It was another wild Saturday in college football as Week 7 brought drama and unexpected finishes that changed the outlook for the playoff.

This week’s College Football Playoff projection bracket

1. Texas: Georgia rolls into Austin next week, and suddenly doesn’t look like the dominant force of years past.

2. Oregon: Of all the impressive games in QB Dillon Gabriel’s brilliant career, none were better than the Ohio State win.

3. Miami: It’s FSU week, and it wasn’t that long ago when it used to mean something.

4. Brigham Young: Two prove it games in the Big 12 (Kansas State, Arizona), and two wins by a combined 79-28.

5. Ohio State: Rarely will you see a team do whatever it wants for four quarters ― and somehow lose the game.

6. Georgia: The fact that Mississippi State scored 31 points on the vaunted Georgia defense should be alarming (and the second time this season UGA has given up more than 30 points).

7. Penn State: Don’t underestimate the win against a desperate team after a 2,000-mile trip to the West Coast.

8. Iowa State: It was ugly early, but the defense took over (again) and the magical season continues.

9. Clemson: There’s no hotter quarterback in the country than Cade Klubnik, who has 21 total TDs since season opening loss to Georgia.

10. LSU: A patchwork defense, a hot quarterback. Somehow, it works.

11. Pittsburgh: The last time Pitt was in this position, a guy named Dan Marino was playing quarterback.

12. Boise State: Broncos will get two weeks to prepare for the most difficult game of the schedule: at UNLV.

The projected CFP schedule

Conference champions with byes: Texas, Oregon, Miami, BYU

First-round games

No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State

No. 11 Pittsburgh at No. 6 Georgia

No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Penn State

No. 9 Clemson at No. 8 Iowa State

Sabrina Ionescu looked courtside at the arena in Los Angeles, and her jaw dropped.

There was Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and two of Gianna’s school-aged teammates. They were there to watch Ionescu and Oregon play USC.

This was in early 2019, when Ionescu was already a Pac-12 player of the year and first-team all-American. But there is just something about meeting our heroes, no matter how accomplished we are.

“I grew up watching Kobe Bryant game after game, ring after ring, living his greatness without apology,” Ionescu would say about a year later at a memorial service after Bryant and “Gigi” had died in a helicopter crash. “I wanted to be just like him.”

More than 1,400 miles away from LA in Bison, South Dakota (population: 302), Cora Besler used similar words when she submitted her entry for a contest that gave her a chance to meet Ionescu, now a star guard for the New York Liberty.

“I set the goal to start on varsity my eighth-grade year,” Besler, 14, would say in her winning video. “I knew I’d have to work harder than ever to earn it and found myself looking to the WNBA for ways to improve. It only took watching one Liberty game to make me instantly become a huge fan of Sabrina.”

When Besler found herself shooting from a rack of basketballs at the National Basketball Players Association training facility in New York, she heard a familiar voice call out.

“Need a rebounder?” Ionescu said, standing behind her in practice gear.

Something familiar happened. Besler’s jaw dropped.

“She hugged me about five times,” says Besler, now back home in Bison. “I still can’t get over it.’

Ioenescu and Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson, the WNBA’s MVP, recently partnered with AT&T for a mentorship-focused content series called Beyond The Bleachers. Besler and another teenager, Addyson Stockton of Springfield, Oregon, won a chance for one-on-one sessions with one of the players ahead of the WNBA playoffs.

Besler and Stockton’s lilting reactions at that moment of first sight, but also how Ionescu and Wilson were affected by them, highlight the profound impact a mentor can have.

USA TODAY Sports spoke with Besler about her experience with Ionescu to find lessons that can benefit young athletes. As Wilson and Stockton also learned from their experience together in Las Vegas, we all need mentors, who can be crucial to success in our pursuits.

“I was once (in) the same exact space she was,” Wilson says in her episode.

A mentor doesn’t have to be famous, just a figure – a teammate, coach or friend – who encourages us.

‘Practice like you play’: Developing a passion for sports starts at home

It began with the hoop over the garage. When Cora Besler was five, she saw it, hanging near her uncle’s house next door, and told her mom she wanted a basketball.

Our sports experience can start with the simplest of acts from a parent or a sibling. Cora’s came when Will, her father, gave a little rubber ball to make the task easier.

Cora remembers going out there about every day for a couple of weeks, under Dad’s gentle supervision, until she made a shot. She was hooked, as Ionescu had been at a young age.

“What did you do to get to where you are today?” Besler asked her mentor during their episode.

“You gotta practice the way you play,” Ionescu responds. “Intensity, competitiveness, getting like, live reps in practice, because then it really helps when you get to the game. You feel like you’ve, like, been there.”

When they were young, Sabrina and Eddy Ionescu watched Andrei, their older brother, shoot on the full-sized hoop outside their house in Walnut Creek, California.

“We just tried to mimic everything he was doing,” Ionescu recalled for TNT’s Ernie Johnson  in 2020.

Sabrina and Eddy, separated by 18 minutes (Sabrina is older), developed a ferocious level of competition with each other.

“He didn’t take it easy on me, regardless if I was a girl, if I was smaller,” Ionescu told ESPN’s Maria Taylor while she still played for Oregon. “He tried to do everything he could to win, and I did, too.”

