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Archives for November 2025

Lenny Wilkens, 88

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Legendary NBA player, all-star coach, Olympic team coach and champion Lenny Wilkens, one of the few inductees into the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach, died on Sunday. He was 88. Wilkens’ family announced the news but did not divulge a cause of death.

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Wilkens, a nine-time All-Star point guard from 1960-75, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1989. He was enshrined as a coach in 1998 and guided the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title and held the NBA victories record of 1,332 when he retired after the 2004-05 season.

Wilkens also was a college star at Providence College in Rhode Island. His No. 14 was retired by the school in 1996 and he was named to the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman and John Wooden are the other four who were enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver paid his respects Sunday to Wilkens, who was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021.

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,” Silver said in a statement. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.

“But even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic Gold medal wins and an NBA Championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor.

“He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.”

Wilkens had career averages of 16.5 points and 6.7 assists in 1,077 career regular-season games as a player and compiled a 1,332-1,155 record a an NBA coach.

Wilkens, a New York native, was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 1960 draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He spent eight seasons with the franchise and made the All-Star team five teams and finished second behind Wilt Chamberlain in MVP voting for the 1967-68 season.

Wilkens was traded to the expansion Seattle SuperSonics before the 1968-69 season and averaged a career-best 22.4 points in his first of four seasons with the team. He made the All-Star team three times and became one of the most popular figures in franchise history. He became player-coach of the SuperSonics and starred as a player while coaching the team for three seasons, including a 47-35 record in 1971-72.

After the 1971-72 season, Wilkens was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and made his final All-Star squad that season. He played one more season with the Cavaliers before being traded to Portland prior to the 1974-75 season.

He served as player-coach of the Trail Blazers in what was final season as a player. He returned as the team’s coach the following season.

Then he returned to Seattle and topped 50 wins three times in eight seasons. The SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons, losing to Washington in the 1978 finals before beating the Bullets the next season for the title.

Wilkens also coached the Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks in his 32 seasons as a head coach.

Wilkens now ranks third in coaching victories, trailing all-time leader Gregg Popovich (1,390) and Don Nelson (1,335).

In June, a statue of Wilkens was unveiled outside Climate Pledge Arena, the former home of the SuperSonics. The team moved to Oklahoma City after the 2007-08 season.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sport Notebook | Nov. 9th

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2025 MLB Champion Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

CHESTNUT HILL – Here’s the text of a letter to be sent to Major League Baseball this week. It addresses the 2025 MLB season:

Commissioner Rob Manfred

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball

1271 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

Dear Commissioner Manfred:

I trust you’ve had a modicum of rest since the grand finale of the 2025 World Series and I hope this letter finds you, your family and your talented staff in the best of health and spirits.

Each season, you probably receive thousands of letters, e-mails and other forms of communication broaching every known topic regarding Major League Baseball and I imagine most of them are filed under the vertical of complaints. Surely, team executives, club managers and fans write to you to address perceived problems in the game, poor umpiring, rising ticket prices or to address specific issues of poor fan behavior, suggestions or disagreements regarding rule changes or to share their opinions on everything from Baseball Hall of Fame inductions to Minor League (MiLB) baseball policies.

This letter comes under an area not related to any of the previously mentioned topics. It comes to you as a message of sincere thanks and congratulations on a job well done for the recently concluded season. I honestly wonder just how few letters you receive that simply say, “Thank You,” and point out a few of the things that made this season your best, your crowning jewel of accomplishment in your tenure as the Commissioner of Baseball.

The 2025 Baseball season can be compared to the finest things life has to offer. It might equate to the very best vintage of Opus One. The season enjoyed the best finishing stanza since Eric Clapton wrote the closing instrumental for “Layla.” This season was everything a professional sport strives for in its entire existence.

Surely, there were problems. There were some bench (and bullpen) clearing brawls, some bad calls, some rained-out games, and some untimely player injuries. There were unfortunate job losses to Managers and a few players waived into the abyss of eternal free agency. There were broken bats and Baltimore chops. There were some games played in freezing cold and unbearable heat, but that’s what Mother Nature had in store for some games that began way back on March 26 and concluded on November 2.

In 2025, we lost Hall of Famers like Dave Parker and Ryne Sandberg and even the great Bob Uecker who must be in the “front row” up in heaven’s Field of Dreams. Speaking of which, I understand that the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins will play in Iowa next summer. Nice move, sir.

But, all of the ups and downs are somewhat out of your control as the supreme leader for professional baseball played in the United States and in Canada. You must focus on the bigger picture and sometimes look five, ten or twenty years down the baseline. With that in mind, this letter is to underline and congratulate you for the finer things in Baseball.

First, was last. Yes, the last game of the 2025 World Series was an instant classic, as were the vast majority games of the Series and the MLB postseason. Together, we witnessed the very best in Baseball, some performances of the Century, to be sure.

World Series Most Valuable Player in Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto put forth a performance in Los Angeles’ 5-4 victory in Game 7 of the World Series which surely will go down as one of the greatest pitching performances in the annals of baseball history. Not to be overlooked was his complete game, one run outing in Game 2.

Yamamoto-san’s fellow Japanese teammate, Shohei Ohtani, had an equally impressive World Series and an MLB postseason for the ages. His .333 batting average included nine hits, three homers, five RBIs and six runs scored in the seven games of the 2025 World Series. Of course, he pitched quite well and started Game 7 with the weight of Los Angeles and an entire nation on his shoulders.

While the players from Japan have been recognized, how about an all-out salute to our neighbors to the north in the Toronto Blue Jays, American League pennant winners and another team for the ages. The Blue Jays had most of Canada rooting for them and rightfully so as Montreal-born and Dominican-bred Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was magnificent. Historians of the game could close their eyes and see tiny, four-year old Vlad, Jr. tipping his little batting helmet as his father was given a standing ovation as he stood in his No. 27 Montreal Expos uniform – a picture worth ten thousand words.. Now, it’s Vlad, Jr’s turn to soak in the applause, and he was just a few outs shy of a World Series win at home.

