Those looking to tune into Sunday night’s heavyweight matchup between No. 12 LSU and No. 23 USC on DirecTV were greeted with an unexpected welcome just before kickoff: blackout.

Due to an ongoing dispute regarding carrier fees between Disney and DirecTV, the game was dropped from ABC and is resulting in DirecTV users not being able to watch the clash between Garrett Nussmier and Miller Moss in Las Vegas in the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic.

In addition, the blackout of ABC also applies to all of the Disney owned channels, including ESPN, ESPN2 and the other ESPN family of networks.

Here’s what you need to know on how to tonight’s game between the Tigers and Trojans:

Why ABC, ESPN not working on DirecTV for LSU-USC?

Just before kickoff between LSU-USC, ABC went into a blackout for DirecTV users because of an ongoing carrier fee dispute between DirecTV and Disney — the parent company of ABC. The blackout went into effect shortly after 7 p.m. ET, just as a broadcast of the U.S. Open was finishing up on ESPN.

As previously reported by USA TODAY, DirecTV is looking for ‘smaller, more tailored packages at prices that reflect value to consumers’ per a statement from DirecTV’s chief content officer, Rob Thun, last week prior to the start of college football.

‘DirecTV has not yet reached an agreement with Disney. This means Disney-owned channels, including local ABC stations in 8 markets, ESPN, and other general entertainment and regional sports channels are currently unavailable. Visit spr.ly/6014mQYve to learn more,’ DirecTV Help wrote in a reply on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

Watch LSU vs. USC football live on ESPN+

Disney Statement on ABC Blackout

Disney issued a lengthy statement in regard to the current blackout of the ESPN family of networks on Sunday:

‘DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs.

‘We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that’s what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.’

Watch LSU vs. USC football live with Fubo (free trial)

DirecTV statement on ABC blackout

DirecTV released the following statement on X (formerly Twitter) Sunday night:

‘Just hours before Disney pulled its programming from millions of DIRECTV customers, they demanded that to reach any licensing agreement or extend access to its programming, DIRECTV must agree to waive all claims that Disney’s behavior is anti-competitive,’ the statement read.

SEC statement on ABC blackout

The Southeastern Conference made a brief statement on X during the LSU-USC game Sunday:

What channels are affected?

The entire ESPN family of networks — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, ACC Network and SEC Network — are being affected by the blackout.

How to watch LSU-USC football during DirecTV blackout?

Streaming options:ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)

You can stream LSU-USC on ESPN+ or on Fubo, which carries ABC and offers a free trial to select users.

This story will be updated

WASHINGTON – Dusty Baker, now 75 and with nearly a half-century in professional baseball behind him, long ago realized that no matter age or experience, you never stop learning.

It’s just that now, it’s his own children imparting the lessons – that wounds can heal, that there are grander reasons why events unfold as they do.

And perhaps above all, that no dream is too big to realize.

Sunday at Nationals Park, Baker, wife Melissa and their son, Darren, reunited at Nationals Park after Washington called up the 25-year-old infielder to the major leagues. It marked the first time in seven years father and son were together at this ballpark, with the elder Baker departing with a feeling of unfinished business after the Nationals let him go despite National League East titles in his two years as manager.

In 2017, that meant a phone call from general manager Mike Rizzo that did not come for days, as Baker’s fate hung in the autumn chill after the Nationals were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs, the second consecutive year their season ended in a gutting NL Division Series Game 5 loss.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The organization opted to move on from Baker, the Nationals becoming the fourth franchise that dismissed Baker after a playoff appearance, thinking it could do better.

In 2024, the call from Rizzo was entirely different.

Baker was now, finally, a World Series champion, having broke through in 2022 with the Houston Astros. He’s a Hall of Famer in waiting, his 2,183 victories ranking seventh all time, and enjoying semi-retirement as a consultant for the San Francisco Giants.

And Darren, who Rizzo drafted in 2019, two years after the elder Baker’s D.C. departure, was a candidate to be the Nationals’ position player call-up in September, when rosters expand from 26 to 28.

