Throughout the offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs talked up their visions for a newly explosive offense. After the first month of the season, the unit now seems to be searching for a way merely to stay afloat.

Standing at 4-0, the two-time defending champs are hardly in panic mode. But with go-to wide receiver Rashee Rice feared to have torn his anterior cruciate ligament in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, per reports, the already uneven offense is staring down a future without the receiver whose 29 targets in the first three weeks were 17 more than any other player on the team. And with free-agent signing Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown not expected to make his debut until the playoffs at earliest due to shoulder surgery – and starting running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve – the mounting losses could push the offense to an uncomfortable spot.

The easiest solution would be to look to in-house solutions to step up, and the Chiefs no doubt will do just that. But while perennial Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce notched season highs of seven catches and 89 yards Sunday with Rice out for the bulk of the game, the extra coverage attention dedicated to him likely isn’t going anywhere. Rice feasted on that setup, working defenses underneath and racking up yards after the catch. Now, who keeps the attack rolling?

First-round rookie receiver Xavier Worthy might seem like a natural candidate for an increased workload, but his role has been somewhat narrowly defined to highlight his strengths – and perhaps protect against his shortcomings. The 5-11, 165-pound deep threat should continue to force defenses to account for his speed, setting up opportunities for others when they do and big-play shots for himself when they don’t. But beyond the occasional heave and a few schemed touches, Worthy might have trouble serving in a more complete capacity until he fills out his frame and grows more comfortable as a short-to-intermediate target.

Much of that work, then, might fall on Justin Watson, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore. Watson ranked third on the team last season with 460 receiving yards, and his established rapport with Patrick Mahomes could allow him to thrive early if he sees an immediate boost in targets. Smith-Schuster is comfortable operating as a physical presence underneath, while Moore can also live in the short area.

All things Chiefs: Latest Kansas City Chiefs news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

But what if Andy Reid and Brett Veach determine Kansas City needs external help for the stretch run? Of course, landing Davante Adams or another star receiver seems farfetched, especially given that the Chiefs have only $4.9 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com. But with the Nov. 5 trade deadline looming, there could be some intriguing options on the market.

Here are five wide receiver trade options who could make sense for the Chiefs after Rice’s injury:

Darius Slayton, New York Giants

Slayton notched a season-high 56 yards on three catches in a Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and he’s played in 81% of the Giants’ offensive snaps so far this season. Still, this offense runs through rookie sensation Malik Nabers, and whatever is left of the scraps is mostly going to slot target Wan’Dale Robinson. Slayton’s burner credentials would surely be put to better use in Kansas City. GM Joe Schoen has been down this road before with Veach, too, having cut bait on Kadarius Toney in an October 2022 deal.

Robert Woods, Houston Texans

If Kansas City is simply looking to add another reliable target rather than swing for a transformative piece, Woods could be a sensible option. No one will confuse a 32-year-old who tore his ACL in 2021 for Rice, but the veteran target could still provide value operating underneath. Houston is settled at receiver with Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, leaving little opportunity for Woods. A trade for a late-round draft pick shouldn’t be difficult to facilitate.

Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots

Bourne is still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered midway through last season. But he’s expected to return to practice this week, and the 29-year-old was averaging a career-best 50.8 yards per game in 2023 before he went down. If he can round back into form, his dependability should catch Kansas City’s attention. But given how its receiving corps continues to underwhelm, New England might be reticent to part with a player who can be an asset for Drake Maye whenever the No. 3 overall pick takes over as the starting quarterback. And after signing Bourne to a three-year deal in March, it certainly seems he’s still in the team’s long-term plans.

Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

Let’s get into the more intriguing – but less likely – possibilities. Cooper might be the most alluring solution, as it would allow the Chiefs to plug in a bona fide No. 1 target on an expiring deal. Like Bourne, Cooper was dangled in trade talks surrounding San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk, though that represented Cleveland trying to upgrade its passing game rather than selling off its top target. It might be difficult for the Browns to embrace that mindset given the franchise’s inability to get its passing attack settled with Deshaun Watson at the helm. But with this increasingly looking like a lost year for the organization, the front office would have to consider what it could get for a player who might be headed elsewhere after this season. Cooper has struggled with drops in 2024, but a change of scenery – and linking up with Reid and Mahomes – might quickly rejuvenate him. But the financial considerations could be a significant impediment.

DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans

Hopkins and the Chiefs were commonly linked to one another for some time before the five-time Pro Bowler signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Titans last offseason. Now, however, the timing for the two of them seems right. With Calvin Ridley serving as the main attraction in Tennessee, Ridley could see a sizable jump in usage. And the 32-year-old’s physical style and strength at the catch point would no doubt be tremendously helpful to Mahomes. Since taking over in January 2023, Titans GM Ran Carthon has focused on bringing aboard marquee talent rather than parting with it. But amid an 0-3 start, he would be wise to evaluate his options on a player who doesn’t seem to fit into the franchise’s long-term plans. Still, the sticking point here is once again likely to be the price – in what Kansas City would need to give up, but also the cap element that might put this move out of reach.

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Baseball purists rejoice.

MLB announced it will have All-Stars go back to wearing their primary home and road uniforms at the All-Star Game, starting with the 2025 edition.

For nearly an entire century, players in the annual All-Star Game wore their primary team uniform, depending on which team was hosting that year’s exhibition classic. If a National League team was the host, then the National League players would wear their home uniforms, and vice versa with the American League.

That all changed in 2021 when the game was held in Colorado. MLB decided to make players wear specially designed uniforms for each squad, which drew immense criticism from fans who have gotten used to seeing their team represented in the game. The special uniforms were worn through the 2024 game. Players have been split on the idea of the special uniforms, and the 2024 edition was heavily scrutinized.

Starting with the 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, players will instead wear a special uniform during the workout day and the Home Run Derby. However, players participating in the Home Run Derby will wear their home uniforms. MLB said it will be working on a special hat for players to wear for the All-Star Game.

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

MLB announces more uniform changes

The league also said it will begin the process of altering every team’s uniforms, particularly changes to the new Nike vapor premier jersey. The new uniforms, unveiled in 2024, drew heavy criticism and ridicule for their appearance and feel, and the backlash was so severe MLB said it would make changes by the start of the 2025 season.

MLB said it received feedback through a leaguewide survey on how to improve the uniforms, and the main changes incoming will include:

Enlarged letters for player names
Embroidered sleeve patches
Full pant customization

Citing production timelines, MLB said not all uniform changes will be completed in time for the start of the 2025 season, but the road grey uniforms made from the fabric of the 2023 uniforms will be ready to use by spring training. All uniforms using materials from the 2023 season will be ready by the start of the 2026 season.

(This story was updated to add new information and change a photo.)

Matchups for Major League Baseball’s playoffs are finally set.

Twenty-eight of 30 teams finished their regular season Sunday, and the results ensured that the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves played one more day of games — yes, Nos. 161 and 162, at Atlanta’s Truist Field — to determine the final two National League wild-card teams.

And both clubs were able to don their ‘October Ready’ officially sanctioned shirts after splitting a doubleheader, the Mets winning an 8-7 thriller in Game 1 while the Braves took advantage of a Mets team with nothing to play for to win the nightcap, 3-0.

That set the last of the National League wild card series, as their traveling secretaries could finally hit “book” on hotel rooms and tell their pilots exactly where they should punch it in the team plane – the Braves, to San Diego and the Mets to Milwaukee.

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

Going home? The Arizona Diamondbacks, who like the Braves and Mets finished 89-73 but lost tiebreakers to both teams, ensuring their reign as NL champions ends after one year.

A look at the playoff field:

NIGHTENGALE: Handing out awards for 2024 MLB season

How will the NL survivors be seeded?

The San Diego Padres are the No. 1 wild card and No. 4 NL seed.

The Braves are the No. 5 seed, by virtue of winning the season series against the Mets, 7-6.

