Jim Harbaugh heaped praise on Dallas Fire-Rescue Saturday, following Friday’s scary incident in which the department was called upon to rescue several Los Angeles Chargers players and traveling staff members from a stuck elevator.

“We dodged a bullet. I mean, I usually think of dodging a bullet of, you know, dodging an injury in football,” Harbaugh said after the Chargers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 26-19 in their preseason finale. “But, I mean, it was a shared experience. Eleven or 12 of our players were there for about two hours, and that’s a shared experience. I mean, brought them closer together. I just missed it, you know, being on that elevator, and it’s like, I wish I could have been there with those guys.”

According to WFAA.com, a total of 15 people were inside the elevator at the Westin hotel in Downtown Dallas Friday night in advance of the Chargers’ Saturday exhibition against the Cowboys. The Dallas Fire-Rescue team found that the elevator was stuck in a ‘blind shaft’ somewhere between the third and 15th floors of the hotel.

The Chargers announced in a statement that each person in the elevator was assisted one-by-one through its ceiling panel and into an adjacent elevator.

Harbaugh revealed that quarterback Justin Herbert was among the Chargers players trapped inside.

All things Chargers: Latest Los Angeles Chargers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

“The remarkable things that came out of it was, you know, to a guy, (Chargers cornerback) Tarheeb Still, a young rookie player is like ‘Justin Herbert’s a leader. He was a rock, you know, kept everybody calm.’”

Chargers Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts said during Saturday’s broadcast that his wife and son were also inside the elevator.

“Everybody kept their poise. And, you know, get in those situations, and it’s a test of wills, you know. And I was proud of each of the guys and the two women that were on that elevator,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, that’s that. That’s a win, you know, you feel good about yourself. You got it. You were challenged. And it was a test of will.”

Harbaugh told reporters postgame that he invited Dallas Fire-Rescue to Saturday’s preseason game following the incident.

“Yeah, oh my gosh, Dallas, the Dallas fire department. Take a deep, long bow. You know, I said at one point it’s like, this is Dallas’ finest,” Harbaugh said. “Without the Dallas fire department that … could have been a lot worse. It would have been a lot more hours, who knows how it would end? But I mean, those guys were great.”

But this year, the former Alabama football coach is looking at the newly adopted 12-team model from a different perspective: analyst.

This year is the first year that the College Football Playoff field will expand to 12 teams, with each of the Power Four conference champions earning first-round byes. As for the other eight teams in the field, those will be at-large teams selected by the College Football Playoff selection committee. The first release of the CFP rankings is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. ET.

Here’s what you need to know on who Saban picked to make the College Football Playoff and win the national championship on Saturday’s edition of ‘College GameDay’:

Nick Saban’s College Football Playoff projection

Saban had Alabama in the College Football Playoff as a No. 7 seed and hosting Notre Dame at Bryant-Denny Stadium in the first round, a new change to the playoff format this year. He also picked Liberty, which competes in Conference USA and received 15 votes in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, to make the CFP as the No. 12 seed.

‘I have Georgia, Ohio State, Florida State and Utah. Those are my four bye teams,’ Saban said.

Of the 12 teams he picked, Saban said he doesn’t believe those within college football are talking enough of Penn State and LSU, the latter of the two being a former stomping ground for Saban back in the early 2000s.

‘I think Penn State’s got a really good team and a great culture. They would have been in the playoff with 12 team playoff the last couple years,’ Saban said. ‘I think (LSU quarterback Garrett) Nussmeier is going to be one of the sleepers in college football this year at quarterback. LSU always has skilled guys…’

Here’s who Saban picked to make the College Football Playoff this season:

1. Georgia (SEC champion)
2. Ohio State (Big Ten champion)
3. Florida State (ACC champion)
4. Utah (Big 12 champion)
5. Texas vs. 12. Liberty
8. Ole Miss vs. 9. Penn State
6. Oregon vs. 11. LSU
7. Alabama vs. 10. Notre Dame

Nick Saban ‘College GameDay’ National Championship projection

Pick: Georgia

Saban chose Alabama and SEC foe Georgia to be the last one standing and hoist the national championship trophy in Atlanta come January.

If Georgia does go on to win the CFP and the national championship, it would be the third national championship title for the Bulldogs in four years.

‘I’m still going with the fact that somebody has to prove that they can beat Georgia,’ said Saban on why he chose the Bulldogs, citing the dominance of Georgia in recent years in college football.

