Indiana and Ohio State appear to be on a collision course for the Big Ten championship game.
Oregon’s path to the playoff became more difficult after a loss to Indiana and their best win losing value.
Ole Miss faces a crucial two-game road stretch that will define its season and playoff chances.

Half of the college football season is behind us, and while we’ve learned a lot, there’s still much yet to be determined in the quest for championships.

The results in Week 7 certainly left us with plenty to ponder here at Overreaction HQ. They apparently caused a lot of other people to react as well, as the coaching carousel made a couple more stops on Sunday.

Since those decisions are final, we will leave others to consider the fallout and focus on overreactions at other locales throughout the land. We’ll begin with the possible aftermath of the most notable game of the week.

The Big Ten title game is already a done deal

While Indiana made the biggest splash with its triumph at Oregon, Ohio State went about its business with another ranked win on the road at Illinois. Given the seemingly few hurdles left on their respective schedules, those two are on a collision course to meet in the conference finale.

Is it too soon for such a pronouncement? Maybe. The Buckeyes and Ryan Day still need to slay the Michigan monster at the end of this book, and the Hoosiers and Ohio State both have dates with a suddenly feisty UCLA. However, the games against Penn State that seemed difficult got much easier in the span of two weeks. As matters have unfolded around the rest of the league, their toughest tests would appear to be behind them. See you in Indianapolis.

Oregon is fine

On the surface, a single loss by the Ducks to a top-five team won’t be all that damaging in the long term. But Oregon’s own game was not the one that did the most harm to its resume over the weekend. We refer of course to the Penn State implosion that stripped the Ducks’ best win of nearly all its value.

Oregon can still present a viable at-large case to the committee by getting to 11-1, but a second loss could make things dicey. The Ducks have just two more trips outside the Pacific time zone to Rutgers and Iowa, neither of which will be cakewalks. They must also hope November opponents Southern California and Washington keep winning to help their overall schedule strength. So yes, they’re probably fine, but neither can they afford to get complacent.

Ole Miss fans should be worried

The Rebels can perhaps be forgiven for letting Washington State hang around much, much longer than they should have, but that didn’t help the fans in Vaught Hemingway Stadium breathe any easier. Ole Miss’s narrow escape cost it a position in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but all will be forgiven if the Rebels survive their next two assignments on the road.

The good news for the Rebs is a split of their trips to Georgia and Oklahoma would leave them in excellent shape heading into November, where a stretch drive that is comparatively easier than that faced by their fellow league contenders awaits. Even if Ole Miss drops its next two, a 10-2 finish would present a strong at-large case. Of course, such a losing streak on the heels of this recent close call might not bode well for the team’s psyche the rest of the way, which could lead to a third loss that would be considerably more damaging. There shouldn’t be panic yet, as the folks in Athens and Norman have their own worries, but the next two weeks in Oxford will be quite interesting.

The ACC race goes through – Duke?

Miami fans are all too aware of their team’s November history in the Mario Cristobal era, so they’d probably prefer that we not pencil the Hurricanes into the ACC championship game just yet. But they’re undeniably the league’s most accomplished first-half team, and they figure to be installed as favorites in the rest of their games.

It’s fair to speculate then who might be joining the Hurricanes in Charlotte, North Carolina. The most obvious candidates are No. 12 Georgia Tech and No. 19 Virginia, the only other ACC members currently in the Top 25 – both of whom still have clean conference records.* As the scheduling fates would have it, the Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers do not play each other, nor is either of them slated to meet Miami in the regular season. Both do, however, have to travel to Duke, which is also still unscathed in conference play. There’s likely to be plenty of chaos involving those contenders as well, but next Saturday’s contest between Georgia Tech and Duke, will shape the title hunt more than most observers envisioned at the start of the campaign.

*For those unaware, the Week 2 game between Virginia and North Carolina State was scheduled as a non-conference game, so the Cavaliers’ loss did not count in the league standings.

