The ‘Not Like Us’ rapper, 37, is set to perform during the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl halftime show. He shared the news Sunday in a YouTube video that showed Lamar on a football field in front of a giant American flag.

‘My name is Kendrick Lamar, and I’ll be performing at Super Bowl LIX,’ he says in the clip. ‘Will you be pulling up? I hope so.’

Roc Nation, Apple Music and the NFL confirmed the news in a news release, and the NFL shared a promotional poster on X that showed Lamar sitting on a football field.

‘Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,’ Lamar said in a statement on Sunday. ‘And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.’

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Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s head of music, noted that, ‘Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar,’ adding, ‘Time and time again, Kendrick has proven his unique ability to craft moments that resonate, redefine, and ultimately shake the very foundation of hip-hop.’

Lamar previously performed during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022 as part of a star-studded lineup that also included Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent.

The gig comes amid a big year for Lamar, who has been making headlines for a high-profile feud with Drake. The two rappers have traded barbs in a series of back-and-forth diss tracks, including Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us.’ Released in May, ‘Not Like Us’ debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and it’s nominated for song of the year at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday. In June, Lamar performed the hit track five times during a Juneteenth concert in California.

The feud between Lamar and Drake escalated in March when Lamar appeared on Future and Metro Boomin’s song ‘Like That’ and rejected the idea of there being a ‘big three’ in rap consisting of himself, Drake and J. Cole. ‘It’s just big me,’ he rapped. Drake has fired back with his own diss tracks, including ‘Taylor Made Freestyle.’

Lamar has won 17 Grammy Awards throughout his career. The Super Bowl halftime show was most recently headlined in 2024 by Usher, who was joined by Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris.

Super Bowl LIX is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs officially begin today. Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts the first race on the road to the 2024 championship, as 16 playoff drivers race against the rest of the field seeking to take the checkered flag and gain automatic advancement to the second round.

Atlanta presents a wide-open opportunity for any driver to speed to victory as the action on the 1.5-mile track has come to resemble the superspeedway pack racing made famous at Daytona and Talladega. The February race at Atlanta provides an excellent example as Daniel Suarez prevailed in a photo finish to score just his second career Cup Series win and clinch an early berth in the playoffs.

Will Sunday prove a thrilling repeat? Follow along for all the news, action and highlights from race No. 1 of the 10-race playoffs:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Atlanta start?

The Quaker State 400 starts at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

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

USA Network is broadcasting the Quaker State 400 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 Atlanta?

The Quaker State 400 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 weather forecast for the NASCAR race at Atlanta? 

It’s going to be a great day for racing! The forecast at the track, according to AccuWeather, is calling for sunny to partly cloudy skies with temperatures reaching the high-70s or low-80s by the time the race begins.

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Atlanta? 

The Quaker State 400 is 260 laps around the 1.54-mile track for a total of 400.4 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) – Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 100 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps. 

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Ja’Marr Chase is taking his standoff with the Cincinnati Bengals all the way to the wire.

The three-time Pro Bowl receiver’s status for Sunday’s regular-season opener against the New England Patriots is up in the air amid his still-unresolved push for a contract extension. Further complicating matters is the news that Chase was added to the injury report on Saturday with an illness, making him officially listed as questionable for the matchup. If Chase doesn’t play, quarterback Joe Burrow will likely be without his top two targets, as Tee Higgins is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury.

Here’s what to know about Chase and his status leading into Sunday:

Ja’Marr Chase news: Latest on contract talks and Week 1 outlook

Chase is officially active for Sunday’s game, though there was still no official word an hour and a half before kickoff as to whether he had decided to play.

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Chase’s playing status for Sunday still had not been determined as of Saturday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. A contract extension was not expected to materialize prior to the game, Schefter added, despite Chase saying Friday that he believed the two sides were ‘pretty close’ on terms.

As of Saturday, however, the Bengals were anticipating that Chase would play, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported.

Chase participated in his usual pre-game individual workout, catching tennis balls at close range.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Chase said it would be his decision whether to play Sunday. The receiver was a hold-in throughout training camp but took the field for practice from Wednesday to Friday amid what he called recent progress in talks.

Chase, who still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, is seeking a payout after an offseason in which the wide receiver market was reset, with six pass catchers inking deals averaging at least $30 million per season. Leading the way for the new top earners are the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson (four years, $140 million) and Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136 million).

Chase pushed back against a report that he was looking to make one more cent than Jefferson, his former LSU teammate.

