Alex Ovechkin’s 2024-25 season is full of milestones.

He’s playing in his 20th season in the NHL and the Washington Capitals are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

And if things continue to go well this season, Ovechkin can reach a milestone once thought unreachable.

Ovechkin, 39, entered this season needing 42 goals to break Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Capitals star, who had 42 goals two seasons ago, has scored six times this season, including four goals in his last three games.

If Ovechkin falls short this season — he scored 31 goals last season — he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record:

How close is Alex Ovechkin to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record?

Ovechkin has 859 career goals and needs 36 to break Gretzky’s record.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?

Ovechkin has six goals and seven assists in 10 games. He didn’t hit six goals until his 29th game last season. He’s on pace for 49 goals this season.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

Ovechkin had a goal, two assists and four shots in Saturday’s 7-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored in the first period on a one-timer past Daniil Tarasov after receiving a pass from Dylan Strome.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

Ovechkin plays Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Carolina Hurricanes. He has 50 goals in 90 career games against the Hurricanes.

Alex Ovechkin career goal breakdown

Even strength: 542, third overall

Short-handed: 5

Game winners: 129, second overall

How did Alex Ovechkin fare last season?

He had an uncharacteristically slow start, including a 14-game goal drought. But he started picking up after the All-Star Game, scoring in six of seven games with another stretch of eight goals in five games and finished with 31. By picking up his 18th 30-goal season, he broke the record he shared with Hall of Famer Mike Gartner. Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s record for empty-net goals and moved into second place all-time with 19 consecutive 20-goal seasons. He also improved to 129 game-winning goals, leaving him six behind record-holder Jaromir Jagr.

Who are the NHL’s top all-time goal scorers?

The top 20 NHL all-time goal scorers have all topped 600 goals and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby can join them this season. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Crosby and Jagr, who is still playing in Czechia.

1. Wayne Gretzky,  894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 859 goals in 1,436 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

19. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

20. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

21. Sidney Crosby, 595 goals in 1,284 games

In their biggest game of the season, the Nittany Lions fell at home to Ohio State 20-13 in a matchup of top-five teams playing in front of a record-setting crowd of 111,030 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania.

The loss was Penn State’s eighth in a row to the Buckeyes and dropped coach James Franklin’s record against Ohio State to 1-10 since he took over as the program’s coach ahead of the 2014 season.

Many of those eight consecutive losses came in games that ended up shaping the Big Ten and national title races, propelling the Buckeyes to conference championships and College Football Playoff appearances while preventing the Nittany Lions from reaching those goals.

What impact might No. 3 Penn State’s latest disappointment against No. 4 Ohio State have?

Here’s what you need to know about the Nittany Lions’ playoff chances:

Can Penn State football make the College Football Playoff?

As gutting as Saturday’s loss may have felt for Penn State and its fans, the Nittany Lions very much remain in the hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The defeat was Penn State’s first of the season, making its record 7-1 with four games remaining in the regular season.

While losses in recent seasons to Ohio State made the Nittany Lions’ road to a four-team playoff much more difficult — if there even was a road at all — the expanded 12-team playoff features seven at-large berths for the highest-ranked teams that fail to win their conference championship. Had the 12-team format existed, Penn State would have made the playoff six times based on the final rankings of the playoff committee (and based on the criteria of who makes the 12-team playoff.) In each of those seasons, the Nittany Lions had at least one loss.

It’s unclear how far they’ll fall following the loss to Ohio State. As 5 p.m. ET Saturday, none of the teams ranked behind Penn State in the US LBM Coaches Poll had lost, though several of those squads have two losses, which would make it seem unlikely that they’d leap the Nittany Lions.

Franklin and his team will get a good idea soon of where they sit. The first playoff committee rankings of the 2024 season will be released Tuesday night.

Can Penn State earn first-round CFP bye?

Though the Nittany Lions’ playoff hopes remain intact, whatever aspirations it had to earn a first-round bye are now in a more precarious position.

The highest four seeds in the playoff avoid having to play a first-round game and advance directly to the quarterfinals. Those four spots, however, are reserved for the four highest-rated conference champions, which, in most years, will come from the Power Four conferences: the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12.

Penn State’s road to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis is a bit complicated following the loss to the Buckeyes.

With the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, the Big Ten scrapped its two-division model and instead gives spots in the conference championship game to the highest two finishers in the 18-team league. At 4-1, the Nittany Lions are one of four teams in the Big Ten standings with fewer than two losses in conference play, a group that also includes 5-0 Oregon, 5-0 Indiana and 4-1 Ohio State.

Ohio State and Indiana play on Nov. 23 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, meaning one of those teams will have at least one more loss by the end of the season. Beyond that, though, Oregon has a navigable remaining schedule, with no games against top-25 opponents.

