A pair of head coaches under the microscope lead the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars to London on Sunday.

Matt Eberflus has had some question whether or not he was the right man to usher in the Caleb Williams era after a pair of lackluster seasons in Chicago with Justin Fields. So far, it’s been a mixed bag in 2024, but Williams has shown plenty of flashes to keep the heat off the head coach.

What’s boosting Eberflus is the coach’s defensive background, which has transformed the Bears defensive unit into one of the more ferocious defensive squads in football.

That will present a difficult challenge for the Jaguars, who have had difficult sledding on the offensive side of the ball under Doug Pederson’s watch this season. Trevor Lawrence has drawn some criticism for not quite living up to his new, gaudy contract, but maybe more has gone to the head coach, who hasn’t been able to pull the Jags out of the muck and mire just yet.

All that adds up to a much more intriguing London matchup than their respective records indicate. Here’s how to watch the Week 6 showdown:

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

What time is Bears vs. Jaguars London game?

Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 13 (Week 6)

The matchup should bring NFL fans almost up to the 1 p.m. slate of games, and make for a roughly 14-hour day of NFL action.

Where is the Bears vs. Jaguars game?

Location: Tottenham, London, England
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Bears and Jaguars are set to kick off from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham, London, England. It follows the Jets vs. Vikings Week 5 matchup, which also took place in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The stadium is a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2019 and seats nearly 63,000 fans.

Bears vs. Jaguars TV channel, live stream

TV channel: NFL Network (national) | CBS47 (Jacksonville market) | Fox 32 (Chicago market)
Live stream:Fubo, NFL+

For cord-cutters, Fubo carries NFL Network, as well as CBS, Fox, NBC and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season with the streaming service.

NFL’s proprietary streaming service, NFL+, will also carry the game.

NFL international games 2024

In addition to the Week 1 Packers-Eagles matchup in Brazil and the Week 5 Jets-Vikings showdown, here is the rest of the NFL’s international series for 2024:

Jaguars vs. Bears in London

Date: Sunday, Oct. 13 (Week 6)
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: London, England
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The Jacksonville Jaguars have become a staple of the NFL games in London. The Jaguars are scheduled to play back-to-back games in London after they also did in 2023. The international crowd will get to watch the No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, under center for the Chicago Bears.

Patriots vs. Jaguars in London

Date: Sunday, Oct. 20 (Week 7)
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: London
Venue: Wembley Stadium

The third consecutive week with an NFL London matchup concludes with the Jaguars against the New England Patriots in Week 7. The No. 3 overall pick, Drake Maye, could be the starting quarterback for New England by this time, adding to the intrigue.

Giants vs. Panthers in Germany

Date: Sunday, Nov. 10 (Week 10)
Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET
Location: Munich, Germany
Venue: Allianz Arena

The final international NFL game in 2024 features the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants. Both squads are off to slow starts and share the longest Super Bowl odds after the season’s first month.

Tom Viera contributed to this piece.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Week 5 was another doozy for fantasy managers. Joe Flacco and Bo Nix were top-eight quarterbacks. Josh Allen was the QB19. The top five running backs were Tank Bigsby, D’Andre Swift, Rico Dowdle, Kareem Hunt, and a supposedly benched Rhamondre Stevenson. Three of the top nine wideouts were Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, and Alec Pierce. And the list of top nine tight ends included Charlie Kolar (??), Mo Alie-Cox, and Brenton Strange. Strange indeed.

To assist with your most difficult lineup decisions, you’ll find my Week 6 fantasy football rankings below. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.

Our team at the USA TODAY Sports Network also has you covered for all your fantasy football needs. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Need to know who the best starts and sits of the week are? We have an article for that. We also have fantasy defense rankings, kicker rankings, and a trade value chart to help with all your trade decisions.

Given the volatility of this league and fantasy football in particular, these rankings will be updated up until a half hour before the Sunday afternoon games kick off. Let’s get to it.

