There was an unexpected guest on the field during Saturday’s SEC showdown between No. 18 Ole Miss and Oklahoma.

And it wasn’t a fan — well, maybe.

During an injury timeout on the field for Oklahoma’s defensive lineman Gracen Halton, a squirrel broke out onto the field. As play was set to resume at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the squirrel went into high gear and showed off its speed as it found its way into the end zone.

‘Squirrel might score a touchdown! Oh yeah, touchdown!,’ ESPN’s Bob Wischusen said on the broadcast.

The squirrel breakdown on the field came shortly after the Sooners tied the game at 7-7 with the Rebels on an 11-yard pass from quarterback Jackson Arnold to Bauer Sharp.

Here’s another look from the jumbotron at the squirrel running onto the field during Saturday’s game, which sent the crow inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium into a frenzy:

At the time the squirrel was safely ushered into the end zone and off the field, the game was tied 7-7-7 (Ole Miss, Oklahoma, squirrel).

Saturday is the first meeting between Ole Miss and Oklahoma as SEC foes, and just the second all-time as both programs last met at the 1999 Independence Bowl.

With a win on Saturday, Ole Miss will help keep its hopes alive for their first College Football Playoff appearance under Lane Kiffin. The Rebels brought the No. 2 scoring defense in the country into Saturday’s game, giving up an average of 10.57 points per game. 

Jim Donovan, known for a generation as the ‘Voice of the Cleveland Browns,’ died on Saturday following a battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). He was 68.

“This is an incredibly difficult day for us and the entire Cleveland Browns organization,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement from the team. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jim Donovan. His impact as the Voice of the Browns for 25 years is immeasurable as he touched the lives of our fans each and every Sunday with his love for the Browns and his brilliance at his craft.”

Donovan was diagnosed with the disease in 2000. He underwent a bone-marrow transplant in the summer of 2011, but Donovan announced the cancer returned in May 2023, which led him to step away from broadcasting for a time for treatment. He returned in November, but the leukemia returned again this year, leading him to retire from the broadcast booth in late August.

“He will be greatly missed, but he cemented a legacy that will live on forever. The only thing that outweighed his love for this city and this team was the love he had for his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Cheryl, his daughter, Meghan, and everyone who was fortunate enough to call Jimmy family or friend.”

Donovan’s calls of Browns games were often among the highlights from what has otherwise been 25 years of mostly losing football. However, while he was never afraid to tell it as it was regardless of whether it made the team look bad, his enthusiasm in the big moments was hard to miss.

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“That’s it!,’ Donovan exclaimed as the final second ticked off in the Browns’ playoff-clinching win over the New York Jets on Dec. 28. ‘The Browns are going to the playoffs! The postseason is back in Cleveland!”

“He waited so long to get a play-by-play job, he never took it for granted,” Doug Dieken, former Browns offensive tackle and Donovan’s longtime radio partner from 1999-2000, told Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto in August. “He loves every minute of doing the Browns. That’s why you know this is so hard for him.”

The Browns inducted Donovan in the Cleveland Browns Legends along with former placekicker Phil Dawson before their Week 3 home game against the New York Giants. He was not able to make it to the ceremony due to his health issues.

“He had the uncanny knack to remain accurate and true in everything he said, yet still supportive,” Dawson said in a Zoom call on Sept. 19. “I don’t know how he found that balance. So whether it was coming off a devastating loss, I’d watched some of his stuff postgame, kind of wanted to know what was swirling around, and Jim just had a knack for, ‘Here’s what happened.’ He’d inform the public what he saw, yet he did so with such class, and I know I appreciated it.

“He understood Cleveland, and so he could bring an element to what the city was feeling, what the city was frustrated with, what the city was ready to celebrate. So he just somehow mixed that all together, and, man, what an honor to have one guy calling every game I played as a Brown.”

The final public statement Donovan released to the fans came through the Browns after he retired from the booth on Aug. 29. It was in the form of a letter released by the team.

Most of the letter addressed the health battle Donovan was undergoing. There was also the usual Donovan optimism about the opener against the Dallas Cowboys and the season as a whole.

However, it was the third paragraph that summed up the relationship between Donovan and the legion of Browns fans.

‘I have called Browns games for 25 years,’ the letter read. ‘Not a day has gone by when I haven’t paused and been so proud to be ‘The Voice of the Browns.’ Cheryl, Meghan and I thank you for all the love, support and prayers during my rough patches. It’s like having a huge family around us. And that’s what makes the Cleveland Browns so special. You do. … It’s been an honor, Jim Donovan’

Donovan was hired as the Browns’ radio broadcaster when the expansion franchise began play in 1999, the eighth full-time radio broadcaster in team history dating back to the original franchise. As was the case with many of the others, including Nev Chandler, Casey Coleman and Gib Shanley, he was already established in the Cleveland market as the sports director at WKYC-TV Channel 3.

He’s survived by his wife, Cheryl, and daughter, Meghan.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ.

Among the biggest moves in the leadup was the Boston Bruins and No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman reaching an eight-year, $66 million contract agreement a day earlier and ending an impasse that looked like it could stretch into the season.