Should Penn State find itself in a tie in the standings, here are the tiebreaker steps the Big Ten established heading into this season, in order:

The tied teams will be compared based on head-to-head matchups during the regular season.
The tied teams will be compared based on record against all common conference opponents.
The tied teams will be compared based on record against common opponents with the best conference record and proceeding through the common conference opponents based on their order of finish within the conference standings.
The tied teams will be compared based on the best cumulative conference winning percentage of all conference opponents.
The representative will be chosen based on the highest ranking by SportSource Analytics (team Rating Score metric) following the regular season.
The representative will be chosen by random draw among the tied teams conducted by the Commissioner or designee.

Penn State football schedule 2024

Much of the optimistic case for Penn State making the playoff centers around its remaining schedule.

Following the loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions have no games remaining against teams in the top 25 of the Coaches Poll. In fact, that only tells so much of the story. Entering Saturday, only one of Penn State’s final four opponents — Minnesota, at 5-3 — had a winning record.

Should the Nittany Lions take care of business and win games in which they’ll almost certainly be favored, they’ll finish the regular season 11-1 and be in strong position to be selected for the playoff.

Here’s a look at Penn State’s 2024 schedule and what looms ahead:

Saturday, Aug. 31: Penn State 34, West Virginia 12
Saturday, Sept. 7: Penn State 34, Bowling Green 27
Saturday, Sept. 21: Penn State 56, Kent State 0
Saturday, Sept. 28: Penn State 21, No. 19 Illinois 7
Saturday, Oct. 5: Penn State 27, UCLA 11
Saturday, Oct. 12: Penn State 33, USC 30 (OT)
Saturday, Oct. 26: Penn State 28, Wisconsin 13
Saturday, Nov. 2: No. 4 Ohio State 20, Penn State 13
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Washington
Saturday, Nov. 16: at Purdue
Saturday, Nov. 23: at Minnesota
Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Maryland

Bryce Young entered the 2024 NFL season looking for a second chance to prove himself as the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback. He was given all of two weeks to show what he could do.

First-year Panthers coach Dave Canales benched Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton before the team’s Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Carolina insisted it still believed Young could develop into a quality starter, but it has continued to start Dalton whenever the 37-year-old has been healthy.

Carolina’s strategy hasn’t changed even after its 1-7 start to the season. That has led many to wonder whether the Panthers could pull the plug on the Young experiment much like the San Francisco 49ers did with 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance after just two seasons.

Young may not be dealt ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline, but teams will certainly be paying attention to him before and during the 2025 offseason. Here are some potential landing spots if the Panthers move on from the 2023 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

New York Giants

The Giants’ decision to give Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract during the 2023 offseason was ill-fated, as Jones has struggled badly since inking his new deal. New York will almost certainly move on from him during the 2025 offseason, as they can do so by absorbing a dead-cap hit of just $22.2 million, per OverTheCap.com. Young would represent a cheap, potential-packed replacement whom the Giants could target if they aren’t sold on the 2025 NFL Draft’s quarterback crop.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders signed Gardner Minshew during the 2024 NFL offseason to serve as a stopgap starter, but neither he nor Aidan O’Connell looks like a long-term answer for the team. Young might not have the same skillset as Jayden Daniels, who Antonio Pierce coached at Arizona State, but perhaps Pierce could be sold on Young’s Russell Wilson-like combination of mobility and arm talent.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have bottomed out in Brian Callahan’s first season, as Will Levis and Mason Rudolph have been one of the NFL’s least effective quarterback duos. Callahan was part of the team that developed Joe Burrow into a high-quality NFL signal-caller so perhaps he could see untapped potential with Young, another No. 1 overall pick.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts pivoted to Joe Flacco over Anthony Richardson after the 2023 No. 4 pick made just 10 starts. Young got just 18 starts in Carolina before being benched in favor of Dalton. A change of scenery could benefit both quarterbacks, and it’s fun to imagine what Shane Steichen may be able to do with Young after being part of the Eagles staff that turned Jalen Hurts into a Super Bowl starter.

New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers turns 41 in December. His backup, Tyrod Taylor, is 35. The Jets could use a younger quarterback to battle with Jordan Travis to be Rodgers’ successor, and Young could benefit learning behind Rodgers, who has been one of the best NFL quarterbacks of the 21st century.

Los Angeles Rams

Landing with Sean McVay would be one of the best outcomes for Young’s career long-term. McVay helped turn Kirk Cousins into a quality NFL starter, got Jared Goff to a Super Bowl, won one with Matthew Stafford and revitalized Baker Mayfield’s career after his stint with the Panthers. Young would be a solid successor for Stafford, and Los Angeles’ plethora of weapons will remind many of the quality receiver room Young got to work with at Alabama.

Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith has been a good starter for the Seahawks over the last few seasons, but the 34-year-old is only under contract through the 2025 season. Young could emerge as Smith’s successor while battling Sam Howell for the backup job. If Seahawks general manager John Schneider is reminded at all of Russell Wilson while watching Young’s tape, the long-time Seattle executive could take a swing on him as a buy-low project.

WWE loves its international premium live events, and the eighth one of the year took place on Saturday with Crown Jewel 2024.

Now a staple in WWE’s fall calendar, Crown Jewel was held in Saudi Arabia for the sixth time since its inception in 2018. It was one of the biggest cards of 2024 with seven matches, the most since SummerSlam in August.

The biggest matches of the day were the inter-brand matchups between Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, as well as Women’s Champion Nia Jax vs. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, with the winner of each match capturing the newly unveiled Crown Jewel title.

Two titles − the United States and Women’s Tag Team Championships − were defended, and three singles matches with some heated rivalries took place, including the old Bloodline facing the new Bloodline.

Here is the recap of highlights and analysis for Crown Jewel 2024:

WWE Crown Jewel Championship match: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. World Heavyweight Champion Gunther

The main event of the night pitted the top two champions of the men’s division, and both Cody Rhodes and Gunther started a technical battle to kick off the match. When it looked like one star was going to get the advantage, the other countered and the crowd was loving every second of it. A great spot was when Rhodes went for a bionic elbow, only to receive a chop from Gunther and ‘The Ring General’ mocking a Rhodes’ celebration.

Eventually, Gunther was the one to take the first real advantage of the match, unleashing his grueling assault on the ‘American Nightmare.’ Rhodes’ back was clearly hampering him during the onslaught, and when he took Gunther off the top rope to try and change the tide, he was hurting bad. Gunther had a tight grip on the match and he went on his mission to make Rhodes pass out in a sleeper. When Gunther lost his hold and tried it again, Rhodes countered with a Cross Rhodes to end the threat.

When they got up, Gunther executed a power bomb that has put many people away, only for Rhodes to kick out. Rhodes suddenly found the energy to take every chop Gunther tried, and he landed another Cross Rhodes; it didn’t result in a successful pin. Rhodes signed it would take one more Cross Rhodes, and when it looked like things would go bad with another sleeper attempt, Rhodes got out of it and got Gunther’s shoulders down for a pin and get the victory.

The two champions shook hands after the match as Rhodes was crowned the WWE Crown Jewel Champion.

Analysis: Rhodes and Gunther proved why they are WWE champions when they put on a clinic of what the top dogs in the company should look like. Gunther showed off his dominance while Rhodes had the flair and quick hitting ability.

It was hard to see either champion taking a loss in this, and while the roll up finish may leave a sour taste in the mouth, it is likely was the best path to victory as a case could’ve been made for either star. The acknowledgement between Rhodes and Gunther showed both of them understand the greatness in each other, and that’s what fans should do. Now that this mini-feud for the event is over, both stars can go back to defending their actual titles against solid competition. But after this performance, it’s hard to envision either of them falling before the calendar flips.

The premium live event wasn’t the best one of the year, but it was a solid showing with a seven-match card. Yes, there may be some questionable decisions, but there weren’t too many disappointments to overshadow the day.

Cody Rhodes makes his entrance

Cody Rhodes’ has one of the most electric entrances in WWE, and it was no different in Saudi Arabia. The crowd inside Mohammed Abdo Arena let it be known they know all the lyrics to ‘Kingdom.’

Triple threat match for United States Championship: LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes

Carmelo Hayes and Andrade made sure to tee off on each other before getting the champion into the mix, and once it was a true triple threat match, then things got wild. Andrade showed off his high-flying skills while Hayes showed his impressive skills of speed and power.

Even though he is the champion, it took some time for LA Knight to do anything meaningful in the match, and a double-elbow drop was a nicely done move to get some highlights of his own. Hayes saw an opening when he landed the Nothing But Net on LA Knight, and the pin would’ve won it for him if Andrade didn’t stop the pin.

Andrade and Hayes tried to end the match against each other, and the champion found a crack. LA Knight perfectly executed a BFT on Hayes that also got Andrade, and he pinned Hayes to retain the title.

Analysis: A thrilling match that really allowed the challengers to shine, the energy and tempo was excellent in this one. You have to appreciate all of the effort each star puts into their performance.

LA Knight did great in allowing his opponents to shine as they have done in each of their previous battles. However, it’s hard to see his reign ending at this point. He has become a working champion, something the previous title holder didn’t do much of. It wouldn’t be a total shock to see Andrade or Hayes dethrone LA Knight in the future, but it will be some time before then.

Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens is clearly fed up with his former friend, attacking Randy Orton before the match began with a chair. After that, all hope was lost for anything to get under control.

Orton had a fire lit in him by matching Owen’s energy and not holding back to assault his former friend. Referees, officials and even the general managers tried to stop the carnage, only to get caught in it. Owens delivered a stunner to the referee and even Monday Night Raw’s Adam Pierce received an RKO.

