What more is there to say in these rankings than what was said last week?

The Hendrick Motorsports team will say all the right things, but they’ve got to feel good about their position for Kyle Larson to win his third Cup title as he enters the season finale Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 67-point lead on Christopher Bell and a 70-point lead on Denny Hamlin.

Max points in a race is 76, with NASCAR awarding points on a 10-to-1 scale to the top 10 in each stage. 

One point goes to the driver with the fastest lap in the race and 55 points to the winner and the rest of the race finishers on a 35-to-1 scale.

Eliminated (Alphabetical Order)

Ryan Blaney (Team Penske No. 12 Ford)
Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota)
Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford)
William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet)
Austin Cindric (Team Penske No. 2 Ford)
Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet)
Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota)
Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet)}
Joey Logano (Team Penske No. 22 Ford)
Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford)
Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota)
Daniel Suarez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet)
Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing No. 23 Toyota)

Here’s What To Know About Clinching Scenarios:

— Larson owns the tiebreaker with three wins in The Chase, while Bell has one and Hamlin has none.

 — Larson clinches with nine points at Homestead, which is 28th place with no stage points. Eight stage points or seven stage points and the fastest lap point will also clinch it.

— Bell needs to win and earn 14 stage points (or 13 stage points and the fastest lap point) for any chance.

— Hamlin needs to win and earn 17 stage points (or 16 stage points and the fastest lap point) for any chance.

So my contender rankings should be obvious, as only three drivers remain of the 16 who started the playoffs.

3.

Can Hamlin win at Homestead? It’s doubtful, as he has finishes of seventh, 30th, third and fifth at the track in the Next Gen era. He just isn’t typically as strong as Larson, Tyler Reddick and others at the track that rewards running up against the wall.

2.

Bell won the 2023 race at Homestead, which was just the second Next Gen race at the track. He was 11th in 2022, fourth in 2024 and 29th in 2025. He could be a threat. He hasn’t won on a 1.5-mile track all year but did earn 73 points in his victory to open The Chase at Darlington.

1.

Larson wins the title as long as he doesn’t beat himself. He occasionally does beat himself at Homestead, as the track lends itself to a driver willing to drive on the edge to make something happen. But this track will also occasionally bite a driver trying to make a move. If he needs to take his mind off what could happen, maybe he should just start working on his championship speech.

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William Byron ended his dry spell with a win at Martinsville, but Kyle Larson is one step closer to adding another trophy to his case.

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Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he’d love to stay with the team amidst trade rumors after six straight losses.

“I would love to be here,” Barkley told reporters after Philadelphia’s 27-10 loss to Washington on Sunday night. “I plan on being here. I don’t like the way the season is going, but I am not one of those guys that wants to jump ship. That’s not the type of person you want to have, and that’s not the person I am. I’d rather be a part of a solution to the problem and hopefully be a reason we fix it.”

Now, with one game remaining before the trade deadline, on Nov. 10, the Eagles (2-6) are in last place with the NFC East-leading Giants headed to Philadelphia next Sunday. And with a handful of other injuries on the roster, including to quarterback Jalen Hurts, Barkley had to address his future with the team Sunday.

Barkley had 14 touches for 54 yards and a touchdown against the Commanders, but certainly didn’t play a full allotment of snaps as he has dealt with hamstring and back injuries.

The Eagles have already traded offensive lineman Cam Jurgens to the Ravens for two draft picks, which has opened the door to conversations about future moves.

Barkley, though, says he’d like to stick in Philadelphia. And it seems the Eagles want him to stay, too, per ESPN.

“When that message was relayed to me, it definitely does mean a lot. … The whole time my mindset was, we have a little issue going on right now and I feel like I’m the type of player and the type of leader that can help us get out of it, and I want to be one of the reasons why we fix it.”

Barkley, who rushed for an NFL-leading 2,005 yards in 2024 and also led the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,283, had a comparatively down 2025 with 1,140 yards on the ground and nine total touchdowns. In his third season with the Eagles, the 29-year-old Barkley has rushed well — 4.9 yards per carry — but not often, gaining just 274 yards on 56 carries with two rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught seven passes for 41 yards in his six games. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz go to trial Monday on charges that they accepted bribes as they colluded with gamblers who made hundreds of thousands of dollars betting correctly on individual pitches.

Their careers and possibly their freedom are at stake in the jury trial expected to unfold over the next month in Brooklyn federal court. Several professional baseball players, including catchers and baseball executives, are among witnesses expected to testify.

Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges and are on nondisciplinary leave from the club without pay while their fate is determined.

According to an indictment, the pitchers accepted several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 on in-game prop bets on the speed and outcome of certain pitches.

Before his trial, Emmanuel Clase spent years in the majors as one of baseball’s most dominant closers, earning three All-Star selections and two AL Reliever of the Year awards in Cleveland. (Photo by Tanner Gatlin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Prosecutors allege that Clase began providing the bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 and recruited Ortiz into the scheme in 2025. Lawyers for Ortiz unsuccessfully sought to have Ortiz tried separately from Clase.

Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto said at a conference Friday that she hopes to complete jury selection quickly enough that lawyers can deliver relatively short opening statements in the afternoon.

Clase, 28, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year who had completed his fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract when charges against the pitchers were revealed in November 2025.

Ortiz, 27, had earned $782,600 as a starting pitcher for the Guardians during the 2025 season.

The pitchers have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery.

Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the pitchers did not collude with gamblers and instead were varying the placement of pitches strategically to fool batters.

On Friday, the judge ruled that prosecutors cannot show the jury proof that Clase owed $500,000 in U.S. taxes because they had only provided the evidence to defense lawyers several days earlier and long after a deadline had passed to turn over evidence to their adversaries.

A prosecutor had argued that the government wanted to put the evidence in the trial to offset any claim by Clase’s lawyers that he had no incentive to collude with gamblers because he had several million dollars in financial accounts in the Dominican Republic.

Major League Baseball and the Guardians have both said they’ve fully cooperated with authorities. MLB has said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham said quarterback Tommy Carr will take the first snap against Michigan State, naming the freshman a starter for the first time in advance of a game at his weekly news conference on Monday.

Per the Athletic, Whittingham said that Carr would be the Wolverines’ starting quarterback not just against the Spartans, but for the “foreseeable future,” citing his success against Rutgers that, over a full season, would have him as one of the top QBs in the country.

Carr was 22 of 27 for 266 yards with one touchdown and ran for 54 yards with two scores in a 28-21 win at Rutgers (2-6 overall, 1-4 in Big Ten play) last Saturday.

Tommy Carr used his arm and his legs to push Michigan past Rutgers on Saturday in B1G play. (Photo by Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Whittingham benched Bryce Underwood at halftime in a game last month against Penn State and Carr led the Wolverines to a win over the Nittany Lions. He made his first career start against then-No. 6 Indiana, throwing an interception and losing a fumble in a 13-6 loss in overtime.

Across four games, Carr has completed 72.1% of his passes for 503 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He has also rushed for 114 yards on 33 attempts, scoring another three touchdowns.

Carr is the grandson of College Football Hall of Famers Lloyd Carr and Tom Curtis and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr.

Michigan (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) hosts the rival Spartans (2-5, 0-4) on Saturday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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In this era of college basketball, thriving in the transfer portal can lead to success. 

It certainly helps a program land inside FOX Sports’ Casey Jacobsen’s top 25. Ahead of the 2026-2027 season, let’s take a look at the transfers that boosted their team into that national recognition.

Here’s one transfer to watch from each of Jacobsen’s top-25 teams. 

Markus Burton, Guard

(Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Burton averaged 18.5 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game and 3.7 assists per game in 2025-26. He transferred to Indiana from Notre Dame ahead of his senior season. He’ll provide the Hoosiers with a dynamo scorer after Lamar Wilkerson and Darian DeVries graduated.

Stat to know: Burton led the ACC and ranked ninth nationally in usage rate in both seasons at Notre Dame (33.5% in 2023-24, 34.4% in 2024-25).

Cruz Davis, Guard

(Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

Cruz Davis averaged 20.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 4.7 APG as a junior at Hofstra, helping the Pride to an NCAA Tournament appearance. He transferred to Texas Tech for his senior season. He’ll help replace the loss of Christian Anderson (NBA) and Jaylen Petty (transfer to UCLA).

Stat to know: Davis was one of just two Division I players in 2025–26 with at least 700 points, 150 assists and 80 made 3-pointers while shooting 40% or better from beyond the arc.

Jaxson Kohler, Forward

(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

Jaxon Kohler averaged 12.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 1.3 APG last season. He spent four years at Michigan State and played for the Utah Jazz in the NBA Summer League. He was granted a temporary injunction for a fifth year of college and transferred to BYU. 

