Some might call this Michigan’s comeuppance after a season of cheating allegations, but Texas didn’t need karma’s help to smash the Wolverines.
Quinn Ewers outdueled Davis Warren, and it wasn’t close.
Steve Sarkisian built Texas football into the tough program Michigan used to be with Jim Harbaugh.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Quinn Ewers stepped up in the pocket and saw green grass ahead of him. He could scramble for a first down. Ewers, though, looked past the first-down sticks.

Why run, when the Texas quarterback could unleash that big right arm?

His tight end, Gunnar Helm, slipped into that sweet space behind the linebackers and between the defensive backs. All alone in the back of the end zone.

Zip.

Touchdown.

Ewers made it look easy. All day long.

Ewers and his Longhorns had Michigan on a string Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium. The defending national champions dried up like an old road apple that Texas kicked aside.

No. 3 Texas 31, No. 9 Michigan 12.

The 111,170 fans who spent big bucks on tickets probably expected a heavyweight clash.

Michigan cheated those fans out of a good game. Only one heavyweight showed his face.

A top-10 showdown became a beatdown.

Texas (2-0) pulverized the Wolverines (1-1). Flat whipped ‘em, and left ‘em buried under the foundation of the Big House.

Texas football gives karma day off, straight whips Michigan

Some might call this overdue comeuppance for Michigan after it stole signs and flouted NCAA rules en route to an undefeated season and its first national championship since 1997, but karma could take Saturday afternoon off. Her services weren’t required. The Longhorns handled this themselves.

Texas bullied Michigan at the lines of scrimmage. Ewers took care of the rest, with his 246 passing yards and three touchdowns. Michigan looked drained of the dominance it showed under Jim Harbaugh.

Yes, cheating prospered, but reducing the 2023 Wolverines’ success to Connor Stalions’ handiwork is overly reductive. Harbaugh’s Wolverines had everything they needed to pursue glory, including a dependable quarterback, a dominant offensive line and a disruptive defense.

These Wolverines feature none of that. The offense lacks downfield punch while first-year starting quarterback Davis Warren mans the controls. He didn’t receive much help, either.

If Michigan doesn’t develop some offense – and a quarterback – throughout the next two months, even Ryan Day will beat this team.

A pair of clocks tucked inside the left corner of the scoreboards here track time of possession. For most of the game, the clock on Texas’ side of the ledger seemed to operate at turbo speed while the Longhorns marched on long scoring drives, and the Wolverines’ clock struggled to keep pace.

A two-play sequence late in the first half encapsulated Michigan’s day. Wide receiver Semaj Morgan ran free through Texas’ secondary for what should have been a big gain, but Warren’s pass soared over his head. Warren found some touch on the next play and connected with Colston Loveland. Texas’ nearest defender stood 5 yards away, while Loveland stumbled toward the first-down line.

No matter. Loveland let the ball slip from his hand.

Texas recovered Loveland’s fumble.

The Longhorns forced three turnovers – they intercepted Warren twice – but it would be more appropriate to call this one gifted. OK, so maybe karma helped a bit.

Loveland is projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick, but Texas’ Helm claimed the starring tight end role on this day, with his 98 receiving yards.

Helps having Ewers as your quarterback.

Quinn Ewers shows Michigan what a quarterback looks like

Ewers looked really good on first and second downs. He turned masterful on third downs.

The windy conditions were more conducive to kite-flying than pigskin tossing, but the breeze didn’t affect Ewers.

This was the quarterback we saw lift Texas past Alabama last September on the road. He’s the quarterback keeping Arch Manning on the sideline.

That Steve Sarkisian developed Ewers from five-star prospect to star performer seems obvious.

Sark arrived in Austin with a well-earned reputation as an ace recruiter and a deft guide of quarterbacks. He’s all of that, but he instilled a much-needed mean streak in Texas, too.

While Texas stumbled through years of mediocrity, the Longhorns were soft. They failed to play up to their talent level. They became a punchline. That’s old news. These Longhorns are no joke.

Texas’ veteran offensive line punished Michigan to an extent rarely seen in the Harbaugh era.

Midway through the second half, with the rout fully on, a Texas fan wearing a fringed western shirt held up Hook ‘em Horns and urged more Texas fans clad in burnt orange to join in the jubilation.

Michigan fans stood in stunned silence.

Horns up. Maize cut down.

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

Subscribe to read all of his columns. Also, check out his podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, and newsletter, SEC Unfiltered.

Aryna Sabalenka was once so unpredictable, so volatile, that sometimes it was hard to watch her play tennis. 

She hit the ball harder than anyone in the women’s game, but an emotional meltdown seemed to be only a point or two away. The pressure of living up to her prodigious talent seemed like a burden she couldn’t escape. At one point just a couple of years ago, Sabalenka even went through a period of months where she had the serve yips so bad that she resorted to an underarm delivery. 

Now look at her. 

Not only is she a three-time Grand Slam champion after winning the US Open on Saturday, beating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5, but she’s now the most bankable player in women’s tennis. 

And all things considered, she’s probably the best. 

At 26 years old, Sabalenka’s US Open triumph seems like a long time coming after two gut-wrenching semifinal losses and last year’s final collapse against Coco Gauff. But it’s also a testament to a fascinating athlete who has evolved into something that might surprise even some of her biggest supporters. 

She’s not only the most consistent performer in women’s tennis now, she’s arguably the toughest and most clutch under pressure — just a few years after corralling her emotions and erratic streaks in these big matches seemed like a lost cause.

“I’m super proud of myself,” she said during the on-court trophy ceremony. “I never say that, but I’m super proud of myself.”

She should be. 

Among the active players in women’s tennis, Iga Swiatek has five Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking, Naomi Osaka has four majors but question marks about whether she can get back to that level, and now Sabalenka is right on their heels with three. 

But in the most important matches, and at every Grand Slam except the French Open, there’s no doubt anymore about who should be favored to win the tournament. 

In the last eight Slams she’s played, Sabalenka has won three (two Australians, one US) with one finals loss, three semifinal losses and one quarterfinal appearance. 

That’s just remarkable consistency and excellence on all surfaces even compared to Swiatek, who has won two of her last eight Grand Slams (both on clay) with two quarterfinal losses, two fourth-round losses and two third-round losses. 

Whereas Swiatek seems now to play with such heaviness and anxiety in the biggest tournaments, Sabalenka has broken through the mental barriers that once seemed like a forever curse. 

Just a few years ago, this would have been inconceivable. 

From the moment she arrived as a top player, Sabalenka’s strengths and weaknesses were pretty well-defined. She could hit the absolute cover off the ball, a rare player in women’s tennis whose ground stroke power was essentially on par with the men. You could — and still can — feel and hear how much effort and muscle she puts into every stroke. 

When she was on, she was really on.

