Sports
Top 25 roundup: No. 4 Alabama edges No. 2 Georgia in wild contest
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Members of the Alabama Crimson Tide defensive celebrate after a pass interception by defensive back Zabien Brown (2) to seal a victory over the Georgia Bulldogs during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more and Zabien Brown made a game-saving interception as No. 4 Alabama recorded a wild 41-34 victory over No. 2 Georgia on Saturday night in a Southeastern Conference showdown at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Alabama blew a 28-point second-quarter lead and fell behind late before notching the winning points on Milroe’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams with 2:18 remaining. Brown’s interception of Carson Beck in the end zone with 43 seconds left secured the victory.
It was the Crimson Tide’s ninth win in the past 10 meetings with the Bulldogs.
Milroe completed 27 of 33 passes for 374 yards and one interception and rushed for 117 yards on 16 attempts to fuel the Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0 SEC). Williams caught six passes for 177 yards, Germie Bernard rushed for a touchdown and Jamarion Miller caught one for Alabama.
Beck threw three second-half touchdown passes and finished 27-of-50 passing for 439 yards and three interceptions to go along with a lost fumble for Georgia (3-1, 1-1), which had its 42-game regular-season winning streak halted.
No. 1 Texas 35, Mississippi State 13
Arch Manning passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns, both to DeAndre Moore Jr., and ran for another score to defeat the Bulldogs in Austin, Texas, in the Longhorns’ first Southeastern Conference game as a member of the league.
The Longhorns (5-0, 1-0 SEC) sputtered a bit in their second week as the nation’s top-ranked team, but they turned it on late. Manning started for the second consecutive game in place of erstwhile starter Quinn Ewers. Manning finished 26-of-31 and connected with 10 receivers. Moore Jr. had four of those receptions for 103 yards.
True freshman Michael Van Buren Jr. passed for 144 yards and ran for a TD in his starting debut at quarterback for Mississippi State (1-4, 0-2 SEC). Johnnie Daniels rushed for 75 yards on 15 carries for the Bulldogs, who lost their fourth straight game.
No. 3 Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7
Jeremiah Smith ran for a touchdown and made two spectacular catches in the first half as the Buckeyes defeated the Spartans in East Lansing, Mich.
Quarterback Will Howard tossed two touchdowns and added a rushing score for the Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten). After his 19-yard rushing score midway through the second quarter, Smith, the No. 1 ranked recruit in the 2024 class, produced a pair of highlight-reel catches to help Ohio State take a 24-7 halftime lead.
Smith’s touchdown catch in the second quarter came from backup Devin Brown, who had entered the game after Howard was hurt. Howard re-entered the game in the third quarter and finished 21 of 31 for 244 yards with an interception. Aidan Chiles was 13 of 19 for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Spartans (3-2, 1-1).
Kentucky 20, No. 6 Ole Miss 17
Brock Vandagriff completed a 63-yard pass on fourth down, Josh Kattus scored the game-winner on a fumble recovery, and the Wildcats shocked the host Rebels in Oxford, Miss.
With Kentucky trailing 17-13 with 3:51 left and backed up at its own 20, Vandagriff heaved a 63-yarder to Barion Brown. Gavin Wimsatt then fumbled on a keeper and tight end Kattus caught the ball and fell two yards for the winning TD with 2:25 left. Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis hooked a 48-yard field goal with 48 seconds left that would have forced overtime.
In their first road game this season, the 17-point underdog Wildcats (3-2, 1-2 SEC) won for the first time in Oxford since 1978. Vandagriff was 18 of 28 for a career-high 243 yards with a touchdown. Dane Key caught eight passes for 105 yards and a score. The FBS’ top-scoring squad at 55 points per game, Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1) saw Jaxson Dart go 18 of 27 for 261 yards and a TD, with receiver Tre Harris notching 176 yards and a score on 11 receptions.
