It’s a bit early to hand over the hardware for MVP honors. But it’s not too soon to declare that Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen is the leader in the clubhouse. Heading into the Sunday night showdown at the Big ATM that will feature last season’s MVP, Lamar Jackson, there’s no hotter quarterback in the NFL than Allen. 

Again, it’s early. Yet of the NFL’s five remaining unbeaten teams, none have amassed the style points quite like the Bills (3-0), who are rolling into Baltimore on the heels of three consecutive blowouts and leading the NFL in averaging a whopping 37.3 points per game. 

Naturally, that flow begins with one of the league’s best players off to the best start of his career. Allen is the league’s top-rated passer (133.7), connecting on 75% of his throws. With his dangerous dimension as a runner intact, he has an NFL-high nine total TDs. Those numbers, though, are only part of the story. Two other factors are screaming about now. 

Whatever happened to the turnovers? Allen, who in his first six seasons brought additional drama by too often coughing up the football, has yet to throw an interception this season. After committing a career-high 22 turnovers in 2023, he’s on the books for just one turnover (a lost fumble) for the current campaign. 

Also striking is that Allen, who fired four of his seven TDs passes during the first half against Jacksonville on Monday night, is off to his blazing start without having the presence of Stefon Diggs. The Bills traded their erstwhile No. 1 receiver to the Houston Texans in April, getting a 2025 second-round pick in return. While Diggs is off to a strong start with Houston, he hasn’t been missed much in Buffalo. Allen completed passes to 10 different targets on Monday night – with four different players hauling in the scoring strikes. 

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The makeover of the Bills’ receivers corps without Diggs and Gabe Davis, a free agency departure, has underscored Allen’s growth in a diversified offense. Sure, third-year pro Khalil Shakir, a blazer who stretches the field, continues to step up. Shakir has been targeted 14 times and produced 14 catches. Yet balance has been the ticket for Allen.  

“I think he’s spreading the ball out more,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr told reporters this week. “You really don’t know where the ball is going to go. All of his receivers are liable to get the ball in any situation at any point in time – including the running backs and the tight ends.” 

And that’s not all. The Bills, with one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, have allowed the fewest sacks in the league (2). The rushing attack that once relied too much on Allen’s legs has continued the expansion that took hold last season with the emergence of running back James Cook. Allen can still burn defenses with designed power runs or by bolting from the pocket to extend plays, but even as he possibly builds an MVP case, there seems to be better support. Maybe that will ultimately help the Bills graduate from Super Bowl contender to the championship unit that coach Sean McDermott has promised. 

What a challenge the Ravens defense, which ranks No. 1 in the league against the run but is dead-last when it comes to defending the pass. No, Baltimore’s defense is not as dominant as the tradition – especially when considering the Ravens’ propensity for squandering big leads. Baltimore had to sweat in pulling out a win at Dallas last weekend and before that blew a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead in losing to the Raiders. The last time the Ravens and Bills met, in October 2022, Buffalo won after rallying from a 20-3 deficit. 

This looks like a bad matchup for Baltimore (1-2). Then again, it’s the NFL. And it’s early. The chances for the Ravens to slow Allen’s roll could be swung with pressure and turnovers. And maybe Jackson, the two-time MVP, can help his defense with a performance that, well, upstages the MVP front-runner. 

In any event, after crushing Jacksonville and Miami, and storming back in Week 1 to finish off Arizona, the tests get tougher for Allen and Co., beginning with a swing of three consecutive road games. After Baltimore, they head to Houston (hello, Stefon) and will meet four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Jets at the Meadowlands.  

It’s just the gauntlet for Allen to add layers to a case for MVP honors. 

Giant miscalculation

With each passing day, the New York Giants’ decision to let Saquon Barkley walk away as a free agent – to a division rival at that – looks that much more foolish. 

During the prime-time loss against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, Giants running back Devin Singletary rushed 14 times for 24 yards (1.7 per carry) and the team tallied a grand total of 26 yards on 24 rushes (1.1 yards per carry). 

And that was against a Cowboys defense that was shredded four days earlier by the Ravens for 274 rushing yards and, before that, 190 yards on the ground by the New Orleans Saints.  

Barkley, meanwhile, heads into Tampa Bay on Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles as the NFL’s leading rusher with 351 yards, averaging a robust 5.8 yards.  

Barring some miracle, the decision by general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll to devalue Barkley is the one that will cost them their jobs. And that the thinking was captured on the offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks’ makes it even more embarrassing – and more likely that pressure will intensify on Giants owner John Mara to start over. 

Barkley landed in Philadelphia with a three-year deal that could be worth $46.75 million. 

And now the cost in many ways will be even more significant for the Giants, who banked on an average quarterback, Daniel Jones, rather than an elite running back.  

Quick slants

— Jayden Daniels heads into the game at Arizona on Sunday with the best completion percentage through three games for any rookie in NFL history (minimum 40 pass attempts) with his league-best 80.3% rate. Here’s something else that illuminates the quick impact of the Washington Commanders quarterback: The Commanders have scored on every drive the last two games (except kneel downs), which no NFL unit has managed since 2000. 

