Colorado vs. Colorado State is one of college football’s oldest rivalries, with the first matchup between the Buffaloes and Rams happening in 1892.

And within the last two years, it has become one of the more emotionally charged and fierce rivalries in the sport — so much so that both teams have gone out to say they dislike each other several times.

That continued Saturday: Following the Buffaloes’ 28-9 win over the Rams, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders refused to shake the hand of Colorado State counterpart Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi at the 50-yard line. Shedeur also provided some colorful words to his counterpart as they passed each other. Here is a video of their encounter (warning: explicit language used).

Earlier in the week, Fowler-Nicolosi added some ‘trash talk’ to the rivalry with his thoughts on how last year’s game in Boulder turned out — a game that Colorado won 43-35 after two overtime periods.

‘They came out with that attitude and thought it was going to be a cakewalk,’ Fowler-Nicolosi said in an interview. ‘They saw the reports that it was 27.5 points. They got a rude, rude awakening real quick. I think it goes to show the hype, the media train, all that only gets you so far. At the end of the day, you have to line up 11 guys against our 11 guys and we’ll find out who wants it more. We’ll see how far Instagram followers gets them.”

Fowler-Nicolosi didn’t stop there. He also gave the ‘too small’ gesture during the game Saturday against Colorado’s Travis Hunter, who went on to intercept him later in the game.

Here’s a look at Hunter’s interception, which resulted in him receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty afterwards:

Deion Sanders also mentioned ‘disrespect’ from Colorado State during his postgame news conference.

‘Wonderful game, personal game, heartfelt game, emotional game. They kind of make it like that. We just want to play some football. The disrespect was uncalled for throughout the week. A couple of their players took shots at the whole program and a few of our players so it is what it is. So we knew coming into the game that it’d be a bit personal, and it was,’ Deion Sanders said.

‘I just pray that our kids never act in that matter because I know you guys would have a field day if they did, but I know you won’t do anything or say anything when the opposing team does that versus us.’

On Sunday morning, the Philadelphia Eagles ruled out wide receiver A.J. Brown for their ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup with the Falcons.

The two-time, first-team All-Pro receiver was added to the Eagles injury report on Friday as a limited participant following practice, as he suffered a hamstring injury.

An injury suffered late into the week is never a good sign, and his status for the Week 2 ‘Monday Night Football’ clash was solidified on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s what to know about Brown’s injury status entering Monday:

A.J. Brown injury update

The Eagles officially ruled Brown out for the ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup vs. the Falcons, a few days after he suffered a hamstring injury during practice. Brown was ruled out on Sunday afternoon ahead of the 1 p.m. ET games.

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

With Brown ruled out for Week 2, DeVonta Smith and newly acquired Jahan Dotson will lead the Eagles’ wide receivers against Atlanta.

On Saturday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said Brown felt ‘tightness’ in his hamstring during practice. With it being early in the season and the team holding Super Bowl aspirations, they have decided to proceed with caution regarding their star receiver.

The last time the Eagles played without Brown was in January against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card game. Philadelphia lost 32-9. DeVonta Smith led all receivers with 8 receptions for 148 yards in the loss.

Every Saturday, senior national college football writer Matt Hayes breaks down four trending stories, and a 12-team College Football Playoff bracket.

First Down: The Billy Napier experiment is over

A group of Florida boosters have pulled together money to cover the expense of firing coach Billy Napier, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. 

The two spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the process, which will begin when interim Florida president Kent Fuchs makes an official decision. The only variable is when.

If Florida fires Napier, he will be owed approximately $26 million in buyout money. But that number could be mitigated because Florida is currently being investigated by the NCAA for its recruitment – and Napier’s role in the recruitment –of former high school recruit Jaden Rashada. 

Fuchs hired Napier in 2022, and was one of Napier’s biggest supporters before retiring in February of 2023. Fuchs returned in an interim role this summer when Ben Sasse resigned as president. 

Fuchs and the Florida administration desperately want Napier to succeed, and have given him everything he would need – financially, structurally, facilities – to do so. But the product on the field has progressively gotten worse, even after Napier promised this offseason that it would be different.

Texas A&M routed the Gators 33-20 Saturday in The Swamp, the second blowout home loss of the season, including the much anticipated season opening 41-17 loss to rival Miami. 

The Gators have given up an average of 38 points in their last eight games against power conference opponents.  

More damaging: For the second time in as many home games against FBS opponents, fans began filing out of the stadium early in the third quarter. The Aggies started backup quarterback Marcel Reed in place of injured starter Conner Weigman, and still led 20-0 at halftime, and 33-7 midway through the third quarter.

The loss dropped Florida (1-2) to 12-16 in 28 games under Napier, including 7-15 vs. power conference teams. Another losing season — against the nation’s toughest schedule — would be Florida’s fourth in a row for the first time since the World War II era. 

Even the emergence of freshman quarterback DJ Lagway wasn’t enough to change the Gators’ fortunes. Florida had 63 yards in the first half, and its possessions ended with three punts and an interception.    

Second Down: The fall of Florida State

Let me try to explain, as simply as possible, what in the world is wrong at Florida State? 

The Seminoles have 156 yards rushing. For the season. 

After three games. 

Blame embattled quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei for the woes of the offense, and Florida State’s unthinkable winless start. It’s safe and easy criticism.

But if the Seminoles can’t run the ball, if they’re averaging a measly 2.2 yards per carry, it doesn’t matter who is playing quarterback.

“I challenge all of us,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said after Saturday’s 20-12 home loss to Memphis. “Everything is under evaluation.”

Start with the offensive line, the crux of the problem. But it’s here where we realize what has made FSU so dangerous under Norvell can also be its greatest weakness. 

The transfer portal, everyone, isn’t as bountiful as you think. 

It’s full of the unloved and unwanted for a reason, despite what coaches believe they can change. It’s not a magical fix-all. 

Especially on the offensive line. 

Four of FSU’s top seven offensive linemen are transfers: starting guards Keiondre Jones (Auburn) and Richie Leonard (Florida), starting tackle Jeremiah Byers (Texas-El Paso), and backup guard TJ Ferguson (Alabama). 

None of them are productive. In fact, they’ve been a liability. 

If you’re an upperclassman offensive lineman from a power conference in the portal, odds are you either weren’t starting at your previous school, or weren’t projected to. You can’t expect to insert castoffs from another school and play at a high level — especially on the offensive line, where it’s all about chemistry and combined playing experience.