No. 8 Oregon 34, UCLA 13
Dillon Gabriel completed 31 of 41 passes for 280 yards with three touchdown passes, and the Ducks cruised to their first Big Ten victory in school history, a win over the Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Tez Johnson caught two of Gabriel’s touchdowns, one for 52 yards in the second quarter and another for 12 yards early in the fourth quarter that sealed the Ducks’ fifth consecutive win over UCLA and 11th in the past 12 meetings with their former Pac-12 rivals. Oregon (4-0,1-0 Big Ten) improved to 16-3 against UCLA since 2000.
Jordan James had 103 yards on 20 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown run, while Gabriel moved into second place in NCAA career total yards with 17,168. UCLA (1-3, 0-2) lost its third straight game. The Ducks racked up 433 yards of total offense and held the Bruins to 172. UCLA was just 1-of-10 on third downs and ran 30 fewer plays than the Ducks.
No. 9 Penn State 21, No. 19 Illinois 7
Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen each rushed for second-half touchdowns as the Nittany Lions toppled the Fighting Illini in State College, Pa., in a battle of Big Ten Conference unbeatens.
Singleton snapped a 7-7 tie by rushing for a 4-yard score on Penn State’s first drive of the second half, capping a 12-play march that lasted more than six minutes. Allen added the clinching touchdown on a 5-yard run up the middle with 1:55 left in the game. Drew Allar hit 15 of 21 passes for 135 yards for the Nittany Lions (4-1, 1-0).
Luke Altmyer completed 16 of 25 passes for 185 yards and a score for Illinois (4-1, 1-1) while being sacked seven times.
Arizona 23, No. 10 Utah 10
Noah Fifita threw a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and the Wildcats’ defense came up with four fourth-down stops as they won their Big 12 debut by upsetting the Utes in Salt Lake City.
Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) — which was previously 5-32-1 all-time against AP Top 10 teams on the road — was up by six points in the fourth quarter when Fifita rolled right and threw deep into the end zone for Keyan Burnett for a 23-10 lead with 8:13 left.
The Wildcats stopped the Utes (4-1, 1-1) in the red zone on their first two drives. Utah also turned the ball over on downs late in the third after reaching the Arizona 44 when trailing 16-3. And a fourth-and-13 pass came up short at the Utah 38 with 5:15 left. Utah, which had won 33 of its past 35 home games, was playing its third game without starting quarterback Cam Rising (finger). Freshman Isaac Wilson stepped in again, completing 20 of 40 passes for 280 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
No. 12 Michigan 27, Minnesota 24
Kalel Mullings rushed 24 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolverines hung on to beat the Golden Gophers in Big Ten Conference play at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Alex Orji hit 10 of 18 attempts for 86 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Michigan (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten), which led 24-3 entering the fourth quarter. Mullings scored the Wolverines’ first two touchdowns and Dominic Zvada made two field goals, the latter for a 27-17 lead with 4:33 left.
Max Brosmer completed 27 of 40 passes for 258 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Minnesota (2-3). Darius Taylor rushed for two of the Golden Gophers’ three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
No. 13 USC 38, Wisconsin 21
Miller Moss threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth as the Trojans outscored the Badgers 28-0 in the second half in Los Angeles to record their first-ever Big Ten Conference win.
Moss tossed two of his touchdowns after halftime, including a go-ahead, 8-yard score to Duce Robinson late in the third quarter. The redshirt junior quarterback finished 30-of-45 passing for 308 yards with an interception for USC (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten). Ja’Kobi Lane hauled in 10 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Braedyn Locke was 13-of-26 for 180 yards with a touchdown and the interception in his first start for Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1). He was replacing Tyler Van Dyke, who sustained a torn ACL in the Badgers’ Sept. 14 loss to Alabama.
No. 14 LSU 42, South Alabama 10
Garrett Nussmeier had two touchdown passes and a pair of touchdown runs as the Tigers defeated the Jaguars in a nonconference game in Baton Rouge, La.
Freshman Caden Durham had 128 rushing yards and a touchdown on just seven carries and 89 receiving yards and a touchdown on three catches for LSU (4-1) before sitting out the second half with a foot injury.
South Alabama (2-3), which came into the game averaging 504 yards and 48.3 points per game, finished with 333 total yards compared with 667 for LSU.