In the process, they became inseparable. During the summer, they would go to the local park and play pickup games with men on their lunch breaks. The men didn’t think Sabrina could play, and the twins would bait them for Slurpee money.

“When the game started, I’d start hitting free throws, hitting threes,” Sabrina Ionescu recalled for Johnson. “And then that’s how it got to where we were able to get enough money to go to 7-Eleven across the street.”

Don’t give up on your goals. Mentors, and role models, can help you dream big.

The local Golden State Warriors weren’t very good in those days. During Stephen Curry’s first three seasons, which began in 2009-10, the team averaged a 28-48 record. Ionescu says season tickets were about $200.

She had courtside seats, and at about 10, she recalls leaning against a railing trying to high-five Curry, and the thrill it gave her when he touched her hand. This same little girl would one day compete against him in a 3-point competition at an NBA All-Star Game.

“She seemed fearless and confident going toe-to-toe against a male athlete,” Cora Besler says.

Watching Ionescu allowed Besler to dream, too. In fact, the night before she saw the “Beyond The Bleachers” advertisement, she dreamt she had met Ionescu.

“It felt so real I had to get up and check if my jersey was signed,” she says.

When the two met, Besler learned that achieving your dream is often not a coincidence. The best players, like Ionescu and Curry, who is listed at 6-2 yet drives and shoots with confidence among a sea of taller players, are relentless workers.

Curry’s 3-point precision, like Caitlin Clark’s, is a result of thousands upon thousands of shots per week. Ionescu is constantly working on her footwork, she told Besler, to work all of the different options she has to pass and score.

The repetition gives her confidence.

‘She can make it anywhere she wants, kind of like she has control of the court,’ Besler says.

If you have a dream, go out and ‘earn’ it

Besler says the best advice her mom and dad have given her with her sports, though, is that she plays better when she’s having fun.

Throwing herself into her sports without worry her parents will discourage her if she fails has given her a path to thrive.

“My dad’s told me multiple times, if you want it, you have to earn it,” Besler says.

Coach Steve: Is your kid having ‘fun’ in sports? Andre Agassi has advice

Being from a small town, Besler often found herself competing against older kids. She made the varsity basketball team at Bison High in seventh grade, a school year in which she qualified for a South Dakota state track meet at the 100-meter dash.

“I think that was your ‘Aha’ moment,” Will Besler said to his daughter during our interview. “It was kind of like her, ‘Sports are fun, but I like to be really good at sports.’ It just motivated her to for more.”

“That has given me confidence, so when I am on the court, I use my speed to my advantage,’ she says. ‘Volleyball and track are a filler to feed my competitive nature. I tend to be very competitive and turn everything into a competition. It doesn’t matter what it is.’

‘Give yourself some grace’: It’s OK to struggle, and to be a late bloomer

“If I had to sit 16-year-old A’ja right here,” Wilson says in her episode of ‘Beyond The Bleachers,’ “I’m like, ‘Baby girl, give yourself some grace.’ It’s OK. Your hair’s gonna grow. You’re gonna get cute. Like, give yourself some grace.”

Stockton, her mentee, learned that version of Wilson wasn’t so dissimilar from her in that they both started basketball late.

“I was a late bloomer, so my dreams were pretty, like, low key,” Wilson says. “I was just like, ‘Hey, I’m just trying to get through school.’ But then my dreams changed drastically when I became good at basketball.”

“That definitely makes me feel a lot better,” Stockton said.

Having someone who can relate to you can make such a difference in our lives, whether we play sports or not.

After she met Bryant, Ionescu was feeling pressure as her status as a college basketball superstar continued to rise. Then she would hear from Bryant, who became her texting buddy. He eased it.

‘Be you, it’s been good enough, and that will continue to be good enough,’ he told her.

“He didn’t just show up in my life and leave,” she recalled during her remarks at his memorial. “He stayed. We kept in touch, always texting, calls, game visits. I’d drop a triple double and have a text from him: ‘Another triple double I see you’ with a flex emoji. Another game, another text, ‘Yo, Beast, Mode,’ or ‘Easy money.’ ”

‘It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing’: Don’t compare yourself to others

Besler says the biggest takeaway she has from her time with Ionescu is to be patient with her game. Everything isn’t going to come right away. Nothing in life does.

In the meantime, focus on what you – and not others – are doing.

“I think I compared myself to a whole bunch of other players,” Besler says. “And I think hearing her say, ‘Don’t compare yourself to others,’ I think that really made me think differently on what I’m doing in that it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing. It matters what I’m doing to become better.”

The whole experience was kind of surreal for Besler. The girl from the tiny town in South Dakota looked out from the top of the Empire State Building. She watched Ionescu and the Liberty play from right behind the scorer’s table. From that spot, the players look impossibly tall.

She says her meeting with Ionescu, which she estimates lasted about an hour, left her star struck. She couldn’t seem to fully verbalize her thoughts. However, the experience has inspired her even more in going after her goals, starting with becoming the first Division I basketball player from her hometown.

“I am confident after meeting Sabrina that whatever dreams I would have stated to her, she would wholeheartedly support me,” she says.

She’ll be watching Sunday’s Game 2 and the rest of the WNBA Finals between the Liberty and Minnesota Lynx fueled by a life-altering experience. Mentors, whoever they are, can work that way.