Transactions are continuing during the regular season as teams build toward a Stanley Cup or make moves for their long-term future. There are key dates to watch: the holiday roster freeze in December, the league’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the trade deadline in early March.

Follow along here this season for signings, trades, transactions and other news from the NHL:

Oct. 26: Penguins send goalie Tristan Jarry to minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to their American Hockey League affiliate on a conditioning loan after his early season struggles. He had been sent home from the Penguins’ road trip to work on his game after recording a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage in three games. He was pulled from his last start on Oct. 16 and gave up six goals in the opener.

Jarry is in the second season of a five-year contract that carries a $5.375 million cap hit. Rookie Joel Blomqvist has had the most starts in the Penguins net this season and Alex Nedeljkovic recently returned from an injury.

Also: The New York Islanders signed rugged forward Matt Martin for the rest of the season. He had been to camp on a tryout agreement after spending 13 of his 15 seasons with the Islanders. … The Calgary Flames activated forward Yegor Sharangovich from the injured list. The team’s top goal scorer last season had yet to play this season.

Oct. 25: Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere gets seven-year extension

The New York Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere have agreed to a seven-year extension as he builds on last season’s breakthrough. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick will average $7.45 million in the deal, according to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network. That’s up from this year’s $2.325 million cap hit. Lafreniere, 23, broke through with 28 goals and 57 points last season and added eight goals and 14 points in the playoffs. He is averaging a point a game this season through seven games and scored his fourth goal of the season on Thursday. He is signed through 2031-32.

Also: The Rangers have sent fan favorite Matt Rempe to the American Hockey League to get him more playing time. The 6-7 forward made a name for himself last season with his epic fights and big hits, one that led to a four-game suspension. But he has played only two games this season.

Oct. 24: Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore signs for seven years

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will average $7.425 million in the extension, which kicks in next season and runs through 2031-32. Getting him signed now is important after the Golden Knights lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup team to free agency during the summer.

Theodore, 29, is the franchise’s top-scoring defenseman with 296 points and has opened this season with seven points in six games. Vegas’ top three defensemen (also Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin) are signed through at least 2026-27.

Oct. 24: Devils’ Brett Pesce, Luke Hughes returning from injury

The New Jersey Devils will get two players back on their defense when Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes make their season debuts Thursday at the Detroit Red Wings.

Pesce, signed as a free agent, has recovered from surgery for a broken leg. Hughes hurt his shoulder in September. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season, leading all rookies with 21 power-play assists and 25 power-play points.

Their return comes at a good time because the Devils have yielded 14 goals over their last two games.

Also: New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair (lower body) will miss four to six weeks, a blow to the 2023-24 playoff team that ranks 30th in scoring this season. … The Los Angeles activated goalie Darcy Kuemper from the injured list. Pheonix Copley was loaned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. … The Colorado Avalanche loaned goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on a conditioning assignment. He was claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season.

Oct. 23: Utah’s Sean Durzi, John Marino out long-term after surgery

The Utah Hockey Club, who beefed up their defense in the offseason, will be without two key blueliners long-term after they had surgery.

Sean Durzi, who was injured in an Oct. 15 game, will miss four to six months after shoulder surgery. John Marino, who has yet to play this season, is out three to four months after back surgery.

Utah added defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, Marino and Ian Cole in the offseason. Durzi, acquired last season when the team was in Arizona, signed a four-year, $24 million contract during the summer.

In other injury news, St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas has a fractured ankle and will be evaluated in six weeks.

Oct. 22: Panthers give coach Paul Maurice contract extension

Maurice, who joined the Panthers in 2022-23, went to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season and won it last year. His 29 playoff wins are a franchise record.

He has 98 regular-season wins with Florida and his 873 career wins rank fourth all time in NHL history.

Also: The Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Oct. 17: Stars’ Jake Oettinger signs eight-year contract extension

The Dallas Stars signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that kicks in next season. The $8.25 million cap hit matches the deals recently signed by the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman and Senators’ Linus Ullmark.

Oettinger has led the Stars to the Western Conference final the past two seasons.

Oct. 14: Matthew Tkachuk’s illness to keep him out a week

Already down one star, the Panthers will be without another one.

Coach Paul Maurice said Matthew Tkachuk’s illness will keep him out more than a week. The team is targeting an Oct. 22 return.

Tkachuk missed Saturday’s game. So did captain Aleksander Barkov, who injured his leg in the second game of the season and is expected to miss two to three weeks.

Oct. 12: Aleksander Barkov, Macklin Celebrini are injured

The NHL season is young, but two prominent players are already out with injuries.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss two to three weeks after crashing leg first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty net goal on Thursday. His stick had broken but he couldn’t stop Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle from scoring. The time frame should allow Barkov to participate in the two Global Series games against the Dallas Stars in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2. Barkov is the first Finnish NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke Trophy last season for the second time as top defensive forward.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks placed No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Celebrini is week-to-week. He had been dealing with an injury in training camp but played in this week’s season opener, scoring a goal and an assist.

