From a morning crowd-surf to a field-storming celebration with the Little Brown Jug, this is the oral history of P.J. Fleck’s unforgettable day.

P.J. Fleck arrived at Huntington Bank Stadium dressed for the occasion.

Gopher maroon pants. Brown preppy loafers. A navy blue sport coat. A maroon tie and pocket square. On his left lapel, a Minnesota “M” pin.

It was well before 9 a.m., and Fleck was already in his element.

Since his first head coaching job at Western Michigan in 2013, Fleck’s relentless energy, booming voice and unwavering belief in his teams have become trademarks of his career.

At Minnesota, that personality can be summed up in one phrase: Row the Boat.

It’s about resilience. The idea that every individual in the program has a role in moving the boat forward.

At his introductory press conference at Minnesota back in 2017, Fleck offered a glimpse into the mentality he would bring to the program.

“My entire life has been about running into the fire, not away from the fire.”

On Saturday, the fire was Michigan.

And Fleck was ready to run in head first.

ACT I: THE SHOW

9:15 A.M. CT

Fleck appeared on the set of FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” shortly after 9 a.m. CT.

He sprinted to the set, slapping high-fives with fans as he ran through a spirit tunnel filled with Minnesota supporters dressed in maroon and gold. He leaped onto the stage, dapped up Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram, Urban Meyer and host Rob Stone, and immediately became the center of attention.

Quinn had a question for him.

The previous week, after Minnesota’s win over Washington, Fleck had wiped linebacker Maverick Baranowski’s blood across his own face in one of the stranger postgame moments of the season.

FOX Sports’ Brady Quinn:
“Talk to me about the blood-brother relationship you have with him (Baranowski) and your players?”

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck:
“You can’t go out there and bleed with them and play with them anymore as players. So, the way to show that is, ‘I got your back.’”

Then Fleck, being, well … Fleck … took the story in another direction.

Fleck:
“It’s Minnesota. It’s hunting season, and if you get your first deer, you’re supposed to take a bite out of the heart, so I didn’t do that.”

Ingram erupted in laughter.

Then the BNK Crew convinced Fleck to do something even more Fleck-like.

Crowd surf.

He leaped into a sea of Minnesota fans outside the set, pumping his fists and screaming, “Let’s go!” as supporters lifted him above their heads and carried him through the crowd.

When Fleck finally made his way back to the stage, Stone had seen enough.

FOX Sports’ Rob Stone:
“Best guest ever.”

Kickoff was still nearly two hours away.

ACT II: THE MOMENT GETS REAL

Fleck changed out of his Saturday-best outfit and into a maroon Minnesota quarter-zip.

He led his team onto the field with a sea of gold chrome helmets sprinting out of the tunnel behind him.

The stadium was rocking.

FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft:
“The hype is real. You can hear how excited this place is.”

Fleck had a theme for this game. Last week against Washington, it was frontiersmen heading west. Against Michigan, the message was darker: Darth Vader. The Evil Empire.

Taft:
“The message is simple: Feel the force. Use the energy from a sellout crowd and get the job done.”

Then the game started. And the first half was far from perfect.

Minnesota trailed 14-7 at halftime after quarterback Drake Lindsey threw a late second-quarter pick-six.

As Fleck prepared to lead his team back onto the field, Taft caught up with him.

Fleck:
“We played 30 minutes of really good football. We gotta get some takeaways, have some long drives go our way. It’s 0-0. Let’s go!”

The second half would belong to the Gophers.

ACT III: THE COMEBACK

Minnesota’s defense took over in the second half, holding Michigan scoreless. The Gophers intercepted Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood twice. They held the talented sophomore signal-caller to 101 yards passing and 20 yards rushing.

Michigan had opportunities. Minnesota kept taking them away.

Then the clock hit zero.

MINNESOTA 20, MICHIGAN 14.

For the first time since 1977, Minnesota had beaten Michigan at home.

Fans poured over the railings and onto the field. Players sprinted toward the Little Brown Jug – the historic trophy awarded to the winner of the contest.

“Mr. Brightside” — the song traditionally played at the Big House during Michigan football games — blared over the speakers.

Somewhere in the middle of the chaos was Fleck. Taft found him for a postgame interview.

Taft:
“Minnesota has not beaten Michigan at home since 1977. How and why did the Gophers do it today?”

Fleck:
“This team, their heart, their spirit, our community, our spirit, our state. They never stopped believing. This team is resilient. There’s pandemonium in Minnesota right now.”

Taft turned her attention to the defense.

Taft:
“Your defense was so suffocating today. What was the highlight for you?”

Fleck couldn’t wait to reply.

“They swarmed to the ball. They played complementary defense. They played structured downs. They shrunk the pocket. They tackled. They trusted one another.”

Then Taft asked him about the players who had bought into that philosophy.

Taft:
“Coach, your program is all about development, guys who want to stick around and be here and believe. How proud are you?”

Fleck paused before delivering the quote of the day.

Fleck:
“I couldn’t be prouder. Besides my marriage and my kids being born, this might be the best day of my life. ROW THE BOAT!”

FOX Sports’ Gus Johnson:
“Oh, wow, Coach Fleck. What a coach!”

ACT IV: WHY IT MATTERED

The field eventually began to clear.