“I thought he was just calling to say hello,” says Baker Sunday. “He said, ‘Hey man, we’re calling up some kid who’s got like 38 stolen bases.’ I said really, that’s good. ‘And is hitting .290.’

“Sounds like Darren.”

Dusty and Melissa had just flown back to the Bay Area from Scranton, where they’d watched Darren play with the Nationals’ Class AAA team. So, they hurried back east, didn’t get into their hotel until around 3 a.m. Sunday morning and grabbed a little sleep.

It’s a tale that’s been told thousands of times – big leaguer summoned for debut, parents, friends and family scrambling to get to their debut. Yet this was like no other.

Darren Baker was famous while barely a preschooler, gaining notoriety for getting scooped out of harms’ way at homeplate by San Francisco Giant J.T. Snow during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series, when Baker’s club claimed a 3-2 lead only to lose in heart-wrenching fashion, in seven games (You sense a theme?).

Managerial stops in Chicago – perhaps you’ve heard of Steve Bartman, Game 6 and the Chicago Cubs’ NLCS collapse? – and Cincinnati followed. Darren got a little bit older along the way, too young to remember Snow’s heroic act in San Francisco, yet learning a little bit more with each stop.

By 2017, he was taking batting practice at Nationals Park, nearly fulfilling a dare from broadcaster F.P. Santangelo to hit one out of the yard. By 2021, he was a second-time Nationals draftee, out of Cal.

The next spring, he and Dusty were spring-training roommates, both going to work at the same complex but on opposite sides, Dusty with the Astros and Darren the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla.

And all the while, his impact on his father grew bigger. The kid who at 4 years old would switch the channel to ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ just as his dad’s NFL game was coming to a conclusion eventually became a confidante.

Come 2022, it was Darren texting Dusty words of wisdom, both on how to relate to players a half-century Dusty’s junior and also keeping him on the leading edge of how the game was rapidly changing.

“Sometimes, we don’t to admit it, but you gotta learn from your kids,” says Dusty. “He kept me hip on music. He’ll talk to me. Him and my daughter, they think they’re my mother and father. He’ll tuck me into bed. Make sure I eat right, make sure we drink right.

“He comes in and we say our prayers like we used to, before we go to bed. Both my kids, I’m really proud of. My son, for when you make it where you want to go.

“There are very few people who do what they want to do in life.”

Dad would know. Baker was blamed for no shortage of playoff shortcomings, only to see all his former teams fail to advance further the year after they let him go.

“This and San Francisco were my favorite stops. This really hurt not to come back here,” says Baker Sunday.

 The Nationals, though, would win the World Series in 2019 with new manager Dave Martinez, who played for Baker in San Francisco in 1993-94.

And now, is managing his son.

Darren Baker said he didn’t need an alarm Sunday. Was still glowing from the clubhouse announcement from Class AAA manager Matthew Lecroy that he was going to the bigs. And in reaching the highest level, realized how his dad was, in essence, the perfect baseball dad.

“He’s the best, man,” says Baker, a second baseman and outfielder who singled on the first pitch he saw as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of the Nationals’ loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. “He never really forced me to play or put pressure on me or was overbearing. I kind of just found the love of the game myself and I think it really helped me in the long run. Especially some of those long days on busses in Triple-A.

“He’s the best at just letting me be me.”

Dusty says that “Bakers grow late,” and so he sees more projectability in his 5-10, 167-pound son who was 38 for 43 on stolen-base attempts at Rochester and has a career minor league OPS of .703.  

“I see a guy that knows how to play,” says Dusty. “He’s been around it since he was like this (small). He doesn’t make many mistakes on the bases. He’d be sitting on the bench with me. He’d see a bonehead play and look at me and say, ‘Dad, that wasn’t a good play.’ He was 10, 12 years old and I’d say, no son, it wasn’t. I don’t want to see you make that play.