Oct. 11: Avalanche claim goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers

In a busy day for goalie transactions, the Colorado Avalanche claimed Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado lost 8-4 in the opener, with Alexandar Georgiev giving up five goals and backup Justus Annunen giving up two goals on four shots. The Avalanche are Kahkonen’s fourth team in a year. He split time last season between the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.

In other moves, the Minnesota Wild called up Jesper Wallstedt, their goalie of future, who will join Game 1 winner Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Nashville Predators sent down Matt Murray, who backed up Scott Wedgewood on Thursday with injured No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros unable to play.

Oct. 10: Hurricanes-Lightning game postponed because of Milton

Saturday’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed as the Tampa Bay area recovers from Hurricane Milton. The league said a makeup date would be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.

The Lightning are playing their season opener in Carolina on Friday. Saturday’s game was to be the start of a three-game homestand (also Tuesday and Thursday).

Amalie Arena got through the storm fine, though Tropicana Field, home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, suffered major damage to its roof.

Oct. 10: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has surgery

Jenner had shoulder surgery to repair an injury he suffered during training camp and could miss up to six months.

‘Our hope is he can return before the end of the season,’ said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Waddell. ‘His loss will be felt by our club, but we have a strong leadership group in place and players will be given an opportunity to take on greater roles on and off the ice.’

Boone, who finished second on the Blue Jackets last season with 22 goals and is the franchise leader in games played, has been the team’s captain since 2021-22.

Oct. 9: Linus Ullmark, Joey Daccord get contract extensions

Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy with the Bruins in 2022-03, was traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason so Boston had the room to re-sign Swayman. Ullmark will get four years, $33 million from the Senators and have the same $8.25 million cap as Swayman.

Meanwhile, Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord received a five-year, $25 million extension. He filled in for Philipp Grubauer after that goalie’s injury last season and got the NHL’s first shutout in the Winter Classic. Both contracts will take effect next season.

Oct. 8: Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin turns down extension offer

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes posted on social media Tuesday that the New York Rangers offered Shesterkin an eight-year, $88 million contract, with an $11 million average annual value that would have eclipsed Carey Price’s high-water mark of $10.5 million. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed those numbers to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

It’s not a huge surprise that the 28-year-old Russian would reject it on the eve of New York’s season-opener in Pittsburgh. Another person familiar with the situation recently indicated the two sides have been far apart in negotiations, and that the chances of striking a deal before the start of the new season weren’t looking very promising. That could always change if Rangers team president Chris Drury decides to up the ante, but Shesterkin seems content to bet on himself and wait it out. – Vincent Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Also: The defending champion Florida Panthers announced after their opening victory that forward Carter Verhaeghe had agreed to an eight-year extension. It’s worth a reported $56 million.

LOS ANGELES — It was Kirk Gibson all over again.

It was Roy Hobbs in “The Natural.’’

It was classic Hollywood.

“It might be,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed.’

Freddie Freeman, who could barely walk a week ago with his badly sprained ankle, who left the team this summer and didn’t know if he’d return with his 3-year-old son fighting for his life, stepped to the plate Friday night in front a screaming crowd of 52,394, and produced one of the most dramatic events in World Series history.

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With one swing of the bat, Freeman created a memory that may never be forgotten in Dodgers lore, a two-out, walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning, leading the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series.

Freeman, swinging on the first pitch from Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes, hit a 92-mph fastball that soared high into the right field pavilion, nearly the exact spot that Gibson homered to in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

It was the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, and the first walk-off World Series homer on a first pitch since Mickey Mantle for the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1964 World Series.

Freeman stood at home plate raised his bat into the air, tossed it aside, and slowly ran around the bases as Dodger Stadium literally shook.

“It felt like, just kind of floating,’ Freeman said. “Those are the kind of things when you’re five years old with your two older brothers and you’re playing wiffle ball in the backyard. Those are the scenarios you dream about, two outs, bases loaded in a World Series game. …

“You dream about those moments even when you’re 35 and been in the league for 15 years. You want to be a part of those.

“For it to actually happen, and get a home run and walk it off, that’s as good as it gets right there.’

Only three Dodgers players – relievers Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson and Ryan Brasier – were even alive for Gibson’s dramatic homer, but oh how they’ve ever seen the highlights over and over.

“No shade at Kirk or anything, but I don’t know him,’ Dodgers All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts said. ‘That was before my time. I’m looking at the Freddie Freeman history.’

The 2024 Dodgers indeed are making their own history and will be able to tell their kids and grandkids about the night.

Dodgers infielder Max Muncy – who has met Gibson a few times – still had trouble coming up with the right words to describe his emotions even though he personally witnessed this one.

“I was actually standing on the top step, and I was holding my bat’’ Muncy said. “I don’t know why I was holding it, there was no way I was going to get up that inning. Then he hit it, and as soon as he hit it, I just launched my bat.

“In that moment, the batter is going to normally tell you if he got it good or not. But with Freddie, you normally don’t get that because Freddie always just puts the bat down and runs.

“But when you look at home plate, and he’d just holding the bat in the air, standing in the box, and hasn’t even taken a step, you went, ‘Oh my gosh!”

