LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– For the 34th-consecutive season, the Kansas men's basketball team is ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Preseason Men's Basketball Poll. The Jayhawks, ranked in each preseason poll since the 1990-91 season, check in at No. 19 in the preseason poll announced Oct. 13.

The AP preseason poll started in 1962 and this marks the 48th time Kansas has appeared in the poll that is selected by a media panel. The 48 ranks fifth most in NCAA Division I history behind Kentucky (58), North Carolina (56), Duke (50), and UCLA (49).

Kansas is one of six Big 12 teams ranked in the AP preseason top 25, which ties for the most nationally with the Big Ten and the SEC. Kansas is ranked along with No. 2 Houston, No. 8 BYU, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona, and No. 16 Iowa State. The six ranked league teams are tied for the most in conference history, matching the mark set last season to open the 2024-25 season.

This also marked the fourth time in the last six years that at least five Big 12 teams have been ranked by AP in the preseason.

Kansas will play 10 games against teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, and potentially one more in the third game of the Players Era, Nov. 25 or 26. Seven of the 10 games will be against Big 12 foes with No. 2 Houston, No. 8 BYU, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona (twice), and No. 16 Iowa State (twice). KU will also play No. 4 UConn, No. 6 Duke and No. 25 North Carolina.&nbsp;

Under Hall of Fame head coach&nbsp;Bill Self, who enters his 23rd season at Kansas, KU features returners&nbsp;Flory Bidunga,&nbsp;Jamari McDowell&nbsp;and&nbsp;Elmarko Jackson. Self welcomes eight newcomers to the KU squad, featuring freshman&nbsp;Darryn Peterson, the top-rated recruit in the nation, and four upperclassmen transfers –&nbsp;Melvin Council Jr.,&nbsp;Jayden Dawson, Nginyu "Gee" Ngala, and&nbsp;Tre White.

Peterson, the third No. 1 ranked national recruit to play for Self at Kansas, joining Andrew Wiggins and Josh Jackson, is surrounded by a talented freshmen class this year, including&nbsp;Kohl Rosario,&nbsp;Paul Mbiya,&nbsp;Bryson Tiller,&nbsp;Samis Calderon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Corbin Allen.

Fans will get a first look at the 2025-26 Jayhawks at Late Night in the Phog presented by Hy-Vee on Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. CT, inside historic Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678665177031.jpeg" alt="Kansas coach Bill Self (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas coach Bill Self (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– For the 34th-consecutive season, the Kansas men's basketball team is ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Preseason Men's Basketball Poll. The Jayhawks, ranked in each preseason poll since the 1990-91 season, check in at No. 19 in the preseason poll announced Oct. 13.The AP preseason poll started in 1962 and this marks the 48th time Kansas has appeared in the poll that is selected by a media panel. The 48 ranks fifth most in NCAA Division I history behind Kentucky (58), North Carolina (56), Duke (50), and UCLA (49).Kansas is one of six Big 12 teams ranked in the AP preseason top 25, which ties for the most nationally with the Big Ten and the SEC. Kansas is ranked along with No. 2 Houston, No. 8 BYU, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona, and No. 16 Iowa State. The six ranked league teams are tied for the most in conference history, matching the mark set last season to open the 2024-25 season.This also marked the fourth time in the last six years that at least five Big 12 teams have been ranked by AP in the preseason.Kansas will play 10 games against teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, and potentially one more in the third game of the Players Era, Nov. 25 or 26. Seven of the 10 games will be against Big 12 foes with No. 2 Houston, No. 8 BYU, No. 10 Texas Tech, No. 13 Arizona (twice), and No. 16 Iowa State (twice). KU will also play No. 4 UConn, No. 6 Duke and No. 25 North Carolina.&nbsp;Under Hall of Fame head coach&nbsp;Bill Self, who enters his 23rd season at Kansas, KU features returners&nbsp;Flory Bidunga,&nbsp;Jamari McDowell&nbsp;and&nbsp;Elmarko Jackson. Self welcomes eight newcomers to the KU squad, featuring freshman&nbsp;Darryn Peterson, the top-rated recruit in the nation, and four upperclassmen transfers –&nbsp;Melvin Council Jr.,&nbsp;Jayden Dawson, Nginyu "Gee" Ngala, and&nbsp;Tre White.Peterson, the third No. 1 ranked national recruit to play for Self at Kansas, joining Andrew Wiggins and Josh Jackson, is surrounded by a talented freshmen class this year, including&nbsp;Kohl Rosario,&nbsp;Paul Mbiya,&nbsp;Bryson Tiller,&nbsp;Samis Calderon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Corbin Allen.Fans will get a first look at the 2025-26 Jayhawks at Late Night in the Phog presented by Hy-Vee on Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. CT, inside historic Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas Ranked No. 19 in AP Preseason Poll

KStateSports.com MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Following his two-interception performance in Kansas State's 41-28 Homecoming victory over TCU, senior linebacker Des Purnell has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.

It is the first-ever conference weekly award for Purnell and the first for a Wildcat defender since Kobe Savage earned the nod after the Texas Tech contest in 2023.

A native of Topeka, Kansas, Purnell came away with five tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups in addition to his two picks. On back-to-back plays in the third quarter, Purnell recorded an eight-yard sack before picking off a pass and returning it 25 yards for a touchdown. It was K-State's first pick-6 since current San Francisco 49er&nbsp;Marques Sigle&nbsp;returned an interception 43 yards for a score last year at West Virginia.

Purnell had another interception in the fourth quarter, one he returned 21 yards that led to a K-State field goal to make it a three-score game.

Purnell is one of three linebackers in the country this season to record multiple interceptions in a game, while he is one of only two Big 12 linebackers since 2022 to accomplish the feat. He was the first K-State linebacker with two picks in a game since Elijah Lee against TCU in 2015.

Following an off week, Kansas State travels to Lawrence to take on Kansas on October 25. The Dillons Sunflower Showdown is slated for an 11 a.m., kick and will be shown on TNT with a simulcast on truTV and HBO MAX. The Wildcats are back at home on November 1 when they take on Texas Tech.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760444195738.jpeg" alt="KStateSports.com" />
 <figcaption>KStateSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>KStateSports.com MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Following his two-interception performance in Kansas State's 41-28 Homecoming victory over TCU, senior linebacker Des Purnell has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.It is the first-ever conference weekly award for Purnell and the first for a Wildcat defender since Kobe Savage earned the nod after the Texas Tech contest in 2023.A native of Topeka, Kansas, Purnell came away with five tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups in addition to his two picks. On back-to-back plays in the third quarter, Purnell recorded an eight-yard sack before picking off a pass and returning it 25 yards for a touchdown. It was K-State's first pick-6 since current San Francisco 49er&nbsp;Marques Sigle&nbsp;returned an interception 43 yards for a score last year at West Virginia.Purnell had another interception in the fourth quarter, one he returned 21 yards that led to a K-State field goal to make it a three-score game.Purnell is one of three linebackers in the country this season to record multiple interceptions in a game, while he is one of only two Big 12 linebackers since 2022 to accomplish the feat. He was the first K-State linebacker with two picks in a game since Elijah Lee against TCU in 2015.Following an off week, Kansas State travels to Lawrence to take on Kansas on October 25. The Dillons Sunflower Showdown is slated for an 11 a.m., kick and will be shown on TNT with a simulcast on truTV and HBO MAX. The Wildcats are back at home on November 1 when they take on Texas Tech.&nbsp;&nbsp;

K State's Des Purnell Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Max Muncy came within inches of hitting a grand slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the scoring in the National League Championship Series. Instead, the Milwaukee Brewers turned it into one of the most incredible double plays in postseason history. With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning, Muncy hit a long drive to center field. Sal Frelick jumped and reached over the wall in an attempt to make the catch. The ball popped out of Frelick’s glove and hit the top of the fence before Frelick caught it in the air. He fired the ball in, and Brewers catcher William Contreras forced out one runner at home plate and another at third base for a most unusual 8-6-2 inning-ending double play.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Bill Belichick has denied reports that he's been seeking an exit strategy from his North Carolina coaching role. Belichick says “some of the reports out last week about my looking for a buyout and trying to leave here and all that is categorically false.” Belichick was making his first public comments since a blowout loss to Clemson. During the second of two off weeks in a three-week span, the subject of Belichick’s future with the Tar Heels was a hot topic, so much so that last Wednesday the university released brief statements from the coach and athletics director reaffirming commitments between Belichick and the school.

Cape Verde has secured its first World Cup berth after beating Eswatini 3-0. The Blue Sharks finished at the top of Africa Group D, ahead of Cameroon and Libya on Monday. Cape Verde will be the second smallest nation by population to play in a World Cup. The smallest is Iceland, which qualified in 2018 for Russia. Cape Verde has a population of just over half a million.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have fired coach Brian Callahan after a 1-5 start to his second season. Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker says the rebuilding team hasn't shown enough growth. Callahan becomes the first NFL coach fired this season. He went 4-19 overall with Tennessee. Mike McCoy will serve as interim coach. The Titans had said they wanted to see improvement this season with Callahan going into his second year, this time with a rookie quarterback in Cam Ward. Yet Callahan had to hand off play-calling duties after dropping to 0-3 with the offense struggling.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport has rejected two requests from the Israel Gymnastics Federation regarding Indonesia's decision to block Israeli athletes from the world artistic championships in Jakarta. CAS says on Tuesday that Israel wanted the annulment of the International Gymnastics Federation's muted response to Indonesia's stance. It also sought to ensure Israeli athletes could participate or have the event moved, or canceled. FIG told CAS it has no control over Indonesia’s visa policies. Indonesia’s decision follows opposition in the country, which supports Palestinians. Israel’s participation is now uncertain despite previous assurances from Indonesian officials.

TORONTO (AP) — Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco hit three-run homers, Josh Naylor added a two-run drive and the Seattle Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 10-3. Seattle, the only big league team never to host a World Series game, headed home for Wednesday’s Game 3 needing two more wins to end that drought. Toronto had just six hits, only one after the second inning, and had eight hits in the first two games. Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitless in the series.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Blake Snell allowed one baserunner in eight shutout innings before Los Angeles' bullpen barely held on as the Dodgers opened the National League Championship Series with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang with the bases loaded to end the game. Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers in the sixth to break a scoreless tie.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — It wasn’t quite the same drama as the Hail Mary that decided these teams’ game a year ago, but Caleb Williams and the Bears did get the better of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on a final-play score this time. Chicago defeated Washington 25-24 on Jake Moody’s 38-yard field goal Monday night. The Bears extended their winning streak to three games under first-year coach Ben Johnson. Washington continued its pattern of alternating wins and losses in 2025 and flopped with a chance to pull even with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles atop the NFC East.

ATLANTA (AP) — Bijan Robinson matched a career high with 170 rushing yards and the Atlanta Falcons denied Josh Allen’s comeback attempt to beat the Buffalo Bills 24-14. Robinson's huge day included an 81-yard touchdown run that was the longest rush in the NFL this season. He also had six catches for 68 yards to finish with a career-best 238 yards from scrimmage. Allen threw two touchdown passes but was also intercepted twice as the Bills lost their second straight. Drake London, who had 10 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons.