FSU had 37 yards rushing on 24 carries against Memphis, 21 yards on 16 carries against Boston College, and 98 yards on 31 carries against Georgia Tech.

And you wonder what’s wrong with the Seminoles?

Third Down: LSU’s next NFL quarterback

While most zeroed in on LSU coach Brian Kelly losing it on the sidelines during a thrilling comeback win at South Carolina, there was a much more impressive sight playing out on the field. 

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier continues to develop into an elite thrower. An NFL scout, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports and requested anonymity to protect their team’s draft preparations, said Nussmeier is moving closer to a first-round selection. 

“The velocity, the accuracy, the various release points. It’s impressive,” the NFL scout said. “He’s a big, strong guy who stands in there and isn’t afraid to take a hit to get a throw off. There was a ton of adversity in that game, and it didn’t faze him. Just a really impressive performance.”

Nussmeier brought LSU back from a 17-0 deficit, and threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns. He consistently made big third down throws to bring LSU back from deficits throughout the game, including a 29-yard deep throw to wideout Karen Lacy to set up the game-winning touchdown run from Josh Williams.   

“A big-time Sunday throw,” the scout said. “They’re down 17, they’re down 14, and he just kept firing. Making big throw after big throw.”

Fourth Down: The loss of Bedlam

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State played footsie Saturday with Tulane and Tulsa, respectively, combining to rout the Group of Five schools 79-29.

Anyone else see a problem here? 

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State decided that last year’s Bedlam rivalry game would be the last in the series until, well, who knows?

Why, you ask?

Oklahoma State spite, for one thing (not that there’s anything wrong with that). And Oklahoma’s attitude of we’ve moved on, for another.

But Oregon and Oregon State continued to play their annual rivalry Saturday. So did Washington and Washington State. Conference realignment eliminated the necessity of playing those rivalries, but the four schools played them, anyway.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State could’ve done the same thing Saturday, but chose instead to play overmatched opponents for guaranteed wins.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey says he can’t (and won’t) force teams to play rivals, but the SEC and Big 12 should gently nudge the two rivals into playing the game that began in 1904 — when Oklahoma was still a territory and not a state. 

The Bracket: Here comes Texas

1. Texas

2. Ohio State

3. Miami

4. Oklahoma State

Memphis (12) at Georgia (5)

Oregon (11) at Alabama (6)

Missouri (10) at Ole Miss (7)

Southern California (9) at Tennessee (8)

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

The first nonconference Apple Cup in 60 years went to Washington State football on Saturday.

A late goal-line stand gave the Cougars a 24-19 victory over in-state rival Washington to claim the 116th meeting between the two programs. Quarterback John Mateer led Washington State with a three-touchdown performance as both teams went scoreless in the fourth quarter.

After the game, Washington State coach Jake Dickert was emotional as he lauded his team’s performance and grit.

‘Grit, toughness. I love this team,’ Dickert said as he teared up in his postgame interview. ‘They stayed here for this. Sorry, I am emotional, but I love these guys. They love each other. We said we were going to win this game, not because we hated them, but because we love each other. And that’s what you saw there for four quarters.’

Mateer finished 17 of 34 passing for 245 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He also added 16 rushes for 62 yards and two more scores. It was Mateer’s first start in the Apple Cup. Dickert had this to say of Mateer’s performance:

‘Well, when you win this game as a quarterback, you turn into an immediate legend,’ Dickert said of Mateer. ‘He’s now in the Apple Cup lore. He just does whatever it takes to win, and what I love is that, through every mistake, he never wavered. He just kept bringing it and that’s the gutsy performance we needed.’

Ultimately, it was the Cougars defense that secured the victory. With 1:07 remaining in the game, the Washington State defense was able to stuff Washington running back Jonah Coleman for a 2-yard loss from the WSU 1-yard line to finish off a goal-line stand with the Huskies driving to potentially take the late lead.

‘In that huddle, they never flinched,’ Dickert said. ‘They really didn’t. There was no panic. We said sudden change, we’ve been here before. They leaned on us a little bit, but at the end of the day, it just takes heart and that’s what our guys have.’

Washington now leads the all-time series 76-34-6. The Huskies won the last Pac-12 Conference matchup between the two teams on a field goal to deny the Cougars bowl eligibility. The Huskies finished the season 14-1, losing to Michigan in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

The Cougars picked up their first win over the Huskies since 2021. Dickert was serving as the interim coach for Washington State at the time, helping him finish 3-0 to earn the full-time job for the Cougars.

‘This is going to be 1B to that 1A,’ Dickert said of comparing the games as his favorite football memory. ‘When you see the hard work these kids put in, I am so damn proud of them. This was a gutsy performance against a really good football team.’

The NASCAR Cup Series embarks on its second playoff of the 2024 season on Sunday with a road-course race at Watkins Glen International.

Joey Logano won an eventful playoff opener at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend and became the first driver to clinch a berth in the second round. Atlanta’s playoff opener shuffled the playoff standings, with Team Penske drivers surging, and Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, who entered the playoffs with the points lead, suffering a big drop after an early crash.

With a shift from pack-racing at Atlanta to a road course race, the standings could see another major shuffle before next week’s elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, which will see four drivers eliminated from championship contention.

USA TODAY Sports will provide news, highlights and results from today’s Go Bowling at The Glen. Follow along for updates:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen start?

The Go Bowling at The Glen starts at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York.

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Watkins Glen?

The Go Bowling at The Glen is 90 laps around the 2.45-mile road course for a total of 220.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage):

Stage 1: 20 laps
Stage 2: 20 laps
Stage 3: 50 laps

What is the weather forecast for the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen? 

Expect sunny skies with a few clouds — just about perfect weather — at Watkins Glen this afternoon with temperatures in the mid-80s and light winds out of the south at 5 mph.

There’s a 0% chance of rain throughout the day.

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

USA Network is broadcasting the Go Bowling at The Glen and has a pre-race show beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

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

The Go Bowling at The Glen can be live streamed on the NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo.

What is the full schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs? 

Here is the schedule with dates, tracks, times and TV for each of the 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs (All times Eastern) 

Sunday, Sept. 8: Atlanta Motor Speedway. Winner: Joey Logano 

Sunday, Sept. 15: Watkins Glen International, USA, 3 p.m. 

Saturday, Sept. 21: Bristol Motor Speedway, USA, 7:30 p.m. 

Sunday, Sept. 29: Kansas Speedway, USA, 3 p.m. 

Sunday, Oct. 6: Talladega Superspeedway, NBC, 2 p.m. 

