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2025 World Series: Do Dodgers or Blue Jays have better odds?

With the 2025 World Series just days away, bettors across the country are trying to answer the age-old question: ‘Who is going to win?’

Will it be the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers? They’re a team loaded to the brim with talent, having coasted their way through the playoffs thus far. Or will it be the Toronto Blue Jays? The American League’s No. 1 seed, boasting home field advantage for this series and fresh off a dramatic come-from-behind win in Game 7 of the ALCS.

Here are the odds for each team as we approach Game 1.

2025 World Series odds:

All odds via BetMGM

Who will win?

Per BetMGM, the Dodgers are the favorites to win the 2025 World Series.

Dodgers (-220)
Blue Jays (+180)

The most likely outcome of the series, per betting odds, is a tie between Dodgers in 5 and Dodgers in 6. Both series results have odds of (+350). The most unlikely result, per odds, is a Blue Jays sweep, sitting at (+1800).

World Series MVP odds

Here are the players with the top-15 odds to win World Series MVP:

Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP, LAD (+165)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, TOR (+600)
George Springer, DH/OF, TOR (+1000)
Freddie Freeman, 1B, LAD (+1300)
Teoscar Hernandez, OF, LAD (+1600)
Mookie Betts, SS, LAD (+1800)
Bo Bichette, SS, TOR (+2000)
Blake Snell, SP, LAD (+2000)
Daulton Varsho, OF, TOR (+2500)
Alejandro Kirk, C, TOR (+3000)
Max Muncy, 3B, LAD (+3000)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, LAD (+3000)
Will Smith, C, LAD (+3500)
Tommy Edman, 2B, LAD (+3500)
Addison Barger, 3B, TOR (+4000)

Game 1 odds, lines

Spread: Dodgers (-1.5)
Moneyline: Dodgers (-150); Blue Jays (+125)
Over/Under: 7.5

2025 World Series Schedule

* — if necessary

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27, Blue Jays at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28, Blue Jays at Dodgers, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
*Game 5: Wednesday, Blue Jays at Dodgers, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
*Game 6: Friday, Oct. 31, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET on FOX
*Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 1, Dodgers at Blue Jays, 8 p.m. ET on FOX

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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MLS playoff schedule: 18 teams vie to reach 30th MLS Cup

The Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union (Eastern Conference) and San Diego FC (Western Conference) are the top seeds in their respective conferences.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look to win their first MLS Cup. Inter Miami enters the playoffs as the betting favorite to hoist the championship trophy.
All MLS playoff games will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with select games airing on FOX Sports.

The 2025 edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs opens with its wild-card matches on Wednesday, Oct. 22 and will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 6 with MLS Cup.

Wednesday night’s wild-card matchups include the Chicago Fire — making their first playoff appearance since 2017 — hosting Orlando City SC at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois (8:30 p.m. ET), and the Portland Timbers hosting Real Salt Lake at Providence Park (10:30 p.m. ET).

Following the wild-card matches, the road to the 30th MLS Cup includes best-of-three series in Round 1, and then single-elimination conference semifinals and finals.

Round 1 kicks off Friday, Oct. 24 and features some intriguing matchups.

In the Eastern Conference, FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew renew their ‘Hell is Real’ rivalry. The two teams met in a dramatic 2023 Eastern Conference final, which the Crew won en route to winning MLS Cup. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play Nashville SC, a team the Herons defeated 5-2 on Decision Day as Messi had a hat trick to win the league’s Golden Boot. Inter Miami also defeated Nashville in the 2023 Leagues Cup final.

Out West, Minnesota United and the Seattle Sounders square off; the two teams met in the 2020 Western Conference final, in which the Sounders rallied for a 3-2 win. Los Angeles FC will take on Austin FC, which LAFC defeated 3-0 in the 2022 conference final en route to winning MLS Cup. Expansion side San Diego FC is the conference’s top seed and will look to become the first expansion team to reach MLS Cup since the Chicago Fire won the 1998 league title.