Stat to know: JaxonKohler was one of only two power-conference players in the entire country to record at least 300 rebounds and 50 made 3-pointers last season. He crashes the glass and splashes from deep.

Eric Reibe, Center

(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Eric Reibe averaged 5.9 PPG, 3.3 RPH and 0.5 APG as a freshman at UConn. He transferred to USC for his sophomore season after playing behind Tarris Reed Jr. Reibe was expected to start for the Trojans, but he’s currently injured.

Stat to know: As a freshman at UConn last season, Reibe led all Division I freshmen in effective field goal percentage (67.1%) and field goal percentage (65.8%), with a minimum of 150 attempts. 

Tounde Yessoufou, Guard

(Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

As a freshman at Baylor, Tounde Yessoufou averaged 17.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 1.6 APG. He declared for the NBA Draft, but opted out on the final day and transferred to St. John’s. He and Quinn Ellis could combine for one of the best backcourts in the nation.

Stat to know: As a freshman at Baylor, Yessoufou became one of just three major-conference freshmen since 2010 with at least 600 points, 175 rebounds and 60 steals, joining Zion Williamson and Ben Simmons.

Drew Fielder, Forward

(Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

Drew Fielder averaged 14.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 1.3 AST, last season. He transferred from Boise State to Alabama. He could provide similar versatility on the wing to what Grant Nelson did for the Crimson Tide. 

Stat to know: At Boise State last year, he shot 60.6% on 2-pointers, 40.9% on 3-pointers and 78.5% from the line, posting a 65.0% true shooting percentage.

Leroy Blyden Jr., Guard

 (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)

Leroy Blyden Jr. averaged 16.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 4.5 APG as a freshman for Toledo. He transferred to Kansas, where he’ll join a team flush with fifth-year veterans and freshman Tyran Stokes.

Stat to know: Blyden was the only Division I player with at least 500 points, 150 assists, 60 steals and 70 made 3-pointers while shooting 40% or better from beyond the arc.

Jaylen Petty, Guard

(Photo by Peter Zhan/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Jaylen Petty averaged 9.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.2 APG as a freshman at Texas Tech. He stepped up for the Red Raiders when J.T. Toppin got hurt. He transferred to UCLA and will help the Bruins replace the departures of Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark. 

Stat to know: As a freshman at Texas Tech, Petty led all Big 12 freshmen with a 2.47 assist-to-turnover ratio (minimum 50 assists), recording 74 assists and just 30 turnovers.

Milan Momcilovic, Forward

(Photo by Tanner Pearson/Getty Images)

Milan Momcilovic averaged 16.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 1.0 APG, last season. He tested the NBA Draft waters before returning to college basketball, and transferring from Iowa State to Kentucky. Momcilovic led the nation, shooting 48.7% from 3-point range, which could help a Wildcats’ team that struggled from deep in 2025-26.

Stat to know: MilanMomcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game last season, the fourth-highest scoring average among transfers heading into this season. The Wildcats just added a walking bucket.

Acaden Lewis, Guard

(Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As a freshman at Villanova, Acaden Lewis averaged 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 5.3 APG. He transferred to Miami for his sophomore season, and could take a leap similar to how Tre Donaldson did under head coach Jai Lucas. 

Stat to know: Lewis was the only high-major freshman with at least 170 assists and 60 steals last season.

Moustapha Thiam, Center

(Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)

Moustapha Thiam averaged 12.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 1.6 BLK for Cincinnati in 2025-26. He has three years of eligibility remaining, and will play them out at Michigan. He will help the Wolverines, who saw forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson and center Aday Mara get selected in the NBA Draft, defend their national championship.

Stat to know: Thiam led all Division I freshmen and the Big 12 with 88 blocks last season. 

Jaquan Johnson Jr., Guard

(Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jaquan Johnson averaged 16.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 3.6 APG at Bradley last season. He’ll take a step up to the Big 12 at Iowa State. His production will be crucial for the Cyclones, who lost Killyan Toure to a long-term injury.

Stat to know: Johnson ranked fifth in Division I with 85 steals (2.5 per game) while posting a 2.57 assist-to-turnover ratio with just 47 turnovers in 1,032 minutes.

Jeremiah Wilkinson, Guard

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Jeremiah Wilkinson averaged 17.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 1.7 APG as a junior at Georgia. He hopped to another SEC team, in Arkansas, for his senior season. He’ll be the veteran on a team of freshmen, such as Jordan Smith Jr., Abdou Toure, J.J. Edwards and others. 