The fight went into the crowd, and after using some equipment to hit the ‘Viper,’ Owens delivered a diving elbow off the stairs to Orton that completely took out both stars. It was a shock, and it ended with a match that never even happened.

Analysis: That was chaotic. Clearly, there is no love lost between the once good friends, and a match didn’t even take place. Orton took a big bump and it looked like he took some serious damage in the brawl, and it’s likely that he’ll be sidelined for some time. That will allow Owens to solely focus on getting his revenge on Cody Rhodes. When the Undisputed WWE Champion leaves Crown Jewel, he’ll have his next title opponent waiting for him.

WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship match: WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax vs. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan

In the first champion vs. champion of the night, it was the WWE Women’s Champion that took the early advantage, using her power to control the match against Liv Morgan. After Jax was trying to deliver an early Annihilate-her, Morgan countered it with a power bomb.

That’s when Tiffany Stratton emerged and Ms. Money in the Bank was getting ready to cash in her contract on someone. When she handed it to the referee, Jax got up and questioned what her ally was doing. She then told her to leave, but Stratton opted to stay. When Stratton tried to cash in again, Raquel Rodriguez emerged and stopped Stratton from potentially cashing in on the Women’s World Champion.

When Morgan and Rodriguez tried to confront Stratton, Jax surprised them and took them all out. With Jax closing in, Dominik Mysterio distracted the referee and allowed Rodriguez to knock down Jax. With her down, Morgan used an Ob-Liv-ion to get the pin and win the Women’s Crown Jewel Championship.

Analysis: This match outcome was very easy to see coming, it was just going to be a matter of whether an actual WWE title was going to change hands. Mysterio and Rodriguez will always have Morgan’s back, and they came up big time to get a monumental win for their fellow member of The Judgement Day. Now, Morgan is certified as the best women’s star on the roster, and her emotional response was a sweet moment on what is a rather evil-leaning star.

What was surprising was Stratton not cashing in her Money in the Bank contract. It was perfectly set up for her to turn her back on Jax and dethrone her, but it ended up not happening. It’s now pretty tough to predict when she will cash in her contract, and hopefully it doesn’t turn out to be a waste of a potential star.

Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed

How much do these guys dislike each other? Reed wasn’t even down the ramp before Rollins attacked him to get the action started. Only after some punishing shots did the match finally get in the ring to begin. Once the bell rang, Reed immediately went for a tsunami and when he went for the second one, Rollins moved out of the way and executed a curb stomp. He went for the pin and Reed kicked out.

Reed spent some time delivering punishing blows to Rollins, not allowing many opportunities to get out of it. Even when Rollins would counter something, Reed didn’t allow the momentum to swing out of his favor. Reed looked like his was closing in on a victory, but each pin attempt was met by a kick out. It would take several tsunamis to take Rollins down, but ‘The Visionary’ would get out of the way to avoid it.

Reed chased him outside of the ring, and he fell right into Rollins’ trap. He took him down and delivered a curb stomp on the steel steps, and when he got Reed inside the ring, Rollins went to the top turnbuckle and launched himself for a major curb stomp. The ‘big’ Reed went down and Rollins pinned him for the victory in a brutal contest.

Analysis: The pure distaste between Reed and Rollins made great television, and it translated into a great match. The frenzy that it was showed off the best version of both stars. Reed is proving to be more than just a power wrestler, and he has plenty of potential to become a singles champion. A win would’ve catapulted him toward that path, but his stock shouldn’t take a dramatic fall with the loss, just as long as he gets booked corrected.

As much as Reed would have gained from taking down a big-time star, Rollins badly needed a victory after continuously falling short on premium live events. He’ll stay as a main event talent and now will have his eyes set on big goals as he is headed toward the road to WrestleMania.

Fatal-four way tag team match for WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven

Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky started the action, setting the tone for their match in great style, similar to their battle at Backlash in 2023.

Damage CTRL were the stars early, even if a spot on the turnbuckle was botched. Even when the action got chaotic as expected, Kairi Sane and Sky executed a beautiful InSane elbow and Over the Moonsault combination. The champions took everyone out and Jade Cargill tried to get a pin in, but it was quickly thwarted. Each team then unleashed their own set of impressive moves, but Piper Niven mistakenly took out Chelsea Green. It gave the champions enough time to captialize with a Doomsday Device on Niven to take her down and for Belair to get the pin to retain the titles.

Analysis: A match that gave each team a chance to show off their skill, it was Damage CTRL that really shined in this one, with Sky and Sane proving they are still among the top performers in the sport. However, the defending champions strength still overpowered every other team to do enough to retain.

The women’s tag team division is still being heavily carried by Cargill and Belair, and they need a legitimate challenger to come in and try to dethrone them. It seems like the champions are headed toward a WrestleMania match against each other, so a team will soon have to take the titles and prove to be worthy doing so.

Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu)

The match started with Tonga Loa and Jey Uso, and Uso quickly went to his brother to bring the dynamic tag team duo back. The twin brothers quickly took advantage and forced Solo Sikoa to huddle his team together. However, Jey Uso opting to not tag Roman Reigns in showed there are still some things to figure with the old Bloodline, and the distraction was enough for the new Bloodline to get on offense.

The momentum shifted back-and-forth the next few minutes, and when Jey Uso was down, he finally tagged in Reigns for his first action in the match. He met with Sikoa in the middle of the ring and the ‘OTC’ quickly went to work on his rival. Reigns tried to end the match with a Superman punch and spear, only for Sikoa to counter it with a Samoan spike. Sikoa went for the pin, but Jimmy Uso broke it up in time.

While the carnage went out of the ring, Reigns tried to end the match against Sikoa, only for Tonga to get the referee out. That’s when Fatu went to work on Reigns with a brutal assault. By the time the referee got back up, Sikoa delivered multiple Samoan spikes to Reigns to get the pin and remain the Tribal Chief.

Reigns and company tried to fight back after the match ended, but the effort was unsuccessful. The new Bloodline inflicted more damage on their opponents, and when they were going for the crushing blow to Jay Uso, Sami Zayn emerged.

He stood across Sikoa, surprised him with an attack and the rest of his old friends came to help him out. Sikoa was surrounded in the middle of the ring and when Zayn tried a helluva kick, Sikoa dodged it and inadvertently hit Reigns. An argument ensued while Zayn left in confusion.

Analysis: A perfect match to start the night. There were never any lulls in the action and the crowd was very much into seeing the next chapter of The Bloodline.

The result made sense; the new Bloodline is clearly still dominant and has the numbers advantage. There are still some kinks to work out with the Usos, but it was somewhat surprising to see Sikoa get the pin over Reigns to assert his dominance over the ‘OTC.’ The rivalry is going to carry into the end of the year, and the old Bloodline was still one person short from being able to compete. The emergence of Zayn − even though it wasn’t entire successful − announced the old Bloodline finally has the fourth person it needs to go up against their adversaries. A WarGames match is certainly brewing for Survivor Series between the two sides, and the teams are all but set up now.

Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso make entrance

Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso made their epic entrance together.

When is Crown Jewel 2024?

Crown Jewel 2024 is Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. ET.

Is there a Crown Jewel 2024 preshow?

WWE will air a Crown Jewel countdown show at 11 a.m. ET on YouTube and its social media platforms.

Where is Crown Jewel 2024?

Crown Jewel 2024 is taking place at Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

How to watch Crown Jewel 2024: TV channel, streaming

The event can be streamed on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on WWE Network.

Crown Jewel 2024 match card

Matches not in order

WWE Crown Jewel Championship match: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. World Heavyweight Champion Gunther
WWE Women’s Crown Jewel Championship match: WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax vs. Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan
Triple threat match for United States Championship: LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes
Fatal-four way tag team match for WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu)
Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens

James H. Williams Crown Jewel 2024 predictions

Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther: A big-time matchup between the top two champions here but I don’t see a way where one is getting a clean victory over the other. To keep both champions strong, I’d expect to see some level of interference here. Winner: Draw.
Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax: Morgan has things working in her favor coming into this match. She will likely have members of the Judgement Day by her side. She won’t have to worry much about Rhea Ripley, who suffered an injury early in the week while at NXT. Also, we have to see where Tiffany Stratton fits into things as the Money in the Bank briefcase holder. Winner: Liv Morgan.
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes: I’d have to keep an eye out for Carmelo here. He could find himself walking out as a new champion, if WWE wants to use the opportunity to add a boost to a up and coming star. Winner: Carmelo Hayes.
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven: I don’t see Jade and Bianca losing the titles just yet. I think they retain the titles but I’d expect Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson to have an impressive showing as they continue to make a name for themselves on the main roster. Winner: Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair.
Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu): Roman and the Usos are back together despite all that’s happened over the last few years but I expect Solo and The Bloodline to capitalize on the numbers advantage in this one. Winner: The Bloodline.
Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed: Reed has been looking to make a statement over the last few weeks and there’s no better opportunity for him to make one than against a former world champion like Rollins. This one has the potential to be the best match of the night. Winner: Bronson Reed.
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: Owens hasn’t been happy with some of his friends as of late including Orton. I expect Owens to continue playing mind games with Orton and get the better of him in this matchup. Winner: Kevin Owens.