Here’s a look at the 2025 MLS playoff teams, seeds, schedule, matchups and how to watch information:

MLS playoff seeds

Eastern Conference

Philadelphia Union
FC Cincinnati
Inter Miami
FC Charlotte
New York City FC
Nashville SC
Columbus Crew
Chicago Fire
Orlando City SC

Western Conference

San Diego FC
Vancouver Whitecaps
Los Angeles FC
Minnesota United
Seattle Sounders
Austin FC
FC Dallas
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake

MLS Cup Playoffs 2025: Wild card and Round 1 matchups

(All games available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Select games also will air on FOX Sports.)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City SC, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire-Orlando City winner

Game 1 (at Philadelphia): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Chicago Fire-Orlando City winner): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Philadelphia): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)

FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew

Game 1 (at Cincinnati): Monday, Oct. 27 at 6:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Columbus): Sunday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Cincinnati): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Game 1 (at Miami): Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at Nashville): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Miami): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)

Charlotte FC vs. New York City FC

Game 1 (at Charlotte): Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 2 (at New York): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Charlotte): Friday, Nov. 7 (if necessary)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Wild-card match:

Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake, Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 p.m. ET

Round 1 (best-of-three series):

San Diego FC vs. Portland Timbers-Real Salt Lake winner

Game 1 (at San Diego): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Portland Timbers-Real Salt Lake winner): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at San Diego): Sunday, Nov. 9 (if necessary)

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Dallas

Game 1 (at Vancouver): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Dallas): Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET
Game 3 (at Vancouver): Friday, Nov. 7 (if necessary)

Los Angeles FC vs. Austin FC

Game 1 (at Los Angeles): Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Austin): Sunday, Nov. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 3 (at Los Angeles): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)

Minnesota United vs. Seattle Sounders

Game 1 (at Minnesota): Monday, Oct. 27 at 9 p.m. ET
Game 2 (at Seattle): Monday, Nov. 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
Game 3 (at Minnesota): Saturday, Nov. 8 (if necessary)

2025 MLS playoff schedule

Oct. 22: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
Oct. 24-Nov. 9: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
Nov. 22-23: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
Nov. 29-30: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
Dec. 6: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)

Watch the MLS playoffs on Apple TV

MLS betting odds: Who is favorite to win 2025 championship?

According to the latest BetMGM odds, Inter Miami (+450) is the current favorite to win the 2025 league championship.

Here are the championship odds for all of the 18 playoff teams:

Inter Miami (+450)
Vancouver Whitecaps (+600)
San Diego FC (+650)
Los Angeles FC (+700)
Philadelphia Union (+700)
FC Cincinnati (+800)
Minnesota United (+1600)
Seattle Sounders (+1800)
Charlotte FC (+2000)
New York City FC (+2200)
Columbus Crew (+2500)
Nashville SC (+2800)
Austin FC (+4000)
Chicago Fire (+4000)
Orlando City (+5000)
FC Dallas (+6600)
Portland Timbers (+6600)
Real Salt Lake (+10000)

MLS Cup: Results of every championship game since 1996

2024: Los Angeles Galaxy over New York Red Bulls (Dignity Health Sports Park), 2-1.
2023: Columbus Crew over Los Angeles FC (Lower.com Field), 2-1
2022: Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union (Banc of California Stadium), 3-3 (LAFC won penalty shootout, 3-0)
2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 1-1 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 4-2)
2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders FC (Mapfre Stadium), 3-0
2019: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (CenturyLink Field), 3-1
2018: Atlanta United over Portland Timbers (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 2-0
2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders FC (BMO Field), 2-0
2016: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (BMO Field), 0-0 (Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew (Mapfre Stadium), 2-1
2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (StubHub Center), 2-1 (extra time)
2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake (Sporting Park), 1-1 (SKC won penalty shootout, 7-6)
2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 1-0
2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas (BMO Field), 2-1 (extra time)
2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy (Qwest Field), 1-1 (RSL won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (RFK Stadium), 2-1
2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-1 (Dynamo won penalty shootout, 4-3)
2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-0 (extra time)
2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards (Home Depot Center), 3-2
2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire (Home Depot Center), 4-2
2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Gillette Stadium), 1-0 (extra time)
2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy (Crew Stadium), 2-1 (extra time)
2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire (RFK Stadium), 1-0
1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 2-0
1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United (Rose Bowl), 2-0
1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium), 2-1
1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 3-2 (extra time)

USA TODAY Sports’ 48-page special edition commemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead. Order your copy today!