Stat to know: Wilkinson ranked second in the SEC with 27.1 points per 40 minutes last season.

Juke Harris, Forward

(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Juke Harris was the third-leading scorer in the ACC with 21.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 1.9 APG. He transferred from Wake Forest to Tennessee ahead of his junior season. He almost went to Michigan, but instead, stayed in the South and will help a Tennessee team flush with transfers.

Stat to know: Harris was the only Division I player with at least 700 points, 200 rebounds and 80 made 3-pointers a season ago. 

Massamba Diop, Center

(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Massamba Diop was productive as a freshman at Arizona State, averaging 13.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.1 BLK. He transferred to Gonzaga, where the uber-athletic center will help the Bulldogs after Graham Ike graduated.

Stat to know: Diop was one of just seven high-major players with at least 400 points, 175 rebounds and 65 blocks in 2025-26.

Jurian Dixon, Guard

(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Jurian Dixon averaged 15.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.5 APG in the Big West at UC Irvine. For his senior year, he’ll take a step up to the ACC and join Virginia. The Cavaliers are full of returning talent from last year’s roster, but no longer have dynamic guards Malik Thomas or Jacari White. 

Stat to know: Dixon ranked fourth in the Big West with 557 points, averaging 15.9 per game and 20.9 per 40 minutes.

Dedan Thomas Jr., Guard

(Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)

Dedan Thomas Jr. averaged 15.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 6.5 APG at LSU last season. For his senior season, he’ll help Houston, which lost Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan to the NBA. 

Stat to know: Thomas’ 4.00 assist-to-turnover ratio led the SEC and ranked fourth nationally among Division I players with at least 100 assists.

Flory Bidunga, Center

(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Flory Bidunga averaged 13.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 2.6 BLKs with Bill Self at Kansas. He was one of the top transfers in the portal. He chose Louisville, where he’ll provide head coach Pat Kelsey with the best center in his three seasons with the Cardinals. 

Stat to know: Bidunga was the only Division I player in 2025-26 with at least 450 points, 300 rebounds and 90 blocks while shooting 60% or better, joining Chet Holmgren and Brandon Clarke as the only players to reach those marks in the past decade.

David Punch, Forward

(Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

David Punch averaged 14.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.0 APG at TCU. He went across the state, transferring to Texas ahead of his junior season. The Longhorns built one of the strongest rosters through the portal after a Sweet Sixteen run in 2025-2026.

Stat to know: Punch was the only major-conference player in 2025–26 with at least 450 points, 225 rebounds, 65 blocks, 65 assists and 45 steals, joining Sir’Dominic Pointer (2014-15) as the only players to do so since 2015.

Nikolas Khamenia, Forward

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Nikolas Khamenia averaged 5.7 PPG, 3.3 RPH and 1.0 APG on a stacked Duke team in 2025-26. Ahead of his sophomore season, he’ll join the runners-up from last season, UConn, to help the Huskies get back to the mountaintop. Khamenia will have big shoes to fill in two-time NCAA champion Alex Karaban, who graduated.

Stat to know: Khamenia was one of just two ACC freshmen last season, alongside former teammate Cameron Boozer, to make at least 35 3-pointers while shooting over 60% on 2-pointers.

Derek Dixon, Guard

(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Derek Dixon averaged 6.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 2.7 APG last season. He transferred from North Carolina to Arizona ahead of his sophomore season. Head coach Tommy Lloyd is betting on a leap for Dixon after Jaden Bradley graduated and Brayden Burries was drafted. 

Stat to know: Dixon as the only ACC player with at least 50 made 3-pointers, 90 assists and an assist-to-turnover ratio above 2.30.

Anton Bonke, Center

(Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

Anton Bonke averaged 10.6 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 1.0 APG for Charlotte last season. Tom Izzo doesn’t always dive into the transfer portal, but he dabbled this past season, adding Bonke to help replace the departures of Kohler and Carson Cooper. 

Stat to know: Bonke as the only Division I player last season with at least 275 rebounds, 100 offensive rebounds, 50 blocks and 10 made 3-pointers.

Stefan Vaaks, Guard

(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Stefan Vaaks averaged 15.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.2 APG for Providence in 2025-26. He transferred to Illinois, and is a skilled playmaker who will help Illinois after Kylan Boswell graduated and Keaton Wagler was selected in the NBA Draft.

Stat to know: Vaaks led the Big East with 91 made 3-pointers and was the conference’s only player, and one of just eight across the power conferences, with at least 90 made 3-pointers and 90 assists in 2025-2026. 