“I see a guy with a lot of desire and perseverance. Not just because he’s my son. And he’s smart.”

Baker exudes satisfaction, and not just in discussing his son’s professional rise. Getting over the World Series hump with Houston probably helped.

“A common theme: He tried to play it off really cool,” says Darren of the 2022 Series when the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. “I was going crazy for him. I’d been there for the playoff losses here and Cincinnati and other times.

“I know how hard it is, how much work goes into it.”

Baker said he wanted to be the one to end the Nationals’ streak of never advancing a round in the playoffs. And break the Cubs’ title streak that stretched to 108 years before ending the drought in 2016.

Yet his gaps in employment fatefully coincided with major life events: His daughter’s backyard wedding. His father’s death. His brother’s death.

“You’re upset about not having a job sometime, but sometimes you look back, and you weren’t supposed to. That’s part of life.

“Sometimes we think we’re in charge, but we’re not. We’re in charge a little bit. Most of it is out of our control.

“You have to accept that that was for the good.”

Sunday, he had all the time in the world to welcome his son to the big leagues, his own dreams safely realized, Darren’s just beginning.

SAINT-DENIS, France — Roderick Townsend came into his third Paralympic Games having already won back-to-back golds in the high jump in Tokyo and Rio.

Sunday he completed the three-peat.

The current world-record holder in the event added to his medal collection by clearing a season-best 6 feet, 11 1/2 inches. Townsend, 32, said he was nervous going into the competition not just because he had an underwhelming trials by his standards, but because of his respect for the competition in his group.

He pointed to runner-up Nishad Kumar in particular as someone whom he relishes competing against.   

 “I know how bad he wants it,” Townsend said of Kumar. “He knows how bad I want it. I know what that feels like when I lost the long jump in Tokyo. I know that feeling. He’s a young guy and he has a lot of energy and a lot of potential. I know Nishad is going to continue to do great things.

2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.

“I just want him to have as many silver medals as possible,” the always-playful Townsend added.

Jaleen Roberts also picked up a medal, capturing silver in the T37 women’s long jump. Both athletes reflected on the difference it made to have fans in the stands after a rather quiet Games in Tokyo.

“It’s kind of like my first Games all over again,” Roberts said of having fans back in the stands. “I think it’s just that same excitement amplified especially with a French athlete in my class. The crowd went crazy and so I just fed off that energy and the little bit of pressure that comes with it.”

Roberts’ jump of 15 feet, 7 3/4 inches was good enough for second place, but she said she feels there could have been corrections in her form that, if she can make, will make her a strong contender for gold in Los Angeles in 2028.

It was a busy night for the U.S. team as two other athletes found their way to the podium. Coming off his gold medal victory in the 5000 meters, Daniel Romanchuk claimed another medal − this time bronze − finishing the T54 400m in 45.11 seconds. After a collision knocked Brian Siemann out of medal contention in Saturday’s 5000, he was able to come back and make a podium with a third-place finish in the T53 men’s 400.

Up next for Hunter Woodhall

Hunter Woodhall advanced to the men’s 100m T64 final with a third-place finish in his heat at 11.02 seconds and will be back Monday to compete for the gold.

Woodhall said he was pleased with advancing, but wanted to focus on recalibrating his technique.  

“I think those first few steps were really great and then I got a little excited,” he said. “But we’ll clean it up in the finals, you will see tomorrow.”

Ezra Frech and Desmond Jackson also qualified for Monday’s final in the T63 men’s 100m with third and fourth place finishes respectively.

After seven months of NASCAR action, the Cup Series came down to one last race before the playoffs begin. The only way for Briscoe to earn a spot the playoffs was to win his first race of the season at the Cook Out Southern 500, and he came through. A couple of other drivers also made their final pushes into playoff positions.

Entering the regular season finale, 13 of the 16 playoff spots were set. Martin Truex Jr. clinched a spot – even after crashing out of the race in the second lap – thanks to his large points lead coming into the day. Ty Gibbs avoided trouble of his own throughout the race to stay above the cut line and take the final playoff spot by points.