‘If I want to beat Justin, I’m gonna beat the (expletive) out of Justin,’ Chase said. ‘Not by a penny, brother.’

If Chase does play, he acknowledged he likely would be limited.

Burrow, however, had no concerns about his top target’s ability to contribute despite his minimal practice work. ‘I know he’s been doing what he needs to do to stay ready if he needs to be ready,’ Burrow said Wednesday. ‘I’m confident that if he does go out there on Sunday, then he’ll be the Ja’Marr we all know.’

Bengals’ wide receiver depth chart behind Chase

If Chase sits out, the Bengals’ passing game could have a drastically different look from its peak form.

Higgins, who had his own contractual tiff with the Bengals this offseason before signing his franchise tender, appears to be a long shot to play. If the team’s top two targets are out, Cincinnati could lean heavily on second-year receivers Andrei Iosivas – the Princeton product and former heptathlete – and Charlie Jones as well as Trenton Irwin.

First Down

This is the danger of overreaction, of penciling in favorites and roaming blissfully unaware through the minefield that is the college football regular season.

A week ago, Notre Dame had a clear path to the College Football Playoff. Now there’s wild uncertainty under the Golden Dome after a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois.

A week ago, Irish quarterback Riley Leonard gutted out a big win at Texas A&M, fighting a defense full of elite athletes and going head-to-head with Mike Elko, his former coach at Duke. Fast forward to an unusually chilly September Saturday afternoon in South Bend, Indiana, with little ol’ Northern Illinois staring back from the other side of the ball.

Leonard threw two interceptions, averaged one lousy yard per carry and the Irish looked like a team in disarray — a week after strutting like a playoff team.

When will we ever learn?

This is the beauty of college football, and its perfectly imperfect fall Saturdays. Sometimes it’s not so much about bluechips and big NIL deals as it is want. Who wants it more?

A roster full of blue chip recruits with strapping, rising 30-something coach Marcus Freeman building what seems like a national power, or a bunch of MAC castoffs with tough love coach Thomas Hammock, who looks more like John Candy than John Heisman.

He was blubbering on the field at Notre Dame Stadium as the sun set over Touchdown Jesus, yet speaking so poignantly about players doing the right things, and listening and taking coaching. Football is more than NIL deals, he said.

You better believe it is. More times than not, it’s about who wants it more.

Like gutty and gritty Northern Illinois quarterback Ethan Hampton, who threw for 198 yards and had a few key runs ― including converting a key fourth-down run on the game-winning drive. Prior to this season, he had nine career passing touchdowns against eight interceptions.

Or running back Antario Brown, who was 13 when his mother was shot and killed outside their apartment in Savannah. After rushing for nearly 1,300 yards last season, he could’ve left NIU for a Power Four team and earned a sweet NIL deal.

But he stayed with the school who first recruited him, much like he did when leaving high school despite an offer from South Carolina.

Or Hammock, a star running back at NIU in the early 2000s who bounced around in college football and the NFL coaching running backs, before his alma mater asked him to come home in 2019. And then back him over and over despite some rough spots, including a three-win season in 2022.

So yeah, he was weeping in the biggest moment of his coaching career. So were his players as they dove into the stands to celebrate with the few hundreds who made the 150-mile drive east to witness history.

This is college football. Not daily pontificating or weekly overreactions or looking down a three-month road and declaring no one is beating Notre Dame. Until Northern Illinois does.

And picks up a cool guarantee game check worth $1.4 million in the process, thank you.

Second Down

Of all the critically bad decisions to chance for college football administrators, there are defining moves that somehow continue to be made through emotion.

Hiring a head coach shouldn’t be a heart over head proposition, but here we are, and the strange scenario continues to play out when it shouldn’t. From beloved assistant coach to head coach — to overwhelmed by the moment.

All because emotion clouded judgment in the hiring process, and the ”players’ coach” or “the importance of transition” or “you know what you’re getting” meant more than finding the right coach. 

Speaking of a clouded process, it may be time to give Michigan coach Sherrone Moore an early invite to the waiting room of bad decisions.

Because after Michigan’s 19-point home loss to Texas (it wasn’t that close), Moore looks a lot like Bobby Williams at Michigan State. Or Randy Shannon and Manny Diaz at Miami, Ron Prince at Kansas State and Matt Luke at Ole Miss.

And that’s just a handful of assistant coaches who got their first power conference head coaching job when elevated at their respective schools — and were then engulfed by it all. They were “players’ coaches” who were hired in the heat of the moment and amid the fanfare of player support, after the previous coach either took another job, retired or was fired.     