But the downside for Sabalenka was considerable. There was never really a Plan B, and as the pressure went up deep into a tournament, her game became less reliable. When those big cuts at the ball started missing, it was a quick spiral into disaster. 

In 2021, Sabalenka made her first Slam semifinal at Wimbledon and was about as un-clutch as a player could be, losing to Karolina Pliskova 6-4 in the third set. Then just a couple of months later, Sabalenka was the clear favorite to win the US Open title but imploded in the third set of the semifinals against unseeded upstart Leylah Fernandez.

To her great credit, though, Sabalenka owned it. After a flurry of errors handed Fernandez a spot in the finals, she came in the press room and explained it very simply: “This is what we call pressure. That’s why I’m a little bit disappointed about this match because I had a lot of opportunities and didn’t use it. Well, this is life. If you’re not using your opportunities, someone else will. I will try to improve it. I will keep working and fighting, and I believe that one day it will come.”

Sabalenka has had to absorb a few more gut punches along the way, but it has indeed finally come. She’s managed to harness her power and become a more thoughtful and strategic player while maintaining her trademark aggressiveness. More impressively, she’s figured out how to get comfortable being uncomfortable in the heat of a battle when things aren’t always going her way.

In Saturday’s final, Sabalenka was clearly the player dictating more of the points. But Pegula managed to hang around and scrap her way back in the second set to actually grab a 5-4 lead and have a chance to take it the distance. 

It would have been natural for Sabalenka to have flashbacks to last year when Gauff kind of did the same thing, pushed it to a third set, got the crowd involved and flustered Sabalenka to the point where she was mentally out of it.

“The good news is that it’s me against me,” Sabalenka said that night after smashing a bag full of rackets back in the locker room. “The bad (news) is that I’m still having these issues playing against myself. But it’s OK. I’ll work harder.”

The test for Sabalenka came in that 5-4 game with Pegula serving for the set and all the momentum in her favor. And what did Sabalenka do? She pounded the ball — boom, boom, boom — to get three break points. And then on her third try, Sabalenka once again pushed Pegula around and confidently found the open court for a winner. 

It was the response of a champion, and now women’s tennis has a real problem on its hands. Sabalenka is so much more powerful and aggressive than every other player, she is usually going to be the player who dictates who wins or loses. But now, you can’t count on Sabalenka to self-destruct anymore. Swiatek, Gauff and the rest of them are going to have to find a way to take it from her whenever she gets a whiff of a Grand Slam title. 

With a US Open trophy to add to her collection, the dam has officially broken on the Sabalenka onslaught. If she’s truly become this much of a mental monster under pressure, Saturday’s victory was only the beginning. 

Following 26 regular-season races, the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are set to begin Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Sixteen drivers enter the 10-race playoffs with championship aspirations as the first round kicks off with three very different styles of racing: a superspeedway at Atlanta, a road course race at Watkins Glen International and a short-track race at Bristol Motor Speedway. From there, the bottom four drivers in the playoff standings will be eliminated ahead of the second round.

But before we look too far ahead, we focus on Atlanta.

When the Cup Series raced there this February, it produced one of the most electrifying finishes in recent memory, with Daniel Suarez winning a three-wide battle to the line over Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in a photo finish that ranks as the fourth closest in series history. It was Suarez’s only victory this season and just the second of his Cup career, and the Trackhouse Racing star will be looking for a repeat on Sunday.

Here is all the information you need to get ready for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart:

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.

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.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta?

Daniel Suarez led nine laps before outdueling Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch in a photo finish to take the checkered flag on Feb. 25, 2024.

And in last year’s Quaker State 400, William Byron led the final 19 laps before the race was halted due to rain after 185 laps on July 9, 2023.

What are the driver standings heading into the NASCAR playoff race at Atlanta?

What is the lineup for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta?

Car number in parentheses; (P)=playoff driver

1. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford

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

3. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford

4. (4) Josh Berry, Ford

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

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

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

8. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

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

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

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

12. (21) Harrison Burton (P), Ford

13. (10) Noah Gragson, Ford

14. (31) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet

15. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet

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

17. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford

18. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet

19. (6) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford

20. (54) Ty Gibbs (P), Toyota

21. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford

22. (19) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota

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

24. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota

25. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet

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

27. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet

28. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet

29. (51) Justin Haley, Ford

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

31. (15) Cody Ware, Ford

32. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet

33. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota

34. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet

35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota

36. (78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet

37. (44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet

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

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.

No. 2 seed Sabalenka defeated No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in the U.S. Open women’s final on Saturday in New York City to secure her first U.S. Open title and her third career major overall, all on the hard court. It was a moment of redemption for Sabalenka, who was the runner-up of last year’s U.S. Open.

“I’m speechless right now because so many times I thought I was so close to getting a U.S. Open title,’ Sabalenka said after her win. ‘It’s always been a dream of mine and finally I got this beautiful trophy and it means a lot.’

The Belarusian dropped to the court on Arthur Ashe Stadium after winning championship point against the American Pegula, who was competing in her first career Grand Slam final. Sabalenka’s 2024 U.S. Open title joins her back-to-back Australian Open wins (2023, 2024).

‘I’m super proud of myself,’ added Sabalenka, who will take home $3.6 million in prize money. ‘I never say that, but I’m proud of myself and my team.’

Sabalenka looked like she was going to run away with the first set. After dropping her serve, Sablenka won five games straight to take a 5-2 lead. Sabalenka had the opportunity to close out the first set on serve, but her service game faltered and a double fault and number of unforced errors led to Pegula breaking, 5-4. Pegula tied it up 5-5 after holding her serve, but Sabalenka jumped back in front 6-5 after a 14-point service game. Sabalenka went on to take the first set, 7-5. 

It was a moment of déjà vu. Sabalenka had a one set lead over American Coco Gauff in last year’s U.S. Open final, before she gave up two straight sets and the championship. The Belarusian wasn’t going to let that happen this time around.

Sabalenka carried her momentum into the second set and quickly went up 3-0, but Pegula came back and won five consecutive games to take the lead 5-3. Sabalenka answered back with a break of her own to tie it up at 5-5. She easily held serve to go up 6-5 and broke Pegula again for the U.S. Open title.

‘In that second set, I honestly was just praying… I was praying on getting this win,’ Sabalenka said. She turned to Pegula and said her time is coming: ‘I know how tough it is to lose in the finals, but you showed some amazing tennis. I’m more than sure that one day you are going to get one.’

Pegula will pocket $1.8 million as the runner-up.

Aryna Sabalenka’s path to US Open championship

Tournament’s No. 2 seed

1st round: Defeated Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3
2nd round: Defeated Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-1
3rd round: Defeated (29) Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
4th round: Defeated (33) Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4
Quarterfinals: Defeated (7) Qinwen Zheng 6-1, 6-2
Semifinals: Defeated (13) Emma Navarro 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) 
Final: Defeated (6) Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5

A new crop of NFL head coaches are entering the fray this season.