Purdue is No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Boilermakers earned 35 of 61 first-place votes to top Monday’s AP Top 25 poll to begin the 2025-26 season. That put Matt Painter’s squad ahead of the two teams that played in last year’s NCAA title game. Runner-up Houston was No. 2 while reigning champion Florida was No. 3. UConn was fourth, followed by St. John's. Duke, Michigan, BYU, Kentucky and Texas Tech rounded out the top 10. The Southeastern Conference, Big Ten and Big 12 each had six ranked teams.

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final	Seattle	10	Toronto	3

NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final	L.A. Dodgers	2	Milwaukee	1

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final	Atlanta	24	Buffalo	14	 Final	Chicago	25	Washington	24

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — Max Muncy came within inches of hitting a grand slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the scoring in the National League Championship Series. Instead, the Milwaukee Brewers turned it into one of the most incredible double plays in postseason history. With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning, Muncy hit a long drive to center field. Sal Frelick jumped and reached over the wall in an attempt to make the catch. The ball popped out of Frelick’s glove and hit the top of the fence before Frelick caught it in the air. He fired the ball in, and Brewers catcher William Contreras forced out one runner at home plate and another at third base for a most unusual 8-6-2 inning-ending double play.CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Bill Belichick has denied reports that he's been seeking an exit strategy from his North Carolina coaching role. Belichick says “some of the reports out last week about my looking for a buyout and trying to leave here and all that is categorically false.” Belichick was making his first public comments since a blowout loss to Clemson. During the second of two off weeks in a three-week span, the subject of Belichick’s future with the Tar Heels was a hot topic, so much so that last Wednesday the university released brief statements from the coach and athletics director reaffirming commitments between Belichick and the school.Cape Verde has secured its first World Cup berth after beating Eswatini 3-0. The Blue Sharks finished at the top of Africa Group D, ahead of Cameroon and Libya on Monday. Cape Verde will be the second smallest nation by population to play in a World Cup. The smallest is Iceland, which qualified in 2018 for Russia. Cape Verde has a population of just over half a million.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have fired coach Brian Callahan after a 1-5 start to his second season. Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker says the rebuilding team hasn't shown enough growth. Callahan becomes the first NFL coach fired this season. He went 4-19 overall with Tennessee. Mike McCoy will serve as interim coach. The Titans had said they wanted to see improvement this season with Callahan going into his second year, this time with a rookie quarterback in Cam Ward. Yet Callahan had to hand off play-calling duties after dropping to 0-3 with the offense struggling.LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport has rejected two requests from the Israel Gymnastics Federation regarding Indonesia's decision to block Israeli athletes from the world artistic championships in Jakarta. CAS says on Tuesday that Israel wanted the annulment of the International Gymnastics Federation's muted response to Indonesia's stance. It also sought to ensure Israeli athletes could participate or have the event moved, or canceled. FIG told CAS it has no control over Indonesia’s visa policies. Indonesia’s decision follows opposition in the country, which supports Palestinians. Israel’s participation is now uncertain despite previous assurances from Indonesian officials.TORONTO (AP) — Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco hit three-run homers, Josh Naylor added a two-run drive and the Seattle Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 10-3. Seattle, the only big league team never to host a World Series game, headed home for Wednesday’s Game 3 needing two more wins to end that drought. Toronto had just six hits, only one after the second inning, and had eight hits in the first two games. Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 0 for 3 with a walk and is hitless in the series.MILWAUKEE (AP) — Blake Snell allowed one baserunner in eight shutout innings before Los Angeles' bullpen barely held on as the Dodgers opened the National League Championship Series with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang with the bases loaded to end the game. Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers in the sixth to break a scoreless tie.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — It wasn’t quite the same drama as the Hail Mary that decided these teams’ game a year ago, but Caleb Williams and the Bears did get the better of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on a final-play score this time. Chicago defeated Washington 25-24 on Jake Moody’s 38-yard field goal Monday night. The Bears extended their winning streak to three games under first-year coach Ben Johnson. Washington continued its pattern of alternating wins and losses in 2025 and flopped with a chance to pull even with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles atop the NFC East.ATLANTA (AP) — Bijan Robinson matched a career high with 170 rushing yards and the Atlanta Falcons denied Josh Allen’s comeback attempt to beat the Buffalo Bills 24-14. Robinson's huge day included an 81-yard touchdown run that was the longest rush in the NFL this season. He also had six catches for 68 yards to finish with a career-best 238 yards from scrimmage. Allen threw two touchdown passes but was also intercepted twice as the Bills lost their second straight. Drake London, who had 10 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown for the Falcons.Purdue is No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Boilermakers earned 35 of 61 first-place votes to top Monday’s AP Top 25 poll to begin the 2025-26 season. That put Matt Painter’s squad ahead of the two teams that played in last year’s NCAA title game. Runner-up Houston was No. 2 while reigning champion Florida was No. 3. UConn was fourth, followed by St. John's. Duke, Michigan, BYU, Kentucky and Texas Tech rounded out the top 10. The Southeastern Conference, Big Ten and Big 12 each had six ranked teams.FinalsAMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final	Seattle	10	Toronto	3NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final	L.A. Dodgers	2	Milwaukee	1NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final	Atlanta	24	Buffalo	14	 Final	Chicago	25	Washington	24

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — From the day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2014-01-11/james-franklin-announced-next-head-coach-penn-state">he was hired</a>&nbsp;more than a decade ago, James Franklin stressed the importance of creating a family atmosphere at Penn State.

Over the course of 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley, that approach helped the Nittany Lions churn out pros and double-digit victory seasons with regularity.

Yet it also never translated into Penn State beating the programs it considers its peers with regularity, either. And while the stakes kept getting higher, the results took on a certain sameness.

Until the last three weeks, anyway, when one tough loss turned into another improbable loss turned into one unforgivable loss that ended up costing Franklin his job.

Penn State fired Franklin on Sunday, less than 24 hours after a&nbsp;22-21 home upset at the hands of Northwestern&nbsp;all but ended whatever remote chance the&nbsp;preseason No. 2 team&nbsp;had of reaching the College Football Playoff.

Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), who began the year with hopes of winning the national title only to have those hopes evaporate by early October with&nbsp;three consecutive losses,&nbsp;each one more stinging than the last.

Penn State, which reached the CFP semifinals 10 months ago,&nbsp;fell at home to Oregon in overtime&nbsp;in late September. A&nbsp;road setback at previously winless UCLA&nbsp;followed. The final straw came Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions let Northwestern escape with a victory and&nbsp;lost quarterback Drew Allar&nbsp;to injury for the rest of the season.

Franklin deflected questions about his job security afterward, as always turning his attention toward the players. It didn't stop the administration from making the very expensive decision that it couldn't wait any longer to act. Penn State swallowed a nearly $50 million buyout to part ways with the coach who put the program back on the national map.

Franklin went 104-45 during his 11-plus seasons at Penn State. Yet the Nittany Lions often stumbled against top-tier opponents, going 4-21 against teams ranked in the top 10 during his tenure.

Hired in 2014 in the wake of Bill O’Brien’s departure for the NFL, Franklin inherited a team still feeling the effects of unprecedented NCAA sanctions in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Armed with relentless optimism and an ability to recruit, Franklin's program regularly churned out NFL-level talent, from Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley to Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons. Franklin guided the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten title and a seemingly permanent spot in the rankings.

There was hope this fall might be the one when Penn State would finally break through and win its third national championship and first since 1986. Yet after three easy wins during a light nonconference schedule, the Nittany Lions crumbled.

Athletic director Pat Kraft said the school owes Franklin an “enormous amount of gratitude" for leading the Nittany Lions back to relevance. Yet Franklin's inability to finish the job led to his ouster.

“We hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships,” Kraft said.

Smith now will be tasked with trying to stop the bleeding on what has become a disastrous season. He will have his work cut out for him: Penn State's next three games are at Iowa on Saturday, at No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 and home against No. 3 Indiana on Nov. 8.

The matchups with the Buckeyes and Hoosiers were expected to be a chance for the Nittany Lions to bolster their CFP credentials. In the span of a handful of weeks, Penn State will instead find itself in the role of spoiler.

The move will cost Penn State at a time the athletic department has committed to a $700 million renovation to Beaver Stadium. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.

Former athletic director Sandy Barbour signed Franklin to a 10-year contract extension worth up to $85 million in 2021. According to terms of the deal, Penn State will have to pay Franklin’s base salary of $500,000, supplemental pay of $6.5 million and insurance loan of $1 million until 2031.

It's a steep price, but one the university appears willing to pay to find a coach who can complete the climb to a national title.

“We have the best college football fans in America, a rich tradition of excellence, significant investments in our program, compete in the best conference in college sports and have a state-of-the-art renovated stadium on the horizon,” Kraft said. “I am confident in our future and in our ability to attract elite candidates to lead our program.”

There will be no shortage of interested coaches. Kraft has ties to at least one. He was the athletic director at Temple when he hired current Nebraska coach Matt Rhule back in 2013.

