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
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
Jul 25, 2026; Stanford, CA, USA; San Jose Earthquakes midfield Nick Fernandez (20) and LA Galaxy midfield Lucas Sanabria (8) battle for the ball during the first half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images James Marcinkowski saved a penalty shot five minutes into extra time as the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy preserved a 1-1 tie against the San Jose Earthquakes in the latest installment of the California Clasico rivalry at Stanford, Calif.
Marcinkowski, who is in his second season with the Galaxy after five seasons with the Earthquakes, made a dive to his left to stop a shot from the spot by the Earthquakes’ Timo Werner. Marcinkowski finished with five saves.
Joseph Paintsil scored a goal in the first half for Los Angeles (5-7-6, 21 points), who earned a point for the first time in three matches since the World Cup break ended.
Reid Roberts scored a goal in the 62nd minute for the Earthquakes (10-4-3, 33 points), who were unable to convert the go-ahead goal late in the match after Ousseni Bouda earned a penalty on a foul from Marcinkowski.
Angus Gunn, who played for Scotland in the World Cup, made one save in his second match since joining San Jose during the break.
The Galaxy opened the scoring in the 13th minute when 19-year-old Harbor Miller took the ball up the right side and found Marco Reus in the middle of the field. Reus sent Paintsil forward on a breakaway and the forward slid home his fourth goal of the season.
The Earthquakes got even in the 62nd minute after the Galaxy nearly coughed up an own goal on a clearance header that clanked off the crossbar.
The rebound came to the feet of San Jose’s Benji Kikanovich, who fired a shot that was knocked down in the penalty area. Roberts cleaned up a loose ball on the goal line for his second tally of the season.
Paintsil nearly gave Los Angeles the lead in the 83rd minute before Gunn used his right hand to swat away a shot headed toward the upper right corner of the goal.
While the Galaxy were without defenders Jakob Glesnes (yellow-card accumulation) and Emiro Garces (red card on Wednesday), the Earthquakes were without forward Preston Judd (yellow-card accumulation).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rams QB Ty Simpson becomes last first-round pick to sign
Jun 2, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Quarterback Ty Simpson became the last of the 2026 first-round draft picks to sign on Saturday, coming to terms with the Los Angeles Rams.
The rookie’s contract is fully guaranteed at four years and $25.4 million with a $14.9 signing bonus, NFL Network reported on Saturday.
The Rams, with reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford at quarterback, made a stunning selection in April by drafting Simpson with the 13th overall pick.
Simpson, projected as a second-rounder, passed for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games at Alabama last season, his first as a starter. He now is projected to have time to develop as a backup to Stafford, 38.
The only other quarterback to be selected in the first round, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Heisman Trophy winner signed a four-year rookie deal worth a fully guaranteed $57.27 million which includes a fifth-year option.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Another Tiger possibly on trade block, Casey Mize, faces Royals
Jul 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The possibility of Tarik Skubal getting traded has loomed over the Tigers all season. But another key Detroit starter and impending free agent, Casey Mize, also could swap out uniforms if the Tigers choose to sell before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Mize could be making his last appearance with the club when the Tigers host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon.
The 29-year-old right-hander has battled groin tightness at various times this season, but when he’s been on the mound, he has delivered quality innings. Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 15 starts.
Mize had his latest start, his first after the All-Star break, cut short when a comebacker from Los Angeles Angels’ Jo Adell struck his left wrist. He exited after 3 1/3 innings but didn’t have any lingering effects from the injury.
“I’m good,” Mize said, according to the Detroit News. “I (am) looking forward to Saturday. We’ve been checking all the boxes that we need to and I’m feeling good.”
Mize, who gave up one run and five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in Anaheim, Calif., is not dwelling on the trade speculation.
“Where we are as a team makes that more simple (to deal with),” Mize said. “There are so many unknowns. We’re in a 10-game sprint right now, and it takes tons of focus on what we’re doing here and now, day to day. That’s kind of how I’ve always played, so that makes it pretty easy to focus on that instead of the other stuff. I’m just leaning on that and really caring about what we’re doing right now.”
Mize hasn’t faced the Royals this season, but he has made more career starts against them than any other club. He is 3-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 starts vs. Kansas City. Royals catcher Salvador Perez has a .424 average with five extra-base hits against him in 33 at-bats.
Michael Wacha (5-7, 3.66) will start for the Royals. Wacha was sharp in his first start after his All-Star appearance, holding San Francisco to one run and three hits in six innings on Monday.
The 35-year-old right-hander had one of his best outings of the season against the Tigers on May 9, tossing seven scoreless innings. He only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six.
In 11 career starts against Detroit, he is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA.
Like Mize, Wacha is a potential trade candidate, as is another veteran Royals starter, Seth Lugo. Wacha is signed through next season with a club option for 2028.
“We’ll be open-minded to anything,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “But we have to be very, very pointed on what we want to get out of any one of those two. And it’s also, they made a commitment to us, and that’s big. And I think that’s important to the morale of the team.”
The Tigers have won three straight, including the first two games of the current four-game series. Skubal struck out 12 in 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball during the Tigers’ 2-1 victory on Friday.
Kansas City had won three straight prior to visiting Detroit, while the Tigers have won three in a row.
–Field Level Media
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
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