Lone Star reckoning

What if we told you – that at the midpoint of the season there would be two teams from Texas in the top 10, and the Longhorns wouldn’t be one of them?

Naturally, as football is rather important in the state, devotees of No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 8 Texas Tech can’t help engaging in, uh, friendly banter about whose team is more worthy of its lofty ranking. Unfortunately, with the Southwest Conference is a thing of the past, the Aggies and Red Raiders won’t be able to settle the matter on the field.

Ah, but in the playoff? That’s a different story. Regular readers of this weekly feature might recall we were able to wish a Hoosier State showdown between Notre Dame and Indiana into being last year. Never mind that the game itself didn’t really live up to its billing. The point is it happened, so it’s time to start beating the drums for another in-state playoff showdown that has a lot more history to it. Sure, the Raiders and Aggies themselves have a lot of work to do first, but wouldn’t we love to see it?

The Kansas City Chiefs were desperate for a win entering their Week 6 ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup with the Detroit Lions. They were able to earn one thanks to a sparkling effort from Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes guided the Chiefs to a 30-17 victory in a game where he once again served as a catalyst for Kansas City’s offense. The 30-year-old signal-caller was accurate throughout the evening while picking on a Lions defense that was missing five of the top six cornerbacks from its season-opening roster.

Overall, Mahomes completed 22 of 30 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns while adding 34 yards and a score on the ground. The numbers were every bit as good as they looked, as the veteran quarterback threw in rhythm and read the field well during the contest.

Most encouragingly, Mahomes looked comfortable distributing the ball to his top receiving weapons. Travis Kelce (six catches, 78 yards) had one of his most productive games of the season while Hollywood Brown also had a nice outing with four catches, 45 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs are now 3-3 after their victory over the Lions and are set to get Rashee Rice back from suspension in Week 7. That should position Kansas City’s offense to continue its ascent as it looks to claw its way back to the top of the AFC West.

Meanwhile, the Lions will look to bounce back in an anticipated Week 7 clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Detroit may once again have a thin secondary, especially if safety Brian Branch receives any sort of punishment for his role in the brawl that occurred at the end of the Lions’ loss to the Chiefs. 

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the Week 6 matchup between the Chiefs and Lions on Sunday night below.

Chiefs vs. Lions instant takeaways

Kansas City is heating up: The Chiefs’ offense is starting to find a rhythm. Kansas City’s offense is still a bit too dependent on Patrick Mahomes, but his receiving weapons are starting to step up. Travis Kelce and Hollywood Brown both had strong showing,s while Xavier Worthy caught a touchdown early in the game. Adding Rashee Rice to that unit should only improve it and make Kansas City even more dangerous.
Detroit’s defensive struggles: The Lions need their secondary to get healthy. Detroit put up a valiant effort considering it was without five of its top six cornerbacks for Sunday’s game while safety Kerby Joseph also got banged up during. But until they can get some of those players back, it will be difficult for Detroit to contain a top-tier passing offense. That could spell trouble for the team as they prepare for a date with Tampa Bay.
Postgame fight will have significant fallout: Brian Branch and JuJu Smith-Schuster are likely to face punishment. Look, the NFL isn’t going to take kindly to ‘Sunday Night Football’ being marred by an end-of-game brawl. Branch figures to be punished after starting it, while Smith-Schuster may end up being fined for responding to the safety’s punch. The biggest question is whether Branch will be suspended for his role in it.

Patrick Mahomes stats vs. Lions

22-of-30 (73.3% completion rate)
257 passing yards
3 passing touchdowns
0 interceptions
132.2 passer rating
10 rush attempts for 32 yards, 1 rushing touchdown

Travis Kelce stats vs. Lions

6 receptions
7 targets
78 receiving yards
0 touchdowns

Xavier Worthy stats vs. Lions

2 receptions
4 targets
20 receiving yards
1 receiving touchdown
1 rushing attempt, 6 rushing yards

Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown stats vs. Lions

4 receptions
4 targets
45 receiving yards
2 receiving touchdowns

Jared Goff stats vs. Chiefs

23-of-29 (79.3% completion rate)
203 passing yards
2 passing touchdowns
0 interceptions
118.8 passer rating
1 rush attempts for 7 yards

Jameson Williams stats vs. Chiefs

6 receptions
7 targets
66 receiving yards
1 receiving touchdown

Jahmyr Gibbs stats vs. Chiefs

17 rushing attempts
65 rushing yards
0 rushing touchdowns
1 reception
1 target
0 receiving yards
0 receiving touchdowns

Amon-Ra St. Brown stats vs. Chiefs

9 receptions
10 targets
45 receiving yards
0 receiving touchdowns
1 rushing attempt, 2 rushing yards

Chiefs-Lions fight postgame

The fight started after Lions safety Brian Branch threw an open-handed punch at the face of Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the Chiefs took a knee to seal a 30-17 victory.

It wasn’t clear what precipitated the punch. Branch walked straight up to Smith-Schuster following Patrick Mahomes’ final kneel-down, ignoring an offered handshake from the quarterback to go up to the veteran receiver.

Chiefs vs. Lions highlights

Chiefs vs Lions final score: Chiefs 30, Lions 17

Jared Goff can’t complete fourth-and-1 pass to Jameson Williams, sealing Chiefs win

Goff and the Lions weren’t able to do much following the Chiefs’ field goal drive. They gained nine yards on three plays before being forced to go for it on fourth-and-1.

Goff threw a low, downfield pass to Williams, but the speedster couldn’t haul it in. The Chiefs will take over after the turnover on downs and will just need to take a few knees to run out the clock.

Chiefs vs Lions score: Harrison Butker makes 33-yard field goal to give Chiefs 13-point lead

The Chiefs bled the clock down to 2:26 remaining before Butker knocked in a 33-yard field goal. The Lions have used all their timeouts, so they will likely need to score a touchdown and recover an onside kick to have a chance to get back into the game.

Charles Omenihu sack forces Lions into three-and-out

The Lions were unable to answer the Chiefs’ most recent score. Detroit got into a third-and-medium situation, and Kansas City got instant pressure on Jared Goff, who was sacked by Omenihu.

Jack Fox came on to punt, and Nikko Remigio had a nice return. Fox actually had to make the tackle beyond midfield, though he nearly forced Remigio into a costly fumble.

But the Chiefs now have the ball across midfield with 7:12 left in regulation.

Chiefs vs. Lions score: Chiefs answer back as Patrick Mahomes hits Hollywood Brown for 3-yard TD

The Chiefs didn’t waste much time answering LaPorta’s TD. Mahomes helped the Chiefs march down the field on a nine-play, 69-yard drive before Brown caught his second touchdown of the game after breaking open coming across the middle of the field and to the right side of the end zone.

Harrison Butker made his extra point, and the Chiefs are now leading 27-17 with 9:30 left in regulation.

Chiefs 27, Lions 17

Chiefs vs. Lions score: Sam LaPorta makes brilliant, toe-tap TD in traffic to cut Kansas City’s lead to 3

The Lions have cut the Chiefs’ lead to just one possession thanks to a great catch by LaPorta on the back line of the end zone. Chamarri Conner was in tight coverage against the tight end, but he managed to grab the ball one-handed before securing it and getting both his feet down in bounds.

Jake Bates made the extra point to cut Kansas City’s lead to 20-17 with 14:14 left in the fourth quarter.

Chiefs 20, Lions 17

Chiefs leading Lions 20-10 entering fourth quarter, but Detroit is driving

The Chiefs managed to double up on touchdowns before and after halftime to give themselves a 20-10 lead over the Lions. However, Detroit will open the fourth quarter with a first-and-goal after moving the ball 72 yards on six plays over the final 3:34 of the third quarter.

Patrick Mahomes has, per usual, been the catalyst for Kansas City’s offense. He is once again leading the team in rushing yards (34) and has three total touchdowns and 210 passing yards through three quarters.