A look at the playoff picture and projected starters, starting with the well-defined American League before we get to the NL mess:

AL wild-card series

(All games on ESPN/ESPN2/ABC)

No. 6 Detroit Tigers at No. 3 Houston Astros

Game 1, Tuesday: LH Tarik Skubal vs. LH Framber Valdez, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 2, Wednesday: TBA  vs. TBA, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC

Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. TBA, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC

No. 5 Kansas City Royals at No. 4 Baltimore Orioles

Game 1, Tuesday: LH Cole Ragans vs. RH Corbin Burnes, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Game 2, Wednesday: RH Seth Lugo vs. RH Zach Eflin, 4:38 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: RH Michael Wacha vs. RH Dean Kremer, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

AL Division Series – Saturday, TBS

Royals-Orioles winner vs. No. 1 New York Yankees

Tigers-Astros winner vs. No. 2 Cleveland Guardians

NL wild-card series

No. 6 New York Mets at No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers

Game 1, Tuesday: TBA vs. RH Freddy Peralta, 5:32 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 2, Wednesday: TBA vs. TBA, 7:38 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. TBA, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

No. 5 Atlanta Braves at No. 4 San Diego Padres

Game 1, Tuesday: TBA vs. RH Michael King, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN,

Game 2, Wednesday: TBA vs. RH Joe Musgrove, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Game 3, Thursday, if necessary: TBA vs. RH Dylan Cease, 7:08 p.m. ET, ESPN

Since the fall semester began, at least a dozen colleges have recognized Katie Meyer, the former Stanford soccer goalie who died by suicide.

Stanford is not among those schools.

On Thursday, the Stanford women’s soccer team promoted mental health awareness at its game against Miami in Palo Alto, California. But the team did not honor Meyer, who helped lead Stanford to the 2019 national title and died in 2022.

“The Meyers want to be clear that while they are extremely disappointed in Stanford’s administration and their decision not to honor Katie, they have all the love, respect and support for Katie’s teammates who are now seniors playing in the mental health game,’’ attorney Kim Dougherty, who is representing the Meyers family, told USA TODAY Sports by email.  

Stanford did not respond to multiple requests for comment USA TODAY Sports made by email.

Meyer was honored at the team’s mental health awareness game in 2022 and 2023.

In November 2022, the Meyers family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stanford and the civil matter is being heard in the Superior Court of California in the County of Santa Clara.

Last week, before the mental health awareness game, a Stanford employee said Meyer would not be honored this year.

“We’ll have a similar wellness wall as we’ve had in the past encouraging fans to post notes on how they maintain positive mental health,’’ Tyler Geivett, a senior director of communications in the Stanford athletics department, said by email. ”A few members of the team also filmed short statements promoting mental health awareness and we’ll put together a social media post prior to the match and then air a short video in (the) venue at halftime.’’

Geivett said Stanford’s seniors each write Meyer’s initials on themselves before each match. ‘They did not do anything additional for Thursday’s match,” he added, referring to the mental health awareness match against Miami.

Katie Meyer honored across nation at other games

For each of the 13 schools that confirmed they honored Meyer, according to Dougherty, the recognition centered around acknowledgement of Katie’s Save, a non-profit foundation started by Meyer’s parents, Steve and Gina Meyer.

A key initiative of the foundation was the effort to ensure college students the right to an adviser when they faced an alleged violation of a school’s code of student conduct. On Saturday, the Katie’s Save bill became law in California.

Meyer’s parents have asserted Stanford provided inadequate support for their daughter during a disciplinary matter they say led to her death.

“Stanford has repeatedly failed to provide student athletes with the necessary support and resources to succeed under the pressures it places on them,’’ Dougherty said. “Putting on a mental health awareness game while refusing to honor Katie Meyer, who lost her life because of Stanford’s mental health ignorance, clearly shows their utter disregard for real life impacts and only serves as lip service. This is very hurtful to the Meyer family, as other universities around the nation continue to recognize Katie, but her own school she loved, will not.”

As schools continue to honor Meyer, her parents have provided the respective women’s soccer teams plastic wristbands, temporary tattoos and stickers that mention the Katie’s Save foundation. When Santa Clara played Washington on Aug. 29, players from both teams donned tattoos on their arms or legs, according to Michelle Meyers, Director of Soccer Operations for the Santa Clara women’s soccer team.