But Briscoe’s hard-earned win and resulting playoff berth was the real headline of the day, as Darlington lived up to its reputation as one of the most demanding tracks of the year. Just like last weekend in Daytona, another new playoff driver emerged in the final moments before the Round of 16.

See how it all happened at Darlington Raceway:

Tyler Reddick wins regular season title

Reddick’s efforts in the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota despite his illness were just enough to win the regular season championship. Larson, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, finishes the regular season one point behind Reddick.

Chase Briscoe wins the Southern 500

Briscoe will make the playoffs with his first race win of the season. Busch couldn’t quite come out on top – he finished less than half of a second behind Briscoe – and will miss out on the postseason push for the NASCAR Cup Drivers’ Championship. The win officially knocks both Buescher and Wallace out of the playoffs, and Ty Gibbs – driving the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – gets the final spot on points.

Kyle Busch’s late push makes it a two-car race in the final stretch

With fewer than 10 laps to go, this race is likely coming down to one of Chase Briscoe – in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas – and Kyle Busch – in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Busch trails Briscoe by 0.25 seconds. The winner will clinch a playoff spot. The other is out of the playoff race.

Seventh caution of the day after a multi-car crash

Wallace and Gibbs, both fighting for playoff spots, were two drivers involved in a big crash that took out about half a dozen cars.

Wallace’s playoff push is likely over after the crash after Buescher made it away unscathed. Meanwhile, Gibbs is still in a good position. He’d need to finish 26 spots behind Buescher to not make the playoffs, according to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass.

There will be fewer than 20 laps remaining in the Southern 500 when the race resumes after the caution.

Briscoe takes the lead

Coming out of the sixth caution of the race, Briscoe makes a push for the lead on the inside in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. He passes Larson, who is driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and led for a large majority of the race.

Yet another caution for debris on frontstretch

Hocevar’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet had some debris come off of it, causing a third caution in the last 25 minutes. Every car in the lead lap besides Chastain pits during the caution.

There will be 26 laps remaining to determine a couple of things. First and foremost, there are several cars in position to be the race winner. If it’s a first-time race winner this season, they’ll clinch a playoff spot. Finally, there’s the race for the final playoff spot between Wallace in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota and Buescher in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford. Wallace needs to finish 12 spots ahead of Buescher for the spot.

Another caution as Buescher and Gilliland make contact

Todd Gilliland, driving in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, and Buescher, in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford, made contact, causing a caution. It allows several cars to pit with just over 40 laps to go.

Buescher said his car seemed alright, but it’s a caution with some playoff implications. Bubba Wallace, who’s driving in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, trails Buescher by three points for the last spot in the playoffs.

Caution after Carson Hocevar spins

Hocevar, who started the race in P2 driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, spins at the bottom of turn three with just over 50 laps remaining. He receives a caution for the spin, and Ross Chastain – in the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – was in the pit road. The latter lost a lap and would take the wave-around.

Larson leads with 75 laps to go

Larson still holds a large lead in the Southern 500 after 293 laps. Chase Briscoe is over four seconds behind him in his current spot as the runner-up.

Larson wins Stage 2; Truex clinches playoff spot

The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet continues to dominate Sunday’s race. He wins the second stage of the Southern 500 over Chase Briscoe and is up to 10 points gained on Reddick for the regular-season championship.

Chris Buescher couldn’t get any more points driving the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford in Stage 2, which gives Truex enough of an edge to clinch a spot in the playoffs despite crashing out of Sunday’s race early. Buescher can’t catch the veteran even if he earns the maximum number of points on the table. If Buescher wins the race, Truex would still qualify on points.