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NASCAR fans were left holding their breath late in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona after Josh Berry’s car flipped in a crash and slammed into a wall after skidding along on its roof.

The crash happened with just two laps to go, with Berry competing at the front. Berry’s No. 4 Ford got loose when he was contacted by the No. 2 of Austin Cindric. Berry’s car swerved down hard to its left, catching air and getting tossed onto its roof. It rode along its roof for a moment before it careened into an interior barrier of the track. The impact caused the car to spin on its roof for a while before it finally came to a stop.

A red flag was waved and crews rushed out to assist Berry. Thankfully, Berry was seemingly fine.

Eventually, after the car was righted, Berry climbed out under his own power and gave a thumbs-up. He was released from the infield care center and even did an interview with NBC before the green flag was waved again.

Berry told NBC he was ‘all good.’ The wreck ‘probably wasn’t as bad as it looked,’ he said.

Harrison Burton went on to win the race in a thrilling finish.

Losing to Georgia Tech very strongly suggests that Florida State is not going to win the national championship, or even come within a whisper of the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row.

The Yellow Jackets are pretty good. Right? Who knows? With just one game down in this 2024 season, all we can say for sure is the Jackets are a field goal better than the Seminoles.

But as a sign, this isn’t a good one: Tech beat No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in Ireland on a 44-yard kick as time expired.

A year ago, the Seminoles went undefeated during the regular season and still couldn’t get into the top four. Under multiple different postseason formats — regular bowl games, the Bowl Championship Series and the four-team playoff — Saturday’s loss would’ve left Florida State on the edges of the championship race or even been an immediate disqualifier.

When all it takes to get into the playoff is to win 10 or more games in a Power Four conference or just win a league title regardless of your final record, losses to teams such as Georgia Tech take on much less meaning.

Senior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei made most of his attempts at or near the line of scrimmage, connecting on just two completions of 20 yards, and resembled the same quarterback we saw at Clemson. Uiagalelei finished 19 of 27 for 193 yards, doing his best work on an 84-yard scoring drive that included a pair of fourth-down conversions and tied the game at 21-21 in the fourth quarter.

But from there, the Seminoles rebuilt defense couldn’t get off the field. Georgia Tech bled the last 6:33 of the clock as its drive set up Aiden Birr for the game-winner.

The Yellow Jackets ran for 190 yards on 36 carries and three touchdowns. Florida State managed 98 yards on 31 carries and just 291 yards overall. The defense allowed Georgia Tech to score touchdowns on all three trips to the red zone.

Sloppy offensive line play, an inability to stop the run and no downfield passing game. Seen as one of the best in the ACC and a team good enough to take the next step after last season’s narrow playoff miss, the Seminoles are clearly not as good as advertised. That’s a concern for a team that will play Memphis, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Florida.

Those games come with the opportunity to climb back up the Top 25. In the end, the only games that matter come in the ACC; winning a Power Four league comes with what is essentially an automatic invite for the playoff.

So the Seminoles aren’t out of the picture. It just doesn’t look good.

Daniel Suarez’s No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro caught fire during his initial pit stop early in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

A backfire from Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 positioned behind Suarez on pit road ignited a spark, which started a fire in Suarez’s trunk.

Suarez returned to pit road after his stop with his car ablaze.

Suarez had to be told to get out of his car. He said he could feel the heat behind him but could not see it because he no longer has a rearview mirror. He uses a rear camera, which didn’t show the fire.

The incident took Suarez out of the race. Several cars had topped off their fuel, which left the excess on the ground in pit road.

Suarez was coming off an eighth place finish last week at Michigan.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.

The Saturday games at the Little League World Series saw plenty of drama as the United States and International brackets crowned champions.

A strong defensive performance saw Chinese Taipei win the International bracket, holding a powerful Venezuela team to just three hits in a 4-1 win. That sets Chinese Taipei, who hold the LLWS record for most overall championship wins with 17, up for yet another tournament victory.

Meanwhile, the United States Championship was a wild one. Florida staged two different comebacks, winning 10-7 after trailing Texas by four runs early, and by two heading into the sixth and final inning.

Here’s everything from today’s Little League World Series action, as it played out.

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

When is the LLWS Championship Game?

The 2024 Little League World Series Championship Game between Florida and Chinese Taipei is set for the back end of a double-header at Lamade Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 25.

All times Eastern.

