Sports
No. 6 Oregon welcomes old friend Jonathan Smith, Michigan State to Eugene
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is all smiles during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Sixth-ranked Oregon is new to the Big Ten, although the Ducks are familiar with struggling Michigan State.
The Spartans take on a second consecutive top 10 team in a trek to Eugene, Ore., to challenge the Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) on Friday night.
Oregon put together its most complete game of the season Saturday in beating UCLA 34-13. The Spartans (3-2, 1-1) attempt to bounce back from a 31-point loss to Ohio State under the watch of former Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith.
Smith does know the feeling of beating the highly ranked Ducks. Most recently he orchestrated the upset in 2022 when he was Pac-12 Coach of the Year with the Beavers and bagged a 38-34 win over then-No. 10 Oregon in the game referred to in the state as the Civil War.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said he sees some similarities in the Spartans and past Smith-coached teams.
“Yeah, there’s definitely some similar pieces,” Lanning said. “I think they always do a good job of challenging you in the run game, creating different pictures than maybe what you see across college football. They always do a great job of that. Defensively, a little bit different than what they were last year at Oregon State, but still really, really sound and do some things that challenge you as well.”
Oregon is chasing its first Big Ten home win and plays at Autzen Stadium for the first time since Sept. 7. The Ducks opened as a 23.5-point favorite and are 42-3 at home since 2017.
“Quick turnaround, but guys are attacking it really well,” Lanning said, noting Oregon is 6-0 in Friday night games. “Certainly excited to get back in front of our fans. Been a while since we’ve been here, so getting in front of Autzen (Stadium fans) will be quite the challenge and a good opportunity for us to see where we’ve improved and continue to get better.”
Lanning is especially pleased with a linebacker corps instrumental in holding UCLA without an offensive touchdown and limiting the Bruins to 172 yards of total offense.
“A lot of credit goes to those guys and the work that they put in,” Lanning said. “And then certainly a ton of credit goes to coach (Brian) Michalowski, and the job he’s done in developing those guys and getting them ready. Our scheme isn’t necessarily the easiest thing for linebackers, so having a guy that can coach them really well is very important, and Brian’s done a great job with those guys. But that’s also one of the hardest-working groups on our team. One of the most accountable groups on our team. They hold themselves to a higher standard as well.”
The Spartans are coming off a 38-7 loss to No. 3 Ohio State and will be looking to win their first regular-season, non-bowl game on the West Coast since beating Cal 19-0 in October 1957.
Michigan State has struggled offensively through its first five games. The rushing offense is ranked 97th nationally with an average of 132.4 yards per game and the scoring offense is 104th at 21.8 points per game. The Spartans have been plagued with turnovers, tied for the third most with 13 in five games.
Smith, who took over the Spartans last November after six seasons at Oregon State, called Friday’s game “a big-time challenge.” He has taken notice of Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the offense.
“When you look at Oregon, explosive offensively,” Smith said. “Quarterback’s a good player, accurate with the ball and might be leading the country in completion percentage. And they’ve got some athletes that he’s throwing it to.
“Flip it around, and they’ve got a solid defense. I look at those guys and they just continue to improve. From game one to game four, those guys have continued to improve and played real, real well.”
Smith said he’s not going to let his return to Oregon affect his approach to Friday’s game.
“Once the thing’s kicked off, your approach as a coach is preparing the guys,” Smith said. “You get locked in on the game. And it’s not just myself, we have some other guys with connections to the place and all that. Once it’s kicked off, it’s a college football game. You kind of emotionally approach it the same.”
Oregon and Michigan State last met in the 2018 Red Box Bowl. The Ducks won 7-6 on Justin Herbert’s fourth-quarter TD pass to Dillon Mitchell.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Scherzer returns Monday for Blue Jays on 42nd birthday
Jun 10, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) celebrates his career 3500th strike out against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Max Scherzer will celebrate his 42nd birthday by returning to the Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation against one of his former teams.
Manager John Schneider announced Sunday that Scherzer will come off the injured list to start Monday’s series opener against the Nationals in Washington. Rookie right-hander Spencer Miles will be moved back to the bullpen.