Kyle Larson still firmly in lead during second stage

The 32-year-old is in a good position for a fifth race win of the season – and potentially a regular-season title. After a couple of pit stops in Stage 2, he’s still over one second ahead of Chase Briscoe’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

Cook Out Southern 500 Stage 1 results

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (10 points)
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota (9 points)
Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (8 points)
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota (7 points)
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (6 points)
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (5 points)
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (4 points)
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (3 points)
Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford (2 points)
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford (1 point)

Kyle Larson wins Stage 1

Larson, the driver currently atop the playoff picture, won the first stage in Darlington in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. It’s his ninth stage win of the season, and with it, he’ll have a chance to challenge for the regular season title. He gained three points on Tyler Reddick, who currently leads the regular-season standings, with the stage win.

Reddick, for his part, is driving through some kind of illness. He has been on the radio requesting crackers, bread and TUMS antacid from his pit team. Reddick also told his team he is throwing up and defecating in his car.

Austin Cindric penalized for uncontrolled tire

The driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford received a pass-through penalty when his pit crew allowed a tire to roll away during a stop.

‘It was all my fault,’ Truex says of collision

Truex took responsibility for the second-lap collision that forced him out of the race when he spoke with NBC Sports.

Blaney OK after collision

Blaney had received medical attention after his collision with Truex for an apparent arm injury. He said he was alright in a later update on USA’s broadcast and explained he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when Truex overcorrected.

Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney collide early

Truex Jr., racing in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, almost made contact with William Byron in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and overcorrected himself right into Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Both cars are out of race after the crash around Turn 1 on lap two, and Blaney is receiving medical attention.

‘I’m an idiot,’ Truex said on his radio after the crash.

The collision has massive implications for Truex, who just needed a clean performance in today’s race to remain inside the playoff picture. Now, he’ll have to wait and see if his points lead entering the day is enough to stay in the top 16.

NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500: How to watch

Date: Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Darlington Raceway
TV: USA Network
Streaming:Peacock, NBCSports.com, fuboTV

Don’t miss NASCAR action with a Fubo subscription

Who is starting on the pole in the NASCAR race at Darlington?

Bubba Wallace, driving out of the No. 23 for 23X1 Racing, will be situated in the pole position to kick off the race at Darlington.

What is the lineup for Sunday’s NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500? 

Lineup, start time and more information on the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 50 can be found here.

1. Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, Toyota
2. Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet
3. Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford
4. Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
5. Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
6. Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, Toyota
7. Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford
8. William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
9. Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
10. Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Ford
11. Austin Cindric, Team Penske, Ford
12. Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Ford
13. Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
14. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
15. Josh Berry, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford
16. Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
17. Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
18. John Hunter Nemechek, Legacy Motor Club, Toyota
19. Corey Lajoie, Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet
20. Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
21. Justin Haley, Rick Ware Racing, Chevrolet
22. Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet
23. Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ford
24. Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford
25. Daniel Hemric, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet
26. Zane Smith, Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet
27. Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
28. Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club, Toyota
29. Noah Gragson, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford
30. Ryan Preece, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford
31. Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports, Ford
32. Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet
33. Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports, Ford
34. Shane van Gisbergen, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet
35. Kaz Grala, Rick Ware Racing, Chevrolet
36. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet
37. Timmy Hill, Power Source, Ford

NASCAR Cup Series history at Darlington Raceway

Darlington Raceway was NASCAR’s first superspeedway when it debuted on the calendar in 1950. It also hosted the first 500-mile race in Cup Series history, the Southern 500, on Labor Day in 1950.

Which winless drivers are on the bubble to make the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs?

The playoff field is nearly set. Thirteen drivers have secured a spot in the playoffs via at least one race win.

Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, and Chris Buescher are currently ninth, 10th, and 11th in the Cup Series standings, respectively, with no regular season wins. The gap from Truex Jr. to Buescher is 37 points. If there is a new race winner from outside of that group on Sunday, one of the three will not make the playoffs.

The following drivers have already clinched a playoff spot:

William Byron
Daniel Suárez
Kyle Larson
Christopher Bell
Denny Hamlin
Chase Elliott
Tyler Reddick
Brad Keselowski
Austin Cindric
Ryan Blaney
Joey Logano
Alex Bowman
Harrison Burton

When do the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs start?