Sunday, Oct. 13: Charlotte Roval, NBC, 2 p.m. 

Sunday, Oct. 20: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m. 

Sunday, Oct. 27: Homestead-Miami Speedway, NBC, 2:30 p.m. 

Sunday, Nov. 3: Martinsville Speedway, NBC, 2 p.m. 

Sunday, Nov. 10: Phoenix Raceway, NBC, 3 p.m. 

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.

Texas football star quarterback Quinn Ewers exited the Longhorns’ game against UTSA on Saturday after straining his abdomen in the first half. Ewers limped off the field and entered the medical tent after the play, later heading off to the locker room.

Ewers then reappeared without his uniform in street clothes, likely ending his day.

Ewers would certainly be a big loss for Texas if he is unable to return or miss future games, as the Heisman Trophy hopeful passed for 506 yards with six touchdowns and an interception heading into the UTSA matchup. Before exiting, Ewers was an efficient 14 of 16 passing for 185 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Here’s everything to know about Ewers’ injury:

Quinn Ewers injury update

Ewers exited Texas’ game against UTSA on Saturday after suffering a strained abdomen early in the second quarter. Ewers limped to the sideline before heading into the medical tent and was then seen entering the locker room later in the quarter.

The injury diagnosis comes from coach Steve Sarkisian, who confirmed the ailment in a halftime interview with the ESPN broadcast.

Ewers then came back from the locker room in street clothes, indicating he’s likely done for the night due to injury. According to the ESPN broadcast, Ewers was seen motioning to his side, telling his teammates to avoid the rib area under his jacket.

Ewers spent around 15 minutes in the medical tent, according to the ESPN broadcast, before heading to the locker room. The trainers involved were then shown having a conversation with Texas coach Steve Sarkisian before Ewers went to the locker room with a towel over his head.

What is Quinn Ewers’ injury?

Sarkisian told ESPN that Ewers strained his abdomen, which ended his night against UTSA. Ewers returned from the locker room in street clothes, wearing a jacket covering the side area.

What is a strained abdomen?

According to the SportsMD, a strained abdomen is defined as the following:

‘A strain is an injury to a muscle. A strain can vary in severity from a mild stretch to a full rupture. In an abdominal muscle strain, any one of the four muscles can be injured causing extreme discomfort with any trunk movements as well as with coughing, laughing, deep breathing, or sneezing.’

Strained abdomen recovery time

According to SportsMD, a Grade I muscle strain takes about two to four weeks to heal, while a Grade II strain can take about two months to fully recover. A Grade III string could require surgery and take six to nine months to heal.

This story will be updated.

There’s been just one week of NFL action so far this season, but the injury report has started to grow ahead of Sunday’s Week 2 slate.

Among the biggest injury news to break this week was that the San Francisco 49ers would place running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve for his calf/Achilles injury. He will miss at least the next four weeks.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown also will be sidelined this week after he felt tightness in his hamstring during practice on Friday. The Eagles officially ruled him out on Sunday before the 1 p.m. slate of games, leaving him out for the ‘Monday Night Football’ clash with the Atlanta Falcons.

Here’s the latest injury news on some of the biggest fantasy football stars ahead of Week 2:

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

Christian McCaffrey placed on IR

After the star running back missed the first game of the season, the 49ers have elected to place McCaffrey on IR for a calf/Achilles injury. He’ll miss at least the next four games for San Francisco, though NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported he may need as many as six weeks to recover from Achilles tendinitis.

A.J. Brown misses Saturday practice, ruled out for Monday

The Eagles’ No. 1 receiver said he felt tightness in his hamstring during Philadelphia’s practice on Friday and missed Saturday’s practice as he recovers. On Sunday, Brown was officially downgraded to out for the ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup vs. the Falcons.

Evan Engram injures hamstring pregame, ruled out

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram injured his hamstring during warmups ahead of Jacksonville’s matchup vs. the Browns. He will not play in the game.

Puka Nacua, Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown join McCaffrey on IR

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder) were both placed on injured reserve earlier this week. They’ll each miss at least four weeks.

Nacua, who sprained his PCL in the Rams’ Week 1 win over the Lions, could miss between five and seven weeks as he recovers.

Saturday reports indicated that Brown may not play at all in the regular season after he undergoes surgery on Monday for a sternoclavicular injury.

A few more big names listed as ‘doubtful’ for Sunday action

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (knee), Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) and Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker (oblique) are all doubtful for their respective games on Sunday after each missed practice all week.

Browns TE David Njoku out vs. Jaguars

Njoku missed practice all week as he works to recover from an ankle injury, and Cleveland has already declared the tight end out for its game against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. Seven-year vet Jordan Akins is listed as Njoku’s backup on the Browns’ depth chart.

Packers QB Jordan Love out vs. Colts

The Packers’ starter had a ‘questionable’ earlier in the week, but the team downgraded him to ‘doubtful’ status on Saturday. He will not play against the Colts in the Packers’ home opener. Offseason acquisition Malik Willis will start in his place.

Vikings WR Jordan Addison out vs. 49ers

The second-year wide receiver stayed out of practice all week with an ankle injury and will not play on Sunday in the Vikings’ home opener against San Francisco. Brandon Powell likely slides up to the No. 2 wide receiver spot in his stead.

Others listed as questionable entering Sunday play

The following players carry a ‘questionable’ designation on their respective teams’ latest injury reports, but are trending towards playing:

Packers WR Jayden Reed
Bears WR Rome Odunze
Lions WR Jameson Williams
Chargers WR Josh Palmer
Panthers TE Tommy Tremble

As of Sunday morning, all other remaining ‘questionable’ designations are likely game-time decisions. That group includes players like Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen and Colts wide receiver Josh Downs.

Canelo Alvarez did not get the knockout he promised.

But he landed brutal punches (and took a few too) in an impressive victory over Edgar Berlanga by unanimous decision in the 12-round super middleweight fight.

The fighters had to be separated on multiple occasions and talked trash throughout the fight. Berlanga was warned for head butting at one point and Alvarez seemed to take exception to that and other Berlanga tactics. ‘I get a little angry,” Alvarez said. ‘A Mexican man.” The crowd roared with laughter.

The judges scored it 117-110, 118-109, 118-109.

“I’m the best fighter in the world,’’ Alvarez said, drawing cheers from the sellout crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Alvarez knocked down Berlanga with a left hook in the third round while defending his super middleweight title.

But Berlanga quickly got back on his feet and survived the onslaught in a 12-round bout.

Alvarez has now gone six fights without a knockout. The last one came in 2021 against Caleb Plant, who Alvarez stopped by TKO in the 11th round.