On Sept. 8, before Duke’s game against East Tennessee State, Duke’s players wore warm-up shirts with the logos of Katie’s Save and ‘Morgan’s Message,” a non-profit started after former Duke lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers died by suicide in 2019, according to Lindy Brown, senior associate director of dommunications at Duke. The Blue Devils players also received items from Katie’s Save.

William & Mary handed out wristbands and information about Katie’s Save during its game against North Carolina-Wilmington on Sept. 22 and provided the QR code to donate to Katie’s Save, according to Jack Angelucci, associate director of media relations for William & Mary athletics.

‘We also had public-address reads throughout the match telling (Meyer’s) story and directing people to the table for more information,” he said.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.

Follow Josh Peter on social media @joshlpeter11

WASHINGTON — U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland said Monday that the organization will continue to fight for gymnast Jordan Chiles to retain her bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics for the simplest of reasons: Because she earned it.

‘We feel an obligation to make sure we get to the truth and the right outcome. So we’re going to fight to get there,’ Hirshland said from the South Lawn of the White House, where President Joe Biden welcomed and celebrated hundreds of Olympic and Paralympic athletes Monday morning.

‘We’ve had really constructive conversations with Jordan – and, frankly, with the Romanians. We’ve had a lot of dialogue with them. And it’s a constructive conversation. Of course, everybody’s got a vested interest. And the reality is the integrity of the competition is critical to sport, and we want to protect the integrity of competition.’

Chiles was stripped of the bronze medal she won on floor exercise last month amid a dispute over the timing of a scoring appeal filed by her coach, which bumped Chiles ahead of a pair of Romanian gymnasts and into third place.

The Romanian Gymnastics Federation successfully argued that the appeal, known as an inquiry, was filed four seconds too late − leading the Court of Arbitration for Sport to rule that the the results of the competition should be altered. But the Americans have since found video evidence that they hope will lead to the reversal of that ruling, and asked the Swiss Federal Tribunal to consider it, among a number of other procedural issues.

‘If we didn’t believe that she had earned the medal, we’d be in a different conversation. But we believe she earned that medal,’ Hirshland said. ‘So we’re going to ask the courts to look at the evidence again. Don’t know that they will or won’t, but that’s what we’re going to try.’

One possible outcome in the case − which has been supported by Romanian sports authorities − would be for Chiles, revised bronze medalist Ana Barbosu and compatriot Sabrina Maneca-Voinea to all share bronze. When asked if the U.S. would support such an outcome, Hirshland said it’s complicated.

‘There are a lot of details around how that might be done that I can’t give you a blanket answer,’ she said. ‘We support the integrity of the competition and getting to a result that reflects that. And we think, in every instance, that keeps a bronze medal in Jordan’s hands.’

Chiles did not make the trip to the White House on Monday, as she is currently performing as part of Simone Biles’ ‘Gold Over America Tour.’ But there were an estimated 400 other Team USA athletes who did, taking mini-tours of the White House and playing cornhole on the South Lawn before lining up on a set of bleachers to hear remarks from Biden. The president was accompanied to the event by U.S. swimmer Torri Huske and her parents, Paralympic basketball player Paul Schulte and Paralympic hopeful Adrina Castro.

‘My staff would have their TVs on, watching you as I was trying to get briefed on national security,’ Biden said to laughter. ‘But in fairness, I had the TV on in the Oval Office, as well. We felt so much pride.’

For Hirshland, who earlier this summer agreed to a five-year contract extension to remain in her post with the USOPC, the event felt like a wonderful coda to the Paris Olympic and Paralympic cycle. Team USA will now shift its focus to the 2026 Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, then the long-awaited 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

One of the lingering questions, particularly for 2026, is whether Russian athletes will be welcomed back to the Games. A select number of Russian athletes competed at the 2024 Games as ‘individual neutral athletes’ after the International Olympic Committee sanctioned Russia (and Belarus) for its invasion of Ukraine.

