The WNBA Finals is going the distance, and after four thrilling games, fans are getting what they want —  a decisive Game 5.

The Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty 82-80 in Game 4 on Friday to tie the championship series 2-2 and force a winner-take-all Game 5 on Sunday.

Although the Liberty had the chance to close out the series on the road, New York now has the opportunity to play for the Championship Trophy in front of their home crowd as the series shifts back to Brooklyn. (Expect Spike Lee to be sitting outside at Barclays Center.)

‘We are going back to New York, and we’re going to get it done,’ Liberty center Breanna Stewart said following the Game 4 loss. ‘We wanted to get it done tonight. But… our fans are like no other, and to be able to go into our environment on Sunday, know they have our backs.’

The Liberty are vying for the franchise’s first-ever championship, while Minnesota is looking for its fifth title and first since 2017. Here’s everything you need to know about Game 5 of the WNBA Finals:

WNBA FINALS GAME 4 WINNERS, LOSERS: Lynx and Liberty set for winner-take-all showdown

When is Game 5 of the WNBA Finals?

Game 5 of the WNBA championship series between the Liberty and Lynx will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

How to watch Game 5 of the WNBA Finals

Game 5 will be broadcast on ESPN with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call. The matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+ or the ESPN app, in addition to Fubo.

Game 5 X-Factors

Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu

Game 5 is going to come down to the superstars. The Liberty will need a big game from Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. Stewart and Ionescu combined for 43 of the Liberty’s 80 points in Game 3, but the duo struggled in Game 4 and combined for only 21 points. Stewart was limited to 11 points (5-of-21 FG, 0-4 3PT) due to foul trouble, while Ionescu scored 10 points (5-of-15 FG, 0-of-5 3PT). New York will need their stars to do what they do best to hoist their first title.

Napheesa Collier

The same can be said about Napheesa Collier. Collier has already put up the most points scored in a single postseason (263), surpassing Diana Taurasi’s 2009 point playoff performance (245). Collier’s defense has shined in the Finals —  recording 16 steals and seven blocks through the first four games of the WNBA Finals —  but the Lynx will need her to be effective on both sides of the ball to win.

Game 5 odds, moneyline, over/under

Despite playing on the road in Minnesota, the Liberty are the favorites to win Game 5, according to BetMGM.

Spread: Liberty -5.5 (-115); Lynx +5.5 (-105)
Moneyline: Liberty -275; Lynx +220
Over/under: 157.5

How many titles do the New York Liberty have?

The Liberty are on the brink of their first championship. New York got close last year — the Liberty made it all the way to the 2023 WNBA Finals before losing to the Las Vegas Aces in four games. The Liberty have made WNBA Finals appearances in five prior seasons (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2023), but have come up empty-handed each time. Will 2024 be different?

How many titles do the Minnesota Lynx have?

The Lynx have four titles. In a span of seven years, the Lynx won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and made six Finals appearances, led by the group of Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles. The 2024 WNBA Finals marks the Lynx’s first championship appearance since their 2017 title.

2024 WNBA Finals schedule

Game 1: Lynx 95, Liberty 93
Game 2: Liberty 80, Lynx 66
Game 3: Liberty 80, Lynx 77
Game 4: Lynx 82, Liberty 80
Game 5, Sunday, Oct. 20: Lynx at Liberty; 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

BetMGM is the premier destination for sportsbook odds throughout the year.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars defend their home-away-from-home turf against the New England Patriots in London on Sunday morning.

Both teams have fallen on hard luck in the 2024 NFL season, but both teams also had drastically different expectations entering it. The Jaguars were looking to contend in the AFC a year after finishing second in the AFC South and two seasons after winning it.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence has borne a brunt of the blame for this season on his shoulder pads. Coming off a lackluster performance vs. the Chicago Bears, Lawrence and head coach Doug Pederson need to figure out their bottom-third offense and fast, as their playoff hopes circles the drain.