Familiar faces departed amid last season’s coaching carousel, including New England Patriots’ long-time head coach Bill Belichick and Seattle Seahawks’ Pete Carroll, while new faces – eight to be exact – are in at the helm.

The Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders all have new head coaches this season. The new group of head coaches, which includes a former collegiate coach and two former interim coaches, is looking to leave a lasting impact on their franchise.

Following Belichick’s departure from New England after 23 seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is now the longest-tenured coach entering his 18th season. Tomlin is followed by Baltimore Ravens’ John Harbaugh (17) and Kansas City Chiefs’ Andy Reid (12).

Here’s all the NFL teams that have new head coaches this season:

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Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons

Formerly: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator (2021-2023)
Succeeding: Arthur Smith (2021-2023)

Morris, 48, is getting another shot as the head coach of the Falcons. Morris briefly served as the Falcons interim head coach in October 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired following a 0-5 start to the season. Atlanta finished out the 2020-21 season 4-7 under Morris, closing on a five-game losing streak. Atlanta passed over Morris for the head coaching job then, instead hiring Arthur Smith. But the Falcons ultimately circled back and hired Morris years later, despite reported interviews with future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Belichick.

Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers

Formerly: Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator (2023)
Succeeding: Frank Reich (2023)

The Panthers tapped Canales, 43, as head coach in hopes of helping Carolina bounce back from a league-worst 2-15 record last season. Canales helped revive Geno Smith’s career as the Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach in 2022 and did the same with Baker Mayfield last season as the Buccaneers’ OC. Canales will now look to get second-year Panthers quarterback Bryce Young going following a rough rookie season.

Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers

Formerly: Michigan Wolverines head coach (2015–2023)
Succeeding: Brandon Staley (2021–2023), Giff Smith (interim head coach, 2023)

Harbaugh, 60, made the jump back to the pros after leading the undefeated Wolverines to a national championship in January amid numerous controversies, including a sign-stealing scandal and recruiting violations. This is not Harbaugh’s first time coaching in the NFL. He was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014 and led the 49ers to Super Bowl 47 in 2012 against the Baltimore Ravens, coached by Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh.

Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders

Formerly: Raiders linebackers coach (2022-2023), Raiders interim head coach (2023)
Succeeding: Josh McDaniels (2022-2023)

Pierce, 45, was named the Raiders’ interim head coach in late October after McDaniels was fired following the team’s 3-5 start. The coaching change brought a new energy to the locker room and Pierce’s first order of business was benching starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for Aidan O’Connell. The Raiders finished the season 5-4 under Pierce, enough to secure him the official head coaching title in January.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots

Formerly: Patriots linebackers coach (2019-2023)
Succeeding: Bill Belichick (2000-2023)

Belichick and the Patriots agreed to part ways after the 2023 season, opening the door for a new head coach for the first time in more than two decades. Mayo, 38, spent his entire eight-year career with the Patriots as a linebacker and won Super Bowl 49 in 2015, the final year of his playing career, alongside Belichick and Tom Brady. After spending fives seasons as a linebackers coach in New England, Mayo was named the head coach of the Patriots, the first Black head coach in franchise history.

Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks

Formerly: Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator (2022-2023)
Succeeding: Pete Carroll (2010-2023)

Macdonald, 37, is the youngest active NFL head coach, succeeding Pete Carroll, who was the oldest head coach at age 72 prior to stepping down from his duties following last season. Before joining the Seahawks, Macdonald spent nine seasons on John Harbaugh’s coaching staff in Baltimore. He served in various positions with the Ravens, from defensive backs coach (2017), to linebackers coach (2018-2020) and defensive coordinator (2023). Macdonald will bring his defensive mindset to Seattle, which gave up 23.6 points per game last season (8th-worst in the league).

Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans

Formerly: Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator (2019-2023)
Succeeding: Mike Vrabel (2018-2023)

Callahan, 40, got his first opportunity as a head coach following five seasons as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator. Callahan has installed a new offense around quarterback Will Levis in his short time in Tennessee, which previously had a run-first approach under Vrabel. Coaching runs in Callahan’s blood: His father Bill Callahan served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders (2002-2003). Earlier this year, Bill Callahan left the Cleveland Brown’s coaching staff to serve as an offensive line coach in Tennessee under his son.

Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders

Formerly: Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator (2021-2023)
Succeeding: Ron Rivera (2020-2023)

Quinn, 53, is a head coach in the NFL once again. Quinn served as the head coach of the Falcons from 2015-2020 and led Atlanta to a Super Bowl 51 appearance in 2017, where Atlanta gave up a 28-3 halftime lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Quinn found a new home as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator in 2021 following his 2020 firing from Atlanta. Quinn’s defensive unit in Dallas only allowed 18.5 points last season (5th-best in the league).

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Cornhusker fans have been starving for all of this.

A win against rival Colorado? It’s been 5,034 days since the last time that happened in 2010.

A 2-0 start to the season? It’s been eight years since that last happened, in 2016.

And to achieve both against Colorado’s flamboyant coach, Deion Sanders, after getting beat by his team last year in Boulder?

All those red stars aligned here Saturday, when Nebraska beat Colorado, 28-10, in front of a sold-out crowd of 86,906 at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 23 of 30 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown. Dante Dowdell led the team on the ground with 74 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

The Huskers led from the start and built a 28-0 lead at halftime as Colorado limped to the locker room without two of its starters on defense. Safety Shilo Sanders, Deion’s son, injured his forearm earlier in the game. Linebacker Trevor Woods also was disqualified after being called for a targeting penalty late in the second quarter.

Nebraska sacked Buffaloes quarterback Shadeur Sanders five times for 33 yards lost. He finished 23-of-38 passing for 244 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The two teams had played only four times since 2010, when both were members of the Big 12 Conference. After leaving for other conferences after that, they signed a four-game contract in 2012, with Colorado winning the first three of those games in 2018, 2018 and 2023. 

Next week, the Buffs play at rival Colorado State on CBS. Nebraska hosts Northern Iowa.

Deion Sanders postgame interview

Colorado touchdown: LaJohntay Wester score makes it 28-10

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska linebacker Mikai Gbayor was disqualified from the game with about nine minutes left in the game after he was called for a targeting penalty against Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Gbayor hit Sanders with his helmet as the quarterback was sliding down on a first-down play.

The penalty brought Colorado to the Nebraska 10-yard line, where Sanders set up and found receiver LaJohntay Wester two plays later for a  5-yard touchdown pass.

It was Colorado’s first touchdown of the game and helped cut Colorado’s lead to 28-10.

Attendance for Nebraska vs. Colorado: Another sellout

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska enters the fourth quarter with a 28-3 lead after sitting on the ball for the final six minutes of the third quarter. The only scoring after halftime has been a field goal for Colorado, but Nebraska now wants to put this game away and start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2016.