‘Obviously at the end of the day, the IOC makes the decision about the Games and the international federations make the decisions about their world cups and all of that,’ Hirshland said. ‘But they were suspended very clearly for violation of the Olympic truce and circumstances around that, which as far as I know have not changed.’

Hirshland also fielded questions on the ongoing dispute between the World Anti-Doping Agency and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, entities that have taken repeated public shots at one another in recent months over WADA’s handling of 23 positive doping tests by Chinese swimmers in 2021. WADA agreed with Chinese anti-doping authorities, who found that the cases were the result of contamination and did not publicly disclose them. USADA has alleged that WADA effectively helped China keep the matter quiet and did not evenly apply anti-doping rules.

‘I will actually tell you I feel pretty optimistic that the conversations are constructive,’ Hirshland said of WADA and USADA. ‘What’s happening in the press, perhaps less so. But the actual conversations in the rooms I’m sitting in are constructive.’

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

The newest team in the WNBA will find out who its players will be during December.

The league announced Monday that the expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries, the 13th and newest franchise in the league, will take place on Dec. 6.

The Valkyries will hold their inaugural season in 2025. In May, the logo and colors for the Valkyries were unveiled. The team said then that a Valkyrie originates ‘from Norse mythology and that the nickname represents’ a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.’

Here’s everything you need to know about the WNBA expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries:

How will the WNBA expansion draft work?

Upon the conclusion of the 2024 season, each of the 12 current teams in the WNBA will submit a comprehensive roster list to the league office. That list will detail each player whose rights that respective team holds, as of the final day of the 2024 regular season. The deadline to submit the list is expected to be around late November.

Each team will have the chance to designate a maximum of six ‘protected players’ who will become ineligible for selection in the expansion draft. All other players not designated as protected will be available for Golden State to select.

The Valkyries will then have the chance to acquire the contract or negotiating rights to one of the non-protected, available players from each of the 12 current WNBA teams.

Golden State may select a player who is not signed to a contract for the 2025 season. If that happens, the Valkyries would receive any rights to that player that the player’s existing team would hold. Golden State will have the chance to select only one player who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in February.

Players who have been on a core player contract for at least two seasons are not eligible to be selected in the expansion draft. Any other soon-to-be unrestricted free agents who are eligible for the expansion draft can be selected, provided Golden State designates that player as its one core player in January.

An interesting wrinkle is that Golden State will be allowed to make trades from the moment the roster lists are submitted through the expansion draft, in which the Valkyries could enter an agreement to select a particular player during the expansion draft and then send that player to another team.

How to watch the WNBA expansion draft

Details are not available yet, but the WNBA expansion draft for the Valkyries will be broadcast on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 6.

The Boston Bruins anointed Jeremy Swayman their No. 1 goalie when they traded Linus Ullmark in the offseason. But he and the team haven’t been able to agree on a new contract, meaning he’s missing training camp.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery announced Monday that Joonas Korpisalo, acquired in the Ullmark deal, would be the Game 1 starter and that the team has confidence in him.

Still, the Bruins can’t afford to have this contract stalemate drag out and Swayman, 25, can’t afford to be out long. This will be Swayman’s first season as a No. 1 goalie and he showed in the 2024 playoffs that he can handle that role, but his most starts in a regular season is 43 games last season.

‘What his ask is and what we believe his (comparable) group is are two different things,’ Bruins president Cam Neely said.

Neely wouldn’t say what Swayman was seeking but hinted at the Bruins’ offer. ‘I have 64 million reasons why I’d be playing right now,’ he said.

General manager Don Sweeney said he has been in constant communication with Swayman’s representatives.

‘Ultimately, we’re a better team … if Jeremy is part of our hockey club,’ Sweeney said. ‘That’s my intention. That’s my wish and I’ll continue to work to do that.

‘I think Jeremy and the team are both hurt in this regard and that’s what I’ll do. I’ll just try to work hard to find a settlement point.’

Here’s who else is facing pressure this season:

Utah Hockey Club

The NHL awarded Salt Lake City a franchise in April and even though Utah team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith acquired the Arizona Coyotes’ players and management in the deal, there were only five months to get the business side up and running. Much has been accomplished, but the franchise has no full-time nickname and is playing in a basketball arena with obstructed view seats for hockey. The nickname will come soon, future renovations to the Delta Center will take care of the sightlines and fans have been purchasing tickets.