The playoffs start next Sunday, Sept. 8, with the Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

NASCAR Cup Series playoffs schedule

Round of 16

Sept. 8: Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart | Atlanta Motor Speedway | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
Sept. 15: Go Bowling at The Glen | Watkins Glen International | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
Sept. 21: Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30 p.m. ET | USA Network

Round of 12

Sept. 29: Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network
Oct. 6: YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. ET | NBC
Oct. 13: Bank of America Roval 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway (Roval) | 2 p.m. ET | NBC

Round of 8

Oct. 20: South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC
Oct. 27: Straight Talk Wireless 400 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:30 p.m. ET | NBC
Nov. 3: Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. ET | NBC

Championship 4

Nov. 10: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. ET | NBC

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup race at Darlington?

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500?

Kyle Larson won the 2023 Cook Out Southern 500 in what was the opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs last season.

Who has the most NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 wins?

Jeff Gordon has the most career wins in the event with six (1995-1998, 2002, 2007).

Who has the most career NASCAR wins in Darlington?

NASCAR Hall of Fame driver David Pearson has the most career wins at the track with 10.

How many drivers have won NASCAR Cup races in the 2024 season?

Fourteen drivers have won regular season NASCAR Cup races in 2024, including:

William Byron (Daytona 500, EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Cook Out 400)
Daniel Suárez (Ambetter Health 400)
Kyle Larson (Pennzoil 400, AdventHealth 400, Toyota/Save Mart 350, Brickyard 400)
Christopher Bell (Shriners Children’s 500, Coca-Cola 600, USA Today 301)
Denny Hamlin (Food City 500, Toyota Owners 400, Würth 400)
Chase Elliott (Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400)
Tyler Reddick (GEICO 500, FireKeepers Casino 400)
Brad Keselowski (Goodyear 400)
Austin Cindric (Enjoy Illinois 300)
Ryan Blaney (Iowa Corn 350, Great American Getaway 400)
Joey Logano (Ally 400)
Alex Bowman (Grant Park 165)
Harrison Burton (Coke Zero Sugar 400)
Austin Dillon* (Cook Out 400)

*= Dillon won the race but had playoff eligibility removed for it.

Logano and Ty Gibbs won the NASCAR All-Star Race and NASCAR All-Star Open, respectively, but neither race counts towards the championship.

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Darlington?

The Cook Out Southern 500 in Darlington Sunday is 367 laps. Stage 1 and 2 are 115 laps each and Stage 3 is 137 laps.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 on?

The 2024 Cook Out Southern 500 will be broadcast on USA Network starting at 6 p.m. ET. The channel will also have a pre-race show starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500?

You can live stream the Cook Out Southern 500 on the NBCSports website and the NBC Sports app. The race is also available to stream on Fubo.

What is the weather forecast for the NASCAR Cook Out Southern 500 race at Darlington? 

The latest weather forecast from AccuWeather predicts 72 degrees Sunday night during the Cook Out Southern 500.

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Scottie Scheffler just capped an absolutely dominant 2024 season.

Scheffler won the 2024 Tour Championship Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, marking his first-ever FedEx Cup championship. With that, he also secured the $25 million bonus that comes with the title.

Scheffler shot a 4-under par 67 to finish the tournament at 30-under par, which was four strokes better than Collin Morikawa. This was Scheffler’s seventh victory this season, which marked the first time anyone on the PGA Tour has won that many tournaments since 2007, when Tiger Woods did so.

Here’s everything you need to know about Scottie Scheffler’s career earnings, following his first FedEx Cup championship.

Scottie Scheffler career earnings

This year proved to be quite a lucrative one for Scheffler. He earned $29,228,357 in official money off of his placement in tournaments, which included seven titles. Counting the bonus earned at the 2024 Tour Championship, that brings his total earnings this season to $64,228,357.