The announced attendance at Memorial Stadium is 86,906, the 398th consecutive sellout for Nebraska. 

Colorado field goal: Kicker Alejandro Mata makes score 28-3

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Colorado finally scored against Nebraska but elected to go for a 27-yard field goal instead of trying for a touchdown on fourth down and goal from the 10-yard line.

Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata booted it through the uprights to shrink Nebraksa’s lead to 28-3 with 10:38 left in the third quarter. The drive went 49 yards in eight plays on Colorado’s first drive of the second half.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is 17-of-30 passing for 178 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. 

Halftime score: Nebraska 28, Colorado 0

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Nebraska leads at halftime 28-0 after a disastrous stretch for Colorado.

It began when one the Buffaloes’ top defenders was disqualified from the game after being flagged for targeting late in the second quarter. Linebacker Trevor Woods was penalized for targeting when his helmet ran into the head of Nebraska receiver Isaiah Neyor. By rule, he is disqualified from the game as a result, with Nebraska also gaining 15 yards from the penalty.

That brought Nebraska to the Colorado 33-yard line, where the Cornhuskers took advantage for a subsequent score. After another penalty by Colorado (pass interference),  Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola fired a pass to running back Rahmir Johnson, who almost had the ball taken away by Colorado defender LaVonta Bentley. But the ball went through Bentley’s hands and into the hands of Johnson, who ran it in for an 18-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left in the first half.

The Buffs then tried to kick a 61-yard field goal to end the half but fell well short.

Shilo Sanders injury update

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Colorado starting safety Shilo Sanders injured his forearm and is out for the rest of the game against Nebraska, his father and coach Deion Sanders told NBC at halftime.

Shilo Sanders left the game in the first quarter and didn’t return. He was Colorado’s leading tackler last year and is in his final season of college football after graduating from Jackson State last year and then transferring to Colorado to play for his father.

Read full story about Shilo Sanders’ injury here.

Nebraska touchdown: Rahmir Johnson score for 28-0 lead

Targeting: Colorado’s Trevor Woods disqualified

Colorado field-goal try blocked

LINCOLN, Neb. —  Almost nothing is going right for Colorado in the first half. After driving 63 yards in nine plays and threatening to score, the Buffaloes’ 29-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Nebraska’s DeShon Singleton with 3:33 left before halftime.

Nebraska still leads, 21-0. Colorado’s kicker, Alejandro Mata, launched a low kick, which wasn’t high enough to evade Singleton’s hand. 

Nebraska touchdown: Dante Dowdell scores again for 21-0 lead

LINCOLN, Neb. – A big pass play by Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has led to a 21-0 lead for the Cornhuskers with 6:44 left before halftime against Colorado.

Raiola rolled right on first down and threw across his body to the left side of the field, where receiver Jaylen Lloyd caught it one yard from the goal line for a 36-yard gain. Running back Dante Dowdell then ran it in for a score on the next play, helping Nebraska go up 21-0.

The scoring drive went 86 yards on nine plays and ate 4:46 of clock. Raiola is 10-of-12 passing for 81 yards.

Nebraska 14, Colorado 0: Score after 1st quarter

LINCOLN, Neb. –  At the end of the first quarter, Nebraska leads Colorado, 14-0, and has dominated the Buffaloes on both sides of the ball. The Cornhuskers have compiled 103 yards of total offense, compared to minus-2 yards for the Buffaloes.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has completed 8 of 9 passes for 32 yards, while his counterpart at Colorado, Shedeur Sanders has been sacked three times and has been intercepted once – for a 7-yard touchdown return.

Sanders is 3-for-7 passing for 25 yards and has minus-25 yards rushing because of those sacks.

Nebraska touchdown, Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders intercepted

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is off to a terrible start. He was sacked twice on his first four plays and now has been intercepted by the Cornhuskers for a touchdown.

Nebraska leads in the first quarter, 14-0.

On his third possession of the game, Sanders opened the drive with a first-down pass intended for freshman receive Drelon Miller on the right side of the field. But Nebraska defensive back Tommi Hill stepped in front of Miller to grab it and return it 7 yards for a touchdown with 5:46 left in the first quarter.

Shilo Sanders leaves field

The Colorado safety and Coach Prime’s son walked off the field in the first quarter, holding his helmet. No details on why he left the field were immediately provided. According to the NBC broadcast, ‘he is probable to return.’

Red balloon release after Nebraska football TD

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Red balloons are back in the air above here Memorial Stadium. The tradition resumed in Saturday’s game against Colorado, with fans releasing them into the sky after the Cornhuskers’ first touchdown in the first quarter.

It’s the first time they’ve been allowed to fly since Nebraska’s then-athletic director Trevor Alberts announced the tradition would cease in 2022. Alberts cited a helium shortage for the decision, and Nebraska said the tradition will continue on ‘select special occasions.’

Nebraska touchdown: RB Dante Dowdell scores for 7-0 Cornhuskers lead

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska has struck first against Colorado, taking a 7-0 lead on its first drive after a 12-year touchdown run up the middle by running back Dante Dowdell.

The drive went 49 yards in seven plays after the Cornhuskers stopped Colorado on its opening possessions with a third-down sack against CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Buffaloes went three-and-out on that drive with Sanders throwing two incomplete passes on first and second down. 

Nebraska stadium capacity

Memorial stadium has a capacity of more than 85,000 and regularly sells out for Cornhuskers football games.

‘Nebraska has continued its NCAA-record streak of consecutive sellouts that dates back to 1962 and is at 396 games entering the 2024 season,’ Nebraska’s website reads. ‘Nebraska celebrated its 300th consecutive sellout with a stadium record crowd against Louisiana-Lafayette in 2009.’

Who is Tommie Frazier?

Tommie Frazier was on the field at Memorial Stadium as part of the 1994 national championship team introduced before the Nebraska vs. Colorado game.

Nebraska finished 13-0 that year at No. 1. Colorado finished No. 3 at 11-1. Its only loss that year was vs. Nebraska in Lincoln.

Frazier quarterbacked Nebraska’s back-to-back championship teams in 1994 and 1995. He was the Heismen Trophy runner-up to Ohio State’s Eddie George in 1995. He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award that year, among his many accolades.

Colorado vs. Nebraska kicks off

The game kicked off at 7:30 p.m. ET at memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Colorado had possession first but didn’t do much with it, and Nebraska quickly started its first drive.

What channel is Colorado-Nebraska game? TV, streaming options

The game will be broadcast on NBC and also on Fubo. 

Who’s working the NBC broadcast of the Colorado-Nebraska game?

Former NFL and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy will make his debut for NBC after recently announcing his retirement from football. McCoy, who turned 38 on Thursday, will serve as the game’s analyst in the broadcast booth alongside play-by-play announcer Paul Burmeister, a former Iowa quarterback. Reporter Kathryn Tappen will work the sidelines for the broadcast, which is part of NBC’s Big Ten Conference football package.