The spotlight isn’t just on the Jaguars starter, but the new Patriots QB, as well. Drake Maye took over the reins for Jacoby Brissett as QB1 in Week 6, and had a respectable showing: Maye threw three touchdowns to two interceptions in the loss to Houston, but showcased some flashes

Maye looks to trend up while Lawrence looks to right the ship across the pond. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Week 7 London matchup between the Jaguars and Patriots below.

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

What time is Patriots at Jaguars in London? 

Start time: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET

The Jaguars vs. Patriots Week 7 London matchup gets underway at 9:30 a.m. ET. The game should take viewers almost right up to the 1 p.m. slate of games in Week 7.

Jaguars vs. Patriots TV channel

TV channel: NFL Network (national) | CBS 47 (Jacksonville market) | ABC 5 (Boston market)
Live stream: Fubo, NFL+

Nationally, the Jaguars vs. Patriots matchup will air on NFL Network. Locally, CBS 47 (Jacksonville) and ABC 5 (Bostn) will broadcast the game.

The game is also available to stream on Fubo.

Jaguars vs. Patriots predictions, picks

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Jaguars vs. Patriots Week 7 matchup in London will shake out:

Lorenzo Reyes: Jaguars 23, Patriots 13
Tyler Dragon: Jaguars 21, Patriots 17
Richard Morin: Jaguars 24, Patriots 21
Jordan Mendoza: Jaguars 23, Patriots 13

MOST VALUABLE BET: Who is the favorite to win NFL MVP in 2024? 

Jaguars vs. Patriots odds, moneyline, over/under

The Jaguars are favorites to defeat the Patriots, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024 including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

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

Spread: Jaguars (-5.5)
Moneyline: Jaguars (-250); Patriots (+200)
Over/under: 41.5

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds and Monday Night Football odds.

New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.

FEELING LUCKY? Here are the best parlay bets and odds for NFL games this week 

New England Patriots inactives vs. Jaguars

Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson will play after an absence with a foot issue. Here’s this list of Pats inactives vs. the Jags:

AFC South standings

The Jaguars are dead last in the division as the NFL calendar turns to Week 7. Here’s how the division stacks up:

Houston Texans (5-1)
Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
Tennessee Titans (1-4)
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)

AFC East standings

The Patriots enter Week 7 in the cellar of the AFC East. Here’s how the division lines up entering Sunday’s matchups:

Buffalo Bills (4-2)
Miami Dolphins (2-3)
New York Jets (2-4)
New England Patriots (1-5)

Is Travis Etienne playing vs. the Patriots?

The Jaguars running back, who is nursing a hamstring injury, will not play vs. the Patriots, per head coach Doug Pederson. Etienne has been dealing with a few separate nagging injuries this season, but this will be the first game he does not play in.

Will the Jaguars fire Doug Pederson?

Jaguars fans hoping for a coaching change may not get their wish granted. Jacksonville owner Shad Khan recently gave Doug Pederson a vote of confidence, though it came before their Week 6 drubbing at the hands of the Bears.

Patriots QBs since Tom Brady

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It was a wild and unpredictable Week 8 in college football. Matt Hayes analyzes four hot topics from Saturday’s games.

First Down: The fall of Alabama

Let’s look at this thing globally, instead of staring directly at the heat of the moment. 

The fall of Alabama began last season — not in Saturday’s loss to Tennessee. 

But for an unthinkable fourth-and-31 conversion on the last play of the Auburn game, Alabama wouldn’t have made last year’s College Football Playoff — even with the win over Georgia in the SEC championship game. 

That near loss to Auburn, and the near revolt within the locker room earlier in the year after legendary longtime coach Nick Saban benched quarterback Jalen Milroe, showed a team that had gone astray from its Saban-led-and-fed roots and was winning games on pure talent.

Once Saban retired at the end of last season — in no small part because of the sudden power and movement players had gained in the sport — the last remaining restraints to a player-led-and-fed team were broken. Now here we are. 

Alabama gave up 40 points in an unthinkable loss to a Vanderbilt team that doesn’t have one player who could start for the Tide. A week later, Alabama should’ve lost at home to a South Carolina team with a limited offense led by a struggling freshman quarterback. 

