Sports
UCLA faces tall task against host No. 7 Penn State
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (13) carries the ball in the fourth quarter of a Big Ten football game against Illinois, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in State College, Pa. UCLA coach DeShaun Foster knew to anticipate facing a physical, defensive-oriented style of play with the Bruins’ transition to the Big Ten Conference, and Saturday’s visit to State College, Pa., to face No. 7 Penn State promises exactly that.
Bruins first-year coach Foster shows his team classic heavyweight boxing matches in the lead-up to game day. UCLA (1-3, 0-2 Big Ten) will need to be able to absorb some haymakers from a Penn State defense that has been one of the nation’s best through the first month of the 2024 season.
The Nittany Lions (4-0, 1-0) head into the first meeting between Penn State and UCLA since 1968 having allowed just seven points over the last two games. Most recently, they wore down then-No. 19 Illinois en route to a 21-7 win last Saturday.
Penn State allowed just 219 total yards of offense to Illinois, including 34 rushing yards. In overwhelming the Illini’s ground game, Penn State improved to a 72-yard per game defensive rushing yield and ranks seventh nationally against the run.
Opponents are averaging a mere 2.3 yards per carry against the Nittany Lions. Meanwhile, UCLA’s 57 rushing yards per game ranks towards the bottom among all FBS offenses through Week 5.
“It’s mostly the details,” Foster said of UCLA’s offensive struggles. “We’ve had too many penalties. … We’re working on that right now. Play within yourself. Don’t get out there and try to do something out of the ordinary or that you weren’t coached to do.”
The Bruins have yet to reach the century mark on the ground in any game this season, peaking with 96 in a 42-13 Big Ten-opening loss Week 3 to Indiana. UCLA’s rushing low came in Week 4 when the Bruins managed just 14 yards in a 34-17 loss at LSU.
Inability to establish an effective rushing threat is a primary cause for the Bruins having yet to score more than 17 points in any of four outings in 2024. UCLA has also sputtered against an exceedingly challenging early-season schedule.
With the Sept. 21 visit to LSU and Big Ten home contests against Indiana and last Saturday’s 34-13 loss to Oregon, Penn State marks the Bruins’ fourth consecutive opponent ranked in the AP Top 25. Indiana entered the poll on Sunday at No. 23.
But while Penn State is ranked seventh and undefeated, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin sees considerable room for improvement as his team approaches the meat of conference play, and in an area where UCLA has also struggled.
“The obvious one we haven’t got corrected yet is penalties,” Franklin said. “It’s making things harder than it needs to be. … The fans don’t want to keep hearing me talk about it, we just need to get it fixed.”
Penn State is averaging 66 yards of penalty yardage per game. Franklin said the six flags for 63 yards racked up against Illinois allowed the Illini to dictate the tone of the game until late in the second half, especially in limiting the Nittany Lions offense.
UCLA, meanwhile, is averaging 75 yards in penalties a contest.
Being behind the chains some on offense has not hindered Penn State’s rushing attack too much, however. Nicholas Singleton is carrying for 102 yards per game and a whopping 7.7 per rush to lead the Nittany Lions.
–Field Level Media
Sports
D.C. United, with help from Toronto, get in win column
Jul 25, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; D.C. United goalkeeper Sean Johnson (1) plays the ball against the Toronto FC during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Tai Baribo scored on a penalty kick in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time to give D.C. United a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday in Washington.
Baribo’s game-winner came after Toronto’s Jackson Gilman was called for tripping Andre Dozzell in the middle of the penalty box. The call came on a VAR review.
Baribo’s penalty shot was low and inside the left post, out of the reach of Toronto keeper Luka Gavran, who finished with six saves. It was Baribo’s 10th goal this season.
Against his former team, Sean Johnson had six saves as D.C. United (5-5-7, 22 points) snapped a five-match winless streak, which included ties in their previous three games.
D.C. also enhanced its position in the MLS Eastern Conference standings after entering the match holding the bottom rung of the playoff ladder.
Theo Corbeanu scored in the 76th minute for Toronto (3-7-7, 16 points), which also was victimized by an own goal as its winless streak reached 11 games.
D.C. United extended Toronto’s winless streak in Washington to 10 games as well, with the Reds’ last win in D.C. coming in 2016.