It was time for Fleck to speak to the media, addressing what he told his players following the historic win.

Fleck:
“I told them in the locker room that they make my life amazing. When you’ve got everyone feeling really good about themselves, really good about their lives, that’s what it’s all about.”

When reporters asked him what beating Michigan meant, Fleck talked about the memory his team had created.

Fleck:
“You want to create the memory so bad for other people because it’s not about you.”

He mentioned the players. He shouted out the administration. He spoke about fans. He harped on the student body. And last, he spoke about the state of Minnesota.

Fleck:
“I want everybody to have such great pride in it.”

And then there was the Little Brown Jug.

Fleck:
“Winning one of the oldest rivalry trophies. It’s special.”

The victory belonged to everybody associated with the Minnesota football program.

ACT V: ROW THE BOAT

By now, fans had begun to empty out of the stadium.

The coaches had spoken to reporters. The players had hugged their loved ones and made the walk to the locker room.

But Fleck’s celebration was far from over.

He grabbed the Little Brown Jug, hoisted it over his head and poured water all over himself.

He handed the trophy off and sprinted toward the locker room.

Another crowd surf.

His hands went up. Water rained down around him.

This was his time to celebrate with his players. No stage. No nerves ahead of kickoff.

Just Fleck, his players and the historic trophy they had spent 12 years chasing.

His team embraced the moment. They ran into the fire. 

And on Saturday afternoon, in front of 50,000-plus fans dressed from head to toe in Minnesota marron and gold, they rowed the boat.

Michigan Wolverines vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Highlights

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Colorado State’s defense was so dismal Saturday that first-year head coach Jim Mora Jr. didn’t wait for the final whistle to make a change at coordinator.

Defensive coordinator Tyson Summers was removed as the Rams’ play-caller during the first half of a 56-26 loss to Oregon State in Fort Collins. Summers left the field and is no longer with the program, Mora confirmed to reporters after the game.

“Tyson was relieved of his play-calling duties,” Mora told reporters. “He left the field, and he’s no longer with this football program. That is permanent.”

Kenny McClendon, who had been co-defensive coordinator, will reportedly take over as the Rams’ defensive coordinator and primary play-caller. Mora said Summers made the decision to leave on his own.

“He made the decision on his own to leave the field,” Mora said.

“(McClendon) was put in a very difficult situation tonight, and he responded well, and the players responded well,” Mora said. “Very first play he called as a defensive coordinator his entire life was a sack caused fumble. So we’re going to get better. We’re going to get a lot better.”

Mid-game coaching changes are rare. According to the Coloradoan, sideline reporter Dalen Cuff said McClendon had been calling plays since about midway through the first quarter and that Summers hadn’t been on the sideline since the first quarter.

The switch didn’t slow down the Beavers offense as Oregon State scored 14 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second and 21 more in the second half.

It was the latest sign of trouble for a unit that has struggled all season. Entering Saturday, Colorado State ranked 129th nationally in scoring defense at 34.3 points allowed per game, a number that will climb after this performance.

Now, in his first year at the helm at Colorado State after leaving UConn, Mora has handed the unit to a new voice before the season is even halfway done.

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With Game 1 of the National League Division Series on the line, chaos ensued at American Family Field.

With a runner on first base in the top of the ninth inning Saturday night, Padres first baseman Ty France hit a high fly ball to left field off Brewers closer Trevor Megill. The ball struck the cables in the rafters of the ballpark. It then landed right in the glove of left fielder Jackson Chourio.

France got under the ball and left the bat at a 49-degree launch angle, which is way above the average. He made good contact with it, though, at a 105-mile-an-hour exit velocity.

“It seemed like that ball was going to land in San Diego,” David Ortiz said on the FS1 post-game show.

The call on the field was that France was out. Almost immediately, Padres manager Craig Stammen challenged the call. Crew chief Alfonso Marquez confirmed that the call on the field that the ball was fair. That call was confirmed, and France was out.

Here’s what the rules are, according to MLB.com reporter Adam McCalvy:

With that, the ball France hit remained in play. 

“Four years in this stadium, I’ve never seen that before,” Megill told FOX’s Tom Verducci after the game.

That was the second out of the inning, and Megill got the next batter, Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill, to fly out and seal the victory for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee faced a 2-0 deficit early in the game before Chourio delivered a two-run home run in the third inning and catcher William Contreras hit a seventh-inning solo shot for the lead and the win.

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It’s now October and the playoff baseball really begins as the final eight teams all kicked off the division series. 

Munetaka Murakami hit his first career postseason homer in a 3-0 White Sox win over Cleveland, Tarik Skubal and Kyle Tucker led the Dodgers past the Braves, and Drew Rasmussen nearly no-hit the Yankees in a 1–0 Rays win before the Brewers outlasted the Padres in Milwaukee, 3-2.

Here is what stood out from Day 1 of the MLB Division Series:

Biggest Moment

William Contreras picked the right moment to break out of a slump. 

With the score tied 2-2 and two outs in the seventh inning of NLDS Game 1, the Brewers catcher took one of the best relievers in baseball the other way, lifting a solo homer to the opposite field off Padres left-hander Adrián Morejón to give Milwaukee a 3-2 lead that wound up being the difference.