Then came the Third Saturday in October, and frankly, it shouldn’t have been a last-possession game. Tennessee left numerous points on the field in a 24-17 win, quarterback Nico Iamaleava missing open receivers in the Alabama secondary – on all three levels – over and over. 

If Iamaleava were more accurate (he was 14-of-27, for 194 yards), the Vols would’ve scored 40, too. 

Somehow Alabama has saved its best for two games against the best team in college football, beating Georgia in the 2023 SEC championship tame, and racing to a big lead in the first half of the Georgia game late last month, and holding on for another win over the Dawgs.

Other than that: a whole lot of ugly.

This isn’t to say new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer won’t win, and eventually win big, in Tuscaloosa. It just means that this season of transition will be more about finding which players are committed to moving forward and being led by DeBoer. 

And which are moving forward and looking toward something else. 

BRACKET PROJECTION: How the playoff field looks after wild Week 8

Second Down: Indiana is a football school

The danger is checking off wins along the fortunate road to the unthinkable. But at this point, how could you not?

It’s time to start taking unbeaten Indiana as a serious threat for the College Football Playoff. Yes, the Hoosiers — the Big Ten’s perpetual tomato can. 

If the cake future schedule doesn’t do it for you, Saturday afternoon’s 56-7 clobbering of Nebraska should.

“I’m not going to let (players) get complacent. Or the coaches,” first-year Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after Nebraska’s second-worst loss since joining the Big Ten in 2011 “I was a maniac in the fourth quarter of this game. A maniac.”

This, everyone, is Indiana football. A coach who has won everywhere he has coached now changing the fortunes of the Big Ten’s worst program of the last three decades.

Cignetti took 12 transfers from James Madison (where he won 11 games in 2023), and 19 others from the portal and has reshaped a roster void of talent. The top four rushers are transfers, four of its top five receivers are transfers, and its top pass rusher is a transfer.

The total transition numbers: 34 into the portal, 31 from the portal — including quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who played five seasons at Ohio before arriving in Bloomington. He’s completing 73.8% of his passes, is averaging 10.9 yards per attempt and has a 192.1 passer rating — all career highs. 

Rourke has 14 TDs and 2 INTs, and Indiana (7-0) is unbeaten this late in the season for the first time since the 1960s. But it gets better. 

The Hoosiers will be favored in every game but one over the second half of the season, and the one in question (Nov. 23) at Ohio State could be a CFP watermark. Win, or play well in a loss, and the Hoosiers are in the playoff.  

Third Down: Miami is a CFP lock

Miami gave up 45 points to Louisville Saturday, and still cleared its last realistic hurdle to reaching the CFP.

The 52-45 road win moved the Canes to 7-0, and the remaining regular season schedule is softer than Louisville’s defense: Florida State, Duke, at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, at Syracuse. 

Unless something wildly unexpected happens, Miami will reach the ACC championship game unbeaten and will have already locked up a spot in the CFP — win or lose. 

But there is some drama left in the Miami regular season: can quarterback Cam Ward do enough against the easy-lift schedule to win the Heisman Trophy? 

Can he do enough to overshadow Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty’s chase of the NCAA single-season rushing record (Jeanty needs 1,381 to break it), or Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s chase for the NCAA career passing touchdowns record (Gabriel needs 16 to break it)?

Fourth Down: USC and Riley are married for better or worse

USC found another way to blow a game Saturday, and now there’s no avoiding it. 

It’s about to get all kinds of ugly in Troy. And there’s too much money invested in coach Lincoln Riley to do anything but take it.  

USC has lost three in a row and four of five, including two losses to Big Ten middlings Minnesota and Maryland, and a loss to the worst Michigan team since pre-Jim Harbaugh. 

USC has lost nine of its last 14 games under Riley, and is in danger of missing the postseason. Now, the gut punch: Riley isn’t going anywhere. 

He signed a reported 10-year, fully guaranteed $110 million deal with USC in 2022, and making a move this season would cost more than $70 million.