There were others – far too many to mention in this missive to you, dearest Commissioner – but those others aren’t just from the two World Series teams. The MLB All-Star Game had two impressive rookies in pitcher Shane Smith and shortstop Jacob Wilson. And, that James Wood of Washington is something else, isn’t he?

The rule changes adopted a season or two ago have paid off with ten times their basic value, a gamble – yes- but one that made sense and reduced overall games times to make a night out at the ballpark quite enjoyable, especially in the shrines that are Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago.

As to those locales, Pete Crow-Armstrong is entertaining the fans at Wrigley while Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony have rejuvenated the mighty Red Sox for sellout crowds at tiny Fenway. Paul Skenes looks great in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal is among the best pitchers the game has ever seen.

You might have some work to do out in Colorado with those Rockies, but that worry is for another day.

This is all about celebrating the present and your work during the 2025 big league season. It was magnificent.

So, on behalf of Baseball fans everywhere, from Sea (of Japan) to shining (Caribbean) Sea, and all those in between, it’s been a great 2025, crowned by a World Series that earned the tag, “Fall Classic.”. Congratulations go out to you, Commissioner, and to all your hard-working colleagues at the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, along with the MLB Network, MLB Advanced Media, MLB.com, the MiLB and the umpires, too. Thanks for a great year.

Fully knowing you have club owners’ and GMs’ meetings, the annual Winter Meetings and plenty of other things to attend to before Pitchers and Catchers report on or about February 11, 2026 and the World Baseball Classic will be staged once again next spring, I hope you can take a short break and relax. But, your planned retirement, circled for January 2029, will come around faster than you think, so enjoy – maybe treasure – the remaining days of your service to the game of baseball. Ride the high wave of 2025 to even greater heights in 2026 with the winds of appreciative fans breezing behind you until you choose to sail toward the sunset.

Sincerely,

A Fan

cc: Gary B. Bettman (NHL); Roger Goodell (NFL) and Adam Silver (NBA)

bcc: Mark Walter, Chairman of MLB club owners

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After a total debacle with their partnership with Barstool Sports, PENN Gaming now has folded the deck in the midst of a $2 billion deal with ESPN. Earlier this week, PENN made two timed announcements before the markets opened Thursday morning.

First: PENN Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) (“PENN”) and ESPN announced that they have mutually agreed upon the early termination of their exclusive U.S. online sports betting (“OSB”) agreement, effective December 1, 2025.

Under the terms of the original commercial agreement, announced in August 2023, ESPN agreed to provide PENN with media, marketing services and the exclusive right to the ESPN BET trademark for OSB in the United States in exchange for $150 million per year in cash payments to ESPN and warrants to purchase common stock of PENN. The agreement had an initial term of 10 years, with the right for either party to terminate the agreement after the third year if specific market share performance thresholds were not met.

“When we first announced our partnership with ESPN, both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration. We plan to refocus our digital strategy on our growing iCasino business, while continuing to capitalize on our omnichannel advantage as the nation’s leading regional retail casino operator.”

Snowden continued, “Looking ahead, we plan to rebrand our OSB offering in the U.S. to theScore Bet®, with a target date of December 1, 2025 to coincide with the expected launch of sports betting in Missouri, subject to regulatory approvals. We currently operate theScore Bet brand in Ontario, Canada.

The termination cut the losses to $450 million, according to reported terms of the deal.

Upon completion of PENN’s deal with Barstool, Snowden oversaw the sale of the Barstool deal back to Barstool head honcho Dave Portnoy for a grand total of $1.00 a few years after the $380 million PENN acquisition of Barstool in 2020. That’s $387,999,999 down the drain.

Secondly: ESPN PR issued this news release, stating: ESPN and Draft Kings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) (“Draft Kings”) announced an agreement, naming Draft Kings the exclusive Official Sportsbook and odds provider of ESPN, effective December 1, 2025. This agreement, which unites two of the most iconic brands in sports, will deliver fans premium sports betting content and experiences.

Beginning in December 2025, Draft Kings entertainment products will be exclusively integrated across ESPN’s ecosystem with a full rollout expected in 2026. Fans will be able to enjoy betting features and access to offerings including DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy, and Draft Kings Pick 6 at launch.

Together, Draft Kings and ESPN will collaborate to advance their shared commitment to responsible gaming, by dedicating prominent assets to educate, raise customer awareness and promote responsible play through campaigns and integrations.

“Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN. “Working with Draft Kings, a leader in the space, will allow us to build upon that foundation, continue to super-serve passionate sports fans and grow our ESPN direct-to-consumer business. We are excited about this new collaboration with Draft Kings.”

Draft Kings will also play a major role across ESPN’s digital platforms. Draft Kings will power the betting tab within the ESPN app and their customers will receive special promotions for ESPN Unlimited, ESPN’s newly launched direct-to-consumer product.

“ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports make this collaboration a natural fit,” said Jason Robins, CEO and Co-Founder of DraftKings. “As an innovative leader in digital sports entertainment, DraftKings is uniquely positioned to integrate our technology and products with ESPN’s iconic brand and storytelling power. Together, we’re delivering a seamless, engaging, and responsible experience that elevates how fans connect with live sports.”

Put together, ESPN will not skip a beat, or even a Bad Beat.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A few random thoughts and items from the notebook … A strong opinion – besides the headline grabbing gambling scandal that rocked the start of the NBA regular season – the NBC Sports/Peacock broadcasts (and studio shows) have been terrific. What a novel idea: Focusing on the game at hand and the league/basketball news. Amazing how that works so well. It’s certainly better than Stephen A. Smith and Ben Stiller’s blabber/non-X and O/fan/rah, rah approach witnessed last year from Madison Square Garden. … I’d love to see Stephen A. come back down to eaarth and play it straight alongside an accomplished coach. … Amazon Prime doing quite well, but admittedly, I find my viewing habits much more on the FIOS cable side, rather than switching over to the streaming side of the screen. … It was great to see Ernie, Chuck, Kenny and Shaq back in action. … Underdog, too. … On the music side, circle December 12-13 in Providence, Rhode Island for Goosemas 2025.