Williams followed Nick Saban (left for LSU), Shannon followed national championship coach Larry Coker (fired), Diaz followed Mark Richt (retired),  Prince followed Bill Snyder (retired) and Luke followed Hugh Freeze (fired).  

Only Diaz, now coaching Duke, got a second chance as a Power Five conference head coach. 

Now here we are with Moore, who won four games as an interim coach last year during Michigan’s national championship season while former coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended. But that was with a loaded team, built over the years by Harbaugh and built specifically to peak during the 2023 season.

Moore took over, and had to find a quarterback (he didn’t land one from the transfer portal despite the deep group of candidates), and replace the entire offensive line and wide receiving corps.

After an uninspiring season opening win over Fresno State, the Wolverines looked outcoached and outclassed against Texas. Michigan had 284 yards — 78 on the last drive of the game against Texas backups — converted only 3-of-12 third downs and had three turnovers.

Moore looked shellshocked from the first drive of the game, when a questionable holding call negated a Texas touchdown. The Longhorns then missed a short field goal. 

Then it got worse for Moore and Michigan, which had four win streaks snapped with the loss: 16 consecutive wins overall, 23 consecutive home wins, 28 consecutive wins in August and September, and 23 consecutive non-conference home wins. 

The Wolverines were an operational mess on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Davis Warren was shaky in his second start, and the play calling was uninspiring. 

The run game — the anchor of Harbaugh’s Michigan teams — rushed for 80 yards on 23 carries, and has produced 228 yards in two games. The defense wasn’t much better, giving up nearly 400 yards before the Longhorns shut it down in the fourth quarter to salt away the win. 

“I liked our poise and I liked our composure,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game.

A team, and a coach, that wasn’t distracted in a critical moment. 

Third Down

Here we go again. Another one-possession game, another loss for Arkansas.

And another excuse to turn up the heat on embattled Hogs coach Sam Pittman.

Just in case you’ve forgotten what the last two years of Arkansas football looked like, turn on the DVR and watch Arkansas give away a big road win Saturday at No.16 Oklahoma State. The Hogs led by 14 at halftime and eight in the fourth quarter, yet couldn’t get out of Boone Pickens Stadium with an important non-conference win.

This one ended in the second overtime with Arkansas failing to convert on fourth-and-1 from the OSU 6. It also ended as the 15th one-possession loss under Pittman since 2000. Fifteen.

They’ve ended in every conceivable way: from Saturday’s loss of a yard when the Hogs needed only one, to holding Mississippi State to 205 total yards and losing 7-3 when Pittman admitted he ‘didn’t know what to do’ when faced with the decision of kicking a long field goal or punt.

Then there was the missed game-winning field goal against Texas A&M when the kick hit the top of the upright. Yes, the top. In a stretch last season that included three losses by one possession against Brigham Young, LSU and Ole Miss, Arkansas had a combined 35 penalties.

The latest unsettling loss to Oklahoma State, a game the Hogs had control of deep into the second half, shines more concern on the one-possession losses. it also underscores losses for Arkansas in nine of its last 10 games against power conference teams — the only win in overtime at Florida.

‘I’ve had success,’ Pittman told me in July. ‘I’m not concerned about ‘Oh, he’s a failure.’ Hell no, I’m not a failure. And I’m not going to do something different because I’m worried about a job.’

Fourth Down

it’s time for Shedeur Sanders to hear some harsh truth. And it has to come from his coach, and father, Deion Sanders.

It’s time to opt out. Of the season.

I’m half joking, but imagine Colorado star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, an elite NFL draft prospect and possibly a Top five overall pick, knowing the beatdown is coming, week after week, while playing behind a horrific offensive line.

Why stand tall and absorb those hits and take that physical pounding for what looks like a three- or four-win team? What exactly is the sense of this exercise?

The Colorado offensive line gave up 56 sacks last season ― that’s right, 56 ― and after two games against North Dakota State and Nebraska, this year’s group looks worse. Shedeur was sacked five times in the loss to Nebraska, and it could’ve been 10.

Why in the world would Deion (the coach or the dad) throw his son behind this mess of an offensive line, knowing it could lead to the only thing that could prevent his son from being one of the first players selected in the draft? By the end of the Nebraska loss, Shedeur was walking off the field with trainers with the two minutes to play in the game.

The beatdown was so bad that Huskers coach Matt Rhule, interviewed by NBC on the field moments after the game, began by declaring he hopes Shedeur is OK. I get it, opting out of the season is too harsh.