For now, there isn’t a worse look in college football: Riley earning $10 million-plus per season to lose to Minnesota and Maryland — and maybe more Big Ten middlings down the road (Rutgers, Washington, Nebraska, UCLA).

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X @MattHayesCFB.

The Georgia Bulldogs can play possum with the best of them, but when they become alert, they’ve still got a mean streak.
Georgia defense carries the day before Carson Beck supplies clutch drive.
Texas’ second-half rally prevents a blowout. Teams could meet again in SEC Championship.

AUSTIN, Texas – The opossum woke up.

When the Bulldogs’ defense comes to life, like it did Saturday night, its claws cut like razors, and its fangs sink deep.

‘Our intent was to come eat and be hungry,’ Kirby Smart said on ESPN afterward.

The Bulldogs (6-1) feasted and showed they’re still a menace – when they want to be. It’s still hard to know which version of Smart’s team will show up. In this two-face Georgia season, consider Saturday the work of Mr. Hyde, because Georgia inflicted torture and wickedness on Texas (6-1).

Darryl K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium turned into a crypt by the second quarter, while the Bulldogs pulled away from an opponent that spent its first six games overpowering inferior foes.

When a cannon’s fire finally pierced the silence at halftime, the Bulldogs led 23-0, the Longhorns had just 38 yards, and the SEC’s pecking order had been rearranged.

Kaboom, there goes Texas’ No. 1 ranking, and hold off on coronating the Longhorns as the SEC’s new king.

Don’t bury the Longhorns, either. These teams could meet again in the SEC championship game – if Texas rebounds and plays the way it did after halftime, when it turned a lopsided affair into a one-score game by the fourth quarter.

Texas can’t handle Georgia football, but don’t write off Longhorns

Texas quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning wore shellshocked expressions on their faces in the closing seconds before halftime.

The Longhorns tried each quarterback, but the Bulldogs tortured them both.

Daylen Everette strip-sacked Ewers and later intercepted him.

In Ewers’ first six drives, the Longhorns mustered 15 yards.

So, coach Steve Sarkisian turned to Arch Manning in the second quarter, and the sold-out crowd awakened with a roar of delight. Then, it fell silent again after Damon Wilson II strip-sacked Manning.

‘We couldn’t get out of our own way,’ Sarkisian said.

More like, Georgia shoved them out of the way.

Georgia persistently shredded Texas’ brawny, experienced offensive line, which asserted dominance while the Longhorns marched to the top of the rankings. But, Texas had faced no opponent in Georgia’s realm, and the Bulldogs looked miscast as underdogs.

By halftime, the SEC’s last remaining undefeated team had three turnovers and only once penetrated Georgia territory.

Sarkisian turned back to Ewers after halftime, and Texas rallied, but Georgia already had inflicted too much damage to overcome.

Where was this Georgia defense against Alabama, or, shoot, against Mississippi State? Georgia last played like this in a season-opening rout of Clemson.

Is this the real Georgia? Because this Georgia is a team no opponent should relish facing.

Georgia defense dominates, while offense does just enough

Let’s get a couple things straight, though: Georgia didn’t put it all together.

The defense shouldered the load and, for three quarters, propped up quarterback Carson Beck, who threw three interceptions. When Beck found his mark, he couldn’t trust his receivers to secure the pass. And offensive coordinator Mike Bobo treated running back Trevor Etienne like a member of the witness protection program, often hiding him away despite Etienne running strong anytime Bobo remembered his existence.

Georgia’s five scoring drives in the first half traveled 13, 13, 34, 25 and 4 yards, a testament to how frequently the Bulldogs’ defense positioned its offense for success.

To Beck’s credit, he delivered in the clutch. He fired four consecutive completions on a critical 89-yard touchdown drive after Texas had pulled to within eight points.

Texas’ defense looked the part of playoff unit. Its offense failed to hold up its side of the bargain.