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

Week 6 fantasy football quarterback rankings

STOCK UP: Caleb Williams is this week’s winner of the lucky Jacksonville draw. To date, the Jaguars are allowing 1.1 more fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks than any other team in the league. In fact, the last three passers to face this defense have posted QB1, QB7, and QB5 finishes, respectively.
STOCK UP: Daniel Jones gets perhaps the second-best matchup of the week in the Bengals. Since Week 3, the Bengals have allowed an average of 26.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Jones has been the QB10 in fantasy since Week 1.
STOCK DOWN: C.J. Stroud has finished as the QB15 or worse in three of his last four outings, and now he’ll be without his top weapon, Nico Collins, who was placed on IR with a hamstring injury. This game also has a projected point total of 38, which doesn’t help matters.
STOCK DOWN: Trevor Lawrence racked up 371 passing yards in a mouthwatering Week 5 matchup, and he still only finished as the QB10. He’s now ended up as the QB10 or lower in a whopping 17 of his last 20 games. He’ll go up against a Bears squad that’s allowing fewer than 10 fantasy points per game to the position.

Week 6 fantasy football running back rankings

STOCK UP: Tony Pollard has finished as a top 15 back in two of his four games this season, and now he gets a perfect matchup in Week 6. The Colts have ceded the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing backfields. More importantly, no team is facing more running back touches per game than Indianapolis. Given the uncertainty at quarterback for Tennessee, a run-heavy approach is all but certain.
STOCK UP: Tank Bigsby erupted for 129 yards and two touchdowns against the Colts in Week 5. The 23-year-old out-snapped Travis Etienne and logged seven more carries than last year’s RB3. As an added bonus, the Bears are a run-funnel defense, ranking 10th-worst against running backs this season.
STOCK DOWN: Travis Etienne’s stock is headed in the opposite direction of Bigsby’s. While Bigsby’s workload has increased in recent weeks, Etienne’s has decreased as a result. Like it or not, Bigsby has earned those touches. Last year’s RB3 has yet to finish higher than RB20 in 2024. Yikes.
STOCK DOWN: Javonte Williams totaled 111 yards on 18 touches in Week 5, resulting in an RB15 finish. It was the first time in 2024 that he’d ended higher than RB27. Week 6 is likely to bring about more struggles for the 24-year-old. This season, the Chargers are ceding the seventh-fewest fantasy points to the running back position. The activating of rookie Austin Estime could eat into Williams’ workload as well, further impacting his upside.

Week 6 fantasy football wide receiver rankings

STOCK UP: Rome Odunze will face a Jaguars secondary that’s surrendering the most fantasy points and second-most receiving yards to opposing wideouts. While his stat line wasn’t all that impressive, Odunze did garner two red zone targets in Week 5. We’ve already seen one explosion from the rookie this season, and another one could be coming this week.
STOCK UP: Jalen Tolbert was peppered with 10 targets the first game following Brandin Cooks being placed on IR, including the game-winning touchdown and three red zone looks. He’s a top-40 play against a Lions defense that’s allowing the most receptions and yards per game to receivers in 2024.
STOCK DOWN: Garrett Wilson needed an absurd 22 targets last week to claw his way to 101 yards against a subpar Vikings secondary. That doesn’t bode well for his matchup with Buffalo, a team that’s giving up the fifth-fewest receiving yards and fantasy points to wideouts this season.
STOCK DOWN: Courtland Sutton has been relying on heavy target volume to get home this season, and when that hasn’t happened, he’s cratered. We could be looking at another dud against a Chargers team that’s fourth-stingiest versus wide receivers.

