with four straight wins for just the second time since 2014. Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders was held to 159 passing yards after averaging more than 400 going into the game.

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Jordan Travis threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman to start overtime and No. 4 Florida State rallied in the second half to defeat Clemson 31-24. Travis also threw for another TD and ran for a score for the Seminoles, who ended a frustrating seven-game losing streak to the Tigers. Travis was 21 of 37 for 289 yards, including a perfectly lofted pass that Coleman caught in stride and hushed the raucous Death Valley crowd. Florida State linebacker Kalen DeLoach forced a Klubnik fumble and scooped it up for a 56-yard TD return to tie things at 24-all.

UNDATED (AP) — A statement Saturday in September that featured six games matching ranked teams was the first chance to make some sense of first few weeks of the season. What we learned is the best days of this season might already behind No. 19 Colorado. No. 4 Florida State is ready to take off after leaving Death Valley with a victory. No. 13 Alabama might have a formula to stay in playoff contention. And coach Ryan Day is tired of people questioning Ohio State's toughness.

HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Lyles gave up just two hits in five innings, Bobby Witt Jr. drove in his 93rd run of the season and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 3-2. Houston has lost four of its last five games and fell to 39-41 at home this year. Still, the Astros maintained their half-game lead for the final AL wild-card spot over Seattle. The Royals have won nine of their last 10 games for the first time since July 20-30, 2017. The win also clinched a fourth straight series win for the first time since 2019. Lyles (5-17) held the Astros to just one hit through the first four innings, while striking out three and walking two. Taylor Clarke got the last five outs for his third save of the season.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Bubba Wallace will start from the pole at Texas. It is the first race in the second round of NASCAR's playoffs, and comes after Wallace just made the cut to make the round of 12. Wallace turned a lap of 188.337 mph in the final round of qualifying Saturday. He finished ahead of fellow playoff contenders and RFK Racing teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. It is the second career pole for Wallace, the 23XI Racing driver who entered the round of 12 in 12th place after the points were reset following the first three playoff races.

Final	(21)Washington St.	38	(14)Oregon St.	35	

Final	(17)North Carolina	41	Pittsburgh	24	

Arizona	at	N-Y Yankees	1:05 p.m.	(Postponed)