On Friday, the NCAA announced xix former men’s college basketball players at three schools — New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State and Arizona State — participated in gambling schemes that included game manipulation or sharing information with known bettors, according to informed sources. … Two cents? Beware of the Mid-Majors with this issue.

Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world will play and exhibition against former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios in a “Battle of the Sexes” match in Dubai on December 28th. It’s not exactly Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs, but it should be fun. The match will be staged at the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai (UAE). Both Sabalenka and Kyrgios will be featured in an exhibition at New York’s Madison Square Garden on December 8 but not against each other: Sabalenka will play Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will face Tommy Paul.

WHEELS UP: The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will depart their respective cities for a pair of regular-season games at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, scheduled on November 14 and November 16. The clubs will begin practices on Tuesday, November 11th. The 2025 NHL Global Series will mark the 15th NHL season to include regular-season games outside North America. The event marks the league’s return to Sweden and is a pillar of the NHL’s continued international focus, following the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The two games featuring the Penguins and Predators will mark the 17th and 18th games played in Stockholm, which has hosted more NHL regular-season games than any other city outside of North America. The games will be covered for TV locally and via the NHL Network.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: In preparation for a special THANKSGIVING column, I encourage our legions of readers to post a comment/note or to Direct Message your roving reporter with a “Favorite Thing” or something you are especially Thankful for this year. Indicate if you’d like your name used or not. The Sunday Notes of November 23rd will be dedicated to Thanksgiving while the November 30th column will be a hodgepodge of notes and observations from my personal Thanksgiving Week (Nov. 24-29th). We’ll see if it is just a few notes or if it merits timeline. One note on that: The apple wood chips have already been purchased for the all day smoking of two birds.

More to come on Thanksgiving, so send in your faves.

THE BEATLES: Did you know that on this date (November 9) in 1961 Brian Epstein travelled to The Cavern Club in Hamburg, Germany to see The Beatles play for the very first time. It would take several more trips before Epstein and the lads would agree to have Epstein manage the band which he did until his death in 1967. Coincidentally, on November 9, 1966, Beatles great guitarist and song writer, the late John Lennon, met Yoko Ono for the first time. Lennon’s future wife was showing of her work at the Indica Art Gallery in London and she supposedly didn’t know who Lennon was at the time. The two wouldn’t “come together” until 1968.

THIS JUST IN a.k.a. the BUTT FUMBLE? Former New York J-E-T-S quarterback Mark Sanchez will not return to the Fox Sports analyst both as the former NFLer faces a trial stemming from his alleged attack on a truck driver last month. “We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network. There will be no further comment at this time,” a Fox Sports spokesperson said Friday.

Sanchez had been off the air since the October 4 dust-up at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Sanchez was in Indy for the NFL game between the Colts and Las Vegas Raiders when he confronted a truck delivery man before allegedly attacking and injuring him.

Sanchez was stabbed in the chest in the incident and he spent a week in an Indiana hospital. The trucker, who claimed self-defense and has not been charged, is suing Sanchez and Fox Sports for unspecified damages.

To replace Sanchez, Fox hired Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees.

NFL Sunday Night Football Preview

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Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Chargers -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: The Steelers won 20-10 last season for their 11th win in the past 15 meetings, including the postseason.

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Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the least bit unnerved when Tuesday’s trading deadline came and went without the AFC North-leading Steelers adding a receiver. Now comes prove it time for the four-time NFL MVP with 520 career touchdown passes. The Steelers rank 21st in passing offense at 200.9 yards per game despite having the future Hall of Famer at the controls. Rodgers’ season high for passing yardage is just 249 and his season output of 1,692 yards is less than erratic Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward (1,760). Offseason acquisition DK Metcalf leads the team with a modest 29 receptions, 467 yards and five scoring catches. The Pittsburgh defense helped a bunch in last weekend’s taming of the Indianapolis Colts by recording five sacks and forcing five turnovers. The Steelers caused a sixth turnover on special teams. The Chargers look to attack that defense with Justin Herbert, who ranks second in the NFL with 2,390 yards. Ladd McConkey (524) and Keenan Allen (520) are both having solid seasons. The offensive line is beat up and that caused a deadline-beating trade for Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints. Penning worked out at both tackle spots on his first day in town. Joe Alt (ankle) joined fellow star tackle Rashawn Slater (knee) on injured reserve. Linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (team-high 7.5 sacks) would like to cause issues for Rodgers.

Arrests Come Down on MLB Pitchers

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BROOKLYN – (Wire Service Report) – Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted after being accused of rigging bets in Major League Baseball games. The indictment was handed down earlier this week in U.S. District Court of the Eastern Division of New York and made public on Sunday by the Department of Justice.

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In the case of Clase — a three-time All-Star and two-time Marino Rivera American League Reliever of the Year — investigators tied him to pitches he allegedly rigged for bettors, tipping them off about what he would throw and when. According to the indictment, he sometimes communicated his upcoming pitches via cellphone during games.

Both players face four charges: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. If found guilty of all charges, they could spend a maximum of 65 years in prison.

Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston and scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday. Clase is not in custody in the United States.

In a statement to ESPN, Major League Baseball said: “MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing.”

Law enforcement began its investigation in the spring.

“Beginning in or around May 2023, Clase, a relief pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, agreed with corrupt sports bettors to rig proposition bets — or ‘prop’ bets — on particular pitches he threw,” per a news release from the Justice Department.