Third-place Game: Venezuela vs. Texas, 10 a.m. | ESPN2
Championship Game: Chinese Taipei vs. Florida, 3 p.m. | ABC

Final: Florida 10, Texas 7

After taking one out, Texas gets one runner aboard, but Florida gets the job done. Luis Calo gets a double play on the next at-bat, and Florida completes a stunning comeback from four runs down.

Florida advances to take on Chinese Taipei in Sunday’s final, while Texas heads to a third-place game against Venezuela.

Alert baserunning gets Florida another run

Teraj Alexander is walked, and what follows is a wild sequence. Texas doesn’t stay alert to Liam Morrisey stealing third, and the attempt to throw him out ends up with the ball in the dirt.

Morrisey runs home to make it 10-7, while Alexander tries to extend the situation. This time, Florida finally overreaches, with Alexander eventually tagged out at third.

That’s the end of the inning, and now Texas suddenly needs three runs to stay in the game.

Luis Calo gets two RBIs as Florida takes a 9-7 lead

Luis Calo makes great contact to send the ball into right field, and Florida brings two runners in. Calo is in at second, and it’s suddenly 9-7 Florida as this game keeps having twists and turns.

Florida ties it back up, 7-7

Liam Morrisey sends a sacrifice fly into the outfield, and Florida ties the scores at seven apiece.

Morrisey is then immediately brought in to pinch-run, but we have an appeal over whether Florida tagged up correctly after getting the run.

Texas’ coaching staff still seems confused over the call, and now we have an illegal pitch as Texas has Kaleb Christ step off the mound.

Amid all of this, Luis Calo is at bat with a 2-2 count, two outs, and runners in scoring position.

Florida makes it 7-6 on Bibaud’s hit

DJ Mieses clips one towards first, with Cooper Hastings making a great play with a diving catch. Texas tries to turn a double play, but misses out by inches.

However, the next at-bat sees Jacob Bibaud hit a hard ground ball up the middle, and a timely bounce gets it into the outfield. Florida gets a runner in to make it 7-6, and now have the bases loaded with only one out.

Florida with runners in scoring position in the sixth

Kaleb Christ steps in as Texas’ latest pitcher, but JJ Feliciano draws a walk to start the inning. Garrett Rohozen then smacks a hit to the wall, and suddenly Florida has the tying run in scoring position.

Mix-up at home gets Texas another run

Cooper Hastings swings and misses, but with the ball getting away from Landon Bono, the Texas batter can still run to first.

Texas brings a runner in after Hastings and Bono both hesitate before realizing it’s a live ball. It’s 7-5 on the scoreboard right now, but Florida has challenged the play.

After review, the umpires stick with the initial call. The inning ends on a grounder, but it’s 7-5 Texas heading into the sixth. If Florida can’t get two runs on the board, Texas is heading to the championship game.

Texas leads 6-5

Calo throws a wild pitch, and Dylan Burke sprints home to give Texas a 6-5 lead.

Florida is still in a tough spot with runners in scoring position, but they just need one out to stay within one run heading into what could be the final inning.

Texas ties it back up 5-5

After the change, Luis Calo’s first pitch gets a simple pop-up at home plate, but he then walks Hurst to load the bases.

Gray Collins is up next, and he zips one right back up the middle, bringing in a game-tying RBI. It’s 5-5 in what’s turning out to be a thriller at Lamade Stadium.

Don’t count Texas out

Gabe Steubing starts the bottom of the fifth off with a hit up the third-base line, and then gets the crowd going once he gets to first. Landon Bono responded with a strikeout for Florida, but Dylan Burke belts one an inch beyond JJ Feliciano’s grasp to get a second runner aboard.

Florida is switching things up, with Luis Calo taking over pitching duties. Bono is now back behind home plate as the catcher, where he started the game.

Florida makes it 5-4 as Alexander steals home

Kole Newson is now the pitcher after Doc Mogford is helped off the field by the trainer.

It’s a really difficult moment for Texas, who have to get two outs with runners on the corners to keep this game tied. Newson gets a strikeout in four pitches, but Teraj Alexander sprints in from third to steal home. Replay shows that Newson turned his back to home plate, and Alexander pounced on the opportunity to run home.

It’s now 5-4 Florida, what a wild comeback here in the fifth inning.

Florida makes it 4-4, Mogford possibly injured

Teraj Alexander takes three balls before firing a double into the outfield. Bibaud scores, Calo just barely gets in safe at third after a slip, and Alexander was dancing on second base.