— The Vikings defense, leading the NFL with 16 sacks, takes a notable distinction with it to Lambeau Field for the NFC North clash against the Packers. The unit coordinated by Brian Flores is the first since the Los Angeles Rams in 1988 to post at least five sacks and an interception in each of its first three games.  

— It still seems weird that as kickers nailed 42 of 55 field goal attempts from at least 50 yards (76.4%) through Week 3, the Ravens’ Justin Tucker is 0-for-2 from 50 yards-plus. Tucker owns the record for the longest field goal in NFL history with a 66-yard strike and in his 13th season has connected on 58 treys from at least 50 yards. Then again, it may be just a matter of time before Brandon Aubrey breaks Tucker’s distance record. The Dallas Cowboys phenom has connected on 6 of 7 tries from 50-plus yards this season and since entering the league in 2023, is 16 of 17 on kicks of 50 yards or more. 

NASCAR speeds into Kansas this weekend to kick off the second round of the 2024 Cup Series playoffs.

Kansas Speedway was the site of an exhilarating spring race back in May that ended in the closest finish in NASCAR history, with Kyle Larson edging Chris Buescher by 0.001 seconds in a photo finish.

Larson enters Sunday’s race atop the playoff standings after a dominating run at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend. The 2021 Cup Series champion won the Kansas playoff race that year en route to his first title. Including that victory, Larson has five Top-4 finishes in the past six races at the Kansas City, Kansas, track, with his worst finish since the fall of 2021 being an eighth-place run, the following year.

But Larson isn’t the only playoff driver to watch at Kansas. Denny Hamlin leads all active Cup Series drivers with four wins on the 1.5-mile oval, while Joey Logano has triumphed there three times. Tyler Reddick also has a recent win at Kansas.

Who will take the checkered flag at Kansas on Sunday? Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the Hollywood Casino 400:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Kansas start?

The Hollywood Casino 400 starts at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) on Sunday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

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

USA Network is broadcasting the Hollywood Casino 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. local).

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

The Hollywood Casino 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 Kansas?

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

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Kansas?

Kyle Larson led 63 laps on May 5, 2024 before beating Chris Buescher in a photo finish by 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in NASCAR history.

And one year ago, Tyler Reddick led just two laps, taking the lead on an overtime restart before edging Denny Hamlin by 0.327 seconds on Sept. 10, 2023.

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

Rank, driver, team, points, deficit to leader. Through three races; points reset after first round.

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,047
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing … 3,032 (-15 points)
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing … 3,028 (-19)
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,022 (-25)
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske … 3,019 (-28)
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing … 3,015 (-32)
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,014 (-33)
Joey Logano, Team Penske … 3,012 (-35)
Austin Cindric, Team Penske … 3,008 (-39)
Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing … 3,006 (-41)
Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports … 3,005 (-42)
Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing … 3,005 (-42)

What is the lineup for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas?

Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver

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

2. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota

3. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

14. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

15. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

16. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

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

18. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

19. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota

20. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

21. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

22. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

23. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet

24. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

25. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

26. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford

27. (51) Corey LaJoie, Ford

28. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford

29. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

30. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

31. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

32. (16) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet

33. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

34. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford

35. (84) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota

36. (44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet

37. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

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

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When Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Shohei Ohtani became the first and only member of the 50-50 club, every article of clothing he wore became history, including his pants.

On Saturday, trading card company Topps announced it had officially acquired the game-worn pants from Ohtani’s historic 50-50 game on Sept. 19, when he hit his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs of the season in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. With the long ball, Ohtani is the first player in MLB history to have 50+ home runs and 50+ steals in a single season.

Topps said pieces of Ohtani’s game-worn pants would be integrated into their trading cards, including a one-of-a-kind Logoman Autograph card that features the MLB logo from the back of Ohtani’s pants.

‘Will you be chasing this piece of history?’ Topps wrote on X.

It’s not the only piece of memorabilia from Ohtani’s milestone night headed to the market. His 50th home run ball has been placed for auction.

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The auction isn’t without controversy. Max Matus, 18, filed a lawsuit Thursday in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court seeking a temporary injunction to prevent the auction from happening. Matus claims he had possession of the ball in his left hand before Chris Belanski, who came away with the home run ball, wrapped his legs around his hand to hold his arm in place as he wrangled the ball out of Matus’ hand, according to lawsuit documents.

An auction has started for the ball through Goldin, following a judge’s ruling to deny the attempt to halt it on Thursday, and is expected to run until Oct. 16. The latest bid was $1.2 million as of 7 p.m. ET Saturday.

Lionel Messi celebrated his game-tying goal on Saturday night with another Marvel Universe celebration that quickly went viral.

Messi scored in the 67th minute in Inter Miami’s 1-1 draw against Charlotte FC, then placed his hands by his side, palms down, and began to raise his heels — for liftoff just like Iron Man.