Week 6 fantasy football tight end rankings

STOCK UP: Tucker Kraft has outscored all other tight ends by 8.2 half-PPR points since Week 3. While we shouldn’t count on him housing 66-yard touchdowns every week, he has too much upside to ignore at such a thin position.
STOCK UP: Dalton Schultz was targeted a season-high six times last week, which is a trend that should continue as long as Nico Collins is out of the lineup. After all, Collins ranked fifth in the league through Week 4 with a 29.3% target share. New England has surrendered the eighth-most receiving yards to tight ends this season.
STOCK DOWN: Dallas Goedert racked up 19 targets over his last two games, but he’s about to come crashing back down to earth with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith expected back for the Eagles in Week 6.
STOCK DOWN: Cole Kmet has finished as the TE15 or worse in every game Keenan Allen has suited up this season. Chicago’s passing game is on the rise, but Kmet is nothing more than a TE2.

Week 6 fantasy football rankings

Game 5 of the American League division series was an emotionally charged clash between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians were simply too potent on offense for the upstart Tigers, taking Game 5, 7-3. A Tigers team depleted by trades and injury end an admirable run into the ALDS. Meanwhile, the Guardians continue their march into history, hoping to erase the longest World Series drought in baseball.

Tarik Skubal, the Tigers left-handed starting pitcher and the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, took the mound five days after limiting the Guardians to three hits in seven scoreless innings. He would go six innings and give up five runs.

The Guardians now take on the New York Yankees, who eliminated the Kansas City Royals in four games in their ALDS. USA TODAY Sports has the highlights, wild plays, analysis and more from a classic Tigers-Guardians game.

Guardians vs. Yankees: When is the ALCS?

Oct. 14: Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m., TBS/truTV/Max 
Oct. 15: Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m., TBS/truTV/Max 
Oct. 17: Yankees at Guardians 
Oct. 18: Yankees at Guardians 
Oct. 19: Yankees at Guardians (if necessary) 
Oct. 21: Guardians at Yankees (if necessary) 
Oct. 22: Guardians at Yankees (if necessary) 

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

Cleveland Guardians ALCS bound

The Cleveland Guardians exploded for seven runs on Saturday in a game that went from a night game to an early afternoon affair thanks to impending weather.

The Detroit Tigers not only put up a fight put took the formidable side to five games, but will bring an inspired season to a close while Cleveland march onto New York.

Cleveland has 4-run lead heading into ninth inning

The Guardians need just three more outs before punching a ticket to the ALCS to face the New York Yankees. They will have a four-run lead thanks to a Rocchio single that scored Gimenez.

Guardians defend

Emmanuel Clase came in to relieve Morgan after a walk to Meadows. And he immediately got some help in the web gem department. Rocchio climbed the ladder on a Jake Rogers line to left. Then Clase threw gas to get Carpenter.

Cleveland can taste the ALCS.

Score: Guardians 6, Tigers 3

Still hungry Guardians score

A tired Will Vest gets a short leash and is now out of the game for Tyler Holton. Vest had allowed a couple of hits before Lane Thomas came up again and worked his magic with a run scoring hit.

Holton stopped the bleeding and the Tigers head up to bat with dwindling chances to keep their season alive.

Score: Guardians 6, Tigers 3

Guardians are now six outs away

Morgan came in and got the job done. Blanking a rejuvenated Tigers team, striking out Perez and Torkelson. Now the Guardians are six outs away from the ALCS.

Tigers score, Guardians back to bullpen

It’s time to wonder if the Guardians have enough arms to withstand those pesky Tigers. After giving up a run-scoring double, Gaddis is the latest Cleveland pitcher to take a seat. Now Eli Morgan takes the bump with a two-run lead.

Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 3

Skubal gets the Tigers through six

Detroit has had its struggles, but Skubal is carrying this team as best he can. A 1-2-3 inning is just what the Tigers needed to get some momentum back.

Tigers strike back

Detroit whittles away at the lead. Jake Rogers singled to right, scoring Torkelson and moving Meadows to third. With the bases loaded, after a walk to Sweeney, a limping Kerry Carpenter came to the plate but couldn’t match the heat. Gaddis gets the strikeout and Cleveland gets away using one of their lifelines.

Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 2

Guardians go to the bullpen

Vogt’s bullpen game continues. Herrin did a nice job of things but issued double to Torkelson and a walk to Meadows. Now the Guardians look to Hunter Gaddis to maintain the lead.

