By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22RALPH%20D.%20RUSSO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>This was reset week for Associated Press college football poll voters.

A season-high 10 teams that entered the weekend ranked in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions bank lost. That included five ranked teams losing to unranked opponents.

The fallout was more than a quarter of the poll turning over Sunday.

The voters tossed out seven teams, five of which had been ranked all season, including Oklahoma, Texas A&amp;M and Baylor.

Among the seven new arrivals, six made their season debut. Kansas was the headliner. The Jayhawks had not been ranked in 13 years, the longest drought among Power Five conference teams.

Five weeks into the season it felt as if the preseason rankings were mostly, though not totally, shaken out of the rankings. Still, it's early enough that some of the newcomers might not be built for the long run.

Oh, and did we mention there is a new (sort of) No. 1. For the 140th time, Alabama is top-ranked. No team has ever reached the top spot more.

Reality Check rolls through the new-look rankings, assessing how the voters redecorated.

Reality check: RB Jahmyr Gibbs (206 yards on 18 carries) helped the Tide bury Arkansas without Bryce Young (shoulder), but the passing game pretty much went away. To state the obvious: The Tide really needs a healthy Heisman winner.

Ranked: This is fine, but Reality Check would have stuck with Georgia.

Reality check: Is there a real problem here or have the past two weeks just been a blip for a team that might not be a quite as consistently focused as last season's more veteran group? The Bulldogs don't necessarily need to be better than last year to win another championship.

Reality check: Buckeyes have two stud tailbacks. With TreVeyon Henderson out, Miyan Williams went off for 189 yards and a school-record five TDs against Rutgers.

Reality check: Big question coming into the season was how the Wolverines would replace two edge rushers drafted in the first round. Mike Morris (four sacks) has Michigan second in the Big Ten in sacks with 15.

Reality check: This isn't the dominant Clemson of Trevor, Travis, Tee and the Power Rangers, but it is looking more like the fourth-best team in the country.

Reality check: An offensive line that came in with some questions about depth has held up pretty well. Trojans have given up 11 sacks. but while Williams' mobility can be a benefit he also tends to hold the ball too long.

Reality check: The Cowboys' resume is still a little light and the volatility around them has resulted in their highest ranking for the season. But underestimate Mike Gundy's program at your own risk.

Reality check: During an off week, the Volunteers had to like all those long plays Missouri busted against Georgia.

Reality check: Rebels needed some good fortune to beat Kentucky, but as coach Lane Kiffin said: “What are we? 5-0? All right.”

Reality check: Nittany Lions have a week off before a daunting stretch of Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State. Still, have to wonder how much more they'll play freshman QB Drew Allar.

Reality check: On the very short list of best cornerbacks in the country, Clark Phillips III had three interceptions, including a Pick-6, against Oregon State.

Reality check: Ducks allowed a sack for the first time this season against Stanford.

Reality check: Wildcats have struggled to protect QB Will Levis, allowing 19 sacks.

Reality check: Wolfpack seem short on the type of offensive playmakers needed to be a top-10 team.

Reality check: We live in a world where the Demon Deacons winning at Florida State is not that big of a deal. Remarkable.

Reality check: Consecutive games against the Fighting Irish and Arkansas will determine just how closely we need to watch the Cougars the rest of the way.

Reality check: Horned Frogs under new coach Sonny Dykes are now leading the country at 8.33 yards per play, including 7.04 per rush.

Reality check: Bruins built up speed with the help of a soft nonconference schedule before handing Washington its first loss.

Reality check: There has been no more hopeless program in a Power Five conference over the last decade than Kansas. Coach Lance Leipold has them looking like a Big 12 contender in Year 2.

Ranked: Could make a case the Jayhawks are too low.

Reality check: QB Adrian Martinez and RB Deuce Vaughn combined for 341 yards rushing against Texas Tech and Kansas State is sixth in the country in yards per carry at 6.13.

Reality check: The Huskies thin secondary was exposed by UCLA. They're still setup for a good turnaround season in Seattle, but maybe temper the enthusiasm a bit.

Next: vs. No. 14 North Carolina State, Saturday.

Reality check: Mississippi State transfer Garrett Shrader has provided stability and the best quarterback play the Orange have had since Eric Dungy left.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664807036433.jpeg" alt="Kansas offensive lineman Hank Kelly (57) and fans celebrate on the field after they beat Iowa State to go 5-0 after an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Reed/Hoffmann) REED HOFFMANN AP" />
 <figcaption>Kansas offensive lineman Hank Kelly (57) and fans celebrate on the field after they beat Iowa State to go 5-0 after an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Reed/Hoffmann) REED HOFFMANN AP</figcaption>
 </figure>By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22RALPH%20D.%20RUSSO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>This was reset week for Associated Press college football poll voters.A season-high 10 teams that entered the weekend ranked in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions bank lost. That included five ranked teams losing to unranked opponents.The fallout was more than a quarter of the poll turning over Sunday.The voters tossed out seven teams, five of which had been ranked all season, including Oklahoma, Texas A&amp;M and Baylor.Among the seven new arrivals, six made their season debut. Kansas was the headliner. The Jayhawks had not been ranked in 13 years, the longest drought among Power Five conference teams.Five weeks into the season it felt as if the preseason rankings were mostly, though not totally, shaken out of the rankings. Still, it's early enough that some of the newcomers might not be built for the long run.Oh, and did we mention there is a new (sort of) No. 1. For the 140th time, Alabama is top-ranked. No team has ever reached the top spot more.Reality Check rolls through the new-look rankings, assessing how the voters redecorated.No. 1 Alabama (5-0)Next: vs. Texas A&amp;M, Saturday.Reality check: RB Jahmyr Gibbs (206 yards on 18 carries) helped the Tide bury Arkansas without Bryce Young (shoulder), but the passing game pretty much went away. To state the obvious: The Tide really needs a healthy Heisman winner.Ranked: This is fine, but Reality Check would have stuck with Georgia.No. 2 Georgia (5-0)Next: vs. Auburn, Saturday.Reality check: Is there a real problem here or have the past two weeks just been a blip for a team that might not be a quite as consistently focused as last season's more veteran group? The Bulldogs don't necessarily need to be better than last year to win another championship.Ranked: Should be still be 1.No. 3 Ohio State (5-0)Next: at Michigan State, Saturday.Reality check: Buckeyes have two stud tailbacks. With TreVeyon Henderson out, Miyan Williams went off for 189 yards and a school-record five TDs against Rutgers.Ranked: Just right.No. 4 Michigan (5-0)Next: at Indiana, Saturday.Reality check: Big question coming into the season was how the Wolverines would replace two edge rushers drafted in the first round. Mike Morris (four sacks) has Michigan second in the Big Ten in sacks with 15.Ranked: Little too high.No. 5 Clemson (5-0)Next: at Boston College, Saturday.Reality check: This isn't the dominant Clemson of Trevor, Travis, Tee and the Power Rangers, but it is looking more like the fourth-best team in the country.Ranked: Little low.No. 6 Southern California (5-0)Next: vs. Washington State, Saturday.Reality check: An offensive line that came in with some questions about depth has held up pretty well. Trojans have given up 11 sacks. but while Williams' mobility can be a benefit he also tends to hold the ball too long.Ranked: About right.No. 7 Oklahoma State (4-0)Next: vs. Texas Tech, Saturday.Reality check: The Cowboys' resume is still a little light and the volatility around them has resulted in their highest ranking for the season. But underestimate Mike Gundy's program at your own risk.Ranked: Too high.No. 8 Tennessee (4-0)Next: at LSU, Saturday.Reality check: During an off week, the Volunteers had to like all those long plays Missouri busted against Georgia.Ranked: About right.No. 9 Mississippi (5-0)Next: at Vanderbilt, Saturday.Reality check: Rebels needed some good fortune to beat Kentucky, but as coach Lane Kiffin said: “What are we? 5-0? All right.”Ranked: Little high.No. 10 Penn State (5-0)Next: at Michigan, Oct. 15.Reality check: Nittany Lions have a week off before a daunting stretch of Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State. Still, have to wonder how much more they'll play freshman QB Drew Allar.Ranked: Little low.No. 11 Utah (4-1)Next: at No. 18 UCLA, Saturday.Reality check: On the very short list of best cornerbacks in the country, Clark Phillips III had three interceptions, including a Pick-6, against Oregon State.Ranked: Just right.No. 12 Oregon (4-1)Next: at Arizona, Saturday.Reality check: Ducks allowed a sack for the first time this season against Stanford.Ranked: Just right.No. 13 Kentucky (4-1)Next: vs. South Carolina, Saturday.Reality check: Wildcats have struggled to protect QB Will Levis, allowing 19 sacks.Ranked: Touch high.No. 14 North Carolina State (4-1)Next: vs. Florida State, Saturday.Reality check: Wolfpack seem short on the type of offensive playmakers needed to be a top-10 team.Ranked: Too high.No. 15 Wake Forest (4-1)Next: vs. Army, Saturday.Reality check: We live in a world where the Demon Deacons winning at Florida State is not that big of a deal. Remarkable.Ranked: Too low.No. 16 BYU (4-1)Next: vs. Notre Dame at Las Vegas.Reality check: Consecutive games against the Fighting Irish and Arkansas will determine just how closely we need to watch the Cougars the rest of the way.Ranked: Little high.No. 17 TCU (4-0)Next: at No. 19 Kansas, Saturday.Reality check: Horned Frogs under new coach Sonny Dykes are now leading the country at 8.33 yards per play, including 7.04 per rush.Ranked: Could be higher.No. 18 UCLA (5-0)Next: vs. No. 11 Utah, Saturday.Reality check: Bruins built up speed with the help of a soft nonconference schedule before handing Washington its first loss.Ranked: Too high.No. 19 Kansas (5-0)Next: vs. No. 17 TCU, Saturday.Reality check: There has been no more hopeless program in a Power Five conference over the last decade than Kansas. Coach Lance Leipold has them looking like a Big 12 contender in Year 2.Ranked: Could make a case the Jayhawks are too low.No. 20 Kansas State (4-1)Next: at Iowa State, Saturday.Reality check: QB Adrian Martinez and RB Deuce Vaughn combined for 341 yards rushing against Texas Tech and Kansas State is sixth in the country in yards per carry at 6.13.Ranked: Just right.No. 21 Washington (4-1)Next: at Arizona State, Saturday.Reality check: The Huskies thin secondary was exposed by UCLA. They're still setup for a good turnaround season in Seattle, but maybe temper the enthusiasm a bit.Ranked: Too high.No. 22 Syracuse (5-0)Next: vs. No. 14 North Carolina State, Saturday.Reality check: Mississippi State transfer Garrett Shrader has provided stability and the best quarterback play the Orange have had since Eric Dungy left.Ranked: Little high.No. 23 Mississippi State (4-1)Next: vs. Arkansas, Saturday.Reality check: Here's a twist from the Bulldogs. They ran for 144 yards and 6.0 yards per carry from Mike Leach's Air Raid to beat Texas A&amp;M.Ranked: Little low.No. 24 Cincinnati (4-1)Next: vs. South Florida, Saturday.Reality check: Seemed there might be a change at the top of the Group of Five as the Bearcats rebuilt last year's playoff team. Instead, Cincinnati still looks like the best of the non-Power Five teams.Ranked: Just right.No. 25 LSU (4-1)Next: vs. No. 8 Tennessee, Saturday.Reality check: Tigers have erased double-digit leads twice this season, but there is plenty of heavy lifting left on that schedule. This might turn out to be a cameo appearance.Ranked: Fine.