The celebrations drawing inspiration from Marvel characters began during Messi’s first season with Inter Miami a year ago and continued Saturday. He looked toward his kids in the stands at Chase Stadium as he performed the Iron Man gesture.

Messi previously celebrated goals by reaching out for Thor’s hammer, crossing his arms over his chest like the Black Panther and shooting out webs like Spider-Man.

Messi told the Miami Herald last August the celebrations began after watching Marvel movies with his sons before they began school last year, shortly after his Inter Miami arrival.

“My three sons are still on vacation, have not started school yet, so every night we watch Marvel superhero movies. They came up with the idea and asked that whenever I have a game and score a goal, I do a Marvel superhero celebration. That’s how it started, and we continued that ritual,” Messi said. “Each time we watched a new movie, we would practice a goal celebration. But I only do them for home games, when the kids are here, near me, so we can share those moments. When I see them in the stands, that is when I do them.”

Messi and Inter Miami will play in what could be the biggest game of the MLS season on Wednesday against the reigning champion Columbus Crew.

With a win, Inter Miami could secure the MLS Supporters’ Shield, a title given to the team with the best regular-season record. It would be Messi’s second title with Inter Miami, after winning Leagues Cup 2023.

NEW YORK – One of the Yankees’ biggest fears – an injury to a key player heading into October – was realized on Saturday afternoon.

Hit by a pitch, Anthony Rizzo suffered fractures of the fourth and fifth fingers on his right hand in a 9-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at rainy Yankee Stadium.

Whether this injury completely threatens Rizzo’s October, or if he might be available at some point during the playoffs, wasn’t immediately known.

The Yankees are due to open the best-of-five AL Division Series in exactly a week, and manager Aaron Boone said “we’ll see what we have as the week moves forward’’ regarding Rizzo’s status.

“(This injury) doesn’t totally rule him out. It’s a pain tolerance thing,’’ Boone told reporters, adding that, “I don’t want to jump to anything.

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‘We’ll see how he responds in the next several days, obviously, before we kick this thing off in a week.’’

Without Rizzo at first base, the Yankees could turn to lefty-hitting rookie Ben Rice, or super utility player Oswaldo Cabrera. It’s unclear if DJ LeMahieu would be in the mix, nursing a hip impingement.

Having an extremely rough year performance-wise, LeMahieu is just this week beginning to ramp up baseball activity.

Rizzo brought additional balance to the lineup, as well as his superior defense, when he returned from the injured list last month following a fracture in his right forearm, suffered in first base collision in June at Fenway Park.

In Saturday’s seventh inning, Rizzo was nailed by lefty reliever Ryan Borucki’s pitch and was lifted defensively when the eighth inning started.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ magic number for clinching the AL’s best record – and home field advantage throughout the league playoffs – remained at one after Game 161.

The Yankees hold the tiebreaker over the Cleveland Guardians, scheduled to play Saturday night. One loss by the Guardians or a win by the Yankees in Sunday’s regular season finale would clinch the best record for Boone’s club.

Rice is ‘definitely in the mix” for first base time, according to Boone. ‘He’s gone down and played really well again in Triple-A.”

Boone described Rizzo’s demeanor as ‘pretty upbeat” despite the injury. ‘Right now, he’s just trying to have a positive frame of mind about it.”

OXFORD, Miss. — Mark Stoops pushed all of his chips to the middle of the table for Kentucky. Then Brock Vandagriff went for broke. Barion Brown came up with the goods. And Josh Kattus, in the right place at the right time, made sure the risky decision wasn’t for naught. 

Vandagriff’s 63-yard completion to Brown on fourth and 7 at Kentucky’s 20-yard line set up a game-winning score sealed by Kattus’ fumble recovery in the end zone. 

The roll of the dice paid off in arguably the signature victory of Stoops’ 12-year tenure, as Kentucky upset No. 5 Mississippi 20-17 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. 

Kentucky going for it on fourth down Saturday — in the late stages of a close conference game — was in direct contrast to its loss to Georgia earlier this month. In that game, a 13-12 loss, Stoops elected to punt on fourth-and-8 with less than three minutes to play. The Bulldogs then bled off nearly all the remaining time to escape with a one-point win in Lexington. 

Even after the late touchdown, the Wildcats needed some good fortune. Mississippi drove to the Kentucky 31 before a potential tying field goal from 48 yards by Caden Davis sailed wide left.

Kentucky now heads into its first open date of the season with confidence and a winning record. The Wildcats next play at home against Vanderbilt on Oct. 12.

This weekend, he brought that argument public.

With his team holding a 34-14 lead against UCF on Saturday, Hunter got a diving interception off of Knights quarterback KJ Jefferson. After the play was blown dead, Hunter ran to the end zone and struck the Heisman pose.

Given what he has done for the Buffaloes this season, he has every reason to believe he’s worthy of college football’s most prestigious individual honor.

A wide receiver/defensive back, Hunter is the rare two-way player in modern college football, a feat that’s particularly impressive considering his team plays home games a mile above sea level and he’s playing in 80% humidity Saturday in Orlando against UCF.