Nebraska vs. Colorado odds, predictions

Nebraska is a -7.5 point favorite. Here the odds for the game tonight, provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. For other games, check out the USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub. Lines last updated Saturday at 5:45 p.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Colorado +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Nebraska -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Colorado +7.5 (-115) | Nebraska -7.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 58.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Deion Sanders gets cold greeting in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – Colorado coach Deion Sanders didn’t get a very warm welcome from the Nebraska crowd before the game. He came out of the locker room about 65 minutes before kickoff after a throng of fans had gathered along his path to the field. Then after entering the field through the end zone with his bodyguard, he jogged toward the Nebraska student section, which greeted him with a profane chant:

“(Expletive) CU.”

Sanders, 57, has been here before, as a player for Florida State in 1986. He was credited with four tackles in that game, which Nebraska won, 34-17

Last game in Colorado-Nebraska contract

This game marks the last of a four-game contract between the two rivals that was signed in 2012. Colorado won the first three games: at Nebraska in 2019, at home in 2019 and at home again in 2023, when the Buffs won, 36-14.

It’s not clear when the two will play each other again. There has been no announced plan for when the series will resume.

As old members of the Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences, the two teams had played each other annually from 1948 through 2010. Both then left the Big 12 to join other conferences, forcing them to make a contract for non-conference games if they wanted to keep playing each other.

Nebraska leads the all-time series, 49-21-2.

Coaches Deion Sanders, Matt Rhule offer a study in contrasts

Saturday’s game between Colorado and Nebraska poses a fundamental question about the rapidly changing modern era of college football:

Which is the right way to build a team these days?

The head coaches of both programs started at the same time, in late 2022. But since then, Colorado’s Deion Sanders and Nebraska’s Matt Rhule have taken wildly divergent paths in their quest to rebuild two rival rosters.

A detailed look at their differences is discussed in this story here.

Deion Sanders glasses

If you find yourself searching for Coach Prime’s sunglasses, here’s all the info you need on his signature look.

College football Week 2 schedule, Top 25

Here are the kickoff times and TV info for Top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll. (All times are Eastern): 
No. 16 Kansas State at Tulane, ESPN, noon 
Arkansas at No. 17 Oklahoma State, ABC, noon 
No. 3 Texas at No. 9 Michigan, FOX, noon 
Bowling Green at No. 8 Penn State, Big Ten Network, noon 
Tennessee Tech at No. 1 Georgia, ESPN+, 2 p.m. 
Iowa State at No. 21 Iowa, CBS, 3:30 p.m. 
Baylor at No. 11 Utah, FOX, 3:30 p.m. 
Eastern Michigan at No. 25 Washington, Big Ten Network, 3:30 p.m. 
Northern Illinois at No. 7 Notre Dame, NBC, Peacock, 3:30 p.m. 
Jacksonville State at No. 24 Louisville, ESPN+, 3:30 p.m. 
Middle Tennessee at No. 5 Ole Miss, SEC Network, 4:15 p.m. 
Florida A&M at No. 15 Miami (Fla.), ESPN+, 6 p.m. 
South Florida at No. 4 Alabama, ESPN, 7 p.m. 
Buffalo at No. 10 Missouri, ESPN+, 7 p.m. 
No. 20 Kansas at Illinois, FS1, 7 p.m. 
Nicholls at No. 19 LSU, ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. 
No. 12 Tennessee at No. 23 N.C. State, ABC, 7:30 p.m. 
Western Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, Big Ten Network, 7:30 p.m. 
Houston at No. 13 Oklahoma, SEC Network, 7:45 p.m. 
Appalachian State at No. 22 Clemson, ACC Network, 8 p.m. 
Boise State at No. 6 Oregon, Peacock, 10 p.m. 
Northern Arizona at No. 18 Arizona, ESPN+, 10 p.m. 
Utah State at No. 14 Southern Cal, Big Ten Network, 11 p.m. 

College football picks Week 2

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ expert picks for all of Saturday’s ranked games. 

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AEW went all out at All Out, and it led to one of the better PPVs in the company’s history.

The blood feud between two of AEW’s reached its boiling point (again) after Page set Strickland’s childhood home on fire on Wednesday’s ‘Dynamite.’ Now, Hangman has a physical victory to add to his mental victory over Swerve after their cage match brawl on Saturday night.

MJF and Daniel Garcia opened the show with a hot, physical feud that led to an MJF victory over Garcia. Garcia, though, got his revenge with a brutal top-rope piledriver to send MJF to the shelf.

Pac and Will Ospreay put on a clinic on Saturday, too, another feather in the cap of the ‘Aerial Assassin’ and his countrymate, while the Blackpool Combat Club shockingly betrayed their leader Bryan Danielson following his victory.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights, match results, grades and more from the PPV below.

AEW All Out 2024 results

The Acclaimed defeat the Iron Savages via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram defeat the Premier Athletes via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Bang Bang Gang defeats The Dark Order via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Undisputed Kingdom defeats Top Flight and Action Andretti, Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions
MJF defeats Daniel Garcia via pinfall
The Young Bucks defeat the BCC via pinfall
Will Ospreay defeats Pac to retain International championship
Kris Statlander defeats Willow Nightingale
Kazuchika Okada retains the Continental championship vs. Orange Cassidy, Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Briscoe
Mercedes Mone defeats Hikaru Shidau via pinfall
Bryan Danielson defeats Jack Perry via pinfall
‘Hangman’ Adam Page defeats Swerve Strickland (unsanctioned)

‘Hangman’ Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland

‘Hangman’ finally gets his win. Well, kind of.

The ‘unsanctioned’ part of this makes it interesting. Hangman gets his first win in four tries vs. Strickland, but considering it doesn’t officially count, Swerve still has one-up on his bitter rival.

This match was every bit as brutal as their prior encounters. It was, in some ways, even more brutal: The cinderblock, the needle, the finishing blow chair shot: It was all glorious violence, and it definitely wasn’t for everyone.

The crowd was either stricken by awe or exhausted at the end of a long PPV, but they didn’t seem entirely into it, if only for the big spots. Given how hot this feud has been, it’s probably a good mix of both.

Page’s descent into madness is complete with his win over Strickland. It’s worth watching where his character goes from here, though a continued heel run is a welcome sight.

Winner: ‘Hangman’ Adam Page

Finish: Page stabs Swerve in the mouth with a needle, then crushes his skull with a chair shot.

Grade: 4 stars

Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Perry

The story between Perry and Danielson was easy enough, but the problem with booking a Perry vs. Danielson match is that no one actually believed Perry would win.

Perry is a better worker than people give him credit for, and the Scapegoat shtick is a good direction for him, regardless of the formula that went into creating the character.