John Blackwell, Guard

(Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)

John Blackwell averaged 19.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 2.3 APG in his third season at Wisconsin. For his senior year, he decided to transfer, choosing Duke. Blackwell will be the veteran on one of the most stacked rosters in college basketball, featuring a slew of transfers and highly touted freshman. 

Stat to know: Blackwell was the only player in Big Ten history with at least 650 points, 95 made 3-pointers and 150 made free throws in a single season.

Denzel Aberdeen, Guard

(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Denzel Aberdeen averaged 13.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 3.4 APG for a struggling Kentucky team last season. He was granted a fifth year of eligibility and transferred to Florida, where he played before Kentucky. Aberdeen helped the Gators win the 2024-25 national title, and will now help them return to those heights. 

Stat to know: Aberdeen posted a 2.62 assist-to-turnover ratio last season (123 assists, 47 turnovers), ranking third in the SEC among players with at least 100 assists.

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For the first time in a long time, Ohio State is not in my top 10 — and that wasn’t the only Big Ten team to take a dip.

Here are my latest college football rankings, with odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

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10.

Alabama

Last Week: Not Ranked
To Make CFP: -280
Title Odds: +1100

I could make a case for about a half dozen teams here right now, but given current team composition, the Tide’s best is better than the other teams I was considering. Either way, Alabama will confirm or deny those beliefs based on how it fares on Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge. I’m still not sold on the offensive line or running game, but everyone is flawed. 

9.

Last Week: 4
To Make CFP: -1000
Title Odds: +1000 

I can’t believe Indiana is slotted here, but the defense is still excellent despite the myriad of quarterback issues right now. It’s pretty obvious Josh Hoover has been playing hurt for weeks, and we’ll see what happens after the idle week. The charmed-life wins did continue, with a miracle 60-yard field goal to send the game against Minnesota to overtime, despite some shaky end-of-game management by Curt Cignetti. IU could win the Big Ten, not reach the Big Ten Championship Game, make the CFP or miss it. It is all on the table. 

8.

LSU

Last Week: 9
To Make CFP: -186
Title Odds: +810

I get anyone who disagrees with this ranking. After all, LSU lost to the only currently-ranked teams it has faced. There is an opportunity to change that in the next three weeks — Bama, Texas and at Tennessee. The Tigers are getting healthier, and I think it makes them extremely dangerous. This is probably the highest variance team out there. If LSU won the next three, I wouldn’t be surprised, and if it lost the next three, I wouldn’t be surprised either.

7.

BYU

Last Week: 5
To Make CFP: +170
Title Odds: +7400

That was the type of performance I expected from BYU after the last couple of weeks, coupled with the game at Utah coming this week. That win over Notre Dame carries a lot of weight and BYU is in a good spot as a result. A Notre Dame win over Miami strengthens that win, and an Irish loss means BYU is 100 percent ahead of the Irish in the pecking order. The Cougars could really use LJ Martin back. 

6.

Ole Miss

Last Week: NR
To Make CFP: -150
Title Odds: +1800

If the Rebels beat Georgia, 10-2 is very likely in the cards. This will probably be the team nobody wants to play in the CFP solely because of how dangerous Trinidad Chambliss can be. 

5.

Texas

Last Week: 7
To Make CFP: -150
Title Odds: +1050

This feels really high, but I think the Longhorns are better than everyone beneath them. Like the rest of the field, they have injuries, but they have three really good wins. And the losses? Well, they were big-time, self-inflicted debacles. The next two weeks determine the Longhorns’ fate. Get a split at Missouri and LSU, and that should be good enough to get Texas into the CFP. Win both and they are certainly in. That number (-2.5) is really low at Missouri. Leads me to think Texas could be in trouble here. 

4.

Last Week: 6
To Make CFP: -550
Title Odds: +550

It was a pretty ugly first half against Navy, but the Irish were never really in jeopardy of losing. The performance was understandable given Notre Dame had an off week since the loss at BYU, will face Miami next week, is nursing a ton of injuries on defense, and facing a service academy can be a little tricky. Now we get the game everyone has been waiting for. Can the Irish get a big regular-season win to cement a spot in the CFP, or will the college football world again debate a 10-2 Notre Dame’s worthiness for a Playoff bid? 

3.

