Sports
No. 23 Northern Illinois in unfamiliar territory vs. Buffalo
Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Ethan Hampton (2) hands off to running back Antario Brown (1) in the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images No. 23 Northern Illinois will play a game as a ranked team for the first time since 2013 when it hosts Buffalo on Saturday in DeKalb, Ill.
It’s the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. Northern Illinois (2-0) entered the AP Top 25 Poll after upsetting then No. 5-Notre Dame 16-14 on Sept. 7. It was the Huskies’ first win against a ranked opponent since 2015 and the highest-ranked team they ever defeated.
The Huskies are coming off a bye week, while Buffalo (2-1) knocked off UMass 34-3 last week.
Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock said the Huskies used the week off to refocus after the historic win against Notre Dame. The last time a MAC team was ranked this early in the season was 2002, when former member Marshall started the season at No. 19.
“The outside world, people are still talking about (the Notre Dame game),” Hammock said. “Everyone in our organization moved on last week. It’s great for the university, great for the athletic department and great for the football program. But we have a job to do to make sure we can play our best football on Saturday.”
Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock was named the MAC defensive player of the week after he racked up 12 tackles, three tackles for a loss and a sack in the Bulls’ home win against UMass. On the season, Murdock has 29 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and a sack. It’s the second time a Buffalo linebacker has been received the honor this year, as Shaun Dolac won the award after the Bulls’ season opener.
Linebacker play will be key for Buffalo as it looks to slow what coach Pete Lembo said is a potent Northern Illinois offense. The Huskies average 251 rushing yards per game and 547 yards overall. Antario Brown has turned into a multi-purpose running back with 168 rushing yards and is ranked No. 1 in yards per reception with 171 receiving yards — on only four catches.
Northern Illinois quarterback Ethan Hampton is the No. 1-ranked FBS quarterback in passing efficiency at 235.86 and has connected on 71.8 percent of his pass attempts. He has thrown for 526 yards and six touchdowns.
“Antario Brown is a big, stout, athletic guy that’s very physical and catches the ball out of the backfield,” Lembo said. “Their QB (Hampton) is super efficient, a really good decision-maker and an accurate thrower that’s completing a high percentage of his passes.”
As a former offensive lineman, Lembo admired the veteran moxie of the players on the Huskies’ offensive and defensive lines.
“They look as good as advertised. They are a very, very tough physical, veteran team,” Lembo said. “They are executing at a really high level through two games. I don’t mind saying publicly that I voted for them in the top 25 in this week’s (coaches) poll.
“They have four defensive tackles they roll through that all look like they should be bouncers at some high-end bar. They can’t quite button their shirt and get their ties up tight because their necks are so big. These are some rugged-looking dudes that handled themselves really well in the Notre Dame game.”
The Bulls are led by quarterback C.J. Ogbonna, who has thrown for 435 yards and three touchdowns through the first three games. Jacqez Barksdale is averaging 5.3 yards per carry out of the backfield, gaining 184 yards on 35 attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers, Cubs close series with potential pitching duel
Apr 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images A resurgent Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense will take on the visiting Chicago Cubs in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon.
The Dodgers snapped the Cubs’ 10-game winning streak with a 12-4 win on Saturday night.
Teoscar Hernandez was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs as Los Angeles racked up 14 hits. Hitless in his previous three games, Hernandez lined a two-RBI single up the middle in a six-run fourth inning.
“I haven’t been on base for the last couple games, but it is OK, everyone goes through that,” he said. “Hopefully I can keep up doing that and be consistent with it.”
Shohei Ohtani also snapped an 0-for-12 skid over his previous three games when he led off the game with an opposite-field single.
Andy Pages, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland posted two-hit games as the Dodgers scored in double digits for a major league-leading fifth time this season. The Cubs have scored in double figures in four games.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said Max Muncy will be out on Sunday. The Dodgers third baseman felt sick yet still hit his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the third.
“Muncy wasn’t feeling well,” Roberts said. “We talked and said to him, give us what you got, three at-bats. That’s what we did and felt good about getting him three at-bats. Max will be down tomorrow and be back in there on Monday.”
Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (3-0, 1.88 ERA) is slated to start for the Dodgers. He covered seven innings in his most recent start and earned the decision in a 12-3 road win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday, yielding one run on eight hits with three strikeouts.
In his past three starts — all wins– he has allowed only two runs in a combined 20 innings. He never has faced the Cubs.
“At the end of the day I am going out there and doing the same thing every time,” Wrobleski said. “That’s trying to fill the zone, create contact and see what happens.”
Chicago’s scheduled starter is Shota Imanaga (2-1, 2.17), who earned the win when he surrendered one run on three hits over seven innings in his last start, a 7-4 home win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
The lefty is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA on the road this season. In four career starts against Los Angeles, Imanaga has a 1-0 record with a 3.48 ERA.
“I come to the field every day, whether it’s a start day or not, with the same responsibility,” Imanaga said. “I know if someone gets injured I can help cover them. We have a very tight circle with full support.”
He has a stellar defense in the field — the Cubs are ranked No. 1 on FanGraphs with 17 defensive runs saved — and knows he can pitch to contact.