However, the game has stopped for a scary moment. Christopher Chikodroff’s hit goes right back at Mogford, hitting him in the knee. Florida gets a runner in to make it 4-4, but the bigger concern is Mogford’s health. The crowd is silent as the trainers and both coaches attend to the Texas pitcher.

Texas changes pitchers

Julian Hurst walks Luis Calo, and Texas coach Justin Newson makes the call for a pitching change. Collins gives his starting pitcher a hug before shuffling things up, with Doc Mogford coming from center field to take over on the mound.

It’s 4-2 with runners on the corners, and Texas is in a jam. With one out, Mogford has a tricky task ahead of him to keep Florida from turning this into a serious comeback.

Florida brings in a runner to make it 4-2

Liam Morrisey can’t get aboard himself, but he gets a sacrifice RBI to make it 4-2. Mieses scores, and Bibaud is on third base with one out. Hurst has 15 pitches left before he hits the 85-pitch maximum, and has given a thumbs-up to the dugout.

Florida looking dangerous in the fifth

DJ Mieses is just inches from a home run with a long hit to center field. The Florida slugger is in with a stand-up double, and Julian Hurst appears to be telling the Texas coaches that he’s having shoulder trouble.

The next pitch sees Jacob Bibaud get a single, moving Mieses over to third. Hurst is staying in, but this could be a critical moment in this game.

Pitching change for Florida to start the fourth

As expected, JJ Feliciano is no longer pitching, with Landon Bono taking over on the mound. Feliciano is now Florida’s shortstop.

Bono’s first inning of work was pretty impressive overall: three outs on eight pitches, with two long fly balls caught by outfielders after a groundout.

Florida on the board, now trails 4-1

Christopher Chikodroff got aboard to end Hurst’s run of total dominance, and Florida made it count. JJ Feliciano’s single to center field brought Chikodroff in to make it 4-1, and Florida’s batters suddenly seem to have some confidence.

Still, Hurst showed he can throw some heat, striking out Garrett Rohozen for a second out. It looked like Hurst would add to his strikeout total against Landon Bono, but the ball briefly escaped catcher Caden Guffey. However, Guffey recovered really well, spinning to throw Bono out at first to end the inning.

Texas doubles its lead

With two runners aboard, Doc Mogford smacks the ball to left field, where Jacob Bibaud’s dive comes up inches short. What could have been an inning-ending out instead became a two-RBI double, allowing Texas to take a 4-0 lead.

JJ Feliciano gets his seventh strikeout to end the third inning, but having thrown 84 pitches, that might be it for him on the mound. The Little League World Series has an 85-pitch limit before a pitching change is enforced.

Hurst sits all three Florida batters in the third

If Florida’s going to mount a comeback, they’ll have to solve Texas pitcher Julian Hirst, who looks unhittable at the moment. The third inning was three up, three down, with Hurst piling up the strikeouts.

Texas leads 2-0

Texas got the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, and made it count. With Kaleb Christ looking to bunt, pitcher JJ Feliciano’s pitch got away from him, going past catcher Landon Bono. That brought a run in, giving Texas the game’s first run.

Christ stayed at the plate, and batted another run in with a grounder to first. While Florida eventually finished the inning off with a Feleciano strikeout, they’re in a two-run hole.

Julian Hurst needs a handful of pitches

Texas’ Julian Hurst was pretty darn efficient in the second, getting a couple of immediate groundballs to kickstart things, followed by a 1-2-3 punchout. And with that, Texas is back up after just five pitches.

Florida escapes shaky start

James Feliciano delivered a couple of passed balls and saw Texas get runners on second and third. The Florida pitcher settled into a groove and finished the first inning with a couple of strikeouts. No score after one.

Texas flashes defense to start game

Julian Hurst fielded a comebacker to get the double play. A quick pop-out by Garrett Rohozen later and Texas is up and it’s Florida’s turn to take the field. No score after the first half-inning.

LLWS U.S. Championship Game: Texas vs. Florida

Next up is the U.S. Championship: Texas vs. Florida, which will broadcast on ABC at 3:30 p.m.

Chinese Taipei head to Little League World Series Championship

Behind a remarkable start from Lai Cheng Xi, Chinese Taipei is heading to the Little League World Series Championship and will play the winner of this afternoon’s game between Texas and Florida.

With 12 strikeouts, Lai Cheng Xi never let Venezuela get a rhythm offensively. Now the Asia Pacific winner will get a shot at the ultimate prize on Sunday.