“The bettors wagered on the speed and type of Clase’s pitches, based on information they knew in advance by coordinating with Clase, sometimes even during MLB games. Clase often threw these rigged pitches on the first pitch of an at-bat. To ensure certain pitches were called as balls, Clase threw many of them in the dirt, well outside the strike zone. The bettors used the advanced, inside information that Clase provided about his future pitches to wager thousands of dollars at online sportsbooks.

“Clase at times received bribes and kickbacks from the bettors in exchange for providing advanced, non-public information. He also sometimes provided money to the bettors in advance to fund the scheme. The indictment includes numerous examples of pitches that Clase rigged, including one in the Eastern District of New York in a game against the New York Mets. In total, by rigging pitches, Clase caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers.”

Ortiz is alleged to have joined the scheme in June 2025 and received bribes and kickbacks for throwing balls instead of strikes. Clase was the connection between Ortiz and the bettors, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Ortiz allegedly was paid $5,000 to throw a ball on purpose in Cleveland’s June 15 game against the Seattle Mariners, with Clase getting the same amount for setting it up. For a June 27 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, they each received $7,000 for a similar act, according to the indictment.

That was the final game Ortiz pitched in 2025.

Ortiz and Clase were placed on leave July 3 and July 28, respectively. On Aug. 31, Major League Baseball and its players association extended the non-disciplinary paid leave of the right-handers “until further notice” amid an ongoing sports betting investigation.

Clase, 27, was 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA and 24 saves in 48 appearances in the 2025 season. He had a career-high 47 saves in 2024.

Clase is 21-26 with 182 saves and a 1.88 ERA in 366 career games (one start) with the Texas Rangers (2019) and the Guardians.

Ortiz, 26, was 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts this season. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a three-team trade that included the Toronto Blue Jays last Dec. 10.

–Field Level Media

NFL’s Tagliabue, Dead at 84

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CHEVY CHASE – (Wire Service Report) – Paul Tagliabue, who served as the NFL’s commissioner for 17 seasons, died Sunday morning at the age of 84. Per Tagliabue’s family, the apparent cause of death was heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease. He passed away at his home in Maryland.

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Tagliabue replaced Pete Rozelle as the NFL’s commissioner in 1989. He was succeeded by current commissioner Roger Goodell in 2006.

Under Tagliabue’s watch, the league signed what was then the largest television contract for the NFL, enjoyed 17 seasons of labor peace, and expanded to 32 teams after adding the Carolina Panthers (1995), Jacksonville Jaguars (1995), the reborn Cleveland Browns (1999) and Houston Texans (2002).

Tagliabue, who also ushered in an era of state-of-the-art stadiums, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2020.

“All of us in the NFL are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Tagliabue, whose principled leadership and vision put the NFL on the path to unparalleled success,” Goodell said.

“Throughout his decades-long leadership on behalf of the NFL, first as outside counsel and then during a powerful 17-year tenure as commissioner, Paul served with integrity, passion and an unwavering conviction to do what was best for the league.

“Paul was the ultimate steward of the game — tall in stature, humble in presence and decisive in his loyalty to the NFL. He viewed every challenge and opportunity through the lens of what was best for the greater good, a principle he inherited from Pete Rozelle and passed on to me.”

The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 also came to pass during Tagliabue’s time as commissioner. He canceled the weekend’s NFL games in the aftermath of Sept. 11, and ensured the Saints would return to New Orleans after being dispatched to San Antonio during the 2005 season.

A native of New Jersey who captained the basketball team at Georgetown in college, Tagliabue is survived by his wife, Chandler, son Drew and daughter Emily.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 10 Previews

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New York Giants (2-7) at Chicago Bears (5-3)
Sunday 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -4.5, Total 46.5
Series Rewind: This is the first meeting since the Giants 20-12 win in 2022 in New Jersey trimmed the Bears’ advantage in the all-time series to 36-25-2, which includes Chicago 5-3 edge in the playoffs.

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Forecast-watchers are anxious for a slight chance of snow during the game, but the weather might play a role even without precipitation with wind gusts projected to touch 30 mph and wind chill around 27 degrees. It could be a day for running backs, and a problematic scenario if either team falls behind to be forced into a must-pass gear offensively. The Bears lead the NFL in turnover margin (plus-13) and takeaways (19). They are preparing for rookie QB Jaxson Dart and what is morphing into a two-RB approach with Devin Singletary (151 yards from scrimmage last week) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. WR Wan’Dale Robinson has continued to produce with Malik Nabers (knee) out for the season. Robinson has 18 games with five-plus catches since 2003. The Bears could be using more than one back this week, too, after rookie seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai racked up 198 total yards from scrimmage at Cincinnati last week. D’Andre Swift was out last week with a groin injury. The Bears added former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at the deadline on Tuesday in a trade with the Browns. He joins a pass rush anchored by Montez Sweat that opens playmaking alleys for the LB corps. Tremaine Edmunds has four interceptions and S Kevin Byard III has picked off passes in consecutive home games.

New England Patriots (7-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: In the most recent meeting, Tampa Bay recorded a 19-17 road victory in 2021 to end a streak of four straight New England wins in the series.

New England has excelled under first-year coach Mike Vrabel and holds a half-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. The Patriots have won six consecutive games, including an impressive 23-20 win at Buffalo on Oct. 5. Second-year QB Drake Maye has stood out, throwing for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. Maye has been highly consistent, never reaching 300 yards and never falling below 200. He leads the NFL in completion rate at 74.1%. The NFC South-leading Buccaneers figure to pressure Maye. He has been sacked 34 times, including six times in each of the past two games. Tampa Bay is coming off a bye and QB Baker Mayfield enjoyed the break since he is still battling knee and oblique injuries. The struggles were evident while Mayfield passed for a season-low 152 yards as the Buccaneers recorded a 23-3 win over the host New Orleans Saints in Week 8. Still, he has 1,919 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Tampa Bay will likely be without top running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) for the fifth straight game. That could represent a problem since New England allows a league-low 75.4 rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers are seventh (92.6) against the run.