When Freeman strolled around the bases, and went through a gauntlet of Dodgers waiting for him at home plate. He stomped on it and kept running, all of the way to the backstop where his father was sitting in the front row.

“It was kind of spur of the moment,’ Freeman said. “I saw him hugging a lot of people back there. … I think he was so nervous going into that. I just wanted to share that with him because he’s been there. He’s been going through a lot in his life too, and just to have a moment like that, I wanted to be a part of that with him in that moment. …

“That’s mostly his moment because if he didn’t throw me batting practice, if he didn’t love the game of baseball, I wouldn’t be here playing this game. So that’s Fred Freeman’s moment right there.’

Freddie Freeman was the one who stepped away from the team for nearly two weeks this summer when his son, Max, was put on a ventilator battling Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen, but it was so scary,’ Freeman told USA TODAY Sports. “I can’t stress enough how amazing this organization was. They all reached out. It’s almost as if they knew exactly when to reach out. And it was never too much. It was always enough space in the perfect time. That’s what makes this organization so special.’

It was also this trust that enabled the Dodgers and Freeman to devise a plan to enable him to play with his sprained ankle that’s not expected to fully heal for another four to six weeks. He missed two games of the National League Championship Series, including their clinching victory over the New York Mets.

Yet, by winning the NLCS in six games, it provided Freeman another five days of rest. He came to Dodger Stadium every day, received daily treatment for five hours and vowed that he’d be ready for the World Series.

In the first inning, he hit a ball into the left-field corner, it squirted past left fielder Alex Verdugo and before anyone knew it, he was running into third base for a triple.

Roberts’ thoughts?

“Stop!’ Roberts said. “He was already in scoring position. … I was happy he came out of it upright.’

Said Muncy: ‘Freddie was saying before the game that he was going to get the first stolen base and get that Taco Bell thing. And we all told him, if you steal a base, we’re going to walk out on the field and take you off the field ourselves.’

But that’s Freeman. If he’s on the field, he’s playing the game hard, the right way, no matter how much his ankle aches.

“He’s a warrior, he’s a fighter,’ Betts said. “A win is a win, but knowing what Freddie’s gone through, it’s super special. I’m glad it was him that had that moment.’

It was Betts who set it up merely by being intentionally walked. The Dodgers, trailing 3-2 in the 10th, had runners on second and third with two outs and left-hander Nestor Cortes on the mound. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, not wanting to take a chance with Betts, called for Cortes to intentionally walk him to face Freeman.

“It’s kind of pick your poison,’ Freeman said, “that’s what’s so good about our lineup. It’s a tough matchup no matter where you are. Once I saw Aaron give the four [signal], I just started going through my plan and my process what I was going to look for and where I was going to look for it.’

He figured Cortes would throw him a first pitch fastball, not daring to fall behind in the count with the bases loaded. Cortes threw it. Freeman pounced.

“So, I just wanted to be on top of it, and be on time for it,’ Freeman said, “and I was.’

Betts turned, watched it fly into the stands, jumped into the air and screamed.

“I wanted to stop and wait on him,’ Betts said, “but I couldn’t. So I just kept on running and screaming.’

And so did the 50,000 fans who stayed until the end, learning their lesson back in 1988, not wanting to miss history.

Three more victories now, and this team will be forever cherished, too, winning their first World Series in a full season since 1988.

That team will always be remembered for the Gibson home run, the swing that changed the series, and the only plate appearance by Gibson the entire series.

The Freeman home run could have the same emotional impact, but the difference is that Freeman will continue to play, and isn’t about to miss a game now.

“He’s given us everything,’ Muncy said, “he’s literally given us his body.’

Just like Gibson, right?

“I don’t know, Freddie was moving pretty good, he had a triple tonight,’ Muncy said, laughing. “So, I don’t know if you can compare that. From everything I heard, Gibson had half a leg basically…

“But what Freddie has done is amazing. There’s been multiple times we’ve had to go to Freddie and say, ‘Hey, you need to sit this one out. Hey, we got you tonight. Be ready for the next game.’ But if you know Freddie, that’s not an easy conversation.’

Now, the way he looked Friday, the Dodgers believe Freeman will be just fine for the rest of the series. He started moving much better two days ago, his teammates said.

“I’m pretty sure he’s still under a lot of pain,’ Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernandez said, “but not the to the point where that was one game in New York where he couldn’t even swing the bat. That’s why those off-days were huge.

“Now, he’s doing something that’s basically heroic. Freddie’s Freddie, man. Freddie’s a grinder. There’s not too many superstars that grind the way that Freddie does.

“He’s a Hall of Famer and this was a special moment in his career. This is a good sign for things to come for him.’

Freeman, who arrived 6 ½ hours before game time for treatment, plans to do the same again Saturday for Game 2. He doesn’t know how he’ll feel when he wakes up. He doesn’t know if he’ll be in pain. No matter, he’ll be in the lineup.

“Winning a World Series is everything,’’ Freeman said. “I will do everything I can to be out there.’

No one that knows Freeman would expect anything less.

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This is where the getting gets good. We’re nearing the homestretch of the college football season where games grow in importance and pressure on coaches and teams increases.