Meanwhile, Jared Goff has spread the ball around en route to a 116.3 passer rating through three quarters. Jameson Williams is leading the team with 66 receiving yards, but Amon-Ra St. Brown, after being slowed down in the early stages of the game, is up to eight catches for 42 yards.

Lions force the first Chiefs punt of the night

Like Detroit, Kansas City was able to pick up one first down but couldn’t mount a scoring drive. The Lions stopped Patrick Mahomes just shy of the line to gain on a third-and-8 scramble, so Matt Araiza was called upon to punt for the first time of the evening.

Araiza’s kick was fair caught at Detroit’s 18-yard line. The Lions will look to cut into the Chiefs’ 20-10 lead with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter.

Lions punt after 7-play drive, pin Chiefs inside own 10-yard line

Detroit wasn’t able to answer Kansas City’s drive-opening touchdown, stalling out after gaining 26 yards across seven plays. Jack Fox came on to punt and delivered a nice one that Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio nearly had trouble fielding.

Remigio managed to corral the ball, but Kansas City is backed up and will start its next drive from the 7-yard line.

Should Travis Kelce’s catch have counted?

Kelce had a 13-yard catch on the Chiefs’ touchdown drive. Should it have counted? It appeared the ball may have hit the ground as the veteran tight end went to the ground.

Ultimately, the play wasn’t reviewed. The Chiefs rushed to the line to get a play off, and Patrick Mahomes scrambled for an 11-yard gain.

NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay opined the play would have stood, as he believed Kelce had control. Still, the ball hit the ground in some fashion and likely should have been reviewed.

Chiefs vs Lions score: Hollywood Brown scores on 9-yard pop pass from Patrick Mahomes

The Chiefs marched down the field to open the second half. They capped it off with a quick pop pass to Brown, which the speedster brought around the left side of the line and into the end zone for a score.

Harrison Butker made the extra point and the Chiefs have extended their lead to 20-10.

Chiefs 20, Lions 10

Travis Kelce briefly exits after being rolled up on, returns

The Chiefs’ first offensive play of the second half was a screen pass to Brashard Smith. The play went for 9 yards, but at the end of it, Kelce had his legs rolled on from behind. 

Kelce briefly exited the game and was seen speaking to athletic trainers on the Chiefs’ sideline. He managed to return just a few plays after exiting the game.

Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff have identical passer ratings at halftime

How good have Mahomes and Goff been in the first half? Both quarterbacks posted identical 124.7 passer ratings across the first 30 minutes.

Patrick Mahomes stats at halftime

10 of 14 passing (71.4%)
132 passing yards
1 passing TD
4 carries
15 rushing yards
1 rushing TD
124.7 passer rating

Jared Goff stats at halftime

9 of 12 passing (75%)
93 passing yards
1 passing TD
1 carry
7 rushing yards
124.7 passer rating

Travis Kelce stats at halftime

Kelce enjoyed a strong first half, with his fiancée, Taylor Swift, confirmed to be in attendance. He recorded three catches for 40 yards in the first half and was tackled on the 1-yard line after a 17-yard catch near the end of the half.

Chiefs lead Lions 13-10 after fast-moving first half

The Lions went three-and-out on their final possession of the first half and punted for the first time. The Chiefs decided to take a knee with just 10 seconds remaining as they are set to start the second half with the ball.

Thus far, the Kansas City vs. Detroit game has lived up to the hype. Both Andy Reid and Dan Campbell have coached aggressively, going for it on multiple fourth downs and trusting their quarterbacks to make big plays.

Patrick Mahomes has had a strong showing thus far, completing 10 of 14 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown while adding 15 yards and a score on the ground. He figures to continue attacking a Detroit secondary that is down multiple starting cornerbacks and is dealing with an in-game injury to Kerby Joseph.

Jared Goff has also performed respectably, completing 9 of 12 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. But Detroit’s best drives have come when it has leaned on Jahmyr Gibbs (13 carries, 59 yards) and its running game to control the clock.