Saturday’s fight was billed as the latest chapter in the boxing rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico with Alvarez matched up against Berlanga, a native New Yorker whose parents are from Puerto Rico.

‘I could’ve did a lot more. But I was in there with a legend, man,’ Berlanga said.

Alvarez, 34, improved to 62-2-2. Berlanga, 27, fell to 22-1.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga, super middleweight, scheduled for 12 rounds

Round 1: Berlanga noticeably bigger than Canelo as they slowly circle at the center of the ring. Berlanga is 6-1 and Canelo is 5-7 ½. Chants are up. “Canelo, Canelo!’’ Canelo stalking and throwing jabs. Berlanga throws a jab but Canelo pushes forward. Berlanga talking trash. Canelo still pressing, but Berlanga answers with a couple of jabs. Canelo does enough to take the round. Canelo 10, Berlanga 9.  

Round 2: Before Berlanga comes out for the round, his trainer: “We’ve got to go to hell to get this.’’ Canelo surely intends to make it at least that hard. Still a lot of hesitation here. Canelo lands a big body shot. Berlanga fires back with two nice punches. Berlanga wraps up Canelo and the crowd boos. Canelo lands a big left. Berlanga answers with a left and later scores with a body shot. Bergana starting to assert himself. Canelo 19, Berlanga 19.

Round 3: An exchange of solid lefts and more chants. “Mexico, Mexico!’’ A left drops Berlanga with a left hook! He’s up quickly, but what a shot. Canelo looking to end it, has Berlanga in the corner. Canelo firing and Berlanga responding with a missed haymaker. Berlanga appears to have evaded danger. For the moment. Canelo 29, Berlanga 27.

Round 4: Canelo eats a punch. Keeps moving forward. Hears the chants of “Canelo!’’ Clearly trying to delight the crowd. Berlanga firing back but Canelo appears to be setting himself up for something big. Digs a left into Berlanga’s gut. Berlanga not capitalizing on his size and reach advantage to this point. Canelo’s speed is still world class even at 34. Canelo 39, Berlanga 36.

Round 5: Canelo comes out with instructions and keeps jabbing. Berlanga must have gotten the same orders. He’s flicking jabs. Fighters get tangled up and it’s rough. They’re talking trash and the referee hits the deck as he tries to separate the fighters. Canelo fuming. He looks far more emotional than Berlanga. Canelo lands a hard uppercut. Berlanga shakes his head. Berlanga lands a hard right, but it hardly slows Canelo. Canelo 49, Berlanga 45.

Round 6: Berlanga still fighting on the defensive. Canelo slashes him with punches. Berlanga throws the jab with success. But still on the ropes, although he scores with a big right. Eats a right from Canelo. It’s getting more competitive again. And more chants. “Canelo! Canelo!”’ Canelo backs up Berlanga into the corner again. Canelo 59, Berlanga 54.

Round 7: Canelo comes out the aggressor again. Berlanga seems content to counter, but he’s yet to display the knockout power. Is he waiting for the late rounds to turn up the heat? Berlanga in a low crouch as if looking for an opening. Berlanga on the canvas, but it’s ruled a trip. Canelo 69, Berlanga 63.

Round 8: Berlanga pawing with the jabs. Then throws a hard right. Canelo with a sweeping left followed by a right. Some big exchanges here. Canelo caught Berlanga with a right on what appeared to be the break. Berlanga warned for a headbutt. Canelo giving, but getting a little too. Canelo dictating the action. Berlanga talking, maybe when he should be punching. Canelo 79, Berlanga 72.

Round 9: Canelo lands a massive right, but Berlanga responds. No one’s bleeding, but clear bad blood. The referees separates the boxers again. Canelo’s moving forward, and Berlanga’s standing his ground. Canelo 89, Berlanga 81.

Round 10: Berlanga running out of time here, as he continues to fight backing up. Berlanga shows sign of moving forward, but Canelo pushes back as he swings away. Sweat flies from Berlanga’s head as Canelo lands two solid punches. Trash talk resumes. Canelo tattoos Berlanga’s face with his right hand. More trash talk as the round ends. Canelo 98, Berlanga 91.

Round 11: Canelo charging forward. Emptying the tank as he throws punches. Berlanga appears to have hurt his right hand. Shook it as if in discomfort. Berlanga has holstered the right and now relying on the left. The fighters have to be separated as the round ends, trash talk flying again. Canelo 108, Berlanga 100.

Round 12: Berlanga waving his arms and the crowd boos. Canelo does the same and they cheer wildly. Canelo still shows head-snapping power with his punches. Berlanga’s head doing the snapping. More tangling and wrestling between the fighters. One thing for sure: Berlanga can take a punch. Trading huge punches. Bell rings, and the fighters hug. The trash talk ends. Canelo 118, Berlanga 109.

Who did Alvarez lose to? 

In 2022, he lost to Dmitrii Bivol by unanimous decision in a 12-round light heavyweight bout. 

In 2013, he lost to Floyd Mayweather by majority decision in a super welterweight bout. 

Canelo Alvarez net worth 

At least $275 million, according to Forbes. 

Alvarez faces criticism for opponent selection

No David Benavidez. No Terence Crawford. No marquee opponent.

As Canelo Alvarez heads into the ring to face Edgar Berlanga, his reputation for supposedly ducking big fights persists. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the face of Saudi Arabian boxing promotion, addressed the issue after Alvarez said he respects Alalshikh but doesn’t like the way he does business.

“I only target big fights at fair prices, so of course anyone who likes easy fights won’t like that,” Alalshikh wrote in August on X, formerly Twitter. “And I know how he feels after losing to (Dmitrii Bivol in 2022), so he’s been looking for easier fights ever since. Also, I’m not the one who’s afraid of fighting Benavidez or Crawford.”

Erislandy Lara def. Danny Garcia by TKO

The crowd showered the two fighters with boos throughout the fight that ended with Lara’s ninth-round TKO.

They served up some extra boos after the fight both for the winner and the loser.

Lara, a 41-year-old Cuban, threw only 63 punches. One of those was a left hand that left Garcia on a knee at the end of the ninth round.

As he sat on the stool, his father told the referee to end the fight.

The moment was enough for Lara to retain his WBA middleweight title but not satisfy the crowd, which booed Garcia during an in-ring interview.

He landed only 33 punches during his first fight in two years.

“I’m sorry to everybody,’’ said Garcia, 36. “You know, I tried.’’