While playing an overwhelming majority of Colorado’s snaps, Hunter entered the game against the Knights with 37 catches for 472 yards and five touchdowns on offense and 14 tackles, two pass break-ups and an interception on defense. He leads the team in receiving yards, touchdown catches and interceptions.

Against UCF, he has put together one of his best performances of the season.

Entering the fourth quarter, the 6-foot-1 junior, who began his college career at Jackson State before following coach Deion Sanders to Colorado after the 2022 season, had nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, as well as an interception and pass break-up.

With a win against UCF, the Buffaloes would match their win total from the 2023 season, when they finished 4-8.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi could only lay down on the pitch, hands up in the air in disbelief, after he was challenged by two defenders and tripped to the ground. About a minute later, Luis Suarez missed a shot directly in front of the net that could have given Inter Miami a victory.

Messi teed off on shot after shot – 10 of Inter Miami’s 20 on the night – until one finally went in. His goal in the 67th minute, followed by an Iron Man celebration directed toward his kids in the stands, helped Inter Miami secure a 1-1 tie with Charlotte FC Saturday night to stay out in front in the MLS Supporters’ Shield race.

Messi was still not happy, chirping at the referees and receiving a yellow card at the end of the match at Chase Stadium following his final sequence on the ball. Messi, the 37-year-old Argentine World Cup champion, was likely upset about being tripped up from behind after his run toward the net.

Still, Messi was able to deliver, four games into his injury return as he continues to regain his form before the MLS playoffs begin.

Inter Miami will next face the Columbus Crew, the reigning MLS champions, on Wednesday in a match that could decide the MLS Supporters’ Shield. If Inter Miami wins, it would be the club’s second title of the Messi era after their Leagues Cup crown last year, and clinch home-field advantage through the MLS playoffs.

‘I wish this were a 34-date tournament and the one that scores the most points would be the champion. Then this would be fabulous, we see it with good eyes, to be the best team of the regular phase. But the truth is that we would all feel very empty if we do not fight for the championship,’ Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the game.

‘So, yes, we have a very important game (Wednesday at Columbus), but even so, the remaining games – Toronto and New England – will also be important and decisive games. I think we will surely be in the fight until the last matchday.’

Inter Miami has 65 points in the MLS standings following the draw, needing seven points in its final three matches to win the regular season title. The LA Galaxy has 58 points, Columbus has 57 points, and FC Cincinnati has 56 points after Saturday’s games.

Saturday marked Messi’s fourth game since he returned from his Copa America ankle injury, which sidelined him for 2½ months this summer.

Martino said Messi needs the playing time to get into better game shape before the MLS playoffs, and believes he will achieve it with a slate of club and national games in the next month.

“Leo is going to get better and better as he adds 90 minutes,” Martino said. “Obviously, Leo does not need to do differentiated physical work in training, but he needs a rhythm of competition, which gives me the idea that he is going to reach the playoffs very well because in addition to the games with us he has the games with the Argentinian national team. So, we have high hopes that he will come into the playoffs in very good shape.’

Messi will have five games before the MLS playoffs begin: Inter Miami’s final three games, with two Argentina World Cup qualifying matches.

After the Columbus match, Inter Miami will play at Toronto next Saturday. Messi joins Argentina for a road game in Venezuela on Oct. 10 and a home match against Bolivia on Oct. 15. And Inter Miami will host the New England Revolution in the regular-season finale on Oct. 19.

If Inter Miami wins its remaining three games, it would finish with 74 points – which would break the 73-point record mark set by the Revolution in 2021.

No penalty kick for Inter Miami: Inter Miami 1, Charlotte 1

After VAR review, it was determined Charlotte FC defender Adilson Malanda’s foot, not his hand, touched the ball while he challenged a running attack toward the net by Inter Miami’s Diego Gomez.

The call denied Inter Miami, and Messi, a chance for a decisive penalty kick.

Lionel Messi scores goal: Inter Miami 1, Charlotte 1

Lionel Messi has been lining up his shot all night long, and he finally delivered with a left strike that sneaked into the lower left side of the net to help Inter Miami tie this match in the 67th minute.

Messi misses header toward net: Charlotte 1, Inter Miami 0

Messi, in perhaps his most engaged sequence full of aggressive dribbling, could not do much with a header he received from Jordi Alba from close range in front of the net.

Karol Świderski goal: Charlotte 1, Inter Miami 0

Charlotte’s Karol Świderski ricocheted a pass through the middle of the net past Inter Miami goalie Drake Callender to take a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute of this match.

Messi misses shot in 51’: Inter Miami 0, Charlotte 0

Lionel Messi is visibly upset at his latest miss, a left boot from the penalty box area that was saved by goalie Kristijan Kahlina.

Messi misses strike in 36’: Inter Miami 0, Charlotte 0

Just a bit outside: Messi’s left boot appeared on target, but winded up just outside the right side of the net in the 36th minute.