AP Top 25 Reality Check: Reset welcome 7 new ranked teams

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had all the answers for solving Tampa Bay's stingy defense, winning his latest matchup against Tom Brady in the stadium where the seven-time Super Bowl winner dealt him one of his most disappointing losses.

Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, including an electrifying jump pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, to lead the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday night.

Playing at sold out Raymond James Stadium only four days after Hurricane Ian ravaged portions of Florida, Mahomes had TD throws of 16 yards to Travis Kelce, 1 yard to Edwards-Helaire and 10 yards to Jody Fortson while making NFL history by reaching 20,000 yards passing faster than anyone else.

Edwards-Helaire and tight end Noah Gray rushed for TDs for the Chiefs (3-1), who won the first meeting between Mahomes and Brady since Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl — also played at Raymond James Stadium — two seasons ago.

“When I came into the stadium I realized that I hadn’t been here and the bad taste I had last time came into effect," Mahomes said. "But it’s still not a playoff game. It’s a regular-season game, which is important. That Super Bowl will always leave a bad taste for me.”

The short pass to Edwards-Helaire was Mahomes at his improvisational best: He escaped two defenders, did a 360-degree spin move and flipped the ball over a crowd to the running back in the back of the end zone.

“I was able to use my speed, my little bit of speed, to get around the edge there. I was gonna run for it, but they kind of flew around me," Mahomes said. “I realized I wasn’t going to make it and I saw Clyde, so I kind of flicked it up to him.”

Brady noted it's fun watching Mahomes, unless he's on the opposing sideline.

“I love seeing Patrick play. ... Unfortunately we're on the wrong end of it tonight,” said Brady, who's 1-2 against the Chiefs quarterback since joining the Bucs in 2020 after two decades with the New England Patriots.

Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and three TDs without an interception for Tampa Bay (2-2). The Bucs, however, played from behind the whole night after rookie Rachaad White fumbled the opening kickoff and Mahomes threw his TD pass to Kelce two plays later.

The Chiefs also got into the end zone on three of their next four possessions, with Mahomes repeatedly shredding the Tampa Bay defense with pinpoint passes and Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco taking turns running the ball effectively.

“It’s a team sport. We didn’t play great on offense. We didn’t help (the defense) much, either," Brady said.

“We didn’t do great in the first half. Too many missed opportunities on third downs, turnovers. We gotta play a lot better to be one of the good teams,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner added. "We haven’t played our best yet this year.”

Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed sacked Brady, forcing a fumble that Mahomes turned into Gray’s TD, with the tight end taking a direct snap from center on the 1-yard plunge that put Kansas City up 28-10.

Brady threw TD passes of 13 yards and 1 yard to Mike Evans, who returned from serving a one-game suspension for his role in a on-field brawl at New Orleans two weeks ago. He had eight receptions for 103 yards.

Evans' second TD trimmed Kansas City’s lead to 28-17 at halftime. That was as close as the Bucs got until Leonard Fournette’s 5-yard TD reception cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 41-31 with 3:30 remaining.

Brady wouldn’t get the ball back until less than a minute was left.

Kansas City finished with 417 yards of total offense, including a 189-3 edge on the ground, against a defense that had allowed a league-low 27 points through three games.

“Everything in this game fell on the defensive side of the ball," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "You name it we did it. Missed tackles. Missed assignments. Bad calls.”

The Bucs sacked Mahomes three times and intercepted him once, but it was not the “coming out party” linebacker Shaquil Barrett thought his team could have against an offensive line the Chiefs have overhauled since struggling against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl loss.

With Hurricane Ian approaching the Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bucs evacuated for four days to the Miami area, where they practiced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Dolphins' training facility while the NFL made contingency plans to move the game to Minneapolis if it couldn’t be played in Tampa.

The Glazer family that owns the Bucs has announced it is donating $1 million for hurricane relief. The NFL Foundation is matching that donation, and the Bucs on Sunday night began a “Florida Strong” campaign to raise funds, as well as honor emergency personnel and first responders.

Players and fans observed a “moment of support” prior the national anthem, and the Bucs also paid tribute to those affected by the hurricane in a video presentation displayed on giant scoreboard screens before the game.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) was inactive for the third straight game. ... Bucs WRs Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee ), as well as LT Donovan Smith (elbow), played for the first time since Tampa Bay’s season-opening victory at Dallas. ... Bucs CB Logan Ryan left with a foot injury in the first quarter. ... TE Cameron Brate (concussion) and CB Carlton Davis (stinger) left in the second half.

Chiefs: Return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 10.