Rhule and the Cornhuskers will visit Beaver Stadium in Penn State's home finale on Nov. 22. What back in August looked like one of the final hurdles for the Nittany Lions to clear on their way to a CFP berth might instead be both an audition for Rhule and a chance for the Nittany Lions to potentially salvage a shot at a bowl game of any variety, let alone a premier one.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760359434012.jpeg" alt="Penn State's head coach James Franklin reacts following an NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Sam Balkansky)" />
 <figcaption>Penn State's head coach James Franklin reacts following an NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Sam Balkansky)</figcaption>
 </figure>STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — From the day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2014-01-11/james-franklin-announced-next-head-coach-penn-state">he was hired</a>&nbsp;more than a decade ago, James Franklin stressed the importance of creating a family atmosphere at Penn State.Over the course of 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley, that approach helped the Nittany Lions churn out pros and double-digit victory seasons with regularity.Yet it also never translated into Penn State beating the programs it considers its peers with regularity, either. And while the stakes kept getting higher, the results took on a certain sameness.Until the last three weeks, anyway, when one tough loss turned into another improbable loss turned into one unforgivable loss that ended up costing Franklin his job.Penn State fired Franklin on Sunday, less than 24 hours after a&nbsp;22-21 home upset at the hands of Northwestern&nbsp;all but ended whatever remote chance the&nbsp;preseason No. 2 team&nbsp;had of reaching the College Football Playoff.Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), who began the year with hopes of winning the national title only to have those hopes evaporate by early October with&nbsp;three consecutive losses,&nbsp;each one more stinging than the last.Penn State, which reached the CFP semifinals 10 months ago,&nbsp;fell at home to Oregon in overtime&nbsp;in late September. A&nbsp;road setback at previously winless UCLA&nbsp;followed. The final straw came Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions let Northwestern escape with a victory and&nbsp;lost quarterback Drew Allar&nbsp;to injury for the rest of the season.Franklin deflected questions about his job security afterward, as always turning his attention toward the players. It didn't stop the administration from making the very expensive decision that it couldn't wait any longer to act. Penn State swallowed a nearly $50 million buyout to part ways with the coach who put the program back on the national map.Franklin went 104-45 during his 11-plus seasons at Penn State. Yet the Nittany Lions often stumbled against top-tier opponents, going 4-21 against teams ranked in the top 10 during his tenure.Hired in 2014 in the wake of Bill O’Brien’s departure for the NFL, Franklin inherited a team still feeling the effects of unprecedented NCAA sanctions in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.Armed with relentless optimism and an ability to recruit, Franklin's program regularly churned out NFL-level talent, from Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley to Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons. Franklin guided the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten title and a seemingly permanent spot in the rankings.There was hope this fall might be the one when Penn State would finally break through and win its third national championship and first since 1986. Yet after three easy wins during a light nonconference schedule, the Nittany Lions crumbled.Athletic director Pat Kraft said the school owes Franklin an “enormous amount of gratitude" for leading the Nittany Lions back to relevance. Yet Franklin's inability to finish the job led to his ouster.“We hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships,” Kraft said.Smith now will be tasked with trying to stop the bleeding on what has become a disastrous season. He will have his work cut out for him: Penn State's next three games are at Iowa on Saturday, at No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 1 and home against No. 3 Indiana on Nov. 8.The matchups with the Buckeyes and Hoosiers were expected to be a chance for the Nittany Lions to bolster their CFP credentials. In the span of a handful of weeks, Penn State will instead find itself in the role of spoiler.The move will cost Penn State at a time the athletic department has committed to a $700 million renovation to Beaver Stadium. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.Former athletic director Sandy Barbour signed Franklin to a 10-year contract extension worth up to $85 million in 2021. According to terms of the deal, Penn State will have to pay Franklin’s base salary of $500,000, supplemental pay of $6.5 million and insurance loan of $1 million until 2031.It's a steep price, but one the university appears willing to pay to find a coach who can complete the climb to a national title.“We have the best college football fans in America, a rich tradition of excellence, significant investments in our program, compete in the best conference in college sports and have a state-of-the-art renovated stadium on the horizon,” Kraft said. “I am confident in our future and in our ability to attract elite candidates to lead our program.”There will be no shortage of interested coaches. Kraft has ties to at least one. He was the athletic director at Temple when he hired current Nebraska coach Matt Rhule back in 2013.Rhule and the Cornhuskers will visit Beaver Stadium in Penn State's home finale on Nov. 22. What back in August looked like one of the final hurdles for the Nittany Lions to clear on their way to a CFP berth might instead be both an audition for Rhule and a chance for the Nittany Lions to potentially salvage a shot at a bowl game of any variety, let alone a premier one.

Penn State fires coach James Franklin amid midseason free fall in a lost season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs knew they were going to have a fight on their hands when the Detroit Lions, riding a four-game winning streak and a whole bunch of momentum, rolled into Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night.

They probably didn't expect their dominant performance to&nbsp;end with an actual fistfight.

Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, scrambled for another score, and led Kansas City to a 30-17 victory that was so comprehensive that Lions safety Brian Branch boiled over at its conclusion. Branch delivered a right hook to Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as the teams were coming together at midfield, touching off a brief melee among players.

“It is what it is,” Mahomes said. “You just kind of move on. We won the football game.”

Marquise Brown had two touchdown receptions and Xavier Worthy had another for the Chiefs (3-3), who played a near-flawless game — no penalties, no turnovers — one week after&nbsp;a mistake-strewn, last-second loss&nbsp;at Jacksonville.

Kansas City also managed to hold in check the NFL's highest-scoring offense to snap Detroit's winning streak.

“We just didn't make the plays we needed to make,” said Lions coach Dan Campbell, who began his postgame briefing by saying that Branch's cheap shot was “inexcusable and not going to be accepted here," and that he had apologized to the Chiefs for it.

“We were able to do some good things in phases at times but not enough for a team like that with the pedigrees they have,” Campbell continued. “We were not able to compliment each other and we were not able to make it a game, really. We weren't.”

Jared Goff finished with 203 yards passing for the Lions (4-2), though he did connect with Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta for scores. Amon-Ra St. Brown was held to 45 yards receiving and Jahmyr Gibbs needed 17 carries to gain just 65 yards.

Detroit was intent on trying to grind down the Chiefs' defense and keep their potent offense off the field.

The Lions did a good job on the opening drive, too. They ran 15 plays over a 9:39 span, chewing up so much clock that Mahomes looked downright bored on the sideline. And it looked as if it would pay off when David Montgomery took a direct snap and threw to Goff, who powered into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown.

But the officials came together to discuss the play, and even though nobody had thrown a flag, they eventually said Goff was not set — an illegal motion penalty. After a delay of game, the Lions had to settle for Jake Bates' chip-shot field goal.

“I've got to do a little research on exactly what went wrong,” Goff said.

Kansas City wasted no time answering, marching 70 yards in eight plays. Mahomes hit three receivers on the drive, and Worthy hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to give the Chiefs the lead.

The back-and-forth continued throughout the first half: The Lions went the other way with Williams grabbing a 22-yard pass to give them the lead back, and the Chiefs answered with Mahomes scoring on a keeper for a 13-10 edge at halftime.

“It was important to get that lead back and get the momentum and get the crowd going,” Mahomes said.

The banged-up Lions defense, missing cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox, couldn't slow down the Chiefs, who are finding their offensive mojo again just in time to get suspended wide receiver Rashee Rice back next week.

They roared downfield on the opening drive of the second half, this time with Marquise Brown hauling in the touchdown catch to extend the lead. And when the Lions finally answered behind a flurry of passes to St. Brown and a nifty toss to LaPorta in the end zone, Kansas City rolled right back downfield as Marquise Brown pulled in another touchdown reception for a 27-17 lead.

Detroit proceeded to go three-and-out, and the Chiefs put the game away from there.

“I'm disappointing, you know? I'm disappointed, because it's been a long time ago since you were watching someone kneel it three times in front of you, and it's not even close,” Campbell said. “We got worked pretty good. So yeah, it's disappointing.”

The Chiefs played&nbsp;without left tackle Josh Simmons,&nbsp;their first-round pick, who had a personal issue that kept him from making it back to Kansas City for the game. Jaylon Moore played well in his place against Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit pass rush.

Mahomes has 302 career touchdown passes, including the postseason, becoming the quickest player in NFL history to reach the 300 mark. He accomplished the feat in 139 games, eight faster than Aaron Rodgers, to the delight of a crowd that included Taylor Swift — the fiancee of tight end Travis Kelce — and WNBA star Caitlin Clark.

Lions: CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and LT Taylor Decker (shoulder) were inactive.

Chiefs: CB Nohl Williams was evaluated for a concussion and cleared in the first half.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760358340941.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) scores past Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) scores past Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs knew they were going to have a fight on their hands when the Detroit Lions, riding a four-game winning streak and a whole bunch of momentum, rolled into Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night.They probably didn't expect their dominant performance to&nbsp;end with an actual fistfight.Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, scrambled for another score, and led Kansas City to a 30-17 victory that was so comprehensive that Lions safety Brian Branch boiled over at its conclusion. Branch delivered a right hook to Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as the teams were coming together at midfield, touching off a brief melee among players.“It is what it is,” Mahomes said. “You just kind of move on. We won the football game.”Did they ever.Marquise Brown had two touchdown receptions and Xavier Worthy had another for the Chiefs (3-3), who played a near-flawless game — no penalties, no turnovers — one week after&nbsp;a mistake-strewn, last-second loss&nbsp;at Jacksonville.Kansas City also managed to hold in check the NFL's highest-scoring offense to snap Detroit's winning streak.“We just didn't make the plays we needed to make,” said Lions coach Dan Campbell, who began his postgame briefing by saying that Branch's cheap shot was “inexcusable and not going to be accepted here," and that he had apologized to the Chiefs for it.“We were able to do some good things in phases at times but not enough for a team like that with the pedigrees they have,” Campbell continued. “We were not able to compliment each other and we were not able to make it a game, really. We weren't.”Jared Goff finished with 203 yards passing for the Lions (4-2), though he did connect with Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta for scores. Amon-Ra St. Brown was held to 45 yards receiving and Jahmyr Gibbs needed 17 carries to gain just 65 yards.Detroit was intent on trying to grind down the Chiefs' defense and keep their potent offense off the field.The Lions did a good job on the opening drive, too. They ran 15 plays over a 9:39 span, chewing up so much clock that Mahomes looked downright bored on the sideline. And it looked as if it would pay off when David Montgomery took a direct snap and threw to Goff, who powered into the end zone from a yard out for a touchdown.But the officials came together to discuss the play, and even though nobody had thrown a flag, they eventually said Goff was not set — an illegal motion penalty. After a delay of game, the Lions had to settle for Jake Bates' chip-shot field goal.“I've got to do a little research on exactly what went wrong,” Goff said.Kansas City wasted no time answering, marching 70 yards in eight plays. Mahomes hit three receivers on the drive, and Worthy hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to give the Chiefs the lead.The back-and-forth continued throughout the first half: The Lions went the other way with Williams grabbing a 22-yard pass to give them the lead back, and the Chiefs answered with Mahomes scoring on a keeper for a 13-10 edge at halftime.“It was important to get that lead back and get the momentum and get the crowd going,” Mahomes said.The banged-up Lions defense, missing cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold and Avonte Maddox, couldn't slow down the Chiefs, who are finding their offensive mojo again just in time to get suspended wide receiver Rashee Rice back next week.They roared downfield on the opening drive of the second half, this time with Marquise Brown hauling in the touchdown catch to extend the lead. And when the Lions finally answered behind a flurry of passes to St. Brown and a nifty toss to LaPorta in the end zone, Kansas City rolled right back downfield as Marquise Brown pulled in another touchdown reception for a 27-17 lead.Detroit proceeded to go three-and-out, and the Chiefs put the game away from there.“I'm disappointing, you know? I'm disappointed, because it's been a long time ago since you were watching someone kneel it three times in front of you, and it's not even close,” Campbell said. “We got worked pretty good. So yeah, it's disappointing.”<h2>Missing Simmons</h2>The Chiefs played&nbsp;without left tackle Josh Simmons,&nbsp;their first-round pick, who had a personal issue that kept him from making it back to Kansas City for the game. Jaylon Moore played well in his place against Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit pass rush.<h2>More on Mahomes</h2>Mahomes has 302 career touchdown passes, including the postseason, becoming the quickest player in NFL history to reach the 300 mark. He accomplished the feat in 139 games, eight faster than Aaron Rodgers, to the delight of a crowd that included Taylor Swift — the fiancee of tight end Travis Kelce — and WNBA star Caitlin Clark.<h2>Injuries</h2>Lions: CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and LT Taylor Decker (shoulder) were inactive.Chiefs: CB Nohl Williams was evaluated for a concussion and cleared in the first half.<h2>Up next</h2>Lions: Host Tampa Bay next Monday night.Chiefs: Host Las Vegas next Sunday.