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Spurs vs. Mavericks: How to watch Cooper Flagg’s NBA debut

The Cooper Flagg era in Dallas begins Wednesday night. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick has a lot of hype behind him, and his first game could be a taste of what is to come.

However, standing in his way is another highly-touted former No. 1 overall pick in San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. After missing a good chunk of last season suffering from deep vein thrombosis, Wembanyama is back to terrorize interiors across the league.

The future of the NBA will be on display in this intrastate matchup. Here’s everything to know for fans looking to watch the action.

How to watch Spurs at Mavericks

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. CT
Where: American Airlines Center in Dallas
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo

Stream Cooper Flagg’s NBA debut with Fubo

Spurs at Mavericks odds

*All odds via BetMGM

Spread: Mavericks (-2.5)
Moneyline: Mavericks (-145); Spurs (+118)
Over/Under: 226.5

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Schumer blocks 12th GOP bid to reopen government as Trump says Democrats ‘lost the negotiation’

The government shutdown meandered into its 22nd day with no end in sight after a 12th GOP attempt to reopen the government was stalled and then blocked by Senate Democrats on Wednesday afternoon.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus kneecapped Republicans’ bid to reopen the government for the 12th time in a 54-46 vote where Republicans needed at least 60 votes to advance the measure. The latest failed vote comes as Schumer has demanded another meeting with President Donald Trump and on the heels of an almost 24-hour filibuster by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, that pushed the vote late into Wednesday.

During his marathon floor speech, which began at 6:23 pm on Tuesday, Merkley spoke on authoritarianism — what he called the Trump Administration’s overreach on immigration, separation of powers, and more.

‘Republicans have shut down the government to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ healthcare,’ Merkley said, referring to the healthcare-centered debate holding up consideration of the government’s funding.

He concluded his remarks at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Little has changed in the upper chamber since the shutdown began. Schumer and the Senate Democratic caucus demand that there be a real, ironclad deal to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies, while Senate Republicans remain adamant that there is no path forward available on the matter until the government is reopened.

But what is old is new in a repeating cycle, and Schumer wants to meet with Trump again.

Schumer, speaking on behalf of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., requested another meeting with Trump ahead of the vote in a bid to go around Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and congressional Republicans to secure a deal.

There have been informal talks — more casual conversation than true negotiation — between Republicans and Democrats, but nothing has materialized that puts lawmakers any closer to solving the ongoing stalemate.

‘Hakeem and I reached out to the president today and urged him to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the Trump shutdown,’ Schumer said. ‘He should sit — the things get worse every day for the American people. He should sit down with us, negotiate in a serious way before he goes away.’

The last time the top congressional Democrats met with Trump came just a day before the climactic vote to avert a shutdown. Neither side walked away with a compromise, or agreement, to keep the lights on.

Fast-forward to the shutdown’s fourth week, and Trump signaled he’d speak with Schumer and Jeffries — only after the government is reopened.

‘The government has to be open,’ he said. ‘You know how long it will take for them to do that? Just say, ‘OK, government is open.’ That’s it. There is nothing — They’re not negotiating.’  

‘What they’re doing is saying they lost the negotiation,’ Trump continued. ‘And when we got the great ‘big beautiful [bill]’ done, they lost the negotiation. Now they’re saying, ‘Well, we want to get some of the things we lost.’ But the problem is the things they lost are very bad for our country.’

Congressional Democrats’ initial demands, made in a counter-proposal to the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), called for a permanent extension to the enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits and guardrails on Trump’s ability to claw back congressionally approved funding, among other things.

A White House official doubled down on Trump’s position and told Fox News Digital, ‘We will not have policy conversations while the Democrats are holding the American people hostage. Reopen the government.’

While Democrats desire more than just an extension to the COVID-19-era subsidy, they’ve made their primary argument all about the tax credits.