That said, this match was just kind of there. The heat that was expected for Perry in Chicago given the fallout between him and CM Punk was there for his entrance, but it didn’t stick. Perry couldn’t match the physicality of Danielson, which was the story of the match. It was good, but not great. Even a ref bum and the involvement of the Young Bucks couldn’t get the crowd believing Perry would win, which is saying something about both Perry and Danielson.

The most notable part of the match is what came after: After Christian Cage seemed poised to cash in his contract for the AEW championship after Danielson’s victory, before he was stopped by Jon Moxley and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club. But after a quick celebration of Danielson, Moxley, Claudio and Pac turned on Danielson (Wheeler Yuta didn’t seem to be in on it), leaving Danielson for, well, very nearly dead.

The Moxley angle is mysterious and hot, like a TV dinner. Hopefully AEW sticks the landing, especially now that Danielson is involved.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

Finish: Danielson wins via Busaiku knee

Grade: 4 stars

Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida

Mone was put in a difficult position on the card: The match after a ton of good stuff and before the double main event isn’t an enviable spot to be in.

The microwaved feud of Shida and Mone didn’t lead to much intrigue, especially after the Britt Baker and Mercedes Mone feud that, confusingly, is already done and over with. (By the way: There hasn’t been a single mention of Baker or that All In match since.)

This was an OK bout though it didn’t have the crowd. The stipulation of not having Kamille at ringside led to nothing, and the match itself was good but at times sluggish. Still, Shida is a top of the card talent with a worker’s reputation, but it would be nice to see her pick up wins again sooner rather than later.

Winner: Mercedes Mone

Finish: Mone wins with the Mone Maker after Shida is distracted by nearly using a kendo stick

Grade: 3.75 stars

Kazuchika Okada vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe

When AEW says it’s ‘where the best wrestle,’ it’s not as much a slogan as it is a statement.

Okada: one of the greatest of all time. Takeshita: one of the best, brightest and young stars of this generation. Orange Cassidy: One of the best wrestling today. Mark Briscoe: One of the greatest tag team workers of all time, cementing himself as an excellent solo act, as well.

That’s a recipe for greatness, so it’s no surprise that the four-way, a match type which can sometimes be convoluted and hyper-choreographed, went off without a hitch.

Okada getting the definitive win rather than picking up the scraps from another wrestler’s finish continues AEW’s interesting and effective portrayal of the Japanese superstar. While some thought Okada’s comedy side overshadows his abilities as one of the all-time greats, it’s a refreshing and enjoyable look at a guy who’s been at the top of the heap for a long, long time. He also is still an all-world worker when the lights are brightest, and this match was an example of that.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada

Finish: Okada hits Orange Cassidy with a Rainmaker for the pin

Grade: 4.25 stars

Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander

The feud between Nightingale and Statlander has run hot and cold, and it felt frozen when the two faced off in a mixed tag match at All In. But the former friends turned enemies penned a memorable chapter in their feud in the Chicago Street Fight on Saturday.

The two had a hell of a hill to climb as it followed Ospreay vs. Pac, and it delivered on violence. They got the crowd with the tacks, dog collars and light tubes in the process.

Where the feud goes from here is anyone’s guess, but for now, this was a great installment for two of AEW’s best women, even with a surprising finish.

Winner: Kris Statlander

Finish: Statlander chokes out Nightingale with dog collar chain

Grade: 4.5 stars

Will Ospreay vs. Pac

Will Ospreay is a singular talent. Pac is one of the best workers on the planet. What you get when you mix them is pro-wrestling excellence.

That’s why the long-awaited showdown between the two stars for the International championship met the hype and more. The Chicago crowd ate up everything of the match from the entrances to the near falls. All Ospreay does is deliver, and honestly, Pac, too.

Ospreay has a long way to go to reestablish the International title as the preeminent No. 2 belt in the company after the seemingly pointless hot-potato act with MJF, but there’s no talent better suited to do it.

As for Pac: The inaugural All-Atlantic (remember that?) champ needs a singles strap around his waist sooner rather than later if he keeps this work up. The trios belts won’t do him good, even if he is a great fit with the BCC.

Winner: Will Ospreay

Finish: Ospreay lands a Hidden Blade after a Stormbreaker for the pin

Grade: 5 stars

The Young Bucks vs. the Blackpool Combat Club

Imagine not liking the Young Bucks.

The Young Bucks might not be in the best title reign of their career, or even the top five title reigns of their career, but they can still work. They might save it for the PPV, but they still work as hard as anyone on the card. Pair them with equally excellent workers Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, and you get excellence.

While this wasn’t a major build feud (the match loses some steam because of it), the work the two teams did in the ring lived up to both teams’ reputations. That should be enough.

Where the tag division goes from here is still a major question mark. The Bucks will need a feud worthy of losing the belts at some point, but it’s unclear who that may be at the moment.

Winners: The Young Bucks

Finish: Matthew Jackson sneaks a pin on Wheeler Yuta

Grade: 4.25 stars

MJF vs. Daniel Garcia

Daniel Garcia is a star. He seldom has a bad match, has come into his own on the microphone and his character has come a long way.

To that end, it’s genuinely surprising that AEW refuses to pull the trigger on a big Garcia victory. It might be another situation of wrong place, wrong time, with MJF coming off a loss to Will Ospreay at All In and Garcia’s contract status still in question entering the fall.

This was an excellent match that got the crowd going early. Both guys worked hard to get the crowd, which ended up with Garcia losing but getting his revenge on MJF following the match.

Winner: MJF

Finish: MJF pins Garcia via cradle

Grade: 4 stars

Undisputed Kingdom vs. Top Flight vs. Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions

Speaking of teams stalled out, the Undisputed Kingdom is still just kind of wallowing while they wait for Adam Cole’s return. The teased faction warfare from earlier in the year hasn’t come to pass, which is disappointing for, well, every faction not named the Elite in the company waiting to do something.

This was a pretty standard match that didn’t really mean much (especially with the hodgepodge matchup of Beast Mortos and STP).

At least Top Flight’s new look is cool.

Winners: Undisputed Kingdom

Finish: Roderick Strong scores pin

Grade: 2.75 stars

Bang Bang Gang vs. Dark Order

This was a nothing happening match between a couple teams stalled out in the trios division at the moment. Not much else to say, but Bang Bang Gang needs to keep picking up wins while they wait for Jay White to return.

Winners: Bang Bang Gang

Finish: Juice Robinson pins Evil Uno

Grade: 2.75

Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram vs. the Premier Athletes

Not much happening in this match, which felt like another bout to just get as many guys on the card as possible.

Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara as tag champs doesn’t feel like a great fit, but they make it work for what’s asked of them of ROH tag champs. Surprisingly, Hologram had an off night, with a few missed spots as the match came off the rails a bit.

Not much happening here. (Josh Woods deserves better.)

Winners: Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram

Finish: Rhodes hits the Final Reckoning on Woods for the win.