The Brewers, who hit the fewest homers in the NL, needed two to beat San Diego. Chourio tied the game with a two-run shot off Robbie Ray in the third inning, his fifth career postseason homer, a franchise record.

Then came the wildest play of the postseason so far. 

With one out in the ninth and Dustin Harris on first, Ty France launched a ball to left field that appeared headed for the seats, but it scraped a beam on the retractable roof at American Family Field and dropped in for an out on the warning track, where Chourio caught it. 

The umpires confirmed the call, and the Padres challenged whether the ball was fair or foul, but the ruling on the field stood.

Contreras has Milwaukee one step away from a 2-0 series lead heading into Game 2 tomorrow.

Honorable mention goes to Munetaka Murakami, who hit a two-run homer, the first postseason home run of his career, to lead the White Sox over the Guardians, 3-0 in Game 1 of the AL Division Series. 

Best Hitter

Kyle Tucker’s first season with the Dodgers was a disappointment, but he looked like a star again in Game 1 of the NLDS. 

Tucker went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a two-run homer, his 10th career postseason home run. After singling in the fourth inning and swiping second, Tucker crushed a two-run shot into the visitors’ bullpen off AJ Smith-Shawver in the sixth to make it 4-1.

The last time Tucker homered at Dodger Stadium before Saturday was Sept. 4, a solo shot against the Nationals. 

In mid-August, manager Dave Roberts benched Tucker after he went 0 for 19 on a seven-game homestand and was booed by the home crowd. He was hitting .189 at home, with two home runs, compared with .275 and nine homers on the road. By early September, Tucker was batting eighth, the lowest he’d hit in a lineup since 2020.

Now that the calendar’s flipped to October, Tucker’s making the difference in the postseason.

Best Pitcher

Drew Rasmussen was within four outs of the first postseason no-hitter since 2022 in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees.

The Rays right-hander retired 15 straight Yankees and didn’t allow a hit until Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the eighth inning. Wells was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, ending the inning, and Bryan Baker closed out the 1-0 win in the ninth.

Rasmussen finished with 10 strikeouts and two walks over eight innings, tying a franchise record for a postseason game set by Tyler Glasnow in 2020. Jonathan Aranda’s third-inning solo homer off Gerrit Cole was all the support he needed. 

His counterpart, Gerrit Cole, was nearly as good, giving up one run on five hits over five innings with five strikeouts, but the Yankees’ offense had only one hit all night. The Rays lead the series 1-0.

Rasmussen had competition for best ptiching performance, as Dodgers’ Tarik Skubal, who allowed one run on two hits with seven strikeouts over six innings in the Dodgers’ Game 1 win over the Braves.

What’s Next

The division series continues with the NLDS Game 2s on Sunday and the ALDS Game 2s on Monday. Here’s how it will play out:

• Sunday, Oct. 4: Padres at Brewers Game 2, 4 p.m. ET on FS1. The Padres lead the series 1-0.
• Sunday, Oct. 4: Braves at Dodgers Game 2, 8 p.m. ET on FS1. The Dodgers lead the series 1-0.
• Monday, Oct. 5: White Sox at Guardians Game 2, 5 p.m. ET. The White Sox lead the series 1-0.
• Monday, Oct. 5: Yankees at Rays Game 2, 8 p.m. ET. The Rays lead the series 1-0.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a Week 4 NFL showdown on FOX.

Both teams are off to rough starts in 2026, with the Buccaneers at 0-3 and the Packers at 1-2. Green Bay was blown out by Atlanta last Thursday, losing its home opener for the first time since 2012. The Packers have now lost six of their last seven games dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, the Bucs have struggled even more, losing 12 of their last 14 games dating back to 2025. Now, they’ll be without quarterback Baker Mayfield for multiple weeks.

In his place, Jalon Daniels will make his first career NFL start. Across six seasons at Kansas (2020-2025), Daniels played in 49 games, including 45 starts, completing 61.5% of his passes for 9,282 yards, 67 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. He also showcased his dual-threat ability with 1,439 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns.

Which team will right the ship?

Let’s take a look at the odds for Buccaneers vs. Packers at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 4. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

   Packers @ Buccaneers Odds

Moneyline 

[–>
• Packers: -180 (bet $10 to win $15.56 total)
• Buccaneers: +150 (bet $10 to win $25 total)

Spread 

• Packers -3.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Buccaneers +3.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 38.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 38.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   Packers @ Buccaneers Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

The Packers are averaging just 48.7 rushing yards per game this season, the fewest in the NFL, after managing only 17 against the Falcons last week. Green Bay hadn’t rushed for fewer than 17 yards in a game since Dec. 26, 1999, when it had 12 against the Buccaneers.

With one of the league’s lowest-rated offensive lines and little support from the running game, too much falls on Jordan Love’s shoulders. While Tampa Bay’s offense has struggled, its defense has been solid, and the Bucs’ pass rush should capitalize on Green Bay’s struggles up front.

Take the home team plus the points.

   The Picks: Buccaneers +3.5

How to Watch Buccaneers vs. Packers

• Date: Sunday, Oct. 4. 2026
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

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The Houston Texans will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in a Week 4 NFL showdown on FOX.