Buccaneers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes had all the answers for solving Tampa Bay's stingy defense, winning his latest matchup against Tom Brady in the stadium where the seven-time Super Bowl winner dealt him one of his most disappointing losses.Mahomes threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, including an electrifying jump pass to Clyde Edwards-Helaire, to lead the Chiefs to a 41-31 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday night.Playing at sold out Raymond James Stadium only four days after Hurricane Ian ravaged portions of Florida, Mahomes had TD throws of 16 yards to Travis Kelce, 1 yard to Edwards-Helaire and 10 yards to Jody Fortson while making NFL history by reaching 20,000 yards passing faster than anyone else.Edwards-Helaire and tight end Noah Gray rushed for TDs for the Chiefs (3-1), who won the first meeting between Mahomes and Brady since Tampa Bay’s 31-9 rout of Kansas City in the Super Bowl — also played at Raymond James Stadium — two seasons ago.“When I came into the stadium I realized that I hadn’t been here and the bad taste I had last time came into effect," Mahomes said. "But it’s still not a playoff game. It’s a regular-season game, which is important. That Super Bowl will always leave a bad taste for me.”The short pass to Edwards-Helaire was Mahomes at his improvisational best: He escaped two defenders, did a 360-degree spin move and flipped the ball over a crowd to the running back in the back of the end zone.“I was able to use my speed, my little bit of speed, to get around the edge there. I was gonna run for it, but they kind of flew around me," Mahomes said. “I realized I wasn’t going to make it and I saw Clyde, so I kind of flicked it up to him.”Brady noted it's fun watching Mahomes, unless he's on the opposing sideline.“I love seeing Patrick play. ... Unfortunately we're on the wrong end of it tonight,” said Brady, who's 1-2 against the Chiefs quarterback since joining the Bucs in 2020 after two decades with the New England Patriots.Brady completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards and three TDs without an interception for Tampa Bay (2-2). The Bucs, however, played from behind the whole night after rookie Rachaad White fumbled the opening kickoff and Mahomes threw his TD pass to Kelce two plays later.The Chiefs also got into the end zone on three of their next four possessions, with Mahomes repeatedly shredding the Tampa Bay defense with pinpoint passes and Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco taking turns running the ball effectively.“It’s a team sport. We didn’t play great on offense. We didn’t help (the defense) much, either," Brady said.“We didn’t do great in the first half. Too many missed opportunities on third downs, turnovers. We gotta play a lot better to be one of the good teams,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner added. "We haven’t played our best yet this year.”Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed sacked Brady, forcing a fumble that Mahomes turned into Gray’s TD, with the tight end taking a direct snap from center on the 1-yard plunge that put Kansas City up 28-10.Brady threw TD passes of 13 yards and 1 yard to Mike Evans, who returned from serving a one-game suspension for his role in a on-field brawl at New Orleans two weeks ago. He had eight receptions for 103 yards.Evans' second TD trimmed Kansas City’s lead to 28-17 at halftime. That was as close as the Bucs got until Leonard Fournette’s 5-yard TD reception cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 41-31 with 3:30 remaining.Brady wouldn’t get the ball back until less than a minute was left.Kansas City finished with 417 yards of total offense, including a 189-3 edge on the ground, against a defense that had allowed a league-low 27 points through three games.“Everything in this game fell on the defensive side of the ball," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "You name it we did it. Missed tackles. Missed assignments. Bad calls.”The Bucs sacked Mahomes three times and intercepted him once, but it was not the “coming out party” linebacker Shaquil Barrett thought his team could have against an offensive line the Chiefs have overhauled since struggling against Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl loss.With Hurricane Ian approaching the Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bucs evacuated for four days to the Miami area, where they practiced Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Dolphins' training facility while the NFL made contingency plans to move the game to Minneapolis if it couldn’t be played in Tampa.The Glazer family that owns the Bucs has announced it is donating $1 million for hurricane relief. The NFL Foundation is matching that donation, and the Bucs on Sunday night began a “Florida Strong” campaign to raise funds, as well as honor emergency personnel and first responders.Players and fans observed a “moment of support” prior the national anthem, and the Bucs also paid tribute to those affected by the hurricane in a video presentation displayed on giant scoreboard screens before the game.INJURIESChiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) was inactive for the third straight game. ... Bucs WRs Chris Godwin (hamstring) and Julio Jones (knee ), as well as LT Donovan Smith (elbow), played for the first time since Tampa Bay’s season-opening victory at Dallas. ... Bucs CB Logan Ryan left with a foot injury in the first quarter. ... TE Cameron Brate (concussion) and CB Carlton Davis (stinger) left in the second half.UP NEXTChiefs: Return home to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, Oct. 10.Buccaneers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday.

Mahomes throws for 3 TDs, Chiefs overwhelm Buccaneers 41-31

Alabama reclaimed No. 1 from Georgia in The Associated Press college football poll in one of the closest votes in the recent years. Two points separate the Crimson Tide from the Bulldogs. Six teams including Kansas made their season debut in the AP Top 25. The Jayhawks are ranked for the first time since 2009, which was the longest drought among current Power Five conference teams. The Crimson Tide received 25 first-place votes and 1,523 points. Georgia got 28 first-place votes to become the first team since Alabama in November 2019 to have the most first-place votes but not be No. 1.

Others receiving votes: Washington St. 91, Baylor 88, Florida St. 78, Arkansas 76, James Madison 39, Florida 37, Maryland 25, Coastal Carolina 17, Minnesota 14, Tulane 9, Illinois 6, North Carolina 5, Texas A&amp;M 4, Purdue 2, Oklahoma 2.

Alabama reclaimed No. 1 from Georgia in The Associated Press college football poll in one of the closest votes in the recent years. Two points separate the Crimson Tide from the Bulldogs. Six teams including Kansas made their season debut in the AP Top 25. The Jayhawks are ranked for the first time since 2009, which was the longest drought among current Power Five conference teams. The Crimson Tide received 25 first-place votes and 1,523 points. Georgia got 28 first-place votes to become the first team since Alabama in November 2019 to have the most first-place votes but not be No. 1.	Record	Pts	Prv1. Alabama (25)	5-0	1523	22. Georgia (28)	5-0	1521	13. Ohio St. (10)	5-0	1488	34. Michigan	5-0	1348	45. Clemson	5-0	1345	56. Southern Cal	5-0	1233	67. Oklahoma St.	4-0	1182	98. Tennessee	4-0	1129	89. Mississippi	5-0	1068	1410. Penn St.	5-0	959	1111. Utah	4-1	884	1212. Oregon	4-1	872	1313. Kentucky	4-1	832	714. NC State	4-1	691	1015. Wake Forest	4-1	627	2216. BYU	4-1	604	1917. TCU	4-0	514	-18. UCLA	5-0	510	-19. Kansas	5-0	476	-20. Kansas St.	4-1	417	2521. Washington	4-1	180	1522. Syracuse	5-0	173	-23. Mississippi St.	4-1	164	-24. Cincinnati	4-1	134	-25. LSU	4-1	108	-Others receiving votes: Washington St. 91, Baylor 88, Florida St. 78, Arkansas 76, James Madison 39, Florida 37, Maryland 25, Coastal Carolina 17, Minnesota 14, Tulane 9, Illinois 6, North Carolina 5, Texas A&amp;M 4, Purdue 2, Oklahoma 2.

KU makes Top 25 debut at number 19, K-State 20

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber allowed two runs over five innings in his final start before the postseason, Josh Naylor and rookie Will Brennan hit three-run homers and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Sunday.

Bieber (13-8) is scheduled to start Game 1 of the wild-card series Friday for the AL Central champions. Cleveland is 90-69, has won 11 of 13 and is an MLB-best 22-5 since Sept. 5.

The right-hander gave up both runs — one unearned —in the fourth and scattered seven hits, struck out three, walked one and threw 80 pitches. Bieber finished the regular season with 198 strikeouts in 200 innings.

“Knew we were on a bit of a pitch count and want to go out there and compete,” he said. “We’re still trying to win ballgames and we want to win outright and finish the season on a high note. That’s what it came down to.”