Lane Thomas hits grand slam as Skubal struggles

The inning started with an auspicious turn of events. Gimenez gets a nice slap to left to start the frame. Then Steven Kwan slapped another to left to get on as well. That’s when Fry blooped one just between first and second, giving him enough time to leg it out.

With the bases loaded, Skubal hit Jose Ramirez on the left forearm to tie the game. Then first-pitch hitting Lane Thomas comes in and promptly becomes a local folk hero with a grand slam on Skubal’s first-pitch fastball.

Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 1

Guardians get out of jam

Herrin got the memo and induced a quick double play, and Cleveland is now up. They face a 1-0 deficit and their own season mortality.

Guardians again go to the bullpen

The great Vogt experiment is playing out to some detriment. Walters is now out of the game after giving up the game’s lone run. Now Tim Herrin is in with one out and Carpenter on first.

Tigers score on Carpenter single

Andrew Walters is the fourth Guardians pitcher and issued a quick walk to Sweeney. A huge hit from Carpenter to right gets the runner home from first. Detroit now leads 1-0.

Skubal cruising for Tigers

After a promising third, the Guardians couldn’t get much going in the fourth. Skubal is now through four innings and has allowed two hits and a walk while punching out four.

Top 5: Tigers 0, Guardians 0

Cade Smith leaves the game as Erik Sabrowski comes in for Cleveland

Spencer Torkelson likes things spicy.

Smith had been cruising with his fastball, getting three strikeouts through just under two innings. But a Torkelson double forces him out of this scoreless game.

With a runner on second, Sabrowski flirted around the plate and ended up issuing a walk to Parker Meadows. It didn’t come to hurt the Guardians and we still have no score heading into the bottom of four.

Guardians threaten in the third

Skubal was cruising until that pesky Rocchio singled to left. That’s not what you want with Steven Kwan up next, which leads to a double to left and runners in scoring position. An intentional walk to Ramirez and the bases were juiced.

All of this was fodder, because Lane Thomas immediately popped out to end the inning. Still, Cleveland came away with more than a moral victory here. They proved Skubal is fallible today and they can string some hits together.

Boyd is out, Cade Smith is in

Matthew Boyd takes a seat with five strikeouts, making way for Cade Smith to come into the game. Now it’s time for managers at home to second-guess Stephen Vogt on whether the skipper is overthinking things.

Well, the reviews are in and Smith got through the inning 1-2-3.

Skubal makes quick work of the Guardians

Skubal with a ho-hum inning. He takes 11 pitches to get a strikeout and a couple of infield grounders. Cleveland and Detroit boast a hit each in a scoreless game.

Tigers flirt in the top of the second

Matthew Boyd has the slider working early. But Parker Meadows was one Tiger not fooled, slicing a double into left field. Not being one to do any laurel resting, Meadows then stole third as Jake Rogers enjoyed a barrage of sliders on the inside of the plate before popping out to right. It wasn’t deep enough for Meadows to score, however.

Boyd then gets Sweeney swinging and Detroit is left to be content with getting a runner in scoring position in this inning.

Kwan sits Skubal down with a comebacker

The game is early but plenty of action already. Steven Kwan opens things up by hitting a shot up the middle. Skubal can’t field it and the Guardians outfielder gets to first.

After that, the Tigers ace induced a couple of outs to end the inning. There is a sense of nerves on both sides of the diamond but we may be through early emotions. Onto the second inning. No score after one.

Boyd gets through bumpy start

Matthew Boyd got through unscathed after issuing a hit batter, strikeout and walk to start the first frame. He then settled and struck out Ibanez and Perez and the Guardians crowd is alive in Cleveland.

Tigers-Guardians begins with a hit batter

We are one pitch in and the Tigers are on first after Boyd hits Justyn-Henry Malloy. The Guardians lefty settled down instantly and punched out Vierling on three pitches.