Mahomes leads the Chiefs to a 30-17 victory over Lions, and a fistfight erupts at the finish

TORONTO (AP) — Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years. George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters as Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns and led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 30-17 victory over the ailing Detroit Lions. Sunday night's game ended with a fistfight among players. Mahomes tried to give Brian Branch a high-five after the final whistle, and the Lions safety walked right by him. Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster took umbrage and had words with Branch, who delivered a punch to set off the brief melee. Marquise Brown had two touchdown receptions and Xavier Worthy had another for the Chiefs, who evened their record at 3-3. The Lions fell to 4-2.

All the talk about the decline of the Kansas City Chiefs was premature. With Patrick Mahomes doing his magic and a stout defense, the Chiefs can beat anybody. A convincing 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in front of a national audience on Sunday night lifted the Chiefs to 3-3. They’ve got a long way to go but they’re a much better team than the one that started 0-2. Critics were wondering if it was the end of Kansas City’s dynasty. But the Chiefs just need to get healthy and work out some kinks.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Detroit Lions had a tough night against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. And it didn't get much better after the final whistle in the 30-17 defeat. Brian Branch's punch to JuJu Smith-Schuster sparked a brief fight among players, and it could very well earn the Detroit safety a hefty fine and a suspension. The fracas came after the Chiefs had shut down the NFL's highest-scoring offense and moved the ball with ease against the Detroit defense in a game that snapped the Lions' four-game winning streak.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — James Franklin is out at Penn State. The school fired the longtime football coach Sunday, less than 24 hours after a 22-21 home loss to Northwestern. Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. The Nittany Lions began the year with hopes of winning a national title. Those hopes evaporated by early October amid a string of losses. Penn State, which reached the CFP semifinal 10 months ago, lost at home to Oregon in overtime in late September. A road loss at UCLA followed.

Indiana has climbed to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll, marking its highest ranking ever. This comes after a 10-point win at Oregon. Ohio State and Miami remain the top two teams. Texas A&amp;M and Mississippi have swapped places. Oklahoma dropped to No. 14 following a loss to Texas. The No. 21 Longhorns are back in the Top 25 after a one-week absence. Five teams dropped out of the ratings in the biggest turnover since seven fell out in an October poll in 2022.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner will need season-ending surgery after he was sidelined by a severe ankle injury during San Francisco's loss to Tampa Bay. Warner's right ankle dislocated and broke when players fell into him. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the injury after the 30-19 defeat. The entire 49ers sideline came onto the field to support Warner before he left with an air cast. Despite numerous injuries, including missing key players like quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers are 4-2 and tied for first in the NFC West. Warner has been a consistent All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.

UNLV has quietly started 6-0 under new coach Dan Mullen and a win this week at Boise State would put the Rebels in the spotlight. Even if the Rebels finish the regular season undefeated and win the Mountain West title, it probably still won't be enough to get them into the College Football Playoff as the Group of Five representative. American Conference teams South Florida, Memphis and Tulane are most often mentioned as front-runners. The Rebels have played one of the weakest schedules in the country.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Denny Hamlin became the first driver to lock up a spot in NASCAR’s championship-deciding finale, winning Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his career-goal 60th Cup Series triumph. Hamlin, considered the best driver in NASCAR history to never win a Cup title, is back in the winner-take-all title race for the first time since 2021. The winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history is tied for 10th on NASCAR’s career victories list with Kevin Harvick. Hamlin was emotional two weeks ago when he failed to win at Kansas Speedway in a victory he hoped to dedicate to his ailing father. He made good on it at Las Vegas. Kyle Larson was second.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez has been released from custody, about a week after police said he was stabbed during a fight with a truck driver in Indiana. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Sanchez’s release on Sunday. He faces a felony battery charge and several misdemeanor charges for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking. Police say Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso. Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of a game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders. A defense attorney for Sanchez didn’t immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final Seattle 3 Toronto 1

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final	Denver	13	N-Y Jets	11	 Final	Carolina	30	Dallas	27	 Final	Indianapolis	31	Arizona	27	 Final	L.A. Chargers	29	Miami	27	 Final	L.A. Rams	17	Baltimore	3	 Final	New England	25	New Orleans	19	 Final	Pittsburgh	23	Cleveland	9	 Final	Seattle	20	Jacksonville	12	 Final	Las Vegas	20	Tennessee	10	 Final	Green Bay	27	Cincinnati	18	 Final	Tampa Bay	30	San Francisco	19	 Final	Kansas City	30	Detroit	17

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TORONTO (AP) — Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years. George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters as Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns and led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 30-17 victory over the ailing Detroit Lions. Sunday night's game ended with a fistfight among players. Mahomes tried to give Brian Branch a high-five after the final whistle, and the Lions safety walked right by him. Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster took umbrage and had words with Branch, who delivered a punch to set off the brief melee. Marquise Brown had two touchdown receptions and Xavier Worthy had another for the Chiefs, who evened their record at 3-3. The Lions fell to 4-2.All the talk about the decline of the Kansas City Chiefs was premature. With Patrick Mahomes doing his magic and a stout defense, the Chiefs can beat anybody. A convincing 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions in front of a national audience on Sunday night lifted the Chiefs to 3-3. They’ve got a long way to go but they’re a much better team than the one that started 0-2. Critics were wondering if it was the end of Kansas City’s dynasty. But the Chiefs just need to get healthy and work out some kinks.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Detroit Lions had a tough night against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. And it didn't get much better after the final whistle in the 30-17 defeat. Brian Branch's punch to JuJu Smith-Schuster sparked a brief fight among players, and it could very well earn the Detroit safety a hefty fine and a suspension. The fracas came after the Chiefs had shut down the NFL's highest-scoring offense and moved the ball with ease against the Detroit defense in a game that snapped the Lions' four-game winning streak.STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — James Franklin is out at Penn State. The school fired the longtime football coach Sunday, less than 24 hours after a 22-21 home loss to Northwestern. Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. The Nittany Lions began the year with hopes of winning a national title. Those hopes evaporated by early October amid a string of losses. Penn State, which reached the CFP semifinal 10 months ago, lost at home to Oregon in overtime in late September. A road loss at UCLA followed.Indiana has climbed to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll, marking its highest ranking ever. This comes after a 10-point win at Oregon. Ohio State and Miami remain the top two teams. Texas A&amp;M and Mississippi have swapped places. Oklahoma dropped to No. 14 following a loss to Texas. The No. 21 Longhorns are back in the Top 25 after a one-week absence. Five teams dropped out of the ratings in the biggest turnover since seven fell out in an October poll in 2022.TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner will need season-ending surgery after he was sidelined by a severe ankle injury during San Francisco's loss to Tampa Bay. Warner's right ankle dislocated and broke when players fell into him. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the injury after the 30-19 defeat. The entire 49ers sideline came onto the field to support Warner before he left with an air cast. Despite numerous injuries, including missing key players like quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers are 4-2 and tied for first in the NFC West. Warner has been a consistent All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.UNLV has quietly started 6-0 under new coach Dan Mullen and a win this week at Boise State would put the Rebels in the spotlight. Even if the Rebels finish the regular season undefeated and win the Mountain West title, it probably still won't be enough to get them into the College Football Playoff as the Group of Five representative. American Conference teams South Florida, Memphis and Tulane are most often mentioned as front-runners. The Rebels have played one of the weakest schedules in the country.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Denny Hamlin became the first driver to lock up a spot in NASCAR’s championship-deciding finale, winning Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his career-goal 60th Cup Series triumph. Hamlin, considered the best driver in NASCAR history to never win a Cup title, is back in the winner-take-all title race for the first time since 2021. The winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history is tied for 10th on NASCAR’s career victories list with Kevin Harvick. Hamlin was emotional two weeks ago when he failed to win at Kansas Speedway in a victory he hoped to dedicate to his ailing father. He made good on it at Las Vegas. Kyle Larson was second.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez has been released from custody, about a week after police said he was stabbed during a fight with a truck driver in Indiana. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Sanchez’s release on Sunday. He faces a felony battery charge and several misdemeanor charges for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking. Police say Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso. Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of a game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders. A defense attorney for Sanchez didn’t immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.FinalsAMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final Seattle 3 Toronto 1NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final	Denver	13	N-Y Jets	11	 Final	Carolina	30	Dallas	27	 Final	Indianapolis	31	Arizona	27	 Final	L.A. Chargers	29	Miami	27	 Final	L.A. Rams	17	Baltimore	3	 Final	New England	25	New Orleans	19	 Final	Pittsburgh	23	Cleveland	9	 Final	Seattle	20	Jacksonville	12	 Final	Las Vegas	20	Tennessee	10	 Final	Green Bay	27	Cincinnati	18	 Final	Tampa Bay	30	San Francisco	19	 Final	Kansas City	30	Detroit	17

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Paige Stacey and Mac Lindberg both qualified for state at the 5A Regional Tennis Tournament at Andover on Saturday. Stacey, the #4 seed, finished 4th. She beat Melissa Boland (Hays) in the first round 6-1, 6-1. She beat Leany Maldonado (Salina South) 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. She lost to #1 seed Mia Jaramillo (Andover) 0-6, 0-6 in the semifinals. She lost to Charlotte Norton (Goddard) 2-6, 0-6 in the third-place match.

Mac Lindberg, the #8 seed, finished 5th. She beat Gianna Herrera (Ark City) in the first round 6-0, 6-1. She lost to Mia Jaramillo (Andover) 0-6, 0-6 in the second round. She beat Leany Maldonado (Salina South) 6-1, 6-2 in the third round to&nbsp;clinch a state&nbsp;berth. She beat Layni Hagley (Hutchinson) 6-3, 6-0 in the 5th place match.

Brooklyn Reynolds and Baze Hogan lost their first match to O'Hara/Banninger (Salina Central) 2-6, 0-6. Beth Hammeke and Maddie Siefkes lost their first match to Banta/Brewer 2-6, 2-6.

Great Bend finished 3rd&nbsp;place as a team.

Paige Stacey and Mac Lindberg both qualified for state at the 5A Regional Tennis Tournament at Andover on Saturday. Stacey, the #4 seed, finished 4th. She beat Melissa Boland (Hays) in the first round 6-1, 6-1. She beat Leany Maldonado (Salina South) 6-2, 6-3 in the second round. She lost to #1 seed Mia Jaramillo (Andover) 0-6, 0-6 in the semifinals. She lost to Charlotte Norton (Goddard) 2-6, 0-6 in the third-place match.Mac Lindberg, the #8 seed, finished 5th. She beat Gianna Herrera (Ark City) in the first round 6-0, 6-1. She lost to Mia Jaramillo (Andover) 0-6, 0-6 in the second round. She beat Leany Maldonado (Salina South) 6-1, 6-2 in the third round to&nbsp;clinch a state&nbsp;berth. She beat Layni Hagley (Hutchinson) 6-3, 6-0 in the 5th place match.Brooklyn Reynolds and Baze Hogan lost their first match to O'Hara/Banninger (Salina Central) 2-6, 0-6. Beth Hammeke and Maddie Siefkes lost their first match to Banta/Brewer 2-6, 2-6.Great Bend finished 3rd&nbsp;place as a team.