Maybe start with opting out of games when you’re down four touchdowns.

The Bracket

First round byes:

(1) Georgia, (2) Ohio State, (3) Miami, (4) Oklahoma State

First round games:

(12) Liberty at (5) Texas

(11) Penn State at (6) Alabama

(10) Missouri at (7) Oregon

(9) Southern California at (8) Ole Miss

Michigan never stood a chance.

No. 3 Texas sailed to a 31-12 win against the No. 9 Wolverines behind 246 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Quinn Ewers, simultaneously flashing the Longhorns’ immense talent and potential while illustrating just how far the defending national champions have fallen since January.

Among the list of issues for Michigan is quarterback play. While Ewers burnished his Heisman Trophy case, former walk-on Davis Warren went 22 of 33 for 204 yards and two interceptions for the Wolverines, who have yet to crack 300 yards of offense in the first two games of this season.

That this team went into the opener with Warren is almost mindboggling given how easy it has become for programs such as Michigan to find plug-and-play quarterbacks in the transfer portal. Through two games, the senior is averaging 5.5 yards per attempt with more interceptions, three, than touchdowns. Most of his yardage Saturday came after Texas had the game in hand.

The loss snaps the program’s Big Ten record of 29 regular-season wins in a row and ends what was the nation’s longest active winning streak at 16 games. The last defeat for the Wolverines, against TCU in the 2022 College Football Playoff, sparked last year’s historic run to perfection; this one raises some very significant questions about how far Michigan can really go in coach Sherrone Moore’s first year.

The offense is already a mess bordering on a disaster, and barring any in-season adjustments or improvements stands to be a monthslong concern with do-or-die games to come against No. 14 Southern California, No. 6 Oregon and No. 3 Ohio State. It seems like a lock that current backup Alex Orji will get a chance to replace Warren, but how much difference would that make?

The Wolverines would be able to stay in the Big Ten and playoff mix with another elite defense. But Texas made this unit look underwhelming, too. The Longhorns were the first regular-season opponent to throw multiple touchdowns without an interception against Michigan since Ohio State on Nov. 27, 2021, and the first non-conference opponent to do so since Colorado on Sept. 17, 2016. Thanks in large part to freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo’s 55-yard gain, Texas also ran for 143 yards on 4.5 yards per carry with a touchdown.

Winners

Nebraska

There was never a question that Matt Rhule would win at Nebraska — the only question was how much. Beating Colorado 28-10 doesn’t itself scream that the Cornhuskers are ready to make a permanent home in the USA TODAY Sports US LBM Coaches Poll; the Buffaloes are horrible and the Cornhuskers were very sloppy on offense in the second half, so it’s hard to make too much of even an 18-point win. What Saturday shows is the progress from one season to the next. Last September, the Cornhuskers barely sniffed Colorado in a 36-14 loss in Boulder. A year later, this program has eclipsed the Buffaloes and left its longtime rival in the dust. In contrast to the quick-fix blueprint used by Deion Sanders that leans heavily on major roster turnover, Rhule wants to build a sustainable program that’s built to last. In other words, Nebraska’s program is substantially better than Colorado’s today and that gap will only grow in the future.

Quinn Ewers

Ewers has to be seen as the current Heisman favorite after his performance in Ann Arbor. It’s a very deep race at this early moment: Miami’s Cam Ward has been terrific, Georgia’s Carson Beck continues to excel and Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart is off to a torrid start, so Ewers has plenty of company near the top. Already sitting at 506 yards and six scores through two games, Ewers will stay in the national spotlight thanks to games against No. 13 Oklahoma (Oct. 12) and No. 1 Georgia (Oct. 19).

Tennessee

If things were fair, dismantling No. 23 North Carolina State 51-10 on a neutral field in Charlotte, North Carolina, should thrust No. 12 Tennessee into the top 10. Where the team falls in Sunday’s new Top 25 is less important than the idea that doing such a number on one of the best in the ACC shows that the Volunteers deserve to be included among the elite teams in the FBS. Josh Heupel’s team are rolling early behind new quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who had 211 passing yards, 65 rushing yards and three combined scores against the Wolfpack and continues to look like one of the most promising young players in the sport. But it was the defense that delivered on Saturday, limiting the Wolfpack to just 143 yards and 1.4 yards per carry. After taking a slight step back to nine wins last season, Tennessee has a chance at putting together a special season.