“I’d probably tell her I want to be her,” Besler says about what she would say to Ionescu if they met again. “I probably would have asked her how she got colleges to know her and what the Olympics were like since I want to be able to go there sometime …

‘And that someday I think it’d be pretty nice if I could go to Oregon and take her records.’

Coach Steve: How a New York Yankees icon was an mentor this this author

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

NEW YORK — For as tough as it is to score on the New York Liberty given all their defensive length, Jonquel Jones can imagine an even more intimidating — and longer — matchup. 

That’s because when the 6-foot-6 Jones (wingspan: 6-foot-9¼) played with 6-foot-4 forward Breanna Stewart (wingspan: 7-foot-1) and 6-foot-9 Brittney Griner (wingspan: 7-foot-3½) in Russia a few years ago, the three of them combined to bring UMMC Ekaterinburg’s front court wingspan to an average of more than seven feet. 

Sub New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich for Griner, and New York’s average wingspan checks in at just 6-foot-5. 

In other words, it could be worse. Not that that’s much of a consolation when you’re trying to score on that many outstretched arms. 

A long wingspan — the measurement taken finger tip to finger tip, with one’s arms stretched wide — is often a hallmark of good defenders. Length like that can disrupt passing lanes, alter and block shots, tip defensive rebounds to teammates and in general make life miserable for opposing offenses. 

Much has been made about the Liberty, a so-called “super team” whose roster was put together by signing some of the league’s top talent via free agency in 2023. New York brought in Jones and Stewart during that period, both of whom had an MVP trophy (Stewart won her second last season). But what many missed as the Liberty stockpiled some of the world’s best players was how long that talent was. 

Besides Stewart and Jones, both of whom were selected for the WNBA’s All-Defense teams, 6-foot guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, has a wingspan of 6-foot-3 3/4 (she also received mulitple All-Defense votes). Fiebich, a rookie, is 6-foot-4 and has a 6-foot-4 wingspan.

As Jones put it: “That’s some super long people protecting the paint.” 

“It helps me because there’s a lot of times we’re switching on guards and I can trust the people behind me that they’re gonna have my back,” said Jones, who averaged 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks during the regular season. “I don’t always have to be the person rotating to help (protect the rim).”

It’s bad enough to go up against one or two long defenders. But with the exception of 5-foot-11 guard Sabrina Ionescu, whose wingspan measures only 5-foot-9½, each of New York’s starters has a wingspan that equals or exceeds their height. 

New York’s subs are long, too: Forward Kayla Thornton, who averaged 20 minutes off the bench this season, is just 6-foot-1 but has a wingspan of 6-foot-4. 

It’s not all fun and games for people who boast those wingspans, though. As Stewart joked during the semifinals vs. Las Vegas, it’s tough to find long sleeve shirts that are actually long enough.

Early in her career, Ionescu experienced first-hand how tough it is to score on someone with that length when she played against Stewart in Seattle. 

“Being on the same team as her now, seeing how she’s able to block so many shots, redirect passes, get tips,” Ionescu said. “She’s everywhere on the defensive end just with her ability to use her hands and her wingspan and her height to her advantage. I definitely know first hand that it’s long.” 

So what’s it like when Ionescu goes up against Stewart at the rim? 

“I don’t,” Ionescu deadpanned. “I’ll just pass out.” 

She laughed, then continued. 

“She’s able to use her length so well to kind of bait you into a shot and then deflect it, or make you think you have a look at the rim and then come out of nowhere and block it. Being able to watch how she rim protects is amazing.” 

There’s a trick to scoring on that type of length, said Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve: Go under it. 

“Play underneath, don’t go over the top — that’s what we try to coach,” Reeve said. “If we try to play over the top and we’re a little smaller, that usually doesn’t go well for us, so be disciplined and fundamental.”

The Lynx didn’t seem to have much trouble in Game 1, a 95-93 overtime win in which Minnesota shot 50.7% from the field. But they know it’s caused problems for other teams all season. 

As Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon, who cited New York’s length as an issue for the Aces in their semifinal series loss to the Liberty, said, “If you put all those wingspans on the board, it looks like an NBA team.” 

Hammon, who played 16 years in the WNBA, recalls some other long defensive teams over the years, most notably the Detroit Shock in the early 2000s.

The other memorable thing about the Shock besides their length: The fact that they won WNBA championships in 2003, 2006 and 2008. 

New York, which is playing in its sixth Finals but still looking for its first title, is hoping that bodes well for the Liberty. 

Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals travel to play the New York Giants in the ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup for Week 6.

The Bengals are looking to bounce back after a 41-38 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Giants are looking for their first home victory of the season after losing the first two.

Burrow completed 30 of 39 passes for 392 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception, against the Ravens. His chemistry with receiver Ja’Marr Chase was on display; Chase pulled down 10 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Tee Higgins had nine receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns as well.

Quarterback Daniel Jones and the Giants are coming off a 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks last week. Jones completed 23 of 34 passes for 257 yards, with two touchdowns. Receiver Darius Slayton had eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown while Tyrone Tracy Jr. contributed in the rushing game with 129 yards on 18 carries.

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

Here’s how to watch the Bengals and Giants square off this weekend:

When is kickoff time for Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Giants game?