The Texans have started 0-3 in back-to-back seasons. The good news? The only teams to make the playoffs after an 0-3 start since 2000 are the 2025 Texans and the 2018 Texans.

Last year, Houston lost its first three games before winning 12 of its final 14. This year, the Texans have fallen to the Bills, Bengals and Colts, with two of those losses coming down to the final possession.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are 1-2 after a heartbreaking loss to the Ravens in Brazil. Dallas had first-and-goal from the 2-yard line with a chance to take the lead, but a penalty pushed the Cowboys back, and they couldn’t find the end zone. Baltimore then drove into field-goal range in the closing seconds to set up the winning kick.

This feels as close to a must-win Week 4 matchup as it gets. Which team will begin turning its season around in this battle for Texas?

Let’s take a look at the odds for Texans vs. Cowboys at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 4. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

   Cowboys @ Texans Odds

Moneyline 

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• Texans: -154 (bet $10 to win $16.49 total)
• Cowboys: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)

Spread 

• Texans -3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Cowboys +3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 43.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 43.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   Cowboys @ Texans Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

While C.J. Stroud has struggled to begin the season, the Texans defense has also taken a step back.

Houston boasted one of the NFL’s premier defenses in 2025, ranking first in yards allowed (277.2 per game) and second in points allowed (17.4). Through three weeks of 2026, the Texans have fallen to 16th in total defense (325.3 yards per game), 19th in scoring defense (25.0 points per game) and 26th in passing defense (238.7 yards per game).

Facing Josh Allen and Joe Burrow helps explain those struggles, but the challenge doesn’t get much easier against Dak Prescott.

Take Dallas to cover.

   Cowboys +3

How to Watch Texans vs. Cowboys

• Date: Sunday, Oct. 4. 2026
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

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The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in a Week 4 NFL showdown on FOX.

Both teams entered 2026 with high aspirations, but both are coming off Week 3 losses. The Eagles were blown out by the Case Keenum-led Bears on Monday Night Football, while the Rams squandered a 16-0 lead against the Broncos on Sunday Night Football.

The Rams sit at 1-2 after playing their last two games without Puka Nacua and Myles Garrett. Garrett remains on injured reserve, but Nacua is expected to return Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Eagles opened the season with wins over the struggling Commanders and Titans by a combined six points before suffering a brutal loss to the Bears in their first real test.

These teams last met in Week 3 of last season, when Philly won a thriller by blocking the Rams potential game-winning field goal attempt.

Can Los Angeles turn the tables this year?

Let’s take a look at the odds for Eagles vs. Rams at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 4. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

   Rams @ Eagles Odds

Moneyline 

[–>
• Rams: -162 (bet $10 to win $16.17 total)
• Eagles: +136 (bet $10 to win $23.60 total)

Spread 

• Rams -3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Eagles +3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 43.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 43.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   Rams @ Eagles Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

The Rams controlled much of last week’s game against the Broncos but lost in heartbreaking fashion after several miscues, including a Matthew Stafford pick-six, and a few calls that didn’t go their way. Now, they face a struggling Eagles team that was seconds away from losing to the 0-3 Titans before getting blown out by a third-string quarterback.

Philadelphia’s run defense ranks 25th in the NFL through three weeks. The Rams two-headed rushing attack should exploit that weakness and open up the play-action game for an explosive offense expected to get Puka Nacua back.

Take the Rams to cover.

   The Pick: Rams -3

How to Watch Eagles vs. Rams

• Date: Sunday, Oct. 4. 2026
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

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From big home runs to dominant pitching and confusing late-inning calls, the first four games of the Division Series had everything.

After the Chicago White Sox opened the day with a win, the three home teams – the Dodgers, Rays and Brewers – held serve with wins. Los Angeles and Tampa Bay got huge outings from their starting pitchers, while Milwaukee got some timely hitting and a little bit of luck.

Here are our takeaways:

Murakami And Vargas Deliver After Slow Start To Postseason

Deesha Thosar: In the same inning, with two clutch swings, the two most valuable White Sox players showed just how quickly they can turn the table.

Guardians left-hander Parker Messick was dealing through three innings, racking up six strikeouts across his first 11 batters faced. Then, just when it looked like Messick was getting into a groove, the heart of Chicago’s order overmatched Cleveland’s talented rookie.

White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off the fourth inning with a single that left his bat at 110 mph to left field, representing a nightmare scenario for Messick. Digging into the box was first baseman Munetaka Murakami, one of the league’s top sluggers this year, who instantly became a fan favorite in Chicago after he joined the club as a free agent through the Japanese posting system. 

Murakami’s 45-day negotiating window this past winter gave all 30 teams a chance to speak with the power slugger. There was limited interest in a long-term deal for Murakami, so he signed a two-year, prove-it contract with the White Sox.

It didn’t take long to understand why every Murakami at-bat is must-see television, and why 29 teams should be kicking themselves for losing out on him.

In that electric fourth inning on Saturday, the 26-year-old rookie slugger didn’t even need to wait for a fastball to do serious damage. On the first pitch from Messick, a 93 mph sinker slightly up and in, Murakami connected at 112 mph off the bat and lifted it into the right-field seats for a thunderous two-run home run that gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead. It was the hardest-hit ball of the playoffs so far and traveled 440 feet, giving the White Sox an early lead they didn’t relinquish.