Grade: 2.5 stars

The Acclaimed vs. the Iron Savages

The Acclaimed need to get hot again in a division that has almost no heat to it whatsoever. It feels like the pairing is just kind of aimless at the moment, but the same can be said about all of the tag division.

The Iron Savages (formerly Bear Country) are as good of a job team as you can get. They’re big, believable and have a good look to them. That said, getting a win over them won’t do much favors for the Acclaimed, who are too established to get any rub from an easy win like this.

This was a fine match to get the crowd going, but sticking the Acclaimed on the pre-show seems self-defeating at this point.

Winner: The Acclaimed

Finish: Bowens, Caster hit the Arrival and Mic Drop combo for the pinfall.

Grade: 3 stars

When is AEW All Out 2024?

Date: Saturday, Sept. 7

AEW All Out will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The next PPV on the docket for AEW is WrestleDream, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12.

When does All Out start?

Main card: 8 p.m. ET

The main card for AEW All Out gets underway at 8 p.m. ET. The show will feature a two-hour pre-show, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET.

AEW All Out Zero Hour start time

Start time: 6:30 p.m. ET

The Zero Hour pre-show gets underway at 6:30 p.m. ET.

AEW All Out PPV price

PPV price: $49.99

AEW All In will air on traditional PPV at a $49.99 price.

AEW All Out live stream

Those looking to live stream the event will have several options:

TrillerTV will carry AEW All Out for $49.99.
B/R Live will also carry the PPV for $49.99.

AEW All Out match card

The card is subject to change.

(c) indicates champion

The Acclaimed vs. The Iron Savages (Zero Hour)
The Dark Order vs. Bang Bang Gang (Zero Hour)
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram vs. The Premier Athletes
The Undisputed Kingdom vs. The Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Action Andretti and Top Flight
Will Ospreay (c) vs. Pac for the AEW International championship
Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander in a Chicago Street Fight
MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Hikaru Shida for the AEW TBS championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe for the AEW Continental championship
The Young Bucks (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta for the AEW Tag Team championship
Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Jack Perry for the AEW World championship
Swerve Strickland vs. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in an unsanctioned Steel Cage Lights Out match

AEW All Out 2024 predictions

Bold indicates correct predictions. Italics indicate incorrect predictions.

The Acclaimed defeat the Iron Savages
Bang Bang Gang downs The Dark Order
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram defeat the Premier Athletes
The Undisputed Kingdom defeats the Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions and Action Andretti and Top Flight
Will Ospreay (c) defeats Pac to retain the AEW International championship
Willow Nightingale beats Kris Statlander in a Chicago Street Fight
MJF downs Daniel Garcia
Mercedes Mone (c) defeats Hikaru Shida to retain the AEW TBS championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) retains the AEW Continental championship
The Young Bucks (c) defeat Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta to retain the AEW Tag Team championship
Bryan Danielson (c) downs Jack Perry to retain the AEW World championship
‘Hangman’ Adam Page beats Swerve Strickland in an unsanctioned Steel Cage Lights Out match

The flames have been stoked both proverbially and literally between ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and Swerve Strickland.

The blood feud between two of AEW’s best has reached its boiling point (again) after Page set Strickland’s childhood home on fire on Wednesday’s ‘Dynamite.’ Now, the two will take their fire and blood and add steel to the mix at All Out this Saturday night.

Page and Swerve will pen Chapter 4 of their rivalry inside a steel cage. It won’t be just any steel cage match, however: It will be an unsanctioned, Lights Out steel cage match, meaning whoever earns the win won’t see it reflected on the back of their trading card.

Swerve and Hangman aren’t the only two looking to settle a score on Saturday. MJF and Daniel Garcia are headed for a knock-down, drag-out fight, while old pals turned bitter enemies Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander will grill up their beef in a Chicago Street Fight.

Saturday night is, indeed, all right for fighting, and AEW All Out will prove that. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights, match results, grades and more from the PPV below.

AEW All Out 2024 results

The Acclaimed defeat the Iron Savages via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram defeat the Premier Athletes via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Bang Bang Gang defeats The Dark Order via pinfall (Zero Hour)
Undisputed Kingdom defeats Top Flight and Action Andretti, Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions
MJF defeats Daniel Garcia via pinfall
The Young Bucks defeat the BCC via pinfall
Will Ospreay defeats Pac to retain International championship
Kris Statlander defeats Willow Nightingale
Kazuchika Okada retains the Continental championship vs. Orange Cassidy, Konosuke Takeshita, Mark Briscoe
Mercedes Mone defeats Hikaru Shidau via pinfall

Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida

Mone was put in a difficult position on the card: The match after a ton of good stuff and before the double main event isn’t an enviable spot to be in.

The microwaved feud of Shida and Mone didn’t lead to much intrigue, especially after the Britt Baker and Mercedes Mone feud that, confusingly, is already done and over with. (By the way: There hasn’t been a single mention of Baker or that All In match since.)

This was an OK bout though it didn’t have the crowd. The stipulation of not having Kamille at ringside led to nothing, and the match itself was good but at times sluggish. Still, Shida is a top of the card talent with a worker’s reputation, but it would be nice to see her pick up wins again sooner rather than later.

Winner: Mercedes Mone

Finish: Mone wins with the Mone Maker after Shida is distracted by nearly using a kendo stick

Grade: 3.75 stars

Kazuchika Okada vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe

When AEW says it’s ‘where the best wrestle,’ it’s not as much a slogan as it is a statement.

Okada: one of the greatest of all time. Takeshita: one of the best, brightest and young stars of this generation. Orange Cassidy: One of the best wrestling today. Mark Briscoe: One of the greatest tag team workers of all time, cementing himself as an excellent solo act, as well.

That’s a recipe for greatness, so it’s no surprise that the four-way, a match type which can sometimes be convoluted and hyper-choreographed, went off without a hitch.

Okada getting the definitive win rather than picking up the scraps from another wrestler’s finish continues AEW’s interesting and effective portrayal of the Japanese superstar. While some thought Okada’s comedy side overshadows his abilities as one of the all-time greats, it’s a refreshing and enjoyable look at a guy who’s been at the top of the heap for a long, long time. He also is still an all-world worker when the lights are brightest, and this match was an example of that.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada

Finish: Okada hits Orange Cassidy with a Rainmaker for the pin

Grade: 4.25 stars

Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander

The feud between Nightingale and Statlander has run hot and cold, and it felt frozen when the two faced off in a mixed tag match at All In. But the former friends turned enemies penned a memorable chapter in their feud in the Chicago Street Fight on Saturday.

The two had a hell of a hill to climb as it followed Ospreay vs. Pac, and it delivered on violence. They got the crowd with the tacks, dog collars and light tubes in the process.

Where the feud goes from here is anyone’s guess, but for now, this was a great installment for two of AEW’s best women, even with a surprising finish.