The Week 6 battle between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants is scheduled to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 13.

What TV channel is Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Giants game?

The Week 6 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

How to stream Bengals vs. Giants game for free

Those looking to cut the cord can watch the Bengals vs. Giants game on Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Giants: TV channel, time, streaming info

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Streaming: Fubo, Peacock/NBC Sports, NFL+, YouTube TV
Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Stream NFL games all season with Fubo

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The Magnolia Bowl often delivers high drama, and this LSU comeback victory fit the bill.
Ole Miss collapses in a game it never trailed until final play.
Win keeps LSU’s playoff hopes afloat.

BATON ROUGE, La. – A wild, wacky rivalry series gained its latest wild, wacky chapter.

Only the Magnolia Bowl, right?

No. 8 Ole Miss lost a game it never trailed until the final play.

No. 10 LSU won a game it had no business winning for most of the night.

Maybe, the ghost of Billy Cannon still haunts the Rebels.

Sixty-five years after run, Billy, run, the Magnolia Bowl served pass, Garrett, pass.

Collapse, Rebels, collapse.

Rally, Tigers, rally, to a 29-26 overtime victory.

‘Really proud of our football team and the way they never blinked,’ LSU coach Brian Kelly said, after a win that pushed his team to 5-1.

Missed opportunities come to haunt Ole Miss

The Rebels came to regret not scoring a single point in a first quarter in which they gained 139 yards, twice penetrated the red zone, and had a would-be touchdown pass slip through the hands of their best receiver.

LSU came to escape despite spending most of the second half squandering opportunities to take the lead after its defense supplied stops.

But quarterback Garrett Nussmeier kept slinging it, and the Rebels’ defense finally broke – just as they did in the fourth quarter two weeks ago in a loss to Kentucky.

Twice, Nussmeier completed fourth-down passes on the game-tying drive. With LSU’s season on the line, he hit Aaron Anderson for a 23-yard touchdown to force overtime.

Tigers fans sang their infamous NSFW anthem before overtime while the band provided the beat, and then Death Valley roared as loudly as it had all night just before the Rebels’ Caden Davis drilled a 57-yard field goal.

Of course this zany game needed a 57-yard boot, right?

Amid the din, Nussmeier kept his cool.

Garrett Nussmeier delivers for LSU in crunch time

Statistically, LSU’s quarterback did not enjoy a banner night. He threw two interceptions and more incompletions than he had in any game this season.

But, Nussmeier’s the best thing Kelly’s team has going for it.

So, pass, Garrett, pass.

He needed just one overtime toss.

Nussmeier threw it to his best wide receiver.

Kyren Lacy worked against 1-on-1 coverage.

That’s a winning matchup for LSU.

‘That’s not a 50/50 ball. That’s a 100 to nothin’ ball,’ Nussmeier said.

And who cares about the first 49 passes Nussmeier threw? Because his last two tosses were touchdowns.

‘Nuss played a hell of a game,’ Lacy said.

Lacy joined Kelly in offering a more generous assessment of Nussmeier’s night than the quarterback himself provided. Nussmeier called his performance one of the worst games of his career. He just kept firing away.

‘That was a growth game for him,’ Kelly said.

Lacy’s 25-yard touchdown grab kept LSU’s playoff hopes afloat, while stomping on what was supposed to be a dream season for the Rebels, who fell to 5-2.

Time for the tunes.

“Grove St. Party” played on the stadium loudspeakers while Tigers fans stormed the field.

A field-storming after a mild upset?

Ah, what the heck, after this wacky game, storm, Tigers, storm.

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.

(This story was updated with new information.)

BOULDER, Colo. – Coach Deion Sanders and his Colorado football team almost pulled off another miracle here Saturday night against Kansas State.

Just three weeks after they needed a Hail Mary touchdown pass to beat Baylor, this time they overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half to retake the lead late in the fourth quarter. But big lapses on defense doomed them in the end of a 31-28 loss at Folsom Field.

The loss stops a three-game winning streak that had the Buffaloes gunning for the Big 12 title. The question now is how bad the fallout will be, because they didn’t just lose the game.

They also lost two-way star Travis Hunter, who left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and didn’t return.

His future status is unclear, as is his promising candidacy for the Heisman Trophy.

In his absence, Kansas State hogged the ball and scored on their first three offensive possessions without Hunter on the field at cornerback – two touchdowns and a 48-yard field goal.

The Buffs still took the lead briefly late in the fourth quarter, 28-24. But they surrendered it right back with a defensive lapse at the end – a three-play, 84-yard touchdown drive that put the Wildcats up for good with 2:14 remaining, culminating with a 50-yard touchdown pass from KSU quarterback Avery Johnson to receiver Jayce Brown.

KSU running back DJ Giddens rushed for 182 yards on 25 carries. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 34 of 40 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

Colorado-Kansas State game marred by injuries

The loss means the Buffs finish the first half of the season with a 4-2 record, the same record they had at this point last year before finishing 4-8. But they’re still 2-1 in Big 12 Conference play heading into a road game next Saturday at Arizona (3-3).

No. 19 Kansas State improved to 5-1 in front of 53,972 at Folsom Field – a game that started shortly before 10:30 p.m. ET and was often marred by play stoppages because of player injuries. 