Munetaka was quiet in the wild-card series against the Astros, going 1-for-10 without finding his first postseason home run. When it finally arrived, he knew he got it. Murakami stayed in the box and watched all of it sail to right field before turning to his dugout, slamming his bat on the ground and pumping up his teammates.

Vargas, too, had been silent this postseason until Game 1 of the ALDS. After going 0-for-9 against the Astros, he went 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored in the series opener against the Guardians.

Saturday’s performance was a full-circle moment of sorts for Vargas, who didn’t hide his disappointment when he was traded from the Dodgers to the White Sox during MLB’s trade deadline in 2024. 

At the time, Vargas went from a Los Angeles super team that was on its way to winning the World Series to a historically awful 121-loss White Sox team. Vargas was a cast-off until he found his place on this year’s Cinderella Sox squad.

It all came together for Vargas and Murakami in Chicago’s gripping opening salvo on Saturday. Both players are critical to the White Sox’ goals for a deep postseason run, and both are enjoying terrific redemption arcs.

Miguel Vargas (left) and Munetaka Murakami combined to give the White Sox the lead on Saturday afternoon. (Jason Miller/Getty Images) –>

Depth of Dodgers Lineup On Full Display In Game 1

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Rowan Kavner: In six career playoff starts entering Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Tarik Skubal had never received more than three runs of support from his offense.

He had also never played with a lineup like the one he has now.

Skubal starred in his Dodgers playoff debut, at one point retiring 15 straight Braves. Despite his success through five innings, he led just 2-0 when he left a sinker up to Braves catcher Sean Murphy, who deposited the pitch 421 feet over the fence to center field.

While it was a scorching hot day at Dodger Stadium — it was 100 degrees at first pitch and ascended to 103 degrees from there — it took a while for the Dodgers’ offense to warm up.

Eventually, though, it ignited in a 5-3 win – and it was their maligned corner outfielders leading the charge, continuing their late-season resurgence.

Teoscar Hernández had an OPS under .700 in late August and nearly started getting platooned in left field before he took off in September, producing an OPS over 1.000 in his final 25 games of the regular season.

Kyle Tucker, meanwhile, was mired in a year-long struggle in the first season of a four-year, $240 million deal. He was particularly ineffective at Dodger Stadium, where he was the fourth-worst qualified home hitter in the sport.

But he, too, started to look better in the season’s final weeks, also producing an OPS over 1.000 in his last 17 games.

And in their first game of October, both continued to rewrite the script of their season. After Braves opener Dylan Dodd carved through the Dodgers’ lineup for the first three innings, Hernández greeted Braves reliever Victor Mederos with a 431-foot blast to start the scoring.

Two innings later, Tucker and Max Muncy both went deep off AJ Smith-Shawver to break the game open — runs that would be crucial, after the Braves tagged Tanner Scott for two runs in the ninth on a home run from Ozzie Albies — demonstrating that even if Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman aren’t right physically, there are myriad game-changers in the Dodgers’ lineup.

Kyle Tucker’s two-run home run drove in Teoscar Hernandez, two innings after Hernandez went yard to open the scoring. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Thosar: Drew Rasmussen, or Yankee killer?

The final time Rasmussen took the mound in the regular season was against the Yankees, and he shoved. In front of a packed house in the Bronx last week, Rasmussen struck out 11 batters and limited New York to one run over 6 ⅔ innings on 114 pitches. It was a phenomenal way to wrap up his dominant year.

On Saturday night, under the bright lights of the MLB postseason, Rasmussen outdid himself. Call it the best start of his seven-year career.

Everything was working for Rays starter Drew Rasmussen on Saturday night. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images) –>

The 30-year-old right-hander was untouchable. The four-pitch mix coming out of his hand was ridiculous. The Yankees lineup was so stupefied by Rasmussen’s arsenal that he carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. It wasn’t until Yankees catcher Austin Wells lined a two-out double down the first-base foul line that the Yankees had a man on base for the first time since the third inning.

Finally, the Yankees had their chance to rattle Rasmussen and bring Giancarlo Stanton off the bench to pinch-hit for third baseman Ryan McMahon. But Wells, a stocky backstop with catcher speed, decided to leg out a triple in a one-run playoff game. That was never going to end well. Wells was easily out at third, the Rays got out of their only jam of the game, and Rasmussen was completely fired up instead of flustered.

His final line was impeccable. Rasmussen struck out 10 batters, allowed two walks and one hit over eight shutdown innings and 101 pitches. Simply put, he could do whatever he wanted against these Yankees. They never stood a chance, and when they finally created one, they made yet another silly baserunning mistake, which has plagued them in October for the past several seasons.

Rasmussen’s dominance overshadowed what was actually a strong outing from Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the ALDS. Cole pitched five one-run innings, allowed one walk and struck out five, with his only blemish being a solo shot to Jonathan Aranda in the third inning. 

Cole’s start was in question leading up to the weekend, and nobody would’ve faulted Yankees manager Aaron Boone if he went with Carlos Rodón for the series opener instead. But Cole was solid, and the Yankees still have a fully rested Rodón to pitch a different game in the series.

Crew Goes Off-Script To Win After Short Miz Start – With Help From The Roof

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Kavner: Throw out the script. Ditch the blueprint. Then raise the roof.