Atlanta	at	Washington	6:35 p.m.	(Postponed)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694688181399.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw two second-half touchdown passes to Luke Grimm, Kansas got a pair of touchdowns from its opportunistic defense, and the Jayhawks rallied to beat BYU 38-27 in the Cougars’ Big 12 debut. Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for a touchdown and Kenny Logan Jr. had a pick-six for the Jayhawks, who improved to 4-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1914 and ’15 seasons. Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two touchdowns and two picks for BYU, who joined the Big 12 after playing as an independent in recent seasons.MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 in the Big 12 debut for the Knights. Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season. Timmy McClain threw three touchdowns passes and went 14 for 24 with 264 yards passing with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1).WACO, Texas (AP) — Jonathon Brooks ran for two touchdowns and No. 3 Texas got a dominant game from its defense to overpower Baylor in a 38-6 win Saturday night to launch the Longhorns into their final Big 12 season. The 113th and last meeting between the old rivals saw Texas bolt to a 28-6 lead by halftime. Brooks scored on a 40-yard touchdown run and Quinn Ewers scored on a scramble from 29 yards. Texas sacked Baylor quarterbacks five times. The Longhorns will play in the Southeastern Conference next season.CINCINNATI (AP) — Dillon Gabriel threw for 322 yards and accounted for two touchdowns as No. 16 Oklahoma welcomed Cincinnati to the Big 12 Conference with a 20-6 defeat Saturday. The UCF transfer completed 26 of 38 passes, rebounding from his three-interception performance in his last trip to Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium in 2019 and notching his first career victory in three tries against the Bearcats. Oklahoma outgained Cincinnati 322-202 through the air, as the Bearcats got their first taste of the Big 12 since moving from the American Athletic Conference in July.AMES, Iowa (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for 348 yards and three touchdowns as Iowa State held on to beat Oklahoma State 34-27 in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams. The Cyclones (2-2) were averaging just 16.7 points per game, the lowest total among Power 5 schools, but Becht spearheaded an offensive revival, completing 27 of 38 attempts. Oklahoma State (2-2) tried to rally from a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes, but the Cowboys’ last drive ended when Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa intercepted a fourth-and-10 pass near midfield.FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Chandler Morris threw for three touchdowns, Emani Bailey ran for 126 yards and a score and TCU wore down SMU in the second half of a 34-17 victory in the Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry. The Horned Frogs intercepted Preston Stone twice in the second half in a second consecutive victory in the “Iron Skillet” game. It was the 102nd meeting in a series that isn't scheduled beyond 2025. TCU tight end Jared Wiley caught two short touchdown passes in the first half.SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Chip Trayanum's 1-yard TD run with a second left to give No. 6 Ohio State a 17-14 victory at No. 9 Notre Dame. It was his second score of the night and came on a drive in which the Buckeyes (4-0) needed to convert one fourth down and a third-and-19 in the final 90 seconds to rally for a sixth straight victory over the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame appeared to be in control after Sam Hartman threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Rico Flores Jr. with 8:22 to go for a 14-10 lead. But the Notre Dame defense couldn't preserve it.EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns and No. 10 Oregon took some sheen off of Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ showy start to the season with a 42-6 victory over the No. 19 Buffaloes on Saturday. Troy Franklin caught eight passes for 126 yards and two scores for Oregon (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12), which has opened the season with four straight wins for just the second time since 2014. Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders was held to 159 passing yards after averaging more than 400 going into the game.CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Jordan Travis threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman to start overtime and No. 4 Florida State rallied in the second half to defeat Clemson 31-24. Travis also threw for another TD and ran for a score for the Seminoles, who ended a frustrating seven-game losing streak to the Tigers. Travis was 21 of 37 for 289 yards, including a perfectly lofted pass that Coleman caught in stride and hushed the raucous Death Valley crowd. Florida State linebacker Kalen DeLoach forced a Klubnik fumble and scooped it up for a 56-yard TD return to tie things at 24-all.UNDATED (AP) — A statement Saturday in September that featured six games matching ranked teams was the first chance to make some sense of first few weeks of the season. What we learned is the best days of this season might already behind No. 19 Colorado. No. 4 Florida State is ready to take off after leaving Death Valley with a victory. No. 13 Alabama might have a formula to stay in playoff contention. And coach Ryan Day is tired of people questioning Ohio State's toughness.HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Lyles gave up just two hits in five innings, Bobby Witt Jr. drove in his 93rd run of the season and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 3-2. Houston has lost four of its last five games and fell to 39-41 at home this year. Still, the Astros maintained their half-game lead for the final AL wild-card spot over Seattle. The Royals have won nine of their last 10 games for the first time since July 20-30, 2017. The win also clinched a fourth straight series win for the first time since 2019. Lyles (5-17) held the Astros to just one hit through the first four innings, while striking out three and walking two. Taylor Clarke got the last five outs for his third save of the season.FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Bubba Wallace will start from the pole at Texas. It is the first race in the second round of NASCAR's playoffs, and comes after Wallace just made the cut to make the round of 12. Wallace turned a lap of 188.337 mph in the final round of qualifying Saturday. He finished ahead of fellow playoff contenders and RFK Racing teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. It is the second career pole for Wallace, the 23XI Racing driver who entered the round of 12 in 12th place after the points were reset following the first three playoff races.SATURDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(6)Ohio St.	17	(9)Notre Dame	14	Final	(13)Alabama	24	(15)Mississippi	10	Final	(10)Oregon	42	(19)Colorado	6	Final	(21)Washington St.	38	(14)Oregon St.	35	Final	(11)Utah	14	(22)UCLA	7	Final	(7)Penn St.	31	(24)Iowa	0	Final	(2)Michigan	31	Rutgers	7	Final	(16)Oklahoma	20	Cincinnati	6	Final	(4)Florida St.	31	Clemson	24	Final	(18)Duke	41	Uconn	7	Final	(20)Miami	41	Temple	7	Final	(23)Tennessee	45	UTSA	14	Final	(12)LSU	34	Arkansas	31	Final	(25)Florida	22	Charlotte	7	Final	(3)Texas	38	Baylor	6	Final	(1)Georgia	49	UAB	21	Final	(17)North Carolina	41	Pittsburgh	24	Final	(5)Southern Cal	42	Arizona St.	28	Final	(8)Washington	59	California	32	INTERLEAGUEArizona	at	N-Y Yankees	1:05 p.m.	(Postponed)AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	L.A. Angels	1	Minnesota	0	Final	Chicago White Sox	1	Boston	0	Final	Oakland	4	Detroit	1	Final	Tampa Bay	7	Toronto	6	Final	Baltimore	2	Cleveland	1	Final	Texas	2	Seattle	0	Final	Kansas City	3	Houston	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEAtlanta	at	Washington	6:35 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	Chicago Cubs	6	Colorado	3	Final	Philadelphia	7	N.Y. Mets	5	Final	Miami	5	Milwaukee	4	Final	Pittsburgh	13	Cincinnati	12	Final	L.A. Dodgers	7	San Francisco	0	Final	St. Louis	5	San Diego	2

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 on Saturday night in the Big 12 debut for the Knights.

Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season.

“The easy name is DJ Giddens,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “We challenged him to step up and we were going to give him the football and keep giving it to him.”

Will Howard went 27-for-42 passing for 255 yards and threw an interception. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 31-yard run to give K-State a 44-24 lead with 2:01 remaining.

Giddens added a score in the second half to put the Wildcats up 37-24 with 4:01 left. K-State amassed 536 total yards with 281 rushing.

“I have to give a shout-out to the offensive line and Will Howard for making holes and getting me the ball,” Giddens said. “I just tried to make people miss in the open field.”

Timmy McClain threw three touchdown passes and completed 14 of 24 passes for 264 yards with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1). The Knights totaled 407 yards and rushed for 143 yards. UCF added a 1-yard touchdown by RJ Harvey with three seconds left in the game.

“We’re disappointed, but (K-State) is a good team and a tough place to play," UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. "We know what we need to work on. We’ve got to do a better job of coaching and playing. This is just one game and we’ve got some things to clean up.”

Kobe Hudson had two receiving touchdowns for his first scores of the season and finished with 138 yards despite being the Knights' leading receiver. He recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game.

Hudson scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass from McClain on a flea flicker late in the second quarter and again in the first UCF drive of the second half with a 46-yard reception on third-and-10 to give the Knights a 24-21 lead.

Harvey scored a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-15 in the first quarter. The first points in a Big 12 game for the Knights came on Colton Boomer's 29-yard field goal.

Knights: The passing attack was extremely successful for the Knights, with all three touchdowns coming in the air. UCF had success on third down with two scores coming on third-and-long. The defense seldom had an answer to slow the K-State rushing attack, allowing a season-high in yards rushing.

Wildcats: Giddens was clearly the primary source of the K-State offense, leading the team in carries, receptions and total yards. The secondary got beat deep on a pair of touchdown catches by Hudson; both were over 45 yards. The Wildcats have allowed a receiver to net over 100 yards receiving in two straight games.

UCF played its first Big 12 Conference game against the reigning Big 12 champions. It was the first time K-State hosted a new conference member to open Big 12 play since welcoming Texas Tech to the newly-minted Big 12 in 1996.

UCF continues its list of Big 12 firsts, hosting Baylor in its first Big 12 home game next Saturday. The two faced off in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The Knights hold a 1-0 series with a 52-42 win led by then UCF quarterback Blake Bortles.

K-State will get a week off before a road clash against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6. The Wildcats blanked the Cowboys 48-0 last season.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 on Saturday night in the Big 12 debut for the Knights.Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season.“The easy name is DJ Giddens,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “We challenged him to step up and we were going to give him the football and keep giving it to him.”Will Howard went 27-for-42 passing for 255 yards and threw an interception. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 31-yard run to give K-State a 44-24 lead with 2:01 remaining.Giddens added a score in the second half to put the Wildcats up 37-24 with 4:01 left. K-State amassed 536 total yards with 281 rushing.“I have to give a shout-out to the offensive line and Will Howard for making holes and getting me the ball,” Giddens said. “I just tried to make people miss in the open field.”Timmy McClain threw three touchdown passes and completed 14 of 24 passes for 264 yards with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1). The Knights totaled 407 yards and rushed for 143 yards. UCF added a 1-yard touchdown by RJ Harvey with three seconds left in the game.“We’re disappointed, but (K-State) is a good team and a tough place to play," UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. "We know what we need to work on. We’ve got to do a better job of coaching and playing. This is just one game and we’ve got some things to clean up.”Kobe Hudson had two receiving touchdowns for his first scores of the season and finished with 138 yards despite being the Knights' leading receiver. He recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game.Hudson scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass from McClain on a flea flicker late in the second quarter and again in the first UCF drive of the second half with a 46-yard reception on third-and-10 to give the Knights a 24-21 lead.Harvey scored a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-15 in the first quarter. The first points in a Big 12 game for the Knights came on Colton Boomer's 29-yard field goal.THE TAKEAWAYKnights: The passing attack was extremely successful for the Knights, with all three touchdowns coming in the air. UCF had success on third down with two scores coming on third-and-long. The defense seldom had an answer to slow the K-State rushing attack, allowing a season-high in yards rushing.Wildcats: Giddens was clearly the primary source of the K-State offense, leading the team in carries, receptions and total yards. The secondary got beat deep on a pair of touchdown catches by Hudson; both were over 45 yards. The Wildcats have allowed a receiver to net over 100 yards receiving in two straight games.BIG 12 STATE OF MINDUCF played its first Big 12 Conference game against the reigning Big 12 champions. It was the first time K-State hosted a new conference member to open Big 12 play since welcoming Texas Tech to the newly-minted Big 12 in 1996.UP NEXTUCF continues its list of Big 12 firsts, hosting Baylor in its first Big 12 home game next Saturday. The two faced off in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The Knights hold a 1-0 series with a 52-42 win led by then UCF quarterback Blake Bortles.K-State will get a week off before a road clash against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6. The Wildcats blanked the Cowboys 48-0 last season.