Lara improved to 31-3-3 and Garcia fell to 37-4.

Erislandy Lara vs. Danny Garcia, middleweight, scheduled for 12 rounds

Round 1: Lara leads with the jabs, but he’ll be looking to unleash KO power. Not much action, but Lara’s registering punches. Lara makes good use of the right hand in deflecting punches. But it’s of no use stopping whistles from the restless crowd. Lara 10, Garcia 9.

Round 2: Lara lands a head-snapping left, but that won’t be enough to satisfy the crowd. Garcia doing his best impression of a mannequin with boxing gloves. Lara lands some shots toward the end of the round, picking up points. Lara 20, Garcia 18. 

Round 3: Garcia throws a punch. There is no standing ovation. In fact, eventually there are more boos. Lara strikes with the jabs. Lara 30, Garcia 27.

Round 4: More boos as Lara uses his defense and jab to tediously win rounds. Garcia looks hesitant to put himself in danger’s way. Garcia lands a body shot. Might be one to savor. Crowd boos as the round ends. Lara 40, Garcia 36.

Round 5: Garcia shows more aggression. But it looks like he’s chasing a ghost. Lara is that elusive. Lara 50, Garcia 45.

Round 6: Lara drills Garcia with a sharp jab. It’s a reminder of the danger Lara poses. And Lara keeps slipping, dodging and sidestepping punches. Lara 60, Garcia 54. 

Round 7: Lara now stalking, but not pleasing the crowd. Still very little action here. Now might be a good time for a nap. More whistles and boos. Lara 70, Garcia 63.

Round 8: Garcia scores with a right, and Lara quickly responds with a shot of his own. Garcia throws a couple of rights. Lands one. Then a couple more. Garcia far more active, but Lara lands a shot on the chin. Lara 79, Gracia 73. 

Round 9: Lara connects on a couple of head shots. Seems intent on regaining control after that last round. A chorus of boos turns into a symphony of boos. The fighters are not stirred into action. Lara drills Garcia with a shot and Garcia drops to a knee. And his corner calls the fight. The fight is over! 

Edgar Berlanga record 

22-0 with 17 KOs.

Caleb Plant def. Trevor McCumby by TKO

Yes, Plant has lost to Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez. But he showed he hasn’t lost the ability to box or entertain during a ninth-round knockout victory against McCumby in a super middleweight bout.

In the fourth round, a body shot from McCumby sent Plant sailing through the ropes. It turned out to be a wakeup call.

Under attack, Plant transformed himself into the bully and put on a remarkable display of punching power and precision as he moved the fight against the ropes.

McCumby, who entered the bout 28-0, fought back. But there was no stopping Plant’s barrage that prompted the referee to stop the fight with one second left in the ninth round.

Plant, 32, improved to 23-2. 

Caleb Plant vs. Trevor McCumby, super middleweight, scheduled for 12 rounds

Round 1: Plant shows his power early. Now works the jab and follows it with a right hook. McCumby jabs toward Plant’s body. To no avail. Plant lands a series of crisp jabs and rights. Plant 10, McCumby 9.

Round 2: McCumby staggers Plant with a body shot. Or perhaps he slipped too. Regardless, Plant looks to be on solid footing now. McCumby sticks Plant with another solid left. Plant relying again on the jab. McCumby lands another left, and Plant answers with a flurry. Things get rough in the corner. Plant falls after a left. Video shows Plant held on to McCumby to stay on his feet. Plant 19, McCumby 19. 

Round 3: Plant on the canvas again after big shots from McCumby, but the referee rules a push. Plant now looking wary. Plant finds his range and connects. Suddenly McCumby comes charging forward. McCumby clowning. Plant drills McCumby with left as the round ends. Plant 29, McCumby 28.

Round 4: Plant appears to be sticking with his game plan: outpunch McCumby and with crisp shots. McCumby seems to be waiting for his moments to charge in hopes Plant can’t withstand his power. McCumby lands a body shot and down goes Plant! He’s up. And the fight resumes and Plant makes it to the bell on his feet.. McCumby 38, Plant 37.

Round 5: Plant wobbled again after a left hook from McCumby! Plant responds with a flurry, and back comes McCumby. Plant corners McCumby and lands a flurry. But you can smell the fear with McCumby in position to strike. Fighters linger on the ropes, and McCumby is cut. Living on the ropes, Plant prevails and trash talk caps the round. McCumby 47, Plant 47.

Round 6: Plant pushes McCumby up against the ropes. He wants more inside fighting. Plant is waving go the crowd, which responds with cheers. Plant dominating. Now playing a little and pushes McCumby back into the corner. Plant waving his glove again, crowd cheers as he rocks McCumby. McCumby cones out firing, but Plant  is closing and punching. Chants begin: “Caleb! Caleb!” Plant 57, McCumby 56.

Round 7: Plant opens with a fierce counter right, but he’s not rushing McCumby into a corner or against the ropes. Yet. Plant takes a punch and makes McCumby pay with a combination. Now he has McCumby back on the ropes and inflicts punishment. McCumby slides in some big shots, but he’s taken a lot. Plant 67, McCumby 65.

Round 8: Plant comes out without aggression. He delivers two uppercuts and follows up with more shots. McCumby attacks Plant’s body. Plant has him pressed against the ropes again. McCumby more aggressive as the round ends. Plant 77, McCumby 74. 

Round 9: Plant has McCumby on the ropes and the razzle dazzle is on. Plant flashing speed and power. Crossed the ring, against the ropes again. McCumby looks like a punching bag albeit one with dangerous fists. Plant unleashes a barrage and the referee ends the fight as the bell rings! Plant wins by TKO!

Canelo record 

61-2-2 with 39 KOs. 

Rolando Romero def. Manuel Jaimes by unanimous decision

Romero is a former champion. Jaimes is not.

That was as clear as the outcome during their super lightweight bout.

James finished on his feet, but with a face covered with welts. Romero, a former champion at 140 pounds, dominated with powerful shots from both hands.

All three judges scored it 99-91.

Romero, a 29-year-old from Las Vegas, improved to 16-2. Jaimes, a 24-year-old from Stockton, Calif., fell to 16-2-1.

Rolando Romero vs. Manuel Jaimes, super lightweight, scheduled for 10 rounds

Round 1: Romero darts out of the way of an overhand right from Jaimes with impressive speed. Of course, this is not a track meet. He’s showing the willingness to punch, too. But Jaimes snapped back Romero’s head with a left hook. Romero 10, Jaimes 9.