Great Bend Girls Tennis Places Third at Regionals

The 12th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team split the opening two sets Saturday evening inside Fleske Fieldhouse before taking control late, earning a 3-1 victory over Dodge City Community College (25-22, 18-25, 25-11, 25-22).

The win marked Barton's fifth straight in the series and second 3-1 triumph this season over the Conquistadors. With the result, the Cougars improved to 9-1 in conference play and 22-5 overall, while Dodge City slipped to 4-6 in league action and 10-12 on the year.

Staying in the friendly confines, Barton's next contest comes Wednesday with a 6:30 p.m. first serve welcoming third-place Butler Community College (6-4, 15-8).

Barton hit just .217 as a team, rebounding from a sluggish second set to dominate the third behind a .433 efficiency before closing out the match.

Reigning KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week&nbsp;Stasa Stamenkovic&nbsp;led the offense with 15 kills on .256 hitting while adding 20 digs for her third straight and 13th double-double of the season.

Aubrey Olander&nbsp;matched her with 15 points, producing 11 kills on .333 hitting along with a team-high five blocks, including three solo efforts.

Caroliny Cristiny&nbsp;served up a career-high four aces while posting just her second double-double of the year, finishing with 10 kills, 13 digs, and two blocks.

Brylynn Wicker&nbsp;continued her steady play with eight kills on a .316 attack percentage, while&nbsp;Indigo Pruitt&nbsp;provided five kills at a .444 clip with a pair of blocks, and&nbsp;Paola Batista&nbsp;added six kills.

Setting duties were again shared between&nbsp;Ori Briger&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mileah Neal, as Briger finished with 29 assists, three aces, and narrowly missed a double-double with nine digs. Neal chipped in 19 assists and seven digs as&nbsp;Mina Kaneko&nbsp;anchored the back line with 15 digs.

Mina Kaneko- 11th Single Season Digs (483) – 11 from Hanna Miller's 494 (2020)- 6th Career Digs (940) – 74 from Mylena Testoni's 1014 (2020-21)

Aubrey Olander- 7th Career Total Blocks (248) – 1 from Rayanne de Oliveira's 249 (2018-19), 11 from Christi Ensz's 260 (1988-89)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760281620554.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The 12th ranked Barton Community College volleyball team split the opening two sets Saturday evening inside Fleske Fieldhouse before taking control late, earning a 3-1 victory over Dodge City Community College (25-22, 18-25, 25-11, 25-22).The win marked Barton's fifth straight in the series and second 3-1 triumph this season over the Conquistadors. With the result, the Cougars improved to 9-1 in conference play and 22-5 overall, while Dodge City slipped to 4-6 in league action and 10-12 on the year.Staying in the friendly confines, Barton's next contest comes Wednesday with a 6:30 p.m. first serve welcoming third-place Butler Community College (6-4, 15-8).Barton hit just .217 as a team, rebounding from a sluggish second set to dominate the third behind a .433 efficiency before closing out the match.Reigning KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week&nbsp;Stasa Stamenkovic&nbsp;led the offense with 15 kills on .256 hitting while adding 20 digs for her third straight and 13th double-double of the season.Aubrey Olander&nbsp;matched her with 15 points, producing 11 kills on .333 hitting along with a team-high five blocks, including three solo efforts.Caroliny Cristiny&nbsp;served up a career-high four aces while posting just her second double-double of the year, finishing with 10 kills, 13 digs, and two blocks.Brylynn Wicker&nbsp;continued her steady play with eight kills on a .316 attack percentage, while&nbsp;Indigo Pruitt&nbsp;provided five kills at a .444 clip with a pair of blocks, and&nbsp;Paola Batista&nbsp;added six kills.Setting duties were again shared between&nbsp;Ori Briger&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mileah Neal, as Briger finished with 29 assists, three aces, and narrowly missed a double-double with nine digs. Neal chipped in 19 assists and seven digs as&nbsp;Mina Kaneko&nbsp;anchored the back line with 15 digs.Record Book Watch:Mina Kaneko- 11th Single Season Digs (483) – 11 from Hanna Miller's 494 (2020)- 6th Career Digs (940) – 74 from Mylena Testoni's 1014 (2020-21)Aubrey Olander- 7th Career Total Blocks (248) – 1 from Rayanne de Oliveira's 249 (2018-19), 11 from Christi Ensz's 260 (1988-89)

No. 12 Barton Volleyball dispatches Dodge City for fifth straight series win

A second half equalizer helped the Barton Community College women's soccer team salvage a 1-1 draw Saturday evening against Garden City Community College at Broncbuster Stadium.

With the result, the Cougars sit fifth in the conference standings with 13 points at 4-5-1 and 7-6-1 overall, while the Broncbusters remain a point ahead in fourth at 4-4-2 in league play and 9-4-3 on the season. Barton steps out of conference play Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. road matchup against the Tabor College junior varsity squad, before returning to league action Wednesday against Dodge City Community College.

Garden City opened the scoring late in the first half, converting a 26-yard free kick that slipped through the gloves of the Barton netminder to carry a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The Cougars drew even 11 minutes into second half action when&nbsp;Saki Takaki's corner kick into heavy traffic deflected off a Broncbuster defender and into the net for an own goal.

Despite having the 25-mile-per-hour wind at its back in the second half, Barton was unable to find the go-ahead strike.&nbsp;Sara Aguirre&nbsp;led the Cougar attack with three shots, two on target, while&nbsp;Leonie Chambe&nbsp;collected two saves in the opening half before&nbsp;Leonie Kerle&nbsp;patrolled the pipes over the final 45 minutes without facing a shot on frame as both teams finished with three shots on frame.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760281508157.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>A second half equalizer helped the Barton Community College women's soccer team salvage a 1-1 draw Saturday evening against Garden City Community College at Broncbuster Stadium.With the result, the Cougars sit fifth in the conference standings with 13 points at 4-5-1 and 7-6-1 overall, while the Broncbusters remain a point ahead in fourth at 4-4-2 in league play and 9-4-3 on the season. Barton steps out of conference play Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. road matchup against the Tabor College junior varsity squad, before returning to league action Wednesday against Dodge City Community College.Garden City opened the scoring late in the first half, converting a 26-yard free kick that slipped through the gloves of the Barton netminder to carry a 1-0 lead into halftime.The Cougars drew even 11 minutes into second half action when&nbsp;Saki Takaki's corner kick into heavy traffic deflected off a Broncbuster defender and into the net for an own goal.Despite having the 25-mile-per-hour wind at its back in the second half, Barton was unable to find the go-ahead strike.&nbsp;Sara Aguirre&nbsp;led the Cougar attack with three shots, two on target, while&nbsp;Leonie Chambe&nbsp;collected two saves in the opening half before&nbsp;Leonie Kerle&nbsp;patrolled the pipes over the final 45 minutes without facing a shot on frame as both teams finished with three shots on frame.BARTON SCORING SUMMARY55:54: Own Goal

Second half equalizer helps Barton salvage 1-1 draw at Garden City

The No. 8 Barton Community College men's soccer team controlled the tempo from start to finish Saturday evening, posting a 6-1 road win over Garden City Community College at Broncbuster Stadium.

The third straight victory keeps the Cougars in second play in the Jayhawk standings with 13 points at 4-2-1 and 9-3-2 overall, while the Broncbusters remain fourth in league play at 3-4-0 and 9-4-2 on the season. Barton will continue its road swing Tuesday afternoon with a 4:30 p.m. non-conference contest against the Tabor College junior varsity squad before returning to league play Wednesday against No. 13 Dodge City Community College.

Barton wasted little time setting the tone, jetting ahead in the 12th minute as&nbsp;Samuele Mailer&nbsp;cleaning up a blocked shot from&nbsp;Gustavo Soares&nbsp;for his fourth goal of the year. Just over two minutes later,&nbsp;Masaki Tsuji's cross deflected off traffic in front, resulting in an own goal to double the margin.

Garden City briefly cut the deficit to 2-1 midway through the first half, before Tsuji struck just ahead of the intermission break, restoring the two-goal advantage with his team leading 12th goal of the season.

Maintaining pressure throughout the second half, the Cougars put the Broncbusters in the taillights, striking three times over the final seven minutes.&nbsp;Angel Sainz&nbsp;netted his seventh of the season in the 83rd minute with a clever chip over the onrushing keeper going upper-90 far post following a midfield steal by Mailer and a one touch setup from&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura.

The closing surge continued into the final minute, as&nbsp;Briac Mathez&nbsp;tallied his first collegiate goal driving home Kimura's through ball. Just 38 seconds later, Soares capped the night by cleaning up a deflected free kick left in front of the net for his second goal of the season.

Goalkeeper&nbsp;Gabriel Bergamin&nbsp;finished with five saves in the victory, anchoring a Barton defensive that held the Broncbusters scoreless over the final 70-minutes.

82:50:&nbsp;Angel Sainz&nbsp;(7); Assist:&nbsp;Samuele Mailer&nbsp;(2),&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura&nbsp;(2)

89:11:&nbsp;Briac Mathez&nbsp;(1); Assist:&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura&nbsp;(3)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760281405570.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The No. 8 Barton Community College men's soccer team controlled the tempo from start to finish Saturday evening, posting a 6-1 road win over Garden City Community College at Broncbuster Stadium.The third straight victory keeps the Cougars in second play in the Jayhawk standings with 13 points at 4-2-1 and 9-3-2 overall, while the Broncbusters remain fourth in league play at 3-4-0 and 9-4-2 on the season. Barton will continue its road swing Tuesday afternoon with a 4:30 p.m. non-conference contest against the Tabor College junior varsity squad before returning to league play Wednesday against No. 13 Dodge City Community College.Barton wasted little time setting the tone, jetting ahead in the 12th minute as&nbsp;Samuele Mailer&nbsp;cleaning up a blocked shot from&nbsp;Gustavo Soares&nbsp;for his fourth goal of the year. Just over two minutes later,&nbsp;Masaki Tsuji's cross deflected off traffic in front, resulting in an own goal to double the margin.Garden City briefly cut the deficit to 2-1 midway through the first half, before Tsuji struck just ahead of the intermission break, restoring the two-goal advantage with his team leading 12th goal of the season.Maintaining pressure throughout the second half, the Cougars put the Broncbusters in the taillights, striking three times over the final seven minutes.&nbsp;Angel Sainz&nbsp;netted his seventh of the season in the 83rd minute with a clever chip over the onrushing keeper going upper-90 far post following a midfield steal by Mailer and a one touch setup from&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura.The closing surge continued into the final minute, as&nbsp;Briac Mathez&nbsp;tallied his first collegiate goal driving home Kimura's through ball. Just 38 seconds later, Soares capped the night by cleaning up a deflected free kick left in front of the net for his second goal of the season.Goalkeeper&nbsp;Gabriel Bergamin&nbsp;finished with five saves in the victory, anchoring a Barton defensive that held the Broncbusters scoreless over the final 70-minutes.BARTON SCORING SUMMARY3:57:&nbsp;Samuele Mailer&nbsp;(4)9:29: Own Goal38:47:&nbsp;Masaki Tsuji&nbsp;(12)82:50:&nbsp;Angel Sainz&nbsp;(7); Assist:&nbsp;Samuele Mailer&nbsp;(2),&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura&nbsp;(2)89:11:&nbsp;Briac Mathez&nbsp;(1); Assist:&nbsp;Kotaro Kimura&nbsp;(3)89:49:&nbsp;Gustavo Soares&nbsp;(2)

Early strikes and late surge carry No. 8 Barton to 6-1 road win at Garden City

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw three touchdown passes — two to Garrett Oakley — and Kansas State added two defensive touchdowns to defeat TCU 41-28 Saturday afternoon. Des Purnell had two interceptions, including a pick-6, for the Wildcats.