Score: Chinese Taipei 4, Venezuela 1

Lai Cheng Xi comes out of the game

Chinese Taipei’s hurler leaves the game with 12 strikeouts and the lead. A walk and double now have Venezuela on second and third with Chiu Wei-Che pitching.

Chinese Taipei three outs away

Venezuela’s Luis Yepez covered serious ground to run down a foul ball for the inning’s best highlight. Now it’s time for Venezuela to either mount a serious comeback or it will be Chinese Taipei headed to the LLWS Championship Game.

Chinese Taipei cruising

Venezuela did enjoy a single from Jhonson Freitez. But that was it as Lai Cheng Xi got another strikeout and gave his team the defensive cushion it needs heading into the final inning of play. Chinese Taipei 4, Venzuela 0

Venezuela error widens Chinese Taipei’s lead

Venezuela players collide in center on a popup from Chiu Wei-Che. With two outs, centerfielder Samuel Carrasquel failed to come up with the play after colliding with Venezuela’s shortstop. Chen Bo-Wei scored on the play.

Venezuela now has just six outs to eat into this 4-0 deficit.

Venezuela comes up empty as Cheng-Xi deals

In the third, it was more of the same. Lai Cheng-Xi adds to his totals on the day, notching his tenth strikeout on the day. He now has a one-hitter through four complete innings. Chinese Taipei will be up to start the fifth with the lead, 3-0

Chinese Taipei extends lead in the third inning

Chinese Taipei added another run to the scoreboard after a walk brought in the runner on third and loaded the bases. Chinese Taipei wasn’t done and scored on an error by the catcher. As a result, Chinese Taipei leads 3-0 heading into the fourth inning.

Defense is the name of the game

Both teams demonstrate strong defense and prevent any runs in the second inning.

Venezuela fails to respond

Chinese Taipei’s defense holds Venezuela scoreless in the first inning.

Chinese Taipei strikes first

Chinese Taipei comes out in full force and scores off a wild pitch to get on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning.

2024 Little League World Series: Time, TV, streaming and how to watch

All 39 games of the Little League World Series will be broadcast on one of ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC, with streaming options including ESPN+, the ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Coverage today begins at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

What teams remain at the LLWS?

Chinese Taipei
Venezuela
Texas
Florida

Little League World Series schedule and bracket:

(All times in ET)

Wednesday, Aug. 14:

Game 1: Mexico 2, Caribbean 0
Game 2: West 3, New England 1
Game 3: Asia-Pacific 8, Canada 0
Game 4: Southeast 2, Midwest 1

Thursday, Aug. 15:

Game 5: Japan 11, Puerto Rico 0
Game 6: Mountain 9, Metro 1
Game 7: Cuba 4, Europe-Africa 1
Game 8: Southwest 9, Mid-Atlantic 0

Friday, Aug. 16:

Game 9: Latin America 10, Mexico 0
Game 10: West 5, Great Lakes 0
Game 11: Asia-Pacific 11, Australia 0
Game 12: southeast 6, Northwest 1

Saturday, Aug. 17:

Game 13: Canada 12, Puerto 5
Game 14: Metro 6, Midwest 3
Game 15: Caribbean 8, Europe-Africa 3
Game 16: Mid-Atlantic 5, New England 0

Sunday, Aug. 18:

Game 17: Metro 4, Great Lakes 0
Game 18: Mexico 8, Canada 0
Game 19: Mid-Atlantic 12, Northwest 2

Monday, Aug. 19:

Game 20: Caribbean 11, Australia 0
Game 21: Japan 2, Latin America 1
Game 22: Mountain 3, West 2
Game 23: Asia-Pacific 10, Cuba 2
Game 24: Southwest 4, Southeast 1

Tuesday, Aug. 20:

Game 25: Latin America 2, Caribbean 1
Game 26: West 3, Mid-Atlantic 1
Game 27: Mexico 6, Cuba 4
Game 28: Southeast 6, Metro 1

Wednesday, Aug. 21:

Game 29: Chinese Taipei 3, Japan 1
Game 30: Texas 5, Nevada 2
 Game 31: Mexico vs. Venezuela on ESPN
Game 32: Florida vs. Hawai’i on ESPN

Thursday, Aug. 22:

Game 33: Venezuela vs. Japan, 3 p.m. on ESPN
T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby
Game 34: Florida vs. Nevada, 7 p.m. on ESPN

Friday, Aug. 23:

7 p.m. T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby airing on ESPN

Saturday, Aug. 24:

International Championship: Chinese Taipei vs Venezuela on ABC at 12:30 p.m.
U.S. Championship: Texas vs. Florida on ABC at 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 25:

Consolation Game on ESPN2 at 10 a.m.
World Series Championship on ABC at 3 p.m.