When is Tigers-Guardians ALDS Game 5?

First pitch is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 12 from Progressive Field in Cleveland. 

How to watch Tigers-Guardians ALDS Game 5 

The game will be broadcast on TBS and Max. 

How to stream Tigers-Guardians ALDS Game 5

The game is available to stream by using Sling.

Tigers at Guardians odds, line 

The Detroit Tigers are favorites to defeat the Cleveland Guardians in Saturday’s ALDS Game 5, according to the BetMGM MLB odds. Looking to wager? Check out the top betting apps in 2024 offering the top betting promos and bonuses. 

Spread: Tigers (-1.5) 
Moneyline: Tigers (-125), Guardians (+105) 
Over/under: 6 

Tigers at Guardians ALDS Schedule, scores

Game 1: Guardians 7, Tigers 0 
Game 2: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 
Game 3: Tigers 3, Guardians 0 
Game 4: Guardians 5, Tigers 4 
Game 5: At Cleveland, 1:08 p.m. ET 

Tigers starting pitcher 

Tarik Skubal will get the start for Detroit. The left-hander went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 192 regular-season innings. This will be Skubal’s third postseason start of 2024, and he has yet to allow a run in 13 innings with 14 strikeouts and just one walk. He muzzled the Guardians in Game 2 of the ALDS, pitching seven innings and allowing three hits with eight strikeouts. He set down the first 13 batters he faced. 

Guardians starting pitcher 

Cleveland will go with Matthew Boyd, who only made eight starts during the regular season but shined. After missing more than a year due to injury, Boyd returned to the mound in August and compiled a 2-2 record with a 2.72 ERA in 39 2/3 innings with the Guardians. He opposed his friend and former Tigers teammate Tarik Skubal in Game 2 of the ALDS and held Detroit scoreless in 4 2/3 innings with five strikeouts. 

Tigers starting lineup

Cleveland weather for Tigers-Guardians game 

According to AccuWeather, gametime temperatures will be in the low-to-mid 60s with partly sunny skies in downtown Cleveland. Rain is in the forecast, but not until around 6 p.m. ET. 

Guardians lineup

Why did Tigers-Guardians move game time? 

The Guardians announced Friday, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, that first pitch for Game 5 at Progressive Field in Cleveland has been moved up to 1:08 p.m. ET due to impending inclement weather expected in the area by Saturday evening. The forecast for Cleveland calls for showers beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and continuing into Sunday, according to The Weather Channel. The elimination game was originally slated to begin at 8:08 p.m. ET. — Mark Giannotto 

Tigers 2024 season 

After a loss on Aug. 10, Detroit fell to eight games below .500 at 55-63. In their final 44 games they went 31-13 to finish the regular season with an 86-76 record and earn the third and final wild card and the No. 6 seed in the American League. The Tigers beat the AL West champion Houston Astros in two games in the wild-card round. 

Guardians 2024 season 

Cleveland went 92-69 to win the AL Central for the second time in three years. By virtue of having the second-best record in the league, the Guardians got a bye into the division series. 

Tigers manager 

A.J. Hinch is in his fourth season as the Tigers manager. This is his first appearance in the playoffs with Detroit, but Hinch is no stranger to the postseason. He led the Houston Astros to the World Series twice in five seasons, winning the whole thing in 2017 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hinch was suspended for one year following the 2019 season for his failure to take action in a sign-stealing scandal. On the same day of his suspension, Hinch was fired by Astros owner Jim Crane. 

Guardians manager 

Cleveland is in its first season under Stephen Vogt, who was still a player as recently as 2022. Vogt replaced Terry Francona, who is the Guardians’ all-time winningest manager and led the team to six playoff appearances in his 11 seasons at the helm. 