“I thought we played well in all three phases at times,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “There’s always going to be things that we’ve got to get better at. But we came out with energy, with urgency. We came out with physicality, and did some really good things.”

Johnson finished 16-of-26 passing for 196 yards for Kansas State (3-4, 2-2 Big 12).

Josh Hoover was 26-of-47 passing for 376 yards and three touchdowns for TCU (4-2, 1-2 Big 12).

“We didn't do a very good job of going out and playing well enough to win,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “It was just kind of a disaster in so many ways.”

K-State took a two-score lead early in the third quarter with its second defensive touchdown of the game. Purnell picked off Hoover and raced 25 yards for the score.

“It kind of feels like high school days all over again with the ball in my hand,” Purnell said. “But that was all set up by the rest of the guys around me.”

Johnson then found Garrett Oakley for his second touchdown, this time from 17 yards out, to give the Wildcats a 28-7 lead with 3:57 left in the third quarter. With that touchdown, Oakley became the all-time leader in touchdown catches among K-State tight ends.

“Avery made really nice throws today,” Oakley said. “I thought he had a really good game, so I’m happy for him as well.

"If you would have told me that (I would be the career leader in touchdowns) when I first got here, I don’t think I’d ever believe you. But this is a process organization, just coming to work every day. I put my head down, going to work is kind of what brought me to this moment.”

TCU used a seven-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:51 to draw within 28-14 late in the fourth quarter. Hoover found Chase Curtis on a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down.

But Johnson found Jarend Bradley for a 12-yard touchdown to give K-State a 35-14 lead.

“I didn’t see us as an underdog going into today’s game, and I don’t see us as a 3-4 team now,” Johnson said. “We just had an unfortunate turn of events early in the year. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to play. Last week at Baylor, things don’t go our way. And you might have one or two of those a year where things don’t go your way, but you win and play well in the other ones to make up for it.”

Hoover connected with Eric McAlister for an 85-yard touchdown, but Purnell's second interception in TCU territory set up a Luis Rodriguez field goal.

TCU got on the scoreboard with a 12-play, 93-yard drive late in the first half. Jeremy Payne went around the left end for a 1-yard touchdown.

Kansas State answered with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Oakley, capping a six-play, 75-yard drive to even the score.

On TCU's second play of the ensuing possession, Hoover's pass to Ed Small was ruled a backward pass. It was recovered by Wesley Fair at the TCU 15-yard line. Fair ran it in for a touchdown, giving K-State a 14-7 lead at the half.

TCU: The Horned Frogs waited too long to find their offense. They started each half with anemic offense before getting long drives started.

Kansas State: The Wildcats were opportunistic, scoring twice on defense and holding TCU to 1 of 4 on fourth down.

TCU returns home next Saturday for a morning game against Baylor, while Kansas State has a bye before its “Sunflower Showdown” game at Kansas Oct. 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760281221297.jpeg" alt="Kansas State running back Joe Jackson, right, is pushed out of bounds by TCU safety Austin Jordan (1) as he runs the ball for a first down during the second half of an NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State running back Joe Jackson, right, is pushed out of bounds by TCU safety Austin Jordan (1) as he runs the ball for a first down during the second half of an NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw three touchdown passes — two to Garrett Oakley — and Kansas State added two defensive touchdowns to defeat TCU 41-28 Saturday afternoon. Des Purnell had two interceptions, including a pick-6, for the Wildcats.“I thought we played well in all three phases at times,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “There’s always going to be things that we’ve got to get better at. But we came out with energy, with urgency. We came out with physicality, and did some really good things.”Johnson finished 16-of-26 passing for 196 yards for Kansas State (3-4, 2-2 Big 12).Josh Hoover was 26-of-47 passing for 376 yards and three touchdowns for TCU (4-2, 1-2 Big 12).“We didn't do a very good job of going out and playing well enough to win,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “It was just kind of a disaster in so many ways.”K-State took a two-score lead early in the third quarter with its second defensive touchdown of the game. Purnell picked off Hoover and raced 25 yards for the score.“It kind of feels like high school days all over again with the ball in my hand,” Purnell said. “But that was all set up by the rest of the guys around me.”Johnson then found Garrett Oakley for his second touchdown, this time from 17 yards out, to give the Wildcats a 28-7 lead with 3:57 left in the third quarter. With that touchdown, Oakley became the all-time leader in touchdown catches among K-State tight ends.“Avery made really nice throws today,” Oakley said. “I thought he had a really good game, so I’m happy for him as well."If you would have told me that (I would be the career leader in touchdowns) when I first got here, I don’t think I’d ever believe you. But this is a process organization, just coming to work every day. I put my head down, going to work is kind of what brought me to this moment.”TCU used a seven-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:51 to draw within 28-14 late in the fourth quarter. Hoover found Chase Curtis on a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down.But Johnson found Jarend Bradley for a 12-yard touchdown to give K-State a 35-14 lead.“I didn’t see us as an underdog going into today’s game, and I don’t see us as a 3-4 team now,” Johnson said. “We just had an unfortunate turn of events early in the year. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to play. Last week at Baylor, things don’t go our way. And you might have one or two of those a year where things don’t go your way, but you win and play well in the other ones to make up for it.”Hoover connected with Eric McAlister for an 85-yard touchdown, but Purnell's second interception in TCU territory set up a Luis Rodriguez field goal.TCU got on the scoreboard with a 12-play, 93-yard drive late in the first half. Jeremy Payne went around the left end for a 1-yard touchdown.Kansas State answered with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Oakley, capping a six-play, 75-yard drive to even the score.On TCU's second play of the ensuing possession, Hoover's pass to Ed Small was ruled a backward pass. It was recovered by Wesley Fair at the TCU 15-yard line. Fair ran it in for a touchdown, giving K-State a 14-7 lead at the half.<h2>The Takeaway</h2>TCU: The Horned Frogs waited too long to find their offense. They started each half with anemic offense before getting long drives started.Kansas State: The Wildcats were opportunistic, scoring twice on defense and holding TCU to 1 of 4 on fourth down.<h2>Up Next</h2>TCU returns home next Saturday for a morning game against Baylor, while Kansas State has a bye before its “Sunflower Showdown” game at Kansas Oct. 25.

Avery Johnson's three TD passes and two defensive scores lift K-State over TCU 41-28

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Cameron Dickey ran for a career-high 263 yards and two long touchdowns, Will Hammond scored twice after replacing&nbsp;injured quarterback Behren Morton&nbsp;and No. 9 Texas Tech beat Kansas 42-17 on Saturday night.

Dickey sprinted 71 yards on the first offensive play for the Red Raiders and added a 55-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. With co-lead back J'Koby Williams slowed by an injury, Dickey had 21 carries, another career best.

Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) had 372 yards rushing and recovered from a malaise after Morton's injury in the school's first game as an AP top 10 team since 2013.

“We felt like we could run the football against the these guys,” coach Joey McGuire said. “Those two guys feed off each other. J’Koby’s a little banged up, and Cam got the majority of the load and offensive line really played well tonight in the run game.”

A 21-0 Texas Tech lead was down to four points at the break when the Jayhawks (4-3, 2-2) scored on three of their first four possessions after Morton appeared to injure his lower right leg on a sack in the second quarter. He didn't return.

Hammond threw an interception and the Red Raiders punted on his other three possessions before halftime. But the redshirt freshman ran 20 yards for a touchdown on the first drive of the second half.

Dickey's second long TD put Texas Tech up 35-17, and Hammond's 10-yard run finished the scoring. Hammond had 61 yards rushing.

It's the third time Hammond has come on with Morton not returning this season. Morton&nbsp;hyperextended his right knee&nbsp;in a 67-7 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the season opener and was&nbsp;sidelined in a 34-10 win over Utah&nbsp;after taking a hard hit to the head.

Jalon Daniels threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas, which dropped to 1-12 in Lubbock and has lost 24 of 26 meetings with the Red Raiders.

“Our margin of error against a top 10 team is going to be pretty small, and we’ve got to play a lot more sound,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We had trouble blocking them all second half, especially. That’s a really good defensive front. I think it showed up tonight no doubt.”

Kansas: The Jayhawks had all the momentum with the way they finished the first half after Morton's injury. They couldn't sustain it. Kansas punted on its five possessions after the break.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders gave up some big pass plays to help Kansas get back in the game, but still sacked Daniels eight times. David Bailey had three of them. Texas Tech had a ninth sack on backup Cole Ballard in the final seconds.

Kansas: Off next week before getting rival Kansas State at home Oct. 25.

Texas Tech: At No. 21 Arizona State, the defending Big 12 champion, next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760281101752.jpeg" alt="Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (8) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)" />
 <figcaption>Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (8) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Cameron Dickey ran for a career-high 263 yards and two long touchdowns, Will Hammond scored twice after replacing&nbsp;injured quarterback Behren Morton&nbsp;and No. 9 Texas Tech beat Kansas 42-17 on Saturday night.Dickey sprinted 71 yards on the first offensive play for the Red Raiders and added a 55-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. With co-lead back J'Koby Williams slowed by an injury, Dickey had 21 carries, another career best.Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) had 372 yards rushing and recovered from a malaise after Morton's injury in the school's first game as an AP top 10 team since 2013.“We felt like we could run the football against the these guys,” coach Joey McGuire said. “Those two guys feed off each other. J’Koby’s a little banged up, and Cam got the majority of the load and offensive line really played well tonight in the run game.”A 21-0 Texas Tech lead was down to four points at the break when the Jayhawks (4-3, 2-2) scored on three of their first four possessions after Morton appeared to injure his lower right leg on a sack in the second quarter. He didn't return.Hammond threw an interception and the Red Raiders punted on his other three possessions before halftime. But the redshirt freshman ran 20 yards for a touchdown on the first drive of the second half.Dickey's second long TD put Texas Tech up 35-17, and Hammond's 10-yard run finished the scoring. Hammond had 61 yards rushing.It's the third time Hammond has come on with Morton not returning this season. Morton&nbsp;hyperextended his right knee&nbsp;in a 67-7 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the season opener and was&nbsp;sidelined in a 34-10 win over Utah&nbsp;after taking a hard hit to the head.Jalon Daniels threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas, which dropped to 1-12 in Lubbock and has lost 24 of 26 meetings with the Red Raiders.“Our margin of error against a top 10 team is going to be pretty small, and we’ve got to play a lot more sound,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We had trouble blocking them all second half, especially. That’s a really good defensive front. I think it showed up tonight no doubt.”<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas: The Jayhawks had all the momentum with the way they finished the first half after Morton's injury. They couldn't sustain it. Kansas punted on its five possessions after the break.Texas Tech: The Red Raiders gave up some big pass plays to help Kansas get back in the game, but still sacked Daniels eight times. David Bailey had three of them. Texas Tech had a ninth sack on backup Cole Ballard in the final seconds.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Off next week before getting rival Kansas State at home Oct. 25.Texas Tech: At No. 21 Arizona State, the defending Big 12 champion, next Saturday.