When is the LLWS championship game?

The Little League World Series (LLWS) championship game is scheduled for Sunday, August 25th at 3 p.m. ET. The third-place consolation game is set to take place the same day at 10 a.m. ET.

The international and U.S. championship games, serving as the semifinals to Sunday’s championship game, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. ET.

Kids need to be Kids: Thoughts on the Little League World Series

USA Today’s Stephen Borelli writes on the Little League World Series and the young players that make up this wonderful tournament: ‘We expect them to come through and we cheer like heck when they do.’

Amid the celebration come tears and high levels of stress. Borelli reminds us that the players entertaining so many this weekend are children and offers some insight on not just remembering that fact but also making the tournament’s presentation more in line with the athletes’ ages.

‘We love the Little League World Series, but there are subtle ways to make it even better. Here’s how we can reduce the pressure on kids who play in it and open up opportunities for more of them to have a shot at it,’ Borelli writes.

How does the Little League World Series work?

The Little League World Series is divided into two brackets: the United States bracket and the international bracket. Each bracket will conduct its own individual tournament, and the winner from each bracket will face off in the championship.

The U.S. and international brackets are double-elimination brackets. This means that a team can still advance in a separate elimination bracket even after losing its first game. The winner of the elimination bracket then plays against the winner of the winners’ bracket in the U.S. or international final for the opportunity to compete in the LLWS championship.

In other words, a team must be defeated twice to be eliminated from the tournament.

The 2024 U.S. Regional Champions

Great Lakes – Hinsdale Little League – Hinsdale, Illinois
Metro – South Shore Little League – Staten Island, New York
Mid-Atlantic – Council Rock Newtown Little League – Newtown, Pennsylvania
Midwest – Sioux Falls Little League – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Mountain – Paseo Verde Little League – Henderson, Nevada
New England – Salem Little League – Salem, New Hampshire
Northwest – South Hill Little League – Puyallup, Washington
Southeast – Lake Mary Little League – Lake Mary, Florida
Southwest – Boerne Little League – Boerne, Texas
West – Central East Maui Little League – Wailuku, Hawaii

The 2024 International Regional Champions

Asia-Pacific – Kuei-Shan Little League – Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei
Australia – Hills Little League – Sydney, New South Wales
Canada – Whalley Little League – Surrey, British Columbia
Caribbean – Aruba Center Little League – Santa Cruz, Aruba
Cuba – Santa Clara Little League – Villa Clara, Cuba
Europe-Africa – South Czech Republic Little League – Brno, Czech Republic
Japan – Johoku Little League – Tokyo, Japan
Latin America – Cardenales Little League – Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Mexico – Matamoros Little League – Tamaulipas, Mexico
Puerto Rico – Radames Lopez Little League – Guayama, Puerto Rico

Past Little League World Series results

In recent years, teams from the United States have been very successful in the Little League World Series, winning the last five championships since 2017. The most recent international team to win the tournament was Japan, who defeated Lufkin, Texas 12-2 in the 2017 final, which lasted just five innings.

List of past winners:

Results date back to 2010 LLWS.

2023: El Segundo, Calif.
2022: Honolulu
2021: Taylor, Mich.
2020: Canceled due to COVID
2019: River Ridge, La.
2018: Honolulu
2017: Tokyo
2016: Maine-Endwell, N.Y.
2015: Tokyo
2014: Seoul, South Korea
2013: Tokyo
2012: Tokyo
2011: Huntington Beach, Calif.
2010: Tokyo

LLWS bracket and schedule

Here is the full 2024 LLWS bracket, courtesy of the Little League World Series:

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We love to celebrate our kids. For a week or two at the end of each summer, we adopt someone else’s.

We follow their every move from a small ballpark in central Pennsylvania, or from the television screens in our living rooms.

We watch them make spectacular plays in the field and hit the ball over the fence. We hang on their emotions, too: Their deep breaths, their clenched faces, their triumphant leaps into coaches’ arms.

Why are we so fascinated by the Little League World Series? Because it thrusts everyday life into the national spotlight. Many of us have been part of teams that have tried to get to Williamsport, or we just used to hop into the “way” back of our coach’s station wagon on the way to the diamond.