Tigers World Series championships 

1935: Beat Chicago Cubs, 4-2 
1945: Beat Chicago Cubs, 4-3 
1968: Beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3 
1984: Beat San Diego Padres, 4-1 

Guardians World Series championships 

1920: Beat Brooklyn Robins, 5-2 
1948: Beat Boston Braves, 4-2 

Longest active World Series drought 

To find the last Cleveland World Series win, you have to go back 75 seasons, all the way to 1948. Not long after World War II came to a close, Cleveland knocked off the Boston Braves in six games and claimed a second World Series in franchise history. — Jason Anderson 

ALCS schedule 

Oct. 14: Tigers/Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m., TBS/truTV/Max 
Oct. 15: Tigers/Guardians at Yankees, 7:37 p.m., TBS/truTV/Max 
Oct. 17: Yankees at Tigers/Guardians 
Oct. 18: Yankees at Tigers/Guardians 
Oct. 19: Yankees at Tigers/Guardians (if necessary) 
Oct. 21: Tigers/Guardians at Yankees (if necessary) 
Oct. 22: Tigers/Guardians at Yankees (if necessary) 

NLCS schedule 

Oct. 13: Mets at Dodgers 8:15 p.m., FOX 
Oct. 14: Mets at Dodgers 4:08 p.m., FOX/FS1 
Oct. 16: Dodgers at Mets, 8:08 p.m., FS1 
Oct. 17: Dodgers at Mets 
Oct. 18: Dodgers at Mets (if necessary) 
Oct. 20: Mets at Dodgers (if necessary) 
Oct. 21: Mets at Dodgers (if necessary) 

World Series schedule 

Oct. 25: Game 1 
Oct. 26: Game 2 
Oct. 28: Game 3 
Oct. 29: Game 4 
Oct. 30: Game 5 (if necessary) 
Nov. 1: Game 6 (if necessary) 
Nov. 2: Game 7 (if necessary) 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — UNC football’s Tylee Craft died Saturday morning after a lengthy cancer battle, head coach Mack Brown announced after the Tar Heels’ loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon. 

Craft was 23. UNC football released a social media post about Craft at 4:03 p.m. Saturday. 

“It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side. Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for,” UNC football wrote in a statement.

“He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity. On behalf of his family and our program, we sincerely thank everyone who supported Tylee during his battle with cancer. It means more than you know. With love and affection, #TyleeStrongForever.” 

It didn’t take long for UNC to rally around Craft as #TyleeStrong became a rallying cry for the program. He was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in March 2022.

Craft was one of five college athletes named to the Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team in 2022. He also earned the Disney Spirit Award on ESPN’s College Football Awards.   

UNC wide receiver J.J. Jones was wearing Craft’s No. 13 jersey against the Yellow Jackets and had a touchdown in the first half. Members of the football coaching staff, football players and basketball players before the Blue-White scrimmage were wearing t-shirts to show their support for Craft.

‘This young man fought so hard for his two and a half years, the doctors told us he outlived what heshould’ve,’ Brown said after the Georgia Tech game.

‘And he did it with the Spirit, he did it with a smile on his face, he didn’t miss a meeting, he didn’t miss practice, he coached these other young people. I mean, he’s just an incredible young person.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached atrbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter. 

No. 3 Oregon will face No. 2 Ohio State without its second-leading receiver during the second half of the two teams’ gigantic Week 7 clash in the Big Ten.

Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden was ejected with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter after apparently spitting at Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun following a first-and-goal play at the Buckeyes’ 9-yard line. Holden was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and the referee immediately announced the news of his ejection to the Autzen Stadium crowd and a national television audience.

Replay of the alleged incident showed Holden and Igbinosun jawing at each other after the whistle before Holden escalated matters by spitting at Igbinosun through his facemask.

‘It’s the biggest game of the year. Why even do that?’ NBC commentator Todd Blackledge wondered aloud on the broadcast. ‘You’re such a valuable part of this team and now you’ve hurt yourself and your team. Just no excuse for that, at all.’

Holden transferred to Oregon from Alabama after the 2022 college football season and almost never suited up for the Ducks. He was dismissed from the team in February 2023 after being charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon and coercion charges, as well as a misdemeanor charge for menacing. Holden was reinstated to the program by Oregon coach Dan Lanning when he was cleared of all charges.