Or, if you’re a Brewers fan, maybe leave it right where it is.

In the playoffs, sometimes things go awry. On Saturday in Milwaukee, the Brewers countered with Plan B. Or maybe C or D.

Their Cy Young favorite lasted only four innings. They got into a battle with the best bullpen in the sport. They watched a deep ninth-inning drive nearly put the Padres ahead.

But they somehow prevailed in a wacky 3-2 victory, protecting home field in Game 1 of the NLDS with an assist from the roof at American Family Field.

Trailing by a run with one on and one out in the ninth, Padres first baseman Ty France pulled a fastball from Brewers closer Trevor Megill deep to left field. It looked like it might get out when suddenly the ball struck a roof cable and ricocheted back into the field of play.

Ty France reacts after his fly ball hit the American Family Field roof before being caught by left fielder Jackson Chourio. (John Fisher/Getty Images)

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By rule, any ball that strikes the roof, roof truss or roof cable at the stadium in fair territory is in play. Left fielder Jackson Chourio was alertly camped underneath to catch it. One batter later, Jackson Merrill lined out to end the game.

“Four years in this stadium, never seen that before,” Megill said. “Just glad it worked in our favor.”

Even before the bizarre finish, this was certainly not how the Brewers drew up their win. They had the clear starting pitching advantage, with their ace Jacob Misiorowski facing veteran Robbie Ray, who had an ERA over 5.00 in nine starts after getting traded from the Giants to the Padres. The first pitch of the game from “The Miz” clocked in at 104.8 mph, making it the fastest postseason pitch on record.

Jacob Misiorowski wasn’t his usual dominant self on Saturday night, but he ended the night by emphatically celebrating a strikeout of Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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So, the Padres decided to wait the flamethrower out.

They routinely spoiled heaters, then attacked his secondary pitches. Manny Machado doubled on a slider in the first. In the second, Xander Bogaerts singled on a slider, while Ethan Salas and Luis Campusano singled on cutters. A fielder’s choice followed, and the Brewers suddenly trailed 2-0.

Milwaukee responded when a 22-year-old who is already now their all-time postseason home run leader went yard. Chourio obliterated a first-pitch slider from Ray, launching it 113.3 mph off the bat and 420 feet out to left-center for a two-run shot in the third. It was Chourio’s fifth home run in just 13 career playoff games.

Brewers’ Jackson Chourio hits two-run home run, tying game vs Padres

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Misiorowski, who lasted just four innings but struck out six and only allowed the two runs, has credited catcher William Contreras for helping him navigate through his record-setting season on the mound. But in the seventh inning on Saturday, it was Contreras’ bat that made the difference.

Contreras worked the count full against Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, then went the other way on a full-count, 100.1 mph sinker for a go-ahead home run. It was the first homer Morejon had allowed since Aug. 18.

A skirmish against the Padres’ high-powered bullpen is usually not a recipe for success. Milwaukee’s relief corps danced around trouble to post five scoreless innings, complete with a hat-tip to the roof, or maybe a divine power, to end it.

Afterward, Brewers manager Pat Murphy could only think of the late, legendary Bob Uecker.

“The only thing that you could probably figure on the ball that everybody’s going to be talking about is that Ueck decided to put his hand on it and swat it down so Chourio could catch it,” Murphy said. “So, thanks, Ueck.” 

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STATE FARM STADIUM (Glendale, Ariz.) — The U.S. men’s soccer team trounced Mexico, its fiercest rival and FIFA’s No. 10 ranked nation, 3-0 in Saturday’s exhibition match here in front of a heavily pro El Tri crowd of more than 60,000 at the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

Eighteen-year-old forward Julian Hall scored for the third straight game, 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan added the second and Malik Tillman rounded out the scoring with just a few minutes remaining. 

Here are my takeaways, plus post-game reaction from U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and his players.

Last weekend against Peru, Cavan Sullivan became the second-youngest player to start in U.S. men’s national team history. 

On Saturday, he notched an even more impressive milestone when he pounced on an errant pass by Jose Rangel and chipped the Mexico keeper to give the Americans a dos-a-cero lead — the youngest goalscorer in the 113-year history of the program.

“He’s a talented player with enormous quality, but with a very good balance in possession and out of possession,” Pochettino said. “He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior. It’s difficult to find this type of player.

“Happy for him, happy for the team,” the coach added. “I like what he said [on TNT’s broadcast] after the game, that the most important thing was the result. He’s learning every day. That is a good thing.”

2. Statement Over Biggest Rival

Until losing back-to-back games to Mexico in 2024 and ’25, the U.S. had dominated its southern neighbor this decade, beating El Tri in three straight Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Gold Cup final in 2021. The pendulum swung back after Pochettino took over as coach, though that was hardly his fault, with an understrength U.S. squad falling in a so-called friendly in Guadalajara and in the 2025 Gold Cup final in Houston.

Mauricio Pochettino leading the USA. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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After beating the Peruvians and Chile decisively late last month, Pochettino cautioned on Friday that there would be downs as well as ups for this unusually young roster, the first one of the 2030 World Cup cycle.

But the kids didn’t get the memo, growing into the match against Mexico and taking the scoring chances they were presented with. That’s a hugely encouraging sign going forward.