Giddens runs for 207 yards, leads Kansas State in 44-31 win over UCF

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw two second-half touchdown passes to Luke Grimm, Kansas got a pair of score from its opportunistic defense, and the Jayhawks rallied to beat BYU 38-27 on Saturday in the Cougars' Big 12 debut.

Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for the game's opening touchdown, and Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception early in the third quarter for another score, helping the Jayhawks overcome a 17-14 halftime deficit and improve to 4-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1914 and '15 seasons.

Daniels finished with 130 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Jayhawks. Devin Neal added 91 yards rushing.

Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for BYU. But the Cougars (3-1) were imbalanced on offense, running 22 times for nine yards, and settling for two field goals in the red zone proved costly.

The Jayhawks, who struggled to put away Nevada last week, rolled into their conference opener averaging more than 500 yards per game. But the Cougars consistently put pressure on Daniels, who at times needed every bit of his athleticism just to get the ball away, and their defense held Kansas to one offensive touchdown in the first half.

The other score? That came on Bryant's bone-jarring hit on BYU's second play from scrimmage. The ball popped out, Bryant was there to scoop it, and he ran untouched 22 yards for the game's opening score.

The Cougars refused to let the turnover set the tone, though. They answered with back-to-back 75-yard touchdown drives, then used another long drive in the final minutes of the first half to add a field goal for a 17-14 lead at the break.

That's when the Kansas defense got into the act again.

On the third play of the third quarter, Slovis had his pass batted into the air by tight end Isaac Rex, off the hands of linebacker Jayson Gilliom and into the arms of Logan, who returned the interception 33 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.

When the Cougars answered with a field goal, the Jayhawks' offense finally started humming.

Daniels left them swiftly down field, converting an early third down with his legs before finding Luke Grimm in the back of the end zone on another third-down play for a touchdown. And after Bryant picked off Slovis on fourth down to end BYU's ensuing drive, the Jayhawks quickly drove down field, and Daniels found Grimm again to extend the lead to 35-20.

BYU's Keelan Marion scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jayhawks tacked on a field goal to put the game away.

BYU survived at Arkansas last week by scoring the last 17 points in a 38-31 win. But the Cougars looked downright tired in the second half Saturday, perhaps worn down by the physical nature of back-to-back road games against Power Five opponents.

Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland made it clear before the season that his group, which struggled mightily at times last year, would not hold back the Jayhawks this season. On Saturday, his defense was the difference in the outcome.

BYU plays its Big 12 home opener against fellow newcomer Cincinnati on Friday night.