Georgia’s defenders just kept coming, and Longhorns linemen were little more than turnstiles. Ewers and Manning faced so much pressure, it’s a wonder they threw for any yards at all.

Ten tackles for loss, the Bulldogs amassed. That’s the kind of defensive effort Georgia used to capture the first of Smart’s two national championships. Appropriately, the game ended with the Bulldogs delivering a fourth-down stop.

If this type of defensive effort persists, don’t count out Smart winning his third national title.

The Bulldogs can play possum with the best of them, but when they become alert, they’ve still got a mean streak.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

Subscribe to read all of his columns.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers know it’s unconventional.

It can look, well, a bit ridiculous at times.

A team with a payroll exceeding $300 million, that dropped $1.4 billion on free agents last winter, shouldn’t have to rely on bullpen games to keep its season alive.

Yet here they are, for the third time this postseason, employing a bullpen game Sunday night in Game 6 against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.

Ryan Brasier, who last pitched even two innings in a game was on Aug. 23, 2023, is again expected to start.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

They will then turn to six, maybe seven, more relievers to get the job done.

It worked beautifully in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, with an 8-0 victory in Game 4.

It blew up spectacularly in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, losing 7-3.

They now are looking for those bullpen arms to propel them to their fourth World Series in eight years.

The Dodgers, up 3 games to 2 in this best-of-seven series, are confident it will work. None of their high-leverage relievers have pitched since Game 4 in contrast to the Mets, who used their best two relievers – Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz – to secure the final 13 outs in their 12-6 victory in Game 5.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “and that’s how I’ll look at it. And with the pen, there’s only so much you can push each guy. So it’s kind of just depending on where they’re at as far as kind of hitter, pitch count, all that stuff. …

“I do feel that as our focus is still on Game 6, whatever it takes, we’re very well equipped to prevent runs for a potential two games.’

The Mets badly need their ace, Sean Manaea, to pitch deep into the game to force a Game 7, knowing they can’t go mano a mano with the Dodgers’ vaunted bullpen.

“I’m just giving it everything I’ve got,’ Manaea said. “I hopefully can go deep into the game. It’s always the goal for me personally. I’m not trying to change anything or do anything more. Whatever I can give, it’s what I can do.’

If there’s a Game 7, the Dodgers will go the traditional approach with starter Walker Buehler, who pitched four shutout innings in Game 3 – with his effort celebrated as if he were Bob Gibson or Jack Morris.

There still has not been a single complete game this postseason. Only Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles pitched into the eighth inning. Seven pitchers completed seven innings. And 12 times starters have lasted two or fewer innings.

It has become such a bizarro bullpen world that relievers have pitched more innings this postseason (312) than starters (303 ⅓).

“That’s where we are now in the game with analytics and stuff,’ Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso said. “The game’s just different. It’s a totally different outlook. Now, everyone wants to throw their best stuff all of the time. There’s no taking a pitch off. This is high octane, full baseball, max effort every pitch.’

If it didn’t work, teams wouldn’t keep doing it. The Dodgers bullpen recorded 28 outs in Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS, and didn’t give up a single run.

“I’ve always felt that a bullpen game gives you a really good chance to prevent runs,’ Roberts said.

It can backfire, of course. There have been 15 blown saves this postseason, the most outside the 2020 Covid year in baseball history, according to the New York Post. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, the best reliever in baseball, gave up just five earned runs and two homers in 74 ⅓ innings during the regular season with a 0.64 ERA. In this postseason, he had given up eight earned runs and three homers in seven innings entering Saturday.

The Mets are pushing their bullpen to the max, praying the heavy workload doesn’t result in a meltdown. Stanek pitched a career-high 2 ⅓ innings and Diaz tossed two innings in Game 5 with Mets manager Carlos Mendoza not trusting anyone else to protect a five-run lead.

“I think the one thing we’ve seen this year is that guys will get tired,’ Mendoza said. “So, the importance of starting pitching, it’s there. You need guys that give you length. It’s hard to ask guys every day for 15, 16 outs. That’s hard. And that’s the importance of starting pitching.