The Week 9 schedule includes five games matching ranked opponents that have College Football Playoff implications as teams fall out of contention and others elevate their status.

These increased stakes can lead to surprising performances or shocking upsets. But with so many potential pitfalls this Saturday, where will those unlikely results come from?

That’s why we’re here to make sense of things. The USA TODAY Sports college football staff — Scooby Axson, Jordan Mendoza, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Dan Wolken — weigh in with bold predictions for Week 9 of the college football season.

Vanderbilt puts up fight but has quick stay in rankings

Vanderbilt has lived a charmed existence this season, beating Alabama and Kentucky, with their only two losses being by a combined seven points. Texas comes to town this week and has had a few days to marinate what went wrong in their home loss to Georgia. 

The No. 25 Commodores are no slouch and will give the Longhorns a fight, but Texas is too talented where it matters most, and that will show up in the second half.  Vanderbilt’s fans will be relegated to staying in their seats by the game’s end, and the goalposts, which made a two-mile trek and ended up in the Cumberland River after the Crimson Tide upset, won’t leave the stadium. — Scooby Axson

WEEKEND FORECAST: Expert picks for every Top 25 game

Colorado thrusts itself into Big 12 title race

For as much attention Colorado gets, not enough of it is being focused on the fact the Buffaloes are doing well in the Big 12. After a tough loss to Kansas State, Colorado went to Tucson and ripped apart Arizona. Now, Deion Sanders welcomes a Cincinnati team that is a few plays away from being undefeated. The Bearcats have a solid defense that should give the Buffaloes a tough time, but Shedeur Sanders finds a way to lead his team to victory in impressive fashion. A win would put the Buffaloes at 4-1 in Big 12 play headed into a stretch of games that isn’t as difficult as it was thought to be in the preseason. A possible College Football Playoff with Coach Prime? Best believe it. — Jordan Mendoza

Brigham Young’s unbeaten run ends at Central Florida

The fun comes to an end for Brigham Young in an upset at Central Florida. UCF was on the verge of a major upset last week against Iowa State before giving up a late score to lose 38-35. Does that mean the Knights are ready to take down the Cougars? BYU was very fortunate to escape with a win last Friday against Oklahoma State and seem to be living on borrowed time despite the 7-0 record. The good news is loss No. 1 won’t eliminate BYU from playoff or Big 12 title contention. — Paul Myerberg

TOP 10 LIST: These remaining games will decide the playoff field

Kansas makes Kansas State go to the wire

It may not have the luster of other college football rivalries, but the two programs in the Sunflower State don’t take a backseat to any one in terms of animosity. Kansas seemed to hit rock bottom after starting the season ranked and losing five of their first six games. The Jayhawks rebounded last week against Houston and nothing would brighten their prospects in the second half of the season more than an upset of K-State. The Wildcats are on a roll after road victories against Colorado and West Virginia. There’s a chance for a letdown here, and it’s worth noting that Kansas led in the fourth quarter of four of their five losses. Expect another close game and maybe an upset that shakes up the Big 12 race. — Erick Smith

Penn State better be wary of Wisconsin

Much of the noise emanating from Penn State this week has not been about the Nittany Lions’ next opponent, and that has the potential to be extremely dangerous.

It seems some folks in State College, Pennsylvania, are a tad miffed that the Lions’ Nov. 2 showdown with Ohio State was picked for Fox’s noon ET window and not for prime time. This disappointment is understandable; obviously you’d like the advantage of an amped-up nighttime environment for such a big game. But making a big deal about it runs the risk of the team ignoring its business for the coming week.

Which brings us to Wisconsin. The last time we saw the Badgers on the national stage they were getting pummeled by Alabama while also losing their starting quarterback to a season-ending injury. Life after Tyler Van Dyke didn’t go much better a week later on the road at Southern California.

October, however, has seemingly given Wisconsin a new lease on life. The Badgers have outscored their last three Big Ten opponents by a total margin of 117-16. We’ll grant that Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern is nobody’s idea of a murderers’ row. But if the Nittany Lions are thinking more about Ohio State than Wisconsin when they arrive in Madison this week, they could be facing a classic Admiral Ackbar special. Penn State will probably get out with the win, but don’t be shocked if it’s a lot closer than one might anticipate. — Eddie Timanus

Michigan State gets past big brother Michigan

In the state of Michigan’s battle of first-year coaches, there’s no doubt that Jonathan Smith has done a more impressive job for the Spartans than Sherrone Moore for the Wolverines. Both teams are 4-3, and neither have been amazing, but the vibes are a lot better at Michigan State where expectations were low to begin the season. Also, the Spartans seem to be getting better as evidenced by their 32-20 victory last week over Iowa. Given that limited bit of data, it’s hard to justify Michigan being a five-point favorite when the quarterback situation is a complete mess and it doesn’t seem like they have any explosive ability to score points. The Spartans will go into the Big House and win this time. — Dan Wolken

Dalvin Cook spent the first seven weeks of the 2024 NFL season on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. In Week 8, the four-time Pro Bowler will get a chance to prove that he can still be an effective NFL running back.