“It helps with my confidence as well, knowing that behind me, the Cubs’ defense is the best of all 30 teams,” Imanaga said. “If I can control and avoid damage and extra-base hits, I know they are going to get outs. So it’s a big confidence booster.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals call on stellar veteran RHP Seth Lugo vs. Angels
Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals will go for their first series sweep of the season when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
The Royals rapped out 14 hits and benefited from 10 walks in a 12-1 rout of the Angels on Saturday.
Kansas City right-hander Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.15 ERA) will oppose left-hander Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.08) in the series finale — a rare nationally televised game for these teams.
Lugo will look to continue his stellar start to 2026. The 36-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his five starts and has pitched into the seventh inning four times.
Last time out, he tossed seven shutout innings Monday in a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles. He left with a 1-0 lead after allowing one hit, striking out seven and walking four, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Baltimore won 7-5 in 12 innings.
“There were a couple of guys that I know they could hit a good breaker that’s sharp like that,” Lugo said of his strategy against the Orioles. “So I took some off for them. But the other guys are the opposite. So I added some more velocity for those guys.”
Lugo is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Angels. Both wins came in 2024.
Detmers has alternated good and not-so-good starts thus far. After allowing one run in seven innings to beat the New York Yankees 7-1 on April 14, he was touched for four runs on five his in six innings of a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Monday. He struck out five and walked two.
Detmers is 0-1 with a 6.62 ERA in five games (three starts) against the Royals.
On Saturday, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had three hits, including a home run. Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings and the Royals pulled away late, scoring three runs in the seventh and four in the eighth as the Angels resorted to position player Adam Frazier pitching in the eighth inning.
Nick Loftin had two hits and drove in four runs for the Royals, and Bobby Witt, Jr., Michael Massey and Kyle Isbel had two hits each.
“We all know what these guys are capable of,” Ragans said. “Watching them put in the work day-in and day-out, it’s just a matter of time. It’s an unbelievable group of guys and so much fun to watch.”
Ragans also was fun to watch Saturday, as he allowed one run on five hits and struck out 11 without a walk.
The Royals will look to win a season-high three straight games for just the second time this season.
Jo Adell homered and Vaughn Grissom had three hits and is 6-for-12 in his past three games for the Angels, who have lost six of their past seven games. They have scored two runs or less in five of the losses.
On Saturday, the Angels were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.
“It’s one of those things,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “When it gets rolling for the other team, it gets rolling, and it just seems like you can’t do anything right. One game. Just move on to the next.”
Los Angeles catcher Logan O’Hoppe departed the game after the seventh inning with left wrist irritation after taking a foul tip off the wrist.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Aljamain Sterling Wants Title Shot After Beating Youssef Zalal
When a UFC fighter’s title reign at a weight class is done, or if they have run out of realistic chances to gain a division’s belt, sometimes they will switch weight classes to try to give their career new life. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always go for the better.
But for Aljamain Sterling, it really seems to have gone pretty well, at least so far.
UFC Vegas 116 had an intriguing main event. You had Sterling, a former UFC bantamweight champion, looking to prove he belongs in the upper echelon of contenders for UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. And Sterling’s opponent was Youssef Zalal, unbeaten since the end of his first run with the UFC. Returning to the Octagon in 2024, he was 5-0 entering this bout.
Sterling and Zalal started things competitively, though Sterling seemed to have a slight edge in terms of striking. But where Sterling really had control? The ground, of course.
Even with Zalal developing into a strong, well-rounded fighter, Sterling spent half of round one on top, controlling the action. He continued this into the second round, which played similarly to the first, with Sterling adding in some ground-and-pound before the round’s end.
Sterling did face a little trouble, however, in the third round. Firstly, Zalal managed to lock up a decent guillotine that Sterling had to work his way out of. Zalal also got to work on Sterling’s back and had his best striking in the entire frame.
But why is everyone calling this performance dominant? Because after facing that trouble, “Funkmaster” gave Zalal hell right back – and then some.
The fourth round of this fight was perhaps one of the most dominant seen in the Octagon so far this year. Sterling had over four minutes of control time in this round, dominating with strong ground-and-pound and submission attempts. It was unanimously agreed by the judges, and a lot of the MMA community, that it was a 10-8 round.
By the time the fifth ended, Sterling secured almost 14 minutes – nearly three full rounds – of control time on the ground. His wrestling was on full display and led to him scoring the decision win.
Sterling – who entered this fight No. 5 in the UFC’s featherweight rankings – made a statement in this fight that he is a legitimate threat to the championship. The question is, how much closer does this fight get him to the title shot?
Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy fought to a controversial decision last month. Evloev got the win – and many feel he is long overdue for a shot at the title. Others had it scored for Murphy, and several (this writer included) had the bout scored a draw.
Jean Silva is ranked right behind Sterling as of now. And when Dana White, UFC CEO and President, spoke following the Evloev vs. Murphy fight, you could see a look on his face when a reporter suggested the possibility of Silva jumping the two of them to challenge Volkanovski.
Then, you have a performance like this from Sterling to mix things up even more. The only sure-fire thing is that Diego Lopes, who has now lost twice to Volkanovski, won’t be getting a title shot.
But if Sterling doesn’t get a title shot, perhaps he next faces Lopes in a title eliminator to try and lock one up.
One thing to take away from this dominant win over a rising contender – even as he nears 37 years of age, Aljamain Sterling hasn’t shown he’s going away any time soon.
Dodgers, Cubs close series with potential pitching duel
Royals call on stellar veteran RHP Seth Lugo vs. Angels