Most of us never got to play on national TV in front of millions of viewers, with broadcasters who normally call major league games detailing our actions. These kids’ dreams become ours. Maybe we even forget, at least momentarily, they are kids.

We expect them to come through and we cheer like heck when they do.

But what about when they don’t?

They are sometimes in tears, too, as are their parents, during and after the most excruciating moments.

“I promised myself that every minute of these games I was gonna enjoy it,” Michelle Anderson, whose son Chase plays for the Lake Mary, Florida, team and husband Jonathan manages, told ESPN this week. “I was a stress ball to get here, but once we got here I said, ‘You know what, I’m going to enjoy the moment.’ ”

It’s a moment where kids’ games are broadcast to the world and their coaches are miked up.

With all the scrutiny, sometimes it’s difficult to decipher the purpose of the event. While it’s tempting to look at the Little League World Series a showcase of the most talented 12-year-old baseball players, it’s purpose is much more simple: It’s once-in-a-lifetime event for kids (and their parents) fortunate enough to soak up and experience it.

We love the Little League World Series, but there are subtle ways to make it even better. Here’s how we can reduce the pressure on kids who play in it and open up opportunities for more of them to have a shot at it.

Keep the broadcasting light

That should have been a double play. Easily.

You want to throw something a little better than that.

That ball could have been caught. Sometimes you give up just split second too early.

Those are on-air comments from ESPN’s Karl Ravech and Todd Frazier in a game leading up to Saturday’s United States championship, which will feature Boerne, Texas, and Lake Mary, Florida. The winner will play for the championship Sunday against Chinese Taipei or Venezuela.

We have a tendency to connect the Little League World Series with the majors. Maybe it’s because 64 confirmed “graduates” of the LLWS have played in the big leagues. But that’s 64 players since 1954.

One of those players is Frazier, who went 4-for-4 in the championship game to help his Toms River, New Jersey, defeat Japan in 1998.  

Frazier played an 11-year major league career. Now 38, he coaches his son’s baseball team. His broadcasting style is tough and supportive.

“That was a perfect executed bunt,” he said when Hawaii’s Kolten Magno sacrificed a runner to second base during a tense elimination game with Florida this week. “Only thing better, (if) he would have gotten it down more to third base … that would have been a knock.”

Magno also singled to start a four-run, third-inning rally to tie the score 4-4. Florida’s lead began to evaporate when two of its players couldn’t turn either end of a double play. The Florida shortstop bobbled the ball and recovered, but the second baseman was looking at first when he received the throw and dropped it.

“And everybody’s safe!” Ravech said.

The scene ramped up, as everything connected to youth sports seems to do. Hawaii parents loudly cheered after the mishap.

“Once the bobble happens, understand: Gotta get that first out,” Frazier said during a replay.

He spoke in a animated voice that helped capture the drama of the moment. But part of the drama was on the shortstop’s face. It wasn’t a dismissive look you might see on a major leaguer when he makes an error, but a look of distress.

It’s a look that can be soothed in the privacy of a dugout or well after the game by a coach’s encouraging words. Had the words come from Frazier, a big leaguer as recently as 2021, the kid would have heard them on the replays of the clip.

“You can see he took his eyes off the ball,” Frazier might have said. “Tough play those guys are capable of making.”

He and Ravech struck a more age-appropriate tone the day before when Florida played Staten Island, New York. It was a familiar scene if you’re a baseball parent. Jessica Mendoza, a major league broadcaster who is also a Little League mom, was also in the booth. She noted how Staten Island coach Bob Laterza constantly chatters with his players while they’re playing.

“He yells all game long,” she said.

At one point, Laterza called timeout and gave one of his hitters an earful of information in between pitches. The kid looked straight ahead and nodded as his coach spoke, perhaps more confused than when he stepped out of the batter’s box.

“Was he listening to him?” Ravech said.

 “I think he was,” Frazier said. “For sure. Can’t remember everything.”

Coach Steve: Some parents need to rethink how they talk to their child athletes

Have more Julie Foudy moments

What question will ESPN reporter Julie Foudy ask next?

“How did you get your kid to eat eggplant?” she said to Jana Grippo, mom to Stephen, a left-handed pitcher for Staten Island.

“In my house, we have a rule: You’ve gotta try it before you say you don’t like it,” the mother replied.