Dickey runs for 263 yards as No. 9 Texas Tech overcomes Morton's injury to beat Kansas

Week 7 of college football is set to send shockwaves through the AP Top 25. Arch Manning and a stout Texas defense restored faith in the Longhorns with a dominant 23-6 win against No. 6 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game. No. 7 Indiana made a statement with a 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon, while No. 4 Ole Miss showed weakness against Washington State, setting the stage for major movement in the top 10.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning and William Contreras and Brice Turang also went deep as the Milwaukee Brewers shook off their recent history of playoff frustration by beating the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their NL Division Series. The Brewers earned their first postseason series win since sweeping Colorado in the 2018 NLDS and advanced to face the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series. Milwaukee lost Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS at home to the Dodgers.

DALLAS (AP) — This certainly looks more like the preseason No. 1 team that Texas was before two early losses sent it plummeting all the way out of the AP Top 25. The Longhorns beat Red River rival sixth-ranked Oklahoma 23-6 on Saturday. It saves their season for now. The 4-2 Longhorns should be back in the next AP poll Sunday. More importantly, they avoided a loss that likely would have ended any realistic chance of getting into the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards and a key fourth-quarter touchdown and No. 7 Indiana remained undefeated with a 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon on Saturday. Roman Hemby added a pair of scoring runs for the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who frustrated the Ducks (5-1, 2-1) with stout defensive play. Dante Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown for Oregon. He threw two interceptions and was sacked six times.With Oregon down 20-13 going into the fourth quarter, Brandon Finney intercepted Mendoza’s and ran it back 35 yards to tie it with 12:42 left.Mendoza answered with an 8-yard scoring pass to Elijah Sarratt with 6:23 to go. On Oregon’s next series, Moore’s pass was intercepted by Louis Moore.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — This may not have been Xander Schauffele’s most prestigious tournament victory, but it should be the American’s most memorable. Schauffele shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday to win the Baycurrent Classic in Japan — a country where his mother grew up and where he has many connections including maternal grandparents who reside there. Schauffele, who shot 19-under 265 at the Yokohama Country Club, finished one shot ahead of American Max Greyserman, who was also the runner-up at this event a year ago as he chases his first PGA Tour title.

Tiger Woods is recovering from a seventh back surgery. Woods says he was experiencing some pain and lack of mobility. He says scans revealed a collapsed disk in his lower back and with some disk fragments. He decided to have his disk replaced in New York during a Friday surgery. It's his second surgery on his back in the last 13 months and seventh overall dating to April 2014. Woods also had surgery in March for a ruptured left Achilles tendon. He hasn't played since the PNC Championship with his son Charlie last December.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Matt McCarty made eight birdies in a row and had a chance at a 58 to tie the PGA Tour record for 18 holes. One swing ended those hopes. He hit his tee shot on the final hole of the Baycurrent Classic into the trees and never found it. So that 15-foot putt he made was for bogey and a 60, not birdie and a 58. McCarty says he tried to guide the tee shot on the dogleg left at Yokohama Country Club. He says it's weird to have the low round of his career and feel so disappointed.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Drew Allar came back to Penn State for his senior season determined lead the Nittany Lions to a national championship. Now, with hopes gone for winning their first NCAA football title since 1986 after a third straight loss, the strong-armed quarterback will have to watch from the sideline the rest of the way. Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on a third-down play late in Penn State’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Saturday. He limped off the field with help, was replaced by backup Ethan Grunkemeyer and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

LONDON (AP) — The NFL has been spicing up its international games with halftime performers, a bit like mini-Super Bowls. British rapper Giggs is scheduled to perform Sunday at halftime of the game between the New York Jets and Denver Broncos at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Last week, British singer Raye performed a halftime show at Tottenham with a nearly seven-minute set that included her hit “Where is My Husband!” The Minnesota Vikings beat Cleveland 21-17 in the game.

WUHAN, China (AP) — Coco Gauff reels off four straight games to beat Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 and win the Wuhan Open in all-American final. The 21-year-old Gauff won her second title of the year after winning the French Open and she now owns 11 career titles. Pegula has nine. The third-ranked Gauff served to save the second set at 5-3 down. She held and broke the sixth-ranked Pegula to love for 5-5. Pegula’s forehand volley at the net landed wide to give Gauff a first match point. She clinched it on the next point with a forehand winner following a brief rally.

Final	(4)Mississippi	24	Washington St.	21	

Final	(13)Georgia Tech	35	Virginia Tech	20	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Week 7 of college football is set to send shockwaves through the AP Top 25. Arch Manning and a stout Texas defense restored faith in the Longhorns with a dominant 23-6 win against No. 6 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game. No. 7 Indiana made a statement with a 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon, while No. 4 Ole Miss showed weakness against Washington State, setting the stage for major movement in the top 10.MILWAUKEE (AP) — Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning and William Contreras and Brice Turang also went deep as the Milwaukee Brewers shook off their recent history of playoff frustration by beating the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their NL Division Series. The Brewers earned their first postseason series win since sweeping Colorado in the 2018 NLDS and advanced to face the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series. Milwaukee lost Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS at home to the Dodgers.DALLAS (AP) — This certainly looks more like the preseason No. 1 team that Texas was before two early losses sent it plummeting all the way out of the AP Top 25. The Longhorns beat Red River rival sixth-ranked Oklahoma 23-6 on Saturday. It saves their season for now. The 4-2 Longhorns should be back in the next AP poll Sunday. More importantly, they avoided a loss that likely would have ended any realistic chance of getting into the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row.EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards and a key fourth-quarter touchdown and No. 7 Indiana remained undefeated with a 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon on Saturday. Roman Hemby added a pair of scoring runs for the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who frustrated the Ducks (5-1, 2-1) with stout defensive play. Dante Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown for Oregon. He threw two interceptions and was sacked six times.With Oregon down 20-13 going into the fourth quarter, Brandon Finney intercepted Mendoza’s and ran it back 35 yards to tie it with 12:42 left.Mendoza answered with an 8-yard scoring pass to Elijah Sarratt with 6:23 to go. On Oregon’s next series, Moore’s pass was intercepted by Louis Moore.YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — This may not have been Xander Schauffele’s most prestigious tournament victory, but it should be the American’s most memorable. Schauffele shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday to win the Baycurrent Classic in Japan — a country where his mother grew up and where he has many connections including maternal grandparents who reside there. Schauffele, who shot 19-under 265 at the Yokohama Country Club, finished one shot ahead of American Max Greyserman, who was also the runner-up at this event a year ago as he chases his first PGA Tour title.Tiger Woods is recovering from a seventh back surgery. Woods says he was experiencing some pain and lack of mobility. He says scans revealed a collapsed disk in his lower back and with some disk fragments. He decided to have his disk replaced in New York during a Friday surgery. It's his second surgery on his back in the last 13 months and seventh overall dating to April 2014. Woods also had surgery in March for a ruptured left Achilles tendon. He hasn't played since the PNC Championship with his son Charlie last December.YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Matt McCarty made eight birdies in a row and had a chance at a 58 to tie the PGA Tour record for 18 holes. One swing ended those hopes. He hit his tee shot on the final hole of the Baycurrent Classic into the trees and never found it. So that 15-foot putt he made was for bogey and a 60, not birdie and a 58. McCarty says he tried to guide the tee shot on the dogleg left at Yokohama Country Club. He says it's weird to have the low round of his career and feel so disappointed.STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Drew Allar came back to Penn State for his senior season determined lead the Nittany Lions to a national championship. Now, with hopes gone for winning their first NCAA football title since 1986 after a third straight loss, the strong-armed quarterback will have to watch from the sideline the rest of the way. Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on a third-down play late in Penn State’s 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Saturday. He limped off the field with help, was replaced by backup Ethan Grunkemeyer and was ruled out for the rest of the season.LONDON (AP) — The NFL has been spicing up its international games with halftime performers, a bit like mini-Super Bowls. British rapper Giggs is scheduled to perform Sunday at halftime of the game between the New York Jets and Denver Broncos at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Last week, British singer Raye performed a halftime show at Tottenham with a nearly seven-minute set that included her hit “Where is My Husband!” The Minnesota Vikings beat Cleveland 21-17 in the game.WUHAN, China (AP) — Coco Gauff reels off four straight games to beat Jessica Pegula 6-4, 7-5 and win the Wuhan Open in all-American final. The 21-year-old Gauff won her second title of the year after winning the French Open and she now owns 11 career titles. Pegula has nine. The third-ranked Gauff served to save the second set at 5-3 down. She held and broke the sixth-ranked Pegula to love for 5-5. Pegula’s forehand volley at the net landed wide to give Gauff a first match point. She clinched it on the next point with a forehand winner following a brief rally.FinalsNATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal Milwaukee 3 Chicago Cubs 1TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(7)Indiana	30	(3)Oregon	20	Final	(8)Alabama	27	(14)Missouri	24	Final	(1)Ohio St.	34	(17)Illinois	16	Final	Pittsburgh	34	(25)Florida St.	31	Final	(4)Mississippi	24	Washington St.	21	Final	Colorado	24	(22)Iowa St.	17	Final	(16)Notre Dame	36	NC State	7	Final	(13)Georgia Tech	35	Virginia Tech	20	Final	Texas	23	(6)Oklahoma	6	Final	(12)Tennessee	34	Arkansas	31	Final	(5)Texas A&amp;M	34	Florida	17	Final	Southern Cal	31	(15)Michigan	13	Final	(10)Georgia	20	Auburn	10	Final	(9)Texas Tech	42	Kansas	17	Final	(11)LSU	20	South Carolina	10	Final	(18)BYU	33	Arizona	27	Final	Utah	42	(21)Arizona St.	10

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

By MIKE COURSON
 Great Bend Post

No volleyball coach wants to lose five matches in a row. But
Great Bend High School coach Shelly Duvall also knows a team does not get
better without a little adversity. Since that stretch in late September that
included an 0-4 showing against ranked teams like Washburn Rural (No. 6 in 6A),
Manhattan (No. 7 in 6A), and St. James Academy (No. 5 in 5A), the Panther
volleyball team has rattled off 10 straight wins to move to 19-9 on the season.

