Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer analyses how the link up between Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford proved to be a “constant threat” for Manchester United in their 2-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League at Old Trafford.
Juan Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the ALCS on Saturday night.
Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.
The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NLCS is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
In the 10th, Austin Wells walked with one out and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.
Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.
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“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” Soto said.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who took care of the Guardians in five games, but it wasn’t easy.
New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.
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The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.
Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.
Former Dundee United, Wolves and Leeds left-back Barry Douglas, 35, is set for a trial period with St Johnstone. (The Courier), external
Hibs head coach David Gray said captain Joe Newell was “very disappointed in himself” for receiving a late red card as his side were beaten at Tannadice despite taking a 2-1 lead into stoppage time. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Former Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew reckons “forward thinking” Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney would make a good manager for the national side in the future. (Scotsman), external
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Kenny McLean insists he’ll “never show that disappointment” when not selected to play for Scotland and the Norwich midfielder is determined to maintain his run in the team after four consecutive starts. (The Herald, external – subscription)
Liverpool legend Alan Hansen was a guest at first club Partick Thistle yesterday, his first public appearance since a serious illness over the summer. (Scottish Sun), external
Reaching 1000 games as a manager remains an ambition for 60-year-od Ian McCall, who is on the 956 mark after leaving Clyde. (Sunday Mail), external
In the first season of the 16-team SEC, the league has shown to be even more difficult than we thought it might be. It’s not just that Alabama upset Georgia back in Week 5 to achieve the No. 1 ranking. It’s that Vanderbilt upset then-No. 1-ranked Alabama. It’s that the next best team in the SEC — not the best team in the Big Ten, Big 12 or ACC, who all have undefeated teams in their leagues — received the nod as the No. 1 team in the country.
There have been three No. 1 teams in the first eight weeks of the season, and they all hail from the same conference: S-E-C! However, with Georgia’s 30-15 win against Texas, we’re liable to see the Associated Press ranking catch up with me and rank Oregon, currently sitting at 7-0 with a win at home against an exceptional Ohio State team, as the new consensus No. 1 team in America.
However … There is an argument for Georgia taking back the No. 1 ranking it held to start the season, and it begins with the Bulldogs going on the road to secure a double-digit victory over the Longhorns. That is the best in the country. The 15-point win on the Forty Acres stands above Oregon’s one-point win over Ohio State at Autzen, and the Bulldogs accomplished the feat with quarterback Carson Beck throwing three interceptions and completing just 23 of 41 passes for 175 yards with zero touchdowns.
Georgia’s win over Texas was a dominant and vintage Kirby Smart defensive performance, where Texas could do next to nothing for two quarters and trailed UGA 23-0 at halftime. This while the Dawgs have not played a complete game on offense, defense or special teams this season.
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But winning must be respected, and losing must be punished. So, Oregon is the No. 1 team here — for now. But watch out if this Georgia team finds a way to play complete football.
Georgia, even at No. 2, feels inevitable once again.
With that, here’s a look at my top 25 rankings following Week 8 of the college football season:
The Ducks showed no signs of a hangover following their 32-31 win against Ohio State last week, making light work of the Boilermakers. Dillon Gabriel was scarily efficient, completing 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
No. 2 Oregon Ducks vs. Purdue Boilermakers Highlights
Georgia has yet to play a perfect game in all three phases, but good teams find ways to win big games, and that’s exactly what Kirby Smart’s team did on Saturday. While Carson Beck struggled throughout, Trevor Etienne picked up the slack, rushing for three touchdowns in the win over the No. 1-ranked team in America.
Texas is a good football team, but the SEC is simply too deep for teams to come out of this league unblemished. Quinn Ewers threw for 211 yards with two touchdowns and a pick, while Georgia’s defense held Texas to just 29 yards on the ground. The Longhorns have now lost their last five home games against top-five opponents.
Canes quarterback Cam Ward completed 21 of 32 passes with four passing touchdowns in a rollicking defeat of the Cardinals. Miami has now scored 50 points or more in four games this season, which is the most by any Canes team in a single season.
The Tigers have looked like the best-positioned challenger to Miami’s dominance, outside of undefeated Pitt. Since losing to Georgia 34-3 back in Week 1, they’ve scored 40 or more in five of their last six games.
Following an interception that looked every bit like being returned for a backbreaking touchdown, UCF defensive back Braeden Marshall needlessly dropped the ball before breaking the plane and left Iowa State a chance to mount a comeback. That’s exactly what Rocco Becht and the Cyclones did.
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UCF’s Braeden Marshall intercepts a pass but DROPS the ball at the 1-yard line vs. Iowa State
In a gritty win, Becht threw for 274 yards and ran for 97 with three total TDs to keep Iowa State undefeated.
This team feels like 2022 Texas Christian. Are the Cougars perfect? Well, their record says they are. And they’re certainly one of the two best teams in the Big 12, and that will be good enough to get them into the College Football Playoff.
LSU tailback Caden Durham rushed for 101 yards with three touchdowns in a game that the Tigers broke open late in the second half. They maintain their unbeaten streak in SEC play and will face another undefeated SEC foe in Texas A&M on Saturday.
Riding tailback Dylan Sampson, who rushed for more than 100 yards in the second half alone, the Vols beat their hated rival for just the second time in 18 years. With the win, Tennessee keeps its SEC title and CFP hopes alive.
The Hoosiers are one of just three undefeated teams left in the Big Ten, and they look like a legitimate threat to play in the Big Ten championship. Indiana has not trailed an opponent in any game it has played this season.