No. 16 Notre Dame 31, No. 15 Louisville 24
Riley Leonard passed for two touchdowns and ran for one more, and the Fighting Irish held off the Cardinals in South Bend, Ind.
Leonard completed 17 of 23 passes for 163 yards for Notre Dame (4-1), which avenged a loss at Louisville one season ago. Leonard also rushed 13 times for 52 yards.
Tyler Shough completed 24 of 41 passes for 264 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for Louisville (3-1). Ja’Corey Brooks caught two touchdown passes and Isaac Brown hauled in the other one.
No. 17 Clemson 40, Stanford 14
Cade Klubnik threw touchdown passes to three different receivers over a 5:33 span bridging the third and fourth quarters, helping the Tigers pull away from the visiting Cardinal for an Atlantic Coast Conference football victory.
Klubnik finished with four touchdown passes and a 34-yard TD run for the Tigers (3-1, 2-0 ACC), who have outscored opponents 165-69 since a 34-3 opening loss to Georgia.
Micah Ford rushed 15 times for a game-high 122 yards for Stanford (2-2, 1-1), which was playing on the East Coast for the second consecutive week in its first two ACC games.
No. 18 Iowa State 20, Houston 0
Rocco Becht completed 17 of 28 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown, and the Cyclones earned a shutout on the road over the Cougars.
Abu Sama III finished with 11 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown for Iowa State (4-0). The Cyclones’ defense limited the Cougars to 241 total yards and stopped nine of 10 third-down attempts.
Stacy Sneed had 10 carries for 79 yards to lead Houston (1-4). Cougars quarterback Donovan Smith completed 8 of 12 passes for 71 yards and an interception.
No. 23 Kansas State 42, No. 20 Oklahoma State 20
Avery Johnson accounted for five touchdowns as the Wildcats dismantled the Cowboys in a pivotal Big 12 matchup in Manhattan, Kan.
Johnson was 19-of-31 for 259 yards and three touchdowns passing. He added two touchdowns on the ground. DJ Giddens rushed for 187 yards on just 15 carries (12.5 yards per rush) for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), who outgained Oklahoma State 300-126 on the ground.
The Cowboys (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) were hurt by three turnovers by Alan Bowman. Bowman threw for 364 yards, but he had two picks and lost a fumble.
No. 21 Oklahoma 27, Auburn 21
Kip Lewis returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter as the Sooners rallied to beat the Tigers in an SEC matchup in Auburn, Ala.
With just over four minutes remaining and Auburn leading 21-16, Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne looked to Cam Coleman over the middle before throwing his only interception of the game. Coleman nearly chased Lewis down, but the Sooners linebacker dove for the end zone, giving Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1) its first lead since the second quarter.
Thorne finished 21 of 32 for 338 and three touchdowns. The interception was his sixth of the season. Michael Hawkins Jr., making his first career start after replacing a struggling Jackson Arnold in last week’s loss to Tennessee, finished 10 of 15 for 161 yards and ran for 69 yards and a touchdown.
No. 22 BYU 34, Baylor 28
The Cougars took an early three-touchdown lead before holding off the Bears in Waco, Texas, to win and achieve their first road victory in the Big 12 in their second year in the conference.
The Cougars (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) withstood a comeback attempt by Baylor (2-3, 0-2) after taking a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. BYU’s Jake Retzlaff was 17 of 31 for 216 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Retzlaff’s top target, Darius Lassiter, had eight receptions for 120 yards with a touchdown.
Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson completed 27 of 48 pass attempts for 324 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Josh Cameron finished with seven receptions for 125 yards with two touchdowns.
No. 24 Texas A&M 21, Arkansas 17
Marcel Reed accounted for three scores and remained perfect as starting quarterback for the Aggies, who topped the rival Razorbacks in the final Southwest Classic held in Arlington, Texas.
Reed went 11-for-22 for 163 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score. He is 3-0 filling in for Conner Weigman (shoulder sprain). Noah Thomas caught six passes for 109 yards and a score as Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC) improved to 12-1 in the past 13 series meetings.