Jordan Mendoza Crown Jewel 2024 predictions

Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther: This will be a clinic in technical wrestling that should bring out the best out of each other. While Gunther has been such a dominant force in anything he does, it’s hard to see the WWE champion falling in a match that doesn’t have big implications. Winner: Cody Rhodes.
Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax: Liv Morgan is riding high while Nia Jax has been somewhat shaky with her reign. There’s a great opportunity for Tiffany Stratton to cash in her Money in the Bank contract, and it happens against her soon-to-be former friend. Winner: Liv Morgan.
LA Knight (c) vs. Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes: LA Knight has helped bring back some prestige to the United States title, becoming a solid champion. The rivalry between Hayes and Andrade will make this match compelling, but the champion retains. Winner: LA Knight.
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (c) vs. Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky vs. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven: Cargill and Belair are on an eventual collision course against each other, and Saturday is a great opportunity to break them away from the titles and plant the seed for a rivalry. A duo flying under the radar is Sane and Sky, who continue to be excellent in the ring and bring Damage CTRL more gold. Winner: Kairi Sane and Iyo Sky.
Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu): The original Bloodline being together will be great, but there is still a piece missing in their quest to overthrow the new Bloodline. This feud is far from over, and Jacob Fatu plays a big role in his team getting the victory. Winner: The Bloodline.
Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed: Don’t be surprised if this match steals the show. These two stars have held nothing back whenever they meet, and this one will be a chaotic mess that results in Rollins getting back into the main event picture. Winner: Seth Rollins.
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: Owens is on a warpath while Orton is trying to stop it. Trying to knock some sense into Owens will be Orton’s downfall. Winner: Kevin Owens.

Crown Jewel stage

The stage for Crown Jewel looks similar to year’s past with a massive screen from where the wrestlers will make their entrance from.

Crown Jewel champions to get ‘Super Bowl-like’ rings

When Cody Rhodes faces Gunther and Nia Jax takes on Liv Morgan, they’ll be competing for more than Crown Jewel championships.

WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque said on Friday the winners of the match will receive a “massive Super Bowl-like” ring. Since the event is now an annual event, stars will get the chance to collect multiple rings as well.

The Dallas Cowboys have started the 2024 NFL season with a disappointing 3-4 record, and their rushing offense has been a big part of the problem.

The Cowboys are averaging a league-low 74.1 yards per game on the ground, and Dallas is looking for any possible way to spark its running back room. That includes benching one of the team’s best-known players, Ezekiel Elliott.

Here’s what to know about Elliott’s status for Dallas’ critical Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Is Ezekiel Elliott playing Week 9 vs. Falcons?

Elliott will not be dressing for Dallas’ Week 9 matchup with the Falcons, according to the Cowboys official website.

Elliott was active for each of Dallas’ first seven games of the 2024 NFL season but will sit with Rico Dowdle returning to action in Week 9. Dowdle missed the Cowboys’ Week 8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers with an illness, which allowed both Elliott and Dalvin Cook to play in the contest.

Dallas is looking for a spark for its last-ranked rushing offense and is evidently hoping Cook can provide it. The veteran was active for the first time in Week 8 against the 49ers but generated just 12 yards on six carries in the contest. Meanwhile, Elliott had 34 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Dressing both Cook and Elliott with Dowdle back was unlikely to be an option for the game, as neither Cook nor Elliott plays special teams. As a result, Elliott will make way while Deuce Vaughn, the team’s No. 3 back who has played a position-high 13 special teams snaps this season, will be active in addition to Cook and Dowdle.

Elliott did not travel with the Cowboys to Atlanta.

Dallas Cowboys RB depth chart

The Cowboys will be three-deep at running back on Sunday, as has been customary for them this season. Below is the expected pecking order among the running backs.

Rico Dowdle
Dalvin Cook
Deuce Vaughn

The team will also dress fullback Hunter Luepke for the game. He could see snaps as a solo back against the Falcons, but he will more often be in there along with one of the running backs.

Ezekiel Elliott stats

Elliott entered Week 9 averaging a career-low 3.1 yards per carry. Below is a look at the 29-year-old’s notable stats for the 2024 NFL season:

Carries: 48
Rushing yards: 149
Rushing TDs: 2
Yards per carry: 3.1
Receptions: 7
Receiving yards: 40
Receiving TDs: 0

(This story has been updated from a previous version).

Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway was carted off the field of Saturday’s game against No. 2 Georgia after suffering a hamstring injury. He was unable to put weight on his leg and was carried into the cart.

Lagway, a former five-star recruit, was serving as the Gators’ starter after Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending injury ACL tear against Tennessee. He led Florida to a 10-3 lead just before halftime after throwing a 43-yard touchdown to Aidan Mizell in the second quarter.

Lagway entered the game with 1,024 passing yards and five touchdowns to five interceptions this season, along with 96 rushing yards. He was the No. 7 overall recruit and No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings.

The crowd chanted ‘DJ Lagway’ as he was carted off the field.

DJ Lagway injury update

Lagway hurt his left hamstring, laying on the field at EverBank Stadium for several moments while getting tended to by Florida trainers. He was eventually carted off the field.