Thune offered Senate Democrats a vote on the subsidies, but so far they have declined to take the leap and instead are holding out for a guaranteed outcome in the shutdown fight. However, that is unlikely to come as Republicans and the White House, so far, are equally dug in against Schumer’s demands.

‘I think [Trump] wants the Democrats to take ‘yes’ for an answer,’ Thune said. ‘We’ve offered them a lot of the things they were asking for — a normal appropriations process, an opportunity to get a vote on some of the things that they want to see voted on, with respect to the expiring Obamacare enhanced subsidies. But that can’t happen until we open up the government.’

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Trump meets NATO’s Rutte amid canceled Putin meeting: ‘It didn’t feel right to me’

President Donald Trump met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte Wednesday — days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House andafter calling off a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

‘We canceled the meeting with President Putin,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office with Rutte Wednesday. ‘It just it didn’t feel right to me. It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I canceled it. But we’ll do it in the future.’ 

Trump also shed insight into why he isn’t interested in arming Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, after indicating earlier in October he might do so. 

‘There is a tremendous learning curve with the Tomahawk. It’s a very powerful weapon, very accurate weapon,’ Trump said. ‘And maybe that’s what makes it so complex. But it will take a year. It takes a year of intense training to learn how to use it, and we know how to use it. And we’re not going to be teaching other people. It will be just too far out into the future.’ 

Rutte said he visited the White House to discuss ways to end the war, although he said ‘no peace plan is on the table.’ 

‘That’s why I’m here — to dialog again with the president … how NATO, my colleagues and other colleagues in NATO can be of maximum support to get that,’ Rutte said. 

NATO announced Tuesday that Rutte would visit Washington Wednesday, as Trump has said he wants to direct his focus on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine following the ceasefire deal in the Middle East. 

Ahead of his arrival at the White House, Rutte said that Wednesday’s White House visit aimed to build on the momentum after securing the peace agreement in the Middle East. 

‘I was texting with the president after an enormous success in Gaza, and we said, ‘Hey, let’s have a meeting in Washington to discuss how we now can deliver his vision of peace in Ukraine,’’ Rutte told reporters on Capitol Hill Wednesday after meeting with lawmakers, according to The New York Times.

‘I have total confidence in President Trump. He’s the only one who can get this done,’ Rutte said. 

Rutte has visited the White House on several occasions during Trump’s second term, including in July and also in August after Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin. NATO has backed Ukraine since Russia first invaded, and has provided Kyiv with military equipment and other assistance since 2022. 

In August, Rutte and other European leaders joined Zelenskyy in an effort to advance peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. At the time, Trump said that European nations would shoulder the bulk of the burden by providing Ukraine with security guarantees in an attempt to deter future aggression from Russia. 

As part of these security guarantees, Ukraine has sought to become a member of NATO during the peace negotiations. However, Trump has routinely ruled that out as a possibility. 

Meanwhile, Russia’s list of demands has historically included prohibiting Ukraine from ever joining NATO, and concessions on some land that previously belonged to Kyiv. 

Additionally, Rutte’s meeting comes after Trump appeared to throw cold water on any hopes that the U.S. would arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, like Trump had said he was considering doing days ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit. 

‘I would much rather have them not need Tomahawks,’ Trump told reporters Friday. ‘I would much rather have the war be over to be honest, because we’re in it to get the war over.’ 

Additionally, Trump changed his tune on whether Ukraine would need to cede territory it had lost to Russia as part of a peace deal. Although Trump altered his position in September and said that Ukraine could secure back its lost territory, Trump reverted to his previously held position on the matter. 

‘They can negotiate something later on down the line,’ Trump told reporters Sunday. ‘But I said cut and stop at the battle line. Go home. Stop fighting, stop killing people.’

The change in tone came after Trump spoke with Putin Thursday and the two were originally slated to meet this month in Budapest. However, plans for the meeting were scrapped after Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. 

‘Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov had a productive call,’ a senior official said in a statement Tuesday to Fox News. ‘Therefore an additional in-person meeting between the Secretary and Foreign Minister is not necessary and there are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the near future.’ 

Meanwhile, Trump has recently cast doubt on whether Ukraine can defeat Russia. 