Foudy has found ways to distract kids from the big stage. She played pickleball as a partner of Florida’s Liam Morrisey while asking about his care for his flowing dark hair (shower, brush, conditioner, blow dry). She challenged Henderson, Nevada’s Gunnar Gaudin to solve a Rubik’s cube in under 39 seconds while she chatted with him and teammate Wyatt Erickson about their squad. (He did it in 36 seconds.)

She talks to parents while their kids are in the act of playing, often pitching or hitting, a humorous exercise even without her commentary.

“Rule No. 1 is watching your son,” she told Texas parent Dru and Jessica Steubing as they looked away from her and at the field. ‘But I will ask the questions and put the mike in your face.’

In the middle of one about the low-salt sunflower seeds the couple makes, they shot up and gave their complete attention to a ball their son Gage put into play. They jumped and cheered as it dropped in for a hit.

“Yes! I love when that happens,” Foudy said.

Her words poked fun at the ebbs and flows of our emotions when we watch our kids play sports. It also reminded us not to take those sports (or ourselves) too seriously.

Be more selective in miking up coaches

During a Nevada-Texas game this week, Nevada’s catcher fielded a bunt with a runner on first and errantly threw the ball to second base. The kid immediately knew he made a mistake (as most 12-year-olds do), and you could see him crying through his catcher’s mask.

“We gotta get that out at first, man,” Nevada manager Adam Johnson told his catcher during a miked mound visit a few moments later. The kid started crying again.

Johnson caught himself, like we all do sometimes as coaches when we say something that’s slightly off. Usually, we have the privacy of our team correct ourselves.

Johnson tapped the catcher’s helmet.

“Forget about it, though,” he said. “You’re all right.”

It was a one of those personal instances a coach should be allowed to have with his young players without everyone watching.

This one certainly captured the dramatics ESPN seeks in miking up coaches. But it also caught one unintentionally making one of his players cry.

The network could be more selective in miking up coaches. Record them and then choose the ones that capture them empowering their kids.

For example, the one of Johnson, the assistant equipment manager for the Las Vegas Raiders, speaking to his team before an elimination game with Florida showed us how he inspiring he could be:

“Enjoy the moment and understand what’s at stake,” he said in a calm yet firm voice. “You guys like playing together. You got two more chances you win tonight. Have fun. Smile on your face. Enjoy the moment.”

Play every kid as much as possible

All teams are required to bat their full 12-to-14-man rosters during the Little League World Series. However, they don’t have play everyone in the field.

This rule allows us to see teams’ top fielders who generate those plays we see on SportsCenter. And it gives everyone a better chance to win. It also means a kid could potentially go entire tournament without getting an inning on field at Lamade Stadium.

We all want to win, but isn’t it more important to give every kid a chance to fully experience the Little League World Series? This responsibility falls on coaches as much as Little League’s governing body, which did away with defensive requirements in part due to logistical headaches and violations (intentional and unintentional) of the rules.

Maybe the organization can continue to have discussions to make an equitable format for field play work. In the meantime, coaches can strive to play everyone as as much as possible. That’s the spirit of Little League at the local level.

Requiring their coaches to play everyone more equally in the postseason tournament might also open up an easier path to the World Series. Teams that have a few large, dominant players (height can be a huge advantage at age 12) can ride them all the way to Williamsport. But more teams have a shot if everyone is forced to lean heavily on their entire roster.

Coach Steve: 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by age 13. Why?

Let’s all remember these are 12-year-olds, and they are all about teamwork

Relying on more players also builds team unity. We all need that kind of support.

Caleb Gomez is a speedy center fielder on the Nevada team that was eliminated by Florida this week. During that game, Foudy spoke with his mother, Anjanette, about how he and some kids he knows had mental struggles when they played baseball and in school.

You know how you feel as a kid when you strike out or miss a play.

“There is really no safe space to talk about it,” Anjanette told Foudy.

Anjanette, a psychiatric case worker finishing up her master’s degree in social work, helped them start the “Pass the ball” podcast to give young athletes that place. They have recorded three episodes and welcome you to follow and reach out to them on Instagram (@cgogo9) if your young athlete wants to join the discussion.

Caleb came to bat with two outs and a runner on base in the bottom of the last inning. His team was trailing 6-3. With the nerves and pain visible in his face, he lined a hard, two-strike single to left field. He was crying when he reached first base.

Ravech hit just the right note.

“Atta boy, Caleb,” he said. “Man, you got the big hit. So good. Shows how much it means to these kids.”

Let’s hope we see Caleb playing again on TV someday. In the meantime, he gets to go home and be one again.

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.