Baltimore Ravens (3-5) at Minnesota Vikings (4-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Ravens -4.5, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: The Ravens are 4-3 all-time against the Vikings, including a 34-31 overtime win in 2021 when Lamar Jackson passed for 266 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards.

Jackson is back and thriving and slow-starting Baltimore is suddenly full of life. Jackson returned from a hamstring injury last week for his lone appearance in October and he completed 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-6 rout of the Miami Dolphins. That gave the Ravens consecutive victories for the first time this season as they look to dig out a hole that saw them lose five of their first six games. Derrick Henry added 119 rushing yards as both of Baltimore’s main pistons were firing. That was Henry’s third 100-yard outing of the campaign. The Vikings are riding the momentum of a sparkling 27-24 road upset of the Detroit Lions last weekend. J.J. McCarthy (ankle) made his first start since Week 2 and completed 14 of 25 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. McCarthy will likely need an improved performance against star safety Kyle Hamilton and the rest of the Ravens. Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson caught his second touchdown pass of the season in McCarthy’s return and he has 47 catches for 649 yards on the season. Jefferson had 10 receiving scores last year. The Vikings have just three interceptions, two by S Joshua Metellus, and forcing a pick or two from Jackson would help the odds of a victory.

Buffalo Bills (6-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Bills -9.5, Total 49.5

Series Rewind: Buffalo has dominated the series during the Josh Allen era, winning 14 of the past 15 meetings with Miami overall, including one game in the AFC wild-card round.

The Dolphins took a dismal loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 30, which led right into a tumultuous few days for the organization. Miami fired longtime general manager Chris Grier the next day and promoted Champ Kelly to interim general manager. Kelly then orchestrated the Dolphins’ lone trade before the league deadline last Tuesday when Miami sent OLB Jaelan Phillips to Philadelphia for a 2026 third-round draft pick. Miami’s defense could be further depleted against the Bills as edge rusher Chop Robinson has yet to clear concussion protocol. Without Phillips and Robinson, Miami might be in trouble against Allen, who has consistently performed well against the Dolphins in his career. Allen is 13-2 as a starter against Miami, throwing for 3,950 yards and 40 touchdowns. The Bills’ offense flourished last week, with tight end Dalton Kincaid racking up six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in his second game back from an oblique injury. Bills RB James Cook is dealing with ankle and foot injuries. Cook ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (867) behind only Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor (895), and his seven rushing touchdowns are tied with Allen for fourth.

New Orleans Saints (1-8) at Carolina Panthers (5-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Panthers -5.5, Total 39.5

Series Rewind: The Saints have won three of the last four and lead this division series 32-29, but it’s tied 4-4 over the last eight.

The Carolina Panthers continue to be a surprising contender in the NFC South. They enter this week’s game coming off their best win of the season, a 16-13 win at previously 5-1-1 Green Bay on a last-second field goal. While quarterback Bryce Young hasn’t thrown for 200 yards since Week 2 at Arizona, the Panthers offense has been sparked by running back Rico Dowdle, who ran for 130 yards and a career-high two TDs in last week’s win. Carolina now has the NFL’s fifth-best rushing offense (139.8 yards per game). Dowdle (quadriceps) didn’t practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday. Saints QB Tyler Shough was not able to spark one of the league’s worst offenses (31st in scoring offense, 29th in total offense) in a challenging first start at the Los Angeles Rams. He did throw his first career touchdown, but only after New Orleans was in a 20-3 hole. Standout RB Alvin Kamara had just 14 yards on six carries last week after being limited with an ankle injury. He’s again been limited this week.

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) at Houston Texans (3-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Jaguars -1.5, Total 37.5

Series Rewind: The Texans lead the all-time series 31-16 and have won 12 of the last 15 over Jacksonville. The Jaguars are going for their first season sweep of Houston since 2017 after a 17-10 Week 3 victory.

C.J. Stroud’s streak of 29 straight starts comes to an end this week after he sustained a concussion in last week’s loss to Denver. Backup quarterback Davis Mills will be called upon to make his first start for Houston since January 2023. He has 35 career touchdowns to 25 interceptions in 40 games (26 starts), completing 17 of 30 passes for 137 yards last week in relief of Stroud. Even with Stroud, the Texans have limped to a tie for 24th in the league in scoring offense (21.0 points per game) under first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Jacksonville heads to Houston off a chaotic 30-29 overtime win at Las Vegas which felt important as it prevented a three-game losing streak that would have turned a 4-1 start into a 4-4 record. The Jaguars’ receiver room is a bit beat up, most notably with Travis Hunter Jr. placed on injured reserve with a knee injury sustained last week in practice. To address this, Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers from the Raiders before Tuesday’s trade deadline. He had a career-high 1,027 yards last year for Las Vegas.

Cleveland Browns (2-6) at N.Y. Jets (1-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Browns -2.5, Total 37.5

Series Rewind: The Browns took a 15-14 lead in the all-time regular-season series with a 37-20 victory in their last meeting in 2023. Five of the last seven meetings were one-score games.

For a game between two teams with a combined three wins, there are so many questions. How will the Jets respond to the trade-deadline sell-off of defensive stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams? Can the Browns win their first game outside of Cleveland since Week 2 of last season? Which Jets quarterback will be Myles Garrett’s prey as he attempts to add to his AFC-leading 10 sacks? Both teams are coming off bye weeks following very different results. New York racked up 502 yards of offense at Cincinnati in Week 8 to earn head coach Aaron Glenn’s first win. Cleveland gave up a season-high 422 yards in a Week 8 loss at New England. The Browns are 3-2 after a bye week under coach Kevin Stefanski. Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins leads all rookies with 486 rushing yards but will have to deal with New York linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who has double-digit tackles in three of his last four home games.