Kansas State

The No. 16 Wildcats were able to escape with a 34-27 win at Tulane after the defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, breaking the 27-27 tie with a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown with eight minutes to go and then intercepting the Green Wave in the end zone to seal the victory with 12 seconds left. This is not a win to overlook because of Tulane’s place in the Group of Five: Down the line, Kansas State should earn credit from the playoff selection committee for a solid road win. Running back DJ Giddens had 114 yards on the ground and a team-best 63 yards receiving while safety VJ Payne had seven tackles, one for loss, and the game-clinching interception.

Syracuse

The Orange moved to 2-0 under rookie coach Fran Brown after a 31-28 win against Georgia Tech keyed by Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord’s 381 passing yards and four touchdowns. McCord, who had 24 touchdowns for the Buckeyes last season but left after being told he’d have to compete for the starting job, now has tossed eight scores through two games. The win itself keeps Syracuse on track for a third bowl game in a row — that would make Brown the third new coach to reach the postseason in school history — but there’s a question of what beating the Yellow Jackets actually means. Tech had made an early reputation on beating Florida State in Week 0, but that victory has lust some luster after the Seminoles lost big on Labor Day to Boston College.

Losers

Deion Sanders

At some point, you’ve got to look past all the hoopla to see the program that’s actually being constructed at Colorado. After another offseason chocked with roster moves, the Buffaloes still can’t block, have no running game, can’t protect, can’t get after the passer and are so poor defensively that keeping Nebraska off the board in the second half feels like a victory. The loss drops Sanders to 5-9 overall and just 3-9 against the Power Five, with no real reason to think that a switch can be flipped that will turn the Buffaloes into a competent group before taking on the Big 12. In fact, the Buffaloes’ schedule features five teams ranked in this week’s Top 25, so it can and maybe will get even worse.

Notre Dame

Northern Illinois 16, No. 7 Notre Dame 14. Given last week’s confidence-boosting win at Texas A&M and the rolling hype train that had already painted the Fighting Irish as almost a lock for the playoff, this debacle qualifies as one of the worst losses in program history. Start with the postseason impact: Notre Dame has a weaker-than-usual schedule and now has to run the table to ensure a playoff berth. There’s also the intense pressure on coach Marcus Freeman, who has now suffered losses to Marshall and the Huskies at home during his three-plus seasons. Again and again under Freeman, the Irish have played down to their competition; this time, doing so could very well cost Notre Dame a shot at playing for the national championship.

Hugh Freeze

Given what he took over, Freeze deserved a mulligan for last year’s 6-7 finish. We’ll see if that same understanding continues in 2024 after Auburn’s 21-14 loss at home to new ACC member California, which kicked things off last week with an underwhelming 31-13 win against UC Davis. So how do the Tigers lose at home to a team picked to finish 10th in the ACC? Well, those five turnovers didn’t help. Four came via interceptions by quarterback Payton Thorne, who has tossed at least one pick in each of his five games against the Power Four. Does Freeze need to make a change to get Auburn back into a bowl?

Arkansas

Arkansas’ latest dumb, idiotic, boneheaded loss spells major trouble for embattled head coach Sam Pittman. Ahead 21-7 at halftime against No. 17 Oklahoma State — the Cowboys’ points coming via a pick-six in the second quarter — the Razorbacks gave things away in the second half and fell 39-31 in double overtime. The loss is even more difficult to comprehend when you look at the box score: Arkansas gained 648 yards of offense and 33 first downs but was crippled by three turnovers and two missed field goals. Given what’s ahead in SEC play, this was a game the program had to have to reach bowl eligibility; falling short of six wins would ensure that this year is Pittman’s last.

Cincinnati

Another coach headed toward dire straits is Cincinnati’s Scott Satterfield, who went 3-9 in debut last season and now has the Bearcats at 1-1 after a fourth-quarter meltdown against Pittsburgh. Up 27-6 with just under five minutes to go in the third quarter, UC gave up three touchdowns — the Panthers missed the ensuing two-point try on each score — and a field goal down the stretch to lose 28-27 and fall to 2-7 at home in Satterfield’s brief tenure. His predecessor, Luke Fickell, went 41-10 at home from 2015-22.

Kent State

There should be no doubt over which team is the worst in the FBS. Already slotted in at No. 134 in the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-134, Kent State will be locked into last place until further notice after losing 23-17 to Saint Francis of the Championship Subdivision. Owners of just one winning season since 2017, Saint Francis is far from an FCS powerhouse. But the Red Flash were too much for the Golden Flashes, losers of 13 of 14 under second-year coach Kenni Burnes.