The Cowboys are elevating Cook to their 53-man roster for their ‘Sunday Night Football’ game against the San Francisco 49ers, according to multiple reports. That will allow the running back – who has been ‘tearing it up in practice,’ per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero – to make his Dallas debut.

Cook was signed to Dallas’ practice squad after remaining unsigned during the 2024 offseason. The 29-year-old last played in 16 games during the 2023 NFL season, 15 in the regular season with the New York Jets and one postseason game with the Baltimore Ravens. He posted 75 carries for 237 yards across those contests with no touchdowns.

Does Cook have anything left in the tank? The Cowboys aren’t risking much by trying to find out. They have the NFL’s worst rushing offense, averaging 77.2 yards per game, but it isn’t clear whether Cook will remedy their issues.

Here’s what to know about Cook’s fit with the Cowboys and his fantasy outlook for the rest of the season.

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

Cowboys RB depth chart

Dallas used a committee approach at running back during the first seven weeks of the 2024 NFL season. Below is the pecking order before Cook’s addition to the group:

Rico Dowdle
Ezekiel Elliott
Hunter Luepke
Deuce Vaughn

Here’s a look at the role each running back has played in Dallas’ rotation:

Rico Dowdle

Dowdle has been Dallas’ most effective back, tallying 246 yards on 59 carries while also performing well as a receiver. He has played 42.75 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, the most among the team’s running backs, and figures to maintain his lead role in the backfield given his solid performance to date.

Ezekiel Elliott

Elliott has served as the Cowboys’ No. 2 back, but he hasn’t been nearly as effective as Dowdle. Elliott is averaging just 3 yards per carry compared to Dowdle’s 4.2 and Elliott is also averaging a team-low 6 yards per reception. Nonetheless, Elliott has played 32.85 percent of Dallas’ snaps, but Cook may eat into his workload if the 2017 second-rounder shows more explosiveness than Elliott.

Hunter Luepke

Luepke serves as a fullback for the Cowboys, but he occasionally is the only back on the field. He has played just two fewer snaps than Elliott and has 11 touches for 105 yards on the season. Luepke doesn’t figure to get many carries for Dallas, but the North Dakota State product should maintain his 32.37 percent snap share thanks to his great blocking and good receiving abilities.

Deuce Vaughn

Vaughn has played just 5.07 percent of offensive snaps this year and has 20 yards on seven carries. He has played 13 special teams snaps in 2024, so that may allow him to stay on the active game day roster. It will be interesting to see who the Cowboys decide to sideline if Cook is activated, as they will likely need one of their running backs to play on special teams.

Dalvin Cook fantasy outlook

The big question for anyone assessing whether Cook is worth adding in fantasy football is about his usage.

It’s hard to imagine that Cook would take on the lion’s share of the backfield work in Dallas’ committee. After all, Cook never played more than 50 percent of the snaps in a single game during the 2023 NFL season and handled 10-plus touches just three times in 16 games.

The Cowboys will likely give Cook a chance to absorb some of the work given to Elliott and have the veteran backs compete against one another for the backup role behind Dowdle. That said, the Cowboys may also ease Cook into action as he reacclimates to the NFL game. That will give him a low floor and make him hard to trust as anything more than a speculative, touchdown-dependent flex in Week 8.

That said, picking up Cook isn’t a bad gamble. Dallas doesn’t have an established lead back, so he could find a way to take some touches away from Elliott and Dowdle as he works his way into game shape. Things are wide-open, so Cook’s upside is pretty high.

That may seem strange to say about a running back who averaged 3.2 yards per carry last season, but just look at what the Kansas City Chiefs are doing with Kareem Hunt. If Cook can similarly find a second wind for his career, he could end up being more of a fantasy asset than most are anticipating.

Just like last year, the San Francisco 49ers are spinning with some October funk. A year ago, Kyle Shanahan’s team took a three-game losing streak into a Week 9 bye, then came back to rip off a six-game winning streak that propelled them to the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and berth in Super Bowl 58. 

That offers some hope for the Faithful. It’s a long season. The 49ers (3-4) have another Week 9 bye looming. And after last weekend’s reality check in the Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs, what better opponent to face on Sunday night than the Dallas Cowboys? 

And not just because the Cowboys (3-3) are reeling, too, while packing one of the NFL’s worst run defenses. The 49ers have spanked Dallas for three consecutive victories – including two playoff matchups – over the past three seasons. 

In each of those contests, the 49ers held Dallas under 100 yards rushing while averaging 150 yards per game on the ground. Throw in the six Dak Prescott interceptions in those games, and the matchup is seemingly too perfect for the 49ers. 