Thursday night, Great Bend needed three sets to get by Emporia,
then downed No. 2 Hillsboro (2A) 25-18, 25-18. Junior Kya Behr put down six
kills in the Hillsboro win, followed by junior Alex Mayers and sophomore Mikala
Minton with four each. Behr also led the team with three aces and eight assists.


Defensively, senior Katherine Mazouch led the front with
four blocks against the Trojans. Sophomore Micah Ellegood and freshman Stevie
Mayers each added a pair of blocks. Alex Mayers paced the back row with 12
digs, followed by 11 from Behr, and seven from Minton.

Along with the one tough weekend, the Panthers have suffered
losses to No. 10 Garden City (6A), No. 10 Hutchinson (5A), and have split four
losses to No. 1 Clay Center (4A) and Manhattan. Currently sitting at No. 7 in
the Class 5A West substate rankings, Great Bend is still very alive in the mix
to host a sub-state tournament. 

On the season, Minton leads the attack with 183 kills,
followed by Alex Mayers with 166. Stevie Mayers, Behr, and Ellegood all have
more than 100 kills. Behr has served up 35 aces, with senior Ava Kaiser added
27. Senior Kimmy Hofflinger and Alex Mayers have split 37 aces, and junior
Meredith Mazouch has 14 aces in just 43 sets played.

Ellegood has been huge up front defensively with a team-best
49 blocks. The six-foot freshman Stevie Mayers has 27 blocks, and Behr has 21.
The back row continues to share digs. Kaiser leads that charge with 226, though
Behr and Minton each have more than 200, and Alex Mayers is close with 195.
Behr continues to add to her historical passing career with 551 assists so far
in her junior season.

Great Bend will host Phillipsburg and Smith Center Tuesday
night for Senior Night, then host the Western Athletic Conference tournament
next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760209128356.jpeg" alt="photo by Gerrie Meyer/Gmeyer.Photography" />
 <figcaption>photo by Gerrie Meyer/Gmeyer.Photography</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON
 Great Bend PostNo volleyball coach wants to lose five matches in a row. But
Great Bend High School coach Shelly Duvall also knows a team does not get
better without a little adversity. Since that stretch in late September that
included an 0-4 showing against ranked teams like Washburn Rural (No. 6 in 6A),
Manhattan (No. 7 in 6A), and St. James Academy (No. 5 in 5A), the Panther
volleyball team has rattled off 10 straight wins to move to 19-9 on the season.Thursday night, Great Bend needed three sets to get by Emporia,
then downed No. 2 Hillsboro (2A) 25-18, 25-18. Junior Kya Behr put down six
kills in the Hillsboro win, followed by junior Alex Mayers and sophomore Mikala
Minton with four each. Behr also led the team with three aces and eight assists.
Defensively, senior Katherine Mazouch led the front with
four blocks against the Trojans. Sophomore Micah Ellegood and freshman Stevie
Mayers each added a pair of blocks. Alex Mayers paced the back row with 12
digs, followed by 11 from Behr, and seven from Minton.Along with the one tough weekend, the Panthers have suffered
losses to No. 10 Garden City (6A), No. 10 Hutchinson (5A), and have split four
losses to No. 1 Clay Center (4A) and Manhattan. Currently sitting at No. 7 in
the Class 5A West substate rankings, Great Bend is still very alive in the mix
to host a sub-state tournament. On the season, Minton leads the attack with 183 kills,
followed by Alex Mayers with 166. Stevie Mayers, Behr, and Ellegood all have
more than 100 kills. Behr has served up 35 aces, with senior Ava Kaiser added
27. Senior Kimmy Hofflinger and Alex Mayers have split 37 aces, and junior
Meredith Mazouch has 14 aces in just 43 sets played.Ellegood has been huge up front defensively with a team-best
49 blocks. The six-foot freshman Stevie Mayers has 27 blocks, and Behr has 21.
The back row continues to share digs. Kaiser leads that charge with 226, though
Behr and Minton each have more than 200, and Alex Mayers is close with 195.
Behr continues to add to her historical passing career with 551 assists so far
in her junior season.Great Bend will host Phillipsburg and Smith Center Tuesday
night for Senior Night, then host the Western Athletic Conference tournament
next Saturday.

Great Bend volleyball team gaining momentum as postseason approaches

SEATTLE (AP) — Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending single in the 15th inning, and the Seattle Mariners advanced to the AL Championship Series by outlasting the Detroit Tigers for a 3-2 victory in the longest winner-take-all postseason game in baseball history. With one out and the bases loaded, Polanco drove in J.P. Crawford with a liner to right off Tommy Kahnle. Crawford hit a leadoff single, Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch and Julio Rodríguez was intentionally walked before Polanco’s big swing on the 472nd pitch of the epic game.

A’ja Wilson has achieved an unprecedented season in the WNBA. She won the MVP award and scoring title, and helped the Las Vegas Aces secure a championship while earning the Finals MVP. While NBA stars like Michael Jordan have achieved similar feats, none did so while also being the defensive player of the year, a title Wilson shared this season. Wilson’s stats are remarkable, with 31 points in the title-clinching game and setting records for points and rebounds. At 29, she has more total points and rebounds before turning 30 than any other WNBA player.

A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are in rarified air. The franchise won its third WNBA championship in four seasons, completing a sweep of Phoenix in the best-of-seven Finals on Friday night. Only Houston has done better over a four-season span, winning the first four titles in WNBA history from 1997-2000. Wilson became the first player to win the regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. Whether Las Vegas can keep its run going depends a lot on how the negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement go. Most of the Aces are free agents.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Working as a starting pitcher in the NL Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers has been one tough job. Twenty-one of the 35 runs in the series have been scored in the first inning. The series concludes on Saturday night with a winner-take-all Game 5 to determine which of these NL Central rivals will face the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. Neither team has announced its Game 5 starting pitcher yet.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols has met with the Los Angeles Angels about returning to their dugout as their next manager, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels aren’t publicly discussing their search for a successor to Ron Washington, who wasn’t brought back after two seasons. Pujols met with general manager Perry Minasian in St. Louis, and the iconic slugger appears to be the current front-runner to take over the Angels in what would be his first in-season major league coaching job of any kind.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending single in the 15th inning, and the Seattle Mariners advanced to the AL Championship Series by outlasting the Detroit Tigers for a 3-2 victory in the longest winner-take-all postseason game in baseball history. With one out and the bases loaded, Polanco drove in J.P. Crawford with a liner to right off Tommy Kahnle. Crawford hit a leadoff single, Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch and Julio Rodríguez was intentionally walked before Polanco’s big swing on the 472nd pitch of the epic game.A’ja Wilson has achieved an unprecedented season in the WNBA. She won the MVP award and scoring title, and helped the Las Vegas Aces secure a championship while earning the Finals MVP. While NBA stars like Michael Jordan have achieved similar feats, none did so while also being the defensive player of the year, a title Wilson shared this season. Wilson’s stats are remarkable, with 31 points in the title-clinching game and setting records for points and rebounds. At 29, she has more total points and rebounds before turning 30 than any other WNBA player.A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are in rarified air. The franchise won its third WNBA championship in four seasons, completing a sweep of Phoenix in the best-of-seven Finals on Friday night. Only Houston has done better over a four-season span, winning the first four titles in WNBA history from 1997-2000. Wilson became the first player to win the regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. Whether Las Vegas can keep its run going depends a lot on how the negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement go. Most of the Aces are free agents.MILWAUKEE (AP) — Working as a starting pitcher in the NL Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers has been one tough job. Twenty-one of the 35 runs in the series have been scored in the first inning. The series concludes on Saturday night with a winner-take-all Game 5 to determine which of these NL Central rivals will face the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. Neither team has announced its Game 5 starting pitcher yet.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols has met with the Los Angeles Angels about returning to their dugout as their next manager, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels aren’t publicly discussing their search for a successor to Ron Washington, who wasn’t brought back after two seasons. Pujols met with general manager Perry Minasian in St. Louis, and the iconic slugger appears to be the current front-runner to take over the Angels in what would be his first in-season major league coaching job of any kind.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Folarin Balogun scores in the 71st minute, helping the United States secure a 1-1 tie against Ecuador in a friendly. Enner Valencia scored in the first half for Ecuador. Balogun's goal is his seventh in 20 international appearances. The 16th-ranked Americans have one win in their last nine games against top 25 opponents since March 2024. They play Australia on Tuesday in Colorado. Ecuador, ranked 24th, extended its team-record unbeaten streak to 12 games. American star Christian Pulisic didn't start due to a sore ankle but entered in the 73rd minute.DENTON, Texas (AP) — Byrum Brown accounted for five touchdowns, Jhalyn Shuler returned a fumble 34 yards for South Florida's fourth TD in span of 3 1/2 minutes and the 24th-ranked Bulls beat North Texas 63-36. It was the first loss this season for the 5-1 Mean Green. The 5-1 Bulls overcame three first-quarter turnovers and tied the game at 21-all with 2 seconds left before halftime. They then scored had three quick scores after the break, and two of those TDs coming off North Texas turnovers. The Mean Green hadn’t gone this deep into a season without a loss since a 5-0 start in 1959.The NFL has initiated a review of the concussion protocol used for New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart on Thursday night in the team's game against Philadelphia. Cameras caught coach Brian Daboll looking into the injury tent while Dart was being evaluated. Daboll admitted he was impatient and apologized to the Giants' head physician for being in the wrong. The league's chief medical officer said in a preseason media tour of medical facilities that only specific personnel are allowed in the tent during evaluations.SHANGHAI (AP) — Two cousins will meet in the final of the Shanghai Open after qualifier Valentin Vacherot stunned a hobbled Novak Djokovic and relative Arthur Rinderknech fought back to beat Daniil Medvedev. The 204th-ranked Vacherot earned the biggest win of his career by downing Djokovic 6-3, 6-4. A couple of hours after beating Djokovic, Vacherot walked onto the court and hugged Rinderknech to help celebrate his cousin's 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback over Medvedev and relish the rare moment. Rinderknech says “In the best dreams, we couldn’t have dreamt about this."SEATTLE (AP) — Tarik Skubal was terrific. And he was long gone when the season ended for the Detroit Tigers. Skubal struck out 13 in six dominant innings in Game 5 of the AL Division Series at Seattle. But the Tigers were eliminated when Jorge Polanco singled home J.P. Crawford in the 15th inning, giving the Mariners a 3-2 victory. Skubal did his part with Detroit on the brink of the franchise’s first appearance in the AL Championship Series since 2013. The ace left-hander allowed one run and two hits in what turned into baseball’s longest winner-take-all postseason game by innings.FinalsAMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal Seattle 3 Detroit&nbsp;2TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(24)South Florida	63	North Texas	36