Alabama-Birmingham

There was something poetic about a 32-6 loss to Louisiana-Monroe and coach Bryant Vincent, who spent several years as Bill Clark’s offensive coordinator at UAB and went 7-6 as the interim coach in 2022 but was passed over for the permanent position in favor of former NFL quarterback, TV pundit and high school coach Trent Dilfer. Well, that’s been an ugly mess: Dilfer is now 5-9 with the Blazers after inheriting a program coming off five winning seasons in a row. Dilfer’s lack of experience before taking over the program has threatened to undo all the progress UAB made after being reinstated as a program in 2017.

Some of college football’s top teams appeared snakebit in Week 2.

Saturday’s schedule saw multiple ranked teams struggle against perceived lesser opponents, including three upsets by unranked foes. That doesn’t include No. 12 Tennessee and No. 3 Texas, who both flexed their muscles with a 51-10 drubbing of No. 23 NC State and a 31-12 win over No. 9 Michigan at The Big House, respectively.

There were even some close calls, as No. 4 Alabama led USF only 14-13 at one point in the fourth quarter, along with No. 8 Penn State narrowly defeating Bowling Green and No. 13 Oklahoma struggling against Houston at home.

Here’s a recap of each of the wacky college football games and upsets in Week 2:

College football upsets yesterday

Northern Illinois 16, No. 7 Notre Dame 14

A week after going into College Station and beating then-No. 20 Texas A&M 23-13 at home, Notre Dame struggled in its home opener in the ever-so-brutal buy game, dropping its second such game in three seasons under Marcus Freeman after the Fighting Irish lost 26-22 to Marshall in 2022.

The Fighting Irish, who entered as 28.5-point favorites, fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois, who received $1.4 million for its trouble. What was supposed to be an easy early-season victory for Notre Dame instead saw the Mid-American Conference (MAC) team secure its first-ever win against a top 10 opponent in conference history.

First-year Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard struggled in the game, completing 20 of 32 passes for 163 yards with two interceptions, including a late pick that ultimately gave the Huskies the ball back before they kicked a game-winning field goal.

Illinois 23, No. 20 Kansas 17

No. 20 Kansas didn’t look like a potential Big 12 championship contender Saturday night against Illinois. Star quarterback Jalon Daniels turned the ball over four times against the Fighting Illini.

Daniels, expected to be among the best returning quarterbacks in the Big 12 this season, completed 18 of 32 passes for 141 yards with two touchdowns to three interceptions. He also lost a fumble. The win was Illinois’ first against a ranked nonconference opponent since defeating Arizona State in 2011.

Daniels found receiver Lawrence Arnold for a 13-yard touchdown pass to take a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter, but Illinois scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, courtesy of a Kaden Feagin touchdown run and a 43-yard field goal by David Olano to take the win.

Iowa State 20, No. 21 Iowa 19

A last-second field goal by Iowa State stunned No. 21 Iowa in the in-state rivalry, giving the Cyclones only their third win in the series over the last 10 years (but second in the last three). Cyclones kicker Kyle Konrardy nailed a 54-yard field goal with six seconds left to give Iowa State a win against its bitter rival, earning coach Matt Campbell only his second straight road victory vs. the Hawkeyes.

Iowa State trailed 13-0 at halftime, but dug deep and held the Hawkeyes to only six second-half points. Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara also struggled in the game, completing 13 of 29 passes for 99 yards with two interceptions. Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht was also solid: Despite a first-quarter interception, he finished the day completing 23 of 35 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns, both of which came in the second half.

Yesterday’s college football scores

Numerous teams had close calls against unranked opponents on Saturday.

No. 4 Alabama led USF only 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring 28 points in the final period to hang on for a deceiving 42-16 win. No. 8 Penn State trailed Bowling Green 24-20 at halftime before narrowly winning 34-27, and No. 6 Oregon needed a game-winning field goal to hold off Boise State, 37-34.

There was also No. 13 Oklahoma, who scored only two points in the second half to beat Houston 16-12 at home, a week after the Cougars were dominated 27-7 by UNLV. In the same state was No. 17 Oklahoma State, which hung on for a 39-31 win in double overtime vs. unranked Arkansas (despite trailing 21-7 at halftime).

Finally, there was No. 16 Kansas State, who trailed 27-20 in the fourth quarter before scoring a game-tying touchdown midway through the quarter. The scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 60-yard fumble return touchdown with 8:13 left in the quarter.