Round 2: Romero opens by nailing Jaimes with a left and a right. Jaimes responds with two head-snapping lefts. Romero 19, Jaimes 19.

Round 3: Romero delivers a left and Jaimes winces. Romero follows with with a bevy of punches, including a right that stuns Jaimes. Romera asserting himself, but Jaimes still looks game. Romero 29, Jaimes 28.

Round 4: Romero unleashing fierce blows. Again asserting control. Jaimes showing no fear, and no ability to hurt Romero. Romero closes out the round with a nice left. Romero 39, Jaimes 37.

Round 5: Romero leans on the left hook. Swings for the fences. Big miss. But impressive power, if not accuracy. Romero 49, Jaimes 46.

Round 6: Jaimes lands a left after a flurry from Romero. Compu Box may be leaning toward Romero if these exchanges continue. Jaimes charges at Romero with his jab and lands. Romero 59, Jaimes 55.

Round 7: Rough and tumble here. Fighters getting tangled up. Now there’s distance between the two fighters, and Romero appears to be in his comfort zone. Jaimes charges at Romero and they end up in the corner. More wrestling. And Romero is doing the better boxing. Romero 69, Jaimes 64. 

Round 8: Jaimes comes out the aggressor, showing a sense of urgency. But Romero takes control again and punishes Jaimes with body shots. Romero 79, Jaimes 73.

Round 9: Romero sticks Jaimes with a nice left, and it’s one of an assortment of punches that connect. Jaimes somehow moving forward, but Romero’s dodging punches and throwing more of his own. Romero 89, Jaimes 82.

Round 10: Jaimes trying to force the action. Drawing Romero into inside fighting. But it’s not putting Jaimes in position to stop Romero. Wicked right upper from Romero lands. A reminder of who’s dominating this fight. Romero 99, Jaimes 91.

Who won Alvarez vs. Manguia

Canelo won the 12-round fight by unanimous decision on May 4. 

Stephen Fulton def. Carlos Castro by split decision

Fulton went down in the fifth round, nearly went down in the eighth round, and yet emerged with a split decision victory.

It drew boos.

“Shout out to the boos,’’ Fulton said with a grin during a post-fight interview.

Shout out for survival, too.

Fulton, a former unified bantamweight champion, was not at his best after a 14-month layoff that followed his first loss which was a knockout against champion Naoya Inoue.

Castro knocked Fulton down in the fifth with a short right and kept Fulton on the defensive with a fierce left jab. But Fulton fought back and landed an assortment of punches that impressed the judges.

They scored the fight 95-94, 96-93 and 95-94.

Fulton, the 30-year-old from Philadelphia, improved to 22-1. Castro, the 30-year-old native from Mexico, fell to 30-3.

Stephen Fulton Jr. vs Carlos Castro, featherweight

Round 1: At first glance, Fulton looks like the more formidable boxer. Not much meat on Castro’s bones. But Castro’s jab is a legitimate weapon. Fulton lands a hard right, but Castro fires back. Castro 10, Fulton 9.

Round 2: Fulton delivers a hard left, but no immediate follow. Castro controlling the fight with his jab. Fighters tied up, and that’s Fulton’s comfort zone. Castro 19, Fulton 19.  

Round 3: Castro comes out firing. Fulton counters effectively, but it’s Castro on the move. Castro appears to have bloodied Fulton’s nose. Fulton closes the gap and connects, but Castro remains active. Castro 29, Fulton 28.

Round 4: Castro still exploiting his reach advantage with the jab. But Fulton now working around the jab with counterpunches. Clubs him with a left and a right. Finding his rhythm now. Castro 38, Fulton 38. 

Round 5: Castro unholsters the right hand. And down goes Fulton! Fulton’s up. Castro looking to close out the fight. Fulton on the run. Castro clubbing, and Fulton unsteady on his feet. Castro 48, Fulton 46. 

Round 6: Fighters circle at the center of the ring, firing jabs. Fulton surprisingly energized coming off that knockdown. Fulton lands a barrage. Castro 57, Fulton 56.

Round 7: Castro unholsters the right again. Not sure why he neglected it in Round 6, but he’s deploying it here. Hard shots from both boxers. Castro has Fulton on the ropes, and it’s a power surge. Castro 67, Fulton 65. 

Round 8: Fulton ripping jabs. Now Fulton in trouble. He got hit with a short right. And Castro drills Fulton with a left to the body. Forget about that thin build. Castro wields serious power. Fulton’s still landing punches but eating more than he’s serving. Castro 77, Fulton 74. 

Round 9: Castro connects with the right again. Fulton looks fatigued, but he’s still throwing punches. Now Fulton scores with a flurry and snaps back Castro’s head. It’s a counter-fest: Fulton lands and backs come Castro. Castro 86, Fulton 84.

Ricardo Salas def. Roiman Villa by KO

Ricardo Salas, the so-called “Magic Man,’’ made Villa’s will and balance disappear in the third round of their welterweight fight.

Salas knocked out Villa, who landed on the canvas on his back and remained there when the referee reached the count of ten.

A 25-year-old from Mexico, Salas improved to 20-2-2.

Villa, a 31-year-old from Columbia, fell to 26-3.

Ricardo Salas vs. Roiman Villa, welterweight

Round 1: Salas lands a combination. But back comes Villa firing uppercuts. It’s a slugfest early. Salas 10, Villa 9.

Round 2: Salas staggers into the ropes, but he responds with a barrage of his own punches. Both at times swinging for the fences. Pace finally slows. Salas 19, Villa 19.

Round 3: Salas has Villa on the ropes, and big exchanges ensue. Salas connects with an electric uppercut and a flurry thereafter. Then connects with a hard right. And Villa’s down! He does not make the count! Doesn’t even make it off his back! Salas wins by KO!

Geo Lopez def Ricky Medina Jr. by unanimous decision

Armed with a powerful left, Lopez dominated Medina during their eight-round super featherweight fight and improved to 17-0.

Lopez dropped Medina in the eighth round with a powerful left. Medina (15-3) got up and finished the fight but it was way too late.

All three judges scored it 80-71.

Geo Lopez vs. Ricky Medina Jr., super featherweight

Round 1: Lopez shows speed early, using his jab and a whistling left. Medina keeps his hands up (wisely) and uses his jab to limited effect. Lopez connects so hard, Medina’s mouthpiece goes sailing and blood trickles from under Medina’s right eye. Lopez 10, Medina 9.

Round 2: Medina exhibits more aggression, stalking and lands jab squarely in Lopez’s face. The two fighters are near the center of the ring and mixing it up. Lopez lands a hard combination and there’s no question who’s got more power. Lopez 20, Medina 18.