‘They could still win it. I don’t think they will, but they could still win it,’ Trump told reporters Monday. 

Fox News’ Gillian Turner and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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FLASHBACK: Ted Cruz predicts ballooning Obamacare subsidies now at center of shutdown fight

Over a decade ago, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, predicted that healthcare premiums would skyrocket, even in the face of subsidies put into effect under Obamacare that were meant to bring them down. 

Today, the ballooning of those premiums and their accompanying subsidies are at the center of the 22-day shutdown that looks poised to get longer still.

‘Despite Obamacare subsidies, many Americans will still be paying higher premiums in 2014 as a result of Obamacare,’ Cruz said in 2013, referring to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

In his 2013 floor speech, Cruz pointed to research from Avik Roy, a healthcare researcher who, at the time, was a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Roy’s research made the case that subsidies passed by the Obama administration would do little to stop government-backed healthcare plans from growing more expensive over time or competing effectively with non-government-backed plans. 

But even those forecasts have paled in comparison to the costs of the government’s emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The subsidies under Obamacare have vastly expanded in recent years. An emergency provision included in President Joe Biden’s 2021 American Rescue Plan widened the range of eligible applicants as a response to the global pandemic. 

Now that those COVID-era provisions are set to sunset at the end of 2025, an expiration date set by Democrats themselves, Democrats are voicing alarm that Obamacare policyholders will have to shoulder the costs of health insurance without the enhanced supplemental aid. 

According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank that focuses on fiscal policy, continuing the expanded credits could cost upwards of $30 billion annually. Findings by KFF, a healthcare policy group, say that over 90% of the 24 million Obamacare enrollees make use of the enhanced credits.

KFF analysis indicates that the enhanced premium tax credits saved subsidized enrollees an average of $705 last year. 

Democrats in Congress, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have demanded some sort of extension to the already expanded COVID-era subsidies as a condition for passing spending legislation to end the current government shutdown, which is now the longest full shutdown in history.

Republicans, who maintain that the subsidies are completely unrelated to government funding considerations, have said lawmakers will address the subsidies when the government is open again.

The most conservative members in Congress have said cutting back on the subsidies is key to returning the government to pre-COVID levels of funding.

Lawmakers in the Senate have voted 11 times on a short-term spending extension meant to keep the government open through Nov. 21 but have so far failed to move past the gridlock over the enhanced premium tax credits.

Cruz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman to Florida? You must be joking

Where else could Marcus Freeman coach and enjoy such an easy November runway into the playoff? Certainly, not at Florida.
Notre Dame not being in a conference offers an advantage.
This side of the NFL, only Ohio State would make sense for Marcus Freeman.

You’ve just got to laugh anytime a college coaching job opens and there’s Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman listed as a potential candidate.

I used to think Kentucky’s Mark Stoops had the greatest job in America. He’s paid $9 million a year to go 4-8. That’s excellent work if you can get it.

Now, though, I’m thinking Freeman outdoes even Stoops for the best job in all the land. Look at it this way: All that stands between Freeman and another College Football Playoff bid is a November schedule of Boston College, Navy, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Stanford.

Oh, my!

Where else could Freeman coach and enjoy such an easy November runway into the playoff? Certainly, not at Florida, one of those schools that’s hiring.

Freeman can pursue a national championship right where he’s at — he proved that last season — and do so without bothering with a Florida schedule that, this November, includes games against Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, three playoff contenders.

Brian Kelly tried trading in Notre Dame’s independence for the SEC’s rigors. How’s that decision working out for him? Not great!

Notre Dame’s independence an advantage in playoff pursuit

At Notre Dame, Freeman enjoys the benefit of coaching a team that’s respected by the playoff committee like an SEC or Big Ten school, without having to actually play a conference schedule. Win-win.

So long as the Irish win out and reach 10-2, they can rest up and prepare for a CFP game during conference championship weekend, while other contenders play difficult games.

Freeman spoke recently on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast about Notre Dame’s adherence to its independence.