Luis Suarez misses shot wide right in 34’: Inter Miami 0, Charlotte 0

Lionel Messi delivered a stellar pass in stride to Luis Suarez, who was unable to score his right boot in the 34th minute. Inter Miami has been on the attack early, but unable to convert.

Lionel Messi misses shot toward net in 8’: Inter Miami 0, Charlotte 0

Lionel Messi had a straightaway run toward the net, but he was unable to put enough power behind his left boot. It was saved by goalie Kristijan Kahlina.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC live stream?

The Inter Miami match against Charlotte FC begins at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. Argentina) and can be streamed on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi will be in action for Inter Miami tonight vs. Charlotte FC.

Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC starting lineups

Messi is in Inter Miami’s starting lineup for tonight’s match. Here are the lineups for both clubs:

Messi to play with Argentina in October

Martino seemingly confirmed Messi would join the Argentina national team for two matches in October during the FIFA international window.

Argentina will play in Venezuela on Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. ET, and host Bolivia on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET.

It will be Messi’s first games with Argentina since winning their second straight Copa America title earlier this summer.

Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew match on Wednesday

Before Messi can rejoin his national team, he could help Inter Miami win its second title with wins Saturday vs. Charlotte and Wednesday at Columbus Crew.

Inter Miami, the 2023 Leagues Cup champion, might be catching Columbus Crew at the right time: The match will be The Crew’s fifth match in two weeks.

The Crew lost to Club America after a 1-1, 5-4 penalty shootout at home last Wednesday in the Campeones Cup, a battle between reigning MLS and Liga MX champions.

Columbus traveled to the White House on Friday to celebrate their 2023 MLS Cup, and will face D.C. United on Saturday night.

Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami and Argentina

Today: Inter Miami vs. Charlotte
Wednesday: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew
Oct. 5: Toronto vs. Inter Miami
Oct. 10: Venezuela vs. Argentina
Oct. 15: Argentina vs. Bolivia
Oct. 19: Inter Miami vs. New England Revolution

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Kalen DeBoer has his first SEC and top-five win as the Alabama football, and it could not have been more well-earned.

The No. 4 Crimson Tide jumped out to an early dominant lead but needed an interception on the final to knock off Kirby Smart and No. 1 Georgia 41-34 in a primetime matchup at 7:30 p.m. from Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The victory for DeBoer is his first for Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) against Georgia. The loss for the Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 SEC) is its first in the regular season since the 2020 season, when then-No. 8 ranked Florida knocked off the Bulldogs, 44-28, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Watch Alabama football vs Georgia live on Fubo (free trial)

Alabama scored the first 28 points of the game and held a 30-7 halftime lead. But Georgia stormed back in the second half and took its first lead at 34-33 with 2:31 remaining on a Carson Beck 67-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Bell. Alabama re-took the lead 13 seconds later on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to Ryan Williams. An interception by freshman Zabien Brown sealed the victory for Alabama.

The Crimson Tide has now won two in a row against Georgia, including a win in the SEC championship game last season. This knocked the Bulldogs out of contention for the four-team College Football Playoff in the committee’s eyes.

With the SEC expanding and the CFP as a 12-team tournament this season, Saturday’s loss did not doom Georgia. However, Alabama took a step closer to positioning itself with a potential bye and home-field advantage in the playoff.

Catch up here with scores, updates and highlights for the top-five SEC matchup between No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Alabama:

Alabama vs UGA score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins.

Final: Alabama 41, Georgia 34

Alabama-Georgia final stats

Here’s a look at the quarterback comparison at halftime: 

Carson Beck:  27-for-50 passing, 439 yards, three touchdowns, three INTs
Jalen Milroe.: 27-for-33 passing, 374 yards, three touchdowns and one INT

Some stats of note:

Total yards: UGA 519, UA 547
Rushing yards: UGA 80, UA 173
Passing yards: UGA 439, UA 374
First downs: UGA 25, UA 21
Time of possession: UGA 27:26, UA 32:34
Penalties: UGA 6-50, UA 10-90
Turnovers (points off turnovers): UGA 4 (7), UA 1 (0)

Zabien Brown seals victory with interception for Alabama

11:30 p.m.: Freshman Zabien Brown intercepts Carson Beck in the end zone and Alabama will pull off the 41-34 victory over Georgia. Despite holding a 28-0 lead in the first quarter, the Crimson Tide seal the win with an interception late in the fourth.

11:27 p.m.: Georgia converts a fourth-and-2 with 1:15 remaining in the game. Carson Beck hit Colbie Young for an 11-yard completion to keep the drive and Georgia alive.

Jalen Milroe, Ryan Williams help Alabama re-gain the lead

11:15 p.m.: Alabama responds with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to the 17-year-old Ryan Williams to give Alabama the lead back. Milroe hits Germie Bernard for the 2-point conversion and Alabama has a 41-34 lead with 2:18 remaining.