That’s college football, sometimes. Here’s the full scoreboard for each ranked team in Week 2:

No. 1 Georgia 48, Tennessee Tech 3
No. 2 Ohio State 56, Western Michigan 0
No. 3 Texas 31, No. 9 Michigan 12
No. 4 Alabama 42, USF 16
No. 5 Ole Miss 52, Middle Tennessee 3
No. 6 Oregon 37, Boise State 34
Northern Illinois 16, No. 7 Notre Dame 14
No. 8 Penn State 34, Bowling Green 27
No. 3 Texas 31, No. 9 Michigan 12
No. 10 Missouri 38, Buffalo 0
No. 11 Utah 23, Baylor 12
No. 12 Tennessee 51, No. 23 NC State 10
No. 13 Oklahoma 16, Houston 14
No. 14 USC 48, Utah State 0
No. 15 Miami 56, Florida A&M 9
No. 16 Kansas State 34, Tulane 27
No. 17 Oklahoma State 39, Arkansas 31
No. 18 Arizona 22, Northern Arizona 10
No. 19 LSU 44, Nicholls 21
Illinois 23, No. 20 Kansas 17
Iowa State 20, No. 21 Iowa 19
No. 22 Clemson 66, Appalachian State 20
No. 12 Tennessee 51, No. 23 NC State 10
No. 24 Louisville 49, Jacksonville State 14
No. 25 Washington 30, Eastern Michigan 9

The best sight in all of baseball this past week was Tuesday at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., where the city and the military celebrated the 100th birthday of an American hero: Rev. Bill Greason.

Greason, who grew up in Birmingham with Willie Mays, is the oldest living member of the Negro Leagues and was the St. Louis Cardinals’ first Black pitcher.

Greason, who lived across the street from Dr. Martin Luther King and went to Sunday School together, has been an ordained minister since 1971 at the Bethel Baptist Church and still preaches every Sunday.

One of the first Black Marines, Greason served in World War II and fought at Iwo Jima where two of his best friends were killed. He had the U.S. Marine Corps in full dress uniform saluting him Tuesday.

Greason was celebrated at the poignant event organized and sponsored by the Heart and Armor Foundation for Veterans Health.

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Greason, speaking to USA TODAY Sports the following day, says he still can’t believe there was such a fuss just for him.

“I’m thankful God let me live this long,’ Greason said, “and it was a tremendous blessing for all of the people that were there. I didn’t think anything like this would ever happen. The church, the Mariners, all of those people. I can only thank God.’’

So how does it feel to be an American hero, and one of the few 100-year-olds to give a Sunday sermon at church?

“I don’t want any recognition,’’ Greason said, “but’s a blessing to be called that. The attitude I have is keep a low proifile. I learned you recognize your responsibilities and stay low. If you stay low, you don’t have to worry about falling down.

“I’m just thankful to God for letting me stay healthy.’

The highlight of the event, which included dignitaries such as Major Gen. J. Michael Myatt and U.S. Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell, with letters of gratitude written by President George W. Bush and San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, was a message written by Mays before he passed away in June.

“When I was coming up and playing baseball with the Barons, Greason could see that I would make it to the majors one day,’ Mays wrote in the message. “He saw something special in me – a kid with nowhere to go but all over the place, and a talent that needed guidance. He wanted to make sure I headed in the right direction. He saw things I couldn’t see.

“Greason is always elegant, careful in his choice of words, faithful to God, loyal to his friends, quiet, but strong too. Steady, sure and smart. Oh, and he could pitch, too.

“We are still friends, and he still worries about me. I like knowing he is out there saying a prayer for me. I don’t worry about Greason. He knows what he’s doing. I don’t worry, but I think about him a lot.

“And, sometimes, I ask God to watch over my friend.”

Amen.

“I did something for baseball, but God did everything for me,’ Greason said. “He saved me. He blessed me. He protected me. He provided for me. He kept me safe all of my days.’

And now, 100 years later, Rev. William Henry Greason continues to strong, a daily blessing to everyone.

Angel Reese’s stellar rookie season with the Chicago Sky is coming to a premature end.

Reese announced Saturday that she will miss the remainder of the WNBA season after suffering a ‘season ending injury.’ Reese didn’t disclose what injury she suffered or when it happened, but the Sky confirmed that Reese suffered a wrist injury during the Chicago’s 92-78 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday.

‘What a year,’ Reese wrote in a statement shared across social media. ‘I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next. Although this is God’s timing and not mine, I am finally able to give myself a physical and mental break.’