Kansas visits Texas next Saturday for the first time since a 57-56 double-overtime win in 2021.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jalon Daniels threw two second-half touchdown passes to Luke Grimm, Kansas got a pair of score from its opportunistic defense, and the Jayhawks rallied to beat BYU 38-27 on Saturday in the Cougars' Big 12 debut.Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for the game's opening touchdown, and Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception early in the third quarter for another score, helping the Jayhawks overcome a 17-14 halftime deficit and improve to 4-0 in back-to-back years for the first time since the 1914 and '15 seasons.Daniels finished with 130 yards passing and three touchdowns for the Jayhawks. Devin Neal added 91 yards rushing.Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for BYU. But the Cougars (3-1) were imbalanced on offense, running 22 times for nine yards, and settling for two field goals in the red zone proved costly.The Jayhawks, who struggled to put away Nevada last week, rolled into their conference opener averaging more than 500 yards per game. But the Cougars consistently put pressure on Daniels, who at times needed every bit of his athleticism just to get the ball away, and their defense held Kansas to one offensive touchdown in the first half.The other score? That came on Bryant's bone-jarring hit on BYU's second play from scrimmage. The ball popped out, Bryant was there to scoop it, and he ran untouched 22 yards for the game's opening score.The Cougars refused to let the turnover set the tone, though. They answered with back-to-back 75-yard touchdown drives, then used another long drive in the final minutes of the first half to add a field goal for a 17-14 lead at the break.That's when the Kansas defense got into the act again.On the third play of the third quarter, Slovis had his pass batted into the air by tight end Isaac Rex, off the hands of linebacker Jayson Gilliom and into the arms of Logan, who returned the interception 33 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.When the Cougars answered with a field goal, the Jayhawks' offense finally started humming.Daniels left them swiftly down field, converting an early third down with his legs before finding Luke Grimm in the back of the end zone on another third-down play for a touchdown. And after Bryant picked off Slovis on fourth down to end BYU's ensuing drive, the Jayhawks quickly drove down field, and Daniels found Grimm again to extend the lead to 35-20.BYU's Keelan Marion scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jayhawks tacked on a field goal to put the game away.THE TAKEAWAYBYU survived at Arkansas last week by scoring the last 17 points in a 38-31 win. But the Cougars looked downright tired in the second half Saturday, perhaps worn down by the physical nature of back-to-back road games against Power Five opponents.Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland made it clear before the season that his group, which struggled mightily at times last year, would not hold back the Jayhawks this season. On Saturday, his defense was the difference in the outcome.UP NEXTBYU plays its Big 12 home opener against fellow newcomer Cincinnati on Friday night.Kansas visits Texas next Saturday for the first time since a 57-56 double-overtime win in 2021.

KU beats BYU 38-27 in its Big 12 debut

NEW YORK (AP) — Growing up in the Boston suburbs, Suzyn Waldman fell madly in love with two things: baseball and Broadway shows.

During the 1950s and '60s, the long arm of AM radio brought both into her home.

“I can still hear Ned Martin of the Red Sox reciting poetry about the mountains in Anaheim,” said Waldman, the pioneer announcer and former star of musical stage who's been calling New York Yankees games for decades. "I can still hear Curt Gowdy with that Wyoming twang.

“Not everyone can remember who their first television broadcasters were — but everyone knows who the radio team was. Everyone.”

Like many fans, especially older ones, Waldman originally got hooked by America's pastime listening to ballgames on an AM signal. In fact, next month will mark the 100th anniversary of the first World Series broadcast to a national radio audience, when Graham McNamee and Ford Frick were among those who called the 1923 Fall Classic between the Giants and Yankees on NBC.