Carson Beck hits Dillon Bell to give Georgia lead

11:13 p.m.: On the first play, Carson Beck goes deep and hits Dillon Bell for a 67-yard touchdown and Georgia has its first lead of the game. The 2-point conversion fails and Alabama trails by one with 2:31 left.

11:11 p.m.: Alabama is forced to punt it away after picking up one first down. Georgia starts at its own 33 needing a touchdown to take its first lead of the game

Carson Beck, Georgia cut Alabama lead to 5 points

11:04 p.m.: Dillon Bell scores on an end-around and Georgia has cut the lead to 33-28 with 5:39 remaining in the game. Carson Beck connected on a 30-yard pass to Cash Jones and then a 47-yard pass to Arian Smith to set up the quick scoring drive. The drive was just four plays, 78 yards and took 1:35 off the clock.

10:57 p.m.: Georgia allows Alabama to convert a third down but then force a punt. Georgia takes over at its own 22-yard line with 7:14 remaining.

Carson Beck cuts Alabama lead to 12 points

10:48 p.m.: Following a quick three-and-out for Alabama, Carson Beck cuts the Alabama lead to 33-21 with 9:46 remaining in the game. Beck hits tight end Lawson Luckie for an 8-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion failed. 

The scoring drive was six plays for 80 yards, taking just 1:46 off the clock.

10:38 p.m.: Qua Russaw, a game-time decision with a high-ankle sprain, strip-sacked Carson Beck and Jah-Marien Latham recovered the ball at the Georgia 47. Alabama has a chance for the knockout punch with 14 minutes of play remaining. 

End of third quarter: Alabama 33, Georgia 15

10:31 p.m.: Alabama leads 33-15 heading into the fourth quarter. While the Crimson Tide hold a three-score lead, the Bulldogs showed life in the third quarter, out-scoring Alabama 8-3 and out-possessing the Crimson Tide 9:46 to 5:14. Still, the Bulldogs have plenty of work remaining to cut into the three-score lead.

10:27 p.m.: Alabama responds to Georgia’s touchdown drive with a 28-yard field goal from Graham Nicholson to put the Crimson Tide up by three scores, again, at 33-15. Freshman sensation Ryan Williams had a juggling 54-yard catch on the drive to set up the score

Look: Ryan Williams makes circus catch

10:26 p.m.: Freshman sensation Ryan Williams, only 17 years old, made a circus catch for 54 yards. The highlight of the play is below:

Carson Beck, Georgia pull within two scores of Alabama

10:15 p.m.: Georgia is not done yet. Carson Beck hits Arian Smith on a 12-yard TD pass to bring the Bulldogs within two scores. The scoring drive for UGA was 15 plays for 80 yards and took 6:44 off the clock.

Lawson Luckie scores on a 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 30-15. Alabama aided Georgia with a couple of pass interference calls on the drive. The Bulldogs also converted a pair of fourth downs.

9:56 p.m.: Jalen Milroe cannot connect on a pass to Germie Bernard on third-and-4, and Alabama will also go three-and-out. Georgia begins its second drive of the second half from its own 20. That was Alabama’s first punt of the night.

9:53 p.m.: Deontae Lawson sacks Carson Beck for a loss of 11 on third-and-10 to force a three-and-out for Georgia coming out of the half. Alabama will start on its own 26-yard line following the punt.

Halftime: Alabama 30, Georgia 7

Alabama-Georgia halftime stats

Here’s a look at the quarterback comparison at halftime: 

Carson Beck: 8-of-17 passing for 100 yards and two INTs 
Jalen Milroe.: 18-of-21 passing for 199 yards, one TD, one INT; 9 rushes for 106 yards and two TDs

Some halftime stats of note:

Total yards: UGA 153, UA 355
Rushing yards: UGA 53, UA 156
Passing yards: UGA 100, UA 199
First downs: UGA 9, UA 16
Time of possession: UGA 11:16, UA 18:44
Penalties: UGA 4-35, UA 6-50
Turnovers (points off turnovers): UGA 2 (7), UA 1 (0)

9:31 p.m.: Alabama OL Miles McVay was called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after both teams began chirping, leaving the field before halftime. The penalty will be assessed on the second-half kickoff when Georgia receives it to open the half.

9:28 p.m.: Alabama has a dominant 30-7 lead at halftime. The Crimson Tide took the ball first and scored on its first drive and have dominated since. The teams needed to be separated going off the field before halftime.

9:26 p.m.: Kalen DeBoer is fired up after a missed defensive pass interference call that went uncalled against Georgia. It results in an Alabama punt after the Crimson Tide attempted to make a trick play

Alabama scores on safety

9:20 p.m.: Despite a turnover from Jalen Milroe, Alabama extends its lead to 30-7 on a safety on an intentional grounding from Carson Beck from the end zone.

Georgia’s Dan Jackson picked off a deflected ball from Milroe at the UGA 2-yard line. The Bulldogs get a much-needed turnover and a chance to cut the lead before halftime. However, Carson Beck fires three straight incompletions, including, nearly, a third pick. Alabama forces the safety. 