Chiefs vs Lions score: Patrick Mahomes punches in 1-yard TD with 37 seconds left before halftime

The Chiefs managed to get into the end zone again after operating an effective two-minute drill. After Travis Kelce caught a 17-yard pass to get the Chiefs to the 1-yard line, the Chiefs ran an option play on first-and-goal. The Lions jumped offside, but Mahomes was able to scramble into the end zone untouched regardless.

Harrison Butker made the extra point to put the Chiefs up 13-10 with 37 seconds left until halftime. The Lions have one timeout remaining.

Chiefs 13, Lions 10

Amon-Ra St. Brown drops fourth-down wobbler from Jared Goff

Dan Campbell stayed true to his roots, allowing his team to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Kansas City 44-yard line. Goff delivered a wobbly pass in St. Brown’s direction, but the receiver could not bring it in.

The Chiefs will have a chance to mount a scoring drive with 2:42 left in the first half.

Kerby Joseph injury update

Joseph, a starting safety for the Lions, limped off the field because of a knee injury in the second quarter. Detroit’s medical staff was checking the stability of his knee, per the NBC broadcast, and the team deemed him ‘questionable’ to return to the game.

Lions come up with fourth-and-1 stop thanks to Thomas Harper pass breakup

Patrick Mahomes rolled out to the right to pass on a fourth-and-1 from Detroit’s 20-yard line. The 30-year-old quarterback couldn’t find anyone open and didn’t have a running lane with linebacker Alex Anzalone bearing down on him.

Mahomes eventually tried to fit in a pass to Xavier Worthy, but Harper, a backup safety playing in place of the injured Kerby Joseph, managed to get a hand on the ball. It fell harmlessly to the ground and created a turnover on downs.

Kareem Hunt converts fourth-and-1 on short carry

The Chiefs had a fourth-and-1 on Detroit’s 41-yard line and decided to go for it. Patrick Mahomes handed it to Hunt, who was lined up as a fullback, and the veteran bulldozed ahead for a couple of yards to keep the drive going.

Chiefs vs Lions score: Lions get first TD courtesy of Jameson Williams

After Jared Goff’s TD reception was wiped out because of a penalty, Williams caught the Lions’ first score on Sunday night. Goff found him over the middle of the field, and the speedster managed to find a way through Kansas City’s defense for the score.

Jake Bates made the extra point to put Detroit ahead 10-6 early in the second quarter.

Lions 10, Chiefs 6

End of first quarter: Chiefs lead by three

The first quarter was dominated by a long, methodical 15-play drive by Detroit, which took over nine minutes off the clock. The Chiefs responded with a touchdown and lead Detroit 6-3 entering the second quarter. The Lions have the ball and are driving into Chiefs territory after a 26-yard reception by tight end Sam LaPorta.

Chiefs vs Lions score: Xavier Worthy TD on Chiefs opening drive

Like the Lions, the Chiefs drive down the field on their opening possession and put points on the board. Except Kansas City finds the endzone and did so in just over four minutes. The second-year speedster, Xavier Worthy ran into the flat and sprinted into the end zone to score the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game. Harrison Butker missed the extra point, so the Lions get the ball trailing by three points.

Chiefs 6, Lions 3

Chiefs vs Lions score: Jake Bates puts Lions on the board first

The Lions opening drive went 61 yards on 15 plays while taking over nine minutes off the clock. Dan Campbell opted for a field goal after the touchdown was overturned and Jake Bates kicked through a 28-yard kick to put the Lions ahead.

Lions 3, Chiefs 0

Jared Goff 1-yard TD catch wiped out by illegal formation call

The Lions get on the board first with a gutsy call from Dan Campbell. Detroit motioned Goff out of the backfield on fourth-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line. David Montgomery threw the ball to Goff, who bobbled it briefly but reeled it in for what looked like a touchdown.

However, Goff never paused as he went into motion, which resulted in an illegal motion penalty. That wiped out the score and made it fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line.