A century later, however, some consider AM stations a dying medium in the modern age of digital technology. Several major automakers are eliminating broadcast AM radio from newer models — prompting lawmakers on Capitol Hill to propose legislation that would prevent the practice for safety and other reasons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695486768268.jpeg" alt="FILE - Baseballer Charlie Grimm,left, deposed by the Chicago Cubs in favor of Gabby Hartnett as manager, takes up new duties as a radio broadcaster at the ball games at Wrigley Field in Chicago, July 25, 1938. He's assisted by Pat Flanagan, a broadcasting colleague. Many baseball fans, especially older ones, originally fell in love with America’s pastime by listening to ballgames on AM radio. But several major automakers are eliminating broadcast AM radio from newer models, prompting lawmakers on Capitol Hill to propose legislation that would prevent the practice for safety and other reasons. (AP Photo/File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Baseballer Charlie Grimm,left, deposed by the Chicago Cubs in favor of Gabby Hartnett as manager, takes up new duties as a radio broadcaster at the ball games at Wrigley Field in Chicago, July 25, 1938. He's assisted by Pat Flanagan, a broadcasting colleague. Many baseball fans, especially older ones, originally fell in love with America’s pastime by listening to ballgames on AM radio. But several major automakers are eliminating broadcast AM radio from newer models, prompting lawmakers on Capitol Hill to propose legislation that would prevent the practice for safety and other reasons. (AP Photo/File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Growing up in the Boston suburbs, Suzyn Waldman fell madly in love with two things: baseball and Broadway shows.During the 1950s and '60s, the long arm of AM radio brought both into her home.“I can still hear Ned Martin of the Red Sox reciting poetry about the mountains in Anaheim,” said Waldman, the pioneer announcer and former star of musical stage who's been calling New York Yankees games for decades. "I can still hear Curt Gowdy with that Wyoming twang.“Not everyone can remember who their first television broadcasters were — but everyone knows who the radio team was. Everyone.”Like many fans, especially older ones, Waldman originally got hooked by America's pastime listening to ballgames on an AM signal. In fact, next month will mark the 100th anniversary of the first World Series broadcast to a national radio audience, when Graham McNamee and Ford Frick were among those who called the 1923 Fall Classic between the Giants and Yankees on NBC.A century later, however, some consider AM stations a dying medium in the modern age of digital technology. Several major automakers are eliminating broadcast AM radio from newer models — prompting lawmakers on Capitol Hill to propose legislation that would prevent the practice for safety and other reasons.A bill with bipartisan support, the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” is winding its way through Congress.“Not all change is progress," Waldman said.To be sure, from satellite radio and streaming services to FM stations and cell phone apps, baseball fans nowadays have all sorts of options for tuning in their favorite team — even all 30 teams — whether their car features AM radio or not.But those options aren't necessarily free. And it's not necessarily that simple.Because for generations of fans, the warm memory of climbing into the family car on a hot summer night and finding the ballgame on that dashboard dial, leaning in to listen pitch by pitch with mom or dad over the persistent static of crackling AM airwaves, is the kind of age-of-innocence nostalgia that evokes “Field of Dreams."“I still like baseball on the radio," John Thorn, official historian for MLB, said in an email. "I suspect that is not only because it is my favorite game, but also because it is a stop-action sport whose rhythms are well-suited to pauses, visualization by the listener, and reflection about the wonder of being 'there' at a distant game.”Even if the future of AM radio is uncertain, there's no denying its impact on the growth and popularity of baseball.The marriage dates all the way back to Aug. 5, 1921, when Harold Arlin delivered the first play-by-play broadcast of a big league game between the Phillies and Pirates at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh on KDKA.“Joined at the hip," said longtime New York Mets announcer Howie Rose, who is 69. "What radio has meant to baseball and vice versa is probably the quintessential symbiotic relationship.”It's a romantic history, too, thick with unmistakable voices and signature calls forever immortalized as the familiar soundtracks to those grainy old highlight reels of Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Ted Williams.And beloved broadcasters, community icons still inexorably linked to their teams even generations later: Mel Allen (Yankees), Red Barber (Brooklyn Dodgers), Ernie Harwell (Detroit Tigers), Russ Hodges (New York Giants), Bob Prince (Pittsburgh Pirates), Chuck Thompson (Baltimore Orioles), just to name a few.And charming tales, including a young Ronald Reagan, long before becoming the 40th president of the United States, announcing Chicago Cubs games in Iowa during the 1930s by recreating play-by-play at Wrigley Field that was initially transmitted via Morse code.“Some clubs resisted the advent of radio, as they later would the introduction of television, believing it would deter attendance at the game," the 76-year-old Thorn said. “But like the introduction of night baseball in 1935, radio had already brought major league games to the working class, and especially to women.”Indeed, AM radio provided a gateway to the game for all sorts of folks at a time in America when ballpark stands were mostly filled with white men.Before cable television took over, it was the long range of clear-channel AM stations that carried baseball all over the country and gave fans living far from big league cities the chance to follow a favorite team.“Milo Hamilton and Ernie Johnson, Atlanta Braves, under the covers. My dad would come in, get on me, and then go, `What’s the score?’ The Braves, that’s the one thing we could pick up,” said 67-year-old Mets manager Buck Showalter, raised on the Florida panhandle. “Listening to Hank Aaron, Rico Carty. I can tell you the whole Braves lineup.”KMOX in St. Louis, with its powerful signal reaching all over the central and southern United States, spawned countless Cardinals fans from Minnesota to Mississippi and beyond, as Hall of Fame broadcasters Harry Caray and Jack Buck described the scintillating exploits of Stan Musial, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson and more.“You think about the teams that first started broadcasting on the radio, whether it was the Pirates or the Cardinals or the Reds, on these enormous clear-channel stations, it definitely grew the game," said 65-year-old Mets announcer Gary Cohen."It definitely brought the game home for fans who were too far away to attend in person. At a time when most baseball was during the day and a lot of working people couldn’t attend, they could listen on the radio. So yeah, I mean, the connection between AM radio and baseball is not only one in terms of just entertaining the fans, but also creating fans.”One of them was Rick Rizzs, the longtime Seattle Mariners broadcaster who spent his childhood on the South Side of Chicago.“With that little magical transistor radio, that AM radio, you could not only get your teams, but maybe four or five other teams, wherever you were located," said Rizzs, who turns 70 in November.