“A lot of different teams are built a lot of different ways. We’ve got some starters. But then there’s teams out there that they’ve got some elite bullpen arms.’

Roberts has judiciously managed his bullpen, using his high-leverage arms at only critical times, and letting other relievers have the burden of eating innings when the team is down.

“We have potentially two games here,’ Roberts said, “and I feel that to prevent runs, we’re in a very good spot. I don’t think we’ve exposed our high-leverage guys at all. And that’s part of the learning curve for me over history.’

If the Dodgers win Game 6, they can start getting lined up for the World Series, which would begin Friday night at Dodger Stadium. They’ll have starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler all rested. Their bullpen will have four complete days off. They’ll have All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who’s in a 1-for-15 slump without an extra-base hit this postseason, getting four more days of treatment on his sprained ankle.

At some point, the bullpen may actually decide a game in late innings? Three games have been decided by eight or more runs, four games have been decided by at least six runs, and no team has had less than a four-run lead entering the ninth.

The only time a postseason series has had six games decided by four or more runs was the 1965 World Series between the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins, according to the Athletic, with an average margin of victory of seven runs.

“That’s one of the things I’ve learned about postseason baseball,’ Dodgers reliever Brent Honeywell said. “When you have the lead, you don’t want to give it up. You’ll do everything you can to keep it, and you find out in a hurry who’s ready to step up in the postseason.’

This is why Roberts won’t hesitate to use his high-leverage relievers early in the game, with part-time closer Michael Kopech coming into postseason games anywhere from the third inning to the eighth so far.

“I think across baseball managers are being more aggressive once they catch a lead and going with those [high-leverage] guys,’ Roberts said. “It’s just hard to get back into a game or tack on. When you’re seeing other arms, I think it just kind of exposes other teams’ pens, and I think we’ve done a really good job.’

Certainly, if Roberts had his druthers, he’d have a Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and/or Gavin Stone in the mix with Yamamoto, Flaherty and Buehler.

“I’d love to have John Smoltz or Greg Maddux go seven shutout [innings],’ Roberts said, “or throw a one-hitter or two-hitter in a World Series game. That would be great.’

Instead, it’s mix and match, strategize and pray you’ve got the right matchups.

It’s the nature of the postseason beast in 2024.

“It’s just where the game’s at nowadays,’’ Alonso said. “What are you going to do?’’

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The 18-team field is set for the 2024 edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

After setting a league record for the most points scored in a single season, Inter Miami CF will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Lionel Messi aims to add another trophy to his impressive collection — MLS Cup would be a 47th trophy won for club or country by Messi after Inter Miami won the Supporters’ Shield earlier this month for his 46th trophy.

Some worthy challengers could interrupt Messi and Miami’s road to glory. The Columbus Crew are the defending league champions and coach Wilfried Nancy’s club will be striving to be the first repeat MLS Cup winner since 2012.

The 2022 MLS Cup winners, Los Angeles FC, bring a talented group into the postseason for what they hope is a third consecutive MLS Cup run.

And it’s been a decade since the LA Galaxy last won MLS Cup, but the resurgent club seems determined to return to its prior glory.

Here’s a look at the MLS playoff teams, seeds and matchups:

Eastern Conference playoff seeds

Inter Miami CF
Columbus Crew
FC Cincinnati
Orlando City SC
Charlotte FC
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
CF Montréal
Atlanta United

Western Conference playoff seeds

Los Angeles FC
LA Galaxy
Real Salt Lake
Seattle Sounders FC
Houston Dynamo FC
Minnesota United FC
Colorado Rapids
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Portland Timbers

MLS Cup Playoffs 2024: Wild card and Round 1 matchups

These are the MLS playoff matchups through the first round (all games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV) …

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

CF Montréal (No. 8 seed) vs. Atlanta United (9), Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Inter Miami CF (1) vs. CF Montréal-Atlanta United winner, Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET (Game 1)
Columbus Crew (2) vs. New York Red Bulls (7)
FC Cincinnati (3) vs. New York City FC (6)
Orlando City SC (4) vs. Charlotte FC (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