Lions run hook-and-ladder play on opening drive vs. Chiefs

Dan Campbell appears ready to empty his bag Sunday night. The Lions broke out a trick play on the first drive, a short throw to Amon-Ra St. Brown who tossed it back to Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Chiefs were able to sniff it out and stop Gibbs for a gain of just 4 yards.

What time does Chiefs-Lions NFL game start?

The Chiefs and Lions game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 12.

What channel is Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions on tonight?

The Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions game will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday night.

Cord-cutters can also stream the game on Peacock or with Fubo, which comes with a free trial.

Watch NFL games live with Fubo (free trial)

Chiefs vs. Lions prediction

Despite the slow start for Kansas City, this matchup could still be a Super Bowl preview. The AFC appears to be wide open a third of the way into the season and Detroit’s dominance in the NFC doesn’t appear to be slowing. There’s some chatter about the walls crumbling around the dynastic Chiefs but they can put that noise to bed with a win tonight. Detroit’s defense is littered with injuries, and Mahomes is playing at an MVP-level despite being without his top receiver, Rashee Rice. As long as the Chiefs don’t beat themselves with penalties, they will get back in the win column in a classic shootout.

Prediction: Chiefs 33, Lions 28

Chiefs inactives vs. Lions

Lions inactives vs. Chiefs

Chiefs vs. Lions live stream

Live stream: Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s proprietary streaming service, will carry the ‘SNF’ game.

Fubo will also carry the Chiefs vs. Lions game. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Chiefs vs. Lions injury report

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AFC West standings

The Chiefs enter ‘Sunday Night Football’ in third place in the AFC West. Here’s how the division stacks up:

Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Denver Broncos (4-2)
Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-4)

NFC North standings

The Lions enter ‘Sunday Night Football’ in first place in the NFC North. Here’s how the division stacks up:

Detroit Lions (4-1)
Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)
Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
Chicago Bears (2-2)

Chiefs 2025 schedule

Lions 2025 schedule

Who are the announcers for Chiefs vs Lions on NBC? 

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 

When will Rashee Rice return?

The Chiefs wide receiver is eligible to return from his suspension in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

What is the Kansas City Chiefs’ record?

The Chiefs enter their matchup with the Lions at 2-3. They opened the season with back-to-back losses to the Chargers and Eagles but bounced back with two consecutive wins over the Giants and Ravens before losing to the Jaguars in Week 5.

Is Xavier Worthy playing tonight vs. Lions?

Worthy is set to suit up for the Chiefs on ‘Sunday Night Football.’ While he was a mid-week addition to the team’s injury report, he was not listed with an injury designation heading into tonight’s matchup after logging a full practice on Friday.

Is Taylor Swift at the Chiefs game tonight?

Swift’s attendance for the Chiefs’ Sunday night Week 6 game against the Lions has not been confirmed.

There has not been a confirmed Swift sighting at a Chiefs game thus far this season. However, Travis Kelce typically performs better when his fiancée is confirmed to be watching him play in person.

Who is the Chiefs left tackle?

Jaylon Moore is set to start at left tackle for the Chiefs tonight. He will replace first-round rookie Josh Simmons, who started Kansas City’s first five games before being a late scratch in Week 6 for personal reasons.

Moore, 27, is in his first year with the Chiefs after spending the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers. He appeared in 60 games with 12 starts for San Francisco and inked a two-year, $30 million deal to come to Kansas City in free agency.

They were road-weary, trotted out their least-distinguished starting pitcher on short rest and were walking into a playoff thunderdome in Canada.

Yet the Seattle Mariners remained impervious to the elements.

They broke serve in this American League Championship Series, snagging Game 1 from the Toronto Blue Jays behind Bryce Miller’s clutch pitching, the unstoppable Cal Raleigh’s game-tying home run and a pair of RBI hits from new October hero Jorge Polanco to register a 3-1 victory at Rogers Centre.