“If there’s a time that Notre Dame has to join a conference to ensure they can have the same opportunities to make the playoff as everybody else, then I’m sure our administration would do it,” he said. “Currently, the administration and myself and all of us feel confident that if we win the games we’re supposed to win, we take care of the business we’re supposed to take care of, we have just as good of a chance to make the playoffs as anybody else.”

Let me translate that: Freeman knows he’s got it made in the shade so long as the Irish can handle some November roadkill. He’s telling no lies.

As losses mount to other playoff contenders inside the battle royale of conference play, the Irish are in great shape to enjoy a full recovery from that 0-2 start.

So, I ask: What’s the appeal of a job like Florida for Freeman? I see none.

In this 12-team playoff model, Notre Dame’s independence creates a clear advantage. Freeman’s no dummy. He sees it.

“We’re as well-positioned right now as anybody, we feel,” Freeman said on the podcast. “But, we can never put our program at a disadvantage for postseason play because we’re not in a conference. If that’s ever the case, I’m sure we’ll join a conference.”

In the meantime, bring on the hapless Catholics from Boston College.

For Marcus Freeman, could any job trump Notre Dame?

Pair Freeman with some NIL cash, and the Irish are disproving the notion they can’t lure the caliber of players necessary to pursue a national championship. His latest recruiting class notably outranks Kelly’s at LSU and includes commitments from three five-star prospects.

Freeman converted to Catholicism in 2022. He’s made for Notre Dame. He looks great in green, navy or gold. (OK, sure, he’d look great in any color.) Unless he’s just got some obsession with Cuban food we don’t know about, there’s simply no apparent reason for Freeman to bounce to Florida — or even Penn State, the top job available.

This side of the NFL, Ohio State is the only job that would make sense. Freeman’s alma mater enjoys incomparable resources. That seat’s occupied, though, by Ryan Day’s pursuit of college football’s next great dynasty.

Go ahead, Florida, and kick the tires, but Notre Dame offers Freeman something the Gators never could: a rivalry week showdown with mighty Stanford, with a playoff bid on the line.

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

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Cavs at Knicks odds, how to watch

A season ago, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers were two of the top dogs in the Eastern Conference. With injuries galore impacting other top competitors in the conference, the Knicks and Cavs should have the opportunity to accomplish what neither did a season ago: reach the NBA Finals.

Only one of these powerhouses can come out on top, though. Both teams, too, are facing serious injuries heading into the season. The Cavs will be without Darius Garland, while the Knicks will be without Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart.

Needless to say, this should be a thrilling matchup that gets fans excited for the upcoming season.

How to watch Cavaliers at Knicks

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 22
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo

Stream Cavs vs. Knicks with a Fubo subscription

Cavs at Knicks odds:

*All odds via BetMGM

Spread: Cavaliers (-1.5)
Moneyline: Cavaliers (-120); Knicks (+100)
Over/Under: 226.5

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NCAA to maintain 4-year eligibility rules for through 2026-27

The Division I Administrative Committee on Wednesday, Oct. 22, released a statement regarding eligibility rules for student-athletes for the remainder of the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years.

In a statement shared, the committee said it will ‘maintain existing eligibility rules as they pertain to student-athletes competing in no more than four seasons of athletics competition in a particular sport over a consecutive five-year period.’

That ruling from the committee comes after two Vanderbilt football players ― Langston Patterson and Issa Ouattara ― were among 10 current and former college athletes who challenged the NCAA in a lawsuit in September, seeking to allow athletes to compete for all five years of eligibility.

Statement from Division I Cabinet on eligibility

‘During its October meeting, the Division I Cabinet determined that, for the remainder of the current academic year and for the rosters competing during the 2026-27 academic year, it will maintain existing eligibility rules as they pertain to student-athletes competing in no more than four seasons of athletics competition in a particular sport over a consecutive five-year period,’ said Josh Whitman — chair of the Division I Cabinet and athletics director at Illinois — in a statement.

‘The Cabinet is studying these policies, along with several related eligibility rules, and will later consider what changes, if any, to implement for future academic years. When challenged, the current rules have been upheld by the overwhelming majority of courts. The Cabinet understands, however, that the situation for student-athletes, coaches and administrators remains untenable, with rules changing seemingly on a moment’s notice because of any single court’s temporary ruling.