By losing Hunter, Colorado essentially had to go without two of its best players – its best receiver and its best cornerback. Colorado’s other top receiver, Jimmy Horn Jr., also limped out of the game in the second quarter and didn’t return. Then in the fourth quarter, Colorado receiver Omarion Miller had to be helped off the field with an injury after reeling in a completion that gained 51 yards.

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders then threw an interception on the very next play near the goal line when the Wildcats led 24-14. But he led the Buffs back on his next series, a 72-yard touchdown drive that cut KSU’s lead to 24-21 with 6:44 left.

Travis Hunter’s replacement makes big play

The player who replaced Hunter at cornerback was Auburn transfer Colton Hood, who helped the Buffs take lead after that with a big play on fourth down. He intercepted a tipped pass from Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson and nearly ran it back for a touchdown. Yet he couldn’t quite make it and ended up racing 59 yards to the Kansas State 17-yard line. The Buffaloes scored two plays later with a an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Shedeur Sanders to receiver LaJohntay Wester.

That helped put the Buffs up 28-24 with 3:12 left. In response, Kansas State struck back and took the lead on that wild three-play drive that covered 84 yards to put the Wildcats up 31-28.

Travis Hunter injured in first half vs. Kansas State

The Wildcats led 14-7 at halftime after Hunter came out of the game with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. The game was tied 7-7 when it happened and apparently came when Hunter took a helmet to the shoulder from Kansas State safety Daniel Cobbs on a 14-yard catch.

Kansas State then quickly took advantage of Hunter’s absence on defense by mounting a 60-yard touchdown drive to take a 14-7 lead with 1:52 left in the first half. The Wildcats then scored again on their next possession after halftime, stretching their lead to 21-7 with Hunter still sidelined with the injury.

On the latter drive, Kansas State chewed up 7:58 of game clock and went 81 yards on 16 plays, capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Brown.

Hunter finished with three catches for 26 yards and one tackle on defense before being replaced on defense by Auburn transfer Colton Hood. Hunter also threw a block on Colorado’s only touchdown of the first half – a 25-yard catch by fellow receiver LaJohntay Wester in the first quarter.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Reviewing the biggest moments of Week 7 in college football, starting with the biggest game of the day in the Big Ten.

First Down: Oregon ― to three, or not to three?

Somewhere in the mass of humanity on the field at Autzen Stadium late Saturday night was Oregon coach Dan Lanning, literally exhaling after a brief television interview.

You could see him say the word, ‘whew.’

He got lucky. Really lucky.

This time, he wasn’t on the short end of a mistake in a big game. This time, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard lost track of time on the final play of the game, and scrambled into the middle of the field to try and set up a shorter field goal as the clock ran out on Oregon’s 32-31 victory.

The irony of it all is not lost in the moment.

Two years ago, Lanning fell short trying to convert a fourth down in a tie game late in the fourth quarter against Washington instead of kicking a field goal, and the Huskies got prime field position and eventually kicked the game-winner. Last year, three failed fourth down calls – instead of kicking short field goals – cost the Ducks a victory over the Huskies.

Both games were three-point losses.

Fast forward to Saturday night, Oregon trailed 28-22 late in the third quarter, and instead of taking a short field goal and three points, Lanning tried to convert from the Ohio State 2. The result was the same as last season: an odd play call, where the quarterback (Dillon Gabriel in 2024, Bo Nix in 2022-23) was left with limited options.

Had Oregon taken the points, it would’ve had a four-point lead on the final drive, and Ohio State would’ve needed a touchdown to win the game. The lead was one instead, and but for Howard losing track of time, it could’ve backfired again.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Winners and losers from Week 7 in college football

To be fair to Lanning, Oregon had a missed field goal and botched an extra point earlier in the game, and that could’ve been a deciding factor in his decision. Even with all that bad history in the near rearview.

The win was Lanning’s first against a top five team, and moved him to 3-3 vs. Top 10 teams at Oregon. But the field goal drama isn’t over, everyone.

Oregon and Lanning had another field-goal issue against Washington in last year’s Pac-12 championship game, and more than likely will get another shot at Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. Maybe, just maybe, the lesson has been learned.

Take the points.

Second Down: The wild SEC race

The big weekend arrived in the best conference in college football, and the only certainty is No. 1 Texas remained unbeaten.

Other than that, well, let’s just say it was a full plate of ugly.

Alabama didn’t show up for the second consecutive game, this time against a South Carolina team that scored all of three points last week in a home loss to Ole Miss. Maybe at this point, we should all accept that this is who Alabama is ― a middle of the road SEC team.

Anyone still believe Alabama is among the nation’s elite after the back-to-back uninspired efforts in a loss to Vanderbilt – a week later, yep, still happened – and a last-second win over South Carolina that the Gamecocks gave away in the second half?

‘The small things add up,’ first year Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. ‘And we find ourselves in a fight to the end.’

That’s being gracious to an Alabama offensive line that couldn’t protect quarterback Jalen Milroe (four sacks, near 50 percent pressure rate), and a defense that continued to give up big plays in big moments (explosion plays of 36, 31 and 23 yards).

Meanwhile, we give you Georgia — which somehow lost to that same Alabama team three weeks ago. If you think that’s odd, consider the behavior of Dawgs coach Kirby Smart in a way too close 41-31 win over lowly Mississippi State.