Taylen Green was 23 of 41 for 279 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Arkansas (3-2, 1-1). The SEC’s leading rusher at 118 yards per game, Ja’Quinden Jackson, had just 37 yards on 10 carries and a score. Isaac TeSlaa had five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.
No. 25 Boise State 45, Washington State 24
Ashton Jeanty rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries to lead the Broncos past the Cougars in nonconference play in Boise, Idaho.
Jeanty scored on runs of 64, 59, 14 and 2 yards while recording the third-best single-game yardage amount in Boise State (3-1) history. He set the school mark of 267 earlier this season against Georgia Southern, surpassing Cedric Minter (261 vs. Northern Michigan in 1978).
John Mateer was 26-of-37 passing for 327 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Washington State (4-1).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Twins end losing streak despite Jose Ramirez's return for Guradians
Jul 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (22) celebrates his three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Brooks Lee hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs and Trevor Larnach added a leadoff blast to go with three RBIs as the Minnesota Twins snapped their four-game losing streak with a 10-6 win over the host Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night.
Lee’s three-run shot occurred in the fourth inning, when Minnesota scored four times to seize a 7-3 lead against Guardians starter Slade Cecconi (4-7). Alex Jackson singled in Alan Roden with the go-ahead run, then came home with Luke Keaschall on the homer.
Seven-time All-Star Jose Ramirez had two hits, drove in two runs and scored once in his return from a broken left hamate bone for Cleveland. He had been on the injured list since fracturing his wrist on June 13 against the Detroit Tigers.
Travis Adams (2-0) picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief. The Twins had been outscored 34-9 in their previous four games, all on the road, before erupting for their highest-scoring performance since an 11-4 win July 4 at the New York Yankees.
Larnach’s two-run single off Matt Festa and Josh Bell’s RBI hit off Will Dion in the eighth pushed Minnesota’s lead out to 10-4. Kyle Manzardo had a solo homer and an RBI single in the final two frames for Cleveland.
The Guardians built a 3-1 advantage over the first two innings on RBI singles by Brayan Rocchio, Patrick Bailey and Ramirez. Minnesota erased it with a pair in the third on Lee’s RBI single and Bell’s RBI grounder.
All four Minnesota runs in the fourth were unearned thanks to a throwing error by Rocchio. Cecconi pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, striking out five with three walks.
Bailey Ober worked a season-low-tying four innings for the Twins, allowing four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk. First baseman Victor Caratini exited the game in the fifth after fouling a ball off his right knee.
–Field Level Media
Sports
D-backs, Cardinals pitchers ride hot streaks into clash
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (32) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 18, 2026. A pair of starting pitchers trending in the right direction will meet under unusual circumstance on Thursday afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a standalone game.
Previously an off day for both clubs, the meeting on Thursday will serve as a make-up for a game that was postponed due to weather on June 25. Arizona and St. Louis also met last week in Phoenix, with the Diamondbacks taking two of three games from the Cardinals.
Arizona will begin its road trip a day early before it departs for a three-city stretch in Washington, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The Diamondbacks are coming off a home series win against the Athletics, clinching the three-game set with a 15-5 victory on Wednesday.
On the mound, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (4-1, 4.58 ERA) will be in search of his fifth win in as many starts and his second against St. Louis in less than a week. Last time out, Pfaadt continued his impressive return to the starting rotation, throwing 5 1/3 innings of two-run, six-hit ball, striking out three in a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday.
After an uninspiring first three outings of the year led to a demotion to the bullpen, Pfaadt is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA in four starts since rejoining the starters on June 30.
“Just being aggressive, going out there and pitching to my strengths,” Pfaadt said of his recent improvement. “Commanding the ball, pounding the zone. I think that’s paid off for me.”
Pfaadt is 2-0 with a 3.99 ERA in five career starts against the Cardinals.
Former St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado, now in his first season with the Diamondbacks, is glad to see Pfaadt’s turnaround — and even happier that he no longer has to face the 27-year-old.
“He’s been phenomenal. Just a totally different pitcher,” Arenado said of Pfaadt. “The times I used to face him, it was never a comfortable at bat because he’s got so many pitches and he throws all of them to everybody. It’s just great to see him be competitive out there.”