Round 3: Lopez allows Medina to be the aggressor and lands hard shots as he stays on the move. He’s connecting on a high percentage of his shots. Having created distance between himself and Medina, Lopez is flourishing again. Lopez 30, Medina 27.

Round 4: Medina closes the gap between the two fighters and he’s connecting. Lopez willing to go toe-to-toe. Now Lopez’s punishing Medina, adding a left uppercut to his arsenal. Lopez 40, Medina 36.

Round 5: Lopez still firing crisp punches and meaningful combinations. Medina draws Lopez and draws blood. Lopez bleeding from outside of  the right eye (apparently the result of a headbutt) but delivering solid punches. Lopez 50, Medina 45. 

Round 6: Rugged fighting ensues, and blood now streaming down the right side of Lopez’s face. But of greater importance, he’s landing hard shots to Medina’s body. Medina eating punches in exchange for a chance to land them. It’s worth the exchange. But Lopez against lands the harder shots. Lopez 60, Medina 54.

Round 7: Medina looks aggressive again, darting inside and landing body shots. Works the body again as they get tied up. But Lopez responds with that whistling left and combinations. Medina stands his ground, but eats a couple of big punches as the round ends. Lopez 70, Medina 63.

Round 8: Lopez fires a wicked uppercut. Maybe going for the knockout. Medina welcomes the fisticuffs and responds with a hard right. Blood still sliding down Lopez’s face, but he’s in control. Down goes Medina! Hit by a brutal left. But he’s up and ready to continue. Lopez is smothering Medina with punches, but Medina determined to finish on his feet. And he does. Lopez 80, Medina 71. 

What nationality is Alvarez? 

Mexican 

What does Canelo mean? 

“Canelo” means cinnamon in Spanish. The nickname is for Alvarez’s red hair and it was bestowed on him by his former trainer, Jose “Chepo” Reynoso, the father of Canelo’s current trainer, Eddy. At first, Canelo was “Canelito,” which means “little cinnamon.” But Canelito gave way to Canelo as he got older.  

Bek Nurmaganbet def. Joshua Conley by TKO

Nurmaganbet, a 26-year-old southpaw from Kazakhstan, improved to 12-0 with a second-round TKO over Conley in their super middleweight bout. It was his 10th knockout.

It was Conley’s fourth straight loss, and the 32-year-old’s record dropped to 17-7-1.

Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga main fight card 

Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga, 12 rounds, for Alvarez’s WBC, WBA and WBO super middleweight titles 

Ersilandy Lara vs. Danny Garcia, 12 rounds, for Lara’s WBA ‘super’ middleweight title 

Caleb Plant vs. Trevor McCumby, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBA interim super middleweight title 

Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero vs. Manuel Jaimes, 10 rounds, and junior welterweights Stephen Fulton vs. Carlos Castro, 10 rounds, featherweights 

When is Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga?

Saturday

What time is Canelo Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga?

The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET. The main event is expected to start at about 11 p.m.

How to watch Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga

DAZN: $89.99 plus subscription

PPV.COM: $89.99

Where is Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga?

T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

How to stream Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga

Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0BDQNC1P2/?tag=smglocal-20
DAZN: https://prf.hn/l/p3WLvMW

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Florida State is already one of the biggest disappointments in recent Bowl Subdivision history.

Actually, disappointment is too soft a word. The Seminoles should be considered a flat-out disaster after losing 20-12 at home to No. 25 Memphis, dropping the Seminoles to 0-3 after entering the year No. 10 in US LBM Coaches Poll. Amid intense expectations on the heels of last year’s ACC championship and unbeaten regular season, Florida State is the second team in the past 35 years to open the year in the top 10 during the poll era and lose its first three games, joining 2020 Penn State.

The Tigers are the top team in the Group of Five and the choice at this point to land in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Seminoles could be there, too — they’ll just have to buy tickets like the rest of the country.

As in last week’s loss to Boston College, the numbers on offense were ugly for reeling Florida State.

The Seminoles converted just two of 12 third-down attempts. They gained 37 yards on 24 carries when counting sacks, an average of 1.5 yards per tote. The offense turned the ball over three times and failed to score a touchdown until midway through the third quarter.

The easiest explanation for Florida State’s intense swoon since last season can be tied to the transfer portal. Mike Norvell and his staff had done better than most with transfers, bringing in talents such as eventual All-America defensive end Jared Verse, but this year’s haul has completely failed to fill spots on the two-deep and maintain the program’s trajectory.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei encapsulates the Seminoles’ transfer woes. The senior has been a misfire from the start, quickly reverting back to his Clemson-era play after a very solid one year as the starter at Oregon State. Uiagalelei hit on 16 of 30 attempts for 201 yards and an interception against Memphis, leaving him with more picks (2), than touchdowns (1) through three games.

Meanwhile, Memphis senior Seth Henigan completed 65.7% of his throws for 272 yards and two touchdowns. When it comes to college football in 2024, you only go as far as your quarterback can take you; while Henigan has the Tigers aimed for the playoff, Uiagalelei and FSU are going to belly flop onto the list of college football’s all-time biggest duds.

Florida State, Memphis and Alabama lead the way for the biggest winners and losers of Week 3:

Winners

Memphis

Northern Illinois has made some noise. UNLV is 3-0 after Friday night’s win at Kansas. Coastal Carolina’s unbeaten, though against a flimsy schedule. All those other contenders can take a backseat: Memphis is the unquestioned favorite for the Group of Five’s playoff spot. The preseason hype has played out to the letter for the Tigers, who broke out last season with 10 wins and a bowl victory against Iowa State. While it won’t be easy to go unbeaten through the American, Memphis has the breathing room to lose once or even twice during the regular season and still make the 12-team field as long as it captures the AAC crown.

Alabama

No. 4 Alabama had 407 yards of offense against Wisconsin but made almost every inch count, averaging 7.3 yards per play across 56 snaps and burying the overmatched Badgers 42-10. This included another run of splash moments from quarterback Jalen Milroe, who went 12 of 17 for 196 yards and three scores with a team-best 75 rushing yards and another two touchdowns on the ground. Two additional trends have developed through the first three games of the Kalen DeBoer era. One is the eye-popping play of true freshman Ryan Williams, a 17-year-old receiver who had 78 receiving yards and a touchdown. Williams already has 10 receptions for 285 yards (28.5 yards per grab) and four scores. The second is the performance of the Crimson Tide defense, which clamped down on Wisconsin and is giving up just 3.4 yards per play.