Utah

Last Week: 10
To Make CFP: -240
Title Odds: +3000

The Utes did to Cincinnati what I thought Texas Tech would do to the Bearcats the week prior. Given there was no look-ahead to the BYU game makes what the Utes did even more impressive. It was just complete domination. A win here pretty much puts the Utes in the Big 12 title game, considering, after a trip to Arizona, they have TCU and West Virginia. 

2.

Last Week: 2
To Make CFP: -6000
Title Odds: +350

The Georgia defense dominated whatever QB Florida threw at it and looked like the unit we’re used to seeing from a Kirby Smart team. Ole Miss in Oxford awaits. The Rebels have been a big problem for the Bulldogs, beating them in Oxford two years ago, beating them last year in the CFP, and carrying a lead into the fourth quarter in Athens last year in the regular season. This will be a huge step up from what UGA faced last week, and that’s reflected in the odds, as Georgia is only a field-goal favorite. 

1.

Last Week: 1
To Make CFP: -6000
Title Odds: +620

It wasn’t pretty on defense, but Miami did what a lot of teams haven’t been able to do on a day it wasn’t at its best — survive. Bill Belichick and Bobby Petrino had the Miami defense in a blender all night long, but finally, the Canes made one play in the fourth quarter to get the key turnover they needed to get a two-score cushion. Offensively, Darian Mensah’s recognition regarding when to run was huge, and on a night where UNC was intent on taking away Malachi Toney, Cooper Barkate came up big. Elija Lofton also arguably had the biggest reception of the night. Oh, and Toney, he still scored twice. No. 1 will be a dog against the first ranked team it will face this season — just like it was last year when it beat Notre Dame — and that’s probably the way Mario Cristobal and the Canes like it. 

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The summer before competing for Olympic medals, elite flag football athletes will have a chance to earn something else — paychecks as pro players.

The NFL and TMRW Sports announced Monday the formation of Premier Flag, a new professional league for men and women set to launch in the summer of 2027. It’s an opportunity to make a living on the field for some of the top players in the world and even hoist a trophy.

This could provide a sneak preview of what’s in store when flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Some of the sport’s best have already signed on to the league as ambassadors, including USA Football women’s national team stars Ashlea Klam and Izzy Geraci, along with Darrell “Housh” Doucette III, a versatile athlete on the men’s side.

“Means the world to us as flag players,” Doucette said of the pro league that’s still tinkering with the number of teams. “We can finally be paid for the sport we invested so much money and time in. The sacrifices we had to make to be great players have finally paid off, and we are excited for the new opportunity.”

A Chance To Make A Living

The goal of the league is to make it lucrative enough so players can leave their day jobs to concentrate year-round on flag football. There will be coaching and conditioning along with health benefits. The salary structure is still in the works. The league will be held at a U.S. city soon to be announced.

It’s another step forward for a game that’s rapidly growing on every level. On the women’s side, flag football is a sanctioned varsity sport in more than 20 states, while the NCAA votes in January to potentially make it a championship sport, with a title game held in spring 2028.

Now, a path to the pros for women and men, in addition to Olympic inclusion.

“The launch of Premier Flag creates a new professional opportunity for the world’s best players and establishes the pinnacle of the sport’s growing global pathway,” said Brian Flinn, the NFL’s senior vice president of global flag football.

From Golf To Flag Football

TMRW Sports has been on the cutting edge with the formation of TGL, a high-tech indoor golf league backed by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and sports executive Mike McCarley. 

The company is taking its concepts to the football field with Premier Flag, described as a “data-driven approach to determine the pro standard for flag.” The league is working with IFAF, the international governing body for the sport, as it tests out rules, formats and equipment.

“The Premier Flag brand represents where flag football is headed — elite, global and accessible — while setting a professional standard for the sport’s growing ecosystem,” explained Brendan Donohue, president of flag football for TMRW Sports.

Last month, TMRW Sports and the NFL held a combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, with top athletes advancing to a Premier Flag Combine next year. Another talent identification event is scheduled for November in Mexico City. There will also be a Premier Flag Showcase during Super Bowl week in Los Angeles.

The pro league is a welcome addition to the flag football space to Scott Hallenbeck, CEO & executive director of USA Football, as the Olympics loom on the horizon.

“This is an exciting opportunity for everyone from our national team athletes to the kids who dream of playing at the highest level,” Hallenbeck said. “It’s another sign that flag football has arrived, with a professional league and a place at the pinnacle of global sport, the Olympics. It’s great for the growth of our game.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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An injured right ankle will keep Notre Dame starting linebacker Drayk Bowen out of Saturday’s big showdown between the fourth-ranked Fighting Irish and No. 1 Miami.