Then again, these are not last year’s 49ers as they suffer through a monumental Super Bowl hangover that reminds us how one season is different from the next. In the 49ers’ case, consider three things essential to the struggle: 

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• Injuries: A fresh layer of doom came last weekend with star wideout Brandon Aiyuk suffering the torn ACL and MCL that ended his season. He’s the 10th 49ers player to wind up on injured reserve, with the list including defensive standouts Javon Hargrave and Talanoa Hufanga. Sure, every team has to deal with injuries. It’s a war of attrition. Yet some teams get hit harder. Christian McCaffrey led the NFL in rushing, yards from scrimmage and touchdowns in 2023, yet due to an Achilles heel injury is still at least a couple weeks away from making his 2024 debut. Jordan Mason has been a super sub and ranks second in the NFL in rushing. But with his impact as a receiver, McCaffrey is the quintessential multiple-dimension threat. The 49ers defense will get a boost, too, when linebacker Dre Greenlaw ultimately returns after suffering a ruptured Achilles during the Super Bowl. 

And not even kickers are safe. Jake Moody is still considered weeks away from coming back from a high ankle sprain. His setback started a trend that saw the 49ers use three kickers in three weeks, after Matthew Wright’s dislocated shoulder led to Anders Carlson’s signing.  

The injuries are reminiscent of the rash that struck the 49ers the last time they came off a season that ended with a Super Bowl loss. In 2020, the 49ers wound up with an NFL-high 18 players on IR. 

• Brock Purdy: A year ago, the 49ers led the NFL with a 113.0 passer rating and had a sparkling TD-to-INT ratio of 31-to-11. He led the league with 9.64 yards per attempt and TD rate of 7%. Now Purdy, who had three picks in the loss to the Chiefs on Sunday, ranks 16th with a 91.2 efficiency rating. Undoubtedly, having a unit without CMC and with other key players in and out of the lineup (Jajuan Jennings, Deebo Samuel were out last weekend), the rhythm that Purdy rolled with last season has been replaced by constant adjustments to get backup players primed for key roles. So, no, the dropoff for the 49ers’ offense isn’t all on the quarterback. 

• Beleaguered D. Defense wins championships, right? The declining numbers for the injury-stung unit illuminates the big picture as the 49ers defense has not been the dominant one to carry the team while offensive woes and special teams drama persist. After ranking third in the league for scoring defense in 2023 (17.5 points per game), the 49ers rank in the middle of pack in that category (16th, 22.6 points per game). The holes in the run defense have been glaring, reflected by the 112.9 yards per game average, compared to the 89.7-yard clip from 2023. 

Where from here? The Cowboys are coming. But the 49ers surely need more than a temporary fix to keep hope alive for making another Super Bowl run. 

Tua talk: Lessons learned?

The last time Tua Tagovailoa returned to game action after a concussion layoff, during the 2022 season, he lowered his shoulder and initiated contact early in the game. Reportedly, the Miami quarterback came to the sideline and told Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, “Sorry, coach, I needed that one.” 

McDaniel was asked this week to reflect on that moment from 2022, and what message he’d have for Tagovailoa now, with his quarterback cleared to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in his return from at least his third concussion since 2022. 

“‘You don’t need that one, this time around,’ “ McDaniel said, sensing that Tagovailoa has a better understanding of his responsibility to the entire organization. 

Tagovailoa, as he expressed this week, has considered his penchant for running with abandon – and too often recklessly – as part of his competitive edge since his early days in football. Yet coaches and teammates are hardly shy in suggesting that Tagovailoa slide to better protect himself when escaping the pocket. 

Tyreek Hill, the All-Pro receiver, suggests that fans can also get involved with the messaging. 

“When we were playing the Colts, you could see the fans start clapping for Anthony Richardson when he slid,” Hill told reporters. “I said our fans need to clap for Tua, make him slide.” 

Flashback for RW3

Wilson, a 13th-year pro, has largely operated out of the shotgun in recent years. 

“I go back to my Wisconsin days, I guess,” said Wilson, preparing for a Monday night matchup against the New York Giants.  “In high school and college (at N.C. State, before transferring), it was mostly gun. At Wisconsin, we were under center a good amount. 

“It doesn’t bother me being under center or in the gun. I love just having the ball, being ready to play to facilitate the ball.” 

Wilson, who missed the first six games while nursing a calf injury, passed for 264 yards and 2 TDs, without a pick against the Jets. He also found a fit with Smith’s bread-and-butter use of the play-action passing game.  

On a night when Najee Harris posted his second consecutive 100-yard game (21 rushes, 102 yards), Wilson completed 8 of 9 passes for 150 yards off play-action dropbacks – most by a Steelers quarterback since 2016. 

King Henry’s torrid pace

With 873 yards through seven games, Ravens running back Derrick Henry is on pace to become the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in two different seasons. Henry, who ran for 2,027 yards in 2020, is currently averaging 124.7 yards per game, which at the current rate projects to 2,210 yards – which would break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. 

Henry, facing the Browns on Sunday, is one of eight players to top 2,000 yards. Asked about the possibility that he could do it again, Dickerson recently told USA TODAY Sports: “If he does, that would be great. I wanted to try to do it again. It’s hard, man. It’s really tough. Everything has to go right. You can’t fall behind. That’s the thing about having a 2,000-yard season.”  

Of course, Dickerson set his single-season record during a 16-game campaign, when he averaged 131.6 yards per game. Over a 17-game season, that would equate to 2,237 yards. 

