The Top 25 schedule in Week 3 of college football is somewhat abbreviated with a number of teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll having an open date after their opening pair of games. But there are more than enough matchups of note to keep our panel of pickers busy.

There is only one contest pitting ranked teams against each other. That is the Friday clash between No. 15 Kansas State and No. 18 Arizona. The Saturday slate kicks off with No. 4 Alabama hitting the road for its biggest non-SEC test at Wisconsin.

The schedule also features a number of in-state rivalry showdowns, with No. 6 Oregon heading to Oregon State, No. 22 Washington taking on Washington State, and No. 19 Notre Dame looking for a bounce-back win at Purdue. League play in the SEC also gets underway as No. 1 Georgia visits Kentucky and No. 17 LSU heads to South Carolina. Read on to see if our experts think those games or any others will produce upsets.

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The Pac-12 Conference is on the hunt.

After being left for dead with only two current members, the conference confirmed Thursday it was poaching San Diego State, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State from the Mountain West as it plans to rebuild membership effective July 1, 2026.

“For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes. …  An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”

By bringing in the four schools, existing members Washington State and Oregon State will expand the league to at least six teams in 2026. But it still needs at least two more schools to meet the minimum of eight required for league membership under NCAA rules for the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Pac-12 currently is being allowed to operate as a two-team league under a two-year grace period until July 2026 – a window that allowed the league time to figure out what to do next after 10 other members recently left for more money, exposure and stability in other leagues.

Thursday’s announcement answers part of that question, with speculation now set to intensify about who the 108-year-old league will add next.

Who else will the Pac-12 add to conference?

It could be other attractive Mountain West teams, including UNLV, San Jose State or Air Force.

Or it could be some other combination of schools, possibly even some that are turned loose in another future round of conference realignment.

Whatever happens, the 25-year-old Mountain West faces an uncertain future after its top TV properties decided to defect for the bigger brand name of the Pac-12.

All four schools jumped despite the cost – an exit fee of nearly $20 million each to leave the Mountain West in 2026.

The league’s current scheduling agreement with the Pac-12 also calls for the Pac-12 to pay the Mountain West a withdrawal fee of $43 million if it poaches four Mountain West teams and $67.5 million if it poaches six, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

But the Pac-12 has money to help cover it. Gould told USA TODAY Sports in July that the league has a so-called war chest of about $265 million, which includes revenues from the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff.

At the same time, the Pac-12 could have saved money if it absorbed all 12 Mountain West teams instead of just some. According to the agreement, there are no withdrawal fees for the Pac-12 under that scenario.

Why didn’t the Pac-12 invite all Mountain West teams?

Even though it would have saved the Pac-12 from paying any withdrawal fees to the Mountain West, a full merger isn’t considered as appealing to the Pac-12.

Fewer teams mean fewer mouths to feed with revenue sharing, especially when schools such as Wyoming and Utah State don’t bring the same viewership and brand cache to the revenue side as San Diego State and Boise State.

In effect, the Pac-12 is pruning away the lower branches of the Mountain West while poaching away the top fruit to reform a western league under the Pac-12 banner. The league then hopes to sell its media rights to a media company such as ESPN, with proceeds divided among the member schools.

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez issued a statement that said the league would have ‘more to say in the days ahead.’

‘All members will be held to the Conference bylaws and policies should they elect to depart,’ the statement said. ‘The requirements of the scheduling agreement will apply to the Pac-12 should they admit Mountain West members. Our Board of Directors is meeting to determine our next steps. The Mountain West has a proud 25-year history and will continue to thrive in the years ahead.”

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

PHOENIX — Just two months ago, Kumar Rocker was rehabbing his right arm, recovering from Tommy John surgery and hoping just to stay healthy while making a good impression in minor league games.

Well, after soaring through three minor-league stops, making just 10 appearances, Rocker left the Texas Rangers so awe-struck that he now will be making his major-league debut Thursday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

Three years, two arm surgeries, and two teams later, he has arrived.

“He’s been through a tough road with this rehab,’ Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said, “but he’s worked hard and he’s earned this the way he’s thrown the ball. The numbers are really impressive.

“That’s why we wanted to bring him up, reward him, and let him get a feel what it’s like up here.’’

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Rocker, 24, the son of an Indian mother and Black father, will also make major-league history when he steps on the mound as the first player of Indian descent to appear in the big leagues. His mother Lalitha’s parents immigrated to the United States in 1965. His father, Tracy, is a College Football Hall of Famer who won the 1988 Outland Trophy and Lombardi awards for Auburn and is now a defensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans.