Oh, the Mariners aren’t necessarily in command of this ALCS. In Game 2 Oct. 13, they’ll have to deal with daunting Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage and his killer split-finger pitch. The Mariners will counter with Logan Gilbert, one of seven pitchers they had to burn when it took 15 innings to eliminate the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS on Oct. 10.

Tapped out and testy after travel delays getting from Seattle to Toronto, they turned to Miller, who pitched 4 ⅓ innings three days earlier. Give us what you got, surely, was the implication.

Miller gave them plenty, pitching six innings of two-hit ball and settling in after George Springer hit a first-pitch home run and he issued two walks in the bottom of the first before escaping.

‘I think the hope was to get through four,’ Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame press conference of the hopes for Miller. ‘It was evident that he wasn’t wanting to come out of that one, and you didn’t want him to come out of the game because he was just attacking, and it was awesome.’

Springer’s blast stood up until Raleigh, the record-shattering 60-homer catcher, went down and battered a Kevin Gausman split-finger pitch for a homer to right in the sixth inning. A walk, a pitching change and a wild pitch set the stage for Polanco, whose bases-loaded single ended the ALDS all-night affair in the 15th inning.

This time, batting right-handed, he ripped a single to right off lefty Brendon Little, scoring Julio Rodriguez with the go-ahead run. Polanco added an RBI single through a drawn-in infield in the eighth.

From there, the Mariners bullpen picked up the slack, with Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andres Muñoz providing perfect relief over the last three innings, with Muñoz collecting his second save of the postseason. 

Time of game: 2 hours, 48 minutes, a vast contrast to the 4:58 it took to complete ALDS Game 5. But the Mariners are more than all caught up on rest, now.

Suddenly, they’re in command.

Here’s how Sunday’s game unfolded:

Jorge Polanco gives Mariners sixth-inning lead

Jorge Polanco lifted the Seattle Mariners to victory in the 15th inning against the Detroit Tigers. Two nights later, he gave them the lead in ALCS Game 1. 

Polanco’s single off reliever Brendon Little scored Julio Rodriguez with the go-ahead run as the Mariners took a 2-1 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the bottom of the sixth. 

Polanco also had a two-homer night in Game 2 of the ALDS. 

Cal Raleigh home run ties Game 1

The Big Dumper has checked in, and Game 1 of the ALCS is tied. 

Cal Raleigh, with the Rogers Centre crowd on its feet anticipating an inning-ending strikeout, clobbered a splitter from Kevin Gausman 420 feet for a game-tying home run and the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays are tied 1-1 in the sixth inning. 

Gausman had retired 15 in a row and worked a 2-2 count on Raleigh, one strike from escaping the top of the sixth. But Raleigh, who hit 60 home runs, clobbered his second home run this postseason to tie the game. 

Gausman followed Raleigh’s homer with a walk to Julio Rodriguez and was removed, striking out five in 5 ⅔ innings. 

Blue Jays 1, Mariners 0 heading into the sixth

After starting with a bang, Game 1 of the ALCS has been commandeered by the pitchers – in most surprising fashion. 

Toronto Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman and Seattle Mariners semi-emergency starter Bryce Miller have each given up just two hits through five innings. The only blemish? George Springer’s first-pitch home run in the bottom of the first, the Blue Jays holding the 1-0 lead ever since. 

It’s quite a turnabout for Miller, who is starting on three days’ rest after throwing 4 1⅓ innings in ALDS Game 4. Yet the decisive Game 5 against Detroit famously lasted 15 innings, and starters Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo were pressed into relief. 

So far, Miller has answered the Mariners’ call. 

Blue Jays still lead 1-0 through three

George Springer’s first-inning home run remains the only scoring in Game 1 through three innings, with Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman getting eight consecutive outs after two singles in the first.

Gausman went 10-11 with a 3.59 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 193 innings in the regular season.

George Springer home run gives Blue Jays the lead

Playoff George has graced the stage, and the Toronto Blue Jays are once again out of the gates quickly in Game 1 of a playoff series. 