“Mexico is a great team,” Pochettino said. “They forced us to play backwards. We never connected, we were losing all the duels. And then we started to grow after 15-20 minutes.”

“We had to adapt in different ways,” U.S. captain Tyler Adams said. “At halftime we kind of regrouped…I thought it was a complete team performance in a lot of different facets of the game. We had some challenges to defend. I think we defended all right for most of the part, and then obviously scored some good goals.”

It’s possible that the 18-year-old Red Bull New York striker wouldn’t even have been on Pochettino’s roster for Saturday’s contest.

World Cup starter Folarin Balogun and one of his backups, Haji Wright, were not called in this window. Hall might not have played nearly as much if Ricardo Pepi, who appeared in all five games during the Americans’ run to the round of 16, hadn’t gotten hurt after Pochettino named his roster back on Sept. 17.

Julian Hall keeps scoring. (Photo by Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images)

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No matter. Hall has taken every opportunity he’s been given since making his senior international debut in last week’s 4-1 win over Peru, scoring it that game shortly after entering as a second half substitute and then finding the net again in his first start, a 4-2 victory against Chile.

Those goals were enough for Poch to keep the Manhattan-born Hall in his lineup for Saturday’s showdown with Mexico, the highest-profile match among the four the No. 16-ranked U.S. team will play this window. And Hall rose to the challenge again, giving the home team a 1-0 lead following one of the only extended spells of possession the USA had during a first half in which El Tri had the ball for more than 60 percent of the time.

“I mean, three goals in three games is not bad for a striker, especially in your first three games in the national team,” said Gio Reyna, whose cross led to Hall’s tap-in. “He sort of has that eye for goal.”

Like most of the rest of the youngsters who Pochettino handed minutes to this month, Hall will probably return to either the U.S. under-20 national team or the 2028 Olympics-bound U-23s when the more experienced forwards in the player pool inevitably return. But for a country that never seems to have enough pure goalscorers, he’s definitely given Poch and his staff something to think about ahead of next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

“It’s a fantastic problem for us,” the coach told me when I asked if the performances of Hall and the other youngsters might alter thier plans.  

Once its strongest position by far, the U.S. has had a devil of a time producing elite goalkeepers in recent years. But the 20-year-old Kochen is the country’s best backstop prospect in years, and the fact that Poch started him in a hostile environment in Glendale says plenty about the Barcelona product’s potential.

That talent was on full display in the 58th minute when, with the U.S. clinging to a 1-0 lead and Mexico knocking on the door, he made an all-world stop onEl Tri attacker Roberto Alvarado on the way to a clean sheet:

“It’s one of the greatest moments of my entire life,” a beaming Kochen told me about an hour after the final whistle blew. “I’m super thankful that the coach trusted me with this.” 

It remains to be seen if Kochen will keep his place going forward, stick with the senior team in an understudy role, or if he, like others, will return to the youth ranks. Given his competition, his age, and his status as the American keeper with the highest ceiling, don’t be surprised if it’s the first one.

4 1/2. Next Up? A Familiar Foe

The Americans have another quick turnaround following Saturday’s victory, with just two days between the Mexican match and another rivalry game on Tuesday against Canada and its American coach, Jesse Marsch. 

“We have Canada in three days,” said Reyna, the only U.S. player to start all three games during this camp. “First time I started three games in the week in probably four or five years, so I’m a little bit tired now. But I’ll be good for Canada.”

While the U.S. holds the all-time series lead with a record of 17 wins to 12 losses (along with two draws), it has won just once in the last six meetings between the teams, including the most recent in 2025. Can the Red, White and Blue break another streak of futility against another neighbor in Minnesota?

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MEMORIAL STADIUM (Clemson, S.C.) — The bodies crammed inside the Esso Club were packed tight, almost shoulder-to-shoulder as a line spilled from the bar, swerving toward the door and out into the courtyard.

It was four hours before Dabo Swinney’s Tigers squad kicked off against the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes, and the beer was fully flowing inside “Clemson’s Original Sports Bar.” A quartet of Tigers orange-clad patrons created a pyramid of camouflage Busch light cans in the center of their high top, each marveling at their feat of pale ale-infused engineering.

En route to Clemson’s favorite watering hole, a pair of Tigers faithful revealed themselves to a trio of Miami fans as Palm Beach residents.

“When you get up 20, just back off a little bit,” one chided.

“I guess you guys owe us for that 58-0 thing at your house,” the other conceded, a brief reminder of the Hurricanes’ pre-Mario Cristobal follies.

Whatever gas last week’s win over Cal pumped into Swinney’s players, Clemson’s carburetor was flooded on Saturday as the Tigers were meticulously mauled, 41-13, by a Miami team that looks every bit as ferocious as its 2025 version, which came one score short of a national title.

Exiting the field following the loss, Clemson’s squad was surrounded by a sea of Miami fans that made the trip north. They mobbed Cristobal. They flung iPhones skyward in hopes of capturing a selfie with bruising tailback Mark Fletcher Jr.

They chanted, as the clock ticked down, “Fire Dabo! Fire Dabo!” 

Welcome to the life of a program stuck in neutral.