He had 19 catches for 274 yards and three touchdowns this season entering Saturday’s game.

Follow USA TODAY Network sports reporter Mark Giannotto on social media @mgiannotto and email him at mgiannotto@gannett.com.

It was a moment to behold, with mouth wide open.

At the end of the fifth round of their light heavyweight fight on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Liam Cameron pressed fellow British boxer Ben Whittaker against the ropes.

Then physics took over.

Both fighters tumbled over the top rope and crashed onto the ring platform.

Whittaker, who appeared to injure his right leg, was taken away in a wheelchair. According to DAZN Boxing, he was taken to a nearby hospital.

The fight, which was part of the undercard for the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol fight, was ruled a technical split draw.

Whittaker, 27, is now 8-0-1 and Cameron, 33, is 23-6-1.

(This story was updated to add a photo.)

(This story was updated with new information)

The Red River Rivalry between Texas football and Oklahoma is one of college football’s richest rivalry games out there.

It’s also one that comes with quite the emotion, as evident by Saturday’s 120th edition of the Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl.

Following the No. 1 Longhorns 34-3 romp over the Sooners, Texas defensive players Anthony Hill Jr. and Barryn Sorrell took a Baker Mayfield No. 6 Oklahoma jersey and placed it at the 50-yard line. The two then planted the University of Texas flag right through the jersey, unofficially claiming the Cotton Bowl as their own.

‘I just felt like it was the right thing for me to do,’ Hill Jr. said postgame. ‘I’d seen all the stuff they (Oklahoma) posted last year, so I felt like it was right for me to get a little touch of something on them.’

Saturday’s win for Texas marked just the second time in the last seven seasons (and twice in the last three) that the Longhorns have won the Red River Rivalry. It also marked the first time that the Longhorns have started the season 6-0 for the first time since 2009, as noted by the Austin American-Statesman.

Hill Jr. had a big game himself on Saturday, as the 6-foot-3 defensive lineman finished with a game-high 11 tackles and two sacks for a total loss of 8 yards. He also forced a fumble in the second quarter, when he stripped the ball out of Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.’s hand on a scramble.

The Longhorns also got back starting quarterback Quinn Ewers on Saturday after the 6-foot-2 quarterback was sidelined for the last five weeks with an oblique strain. Though it took him some time to settle in, Ewers completed 20 of 29 passes for 199 yards with two combined touchdowns and an interception in his first game back.

Pitt held off Cal, 17-15, in ACC action on Saturday and is now off to its best start to a season (6-0) since 1982, when Marino was playing quarterback and led the Panthers to a 9-3 record. They entered the US LBM Coaches Poll at No. 24 earlier this week and should rise higher after another narrow win.

Pitt’s undefeated record is more of a reflection of its resilience and survival skills than an indication of dominance at this point. The Panthers trailed Cincinnati, 27-6, late in the third quarter in Week 2 and won, 28-27. They trailed West Virginia, 34-24, with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter and won in Week 3. Last week, they were tied with North Carolina early in the fourth quarter before pulling out a win.

Pitt’s defense then endured a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by Cal on Saturday, getting a stop with less than a minute left in regulation after the Golden Bears got the ball with a chance to drive down the field for a go-ahead field goal.

It’s all coming together during this remarkable turnaround for the program, which finished the 2023 season with a 3-9 record. The Panthers are already bowl eligible in coach Pat Narduzzi’s 10th season and their offense, led by quarterback Eli Holstein, entered this week ranked among the top 10 in the country in yards and points. There’s suddenly an unexpected threat to Miami and Clemson atop the ACC.