Arizona Cardinals (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (6-2)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Seahawks -6.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: The Seahawks have swept the last eight meetings, including a 23-20 win at Arizona on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4 on a game-ending 52-yard field goal by Jason Myers.

The Seahawks are a mediocre 2-2 at home and the Cardinals are 2-2 on the road entering this NFC West showdown. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold is 4-0 in his career against Arizona and leads the NFL with 18 games with a 100-plus rating since the start of 2024. Counterpart Jacoby Brissett is 0-2 against Seattle and makes his fourth straight start for the Cardinals in place of the injured Kyler Murray. Seahawks star Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a season-low 79 receiving yards in the first meeting this season against Arizona and needs just 52 to reach the 1K mark for the second straight season. Speedy wideout Rashid Shaheed, acquired Tuesday from the Saints, makes his debut for the Seahawks and gives Darnold another weapon on the outside as Cooper Kupp tries to get healthy. Cardinals star Trey McBride is just the third tight end in NFL history (Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce) with five-plus catches in 10 straight games.

Detroit Lions (5-3) at Washington Commanders (3-6)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Lions -8.5, Total 48.5

Series Rewind: Dan Quinn won the first encounter with Dan Campbell, leading his Commanders to a stunning 45-31 win at top-seeded Detroit in last season’s divisional playoff round.

Despite having a banged-up offensive line and more losses already than last season (15-2), the Lions chose to stand pat at Tuesday’s trade deadline. Coach Dan Campbell says he has “the dudes” he needs to make a run in the second half of the season. That starts with QB Jared Goff, who has thrown for at least 200 yards and a touchdown in all four road games this season, and RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who had 175 scrimmage yards and two scores in January’s playoff loss to Washington. Gibbs is chasing a rebound effort after being bottled up by the Vikings last week. Remember, Detroit did not have $180 million defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in that game and big No. 97 will be looking to pad his sack total against Marcus Mariota, who makes his fourth start of the season following Jayden Daniels’ elbow injury. Mariota will have to lean on RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt and WR Deebo Samuel with Terry McLaurin (elbow) missing practices this week.

Los Angeles Rams (6-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-3)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Rams -4.5, Total 49.5

Series Rewind: After the Rams won three of the four games over the last two seasons, the 49ers won the first game between the two in Los Angeles Oct. 2. San Francisco leads 8-4 this decade and leads the all-time series 79-71-3.

Led by 37-year-old Matthew Stafford, the Rams have one of the best passing offenses in the league this season. Stafford has a league-high 21 touchdowns and ranks second in the NFC with 2,147 yards. He’s been on a remarkable hot streak of late, throwing nine touchdowns over his last two games and 16 over his last five. His last interception came in Week 3. A depleted San Francisco defense which ranks 21st in the league in passing defense (223.7 yards per game) will be tested by the surprise MVP candidate, who is expected to get star receiver Puka Nacua (rib) back this week after he exited last week’s game. On the other side, Mac Jones has been San Francisco’s starting quarterback since the last time these teams faced off in Week 5. He threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns in that road win and is expected to make his sixth straight start this week with Brock Purdy (toe) still limited. The 49ers lost another defensive player, defensive end Mykel Williams, to a season-ending injury in last week’s win at the Giants. LB Tatum Bethune is one of a handful of players stepping up, posting a career-high 16 tackles last week. Since Week 6, he leads the NFL with 50 tackles.

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) at Los Angeles Chargers (6-3)

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Chargers -2.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: The Steelers won 20-10 last season for their 11th win in the past 15 meetings, including the postseason.

Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the least bit unnerved when Tuesday’s trading deadline came and went without the AFC North-leading Steelers adding a receiver. Now comes prove it time for the four-time NFL MVP with 520 career touchdown passes. The Steelers rank 21st in passing offense at 200.9 yards per game despite having the future Hall of Famer at the controls. Rodgers’ season high for passing yardage is just 249 and his season output of 1,692 yards is less than erratic Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward (1,760). Offseason acquisition DK Metcalf leads the team with a modest 29 receptions, 467 yards and five scoring catches. The Pittsburgh defense helped a bunch in last weekend’s taming of the Indianapolis Colts by recording five sacks and forcing five turnovers. The Steelers caused a sixth turnover on special teams. The Chargers look to attack that defense with Justin Herbert, who ranks second in the NFL with 2,390 yards. Ladd McConkey (524) and Keenan Allen (520) are both having solid seasons. The offensive line is beat up and that caused a deadline-beating trade for Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints. Penning worked out at both tackle spots on his first day in town. Joe Alt (ankle) joined fellow star tackle Rashawn Slater (knee) on injured reserve. Linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (team-high 7.5 sacks) would like to cause issues for Rodgers.

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Patriots at Buccaneers Preview

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New England Patriots (7-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Buccaneers -2.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: In the most recent meeting, Tampa Bay recorded a 19-17 road victory in 2021 to end a streak of four straight New England wins in the series.

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New England has excelled under first-year coach Mike Vrabel and holds a half-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. The Patriots have won six consecutive games, including an impressive 23-20 win at Buffalo on Oct. 5. Second-year QB Drake Maye has stood out, throwing for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. Maye has been highly consistent, never reaching 300 yards and never falling below 200. He leads the NFL in completion rate at 74.1%. The NFC South-leading Buccaneers figure to pressure Maye. He has been sacked 34 times, including six times in each of the past two games. Tampa Bay is coming off a bye and QB Baker Mayfield enjoyed the break since he is still battling knee and oblique injuries. The struggles were evident while Mayfield passed for a season-low 152 yards as the Buccaneers recorded a 23-3 win over the host New Orleans Saints in Week 8. Still, he has 1,919 passing yards and 13 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Tampa Bay will likely be without top running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) for the fifth straight game. That could represent a problem since New England allows a league-low 75.4 rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers are seventh (92.6) against the run.