Alabama leads 30-7 with 1:39 left in the half and gets the ball back now.

Jihaad Campbell intercepts Carson Beck

9:10 p.m.: On the very first play after the turnover on downs, linebacker Jihaad Campbell picks off Carson Beck and returns it to the UGA 25. Alabama is back in scoring position after forcing the Bulldogs’ second turnover.

9:08 p.m.: Jamarion Miller is stuffed on a fourth-and-short attempt for Alabama from the UGA 35. The Bulldogs take over with 2:59 left in the half. The Bulldogs also get the ball out of halftime.

Trevor Etienne, Georgia score to cut Alabama lead

8:54 p.m.: Georgia finally shows signs of life with a response and a much-needed touchdown drive. A Trevor Etienne 7-yard touchdown caps off an 11-play, 75-yard drive that takes 5:41 off the clock. 

The Bulldogs converted a huge fourth-and-short from its own side of the field on a big run from Etienne, where he evaded a tackle in the backfield. 

Georgia converted the 2-point try, but offensive pass interference took the points off the board. This is the third OPI against the Bulldogs already. UGA kicked the extra point to make it 28-7 Alabama with 6:43 left in the half.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama dominating Georgia with another TD

8:41 p.m.: Jalen Milroe and Alabama are pouring it on now Georgia now. Facing a fourth-and-1 from the UGA 36-yard line, Milroe keeps in on a QB run and Alabama pushes its lead to 28-0. Milroe makes the right choice on the zone read and is touched only once on his way to the end zone for the score.

End of first quarter: Alabama 21, Georgia 0

8:35 p.m.: Alabama racks up 198 total yards of offense in the first quarter, while Georgia had 27. The result is a 21-0 lead for Alabama and the Crimson Tide start the second quarter with the ball on its own 40-yard line, facing a second-and-3.

Georgia’s defense needs a stop to keep this game from getting out of hand early on.

8:31 p.m.: Georgia’s on the ropes now. Carson Beck and the Bulldogs cannot convert a third-and-4 due to an inaccurate throw from Beck. To boot, there was also another offensive pass interference called against UGA on the third-down-play.

Beck is 2 for 7 passing for 19 yards. Jalen Milroe is 7 of 7 for 106 yards. Alabama starts on its own 33 to start the drive after a poor punt.

Germie Bernard, Alabama score against after Carson Beck interception

8:26 p.m.: Germie Bernard scores on a 7-yard touchdown to put Alabama up 21-0 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. It is a dominant display for the Crimson Tide in every facet of the game so far. This drive is three plays, 21 yards and takes 1:25 off the clock.

What a debut for Kalen DeBoer.

Domani Jackson picks off Carson Beck

8:23 p.m.: The perfect start for Alabama just got better. Domani Jackson picks off Carson Beck on a third-and-8 and the Crimson Tide will start its drive at the UGA 21-yard line. It’s the Bulldogs’ first turnover of the season.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama leads Georgia 14-0

8:18 p.m.: No problems for the Alabama offense and Jalen Milroe so far. Milroe hits Jamarion Miller for a 16-yard touchdown on a wheel route and Alabama has a 14-0 lead early.

This drive goes six plays for 84 yards and takes 3:11 off the clock. Alabama has a 14-0 lead with 4:39 left in the first quarter.

8:10 p.m.: Georgia moves the ball to the Alabama 39-yard line; however, a missed deep ball opportunity and an offensive pass interference stalls the drive for the Bulldogs.

Alabama takes over on its own 16-yard line with 7:50 left in the first quarter.

Jalen Milroe rushing touchdown gives Alabama early lead

8 p.m.: The Georgia defense has finally allowed a touchdown during the 2024 college football season. The Crimson Tide scored on a 7-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Milroe. Alabama scores despite three penalties on the first drive. Milroe had a 34-yard pass to Emmanuel Henderson as the drive’s biggest play.

The scoring drive was eight plays for 70 yards and took 4:43 off the clock. Per the ABC broadcast, the Bulldogs had not allowed a touchdown this season and in the last 16 quarters.

7:48 p.m.: Georgia wins the toss and defers. Alabama opens with the ball.

Pregame

Former President Donald Trump arrival delayed

7:34 p.m.: The arrival of former President Donald Trump has been delayed, per Chase Goodbread of The Tuscaloosa News.

Injury updates for Alabama, Georgia

6:53 p.m.: The final SEC availability report ahead of the Alabama-Georgia game was updated at 6 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at the changes:

Alabama linebackers Qua Russaw, Jeremiah Alexander and running back Richard Young are all listed as game-time decisions. All three were listed as probable earlier.
Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a game-time decision. He was previously listed as questionable.

Kirby Smart booed by Alabama fans

6:40 p.m.: Alabama fans greeted former Alabama assistant coach and current Georgia football coach Kirby Smart with boos as he entered Bryant-Denny Stadium.

London Humphreys out for Georgia

6:15 p.m.: Georgia wide receiver London Humphreys is out for the Alabama-Georgia game, according to Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

6:05 p.m.: Georgia quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Carson Beck has arrived for the game, dressed in all black.