Winner: Kris Statlander

Finish: Statlander chokes out Nightingale with dog collar chain

Grade: 4.5 stars

Will Ospreay vs. Pac

Will Ospreay is a singular talent. Pac is one of the best workers on the planet. What you get when you mix them is pro-wrestling excellence.

That’s why the long-awaited showdown between the two stars for the International championship met the hype and more. The Chicago crowd ate up everything of the match from the entrances to the near falls. All Ospreay does is deliver, and honestly, Pac, too.

Ospreay has a long way to go to reestablish the International title as the preeminent No. 2 belt in the company after the seemingly pointless hot-potato act with MJF, but there’s no talent better suited to do it.

As for Pac: The inaugural All-Atlantic (remember that?) champ needs a singles strap around his waist sooner rather than later if he keeps this work up. The trios belts won’t do him good, even if he is a great fit with the BCC.

Winner: Will Ospreay

Finish: Ospreay lands a Hidden Blade after a Stormbreaker for the pin

Grade: 5 stars

The Young Bucks vs. the Blackpool Combat Club

Imagine not liking the Young Bucks.

The Young Bucks might not be in the best title reign of their career, or even the top five title reigns of their career, but they can still work. They might save it for the PPV, but they still work as hard as anyone on the card. Pair them with equally excellent workers Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, and you get excellence.

While this wasn’t a major build feud (the match loses some steam because of it), the work the two teams did in the ring lived up to both teams’ reputations. That should be enough.

Where the tag division goes from here is still a major question mark. The Bucks will need a feud worthy of losing the belts at some point, but it’s unclear who that may be at the moment.

Winners: The Young Bucks

Finish: Matthew Jackson sneaks a pin on Wheeler Yuta

Grade: 4.25 stars

MJF vs. Daniel Garcia

Daniel Garcia is a star. He seldom has a bad match, has come into his own on the microphone and his character has come a long way.

To that end, it’s genuinely surprising that AEW refuses to pull the trigger on a big Garcia victory. It might be another situation of wrong place, wrong time, with MJF coming off a loss to Will Ospreay at All In and Garcia’s contract status still in question entering the fall.

This was an excellent match that got the crowd going early. Both guys worked hard to get the crowd, which ended up with Garcia losing but getting his revenge on MJF following the match.

Winner: MJF

Finish: MJF pins Garcia via cradle

Grade: 4 stars

Undisputed Kingdom vs. Top Flight vs. Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions

Speaking of teams stalled out, the Undisputed Kingdom is still just kind of wallowing while they wait for Adam Cole’s return. The teased faction warfare from earlier in the year hasn’t come to pass, which is disappointing for, well, every faction not named the Elite in the company waiting to do something.

This was a pretty standard match that didn’t really mean much (especially with the hodgepodge matchup of Beast Mortos and STP).

At least Top Flight’s new look is cool.

Winners: Undisputed Kingdom

Finish: Roderick Strong scores pin

Grade: 2.75 stars

Bang Bang Gang vs. Dark Order

This was a nothing happening match between a couple teams stalled out in the trios division at the moment. Not much else to say, but Bang Bang Gang needs to keep picking up wins while they wait for Jay White to return.

Winners: Bang Bang Gang

Finish: Juice Robinson pins Evil Uno

Grade: 2.75

Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram vs. the Premier Athletes

Not much happening in this match, which felt like another bout to just get as many guys on the card as possible.

Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara as tag champs doesn’t feel like a great fit, but they make it work for what’s asked of them of ROH tag champs. Surprisingly, Hologram had an off night, with a few missed spots as the match came off the rails a bit.

Not much happening here. (Josh Woods deserves better.)

Winners: Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram

Finish: Rhodes hits the Final Reckoning on Woods for the win.

Grade: 2.5 stars

The Acclaimed vs. the Iron Savages

The Acclaimed need to get hot again in a division that has almost no heat to it whatsoever. It feels like the pairing is just kind of aimless at the moment, but the same can be said about all of the tag division.

The Iron Savages (formerly Bear Country) are as good of a job team as you can get. They’re big, believable and have a good look to them. That said, getting a win over them won’t do much favors for the Acclaimed, who are too established to get any rub from an easy win like this.

This was a fine match to get the crowd going, but sticking the Acclaimed on the pre-show seems self-defeating at this point.

Winner: The Acclaimed

Finish: Bowens, Caster hit the Arrival and Mic Drop combo for the pinfall.

Grade: 3 stars

When is AEW All Out 2024?

Date: Saturday, Sept. 7

AEW All Out will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The next PPV on the docket for AEW is WrestleDream, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12.

When does All Out start?

Main card: 8 p.m. ET

The main card for AEW All Out gets underway at 8 p.m. ET. The show will feature a two-hour pre-show, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET.

AEW All Out Zero Hour start time

Start time: 6:30 p.m. ET

The Zero Hour pre-show gets underway at 6:30 p.m. ET.

AEW All Out PPV price

PPV price: $49.99

AEW All In will air on traditional PPV at a $49.99 price.

AEW All Out live stream

Those looking to live stream the event will have several options:

TrillerTV will carry AEW All Out for $49.99.
B/R Live will also carry the PPV for $49.99.

AEW All Out match card

The card is subject to change.

(c) indicates champion

The Acclaimed vs. The Iron Savages (Zero Hour)
The Dark Order vs. Bang Bang Gang (Zero Hour)
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram vs. The Premier Athletes
The Undisputed Kingdom vs. The Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Action Andretti and Top Flight
Will Ospreay (c) vs. Pac for the AEW International championship
Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander in a Chicago Street Fight
MJF vs. Daniel Garcia
Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Hikaru Shida for the AEW TBS championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mark Briscoe for the AEW Continental championship
The Young Bucks (c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta for the AEW Tag Team championship
Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Jack Perry for the AEW World championship
Swerve Strickland vs. ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in an unsanctioned Steel Cage Lights Out match

AEW All Out 2024 predictions

Bold indicates correct predictions. Italics indicate incorrect predictions.

The Acclaimed defeat the Iron Savages
Bang Bang Gang downs The Dark Order
Dustin Rhodes, Sammy Guevara and Hologram defeat the Premier Athletes
The Undisputed Kingdom defeats the Beast Mortos and Shane Taylor Promotions and Action Andretti and Top Flight
Will Ospreay (c) defeats Pac to retain the AEW International championship
Willow Nightingale beats Kris Statlander in a Chicago Street Fight
MJF downs Daniel Garcia
Mercedes Mone (c) defeats Hikaru Shida to retain the AEW TBS championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) retains the AEW Continental championship
The Young Bucks (c) defeat Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta to retain the AEW Tag Team championship
Bryan Danielson (c) downs Jack Perry to retain the AEW World championship
‘Hangman’ Adam Page beats Swerve Strickland in an unsanctioned Steel Cage Lights Out match