The announcement came Monday when Notre Dame released its injury report.

Bowen, a senior in his fourth year with the Fighting Irish, has been a key player on the defense not just because of his stats but because he also wears the radio helmet that allows him to relay the defensive coordinator’s play calls from the sideline to his teammates on the field.

Drayk Bowen has recorded a team-high 45 tackles for Notre Dame, as well as scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

But coach Marcus Freeman downplayed the significance of not having his green-dot guy for Notre Dame’s biggest game of the season.

“Really, the coach-to-player communication is just more of a backup,” Freeman said. “But I’m expecting the stadium to be so loud that the coach-to-player communication ain’t helping anybody but the person who has the helmet on.”

Bowen leads the Irish with 45 tackles this season. His two pass breakups also are tied for third on the team, and he has one fumble recovery.

Notre Dame (7-1) is ranked fourth in the Associated Press poll and in Joel Klatt’s rankings, and No. 3 in RJ Young’s rankings. The Hurricanes (8-0 overall, 6-0 in ACC play) are the No. 1 team in the country in all three rankings. As Klatt has detailed, this matchup has major implications for both teams as far as the College Football Playoff is concerned.

“Miami, I think their bye is on the line at Notre Dame, and I think Notre Dame’s possible playoff life is on the line.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Martinsville Speedway (Martinsville, Va.) — Kyle Larson needs a mere nine points Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch his third Cup title.

And even if he doesn’t earn that many points, Christopher Bell or Denny Hamlin would have to win and earn significant stage points for a shot at Larson, who enters the finale at 67 points ahead of Bell and 70 ahead of Hamlin.

Only in four races this year has Larson not scored nine points, including three where he wrecked out of the event.

The conventional wisdom would be to maybe go 90 percent at a track where Larson has won two of the last four races.

But there’s a problem with that. 

Kyle Larson enters Homestead with a healthy lead in The Chase. (Getty Images)

Homestead is a track that rewards aggressiveness but also riding on the edge and Larson needs a car to match the aggressiveness. It is the only way, he says, he knows how to race Homestead and that’s 100 percent running inches off the wall.

“For me at Homestead, I feel like when I’m not running the pace that I need to run, I feel like I’m closer to having mistakes pop up,” Larson told me and other reporters on Sunday night after a ninth-place finish at Martinsville.

“We’ll see, but I plan to go there and just run a normal Homestead race for me. That’s what feels comfortable to me, and that’s where I can make consistent laps.”

The Hendrick Motorsports team has been working on its Homestead plan for several weeks, obviously thinking it would be in a tighter points battle. Larson crew chief Cliff Daniels said he won’t change the plan.

Larson and his team are sticking to their plan at Homestead, despite being ahead of Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin in The Chase. (Getty Images)

“It’s going to be very in line for us to stay with the prep that we’ve already put in place,” Daniels told me and other reporters after the race. “There’s so many good things that we’ve built to get us to this point for Homestead that we’ve got to see it through and we’ve just got to give justice to all the hard work that’s put in by not counting it too early.

“You’ve still got to put your head down, prepare a good car and go execute a solid weekend.”

It just seems so counterintuitive. It’s like they are in the perfect position to roll out and play prevent defense and yet they won’t.

“I learned a lesson a long time ago with Kyle that if we do anything to prepare to run 90 percent, you’re down on grip or you’re not as sharp as you need to be, especially at a place like Homestead or a place like Darlington where on paper it’s worn out pavement and you’ve got to take care of your tires and take care of your stuff, his comfort zone is still going 10 out of 10,” Daniels said.

Larson crew chief Cliff Daniels is confident that the prep his team has in place is the right move for the season finale. (Getty Images)

“We’ve got to we’ve got to get everything we can for car prep, car potential, get the setup dialed in. And I don’t expect him to be off the wall at all. He’s going to be ripping the boards and be really fast doing it. That’s what makes him so special. He’ll be comfortable in that zone.”

Their boss is good with that plan.

“He’s a competitor,” team president Jeff Andrews said in a news conference at Martinsville. “He’s going to go out there and drive 10/10ths. That’s what it’s going to take. We have a lot of competition chasing us there.

“I think there’s a point where you’ve got to be smart, have to take care of the car there. But we’re looking forward to putting our best foot forward and going there and executing and doing what Hendrick Motorsports does.”