With Georgia up 17 in the fourth quarter, Smart shoved Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren while trying to argue with an official. And that was the most physical moment of the game for anyone wearing the ‘G’ logo.

Then there’s Florida and Tennessee, where the bitter rivals set back tackle football for decades with the ugliest, poorest-coached game of the year. At one point, Florida had a field goal at the end of the first half taken off the board for 12 players on the field.

On the field goal unit. After a stoppage in play. And I know this is going to shock you, but those three points were the difference in a game that Tennessee eventually won in overtime.

It wasn’t much better for Ole Miss in the first half against LSU. At one point, the Rebels had consecutive drives end with a botched 32-yard field goal, and on downs at the Tigers 4 when it couldn’t get a foot of yardage.

Not surprisingly, the game ended in overtime – after LSU tied it at the end of regulation – when Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kyren Lacy.

Moral of the story: take the points.

Third Down: Penn State(ment)

First, the critical: Penn State traveled 2,000 miles and won a regular season Big Ten game against someone not named Ohio State or Michigan. You know, what the Lions have done every opportunity since 2021.

But that’s not the story. Nor is quarterback Drew Allar’s career game in the overtime defeat of Southern California, or his elite play in a big game (a big question prior).

The story here is Tyler Warren, Penn State’s mountain of a tight end (6-feet-6, 260 pounds).

He flanked out wide at receiver. He took snaps at quarterback, and completed a pass for nine yards.

And he caught 17 passes, an NCAA record for tight ends. Warren had 224 yards receiving, and caught a 34-yard touchdown pass on a beautifully designed throwback play by new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.

If you want to know why Penn State is now a legit threat in the race for national title, it’s Kotelnicki and Allar — and the emergence of Warren, a matchup nightmare for defenses. Oregon had success using tight end Terrance Ferguson against Ohio State, but focused more on the wide receivers.

Ohio State plays a majority of two safety high on defense, and heavy zone coverage. That leaves the tight end to work on linebackers, a significant advantage for Warren and Penn State in the Nov. 2 game in Happy Valley.

Fourth Down: Welcome to the party, Pitt

They had 277 total yards of offense. Quarterback Eli Holstein played the worst game of his brief career.

And Pittsburgh still found a way to build a lead and hold off California to move to 6-0 for the first time in 42 years. The Panthers did it like they have for years under coach Pat Narduzzi: a suffocating defense, and just enough offense.

Pitt sacked Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza six times, and increased its season total to 18. Since 2019, the Panthers have an NCAA-best 248 sacks. The difference this season is they have a complementary offense for the first time since Kenny Pickett led the team to the 2021 ACC championship.

Pitt has beaten no one of significance, and should be 7-0 heading into a critical ACC game at SMU on Nov. 2. Pitt gets Clemson at home on Nov.16, but finishes the season at Louisville and Boston College.

It’s time for another elimination race in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, and this one will be the most unique yet.

Drivers will tackle the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval – the part road course, part oval circuit – on Sunday with a berth in the third round on the line. Following Sunday’s race, eight drivers will advance and four will be eliminated from championship contention.

The Roval course was reconfigured after last year’s race, though it still remains a 17-turn circuit. There are two main revisions: the first in Turns 5, 6 and 7 that leads from the infield section back onto the oval; and the second in Turns 15, 16, and 17 that sharpens the frontstretch chicane before the start/finish line. The former could lead to more passing opportunities, while the latter could cause some potential chaos.

Who will conquer the circuit on Sunday? Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the Bank of America Roval 400:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte start?

The Bank of America Roval 400 starts at 2:25 p.m. ET on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on?

NBC is broadcasting the Bank of America Roval 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

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

The Bank of America Roval 400 can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo.

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is 109 laps around the 2.28-mile circuit for a total of 248.52 miles or 400 kilometers. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 25 laps; Stage 2: 25 laps; Stage 3: 59 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup race on the Charlotte Roval?

As a non-playoff driver, A.J. Allmendinger led 46 of 109 laps, including the final 33, before holding off William Byron by 0.666 seconds in the playoff race on Oct. 8, 2023.

What are the playoff standings heading into the NASCAR race at Charlotte?

Rank, driver, team, points (deficit to leader). Through five races; top eight drivers following Sunday’s race will advance to the third round.

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,122
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing … 3,105 (-17 points)
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,100 (-22)
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing … 3,078 (-44)
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,074 (-48)
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske … 3,073 (-49)
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing … 3,062 (-60)
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,061 (-61)
Joey Logano, Team Penske … 3,048 (-74)
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing … 3,041 (-81)
Austin Cindric, Team Penske … 3,032 (-90)
Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing … 3,029 (-93)

What is the lineup for the Bank of America Roval 400 NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver

1. (13) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet

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

3. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet

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

5. (2) Austin Cindric (P), Ford

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

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

8. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

9. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

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

11. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

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

13. (99) Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet

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

15. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

16. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

17. (48) Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet

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

19. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

20. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

21. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

22. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

23. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

24. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

25. (14) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford

26. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

27. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

28. (51) Corey LaJoie, Ford

29. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

30. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

31. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford

32. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

33. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

34. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

36. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

37. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

38. (66) Josh Bilicki, Ford

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AUSTIN, Texas — It just hits different when it’s Mauricio Pochettino telling the U.S. men’s national team he has confidence in them.