Vancouver Whitecaps FC (No. 8 seed) vs. Portland Timbers (9), Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET (game to be held at Portland’s Providence Park due to scheduling conflict at Vancouver’s BC Place)

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Los Angeles FC (1) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC-Portland Timbers winner
LA Galaxy (2) vs. Colorado Rapids (7)
Real Salt Lake (3) vs. Minnesota United FC (6)
Seattle Sounders FC (4) vs. Houston Dynamo FC (5)

2024 MLS playoff schedule

Oct. 3: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 25-Nov. 10: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 23-24: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 7: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

MLS CUP: Ranking every Major League Soccer championship game

MLS Cup Playoffs bracket

Here is the full playoff schedule in bracket form from MLSsoccer.com.

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Former president Donald Trump is taking a break from the campaign trail to take in a football game.

Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee, is expected to attend the Pittsburgh Steelers’ ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium in Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the upcoming presidential election.

‘With former President Trump expected to attend Sunday night’s game as a guest of an individual suite holder, we are working with Secret Service and local authorities to ensure the safety and security of all our fans,’ Steelers spokesperson Burt Lauten said in a statement shared to social media on Saturday.

Trump, the 45th President of the United States, frequently attends sporting events. He’s attended the annual Army-Navy game, a College Football Playoff national championship game and even the World Series. He recently attended the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race and is frequently spotted at UFC events.

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The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs hit the homestretch with just three races remaining before the championship race.

What began as a 16-driver playoff field has been cut in half following six races and two eliminations. Only eight drivers remain as the third round begins Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The series moves to Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend before the final elimination race – in two weeks at Martinsville Speedway – reduces the championship hopefuls down to a final four who will compete for the 2024 title at Phoenix Raceway.

But before we skip ahead, drivers must contend with Las Vegas and an intermediate oval that rewards speed and aggression. And it could be a boon for two former champions, who each have three wins in Sin City. Points leader Kyle Larson has won the past two races in Vegas. Joey Logano, who only advanced to the Round of 8 after Alex Bowman was disqualified from last week’s race at Charlotte, won the playoff race in Las Vegas in 2022 en route to his second series championship.

Who will hit the jackpot Sunday? Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Las Vegas start?

The South Point 400 starts at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. local) on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Las Vegas on?

NBC is broadcasting the South Point 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local).

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at Las Vegas?

The South Point 400 can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo, which is offering a free trial.

Watch NASCAR Cup Series races on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Las Vegas?

The South Point 400 is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile oval for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 80 laps; Stage 2: 85 laps; Stage 3: 102 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Las Vegas?

Kyle Larson dominated the race on March 3, 2024, leading 181 of 267 laps, including the final 27, before holding off Tyler Reddick by 0.441 seconds for his third career Cup Series win at Las Vegas.

And one year ago in the playoff race, Larson led 133 laps, including the final 45, before edging Christopher Bell by 0.082 seconds on Oct. 15, 2023.

What are the playoff standings heading into the NASCAR race at Las Vegas?

Rank, driver, team, points, deficit to leader. Through six races.

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports … 4,052
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing … 4,032 (-20)
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing … 4,029 (-23)
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports … 4,023 (-29)
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske … 4,019 (-33)
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing … 4,015 (-37)
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports … 4,014 (-38)
Joey Logano, Team Penske … 4,012 (-40)

What is the lineup for the South Point 400 NASCAR playoff race at Las Vegas?

Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver

1. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota

2. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota

3. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet

4. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota

5. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet

6. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

7. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

8. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

9. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet

10. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford

11. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford

12. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

13. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

14. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

15. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

16. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

17. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

18. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet

19. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

20. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

21. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

22. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

23. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet

24. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford

25. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

26. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

27. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

28. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

29. (84) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota

30. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

31. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

32. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

33. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

34. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet

35. (51) Corey LaJoie, Ford

36. (15) Cody Ware, Ford

37. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford

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