NCAA Football: Top 25 Review

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IOWA CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Atticus Sappington made a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left to lift No. 9 Oregon to an 18-16 Big Ten victory over No. 20 Iowa in the cold, damp weather on Saturday.

The Ducks (8-1 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten) never trailed until 1:51 remained in the game — when Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski ran for a 3-yard score on fourth-and-goal. The Hawkeyes (6-3, 4-2) couldn’t convert their 2-point try and led 16-15 when the Ducks and quarterback Dante Moore got the ball back.

Oregon marched 54 yards in 10 plays to set up Sappington’s game-winner. Moore finished 13-for-21 for 112 yards without a touchdown pass in the consistent rain, but the Ducks ran for 261 yards against one of the top defenses in the nation. Noah Whittington led the ground attack with 17 carries for 118 yards.

Gronowski was 10 of 18 for 138 yards and a touchdown pass, but Iowa was held to 140 rushing yards.

No. 1 Ohio State 34, Purdue 10
Julian Sayin threw for 303 yards and a touchdown to Jeremiah Smith, CJ Donaldson ran for two scores and the Buckeyes overcame a rare early deficit to defeat the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Playing without star receiver Carnell Tate, who was held out as a precautionary measure due to an undisclosed injury, Smith had seven of his career-high 10 catches and 109 of his 137 yards before halftime. Sayin finished the day completing 27 of 33 passes with an interception.

Quarterbacks Ryan Browne and Malachi Singleton combined for just 94 passing yards for the Boilermakers (2-8, 0-7 Big Ten), who have now lost eight straight games. Purdue finished with 186 total yards compared to 473 for Ohio State (9-0, 6-0).

No. 2 Indiana 27, Penn State 24

Omar Cooper Jr. made a spectacular touchdown catch on a Fernando Mendoza pass with 36 seconds left to lift the Hoosiers to a thrilling victory over the Nittany Lions in University Park, Pennsylvania .

On the decisive play, Mendoza backpedaled with two defenders in his face and found Cooper for a toe-tapping 7-yard TD in the back of the end zone. Charlie Becker, who made a terrific catch of his own on the winning drive, finished with seven grabs for 118 yards for the Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten). Mendoza was 19 of 30 for 218 yards with a touchdown on the ground.

In the midst of a nightmare season, the Nittany Lions (3-6, 0-6) have lost six straight games. They rallied from a 20-7 deficit in this one to take a fourth-quarter lead before suffering a heartbreaking defeat. Ethan Grunkemeyer was 22 of 31 for 219 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Nicholas Singleton collected 93 total yards and three scores.

No. 3 Texas A&M 38, No. 22 Missouri 17

Marcel Reed passed for two touchdowns, and Rueben Owens II rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Aggies to a victory over the Tigers in Columbia, Mo.

EJ Smith also had a score on the ground while KC Concepcion and Ashton Bethel-Roman added scoring receptions for the Aggies (9-0, 6-0 SEC), who have won their first nine games for the first time since 1992.

Jamal Roberts rushed for 110 yards and one touchdown, and Ahmad Hardy added 109 yards and one score for the Tigers (6-3, 2-3), who have dropped three of their past four games. Matt Zollers struggled in his first career start for Missouri, completing just 7 of 22 passes for 77 yards and fumbling twice.

No. 4 Alabama 20, LSU 9

Ty Simpson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown Saturday night as the Crimson Tide stayed unbeaten in the SEC by stopping the Tigers in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Simpson completed 21 of 35 passes, again carrying the offensive load for the Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 SEC). His 13-yard strike to Ryan Williams with 22 seconds left in the first half gave them what would be an insurmountable 17-3 lead.

Not even a change at quarterback late in the third quarter could supply a spark for the Tigers. Interim coach Frank Wilson benched starter Garrett Nussmeier after he took a sack that forced them to settle for Damien Ramos’ 44-yard field goal at the 8:54 mark. Backup Michael Van Buren, a transfer who started last year at Mississippi State, took over but couldn’t get LSU into the end zone.

No. 5 Georgia 41, Mississippi State 21

Gunner Stockton completed 18 of 29 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns as Georgia blew past Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., in SEC play.

Nate Frazier rushed for a career-high 181 yards and a score as Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC) won its fifth straight game. Noah Thomas had three catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, as Georgia outgained Mississippi State 567-322 in its sixth consecutive win in the series.

Blake Shapen threw for 86 yards for Mississippi State (5-5, 1-5) before exiting with an upper-body injury. Backup Kamario Taylor threw for 87 yards and rushed for 53 yards and three touchdowns for coach Jeff Lebby’s Bulldogs, who have dropped five of six.

No. 6 Ole Miss 49, The Citadel 0

Trinidad Chambliss passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and the Rebels trounced the Bulldogs in a nonconference game in Oxford, Miss.

Kewan Lacy ran for just 49 yards but scored all three of his touchdowns in the first half. The Rebels (9-1) rolled to a 35-0 halftime lead against the outmanned Bulldogs (4-6).

Chambliss completed 29 of 33 passes, while the Ole Miss defense allowed just 106 yards. The Citadel threw only eight passes, completing three for 23 yards.

No. 8 Texas Tech 29, No. 7 BYU 7

Cameron Dickey had 23 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown, and the Red Raiders pulled away for a win over the Cougars in a Big 12 matchup in Lubbock, Texas.

Behren Morton completed 17 of 32 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown for Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1). Caleb Douglas had a touchdown reception for the Red Raiders, who outgained the Cougars 368-255, including a 149-67 advantage on the ground.

Bear Bachmeier completed 23 of 38 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception for BYU (8-1, 5-1), which suffered its first loss of the season. Chase Roberts had six catches for 61 yards and a score.

No. 10 Notre Dame 49, Navy 10

CJ Carr completed 13 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns as the Fighting Irish cruised to a win over the Midshipmen on a rain-soaked night in South Bend, Ind.

