Sports
No. 2 Georgia, with new starter at QB, faces No. 7 Notre Dame in Sugar Bowl
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) looks to throw a pass during overtime of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Georgia has had more time than Notre Dame to prepare for their College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night in New Orleans.
And that will come in handy for a team turning to an inexperienced quarterback with the season on the line.
Sophomore Gunner Stockton will start for the No. 2-seeded Bulldogs (11-2) against the No. 7-seeded Fighting Irish (12-1) after Carson Beck underwent season-ending surgery to repair an elbow injury suffered in the second quarter of the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 7.
Stockton replaced Beck and completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with an interception in Georgia’s 22-19 overtime win against Texas. The victory solidified a playoff bye and extra preparation time for the Bulldogs, though they didn’t know their opponent until almost two weeks later when Notre Dame advanced with a 27-17 first-round playoff victory against Indiana on Dec. 20 in South Bend, Ind.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the extra time helped Stockton by giving him added reps with the first team, though the Bulldogs’ game preparation was limited until they knew their opponent.
“I think the biggest thing (for Stockton) is just competition and practice, the situations we put him in,” Smart said. “All those things allow him to get better as a quarterback.”
Stockton has completed 25 of 32 passes for 206 yards and no touchdowns this season, with one interception. Freshman Nate Frazier leads the running game with 634 yards and eight TDs on 129 carries.
Irish coach Marcus Freeman said he and his staff have “80-something plays” of Stockton to study.
“He can run their offense,” Freeman said. “He does things a little bit differently. He can extend plays with his legs; he’s a good athlete. The thing I probably noticed most about him, he’s an ultra-competitive individual.”
Smart downplayed the possibility that Stockton’s running ability will lead to much difference in the Bulldogs’ game plan.
“We are who we are,” Smart said.
The flip side to the break between games is that Georgia will have had the equivalent of 3 1/2 byes while Notre Dame stayed sharp by winning its 11th consecutive game.
“It’s really just hard to manage how you keep your players in football shape and game shape,” Smart said. “Do you lose some rhythm? You watch it most times in bowl games, people that have those long breaks, it can affect how you play.”
Notre Dame, like fellow first-round winners Penn State, Ohio State and Texas, is adjusting to playing back-to-back postseason games as part of the 12-team CFP.
“Obviously, this is a first for me,” Freeman said. “You almost prepared for this first round like it was maybe even a bowl game-ish-type opportunity. But then you realize once the game was over, you get back to preparation. …
“In the playoffs, you’ve got to prepare in a way that gives your program the best opportunity to win. Put everything on the table and then, if you’re able to get the outcome you want, you’ve got to go right back to preparation.”
The Irish will go through the rest of the season without defensive tackle Rylie Mills because of a knee injury he suffered against Indiana.
“The value (Mills) provided this team is tremendous,” Freeman said. “And he’s done an excellent job as a football player and a leader.
“You’ve got to replace what he did for our defense in different ways. We have capable guys that will step up, that have stepped up all year that we’re very confident in.”
Mills had 7 1/2 sacks this season, and he and preseason All-American Howard Cross III helped the defense overcome the loss of another preseason All-American, cornerback Benjamin Morrison, who sustained a season-ending hip injury in October.
Cross missed the final three regular-season games because of a high ankle sprain but returned against Indiana.
On offense, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard has thrown for 2,293 yards and 17 touchdowns against six interceptions, and Jeremiyah Love averages 7.4 yards per carry, posting 1,057 rushing yards and 16 TDs on 142 attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lenyn Sosa's late clutch hit lifts Jays over skidding Angels
Apr 21, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) beats the tag of Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe (14) to score during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Pinch hitter Lenyn Sosa drilled a tiebreaking two-run double during a three-run eighth inning to propel the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night at Anaheim, Calif.
Eloy Jimenez had two RBIs and Vladimir Guerrero scored twice for the Blue Jays, who defeated the Angels for the second straight night and matched their season best of three straight wins.
Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho had two hits apiece for Toronto. Louie Varland entered to induce a game-ending double play with the bases loaded for his first career save.
Oswald Peraza had two hits and a run for the Angels, who had just five hits overall. Los Angeles has scored just six runs during a season-worst four-game losing streak.
Clement’s one-out double inside the left field line got the decisive uprising going against Drew Pomeranz (0-2) in the eighth. Guerrero was walked intentionally and Sosa came up and ripped a 1-1 fastball off the wall in right to give Toronto a 3-1 lead.
Jimenez followed with a ground single through the right side to score Clement.
Mason Fluharty (1-0) retired the final two batters of the seventh and Tyler Rogers worked a perfect eighth for Toronto.
Struggling closer Jeff Hoffman started the ninth and created a jam. He struck out Zach Neto to start the inning before allowing Mike Trout’s single to left and plunking Jo Adell on the right hand and Jorge Soler on the left elbow to load the bases.