D.C. worked for several quality opportunities in the first half before finally cashing in off a corner kick. From the right side, Keisuke Kurokawa sent an in-swinger into the goal area.
Toronto’s Kobe Franklin rose amid a pack of players and inadvertently headed his attempt to clear just inside the left post in the 41st minute.
D.C. United center back Kye Rowles was initially credited with the score before officials switched it to an own goal.
Toronto had difficulty breaking through against Johnson. But after the 37-year-old made two brilliant saves in the second half, the Reds finally cashed in.
The opportunity came after D.C. defender Matti Peltola was called for a foul just outside the penalty box. Walker Zimmerman crossed to Jonathan Osorio, whose header from close range was blocked by Johnson.
But the rebound came to Corbeanu in the middle of the box and his left-footed shot hit the top middle of the net.
It was the first goal for the Reds after playing two scoreless draws following the World Cup pause.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alan Roden provides only runs in Twins' low-scoring defeat of A's
Jul 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) throws to the Athletics in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Alan Roden delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning, and that was all the Minnesota Twins needed for a 2-0 win over the Athletics on Saturday evening in Minneapolis.
Ryan Kreidler doubled and stole a base for Minnesota, which evened the series at one win apiece. The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
Jeff McNeil accounted for two of the Athletics’ three hits with a pair of doubles.
Twins left-hander Taylor Rogers (6-3) earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Rogers followed starter Kendrys Rojas, who allowed one hit in four scoreless innings.
Athletics right-hander Mason Barnett (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez fired a scoreless ninth to pick up his 13th save.
After five scoreless innings, Minnesota had runners on second and third with one out in the sixth when Barnett got Victor Caratini to pop out to shallow left field for the second out of the inning.
Roden stepped to the plate and delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field. He pumped his fist as his line-drive hit found an opening between first and second base and allowed Josh Bell and Royce Lewis to score standing up.
The Athletics tried to mount a comeback in the top of the eighth.
Twins reliever Andrew Morris walked the leadoff hitter, Lawrence Butler. Morris snared a one-hop comebacker by Jacob Wilson in the next at-bat and wheeled toward second base to try to start a double play, but his throw sailed wide into right-center field.
Morris’ throwing error put runners at second and third with nobody out. He settled down after a visit from Twins pitching coach Pete Maki and retired the next three batters by striking out Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom and getting Jonah Heim to ground out to short.
That proved to be the Athletics’ last chance to tie or take the lead as they went down 1-2-3 in the ninth, finishing 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranding seven on base.
-Field Level Media
Sports
Hunter Brown in control, Astros down White Sox for 5th straight
Jul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown (58) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Hunter Brown allowed two hits over seven shutout innings and Isaac Paredes drove in three runs to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-1 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
Jeremy Pena was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Paredes 2-for 4 for the Astros, who have won five straight, including the first two of the three-game weekend series.
The White Sox, who managed five hits, have lost three of their last four.
They threatened in the eighth with runners on second and third and two out, but reliever Bennett Sousa replaced Bryan Abreu and got pinch hitter Randall Grichuk on a pop up to first.
After Colson Montgomery’s RBI single in the ninth, Josh Hader came in to get the last two outs for his 12th save.
Brown (2-1) finished strong, setting down 12 consecutive batters from the fourth through seventh innings. The right-hander did not walk a batter and struck out seven as he fired 60 strikes in 90 pitches.
Chicago starter Sean Burke (7-5) surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits in six innings with a walk and 10 strikeouts.
It was a 0-0 pitcher’s duel through five with Burke also retiring 12 in a row, from the second through the fifth, but heading for trouble.
The streak was broken when Burke hit Cam Smith leading off the sixth. Pena’s single and a walk to Yordan Alvarez loaded the bases. Paredes then grounded a single to right that got past right fielder Braden Montgomery for an error that also allowed Alvarez to score, for a 3-0 Houston lead, and Paredes to reach third.
Burke then limited the damage by getting Jose Altuve on a groundout and striking out LaMonte Wade Jr. and Christian Walker.
Paredes added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 4-0.
White Sox left fielder Sam Antonnaci robbed Paredes, who was leading off the fourth, of a likely home run with a leaping catch of Paredes’ long drive by pulling the ball in just above the fence.
–Field Level Media