“It definitely means a lot to me,’ Rocker told USA TODAY Sports. “I think it means more to my mom. She always let me know that I was Indian growing up, being half and half. And I think she’s going to be really happy about it.’

Rocker, whose first name means ‘prince’ or ‘young son’ in Hindi, will have his parents, grandparents, friends and agent all making the trip to Seattle to see his long-awaited debut.

“Hopefully,’ Rocker said, “I can give them a show to watch.’

Certainly, Rocker, 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, been a show-stopper in the minors this season. He yielded a 0.91 ERA in his last seven starts at AAA Round Rock and Class AA Frisco, striking out 47 batters while walking just three batters in 29 ⅔ innings.

“I’m excited, I’m just happy to be here,’ said Rocker, who will wear No. 80, the same number he wore in college and minors. “I found my rhythm. Hope to keep it.’’

Rocker, an All-America pitcher at Vanderbilt, led the nation with a 14-4 record while striking out a Division I leading 179 batters in 122 innings – 13.2 batters per nine innings – as a junior and was drafted by the New York Mets with the 10th pick in 2021. He agreed to a $6 million signing bonus, but when he took his physical, the Mets balked at the results, and rescinded the original offer.

Two months later, he was undergoing shoulder surgery, pitching the following spring in independent ball for the TriCity ValleyCats, ultimately selected by the Rangers with the third pick in the 2022 draft. After making six starts in Class A, underwent Tommy John surgery.

Now, here he is, ready to make his mark as one of the most talented pitching prospects in all of baseball.

“Any time I get a new challenge in front of me,’ Rocker said, “I’m excited for it. “Whether I conquer it immediately or it takes time, I’m always looking forward to the next one, especially in this game.’’

Certainly, Rocker gives the Rangers (70-76) hope that this year was simply an aberration, and the reigning World Series champions will be back in 2025.

They’ll have two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom pitching in the big leagues Friday for the first time since April 2023 and three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer returning Saturday for the first time since July 30 after his thumb injury.

“I’m very excited, it’s a fun week,” Rangers GM Chris Young said. “(It’s great) any time you debut one of your top prospects and you get one of the best pitchers in the game back – and really two of the best pitchers in the game.”

Said Rocker: “Two legends you grew up watching.’

Now, even with deGrom and Scherzer and their Cy Young awards back in the rotation, all eyes will be on Rocker, reminding Bochy of the days when the San Francisco Giants called up Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner. Rocker soared through the minors this year, making three rehab starts with the Rangers in the Arizona Complex League, five starts at Class AA Frisco where he yielded a 0.46 ERA, and just two starts at Triple-A Round Rock where he had a 1.80 ERA and struck out 18 in 10 innings.

He has arrived with his electric 99-mph fastball, devastating slider, hard curveball and changeup, ready to make a statement.

“I can’t ask for much more,’’ Rocker said. “The game is what it is. I know you got to ride the wave to get here, so I’m really happy about it.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The 19th edition of the Solheim Cup will be played this weekend between the best women’s golfers from the United States and Europe.

The event is usually every two odd-numbered years between golf courses in the United States and Europe, but organizers decided to move the cup to even-numbered years to keep it separate from the Ryder Cup.

The 2023 Solheim Cup was played in Andalusia, Spain, and ended in a 14-14 tie after the Americans blew a two-point lead with four singles matches remaining, allowing Europe to retain the cup by virtue of its 2021 victory.

Since the inaugural Solheim Cup in 1990, the United States has won the competition 10 times, and Europe has hoisted the trophy eight times.

2024 Solheim Cup schedule

When: Sept. 13–15, 2024

Where: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia

TV: Friday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; morning session to have four foursomes matches followed by four four-ball matches in the afternoon

Saturday:  7 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3-6 p.m. ET, NBC; same schedule as Friday.

Sunday: 8:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET, Golf Channel, 12-3 p.m. ET, NBC;  teams compete in 12 singles matches

Livestream: Streaming available via Peacock.

Solheim Cup format

The Solheim Cup consists of four-ball, foursomes, and singles play, and each match equals one point. Ties are scored 0.5 for each team, and the first team to garner 14.5 points wins the Solheim Cup. If the score is tied at 14 at the end of 28 matches, the defending champion keeps the trophy.

Europe currently has the Solheim Cup as a result of the aforementioned 14-14 tie in 2023 and their 15-13 victory in 2021.

Four-ball: This format has two-player squads from each country playing each other. Each golfer plays their own ball, with the lowest score counting. The other scores are discarded.