Guardians manager Terry Francona thought it was a hard start for Bieber in terms of wanting to pitch well, but also knowing what's ahead.

“You want to get through and you want to feel good and you want to get people out,” Francona said. “All of a sudden, they’re starting to put balls in play and get some hits, and we don’t get a couple outs. But he knows Friday’s coming.”

Naylor and Brennan homered off Max Castillo (0-2) in Cleveland’s six-run second.

Naylor played first base and batted cleanup, one spot ahead of his brother Bo, who was the designated hitter. Bo Naylor, called up from the minors Saturday, struck out in all four at-bats.

“I know their parents are here,” Francona said. “We don’t make the lineup too often like that, but I thought maybe they’d get a kick out of that.”

Josh Naylor’s home run gave Cleveland a 7-0 lead. Brennan, another rookie, hit his first major-league homer earlier in the inning. He also tripled and scored to leadoff the game.

Kansas City cut the score to 7-5 in the eighth, but Trevor Stephan retired Edward Olivares with two on to end the inning. Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth for his major-league leading 41st save.

“We had some really good at-bats, put us in a situation bring (Olivares) up there with a chance to take the lead,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “After being down as much as we were down to have that opportunity late in the game, it shows a lot of fight.”

Amed Rosario had a sacrifice fly in the first before Cleveland sent nine men to the plate in the second and scored six times with two outs.

Brennan is batting .355 in nine games since being called up from Triple-A Columbus on Sept. 21 and is playing his way on to the postseason roster.

“There’s a reason we called him up when we did,” Francona said. “We felt like he could help us moving forward when there’s only three weeks left in the season. That’s probably the biggest compliment we could give him.”

José Ramirez stole his 20th base of the season in the seventh, the fourth time in his career he has hit 20 home runs and stolen 20 bases in a season.

Castillo, acquired from Toronto for Whit Merrifield, allowed seven runs in five innings, but retired 10 in a row after Cleveland jumped ahead.

MJ Melendez and Vinnie Pasquantino each had three hits for the Royals.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez wasn’t in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left thumb during Saturday’s game.

Perez tore the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb in June, had surgery and returned in late July. Perez homered in the seventh inning Saturday and was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in the thumb.

Matheny said tests showed the area where the surgery was performed wasn’t affected and Perez is day-to-day over the final three games of the season.

“We’re fortunate everything looked good where the repair was,” Matheny said. “That didn’t seem to be an issue. It’s just sore.”

The game-time temperature was 58 degrees, which felt much lower to fans thanks to a 22 mph wind blowing in from center field.

The six-game series continues Monday night. RHP Zack Greinke (4-9, 3.78 ERA) is 1-0 in three starts against the Guardians this season, allowing two earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. RHP Triston McKenzie (11-11, 2.99 ERA) was 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in five September starts.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shane Bieber allowed two runs over five innings in his final start before the postseason, Josh Naylor and rookie Will Brennan hit three-run homers and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Sunday.Bieber (13-8) is scheduled to start Game 1 of the wild-card series Friday for the AL Central champions. Cleveland is 90-69, has won 11 of 13 and is an MLB-best 22-5 since Sept. 5.The right-hander gave up both runs — one unearned —in the fourth and scattered seven hits, struck out three, walked one and threw 80 pitches. Bieber finished the regular season with 198 strikeouts in 200 innings.“Knew we were on a bit of a pitch count and want to go out there and compete,” he said. “We’re still trying to win ballgames and we want to win outright and finish the season on a high note. That’s what it came down to.”Guardians manager Terry Francona thought it was a hard start for Bieber in terms of wanting to pitch well, but also knowing what's ahead.“You want to get through and you want to feel good and you want to get people out,” Francona said. “All of a sudden, they’re starting to put balls in play and get some hits, and we don’t get a couple outs. But he knows Friday’s coming.”Naylor and Brennan homered off Max Castillo (0-2) in Cleveland’s six-run second.Naylor played first base and batted cleanup, one spot ahead of his brother Bo, who was the designated hitter. Bo Naylor, called up from the minors Saturday, struck out in all four at-bats.“I know their parents are here,” Francona said. “We don’t make the lineup too often like that, but I thought maybe they’d get a kick out of that.”Josh Naylor’s home run gave Cleveland a 7-0 lead. Brennan, another rookie, hit his first major-league homer earlier in the inning. He also tripled and scored to leadoff the game.Kansas City cut the score to 7-5 in the eighth, but Trevor Stephan retired Edward Olivares with two on to end the inning. Emmanuel Clase pitched the ninth for his major-league leading 41st save.“We had some really good at-bats, put us in a situation bring (Olivares) up there with a chance to take the lead,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “After being down as much as we were down to have that opportunity late in the game, it shows a lot of fight.”Amed Rosario had a sacrifice fly in the first before Cleveland sent nine men to the plate in the second and scored six times with two outs.Brennan is batting .355 in nine games since being called up from Triple-A Columbus on Sept. 21 and is playing his way on to the postseason roster.“There’s a reason we called him up when we did,” Francona said. “We felt like he could help us moving forward when there’s only three weeks left in the season. That’s probably the biggest compliment we could give him.”José Ramirez stole his 20th base of the season in the seventh, the fourth time in his career he has hit 20 home runs and stolen 20 bases in a season.Castillo, acquired from Toronto for Whit Merrifield, allowed seven runs in five innings, but retired 10 in a row after Cleveland jumped ahead.MJ Melendez and Vinnie Pasquantino each had three hits for the Royals.TAKE A DAYRoyals catcher Salvador Perez wasn’t in the lineup after feeling soreness in his left thumb during Saturday’s game.Perez tore the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb in June, had surgery and returned in late July. Perez homered in the seventh inning Saturday and was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in the thumb.Matheny said tests showed the area where the surgery was performed wasn’t affected and Perez is day-to-day over the final three games of the season.“We’re fortunate everything looked good where the repair was,” Matheny said. “That didn’t seem to be an issue. It’s just sore.”BUNDLE UPThe game-time temperature was 58 degrees, which felt much lower to fans thanks to a 22 mph wind blowing in from center field.UP NEXTThe six-game series continues Monday night. RHP Zack Greinke (4-9, 3.78 ERA) is 1-0 in three starts against the Guardians this season, allowing two earned runs over 16 2/3 innings. RHP Triston McKenzie (11-11, 2.99 ERA) was 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in five September starts.

Guardians top Royals 7-5

The Barton Community College swimming programs dove into the 2022-2023 season Friday afternoon at the Sunflower Showdown held at Topeka's Capitol Federal Natatorium.

Featured as the lone NJCAA school, the Cougar men showed dominance over the three team field claiming the team title while their counterparts the Lady Cougars ran into a pair of top teir teams conducting a third place finish in the field of four squads. Claiming the women's title was Division I powerhouse University of Kansas and University of Saint Mary.

The Barton men were near perfect over the one-day event claiming eight of the 10 events.

Sophomores Enzo Vogt da Silva and Jethro Irvine helped fill the hardware box each earning a pair of individual golds. Vogt da Silva earned his pair going back-to-back in the 200-yard freestyle (1:46.49) and lone long-distance race of the afternoon, the 500-yard freestyle (4:51.23). Irvine the 100-yard specialist secured his pair in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.05) and 100-yard butterfly (52.94).

Making his Barton debut William McCabe led two other individual titles besting the field in the 200-yard medley (2:01.02) while Cooper Cole started his sophomore season claiming the 100-yard backstroke (58.55).

The tandem of Vogt da Silva and Irvine also guided the Cougars to one of two relay crowns on the afternoon teaming up with Louis Milczynski and McCabe in the 200-yard freestyle clocking a 1:27.52.

Irvine was part of Barton's second relay title joining Cole, Javan Titus and Milczynski to a stoppage of 1:38.33 in the 200-yard medley.

The Cougars highest results came in the 100-yard freestyle as Olivia Kerr posted the highest finish of seventh-place result touching the wall in 58.47 edging out Silvana Jacquez Viveros eighth place 59.54.