Jeremiyah Love carried the ball 13 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns for Notre Dame (7-2), which won its seventh game in a row. Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams rushed for one touchdown apiece. The Fighting Irish led 21-10 at halftime before outscoring Navy 28-0 in the second half.

Braxton Woodson finished with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown for Navy (7-2). Jackson Gutierrez added seven carries for 37 yards.

Wake Forest 16, No. 14 Virginia 9

Three field goals from Connor Calvert, along with Carlos Hernandez’s huge punt return for a score, were difference makers in the Demon Deacons’ win over the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, Va.

Wake Forest (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) handed Virginia (8-2, 5-1) its first league loss and beat the Cavaliers for the first time since 2021. Hernandez had the biggest play of the night, fielding the ball off a bounce and returning it 88 yards for the game’s only touchdown to give the Demon Deacons the lead for good at 7-6 with 1:33 left in the first half.

Virginia’s seven-game winning streak ended as it failed to score a touchdown for the first time all year. Starting quarterback Chandler Morris was lost to an injury in the second quarter and finished 3-for-6 passing for 19 yards. Daniel Kaelin filled in and completed 18 of his 28 passes for 145 yards. He also rushed for 49 yards.

Cal 29, No. 15 Louisville 26 (OT)

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele passed for 323 yards and two TDs, including the game-winner on fourth down on the game’s final play, and the visiting Bears upset the Cardinals in overtime.

The Bears (6-4, 3-3 ACC) trailed by three points and faced fourth-and-goal from the 3 when Sagapolutele threw the winning touchdown to Jacob De Jesus who caught 16 passes for 158 yards.

Miller Moss passed for 203 yards and Keyjuan Brown rushed for 136 yards to lead the Cardinals (7-2, 4-2), who took a 26-23 lead on a 49-yard field goal by Cooper Ranvier on the first possession of overtime before ultimately falling.

No. 16 Vanderbilt 45, Auburn 38 (OT)

Diego Pavia’s third touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Cole Spence, lifted the Commodores to an overtime win over the Tigers in Nashville, Tenn.

Pavia went 25 of 33 for 377 passing yards and rushed for 112 on 18 carries with a score. Tre Richardson caught three passes for 124 yards and a TD. Eli Stowers had 12 receptions for 122 yards for Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2 SEC), which clinched the win with a fourth-down incompletion after scoring in its portion of overtime.

In its first game under interim coach D.J. Durkin, Auburn (4-6, 1-6) saw quarterback Ashton Daniels go 31 of 44 for 353 yards and two TDs. He carried 18 times for 89 yards and two scores. Cam Coleman had 143 yards on 10 catches, and Eric Singleton Jr. caught 11 passes for 102 yards. Both had touchdowns.

No. 18 Miami 38, Syracuse 10

Carson Beck threw for one touchdown and caught another as the Hurricanes shut down the Orange for an ACC victory in Miami Gardens, Fla.

After Beck’s 14-yard touchdown catch opened the scoring with 2:13 left in the first half, Keionte Scott delivered a 38-yard interception return to give Miami (7-2, 3-2) a 14-0 halftime lead. Beck finished 18 of 24 for 247 yards while the Hurricanes forced three turnovers and amassed six sacks.

Syracuse starter Rickie Collins completed 12 of 25 passes for 85 yards and two interceptions. Backup Joseph Filardi connected with Elijah Washington-Baker on a 17-yarder with 21 seconds left for the only touchdown by the Orange (3-7, 1-6), who lost their sixth in a row.

Wisconsin 13, No. 23 Washington 10

The Badgers snapped a six-game losing streak as freshman quarterback Carter Smith entered for the injured Danny O’Neil and directed the tying and winning drives for the Big Ten win over the Huskies in snowy Madison, Wis.

Smith’s 2-yard keeper made it 10-10 in the third quarter, then the Badgers (3-6, 1-5) capitalized on a short field for Nathanial Vakos’ go-ahead 32-yard field goal with 1:58 left in the third. Smith completed just 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards in his debut, but he rushed for 47 yards to complement Gideon Ituka’s 73 yards.

Demond Williams Jr. hit 20 of 32 passes for 134 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for a team-high 61 yards for Washington (6-3, 3-3). Anthony Ward blocked a punt to set up Williams’ 1-yard touchdown toss to Denzel Boston that gave the Huskies a 10-3 lead with 7:44 left in the first half.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sunday Morning Capsule: Berlin

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Atlanta Falcons (3-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (7-2) (Berlin)
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Colts -6.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The Colts are 15-3 all-time against the Falcons but Atlanta won the most recent meeting, 29-10 on Christmas Eve 2023, behind QB Taylor Heinicke.

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The first ever NFL game in Berlin pits two teams who have done the passport football thing a time or two. The Falcons are 2-2 all-time in international games and the Colts are bringing the league’s No. 1 scoring offense (32.2 ppg) to Germany after previously playing in Frankfurt. Indianapolis arrives with a bit of novelty having added All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. The Colts also are trying to rebound from a five-turnover showing by the offense in a loss to the Steelers last week. QB Daniel Jones started a November game in Germany with the Giants in 2024 before New York pulled the plug on his tenure with the team. Jones passed for 342 yards last week. He’ll attempt to get more out of his backfield running mate Jonathan Taylor to keep the Falcons’ speed rushers off-balance. When Taylor is clicking, the Colts’ excel with RPO-driven options that demand disciplined reads from a defense and open throwing lanes underneath where rookie TE Tyler Warren is thriving. He’s second in the league at the position with 518 receiving yards. Taylor leads the NFL with 12 touchdowns and is second in yards from scrimmage (1,113). He’s just ahead of Falcons RB Bijan Robinson (1,058), who ranks third in the league. QB Michael Penix Jr. and WR Drake London hooked up for three TD passes in Week 9. London has been used some in the slot, which might take away the potential for a one-on-one matchup with Gardner.