Foursomes: Two women teams from each country alternate, hitting the same ball until it is holed.

Singles: 12 one-on-one matches

Solheim Cup participants

Captains: Stacy Lewis (USA), Suzann Pettersen (Europe)

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A rivalry is not an excuse for racism.

See how easy that is to say? Yet WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert couldn’t even manage that when asked about the revolting harassment and abuse some of her players are experiencing, brushing off their pain and instead spouting a word salad about sponsors and marketing opportunities.

When it became clear her CNBC interview Monday had outraged players, both white and Black, Engelbert compounded the insensitivity with a statement that read like it was written by AI.

“During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversation about WNBA rivalries and race. To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else,” Engelbert wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday night.

Not good enough. Not anywhere close.

It is gratifying to see the WNBA and other women’s sports get the recognition they’ve long deserved, and the compelling rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark is a large part of that. So, too, Clark’s logo 3s and her dazzling, “did you just see that?” passes.

But it has also emboldened a disgusting element of our society who are using Clark as an excuse to unleash a toxic stew of racism, misogyny and homophobia.

To be clear, Clark has not asked for this. She has specifically said she doesn’t support racism or bigotry and “people should not be using my name to push those agendas.”

That hasn’t stopped it, though.  

Any player who delivers a hard foul on Clark can expect their social media accounts to be flooded with nasty comments. After the Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun last month, one serial troll sent Dijonai Carrington a meme portraying her as George Floyd. Carrington’s great crime? She said earlier in the season that Clark needed to condemn the behavior of these lowlifes claiming to be her fans.

Reese said on her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast last week that she’s had people show up at her address and follow her home. They’ve also, she said, created pornographic images of her using AI and sent them to her family members.

“This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action and, frankly, should have been addressed long ago,” Jackson said in response to Engelbert’s interview.

“Fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life,” Jackson added. “Racism, and the toll it takes on everyone, is NEVER tolerable, let alone justifiable, in the name of economic growth. This is about more than just basketball – it’s about respect, accountability and setting the standard for what we will and will not accept in our sport and society.”

Toxicity in sports isn’t new and it certainly isn’t unique to the WNBA. Then-Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison was subjected to racial abuse after a game last season. A Colorado staffer said a Nebraska fan yelled a racial slur at the Buffaloes after their loss to the Cornhuskers last weekend.

There also was a heavy racist undertone to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rivalry, the closest comparison to Reese and Clark.  

But the W has the added layers of being a league of unapologetically strong women, many of whom are also openly gay.

“There are three different points at which the WNBA can trigger this kind of hatred. So in that sense, I think it’s much more problematic and much more deep-seated,” said Pamela Grundy, co-author of “Shattering the Glass, the Remarkable History of Women’s Basketball,” an updated version of which will be released next year.

“This is not new for women in basketball,” Grundy said. “This is basically a lot of people from a very ugly corner of American society expressing the stuff they express in a lot of different forms, and now they’ve settled on women’s basketball.”

They aren’t really Clark fans, either, said Lou Moore, a history professor at Grand Valley State and author of “The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans and the Making of the Black Quarterback.” Or fans of the W, for that matter, a league that has set the standard in speaking out for equality and defending the marginalized.

“This is people using her as a vehicle for their own hate or misogyny,” Moore said. “Because if you’re a fan, you wouldn’t do that.”

None of this makes it any more tolerable, and that’s where Engelbert so badly missed the mark.

The W is enjoying unprecedented growth, which is reflected in blockbuster TV ratings, increased attendance and more interest from sponsors. Racism, misogyny and homophobia should not be the price WNBA players have to pay in return — and the commissioner of the league shouldn’t have to be shamed into saying it.

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

The acquisition of Saquon Barkley paid immediate dividends for the Philadelphia Eagles. In his first game, Barkley scored three touchdowns and was fantasy’s best running back in Week 1. He’ll have a chance to do more damage at home on Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

But Barkley isn’t this week’s top-ranked running back. In fact, he’s not even the top-ranked running back in that game.

Fantasy football rankings for Week 2 are based on the point-per-reception (PPR) scoring used in most seasonal and daily fantasy football formats. One point is awarded for every 10 rushing and receiving yards and one point for every 20 passing yards. Six points are awarded for touchdowns scored, four points for passing TDs and one point for receptions.

Rankings are compiled by Daniel Dobish, TheHuddle.com. 

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Week 2 fantasy football running back rankings

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There is no choice. Desperation now completely outweighs hesitation. 

Florida coach Billy Napier is on the verge of losing his job, and uber-talented freshman quarterback DJ Lagway can change everything.