The Cardinals mustered just four total runs in their most recent series, salvaging the three-game road set with the Los Angeles Angels with a 1-0 win on Wednesday.
St. Louis on Thursday will turn to right-hander Michael McGreevy (4-7, 2.92 ERA), who enters the game nearly as hot as his counterpart.
McGreevy has posted a 1.46 ERA in his past four starts, and has completed six innings in each of those outings. He faced Arizona on Friday, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits across 6 1/3 frames, striking out five batters and walking one in a no-decision. The Cardinals won 5-4.
“It was good to see; (McGreevy) did a really nice job,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “He made good pitches when he needed to. He consistently made the pitches and he’s done a good job for us.”
Making the 39th start of his major league career, the 26-year-old McGreevy will face the Diamondbacks for the second time.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals' Salvador Perez takes aim at franchise HR record vs. Tigers
Jul 22, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Salvador Perez (13) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants tying the all-time Royals team record for home runs with former infielder George Brett (not pictured) at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Salvador Perez hit his first home run for the Kansas City Royals nearly 15 years ago, and that milestone occurred against the American League Central rival Detroit Tigers.
The 36-year-old catcher still is with the Royals, and he’ll aim for the franchise home run record when he returns to Detroit for the opener of a four-game series on Thursday evening.
Perez blasted career home run No. 317 on Wednesday to spark a five-run rally in the seventh inning against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Kansas City held on for a 5-4 win to complete a three-game sweep before embarking on a 10-game trip.
The two-run blast cleared the center-field fence and landed in the fountain, prompting a fan to leap into the water in an attempt to retrieve the ball — only to be arrested and escorted out empty-handed.
“If I was him, I’d maybe jump too and try to get that ball,” Perez joked. “Thank you for the hard work trying to get that ball.”
Perez hit his first MLB home run in Detroit off young right-hander Max Scherzer on Aug. 29, 2011, helping the Royals to a 9-5 win.
Scherzer went on to become an eight-time All Star, while Perez was selected nine times.
“What he does, the way he goes about it, the passion with the way he plays the game, it’s unrivaled,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of Perez in an emotional news conference following the win on Wednesday. “The guy’s a Hall of Famer, and you’re getting to witness it.”
The Royals were trailing 3-0 on Wednesday when Perez came up with no outs in the seventh and Vinnie Pasquantino on second base. He waited on an 0-1 curve from Landen Roupp and launched it out of the park to tie George Brett’s franchise record.
Brett was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
“I’ve said it before,” Quatraro said. “My age (52), knowing of George as a fan, and anytime you’re in that breath, it’s awesome.”
Perez will be up against a young right-hander who hasn’t allowed a home run in his past three starts.
Troy Melton (5-1, 1.80 ERA) also has combined to allow just one earned run in those outings, which cover 17 1/3 innings.
Melton, 25, said he felt strong and rested coming out of the All-Star break. He then limited the Los Angeles Angels to one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 2-1 win last Friday in Anaheim, Calif.
He was one out from taking the loss, but the Tigers scored two runs with two outs in the ninth.
“The time off, I felt a little bit better than normal,” said Melton, who grew up a few miles from Anaheim. “The adrenaline of being home definitely plays into the factor as well.”
Melton made two relief appearances against Kansas City last season and allowed one run and five hits in a combined three innings.
The Tigers return home after winning four of six on the road coming out of the All-Star break, most recently 5-1 in the decisive contest of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday evening.
The Royals plan to start right-hander Randy Dobnak in the series opener on Thursday.
Dobnak (0-0, 1.93) is coming off his first MLB start in five years and he earned another opportunity after holding the visiting San Diego Padres to one run and four hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 6-1 win last Saturday.
Dobnak, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners last month for cash considerations., made 21 starts for the Minnesota Twins from 2019-21, but since then his MLB experience is limited to nine appearances over the past three seasons.
The 31-year-old has made five appearances against the Tigers in his career, including three starts, and is 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA.
–Field Level Media
Twins end losing streak despite Jose Ramirez's return for Guradians
D-backs, Cardinals pitchers ride hot streaks into clash