Here’s what you need to know about the best starts for Pitt football over the years, the Panthers’ best seasons, and Narduzzi’s coaching track record:

Best starts for Pitt Panthers football

1981: 10-0
1982: 6-0
1991: 5-0
2002: 5-1
2009: 9-1
2021: 6-1

Best seasons for Pitt Panthers football

Pittsburgh has a long and illustrious history in college football, with four seasons in which the program was named the national champion by at least one outlet. The Panthers’ only national title in the modern era, and their most recent title, occurred in 1976. Here’s a look at Pittsburgh’s best seasons since then:

1976: 12-0
1977: 9-2-1
1979: 11-1
1980: 11-1
1981: 11-1
2002: 9-4
2008: 9-4
2009: 10-3
2021: 11-3
2022: 9-4

Pat Narduzzi coaching record

Here’s a look at Narduzzi’s coaching track record during his 10 seasons as a head coach, all of which have been spent at Pittsburgh:

2015: 8-5
2016: 8-5
2017: 5-7
2018: 7-7
2019: 8-5
2020: 6-5
2021: 11-3
2022: 9-4
2023: 3-9
2024: 6-0 (2-0 ACC)
Career: 71-50

Follow USA TODAY Network sports reporter Mark Giannotto on social media @mgiannotto and email him at mgiannotto@gannett.com.

Correction: This story was updated to adjust South Carolina’s third-down conversions and the turnovers forced by Alabama.

After losing to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1984 last week, Alabama looked to get back into the win column against South Carolina on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide accomplished that task, but not in the way they wanted with a late defensive stand securing a 27-25 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama held the 14-12 lead at halftime before South Carolina went ahead 19-14 with a touchdown midway through the third quarter. Jalen Milroe secored on 7-yard touchdown run to put Alabama ahead in the fourth quarter. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard with 1:54 left made the score 27-19.

The Gamecocks were not done, responding with a touchdown drive of their own, capped by a LaNorris Sellers pass to Nyck Harbor. They were then successful on their onside kick attempt and regained possession with 34 seconds remaining. But the Alabama defense held firm, Domani Jackson intercepted Sellers on the last play of the game to clinch the victory.

In the early stages of the game, it seemed like Alabama would cruise. Behind rushing touchdowns by Milroe and Jam Miller, it led 14-0 midway through the second quarter. South Carolina, though, went onto put up 12 points across the final two minutes of the first half, cutting the deficit to two.

The Gamecocks’ first score came from a 36-yard touchdown pass from Sellers to Mazeo Bennett Jr. to convert on fourth and 9. On Alabama’s ensuing drive, Milroe threw the ball away in the end zone after facing pressure, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty and a South Carolina safety.

Alabama then forced a fumble on South Carolina’s next drive, giving it the ball at its own 47 with 48 seconds remaining in the half. Two plays later, Milroe was picked off by Jalon Kilgore, who returned the ball to the Alabama 19-yard line to set up a 37-yard Alex Herrera field goal to close out the half.

Third-downs stops were hard to come by last week for Alabama against Vanderbilt, with the Commodores converting 12 of their 18 third-down attempts (66.7%). Saturday against South Carolina, it was much different, at least in the first half.

The Crimson Tide held the Gamecocks to 0 of 5 on their third-down conversions attempts across the opening two quarters. The second half was a bit of a different story, with Gamecocks opening the half converting on 5 of 5 third-down attempts. They finished the game going 7 of 15 on third-down attempts (46.7%).

Turnovers and sacks were also hard to come by for Alabama last week vs. Vanderbilt, the Crimson Tide being unable to record a single one. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide forced four turnovers and caused four sacks for -36 yards.

The Alabama offense had generated at least 393 yards of offense in its first five games Facing the Gamecocks, the Crimson Tide offense managed 313 total yards compared to 372 by South Carolina.

Saturday marked the first time Milroe has thrown multiple interceptions, only being intercepted twice leading into it. Milroe went onto finish the day accounting for two rushing touchdowns while going 16 of 23 passing for 209 yards and a touchdown.

Jam Miller led the Alabama backfield with 42 yards on 12 carries, while Bernard led Alabama’s receiving corps with four receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.