Missouri

Whether beating Boston College 27-21 ends up moving the needle with the playoff selection committee won’t be known until that group convenes in early November. (It definitely won’t hurt, you can say now.) But there are some good optics around a non-conference win against an opponent that had made some early noise and inched onto the doorstep of the Top 25. Make no mistake: Missouri could use the help. The Tigers play two ranked teams — Alabama on the road and No. 13 Oklahoma at home — but miss the SEC’s best of the best, so topping the Eagles could end up being a big boost to the team’s at-large playoff hopes. The win featured another dynamic game from star wideout Luther Burden III, who had 117 yards and a touchdown while continuing to make even defenders look foolish in the open field.

Notre Dame

Let’s not make too much out of trouncing hapless Purdue, even with this many style points: Notre Dame led 42-0 and had a jaw-dropping 278 rushing yards at halftime before cruising to a 66-7 win. But this bounce-back performance is the first step toward overwriting last week’s upset at home to Northern Illinois and making the most of a schedule that could still leave the Fighting Irish in the thick of the playoff chase in November and December. The Irish finished with 362 rushing yards on 8.2 yards per carry and six touchdowns, the team’s most in a single game since six against South Florida on Sept. 19, 2020.

Oregon

After two weeks of less-than-impressive wins against Idaho and Boise State to get things started, No. 6 Oregon looked the part in a 49-14 romp against rival Oregon State in the (now non-conference) Civil War. The Ducks did it behind a balanced attack, with 306 yards through the air and 240 on the ground, and despite racking up all that yardage across 59 plays faced only six third downs — and converted four of them for good measure. Rolling over the Beavers in Corvallis is a really positive sign based on how Oregon had looked out of the gate and what’s ahead in Big Ten play, beginning with familiar face UCLA on Sept. 28.

Arch Manning

With Quinn Ewers sidelined early in the second quarter with what Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called a ‘strained abdomen,’ Manning got his first taste of extended action since joining the Longhorns last season and showed why he is the program’s next in line under center. You’d heard that Manning was more athletic than his uncles, Peyton and Eli, and there you go: On his first full series in the lineup, the redshirt freshman wiggled and weaved 67 yards through the Texas-San Antonio defense for a touchdown, marking the longest run by a Texas quarterback since Vince Young in 2005. You’d also heard he could sling it, and that he did: Manning finished 9 of 12 for 223 yards and four touchdowns as Texas beat the Roadrunners 56-7. There is not and will not be a quarterback controversy in Austin, but it’s a comfort for Sarkisian to know that Manning can keep the offense rolling and is developing into a future starter.

Indiana

Are the Hoosiers, uh, sorta good? That’s the feel through the first three games of the Curt Cignetti era, which has kicked off with some major offensive fireworks. Beating Florida International 31-7 and Western Illinois 77-3 was the setup for Indiana’s Big Ten opener against new conference pushover UCLA, a 42-13 rout that says a bit about the Bruins (my goodness, they are terrible) while highlighting the Hoosiers’ chances of getting to a bowl game in Cignetti’s debut. Cignetti clearly knows offense, and with a few solid starters at his disposal could steer this team to six wins and the postseason. Shoot, the Hoosiers’ next three games are against Charlotte, Maryland and Northwestern, so they could lock down a bowl game by early October.

Losers

Florida

This is getting uglier and uglier, leaving almost no doubt whatsoever that Florida is about to embark on yet another coaching search after yet another failed hire in four seasons or less. If you’re keeping track, every UF coach since Urban Meyer resigned (again) in 2010 has been canned within that time frame: Will Muschamp (2011-14), Jim McElwain (2015-17), Dan Mullen (2018-21) and now Billy Napier. Saturday’s 33-20 loss at home to Texas A&M was never even competitive despite being as close to a must-win game as you’ll find on the schedule. Getting to a bowl game without beating the Aggies? The 1-2 Gators have essentially no chance at getting to six wins given the nastiness of this year’s schedule and the team’s obvious lack of talent, drive, consistency. And hope. Hope is also in very short supply.

Michigan

The No. 16 Wolverines did beat Arkansas State 28-18 to kick off a new winning streak after last week’s lopsided loss to No. 3 Texas, but the issues on offense have come to a head after another subpar performance from quarterback Davis Warren. The former walk-on had three interceptions without a touchdown and was replaced by backup Alex Orji, signaling the high possibility of a quarterback change in the near future. Will that make a difference? The offense is clearly a mess for new coach Sherrone Moore, making it harder and harder — if not outright impossible — to picture how the defending champs cobble together a playoff push.

Washington

Down 24-19 with just over a minute left and facing 4th-and-goal at the Cougars’ 1-yard line, Washington went with the option … and got stuffed for a loss of two. Cue the jubilation for Washington State, which got left behind with the disintegration of the Pac-12 but got a small sliver of revenge by beating Washington on the road. This smells like just the first loss of several for the new-look Huskies, clearly in a degree of rebuilding mode after reaching last year’s national title game but entering this season with a new coach, new quarterback, new receivers, new linemen and just two returning starters.

West Virginia

A wild-and-wacky Backyard Brawl lived up to expectations with six lead changes, a heavy dash of bitterness and a go-ahead touchdown with 32 seconds left that sends West Virginia staggering into Big 12 play at a discouraging 1-2. Up 34-24 with just under five minutes left, the Mountaineers allowed Pittsburgh to score on a five-play drive, went three and out and then punted back to the Panthers, who went 77 yards in six plays for the win. West Virginia coach Neal Brown received a very modest one-year contract extension this offseason but is quickly moving back onto the hot seat amid the team’s slow start. On the other hand, Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi’s status is trending in the right direction after going 3-9 a year ago. He’s found a real player in redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein, an offseason addition from Alabama.

Mississippi State

And Mississippi State fans thought losing to Arizona State was bad. One week after dropping a 30-23 decision in Tempe, the Bulldogs played host to MAC power Toledo and promptly went down 28-3 at halftime on the way to a 41-17 loss. Sorry, that’s not just a loss — that’s a complete and utter embarrassment. New coach and supposed offensive mastermind Jeff Lebby orchestrated a game plan that netted 385 yards of offense, the majority with the game no longer in doubt, and 2.4 yards per carry. If you’re looking for the worst team in the SEC, look at Vanderbilt. (The Commodores lost on Saturday to Georgia State.) But if you’re looking for a team that could give Vandy a run for its money at the bottom of the conference standings, the Bulldogs aren’t far behind.