Scherzer has not pitched in the majors since June 10. He landed on the 15-day IL the following week because of back spasms, then encountered another delay after receiving three cortisone injections in his right thumb during the All-Star break.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner cleared his final test Wednesday with Triple-A Buffalo, throwing five hitless innings while striking out seven. The only batter to reach did so on an error, and Scherzer threw 56 pitches with 40 for strikes.
Schneider said Toronto might limit Scherzer’s workload on Monday, but the veteran recovered well from the rehab start and met the club’s requirements for a return.
“Maybe a little bit limited in pitch count, but I think he kind of checked all the boxes,” Schneider said.
Toronto hopes the layoff allowed Scherzer to reset after a difficult opening half. He is 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA through six starts, allowing 25 earned runs over 22 innings.
His return is particularly timely for a rotation that has been tested by injuries. The Blue Jays have lost seven of their first 10 games since the All-Star break and are trying to remain in the American League playoff race.
Monday’s matchup also sends Scherzer to face the team where he achieved some of his greatest success. He played for Washington from 2015-21, winning two Cy Young Awards and helping the Nationals capture the 2019 World Series.
Scherzer owns a 222-121 record and 3.27 ERA over 19 major league seasons. He won another World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023 and reached the 3,500-strikeout milestone with Toronto earlier this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jadelyn Allchin's hot bat leads Talons to AUSL title
Jun 2, 2024; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; UCLA Bruins outfielder Jadelyn Allchin (40) hits a single in the third inning against the Stanford Cardinals during a Women’s College World Series softball losers bracket elimination game at Devon Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images Championship Series MVP Jadelyn Allchin homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead the Utah Talons to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Bandits on Sunday at College Station, Texas, to win the Athletes Unlimited Softball League Championship for the second straight year.
Allchin hit a two-run homer in the first inning and an RBI double in the fourth to lead the Talons to the victory in the clinching Game 2 of the best-of-three championship series. Utah recorded a 2-1 victory over the Bandits in Game 1 on Saturday.
Bri Ellis and Sahvanna Jaquish also homered for the Talons. Right-hander Montana Fouts pitched a complete game and gave up eight hits. She struck out four and walked one.
Skylar Wallace drove in the lone Chicago run with a single in the seventh inning. It was her second hit of the game.
Bandits right-hander Kat Sandercock gave up four runs (two earned) and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Allchin’s double knocked her out of the contest.
The Talons also beat the Bandits in last year’s championship series in the first campaign of the AUSL.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Freddy Peralta says Sunday was 'probably' his final Mets start
Jul 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Freddy Peralta believes he may have made his final start for the New York Mets on Sunday, with the struggling club expected to trade the right-hander before the Aug. 3 deadline.
Peralta conceded the likelihood of a move after allowing three runs — two earned — on six hits and two walks over four innings in an 8-3 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He needed 93 pitches to record 12 outs and finished with three strikeouts.
“I know it probably is,” Peralta said when asked whether he believes that was his last time pitching for the Mets.
Peralta is currently scheduled to start Friday against the Miami Marlins, but New York has little incentive to retain an impending free agent after falling well outside the National League playoff picture.
The Mets acquired Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason with the expectation that he would lead their rotation. Instead, the two-time All-Star has gone 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA through 22 starts, going at least six innings only six times.
His struggles have become more pronounced of late. Peralta has not recorded a quality start since June 3 and has posted a 7.34 ERA since that outing.
“I know so far I’ve let them down,” Peralta said. “I haven’t done what I was supposed to do.”
The 30-year-old entered the season coming off a career-best season going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts over 176 2/3 innings with Milwaukee. That track record, along with the demand for starting pitching among contenders, should keep him among New York’s most marketable deadline pieces despite his recent results.
Peralta said he remains confident he can rediscover his previous form, whether that opportunity comes with the Mets or another organization.
“We haven’t done what we expected to do, in general, but especially myself,” Peralta said. “I know I can be way better than this. I still believe in myself. I was born to be a winner and not a loser. I think I have a lot in me, a lot to show. I know it can change because I still have time to make a change.”
–Field Level Media
Max Scherzer returns Monday for Blue Jays on 42nd birthday
Jadelyn Allchin's hot bat leads Talons to AUSL title