Pochettino has won titles. Taken Tottenham to the Champions League final. Coached a team that had Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. If Pochettino tells players he believes in them, gives them the green light to play with freedom, how could you not walk a little taller and play with more authority?

A 2-0 victory over Panama on Saturday night in Pochettino’s first game with the USMNT doesn’t fix all the team’s problems. But it was obvious the Americans have shed the malaise that has plagued them for months, and that’s every bit as important as snapping their four-game winless streak.

‘It was huge. He’s been speaking about confidence all week,’ said Tim Ream, chosen by Pochettino to captain the USMNT for his first game in charge. ‘He wants us to be solid defensively and then have guys play the way they are comfortable playing.

‘When he tells guys to go and be themselves, it’s a sign he has confidence in you. And you can see that come out with all the guys out there,’ Ream added. ‘Knowing the caliber of manager that he is, the caliber of players he’s managed previously, for him to come in and give guys that license to be themselves, play with intensity but do it going forward in the right areas, it allows guys to express themselves more and more and more and be confident doing it.’

The victory was only the fourth this year for the USMNT. It also was the Americans’ first multi-goal game since June 23. Yunus Musah scored his first goal with the USMNT, in the 49th minute, and Ricardo Pepi added an insurance goal deep in second-half stoppage time.

‘This was a first step to start to grow and be better,’ Pochettino said.

The USMNT now heads to Mexico, where it plays archrival El Tri in Guadalajara in a friendly on Tuesday night. The first competitive match with Pochettino comes next month, though the opponent (and site) for the Nations League quarterfinal is still to be determined.

After an abysmal showing at Copa America this summer, including only the third loss ever to Panama, U.S. Soccer fired Gregg Berhalter and went after Pochettino. It was a bold — and pricey — move to entice one of the most successful managers in European club soccer to take his first national team job, but the federation didn’t have a choice. The United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico, and U.S. Soccer hopes it will elevate the sport here much like the 1994 tournament did.

While soccer has a much higher profile now than it did 30 years ago, it lags behind the NFL and NBA and the talent pool still isn’t what it should be in a country this size. A deep run in 2026 could change that — but not with the direction the USMNT was heading.

Pochettino has said repeatedly this first camp was about getting to know players and, equally importantly, the players getting to know him and his staff. He wants players to know he has their backs. When Pochettino was asked why he left regular starter Weston McKennie on the bench, Pochettino said it was because the midfielder had arrived in camp a little banged up and he wasn’t going to risk McKennie aggravating anything further.

Pochettino also moved Musah, who has been fighting for playing time at AC Milan, outside. It’s a position where Musah has had success in the past and, sure enough, he came through with his first goal, club or country, in more than two years.

Ream sent a looping ball up the field to Antonee Robinson, who controlled it on the sideline before sliding it to Christian Pulisic. Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson then had a give-and-go before Pulisic fed the streaking Musah, his teammate in Milan.

‘I’ve been in that position (of not playing) before,’ Pulisic said. ‘It’s a great opportunity to come and to show yourself and put on a good performance.’

That’s also what Matt Turner did.

The veteran goalkeeper, currently with Crystal Palace, has struggled to get consistent playing time since moving to England in 2022. But Pochettino gave him the start Saturday, and he preserved the lead with saves in quick succession on two shots from close range in the 52nd minute. He batted the first shot away, but it fell to another Panama player and Turner made a kick save to block the second shot.

‘Amazing performance from my view. Of course I’m not a specialist (but) I think he was fantastic,’ Pochettino said. ‘I’m so happy for him because he’s suffering in his own club. That’s a way to show he can fight for a place in his club.’

Pochettino made some tactical changes, with the USMNT coming out in a 4-2-3-1 formation. He gave young players like Aidan Morris and Gianluca Busio a chance to prove themselves. But it was the attitude — the swagger — that Pochettino brings that was the most noticeable difference, and the players responded.

‘We are here,’ he said, ‘to help the players find their best.’

The USMNT wasn’t at its best against Panama. It was better than it’s been in a long while, though, and that’s a good place to start.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This story was updated to add new information.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers, who live in the shadows of Hollywood, love a hip party as much as anyone.

It’s Tinseltown baby, where the stars come out at night, and party until daylight.

In New York, the City That Never Sleeps, the folks are busily planning their own ultimate extravaganza, featuring their two baseball teams playing in the World Series.

The New York Yankees vs. the New York Mets — the Subway Series.

“It’d be an unbelievable experience,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says. “For the city of New York and for the two fanbases, it’ll be like a dream come true.’’

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Says Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo: “I don’t even know what the city would do. Man, it would almost just explode. It would be amazing, so definitely, if it comes to that point, we will enjoy the heck out of it. It would be an amazing time to be in the city and to be a part of these two organizations and see who wins.”

Well, before anyone gets carried away with the party planning, the Dodgers would like to interject their own feelings on the subject.

“We’ll gladly ruin that Subway Series idea,’’ Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips said.

No offense, but the Dodgers are planning to do everything possible to be the ultimate party poopers and end the New York Mets’ Cinderella season beginning Sunday night. The Dodgers host the Mets in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (8:15 p.m. ET, FOX) at Dodger Stadium.