Battling the stout field, Barton pieced together four ninth place finishes as Linda Franco notched a pair in the 50-yard freestyle (25.88), 100-yard butterfly (1:04.93) while Dominique Cos and Jacquez joined respectfully in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:13.37) and 100-yard backstroke (1:03.80).

Barton's next meet comes in two weeks October 15th as the Cougars will travel to Fremont, Nebraska for a dual against Midland University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664721277643.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College swimming programs dove into the 2022-2023 season Friday afternoon at the Sunflower Showdown held at Topeka's Capitol Federal Natatorium.Featured as the lone NJCAA school, the Cougar men showed dominance over the three team field claiming the team title while their counterparts the Lady Cougars ran into a pair of top teir teams conducting a third place finish in the field of four squads. Claiming the women's title was Division I powerhouse University of Kansas and University of Saint Mary.Men's RecapThe Barton men were near perfect over the one-day event claiming eight of the 10 events.Sophomores Enzo Vogt da Silva and Jethro Irvine helped fill the hardware box each earning a pair of individual golds. Vogt da Silva earned his pair going back-to-back in the 200-yard freestyle (1:46.49) and lone long-distance race of the afternoon, the 500-yard freestyle (4:51.23). Irvine the 100-yard specialist secured his pair in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.05) and 100-yard butterfly (52.94).Making his Barton debut William McCabe led two other individual titles besting the field in the 200-yard medley (2:01.02) while Cooper Cole started his sophomore season claiming the 100-yard backstroke (58.55).The tandem of Vogt da Silva and Irvine also guided the Cougars to one of two relay crowns on the afternoon teaming up with Louis Milczynski and McCabe in the 200-yard freestyle clocking a 1:27.52.Irvine was part of Barton's second relay title joining Cole, Javan Titus and Milczynski to a stoppage of 1:38.33 in the 200-yard medley.Women's RecapThe Cougars highest results came in the 100-yard freestyle as Olivia Kerr posted the highest finish of seventh-place result touching the wall in 58.47 edging out Silvana Jacquez Viveros eighth place 59.54.Battling the stout field, Barton pieced together four ninth place finishes as Linda Franco notched a pair in the 50-yard freestyle (25.88), 100-yard butterfly (1:04.93) while Dominique Cos and Jacquez joined respectfully in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:13.37) and 100-yard backstroke (1:03.80).Barton's next meet comes in two weeks October 15th as the Cougars will travel to Fremont, Nebraska for a dual against Midland University.

Barton Swimming opens 22-23 season at Sunflower Showdown


The focus going in was the Hutchinson Salthawks. As it turned out,
Phillipsburg and Goodland were pretty good too.  The Great Bend Lady
Panthers lost to all three teams Saturday in going 1-3 in their home
invitational at the Panther Fieldhouse.


Great Bend did pick up a win over Ulysses 25-9, 25-21 and will carry
a 13-10 record into Tuesday's home triangular against
Goddard-Eisenhower and Haysville-Campus.

Saturday Great
Bend Results Lost to Goodland 19-25, 25-16, 19-25 Lost to Hutchinson 18-25, 23-25 Lost Phillipsburg 6-25, 18-25 Defeated Ulysses 25-9, 25-21

The focus going in was the Hutchinson Salthawks. As it turned out,
Phillipsburg and Goodland were pretty good too. The Great Bend Lady
Panthers lost to all three teams Saturday in going 1-3 in their home
invitational at the Panther Fieldhouse.
Great Bend did pick up a win over Ulysses 25-9, 25-21 and will carry
a 13-10 record into Tuesday's home triangular against
Goddard-Eisenhower and Haysville-Campus.Saturday Great
Bend Results Lost to Goodland 19-25, 25-16, 19-25 Lost to Hutchinson 18-25, 23-25 Lost Phillipsburg 6-25, 18-25 Defeated Ulysses 25-9, 25-21

Lady Panthers go 1-3 at home invitational

Trailing by two with thirty-seven minutes remaining Saturday evening, the 9th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team put three in the nets within a twenty-five minute span to escape with a 3-2 victory at 13th ranked Coffeyville Community College.

Barton's sixth straight win improves the Cougars to 6-1 in conference and 12-2 overall while Coffeyville slips to 4-2 in league and 8-4 on the year.

Next on the slate is another ranked opponent as the Cougars seek revenge for their only conference loss in welcoming 14th ranked Dodge City Community College to Cougar Field on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kick-off. The Conquistadors handed Barton a 4-2 defeat back on September 7 in Dodge City.

The 12th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer team put up three goals in first half action Saturday before completing a 4-0 shutout at 20th ranked Coffeyville Community College.

Barton improves to 7-0 in conference play and 11-1 overall while dropping Coffeyville to 5-2-1 in league and 9-3-1 on the season.

The Cougars will have another ranked road foe next on the schedule in putting their 8-game win streak and West Division lead on the line in a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at 17th ranked Hutchinson Community College.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664720708766.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 3 Coffeyville 2Trailing by two with thirty-seven minutes remaining Saturday evening, the 9th ranked Barton Community College men's soccer team put three in the nets within a twenty-five minute span to escape with a 3-2 victory at 13th ranked Coffeyville Community College.Barton's sixth straight win improves the Cougars to 6-1 in conference and 12-2 overall while Coffeyville slips to 4-2 in league and 8-4 on the year.Next on the slate is another ranked opponent as the Cougars seek revenge for their only conference loss in welcoming 14th ranked Dodge City Community College to Cougar Field on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. kick-off. The Conquistadors handed Barton a 4-2 defeat back on September 7 in Dodge City.Barton Women 4 Coffeyville 0The 12th ranked Barton Community College women's soccer team put up three goals in first half action Saturday before completing a 4-0 shutout at 20th ranked Coffeyville Community College.Barton improves to 7-0 in conference play and 11-1 overall while dropping Coffeyville to 5-2-1 in league and 9-3-1 on the season.The Cougars will have another ranked road foe next on the schedule in putting their 8-game win streak and West Division lead on the line in a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at 17th ranked Hutchinson Community College.

Barton Men's and Women's soccer get big road wins

CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez had four hits and drove in a pair of runs, Kris Bubic struck out a season-high eight and the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on Saturday night.

Perez collected three singles and a solo homer in four plate appearances, spoiling the return of Cleveland right-hander Zach Plesac (3-12) following a one-month stay on the injured list with a broken pitching hand.

The Guardians will host either Toronto, Seattle or Tampa Bay in a best-of-three wild-card series next weekend. Cleveland has won 10 of 12 and is an MLB-best 21-5 since Sept. 5.

“It was a hard night to evaluate Zach,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “He wasn’t in midseason form, but it’s not fair to expect that to be the case. The good part was he feels like he can pitch without feeling like he’s rehabbing.”

Bubic (3-13) tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits, in snapping his career-long losing streak at seven. The left-hander had not won since July 24 against Tampa Bay, posting a 6.14 ERA over his previous 11 starts.

“They’re a pretty smart lineup and don’t strike out much, so it feels good to shut down a playoff team,” Bubic said. “Finishing like this doesn’t dismiss the rest of the year, but it gives a look at what could be in the future.”

Drew Waters homered for the second straight day, Kyle Isbel had a two-run double and MJ Melendez doubled twice for Kansas City. Bobby Witt Jr. singled and stole his AL rookie-leading 29th base.

Plesac was activated to make his first start since punching the mound in anger on Aug. 27 in Seattle. He gave up four runs, one earned, in 3 2/3 innings and will work out of the bullpen going forward.

“I’m going to embrace whatever role is given to me in the postseason,” Plesac said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to win and I’m going to do everything I can be to be as sharp as possible.”

Owen Miller doubled home Oscar Gonzalez in the sixth to pull Cleveland within 5-1, but Perez homered off Kirk McCarty in the seventh and Melendez scored on a fielder’s choice in the eighth for the Royals.

Perez’s home run gave him 1,274 career hits, moving into eighth place in Royals history. He was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left thumb.

“Salvy is special,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s one of the most unique players I’ve ever been around in my entire life. He actually got banged up on his third hit, but stayed in and hit the homer onto the porch.”