Scheffler joined the PGA Tour in 2020 and came into Sunday with $71,793,586 in career earnings. Adding his FedEx Cup winnings, that total now sits at $96,793,586.

How much does the FedEx Cup winner get?

The winner of the FedEx Cup receives a bonus of $25 million. Second place gets half that ($12,500,000) and third place receives a little less than a third ($7,500,000).

FedEx cup purse, payouts

PARIS − A determined United States wheelchair rugby team advanced to the gold-medal game at the 2024 Paralympics after defeating rival Great Britain 50-43 Sunday in the semifinals. The victory extended the USA’s podium record, as the team has medaled at every Paralympics since wheelchair rugby was added as an official sport in 2000.  

Team USA had waited three long years for this rematch after being upset by Great Britain in the gold-medal match at the Tokyo Games.

“This is exactly how we wanted it set up,” said Sarah Adam, who scored 13 tries in the game. “We wanted GB in the cross. We got them. We know we can beat them. We beat them a million times before. We wanted that revenge from Tokyo and it felt good to finally get them and put them to bed.” 

The teams traded tries throughout the first period, and it wasn’t until the final seconds of the first period that momentum shifted in the Americans’ direction when the team’s defense forced Great Britain into a ten-second violation and denied GB a chance to score as time ran out. 

“That call was huge,” said Chuck Aoki, who led the team with 18 tries. “I mean, to get the last goal is really critical in the sport and that was a big penalty, especially when we were pressing really hard and to get that, that meant a lot. Every turnover counts and I think we did a good job of cashing in on them.” 

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The U.S. came out of the huddle and continued to “cash in,” scoring twice and forcing two steals all within the first 40 seconds. 

“The first quarter is always a little feeling out,” said Aoki. “And the second it felt like we really turned it on and just attacked them and built our way up to a pretty good lead.” 

From that moment on the U.S. stayed on top of Great Britain with standout performances from Aoki, Adam, and Josh Wheeler, who added 14 tries. Adam, a first-time Paralympian, has made headlines for being the first woman to play for the U.S. wheelchair rugby team but her play has been just as newsworthy.

Adam is the team’s second-leading scorer heading into the gold-medal match and has brought vital energy to the team. 

“Sarah has really brought an extra dimension of speed,” Aoki said. “I mean, when she’s flying, she’s flying. It’s hard to stop her. It really means a lot to have Sarah.”

Team USA will face Japan in the gold-medal game Sept. 2, at 7:30 pm local time. The team will be looking to end its 16-year gold-medal drought against Japan, who beat the Americans earlier this week in pool play. 

The game is another chance for Team USA to find redemption as it looks to atone for the loss this week. 

“Anytime you have a chance to play for a gold medal, that’s what’s special,” said Aoki. “That’s what’s going to drive you and, I’m just so proud of the way the team just responded to not our best three games starting quite frankly. But we came out when it mattered. And I’m so proud of the team. Now we just have got to go do it again tomorrow.” 

Angel Reese needed only 32 games to set a WNBA record. With eight games left to play in the regular season, she may have the chance to shatter it.

In a game Sunday against the Minnesota Lynx, Reese collected her 405th rebound of the year, setting a new WNBA single-season record and surpassing Sylvia Fowles’ mark of 404 set in 2018.

Reese, 22, entered Sunday averaging nearly 13 rebounds per game. If she continues at that pace, she is projected to easily surpass 500 rebounds in this season.

Reese, the No. 7 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA draft, has established herself as a force in the paint for the Chicago Sky. While the team is battling to stay in the playoff picture, Reese has been a bright spot for Chicago and is competing with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the chase for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.

This comes just two days after Reese set a pair of rookie records in a loss against the Fever: the mark for most double-doubles (23) as a rookie and the most rebounds (399) in a single season — both of which were held by Tina Charles.

Entering Sunday, Reese had been averaging 13.2 points, 12,9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

At halftime against the Lynx, Chicago (11-20) was facing a 39-32 deficit. Reese had four points on 2-of-5 shooting and added eight boards