‘Congress continues to be the best forum to protect these eligibility rules and other academic standards, while providing clarity for current and future student-athletes. As these situations demonstrate, we need bipartisan legislation that empowers college sports to set these basic rules that support academics as a foundational purpose of collegiate athletics.’

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Politics

DAVID MARCUS: 5 things New York Republicans need to hear from Andrew Cuomo

Politics is a funny thing. Five years ago, when he was riding high as the Democrat governor of New York, mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo could never have imagined that the future of his political career would be in the hands of New York City Republican voters.

It’s a bit strange for the Republican voters too, but having lost the Democratic primary to far-left Zohran Mamdani, Cuomo’s only chance to win is to convince those voters, who polls show are backing Curtis Sliwa, that he deserves to be mayor.

So far, for Cuomo, this has mainly consisted of him saying that, unlike Mamdani, he is not a communist. Yes, that’s good, but like putting ‘not in prison’ on your dating profile, it’s kind of the bare minimum.

Whether Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who currently polls under 20%, drops out or not, and it’s not looking likely, Cuomo is going to have to convince Gotham’s conservatives to choose him. Here are a few ways he might do it.

A Seat At The Table

Cuomo should pledge that, if he is elected, Republicans will play a major role in his administration. This could look a lot of ways, including promising to make a strong GOP voice like former City Councilman Joe Borelli or current City Council member Vickie Paladino a deputy mayor. Cuomo’s original pitch in this campaign was to unite the city, but so far there is no indication that his would be anything other than a boilerplate Democrat administration. That has to change.

Support ICE

On Tuesday, Cuomo sent out an ill-advised X post criticizing Immigration Customs and Enforcement for raids in New York’s Chinatown that targeted illegal street vendors. There is no doubt the liberals in Cuomo’s war room noted the chaos on the streets and saw an opportunity to put up points against President Donald Trump. But actually, they missed an opportunity.

The reason we see this aggressive approach from ICE in Gotham is that, as a sanctuary city, the legal system will not cooperate with ICE. So, instead of a simple and safe handover of an illegal migrant with a detainer, the feds are forced to conduct raids. Cuomo, in one sentence, could pledge to end this.

Promise To Work With Trump

One of the most perplexing positions that Cuomo has staked out since he launched his independent bid is that Democrat Mamdani is too weak to effectively fight Trump, but that he’ll walk forward if the president puts his finger in his chest. Cuomo plays the tough guy role pretty well, but the problem is that the voters he needs really like Trump. A lot.

Cuomo can help his cause with GOP voters enormously if he would just say that Trump’s results in Washington, D.C., have been tremendous, and he is committed to working with the president to clean up New York’s parks and streets and deal with vagrancy and addiction.

Call Out His Own Party’s Cowards

Even on the Indie line, Andrew Cuomo is still a Democrat of long standing, and in an Interview with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel Tuesday night, he finally began to call out the threat that the far left poses to his party. He also said that the reason top party leaders in New York like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries won’t endorse him over Zany Zohran is that, ‘If a politician doesn’t have to make a decision, they’re not going to make a decision.’

It’s not good enough. If Mamdani really is the existential threat to New York that Cuomo and Sliwa both claim, then any Democrat who refuses to call out communism in their own party must be put on blast. Cuomo needs to call out the cowardice.

Pledge To Primary Socialists In New York

One of the reasons that GOP voters are skeptical of Cuomo is that even if he won, and even if he had the best intentions in the world, the rest of the city government is overrun with Democrat Socialists who will thwart his efforts.

Cuomo should promise that if elected, he will work to fill all of those positions with traditional, normal Democrats, to the extent he can still find any, and will oppose the vigorous Marxism overtaking the party.

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Even if Cuomo does all of these things, it’s still a long shot, but it would be a new race, a different race. Republican voters need a real choice. They don’t expect Sliwa to triumph, but right now, Cuomo looks too much like Mamdani to win them over.

Like it or not, Cuomo’s chances now rest in the hands of GOP voters. Is he capable of telling them what they want and need to hear?

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS

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