Catcher Bo Naylor became the 17th Guardians player to make his major-league debut this season, equaling the franchise record set in 1912 and tied in 1914. He went 0 for 2 and threw out Isbel on an attempted steal of second.

Naylor’s older brother, Josh, is Cleveland’s primary first baseman. The last siblings with the franchise were Roberto and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 2000.

“We wanted to let the kid get some nerves out of the way tonight,” Francona said.

The Guardians selected the contract of Naylor from Triple-A Columbus, adding a third catcher to their roster. Naylor batted .263 with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 118 games, split between the Clippers and Double-A Akron.

RHP Bryan Shaw, who was 6-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 60 games, was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. A longtime Francona favorite, Shaw is Cleveland’s career leader with 517 relief appearances.

Guardians: 3B Gabriel Arias (right wrist bruise) was in the lineup and committed an error, one night after being hit by a Brady Singer pitch in the first inning. All-Star 3B José Ramírez was given the day off.

Royals: RHP Max Castillo (0-1, 4.98 ERA), acquired from Toronto as part of an Aug. 2 trade for Whit Merrifield, makes his fourth start with Kansas City. The rookie is 0-1 with a 3.43 ERA in six road appearances.

Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (12-8, 2.91 ERA) has an 8-2 record with a 2.05 ERA and 85 strikeouts over his last 12 outings. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner will start Cleveland’s first postseason game on Oct. 7.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Salvador Perez had four hits and drove in a pair of runs, Kris Bubic struck out a season-high eight and the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on Saturday night.Perez collected three singles and a solo homer in four plate appearances, spoiling the return of Cleveland right-hander Zach Plesac (3-12) following a one-month stay on the injured list with a broken pitching hand.The Guardians will host either Toronto, Seattle or Tampa Bay in a best-of-three wild-card series next weekend. Cleveland has won 10 of 12 and is an MLB-best 21-5 since Sept. 5.“It was a hard night to evaluate Zach,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “He wasn’t in midseason form, but it’s not fair to expect that to be the case. The good part was he feels like he can pitch without feeling like he’s rehabbing.”Bubic (3-13) tossed five scoreless innings, allowing five hits, in snapping his career-long losing streak at seven. The left-hander had not won since July 24 against Tampa Bay, posting a 6.14 ERA over his previous 11 starts.“They’re a pretty smart lineup and don’t strike out much, so it feels good to shut down a playoff team,” Bubic said. “Finishing like this doesn’t dismiss the rest of the year, but it gives a look at what could be in the future.”Drew Waters homered for the second straight day, Kyle Isbel had a two-run double and MJ Melendez doubled twice for Kansas City. Bobby Witt Jr. singled and stole his AL rookie-leading 29th base.Plesac was activated to make his first start since punching the mound in anger on Aug. 27 in Seattle. He gave up four runs, one earned, in 3 2/3 innings and will work out of the bullpen going forward.“I’m going to embrace whatever role is given to me in the postseason,” Plesac said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to win and I’m going to do everything I can be to be as sharp as possible.”Owen Miller doubled home Oscar Gonzalez in the sixth to pull Cleveland within 5-1, but Perez homered off Kirk McCarty in the seventh and Melendez scored on a fielder’s choice in the eighth for the Royals.Perez’s home run gave him 1,274 career hits, moving into eighth place in Royals history. He was removed from the game following the at-bat because of discomfort in his surgically repaired left thumb.“Salvy is special,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s one of the most unique players I’ve ever been around in my entire life. He actually got banged up on his third hit, but stayed in and hit the homer onto the porch.”Catcher Bo Naylor became the 17th Guardians player to make his major-league debut this season, equaling the franchise record set in 1912 and tied in 1914. He went 0 for 2 and threw out Isbel on an attempted steal of second.Naylor’s older brother, Josh, is Cleveland’s primary first baseman. The last siblings with the franchise were Roberto and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 2000.“We wanted to let the kid get some nerves out of the way tonight,” Francona said.COMING AND GOINGThe Guardians selected the contract of Naylor from Triple-A Columbus, adding a third catcher to their roster. Naylor batted .263 with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 118 games, split between the Clippers and Double-A Akron.RHP Bryan Shaw, who was 6-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 60 games, was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. A longtime Francona favorite, Shaw is Cleveland’s career leader with 517 relief appearances.TRAINER’S ROOMGuardians: 3B Gabriel Arias (right wrist bruise) was in the lineup and committed an error, one night after being hit by a Brady Singer pitch in the first inning. All-Star 3B José Ramírez was given the day off.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Max Castillo (0-1, 4.98 ERA), acquired from Toronto as part of an Aug. 2 trade for Whit Merrifield, makes his fourth start with Kansas City. The rookie is 0-1 with a 3.43 ERA in six road appearances.Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (12-8, 2.91 ERA) has an 8-2 record with a 2.05 ERA and 85 strikeouts over his last 12 outings. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner will start Cleveland’s first postseason game on Oct. 7.

Perez has 4 hits, Royals beat AL Central champion Guardians

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It’s often easy to forget amid the highlight-reel throws and jaw-dropping stats from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes over the years that nothing in the Kansas City offense works quite right without a good ground game.

Until you see it bottled up like last Sunday in Indianapolis.

The Chiefs only gained 58 yards on the ground — a measly 2 1/2 yards per carry — in what became a 20-17 loss to the Colts, and that inability to move the first-down markers affected everything else. Mahomes threw for just 262 yards and his first interception of the season, which came while trying in vain to rally his team for a tying field goal.

“We all have a piece in it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday, looking ahead to a matchup with Tampa Bay and the NFL's fifth-best run defense. “The linemen can block better. We can all take responsibility for it. We all have to do better, that's the bottom line. You asked the question: We have to be better. Identify the issues and get it fixed.”

That includes the play calls, which the Colts seemed to guess in advance. And the play of the offensive line, which was among the league's best last season. And the play of Clyde Edwards-Helaire and the running backs who, in the rare chances with a seam, always seemed watched it close up before they had an opportunity to hit it.

Edwards-Helaire carried seven times. His longest run went for 4 yards. His net gain was nothing.

It was the worst game of the 2020 first-round pick's career, topping last year's blowout loss in Buffalo in which Edwards-Helaire gained 13 yards on seven carries and a 2020 win over Carolina in which he ran five times for 14 yards.

“It's something that all 11 players have to look at each other and kind of figure out,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It's all a trickle-down effect. It isn't one thing you can just pinpoint on one play. It's multiple positions on multiple plays.”

Things went so haywire against a Colts defense missing All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard that the Chiefs' longest two runs were scrambles by Mahomes: one went 10 yards, another went 7. Ten of the 23 times they carried the ball, the Colts stopped them for a yard or less, and three of those times were behind the line of scrimmage.

The meager 58 yards rushing was the lowest output by the Chiefs since a regular season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, when they gained 51 yards in a game that most of the starters sat out ahead of the playoffs.

Yet poor rushing performances and losses tend to go hand in hand in Kansas City.

Over the past four-plus years, which encompasses four consecutive trips to the AFC title game, the Chiefs are 42-6 when they top 100 yards rushing and 18-13 when they do not.

Their average yardage during those wins is just over 121 per game, while their average in losses is a shade under 92 yards per game.

There are extenuating circumstances, of course, such as that fact that teams with a big lead are more likely to run the ball, control the clock and attempt to wrap up the win, while teams playing from behind tend to throw the ball more.

Defensive personnel and schemes are sometimes built to defend the run, and even the weather and location — whether the game is indoors or outside — can play a factor in whether a team has success on the ground.

But the raw numbers over the past four years nevertheless provide ample evidence that just about everything works better within the framework of the Chiefs' famously high-flying offense when their ground game gets going.

“We have to gel all together. It starts with me,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you are playing a tough game like (last week), you have to execute at a higher level, and we have to learn from it. Our schedule gets no easier. We have a hard game on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Tampa this week against a great defense. We have to get better quickly.

