Sports
Under new regime, No. 4 Alabama out to halt No. 2 Georgia's streak
Sep 14, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images One of college football’s oldest rivalries will lack a familiar face on the sideline, but that won’t diminish the anticipation for the meeting of perennial powers.
No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) travels to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 4 Alabama (3-0, 0-0) on Saturday as the SEC rivals match up for the 74th time.
For the first time since the 2003 meeting, the Crimson Tide will be without Nick Saban, one of the greatest coaches in college football history. A new face in the series’ storied history will emerge as first-year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer leads the Crimson Tide into their first conference game of 2024.
In Saban’s final victory before his retirement, Alabama handed Georgia its last loss, 27-24 in last year’s SEC Championship Game. DeBoer’s new regime looks to forge its own path.
“This is a new team, this is a new season,” DeBoer said. “That’s what I always make sure we’re emphasizing. This is the 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, but there are certainly learning moments that you have when you’ve been through the experiences. Obviously, that’s not me. That’s our players.”
Through three games, DeBoer’s Crimson Tide have steamrolled Western Kentucky, South Florida and Wisconsin by a combined score of 147-26. Facing its first national power of the season, Alabama is the betting underdog at home for the first time since 2007.
“What we get to do is let any of the naysayers know what we’re capable of,” DeBoer said. “That’s no one’s fault, but it is a tribute to what people see in Georgia and how quality their football team is, and to their credit, that’s exactly what they are.”
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe looks to extend his excellent start to the season. In his second year as the starter, he has an 8-0 touchdown-interception ratio through the air, adding 156 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Milroe has the distinction of being the last quarterback to beat Georgia, which is riding a 42-game regular-season win streak.
“(Jalen) has made a considerable jump as a natural pocket passer,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “You see him make more throws that are rhythm throws, on time throws, RPO throws. You can tell he’s becoming much more comfortable.”
As for Smart, Saturday marks his first meeting against the Saban-less Crimson Tide. Smart, who served under Saban as Alabama’s defensive coordinator from 2008-15 and is in his ninth season at Georgia, isn’t giving much mind to nostalgia.
“I don’t expect it to be strange,” Smart said of not facing his former boss. “That’s just the normal course of progression. … You really have to focus on the players. Focus on what they have to do, and what we have to do to execute.”
After beating then-No. 14 Clemson and Tennessee Tech by a combined 82-6, Georgia won a surprising 14-13 struggle at Kentucky on Sept. 14.
In Georgia’s first trip to Tuscaloosa since a 41-24 loss on Oct. 17, 2020, Smart knows the impact the game will have on the future of his program.
“I think any time you get to play against a really good team that’s a powerhouse in college football, it’s a challenge,” Smart said. “I look at it as a hell of an opportunity. I really look at it as a hell of an opportunity for our kids and our program on the national stage. It’s the reason kids want to come to Georgia, they say, ‘I want to play in games like that.’ That’s what we’ve built our program on, playing tough opponents.”
Alabama, which has won eight of the last nine matchups, leads the all-time series 43-26-4.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with infielder Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Schwarber had three home runs, including two in one inning, for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 15-3 rout of the visiting New York Mets on Saturday.
Bryce Harper hit for the cycle while going 4-for-5 for the Phillies, who had lost two in a row. Starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (9-3) held New York to one run on five hits and struck out five with one walk in six innings.
Freddy Peralta (5-6) allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings for the Mets, who had won two straight games.
Harper sent a fastball over the wall in right-center field to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the first.
In the second, Alec Bohm singled, J.T Realmuto drove him in with a double and then came around to score when Justin Crawford knocked a double of his own for a 3-0 advantage.
The Phillies went through 12 batters to blow the game open in the third, chasing Peralta.
Schwarber (4-for-5, six RBIs) rocked a solo shot 456 feet to the upper deck in right center to lead it off. Harper doubled and scored on a Brandon Marsh single. Marsh went to second on a throwing error by Marcus Semien on his hit, and Bryson Stott brought him in with a double. Realmuto connected for another pair of bases, scoring Stott to extend it to 7-0.
Crawford walked and Trea Turner singled to drive in Realmuto. That marked the end of Peralta’s night.
Cionel Perez entered to face Schwarber in his second turn of the frame, and he blasted a sinker 457 feet to the same spot to make it 11-0.