Yoan Moncada then pinch-hit for Peraza and hit an RBI single to right to bring the Angels within 4-2 and end Hoffman’s night. Varland entered and got Nolan Schanuel to hit his first pitch on the ground to Toronto second baseman Clement, who began to turn the decisive double play with shortstop Andres Gimenez’s throw to first narrowly beating the diving Schanuel.
Toronto starter Patrick Corbin allowed one run and two hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Los Angeles starter Jack Kochanowicz gave up one run and five hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.
The Angels moved ahead in the fifth when Peraza and Schanuel hit one-out singles and Vaughn Grissom followed with a sacrifice fly to score Peraza.
Toronto had a similar frame in the sixth when Guerrero and Jesus Sanchez had consecutive one-out singles and Jimenez plated Guerrero with a sacrifice fly.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Seeking elusive win, Austin FC tasked with slowing Quakes
Apr 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes forward Ousseni Bouda (7) runs with the ball against Los Angeles Football Club defender Eddie Segura (4) during the first period at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images The San Jose Earthquakes are enjoying the best eight-match start in franchise history and coach Bruce Arena doesn’t want to hear any chatter about a letdown.
The destructive Earthquakes (7-1-0, 21 points) have outscored opponents 17-3 and look to inflict more damage when they host Austin FC on Wednesday night.
Austin FC (1-3-4, 7 points) is winless in their past six MLS matches (0-3-3).
“There are no trap games in this league,” Arena told reporters. “Any team can beat you on a given day in this league. We understand that. It’s going to be a difficult game on Wednesday. We played Austin last year and I think we split with them. … It’s going to be a difficult game.”
The teams split two regular-season matches last season while Austin also won a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal matchup. San Jose is 3-2-6 in 11 all-time MLS matches against Austin.
The Earthquakes are fresh off Sunday’s 4-1 pummeling of host Los Angeles FC. Ousseni Bouda posted a brace and has a team-best four goals.
Bouda is in his fifth season with San Jose. He sees a definitive change in this season’s squad after the Quakes missed the playoffs last season.
“I think it’s the culture we set for ourselves this year,” Bouda said. “I think everybody is all bought in. We’re taking it one game at a time. It’s only about eight games in right now, so there’s a lot of games left and we want to stay consistent and continue to get better throughout the season as well.”
Austin certainly would like to collect a much-needed victory. The club led late on Saturday before host Toronto FC tallied in the 88th minute to gain a 3-3 tie.
Austin coach Nico Estevez said one key is making sure his players aren’t intimidated by San Jose.
“You can’t be afraid,” Estevez said. “You have to go and be aggressive and you have to attack them. You have to find their weaknesses that every team has and minimize their strengths.”
Austin is winless in four road matches (0-2-2) but one of those was a 2-2 tie against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi on April 4.
That showing has Austin players feeling they can give the Earthquakes a battle.
“We’ve had good performances and shown we can play against top teams in the league,” forward CJ Fodrey said. “It’s about being confident throughout 90 (minutes) and turning those good performances into results.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Landen Roupp, Giants claim first matchup of season with Dodgers
Apr 21, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images Landen Roupp outpitched Yoshinobu Yamamoto, San Francisco got RBI singles from Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee in a three-run first inning, and the Giants held off the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night.
Roupp (4-1) allowed just one run on one hit in five innings, then watched five relievers combine for four innings of shutout ball, helping the Giants open a six-game homestand with a win after a 4-5 trip.
Roupp struck out seven and walked five in his first career win over the Dodgers.
Seeking his first-ever victory over the Giants, Yamamoto (2-2) went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs, all of which scored in the first. He walked two and fanned seven.
Willy Adames got the cold night rolling for San Francisco with an infield single, after which Luis Arraez singled and Matt Chapman walked to load the bases.
Each of the next three batters delivered single runs, with Devers’ single chasing home Adames, Casey Schmitt’s sacrifice fly scoring Arraez, and Lee’s single plating Chapman.
Roupp allowed a two-out single by Hyeseong Kim in the second but no other hits until a wild spate in the fourth. He walked four of the first five batters he faced that inning, including Kim with the bases loaded to force home Teoscar Hernandez.
The right-hander got out of the one-out jam by inducing a double play grounder off the bat of Alex Call.
The Dodgers got the potential tying run on the bases with two outs in the seventh before Erik Miller struck out Kyle Tucker to retain the 3-1 lead.
Ryan Walker worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save.
Ryan Borucki, Matt Gage and Keaton Winn also contributed to the three-hitter in the first meeting of the season between the longtime California rivals.
Lee was the only player in the game with multiple hits, a pair of singles. The Giants out-hit the visitors 6-3, with the Dodgers’ Hernandez stroking the game’s only extra-base hit, a double.
–Field Level Media
Lenyn Sosa's late clutch hit lifts Jays over skidding Angels
Seeking elusive win, Austin FC tasked with slowing Quakes