“If we don't,” Mahomes added, “well, we don't want those L's to start piling up. We want to get back on the winning train.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It’s often easy to forget amid the highlight-reel throws and jaw-dropping stats from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes over the years that nothing in the Kansas City offense works quite right without a good ground game.Until you see it bottled up like last Sunday in Indianapolis.The Chiefs only gained 58 yards on the ground — a measly 2 1/2 yards per carry — in what became a 20-17 loss to the Colts, and that inability to move the first-down markers affected everything else. Mahomes threw for just 262 yards and his first interception of the season, which came while trying in vain to rally his team for a tying field goal.“We all have a piece in it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday, looking ahead to a matchup with Tampa Bay and the NFL's fifth-best run defense. “The linemen can block better. We can all take responsibility for it. We all have to do better, that's the bottom line. You asked the question: We have to be better. Identify the issues and get it fixed.”That includes the play calls, which the Colts seemed to guess in advance. And the play of the offensive line, which was among the league's best last season. And the play of Clyde Edwards-Helaire and the running backs who, in the rare chances with a seam, always seemed watched it close up before they had an opportunity to hit it.Edwards-Helaire carried seven times. His longest run went for 4 yards. His net gain was nothing.It was the worst game of the 2020 first-round pick's career, topping last year's blowout loss in Buffalo in which Edwards-Helaire gained 13 yards on seven carries and a 2020 win over Carolina in which he ran five times for 14 yards.“It's something that all 11 players have to look at each other and kind of figure out,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It's all a trickle-down effect. It isn't one thing you can just pinpoint on one play. It's multiple positions on multiple plays.”Things went so haywire against a Colts defense missing All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard that the Chiefs' longest two runs were scrambles by Mahomes: one went 10 yards, another went 7. Ten of the 23 times they carried the ball, the Colts stopped them for a yard or less, and three of those times were behind the line of scrimmage.The meager 58 yards rushing was the lowest output by the Chiefs since a regular season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, when they gained 51 yards in a game that most of the starters sat out ahead of the playoffs.Yet poor rushing performances and losses tend to go hand in hand in Kansas City.Over the past four-plus years, which encompasses four consecutive trips to the AFC title game, the Chiefs are 42-6 when they top 100 yards rushing and 18-13 when they do not.Their average yardage during those wins is just over 121 per game, while their average in losses is a shade under 92 yards per game.There are extenuating circumstances, of course, such as that fact that teams with a big lead are more likely to run the ball, control the clock and attempt to wrap up the win, while teams playing from behind tend to throw the ball more.Defensive personnel and schemes are sometimes built to defend the run, and even the weather and location — whether the game is indoors or outside — can play a factor in whether a team has success on the ground.But the raw numbers over the past four years nevertheless provide ample evidence that just about everything works better within the framework of the Chiefs' famously high-flying offense when their ground game gets going.“We have to gel all together. It starts with me,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you are playing a tough game like (last week), you have to execute at a higher level, and we have to learn from it. Our schedule gets no easier. We have a hard game on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Tampa this week against a great defense. We have to get better quickly.“If we don't,” Mahomes added, “well, we don't want those L's to start piling up. We want to get back on the winning train.”

Chiefs keenly aware that rough running often leads to defeat

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jace Gilbert missed three field goals, including a 37-yarder with a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play as Kansas held off Iowa State 14-11 on Saturday to remain undefeated.

At 5-0 overall, this is the Jayhawks' best start to the season since 2009 and just the second time in the last 14 years they’re 2-0 to begin Big 12 Conference play.

Jalon Daniels and Daniel Hishaw both scored rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks, who were shut out in the second half, but did just enough to hang on for the victory.

Daniels threw for 93 yards while Iowa State's Hunter Dekkers had 278 passing yards but threw a costly interception in the second quarter.

Dekkers' interception in the second quarter ended up turning into a touchdown for the Jayhawks, a 2-yard run by Daniels for a 14-0 lead.

Iowa State got on the board just before halftime with Dekkers' 7-yard pass to Easton Dean. A two-point conversion after a botched PAT snap drew the Cyclones within 14-8.

Gilbert came into the game 5-for-5 on field goals for the Cyclones but missed two kicks off the post — one in the first quarter and another in the fourth — which proved costly.

Iowa State: The Cyclones looked a bit out of sorts all day and probably could’ve won this game against lesser Kansas teams. It’s the first time the Cyclones have lost to Kansas since 2014.

Kansas: They did just enough to win this game and showed they can win a defensive battle after shootouts in their first four games of the season.

Kansas faces TCU at home on Saturday. Iowa State hosts Kansas State the same day.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jace Gilbert missed three field goals, including a 37-yarder with a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play as Kansas held off Iowa State 14-11 on Saturday to remain undefeated.At 5-0 overall, this is the Jayhawks' best start to the season since 2009 and just the second time in the last 14 years they’re 2-0 to begin Big 12 Conference play.Jalon Daniels and Daniel Hishaw both scored rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks, who were shut out in the second half, but did just enough to hang on for the victory.Daniels threw for 93 yards while Iowa State's Hunter Dekkers had 278 passing yards but threw a costly interception in the second quarter.Dekkers' interception in the second quarter ended up turning into a touchdown for the Jayhawks, a 2-yard run by Daniels for a 14-0 lead.Iowa State got on the board just before halftime with Dekkers' 7-yard pass to Easton Dean. A two-point conversion after a botched PAT snap drew the Cyclones within 14-8.Gilbert came into the game 5-for-5 on field goals for the Cyclones but missed two kicks off the post — one in the first quarter and another in the fourth — which proved costly.THE TAKEAWAYIowa State: The Cyclones looked a bit out of sorts all day and probably could’ve won this game against lesser Kansas teams. It’s the first time the Cyclones have lost to Kansas since 2014.Kansas: They did just enough to win this game and showed they can win a defensive battle after shootouts in their first four games of the season.UP NEXTKansas faces TCU at home on Saturday. Iowa State hosts Kansas State the same day.

Kansas slips past Iowa State 14-11 to stay unbeaten

Every point will count down the stretch in the cross country season. The Lady Panthers showed that Saturday in Wichita, beating Kapaun Mt. Carmel by a single placing for the win with 50 points. Bishop Carroll finished third with 62 points, nearly 50-points ahead of fourth-place Wichita Trinity. Several Lady Panthers and all of Great Bend's runners in the boys' varsity race ran personal bests.&nbsp;

Trinity freshman Brecken Howell won the girls' race by seven seconds in 19:33. For a second-straight race, Great Bend sophomore Marissa Boone took the team lead with the bronze in 19:41 to miss the silver by just a second. Junior Addy Nicholson finished fifth, four seconds ahead and behind the fourth and sixth-place runners.

Junior Eliana Beckham made the top-10 by three seconds in 20:36. Freshman Sienna Smith beat out an opponent by a single second for 16th in 21:04, and junior Morgan Beckwith picked up the final team points in 18th with a time of 21:13.

Reese King rounded out the top-20 in 21:32, and Kate Welcher placed 24th in 21:46.&nbsp;

Esfeld leads Panther boys to seventh-place finish Great Bend senior Kaiden Esfeld saw some top competition in the boys' race but still brought home the silver medal in 15:43. Maize junior Kaleb Glazier won the meet in 15:39. Wichita Trinity junior Clay Shively had the best 1600m time in all of Kansas last spring but finished behind Esfeld in 15:56.

The rest of the Panthers finished in short succession. Freshman Tavon Stroup ran 47th in 18:28, followed by juniors Bradon Suppes and Thomas Henrikson in 43rd and 44th, respectively, with times of 18:36 and 18:38. Braylon Moore finished 65th in 19:12, and Brantley Vsetecka placed 82nd in 12:15.