Of course, the best way to ensure franchise success is a good performance on the ice. The Coyotes made the playoffs once (in the 2020 bubble) since 2012. But GM Bill Armstrong has assembled a promising, young team and thanks to aggressive ownership, he added defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole in the offseason.

Pittsburgh Penguins power play

The most perplexing part of the Penguins’ second consecutive playoff miss was their faltering power play. Even after adding three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, the power play ranked 30th at 15.3%, down from 21.7% the year before. That led to the firing of assistant coach Todd Reirden and the hiring of David Quinn to oversee the man advantage. But he won’t have Jake Guentzel this season and Karlsson has yet to take part in training camp due to an injury.

Nashville Predators

The Predators announced they’re going for it with their July 1 signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault (40-goal scorers and former Stanley Cup winners), plus defenseman Brady Skjei. Now they must prove it. They need to improve on their 16th-ranked power play and be a playoff contender throughout the season, not just one that gets in with a strong finish. And most important, they’ll need to get out of the first round for the first time since 2018, not an easy task in the tough Central Division.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Washington Capitals

Dubois is on his fourth NHL team entering his eighth season. The Los Angeles Kings gave up a lot to trade for him last season and he dropped from 63 points to 40. He was dealt to Washington after one season in L.A. Dubois, a former No. 3 overall pick, needs a strong bounce-back season.

Jonathan Huberdeau, Calgary Flames

The Flames signed Huberdeau to an extension with a $10.5 million cap hit after he was acquired in the 2022 Matthew Tkachuk trade. He had 115 points before the trade but 55 and 52 points in the two seasons since. He needs to score more, but with the Flames rebuilding, that might be difficult.

Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff

The Sabres have an NHL-worst 13-season playoff drought and they brought back Ruff, the last coach to lead the team to the postseason. He has said he’s focusing on the current team, not his past success in Buffalo. The Sabres had a quiet offseason and could use another top six forward, so it will be up to Ruff’s coaching to end the team’s drought. He opens the season in Europe with two games against the New Jersey Devils, who fired him last season.

Los Angeles Kings defense

The Kings were already going through changes on defense because Matt Roy left via free agency. But then Drew Doughty broke his ankle in a preseason game. He needs surgery and is month-to-month. It will be tough making up his nearly 26 minutes a night. Youngster Brandt Clarke is expected to get more responsibility.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour

Brind’Amour excels at getting the best out of his players and this could be his biggest challenge. The Hurricanes weren’t able to re-sign Guentzel and also lost defensemen Brett Pesce and Skjei, plus 25-goal scorer Teuvo Teravainen and forward Stefan Noesen to free agency. Evgeny Kuznetsov is playing in Russia and injured Jesper Fast could miss the season. General manager Eric Tulsky found replacements and it will be up to Brind’Amour to keep the Hurricanes among the league’s top teams.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights had one notable departure (Reilly Smith) after their Stanley Cup win in 2023 but six key players (Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, Alec Martinez, Michael Amadio, William Carrier and goalie Logan Thompson) left over the summer. That’s a big hit to their depth. Fortunately, Vegas will have a full season of trade deadline acquisitions Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin as it tries to make the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons.

After Kirby Smart’s latest loss to Alabama, the Georgia football coach gave a shocking quote.
Nick Saban retirement came at right time for Alabama. Kalen DeBoer has got this covered.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter worthy of Heisman hype, but he faces uphill climb to award.

Alabama knocked Georgia’s machine off the tracks and sent Kirby Smart’s visor spinning askew in September’s signature game. Kalen DeBoer, by taming Georgia in his first SEC game, showed that a seat on the ‘College GameDay’ set is the best place for Nick Saban at this stage of his career.

Jalen Milroe catapulted to the top of the Heisman Trophy race, but Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty offer voters something to chew on if they’re willing to consider candidates who don’t play quarterback.

Here’s what’s lingering on my brain after Week 5:

Does Kirby Smart fear the bogeyman, Alabama?