Florida coach Billy Napier confirmed it was a hamstring injury in a halftime interview with Holly Rowe, calling the injury significant.

‘He’s got a hamstring. Pretty significant one,’ Napier said. ‘But he’s a tough kid. I can promise you one thing, this team will rally behind him for sure.’

What is DJ Lagway’s injury

Lagway suffered a hamstring injury, as confirmed by Napier, who also noted it was significant, indicating he may miss extended time.

This story will be updated.

What’s taken the NFL so long to drop the hammer on Nick Bosa? 

It’s the election, silly. 

The NFL has been reviewing the case of the San Francisco 49ers defensive end’s blatant disregard for the league’s rule against wearing or messaging political slogans for the bulk of the week – Bosa crashed an NBC postgame interview on Sunday night and pointed to the “Make America Great Again” cap he wore – but has yet to issue a statement or reveal the extent of the expected discipline. 

Bosa won’t be suspended for his ploy, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports under the condition of anonymity. The person did not want to be identified because the case is still under review. It’s likely that the NFL will merely fine Bosa – yet not until later next week. 

After election day on Tuesday. 

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Sure, the evidence is clear-cut, right there on videotape. The rule is well established. Bosa butted into Melissa Stark’s interview with 49ers players Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Isaac Guerendo after their victory against the Dallas Cowboys and drew attention to his political position as the MAGA hat represents the slogan of former President Donald Trump’s campaign. And just because the game was over, Bosa was still subject to the rule while on the field, which is why, for example, players are still subject to discipline if they engage in postgame scuffles. 

It seems as if the league, which has been a target of Trump’s in the past, is sensitive to adding fuel to the intense political rhetoric as the election approaches.  

Nice try, but when a star player mars an NFL broadcast by wearing a MAGA hat, you’ve already been drawn in. Remember, when NFL players knelt in protest during the national anthem in 2017, Trump infamously called to get the “sons of (expletive) off the field.”  

Now Bosa gets his word in. 

The NFL won’t let this slide. Yet the league’s delay in making its statement on the matter could ultimately lessen the bite. 

Motor City juggernaut

During the five-game winning streak that has propelled the Detroit Lions (6-1) to the franchise’s best start since 1956, they’ve scored more touchdowns (24) than thrown incompletions (20). Talk about efficiency. 

Jared Goff has the highest completion rate (83%) and passer rating (146.5) over a five-game span than any quarterback in NFL history (50 attempts minimum). And that only begins to reflect the balance that is flowing. The Lions are the only team in the NFL with three players – Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery and Amon-Ra St. Brown – who have produced 400 yards from scrimmage and posted 5 TDs from scrimmage. They lead the league in touchdowns scored from outside the red zone (nine) and they have the most touchdowns produced in goal-to-go situations (17). 

Can anybody stop the Lions? No doubt, the confidence is sky high for a team that has averaged 43 points the past four games. 

“We talk all the time that we are our biggest culprits when we have a three-and-out or it’s a punt or it’s a turnover,” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “It’s usually something self-inflicted more often than what teams are doing against us. 

He went on to add, “I think they understand that if we get the first first down in each series, then chances are pretty high that we’re going to end up with points for that drive.” 

Well, the Green Bay Packers get the next crack during a showdown on Sunday at Lambeau Field that will determine first place in the NFC North. 

Quick slants

— Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly has snapped for 12 quarterbacks since joining the team as a first-round pick in 2016. He won’t deny the frustration as the latest revolution has Joe Flacco supplanting Anthony Richardson. “Can name all of them,” Kelly said. “Good friends with all of them. Just kind of reality, right?” Well, it could be worse. During the same span of years since Kelly entered the NFL, the Cleveland Browns have started 16 quarterbacks. 

— The Arizona Cardinals haven’t allowed a sack in three consecutive games. It’s the first time that’s happened for the franchise since 1975. And it’s also a reflection of the mobility Kyler Murray brings. The slippery quarterback has avoided multiple would-be sacks. As center Hjalte Froholdt put it, “You can’t really talk about zero sacks without mentioning Kyler.” 

— The Atlanta Falcons’ feeble pass rush is trending in the wrong direction. The Falcons have posted an NFL-low six sacks, one reason the defense has the third-worst rate in the league for coming off the field on third downs. “There’s always a certain area in all three phases – offense, defense, special teams – that everyone’s going to focus on as your weakness,” said Jimmy Lake, the defensive coordinator. “And then we start to work on these things, and we catch fire at the end of the season and here we go.” That sounds like a plan. In the meantime, the Falcons D could represent good matchup news for struggling Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on Sunday. 

Lionel Messi hopes to help Inter Miami advance past Atlanta United in the second MLS Cup Playoff game on Saturday night.