At the very least, Lagway can’t further harm the situation.

“Look, let’s not get out in front of ourselves here,” Napier said Monday during his weekly press conference. “This is a team game.”

A team game where one unique talent at the most important position on the field can change the dynamics of a failed program.  

Because no matter what Napier does, the referendum of Miami 41, Florida 17 in Week 1 isn’t going away. 

The damage from that rivalry rout in front of 90,000 witnesses at The Swamp, the surreal collapse of eight months of offseason work and optimism — and the proud declaration that this season would be different — will linger for months, if not years.

The operational mess. The lack of difference-makers on the field. The overwhelmed team in a statement game. 

The Miami players, strutting off the field and taunting elite high school recruits on official visits, daring them to sign with Florida instead of Miami.

The shellshocked look on Napier’s face as he trudged off the field, a coach long on frustration and humiliation — and short on job security.

There’s only one way out of this deep and unforgiving hole: play Lagway and show the future. Show what could be. 

Show fans, show big-money boosters, show recruits.

Then get out of the way and hope like hell Lagway’s rare talent takes over and something special happens. Because at this point, we’ve seen what Graham Mertz can do as the starter. 

Miami is no different than Texas A&M or Tennessee. Or Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and LSU. The Gators aren’t navigating that gauntlet with Mertz — a tough, overachieving good soldier — leading the way. 

They have a chance with Lagway, a rare athlete who’s equal parts Anthony Richardson skill and dynamic ability, and Tim Tebow will and moxie. 

CALM DOWN: Five biggest overreactions after Week 2

Teammates raved about Lagway after he set a Florida freshman record for passing yards (456) in last week’s glorified practice game rout of FCS opponent Samford. Just like they’ve raved about him all offseason; about his talent and work ethic, and how they would need him — in some form or fashion — to win games this season.

Little did they know they’d need him to save it all after the carnage of Week 1. The season, the future, and yes, Napier’s job.

Florida fired Dan Mullen before the end of the 2021 season, and did the same to Jim McElwain in 2017 and Will Muschamp in 2014.

Don’t think it won’t fire Napier before the end of the 2024 season. 

If that’s not enough of a track record, consider this: Florida used McElwain’s fake death threat claims to help mitigate his large buyout. The looming NCAA investigation of Florida’s recruitment of former high school star Jayden Rashada will absolutely be a negotiating point to mitigate Napier’s $26 million buyout.

The difference in those two cases is McElwain was never a fit in Gainesville, his gruff personality rubbing many the wrong way before he ever coached a game. Napier is more like Muschamp — where every decision-maker at the university desperately wants him to succeed.

As Napier walked off the field after the gutting and galling loss to Miami, Florida interim president Kent Fuchs stopped him before he reached the locker room to offer words of support. It was Fuchs who hired Napier before retiring in 2022, and Fuchs who returned as interim president when former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse abruptly resigned in July.

And it’s Fuchs who may now have to fire Napier — unless something drastically different plays out the remainder of the season. 

Napier says Mertz — who missed the Samford game recovering from a concussion — is expected to be cleared to play, and that both quarterbacks will play against Texas A&M. Napier can continue to play Mertz, and hope his natural limitations can be overcome by flawless execution.

That failed plan led to five wins in 2023 and created the win-or-walk season of 2024. 

Napier has won 12 of 28 games at Florida, and his ill-prepared teams have been as exciting as an enema. That is, until Lagway was unveiled against Samford.  

Lagway changes the way defenses have to play the Gators, his arm stretching the field with every throw available. He’s also a big (6-feet-3, 240 pounds) and deceptively quick option in the run game.

He’s the great unknown. 

Days after Miami’s dismantling of the Gators, Hurricanes defensive coordinator Lance Guidry was asked about preparing for the Florida offense and Mertz.

He may as well have cut Napier, and left any potential future in Gainesville to bleed out. 

“We took the top 5-7 plays that showed up (on game tape) last year,” Guidry said. “A reverse, crossing routes, tailback screens. And I’ll be danged if 4-5 of them didn’t show up in the first 10 plays.”

Lagway will make mistakes. He’ll throw interceptions, and have ball-security issues. He’ll force throws, and check into wrong plays and not see the field and open receivers.

He’ll also do things Mertz can’t. The playbook eventually expands, and the play caller changes his philosophy. 

The quarterback run game becomes a factor, and deep third throws that weren’t available with Mertz are a flick of the wrist with Lagway. 

Long story short: the reward is greater than the risk. 

Especially when it can save a season, and save Napier’s job. 

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