The Fighting Irish came back from a 7-0 deficit for the second time in as many weeks to grab a win. Without Haynes King at quarterback, the Yellow Jackets leaned on Zach Pyron, who completed 20 of 36 passes for 269 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Notre Dame’s defense bowed up and held Georgia Tech scoreless in the second and third quarters.
The Aggies held on to defeat the Bulldogs and keep their undefeated SEC season intact. Texas A&M is now one of just two programs in the league yet to take a loss in conference play. The Aggies’ only loss this season was to a top-25 Notre Dame team.
The Tigers scored a touchdown with 46 seconds left in the game to seal a comeback win against Auburn. With the victory, not only did Missouri maintain its place in this set of rankings, but it also remains on the bubble for the CFP. Mizzou trailed Auburn 17-6 in the fourth quarter before its comeback.
Kansas State is off to its first 6-1 start since 2014 following an impressive win over West Virginia. With WVU selling out to stop DJ Giddens and the Wildcat rushing attack, quarterback Avery Johnson completed 19 of 29 passes for 298 yards with three touchdowns.
Kansas State’s Avery Johnson connects with Jadon Jackson on an ELECTRIC 60-yard TD vs. West Virginia
The win marked the Illini’s first victory against Michigan since 2009 and their third against a team that has been ranked in the top 25. They handed Michigan a second loss in as many Saturdays, marking the first time since 2020 that the Wolverines have lost back-to-back games.
After earning the No. 1 ranking following a win over Georgia, the Tide have now dropped two of their last three — both losses coming against programs from the state of Tennessee — and might be the only No. 1-ranked team after the season began not to make the CFP.
Along with Miami, Clemson and Pitt, the Mustangs are undefeated in conference play. Kevin Jennings passed for more than 300 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a rout of the Cardinal.
The Midshipmen led Charlotte 38-0 — with 10:24 left in the second quarter. The win was marked by three passing touchdowns from quarterback Blake Horvath and two interceptions returned for TDs by Dashaun Peele, who is the first Navy player ever to perform that feat in a game.
The Buffaloes are 5-2 for the first time since 2005 and look like a latecomer to a Big 12 title-contending party with a signature win against Arizona on the road. One where it played the second half without Travis Hunter.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young.
Trevor Etienne ran for three touchdowns, the first two set up by cornerback Daylen Everette’s takeaways, and fifth-ranked Georgia went on to beat Quinn Ewers and No. 1 Texas 30-15 on Saturday night.
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Etienne’s last score was a 1-yard plunge on fourth down with 12:04 left. That came right after an ugly sequence when Texas fans littered the field with water bottles and other trash after referees called a pass-interference penalty that initially wiped out an interception and long return, before the flag was picked up and set up a Longhorns TD.
Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference), which began the season at No. 1, has won three in a row since a 41-34 loss at then-No. 4 Alabama, when the Bulldogs overcame a 28-0 deficit and went ahead late during an exchange of long TD passes.
The Bulldogs never trailed in their first trip to Austin since 1958 to take on the SEC newcomer that had gotten through the first half of its schedule pretty much unscathed.
Texas (6-1, 2-1) won at reigning national champion Michigan in Week 2 and had been behind for less than four minutes all season before Saturday night against the team that won back-to-back national titles before the Wolverines.
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The 15-point loss was the most lopsided for a No. 1 team at home since Notre Dame’s 31-16 win at Pittsburgh in 1982, according to Sportradar, when Dan Marino was the Panthers quarterback.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck improved to 19-2 as a starter, including a 7-2 mark against ranked teams. He was 23-of-41 for 175 yards and finished with three interceptions, though Texas didn’t get anything out of the two he threw in the first quarter. The Longhorns had only 38 yards total when trailing 23-0 at halftime.
Jahdae Barron’s pick and 36-yard return late in the third quarter came after contact with Arian Smith that drew a pass interference penalty. Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was irate at officials, then went to the far corner of the field where students sit, signaling for them to quit throwing things.
As the debris was being picked up, officials were discussing the play and picked up the flag. Two plays later, Ewers threw a 17-yard touchdown to Jaydon Blue to get the Longhorns to 23-15.
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Ewers completed 25 of 43 passes for 211 yards.
Everette’s blindside sack late in the first quarter jarred loose the ball from Ewers, and the defender recovered at the Texas 13 after several of his teammates had tried to pick up the fumble. That led to Etienne’s 2-yard TD for a 7-0 lead.
A 15-yard TD run by Etienne, with a late lunge into the end zone, made it 17-0 after Everette stepped in front of a receiver for an interception at the Texas 34.
Peyton Woodring kicked three field goals before halftime for Georgia, the last a 44-yarder as time expired after freshman Arch Manning, in for a second series, fumbled while being sacked.
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The takeaway
Georgia: The defense set the tone for the Dawgs, including seven sacks and forcing four turnovers that Georgia turned into 17 points.
Texas: This was the Longhorns’ biggest test so far in the SEC, and it turned into a jarring reminder of how difficult things can be in their new league. The Longhorns have lost their last five home games against top-five opponents, since a win over No. 3 Nebraska in 1999 when they were in the Big 12 together.
Poll implications
Texas will fall out of the No. 1 spot, it is just a matter of how far. Oregon (6-0) is likely to take over at the top from No. 2, but Georgia could possibly replace the Ducks there. No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State, whose only loss was at Oregon, were both off this weekend.
Up next
Georgia: Faces Florida on Nov. 2 in their annual game in Jacksonville, Florida.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola says his team played “a very, very good game” as the home side secure a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Premier League at the Vitality Stadium.
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