Quick slants

— The Eagles head to Cincinnati with a defense that has collected more sacks (13) than it has allowed points (12) the past two games. The sack total (with nine players notching at least a half-sack) is tied for the most in franchise history over a two-game stretch, which is pretty remarkable when considering the great Philly defenses led by the great Reggie White a generation ago. 

— In their first test in trying to absorb the loss of Pro Bowl defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (out for the season with a broken leg), the Lions got a sack from just one pure edge rusher, Josh Paschal, in Sunday’s win at Minnesota. The other three sacks came from blitzing linebackers, while defensive tackle D.J. Reeder notched a quarterback hit. But Paschal, who also posted a QB hit on Sam Darnold, won’t be in the lineup on Sunday against the Titans, due to an illness. 

Some baseball fans may have beef with Taco Bell.

Taco Bell is no longer an official sponsor of Major League Baseball, according to an MLB spokesperson, meaning the beloved ‘Steal a Base, Steal a Taco’ promotion won’t be taking place for the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.

The 2024 World Series will mark the first Fall Classic without Taco Bell’s ‘Steal a Base, Steal a Taco’ giveaway since 2014.

What even was the promotion? Who has won? Let’s taco ’bout it:

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‘Steal a Base, Steal a Taco’ history

Taco Bell first offered its first ‘Steal a Base, Steal a Taco’ promotion during the 2007 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies. The rules were simple: The first player from either team to successfully steal a base in the World Series ‘steals’ a free taco for Americans to redeem at Taco Bell locations across the country.

The promotion returned year after year —  2008, 2012, 2015 and every year since — and the same rules applied, although the rewards and redemption has varied year to year. In 2015, for example, fans won a free Breakfast Crunchwrap instead of a taco. In 2022, participants were able to guess the ‘Taco Hero’ in Taco Bell’s app to win a free medium fountain drink with their taco. 

Every ‘Taco Hero’ in World Series history

Every World Series yields a winner, a loser, a MVP and —  since Taco Bell implemented its ‘Steal a Base, Steal a Taco’ promotion in 2007 — a ‘Taco Hero.’

Here’s every ‘Taco Hero’ since Taco Bell’s tradition began: 

2023: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte stole the first base of the 2023 World Series in Game 1 against the Texas Rangers. Marte stole second base easily off Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in the top of the third inning in the Diamondbacks’ 6-5 loss to the Rangers. The Rangers won the series 4-1.

2022: Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies 

The Astros won the World Series 4-2.

2021: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves

America won free tacos only three batters into the 2021 World Series. Albies used his speed to beat out an infield single in the top of the first inning of Game 1 vs. the Houston Astros, then promptly stole second in the Braves’ 6-2 win. The Braves won the World Series 4-2.

In honor of the 10th ‘Taco Hero,’ the base that Albies stole was memorialized in Cooperstown.

2020: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers outfielder became the first two-time honoree when he stole second base in the fifth inning of Game 1 in his team’s 8-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, two years after his steal in the 2018 World Series triggered the freebie. 

The Dodgers went on to win the World Series 4-2.

2019: Trea Turner, Washington Nationals

Turner reached base with a single on the second pitch of Game 1, and then immediately stole second to earn everyone a free Doritos Locos Taco. The Nationals won 5-4. The Nationals went on to win the series in seven games. 

‘My mom was asking me to win free tacos,’ Turner said postgame, jokingly adding, ‘I didn’t want to get yelled at so I figured I’d steal the base.’

2018: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox

In the bottom of the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series in 2018, Betts led off with a single up the middle, then stole second base on the very next pitch. The Red Sox won 8-4 in Game 1 and won the World Series in five games.

2017: Cameron Maybin, Houston Astros

Outfielder Maybin singled in the 11th-inning of Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers. The single also set him up to steal second in the Astros’ 7-6 win. Maybin ended up scoring the go-ahead run when George Springer followed him with a homer to right field in extra innings.

Houston won the Fall Classic in seven games. 

2016: Francisco Lindor, Cleveland

The shortstop stole a base in the bottom of the first inning in Cleveland’s 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the World Series at Progressive Field. It even caught the attention of then-President Barack Obama. 

The Cubs won the World Series in seven games. 

2015: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals

The Royals outfielder stole second base in the bottom of the sixth inning of his team’s 5-4 win over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the World Series in 2015. That year, however, America got free Taco Bell A.M. Crunchwraps, corresponding with Taco Bell’s ‘Steal a Base, Steal a Breakfast’ promotion. The Royals won the series, 4-1.

‘Who wants Taco Bell?’ Cain said afterwards. ‘It’s on me.’

2012: Ángel Pagán, San Francisco Giants

Pagán stole a base in the eighth inning of the Giants’ 2-0 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of the World Series at AT&T Park. Pagan not only won America free tacos, but he helped serve them at a Taco Bell location. The Giants swept the Tigers in the World Series. 

2008: Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay Rays

Bartlett stole second base in the bottom of the fifth inning in the Rays’ 3-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series. The Rays lost the World Series to the Phillies, 4-1. 

2007: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox outfielder was the first ‘Taco Hero’ with a steal of second base in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series against the Colorado Rockies. Boston won the game 2-1 and went on to sweep the Fall Classic.