5:21 p.m.: Ahead of Ole Miss’ game against Kentucky, former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin picked Alabama to beat Georgia.

4:58 p.m.: Several scouts will attend the Alabama-Georgia game on Saturday. Both teams have sent several players to the NFL over the years.

3:55 p.m.: Here’s a look at the captains for the Georgia Bulldogs for today’s game in Tuscaloosa:

3:38 p.m.: Nick Saban is not the Alabama coach anymore, but he and his wife Terry picked Alabama to beat Georgia in gameday picks during ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ this morning. Terry was the guest picker for the week.

The Crimson Tide had a clean sweep from the game pickers. Here’s a look at the rest of the picks:

Desmond Howard: Alabama
Nick Saban: Alabama
Pat McAfee: Alabama
Ms. Terry: Alabama
Lee Corso: Alabama
Kirk Herbstreit: Did not pick (calling game)

Alabama vs Georgia time today

Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

What channel is Alabama vs UGA game on today?

TV channel: ABC
Streaming: Fubo (free trial), ESPN+, ESPN app

The top-five SEC matchup opener between Alabama and Georgia will be broadcast on ABC during Week 5 of the 2024 college football season. Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Chris Fowler (play-by-play), and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) will call the game from Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Steaming options for this game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers, the ESPN app, or ESPN+.

Alabama vs Georgia history

Series record: Alabama leads 43-26-4
Alabama’s last win: Dec. 2, 2023 (27-24, SEC Championship Game)
Georgia’s last win: Jan. 10, 2021 (33-18, 2022 College Football Playoff Championship)

Alabama vs Georgia predictions

Colin Gay, Tuscaloosa News: Georgia 27, Alabama 24

‘DeBoer’s first meeting with Georgia will look a lot like Nick Saban’s first game against the Bulldogs in 2007. Facing a bend-but-don’t-break defense that lives and dies by the turnover margin, Beck and Georgia won’t give the Crimson Tide many mistakes to take advantage of. And while Milroe and the offense will have their share of moments under the lights, it won’t be enough to give Alabama its first SEC win of 2024.‘

Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Alabama 30, Georgia 29

This game is important for both teams in the SEC Championship race, but it’s not going to be all that deflating for the loser. We’re looking at two teams who should get to the College Football Playoff regardless. Georgia’s 42-game regular-season winning streak is in jeopardy the rest of the way since this is the first of three road games against top 10 competition. I’m trusting Kirby Smart here to come up with a plan defensively to limit Jalen Milroe this time around, but the lack of explosion around Carson Beck offensively for the Bulldogs up to this point is a bit worrisome. Kalen DeBoer gets a signature win in September.

Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald: Alabama 24, Georgia 23

‘This game is essentially a toss-up. Georgia has the better defense, but the nod here goes to the Crimson Tide with the home field advantage and the two most dynamic offensive players on the field.‘

Alabama vs UGA betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Wednesday, Sept. 25:

Spread: Georgia (-1.5)
Over/under: 48.5
Moneyline: Georgia (-125), Alabama (+105)

Alabama vs Georgia injury updates

Alabama vs Georgia weather update

This section will be updated.

Alabama football 2024 schedule

Here’s a look at Alabama’s 2024 schedule, including available start times and TV channel information:

All times Eastern

Aug. 31: vs. Western Kentucky (W, 63-0)
Sept. 7: vs. South Florida (W, 42-16)
Sept. 14: at Wisconsin (W, 42-10)
Sept. 21: BYE
Sept. 28: vs. No. 1 Georgia* | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Oct. 5: at Vanderbilt* | 4:15 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Oct. 12: vs. South Carolina* | Noon
Oct. 19: at Tennessee*
Oct. 26: vs. No. 11 Missouri*
Nov. 2: BYE
Nov. 9: at No. 13 LSU*
Nov. 16: vs. Mercer | 2 p.m. | ESPN+, SEC Network
Nov. 23: at No. 18 Oklahoma*
Nov. 30: vs. Auburn*
Record: 3-0, 0-0 SEC

*Denotes SEC Game

UGA football 2024 schedule

Here’s a look at Georgia’s 2024 schedule, including available start times and TV channel information:

All times Eastern

Aug. 31: vs. No. 14 Clemson (W, 34-3)
Sept. 7: vs. Tennessee Tech (W, 48-3)
Sept. 14: at Kentucky* (W, 13-12)
Sept. 21: BYE
Sept. 28: vs. No. 4 Alabama* | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Oct. 5: vs. Auburn* | 3:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Oct. 12: vs. Mississippi State*
Oct. 19: at No. 2 Texas*
Oct. 26: BYE
Nov. 2: vs. Florida* | 3:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Nov. 9: at No. 5 Ole Miss*
Nov. 16: vs. No. 6 Tennessee*
Nov. 23: vs. UMass
Nov. 29: vs. Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Record: 3-0, 1-0 SEC

*Denotes SEC Game

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