It’s the first time these two teams have met in the NLCS since 1988, the last time the Dodgers won the World Series in a full season.

The Dodgers have no control over the New York Yankees, who will take on the Cleveland Guardians beginning Monday at Yankee Stadium in the ALCS, but they can surely do their part to ruin half of the parlay.

“We know everyone in New York would love that Subway Series,’’ said Dodgers center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, “but sorry, we’re going to do everything in our power to make them fly cross-country to come watch us.’’

MLB has dreamed of a New York-Los Angeles World Series for the past 40 years.

The Shohei Ohtani-Aaron Judge matchup would be the most iconic duel since the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird days.

The way Dodgers manager Dave Roberts figures it, why not make it a 2-for-1 special.

“I want to take on both New York teams,’’ Roberts told USA TODAY Sports. “That’d be perfect, right?’’

They can visit Queens on this trip in the NLCS, and then the Bronx next in the World Series.

Who can say no?

Well, except for the Mets, baseball’s hottest and most surprising team left in the postseason.

Really, the Dodgers’ biggest challenge may simply be preventing a letdown after their emotional five-game series against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, where the two teams openly vented their hatred towards one another.

The Dodgers took it personal that the majority of the media predicted the Padres would win the series, with Max Muncy and Enrique Hernandez not bothering to disguise their disgust.

“Eighty percent of the experts said we were going to (expletive) lose,’’ Muncy screamed in the Dodgers’ celebration. “(Expletive) those guys, we know what we are. We’re the (expletive) best team in baseball and we’re out there to prove it.’’

Said Hernandez: “We have a lot of ‘F-U’ in us. We have a lot of people, a bunch of grown men that want to win at all costs, no matter how it comes, no matter how it looks.’’

And, just in case the Dodgers need a reminder that they can’t afford to let up, no matter how much they may believe that the Padres might have presented their stiffest challenge in October, there’s an electronic monitor with a message that went up in the Dodgers’ clubhouse.

“Job’s not finished.’

Kobe Bryant.

“I do feel that our guys kind of can feel everyone picking everyone against us,’’ Roberts said, “and us being sort of an afterthought. I think we have a pretty good ballclub. So guys took it, rightfully so, personally.

“I think for us, it’s continue to have that edge that we had, because these guys are playing really good baseball. They’ve got a good thing going as well and we can’t let off the gas.

“I think we have a very talented team, but I still don’t mind that kind of underdog, fighter mentality.’’

The Dodgers realize this isn’t the same Mets team that was 11 games under .500 in early June. It’s not the same team they pummeled the last four times they played, outscoring them 28-5. Francisco Lindor wasn’t an All-Star, let alone an MVP candidate.

It has been so long since these teams met that “OMG’’ was simply an acronym, Grimace was just a McDonald’s fictional mascot, and pumpkins weren’t brought out until Halloween.

“I’ll tell you this,’’ Roberts said, “they’re a completely different team than we saw. They’re playing considerably better. Lindor is back to being Frankie. They’ve just got a lot of confidence.

“So, we’ve got to play good baseball. We have to come with the same intensity, focus and energy that we had this last series.’’

Roberts believes that Ohtani, who went just 3-for-18 with 10 strikeouts since his Game 1 homer, will be much better now that he doesn’t have to face Padres starter Yu Darvish, his childhood idol.

He’s grateful for the rest that Freddie Freeman and shortstop Miguel Rojas have gotten while batting their injuries.

And they get to reset their rotation with Jack Flaherty starting Game 1, and likely Walker Buehler in Game 2 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Game 3.

They also will have a fresh bullpen after terrorizing the Padres, a group responsible for all but five of the 24 consecutive shutout innings they managed. Dodgers pitchers have yielded just a .131 batting average since the fourth inning of Game 3.

Blake Treinen, who closed out Game 5, even was able to get some sleep after flying to Walla Walla, Washington, after Game 4 to be with his wife, who gave birth to a baby girl.

The Mets certainly don’t have a bullpen like the Dodgers’, but possess a strong rotation (2.43 ERA in October) and can certainly create problems with their trio of lefties (Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and David Peterson). The Mets will use them to potentially neutralize Dodgers left-handed hitters Ohtani, Freeman, Muncy and Gavin Lux.

And don’t forget that their ace, Kodai Senga, just returned to the Mets’ starting rotation. He made only one start in the regular season with a strained shoulder, but was dominant in two innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and is scheduled to start Game 1.

“We just came off an emotional series,’’ Phillips said, “but that’s behind us. This organization has always been ready for whatever is in front of us. We’ve had a very calming presence about ourselves the entire year, getting through the lulls and getting everyone healthy.

“But what I’ve seen in this clubhouse in the postseason, there’s more edge to it. We’ve had guys who have experienced falling short, and nobody wants to fall short anymore.

“There’s definitely a different edge to the clubhouse, and believe me, we’ll be ready.’’

Besides, they’ve got their own party to plan.

“How about an old-school showdown?’’ Treinen said. “The teams in the two biggest major markets playing in the World Series? Or, why not Cleveland?

“We’re not picky. We’ll play anyone.’’

Follow Bob Nightengale on X: @BNightengale