The Mets got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Mark Vientos connected for a solo shot to left field.
Philadelphia added two more in the fifth. With two on and two out, Harper completed the cycle with a triple to center field off Tobias Myers, scoring Turner and Schwarber.
Carson Benge’s two-run homer to right-center in the seventh off reliever Max Lazar cut it to 13-3.
Schwarber connected for his third home run of the night in the bottom half of the frame, a two-run shot to right.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles place C Adley Rutschman on 7-day concussion list
Jun 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman (35) walks to the clubhouse after being struck in the head by an errant throw while running out a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the seven-day concussion list on Saturday after he was injured on an unusual play on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners.
The move, which is retroactive to Friday, came after Rutschman was hit on the left ear while running to first base on a grounder in the ninth inning. Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson was trying to complete a double play and threw the ball inside second base at close range. Rutschman came out of the game and host Seattle went on to win 3-0.
Rutschman, 28, missed Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Dodgers as well as Saturday’s game in Los Angeles.
“Obviously, it sucks for Adley,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “Especially with concussions and head injuries, it’s tough, and especially the position he plays, with the constant foul tips and balls in the dirt and backswings, plays at the plate. So right now, Rutsch is on the concussion IL and we’ll kind of take it day by day and see where he’s at.”
Rutschman also was on the 10-day IL from April 11-21 due to left ankle inflammation. He is hitting .254 with 15 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBIs and has a .787 OPS in 54 games.
For his career, Rutschman is batting .254 with 69 homers and 270 RBIs in 559 games. Baltimore selected him first overall in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State.
In a corresponding move on Saturday, the Orioles recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Norfolk.
Siani, 26, has hit .221 (76-for-344) with two homers and 20 RBIs in 160 games over parts of four seasons for the Cincinnati Reds (2022-23) and St. Louis Cardinals (2023-25).
He hit a combined .185 (25-for-135) in 44 games this season for Triple-A Oklahoma City (Dodgers affiliate) and Norfolk (Orioles).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wings rally from 15 down in fourth quarter to stun Sky
Jun 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Chicago Sky guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) battle for the loose ball during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Li Yueru converted the deciding free throws with 12.5 seconds left as the Dallas Wings put everything together in the fourth quarter to produce a wild, come-from-behind 93-92 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Dallas’ 36 points in the fourth quarter resulted in its highest-scoring period of the season, and the Wings (10-6) needed every one of them to beat Chicago, which dropped its fifth straight game.
Chicago led by 17 points late in the third quarter but the Wings rallied in the fourth, drawing to within 81-80 on a pair of Jessica Shepard free throws with 3:21 to play. Paige Bueckers’ layup with 1:35 left tied the game at 86 before Sydney Taylor poured in a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining to put Chicago up 89-86.
Skylar Diggins had a steal that resulted in her two free throws with 35.7 seconds left to push the Sky’s advantage to six points. A free throw by Azzi Fudd and then a four-point play from Bueckers got Dallas to within one, and Chicago turned over the ball with 29.8 seconds to play.
Kamilla Cardoso then fouled Yueru, who made both free throws to give the Wings their first lead of the game. Chicago’s Jacy Sheldon then missed a short jumper with three seconds left, and Azura Stevens’ putback layup just before the buzzer glanced off the rim and away, allowing Dallas to walk off with the unlikely victory.
Shepard led the Wings with 21 points, with Bueckers adding 19, Fudd scoring 13 and Arike Ogunbowale hitting for 12 points.
Cardoso’s season-high 26 points led all scorers. Taylor added 18 for the Sky (4-11), while Diggins had 14 and Natasha Cloud tallied 10. Stevens led all players with 11 rebounds.
The Sky dominated the first quarter, going up 25-13 after a running jumper by Gabriela Jaquez at the 2:24 mark before carrying a 28-16 lead after 10 minutes of play. Dallas eventually pulled to within a point and missed on multiple chances to take the lead before the Sky swung back as Cloud’s left-handed layup with 5.7 seconds left allowed Chicago to take a 43-38 advantage into the break.
Cardoso led all scorers with 14 points at halftime, while Maddy Siegrist paced Dallas with eight points off the bench in the first half.
–Field Level Media
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Orioles place C Adley Rutschman on 7-day concussion list