Wichita Trinity dominated team scoring with 40 points, followed by Kapaun with 60 points, and Maize with 87 points. Great Bend scored 180 points for seventh out of 11 teams in action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664486805000.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Every point will count down the stretch in the cross country season. The Lady Panthers showed that Saturday in Wichita, beating Kapaun Mt. Carmel by a single placing for the win with 50 points. Bishop Carroll finished third with 62 points, nearly 50-points ahead of fourth-place Wichita Trinity. Several Lady Panthers and all of Great Bend's runners in the boys' varsity race ran personal bests.&nbsp;Trinity freshman Brecken Howell won the girls' race by seven seconds in 19:33. For a second-straight race, Great Bend sophomore Marissa Boone took the team lead with the bronze in 19:41 to miss the silver by just a second. Junior Addy Nicholson finished fifth, four seconds ahead and behind the fourth and sixth-place runners.Junior Eliana Beckham made the top-10 by three seconds in 20:36. Freshman Sienna Smith beat out an opponent by a single second for 16th in 21:04, and junior Morgan Beckwith picked up the final team points in 18th with a time of 21:13.Reese King rounded out the top-20 in 21:32, and Kate Welcher placed 24th in 21:46.&nbsp;Esfeld leads Panther boys to seventh-place finish Great Bend senior Kaiden Esfeld saw some top competition in the boys' race but still brought home the silver medal in 15:43. Maize junior Kaleb Glazier won the meet in 15:39. Wichita Trinity junior Clay Shively had the best 1600m time in all of Kansas last spring but finished behind Esfeld in 15:56.The rest of the Panthers finished in short succession. Freshman Tavon Stroup ran 47th in 18:28, followed by juniors Bradon Suppes and Thomas Henrikson in 43rd and 44th, respectively, with times of 18:36 and 18:38. Braylon Moore finished 65th in 19:12, and Brantley Vsetecka placed 82nd in 12:15.Wichita Trinity dominated team scoring with 40 points, followed by Kapaun with 60 points, and Maize with 87 points. Great Bend scored 180 points for seventh out of 11 teams in action.

Lady Panthers clip Kapaun by single point for Bishop Carroll title

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — All it took was one play for Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez to set the tone against Texas Tech.

And that play was the first of Saturday's game — a 57-yard run that quickly put the Red Raiders on their heels.

“Explosive plays are a big stat for us,” said Martinez, who scored on an 18-yard run on the ensuing play. “It goes along with turnovers and a couple other key factors. It definitely helped us.”

Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead No. 25 Kansas State to a 37-28 victory. He was 12-for-19 passing for 116 yards for Kansas State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), while Deuce Vaughn had 170 rushing yards for the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak against the Red Raiders to seven games.

Martinez and Vaughn combined for three runs of at least 50 yards, plus another that was nullified by a holding penalty.

“One of the things we talked about at halftime was we had to have some people step up and make some explosive plays,” Vaughn said. “That’s a testament to the O-linemen and the guys blocking downfield. They opened up some big holes.”

Donovan Smith was 34-for-48 passing for 359 yards and two TDs for Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1). Smith also rushed for a touchdown. But he was sacked six times, three each by Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Khalid Duke.

“We proved we’re a physical team and we’re not backing down on any competition,” Anudike-Uzomah said. “That’s what’s going to happen all season. Me and Khalid are going to take down every offense we come (against).”

The Wildcats also got a pair of field goals from Chris Tennant after drives stalled.

“We’ve got to find a way to play better early on the road,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “The guys fought back, got the score tied. But we’ve just got to do a better job playing cleaner early. You can’t come in and do that against a really good K-State team.”

Tech cut the lead to 13-7 with 1:24 left in the first half. After gaining just 48 yards of total offense, the Red Raiders went 86 yards on nine plays, capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Nehemiah Martinez.

Trey Wolff kicked a 51-yard field goal for Tech before the break, then tied the score at 20-20 with a 39-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.

“I’m proud of our guys’ resolve in the second half,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We got off to a great start in the first half. We got up 13-0 and then played poorly in the second quarter. We got out of rhythm on offense and didn’t tackle well on defense. I was a little upset at halftime.

"We needed to stand up in the second half and show that people aren’t going to push us around at home. We played really well late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter.”

K-State answered Tech’s field goal with its second two-play drive of the game. Vaughn ran 69 yards to the Tech 8-yard line on the first play after the kickoff. Following an offensive holding penalty, Martinez found Phillip Brooks with an 18-yard touchdown pass.

The lead didn’t last long, as Smith hit Xavier White with a 12-yard touchdown pass to cap a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Wolff missed a 42-yard field goal, denying Tech its first lead of the game.

Martinez then scored on his second big run of the day, 69 yards untouched up the middle.

“They decided to bring pressure," Martinez said. "If you do that, there’s no one left. Deuce was on a route. We kind of looked at each other and said, ‘It’s just me and you.’ ”

Tennant’s 32-yard field goal gave the Wildcats a 30-20 lead with 9:07 left. A fumble on the next series gave K-State the ball at the Tech 27-yard line and the Wildcats iced the game with Martinez’s third rushing touchdown.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — All it took was one play for Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez to set the tone against Texas Tech.And that play was the first of Saturday's game — a 57-yard run that quickly put the Red Raiders on their heels.“Explosive plays are a big stat for us,” said Martinez, who scored on an 18-yard run on the ensuing play. “It goes along with turnovers and a couple other key factors. It definitely helped us.”Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead No. 25 Kansas State to a 37-28 victory. He was 12-for-19 passing for 116 yards for Kansas State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), while Deuce Vaughn had 170 rushing yards for the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak against the Red Raiders to seven games.Martinez and Vaughn combined for three runs of at least 50 yards, plus another that was nullified by a holding penalty.“One of the things we talked about at halftime was we had to have some people step up and make some explosive plays,” Vaughn said. “That’s a testament to the O-linemen and the guys blocking downfield. They opened up some big holes.”Donovan Smith was 34-for-48 passing for 359 yards and two TDs for Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1). Smith also rushed for a touchdown. But he was sacked six times, three each by Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Khalid Duke.“We proved we’re a physical team and we’re not backing down on any competition,” Anudike-Uzomah said. “That’s what’s going to happen all season. Me and Khalid are going to take down every offense we come (against).”The Wildcats also got a pair of field goals from Chris Tennant after drives stalled.“We’ve got to find a way to play better early on the road,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “The guys fought back, got the score tied. But we’ve just got to do a better job playing cleaner early. You can’t come in and do that against a really good K-State team.”Tech cut the lead to 13-7 with 1:24 left in the first half. After gaining just 48 yards of total offense, the Red Raiders went 86 yards on nine plays, capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Nehemiah Martinez.Trey Wolff kicked a 51-yard field goal for Tech before the break, then tied the score at 20-20 with a 39-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.“I’m proud of our guys’ resolve in the second half,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We got off to a great start in the first half. We got up 13-0 and then played poorly in the second quarter. We got out of rhythm on offense and didn’t tackle well on defense. I was a little upset at halftime."We needed to stand up in the second half and show that people aren’t going to push us around at home. We played really well late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter.”K-State answered Tech’s field goal with its second two-play drive of the game. Vaughn ran 69 yards to the Tech 8-yard line on the first play after the kickoff. Following an offensive holding penalty, Martinez found Phillip Brooks with an 18-yard touchdown pass.The lead didn’t last long, as Smith hit Xavier White with a 12-yard touchdown pass to cap a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Wolff missed a 42-yard field goal, denying Tech its first lead of the game.Martinez then scored on his second big run of the day, 69 yards untouched up the middle.“They decided to bring pressure," Martinez said. "If you do that, there’s no one left. Deuce was on a route. We kind of looked at each other and said, ‘It’s just me and you.’ ”Tennant’s 32-yard field goal gave the Wildcats a 30-20 lead with 9:07 left. A fumble on the next series gave K-State the ball at the Tech 27-yard line and the Wildcats iced the game with Martinez’s third rushing touchdown.Smith scored from 3 yards out for Tech’s final touchdown with 2:23 left.THE TAKEAWAYTexas Tech: Smith can carry the Red Raiders on offense. The 6-foot-5 quarterback can sling it, but he also has the ability to carry defenders when he chooses to run.Kansas State: The Wildcats have two great ballcarriers. Besides Vaughan, an All-American, Martinez can fool defenses with his elusiveness.UP NEXTTexas Tech travels to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State.Kansas State travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on Iowa State.

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