One thing is to focus on the task at hand. But how will Larson avoid the thoughts of disaster creeping into his head considering only a disaster will keep him from winning the title?

“Those fluke things … it’s hard not to have them creep in your mind, but also you’ve just got to stay focused on going there and preparing the best that you can,” Larson said. “I’m going to prepare to dominate like you do any weekend. Spend time studying, trying to get your car driving right in the sim, study other drivers, all the things.

“And then if something fluke happens, it happens, and then it just wasn’t meant to be. We’ll see. Hopefully, the first couple stages go good.”

O’Reilly Chase

Will Justin Allgaier win the O’Reilly Series Chase this weekend? (Getty Images) 

There are five drivers left in contention for the O’Reilly Series championship. 

Justin Allgaier has a 22-pont lead on Jesse Love, 23 points on Corey Day, 31 points on Travis Kvapil and 42 points on Sheldon Creed.

Allgaier clinches with 54 points, so if he swept the stages (or earned 19 stage points as well as the fastest lap point), he could clinch with a second- or third-place finish, no matter what anyone else does. So pretty much the only way he guarantees himself the title is with a win.

Truck Chase

Layne Riggs (No. 34) and Kaden Honeycutt (No. 11) are the two drivers leading the field in the hunt or The Chase in trucks. (Getty Images)

There are two drivers with a shot at the truck title, as Kaden Honeycutt has a 20-point lead on Layne Riggs. If Riggs wins, he would win the title, as long as he earns more stage points (or even stage points with the fastest lap point) than Honeycutt.

The biggest factor might not be either of those drivers. 

Defending series champion Corey Heim will be entered in the race as a teammate to Honeycutt, and the two-time Cup winner this year likely will be the favorite to win. If that happens, then Riggs needs to close the gap in the stages and then hope to finish making up the 20 points with the final result.

In The News

Torn ligament? No problem. Riley Herbst races on. (Getty Images)

— Ford announced its driver lineup for its Salute to Veterans event Nov. 11 on the Daytona International Speedway road course. Drivers will compete in race-ready Mustang Dark Horses with a 15-minute qualifying and 30-minute race. Drivers will be NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric, Layne Riggs, Ty Majeski and Frankie Muniz as well as Joey Hand, Ben Hobson and Logan Sargeant.

— Riley Herbst was able to race at Martinsville a week after tearing a ligament in his left hand in a violent crash a week earlier at Talladega. Herbst said they consulted with surgeons, who indicated the tear was in an area that didn’t need surgery.

— Kaulig Racing has parted with Ty Dillon crew chief Andrew Dickeson. Technical director Mike Cook took over at Martinsville and will guide the Dillon car this weekend at Homestead.

— Anthony Alfredo and Parker Retzlaff will return to Viking Motorsports next season with the same driver-crew chief paring from this season. Retzlaff is 11th in the standings; Alfredo is 16th.

— After eight seasons, Timmy Hill will close his NASCAR truck series team and will continue his role as a driver at another organization.

— Cleetus McFarland, a YouTube content creator who owns a race track and is a motorsports enthusiast, will drive for Richard Childress Racing for the full ARCA season in 2027.

— Dystany Spurlock will compete in 17 ARCA races for Alpha Prime Racing in 2027. 

— Max Papis has retired as an INDYCAR steward, a position he held for the last 11 INDYCAR seasons. No replacement has been named.

— USF Pro 2000 runner-up Leonardo Escorpioni to drive in the Indy NXT Series for HMD Motorsports in 2027.

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They Said It

“To not be able to race … would be devastating to me. This is my life. This is what I love to do. I’ve worked my whole career and done all the things that you would want to do, but I’m not ready to be done.”
— Brad Keselowski

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

William Byron ended his dry spell with a win at Martinsville, but Kyle Larson is one step closer to adding another trophy to his case.

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The Chicago Bears visit the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. ET from Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington.

Two top 10 scoring defenses meet Monday night at Lumen Field. Seattle is 4-3 and second in the NFC West, and it allows 17.9 points per game. Chicago is 5-2 and tied for second in the NFC North, and it allows 20.4.

The Seahawks are 3-1 at home and come in off a 20-3 win over Kansas City in Week 7. The Bears are 2-1 on the road after a 30-24 win over New England on Thursday, Oct. 22, and they scored 59 points at Carolina in Week 1.

Below are the details on how to watch.

How to Watch Bears vs. Seahawks

• When: Monday, November 2, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN Unlimited – Get the FOX One / ESPN Bundle

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