Game 2 of their best-of-three, first-round series begins at 7 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will be available to live stream for free via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Messi had an assist, but didn’t score as Inter Miami beat Atlanta 2-1 to win Game 1 on Oct. 25. He’s expected to captain Inter Miami in tonight’s match.

Nearly 70,000 fans are expected to attend tonight’s Atlanta-Inter Miami match, the second match in a tripleheader of MLS playoff games Saturday.

Follow along here for live updates from USA TODAY Sports on Saturday night.

How to watch Atlanta vs. Inter Miami free live stream

The match is available on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is expected to start for Inter Miami’s game in Atlanta.

Atlanta vs. Inter Miami betting odds

Moneyline: Inter Miami (-110); Atlanta (+230); Tie after regulation (+300)
Over/under: 3.5 goals
Betting odds provided by BETMGM.

Inter Miami players to watch

Messi and Luis Suarez led Inter Miami with 20 goals each during the 2024 MLS season, becoming the first pair of teammates to accomplish the feat. Suarez scored in the second minute against Atlanta in Game 1, while Messi is still looking for his first goal in the MLS playoffs.

Atlanta United players to watch

Top goal scorer Saba Lobjanidze has scored four goals in three matches against Inter Miami this season, including the equalizer in Game 1. Also, keep an eye on goalie Brad Guzan, who had eight saves and kept Messi at bay in Game 1.

If Atlanta United wins tonight

Atlanta would force Game 3 in the first-round series to be played at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium on Nov. 9.

If Inter Miami wins tonight

Inter Miami would advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, awaiting the winner between No. 4 Orlando City and No. 5 Charlotte.

MLS Cup Playoff Picture

The second leg of the first round continues with three matches on Saturday, and another tripleheader Sunday.

L.A. Galaxy, the No. 2 seed in the West, became the first team to advance to the semifinals Friday night, beating No. 7 seed Colorado 4-1 to win their first-round series. Meanwhile, Charlotte forced Game 3 with a penalty shootout victory at home against No. 4 Orlando City.

The third game for each first-round series, if necessary, will be played Nov. 8-10.

MLS Cup Playoff games on Saturday

New York City vs. FC Cincinnati, 5 p.m. ET (Cincinnati leads 1-0)
Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami, 7 p.m. ET (Inter Miami leads 1-0)
Minnesota vs. Real Salt Lake, 9 p.m. ET (Minnesota leads 1-0)

MLS Cup Playoff games on Sunday

New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew, 4:30 p.m. ET (New York leads 1-0)
Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders, 6:30 p.m. ET (Seattle leads 1-0)
Vancouver vs. LAFC, 8:45 p.m. ET (LAFC leads 1-0)

When is the MLS Cup Playoff Semifinals?

The conference semifinals will be Nov. 23-24 after a FIFA international window.

When is the MLS Cup Playoff Conference Finals?

The Eastern and Western Conference Finals will be played Nov. 30-Dec. 1.

When is the MLS Cup final?

The MLS Cup final will be played on Dec. 7.

Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said before that he’s not in the business of making other teams better. He plans to use the same approach as the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline approaches.

Barring a change of heart, the Bengals do not plan on trading wide receiver Tee Higgins, a person close to the situation inform USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Higgins, a 2020 second-round pick by the Bengals, is presumably playing his final season in Cincinnati.

The fifth-year wide receiver is begrudgingly playing this year under the one-year franchise tag worth $21.8 million. Higgins had hoped to sign a long-term extension before the start of the regular season, but a long-term pact never materialized. Higgins even requested the Bengals trade him during the offseason when contract talks never heated up.

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However, the Bengals declined to trade Higgins during offseason, and they aren’t seriously entertaining offers for the wideout now.

Higgins is likely to miss his second straight game due to a quad injury. He is listed as “doubtful” for Sunday’s contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. He has 29 catches, 341 receiving yards and three touchdowns in five games this year.

He’s tallied 286 catches, 4,025 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns in 63 career regular-season games all in a Bengals uniform. He’s the fifth-fastest player in Bengals history to surpass 4,000 receiving yards.

Why Bengals haven’t signed Tee Higgins to long-term extension

The Bengals have prioritized signing wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase to a lucrative extension over Higgins.

However, Chase and the Bengals have yet to agree on a multi-year deal. Chase currently leads the NFL this year in receiving yards (674) and receiving touchdowns (seven).

Why Bengals won’t trade Tee Higgins

The Bengals typically aren’t buyers or sellers during the trade deadline. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the 2024 NFL scouting combine that the team isn’t interested in trading Higgins.

‘I’m not in the business of making other teams better. I’m in the business of making the Cincinnati Bengals better. So trading Tee Higgins is not on my mind,’ Tobin told reporters. ‘That’s (other teams’) problem – they want a receiver, go find your own.

‘In my opinion, Tee Higgins is a good piece for the Cincinnati Bengals, so the trade stuff is a little ridiculous right now.’

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.