Smart’s poor visor. It spun every which way while he worked the sideline in Tuscaloosa. Alabama gave his Bulldogs fits like few have.

I don’t know whether Smart fears Alabama, but his team looked shellshocked throughout the first half inside Bryant-Denny Stadium’s roaring confines. The Bulldogs played soft and displayed shoddy fundamentals until mounting a mad-dash rally throughout the fourth quarter and nearly stealing the victory.

Curiously, Smart doesn’t seem all that concerned about his 1-6 all-time record against Alabama.

“What’s everybody else’s record against them, you know?” Smart said. “Has anybody got one better than 1-6 that’s played them (that many times)? I don’t think so.”

True, few opponents beat the Tide, but Smart built Georgia to be unlike most other teams. And, in fact, Michigan, Texas, LSU and Tennessee defeated Alabama more recently than Georgia.

Smart remains an ace recruiter. He’s an effective motivator. So, why doesn’t his team muster better performances against Alabama?

Most opponents can’t go toe-to-toe with Alabama when it comes to talent. Georgia can, but the Bulldogs have repeatedly looked overwhelmed by the moment of facing Alabama.

Smart never mastered Saban. Now, DeBoer outwitted him, and Smart seems to have come to expect living under Alabama’s thumb.

Did Nick Saban retirement come at the right time for Alabama?

Yes, it absolutely did. The GOAT is where he should be – on the “College GameDay” set. Saban’s dominance at Alabama might never be duplicated, but he lost his stranglehold on the sport after NIL and the transfer wave altered the landscape, gave players more freedom and power, and stripped Saban’s omnipotence.

Plus, if Saban had waited a few years to retire, Alabama might have missed out on DeBoer, who’s become a fitting heir to Saban’s scepter. This job isn’t too big for DeBoer. More, he’s breathing confidence into Milroe, who’s become a complete quarterback.

Saban earned the right to retire on his timeline, and he just so happened to pick a great moment for Alabama to change the guard.

Is Deion Sanders coaching the Heisman Trophy favorite in Travis Hunter?

No. Hunter, Colorado’s two-way star, builds a case for being the nation’s most talented player. Incredibly, he’s amassed 46 receptions to go with two interceptions. He grabbed this Heisman voter’s attention by striking the Heisman pose following his spectacular interception during Colorado’s win at Central Florida.

But, winning the award while not playing quarterback remains an uphill battle, especially if Alabama’s Milroe keeps lighting up defenses. Sportsbooks favor Milroe for good reason. Elite quarterbacks from a playoff-contending team enjoy a head-start in the Heisman race.

In the past 24 years, only four non-quarterbacks won the Heisman.

Hunter will receive extra spotlight thanks to the Coach Prime effect. That helps his chances, but he’s not scheduled to face an opponent ranked in the top 15. That limits his opportunity for a so-called “Heisman moment” that voters crave.

Milroe provided more than a few of those moments while Alabama defrocked Georgia in a primetime game.

Voters rarely think outside the box for this award, so although Hunter enjoys a strong chance of being a Heisman finalist, winning the award would be an uncommon twist.

Will the SEC or Big Ten have more College Football Playoff qualifiers?

Right now, I project each conference with four qualifiers.

Ole Miss losing to Kentucky stings the SEC, which already endured body blows in Week 1 when potential contenders LSU lost to Southern California and Texas A&M fell to Notre Dame.

Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia are the SEC’s best chances for a playoff quartet. Missouri would emerge as the conference’s top option for a fifth qualifier if it wins Saturday at Texas A&M.

The Big Ten has done well to avoid a scenario like Ole Miss suffered, where a top playoff contender falls to a mid-tier conference foe.

Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State enjoy catbird positioning for the playoff. Several others from the league are in the mix, including Southern California, and … Indiana and Rutgers?! Yep, Indiana and Rutgers are undefeated. The Scarlet Knights also avoid Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan. What a gift.

After Tennessee’s revolt of 2017 spoiled Greg Schiano getting the Vols’ job, he’s back where he works best, making Rutgers punch above its weight.

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

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