Reese dropped a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Sky’s blowout win over the Sparks on Friday, marking her 26th double-double of the season in 34 games played. She shot 9-of-15 from the field and 1-of-3 from three, including a 3-pointer with 3:20 remaining to ice the game.

‘I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2,’ Reese said.

Reese ends her rookie campaign with her name in the record books, averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She leads the league in rebounds (13.1), offensive rebounds per game (5.1) and set a WNBA single season record for the most rebounds (446). Her 15-game double-double streak set a record for the most consecutive since Candace Parker had 12 in a row spanning the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Reese was named a WNBA All-Star and recorded a double-double in an ASG win over the U.S. women’s national basketball team.

‘Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact,’ said Reese, who was drafted out of LSU with the No. 7 overall pick in April after leading the Tigers to the Elite Eight. ‘I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so.’

The Sky (12-22) is locked in a battle with the Atlanta Dream (12-22) and Washington Mystics (11-23) for the eighth and final spot in the playoffs. Chicago faces Washington (Sept. 11) and Atlanta (Sept. 17) in their final six regular season games this year. Although Reese won’t be on the court, the rookie sensation said ‘you’ll still see me being the biggest cheerleader on the sideline’ to her Chicago teammates.

The 2024 WNBA playoffs begin on Sept. 22

Reese also hinted that she’ll be back in time for the inaugural season of Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league created by WNBA All-Stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, which tips off in January: ‘Unrivaled league, see you soon!’ 

The NFL season is officially underway and it’s almost kickoff time for the league’s first Sunday of action. But wait, you haven’t gotten NFL Sunday Ticket yet. Here’s how.

Why is NFL Sunday Ticket such a big play for transplanted NFL fans and fantasy football players alike? Because the programming package lets you watch all of the out-of-market NFL games being played, beyond those broadcast on your local CBS, Fox and NBC stations.

This Sunday there’s a dozen NFL games scheduled for Sunday on CBS and Fox, with start times between 1 p.m. ET and 4:25 p.m. ET.

Prior to the 2023-2024 NFL regular season, the NFL Sunday Ticket package had been delivered by satellite service DirecTV. But in December 2022, Google won the rights to the package, paying about $2 billion annually over seven years, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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Here’s what you need to know about getting the NFL Sunday Ticket package and some remaining discounts to help you save this football season.

NFL Sunday Ticket price breakdown

You still have some options if you are looking to get NFL Sunday Ticket. Google is using the kickoff of the NFL season to attract new subscribers to its YouTube TV streaming service, which has more than 100 channels including local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS networks. You can get additional savings when you bundle the two services:

NFL Sunday Ticket with YouTube TV: The price for NFL Sunday Ticket and a YouTube TV subscription is currently four payments of $167.74 per month, a total of $670.96 (a savings of $100 if you purchased each separately). After those four months, you’ll be charged $72.99 per month for YouTube TV’s base plan. For $10.99 per month ($43.96 for the season), you can also add the NFL RedZone channel, hosted by Scott Hanson, hosted by Scott Hanson, tracks big plays during Sunday games over seven hours live and may show up to 8 games simultaneously via the famous ‘Octobox.’
NFL Sunday Ticket without YouTube TV: The price to watch NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube is four payments of $119.75, a total of $479 for the season. You can also add NFL RedZone for $10.99 per month.

Other NFL Sunday Ticket deals

Verizon’s NFL Sunday Ticket free offer and discounts: New mobile customers, and existing subscribers who make certain upgrades, can get NFL Sunday Ticket for free (deal ends Wednesday, Sept. 11). Also: Current customers can save $100 on either NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL RedZone, bringing the season-long price to $349 or $389.
Three-week free trial from FanDuel: New users who bet $5 on FanDuel get a three-week free trial for NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV (offer good until Sept. 22; once you make the bet, you will get a promo code to use on YouTube for the next three weeks). After your trial ends, the full price of NFL Sunday Ticket will be automatically charged seasonally unless you cancel. And new FanDuel customers who make their first $5 bet will also get $200 in bonus bets.

How to get the NFL Sunday Ticket student discount

Students attending colleges or universities can subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket for $199, a savings of $280 over the $479 regular price – and they can add NFL RedZone for $10.

To get the NFL Sunday Ticket student discount offer, students can sign up on the YouTube site. YouTube suggests using a personal email address to set up NFL Sunday Ticket (you watch via the NFL page on YouTube) because some university networks place restrictions on .edu accounts.

Then, students can choose either to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket ($199) or NFL Sunday Ticket with NFL RedZone ($209) and will then verify their student status and supply a form of payment.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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