“Winning heals everything,” ex-Clemson standout Eric Mac Lain told me pregame along the Tigers’ sidelines. “… But it’s just one of those things where it’s a double-edged sword because, for years, what did [Swinney] preach? Best is the standard — and obviously Clemson hasn’t been at their best.”

SATURDAY WAS SUPPOSED Saturday was supposed to be a washout. Forecasts projected heavy rain that might send the Tigers toward their third weather delay of the season. The rain held off. The fans showed up.

Death Valley rocked and swayed as the Tigers ripped past Howard’s Rock and onto the playing surface at Memorial Stadium ahead of kickoff. It came to a lull when Clemson actually had to run its offense.

The Tigers burned a timeout before calling an offensive snap on the first play of the game. A bobbled third-down snap saw freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds get flattened by Hurricanes linebacker Chase Smith.

A long night for Tait Reynolds and the Clemson Tigers. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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A preview of coming attractions.

Twice the Tigers committed penalties inside the Miami 10-yard line. Twice the Tigers turned the ball over to Miami’s zero. Twice — once to end the half and once to open the third quarter — the Tigers failed to score red-zone touchdowns.

“We’ve gotta close that gap,” Swinney said in his post-game press conference. “… Those are game-changing opportunities that you have to cash in on to give yourself a chance to win games like that. And we did not. 

“… We’re a work in progress, but the season ain’t over. We’ve got a long way to go. It’s a [long] season. This one stinks. We played a really good team, and they were better than us today. We’ve got to see if we get better next time we play, and then at the end of the season, we’ll hopefully be a football team that nobody wants to play. We’ve got work to do.”

Dabo Swinney looks on as Clemson fell to the Miami Hurricanes. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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Saturday was not so much a reckoning as it was a reminder. Clemson of old, this is not — a truth that makes the present and future in the South Carolina Upstate increasingly uncomfortable.

Clemson is the poster child of schools aspiring for more.

It’s only two years since the Tigers brass pressed lawsuits against their own league challenging the grant of rights and, effectively, creating a smoother ACC exit strategy with fewer stiff financial penalties.

Those future aspirations — whether it be in the ACC or elsewhere — are perhaps less clear now as Congress continues to entertain the Protect College Sports Act and the strict anti-expansion clauses included in the bill’s verbiage.

Winning football games, though, would help those desires.

“That’s frustrating for all these people that were used to winning 12-plus games a year,” Mac Lain said. “They’re frustrated, and they have the right to, because they build us and they vaporize. 

Does it suck? Yeah, but at the end of the day, just win and you’ll be OK.”

AND WHAT OF Miami in all this?

Hate if you will, but Cristobal’s $40-plus million roster looks worth every dime.

The Hurricanes have been the most aggressive school this side of Texas Tech in college football’s new world order. Boosters are, shall we say, woven into the fabric of South Florida’s preeminent college football program. That they might contribute directly to the Canes’ success has proven as lucrative as one might imagine.

Sweet slingin’ quarterback Darian Mensah — whose contract dispute with Duke over the offseason created its own cavalcade of enemies across the ecosystem — has justified in spades the headaches, billable hours and animosity that will undoubtedly be directed his way the rest of the season.

Darian Mensah once again had a big night for the ‘Canes. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

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Mensah entered Saturday’s contest with more touchdowns (14) than incomplete passes (12). He was similarly efficient amid the rowdy rows of orange and white that littered the stands in Death Valley, connecting on a pedestrian — at least by his otherworldly standards — 67% of his 27 passes for 227 yards and one score.

Lest you not forget all-world receiver Malachi Toney, or his running mate Cooper Barkate, or pass-catcher Daylyn Upshaw, or Fletcher, or … OK, you get the point.

They’re flashy. They’re physical. The ‘Canes might just be the national title favorite. They looked it Saturday night.

“Four years ago, we came here when we had just got to Miami with a roster that wasn’t what it was supposed to be. And we got our faces kicked in,” Cristobal quipped post-game of the 2022 shellacking the ‘Canes endured in Clemson. “It was good to come out today and play good football, and to give ourselves a chance to control our own destiny.”

Mario Cristobal has the ‘Canes on track toward another CFP appearance. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

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To be clear, there is no reckoning coming tomorrow for Swinney. Clemson is not a place that operates on the emotion of a single result against a national title contender.

Tigers athletics director Graham Neff is analytical and tempered. Competitive? You bet. But he’s far from a shoot from the hip, ask for forgiveness later-type.

Still, there’s an almost malaise and longing for days past around the grounds outside Death Valley. There was little angst about Swinney or the Tigers in pregame talk. Speak with enough people, and you’ll hear an appreciation for what has been accomplished under his watch, even if that history has begun to fade. 

“We love Dabo. He gave us two national championships,” 2016 Clemson grad Ryan Hall told me. “But he gets paid $12 million per year. We expect a little bit more. At Clemson, we’ll always show up. We just want to see our boys compete on the national level.”

There will one day, perhaps soon, be a statue of Swinney in front of Memorial Stadium. No man has meant more to this program in its 130-year history, and a Week 5 loss to a talented Miami team won’t define his legacy.

But Saturday was a reminder that the statue may represent accomplishments achieved long before Clemson’s most recent loss to the nation’s elite.

That’s indictment enough.

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