George Springer moved into sole possession of fifth place with his 21st career postseason home run, hitting the first pitch from Bryce Miller out to right field and give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead over the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS opener. 

Springer, the 36-year-old four-time All-Star, enjoyed better health and a career revival this year, posting a .959 OPS. His first-inning blast – breaking a tie with Derek Jeter on the playoff home run list – echoes Vladimir Guerrero’s moonshot in the first inning of Game 1 in the AL Division Series against New York. 

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman escaped a first-and-third situation in the top of the first, as Cal Raleigh was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to third. 

ALCS Game 1 underway, Toronto escapes a jam

Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez singled with one out in the top of the first, but Jorge Polanco hit a ground ball to third baseman Addison Barger – who was playing in – and Raleigh was thrown out the plate trying to score. With runners on first and second, Kevin Gausman got Josh Naylor to line out to center to end the top of the first.

Trey Yesavage says people close to him ‘being attacked’

Trey Yesavage, who will start Game 2 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, began his press conference in advance of that outing decrying the attacks and negativity on loved ones since no-hitting the New York Yankees for 5 ⅓ innings in just his fourth big league start.

‘Living in this world where there’s so many different opinions and feelings which results in a lot of hate, it’s sad to see that people close to me are being attacked for my performances on the field,’ Yesavage told reporters. ‘These people have done nothing to warrant negativity for my actions, whether that’s my parents, my brothers, my girlfriend, family. It’s just really sad.

‘I know I have the platform to address it, so I am. I hope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field or whatnot.

Mariners lineup today

Randy Arozarena (R) LF
Cal Raleigh (S) C
Julio Rodríguez (R) CF
Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
Josh Naylor (L) 1B
Eugenio Suárez (R) 3B
Dominic Canzone (L) DH
Victor Robles (R) RF
J.P. Crawford (L) SS

Blue Jays lineup today

George Springer (R) DH
Nathan Lukes (L) RF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Addison Barger (L) 3B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Ernie Clement (R) 2B
Anthony Santander (S) LF
Andrés Giménez (L) SS

Blue Jays ALCS roster: Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt return

The Blue Jays made two changes to their roster ahead of Sunday’s Game 1. Veteran pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt will be active against the Mariners as the playoff series goes from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven.

An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer (5-5, 5.19 ERA during the regular season) is a candidate to start Game 4, the middle of three consecutive games in Seattle. Bassitt (11-9, 3.96 ERA) last pitched on Sept. 18.

Scherzer and Bassitt replace relievers Justin Bruihl and Tommy Nance.

Blue Jays ALCS roster: Bryan Woo activated

The Mariners will have right-hander Bryan Woo, their best starting pitcher this season, available for the ALCS. Woo (15-7, 2.94 ERA) was not on Seattle’s roster for the ALDS after being sidelined by pectoral inflammation during a start on Sept. 19.

The Mariners also added infielder Miles Mastrobuoni to replace outfielder Luke Raley and infielder Ben Williamson.

Mariners’ Matt Brash back in Canada

A native of Kingston, Ontario about 2½ hours from Toronto, Mariners reliever Matt Brash is expecting a nice turnout of friendly faces at the Rogers Centre.

Prior to Game 1, the right-hander joked with reporters that he didn’t need to teach his Seattle teammates the Canadian national anthem: ‘I think someone sang it on the bus on the way over here, so I think they know it by now.’

Brash also spoke of his fond memories about the 2015 Blue Jays, the first time the team had reached the playoffs since 1993.

‘I’ve always been a Jays fan growing up… I remember all of those players, José Bautista and (Edwin) Encarnación and (Josh) Donaldson and all those guys,’ Brash said. ‘It was kind of my first memories of playoff baseball and being really into it.’

Bo Bichette injury update

The Blue Jays held out hope that shortstop Bo Bichette would be able to return from a knee sprain, but he he felt discomfort running the bases on Saturday and was left off the ALCS roster.

‘I feel for him because it’s been a long three weeks physically and mentally. He wants nothing more than to be out there,’ Blue Jays manager John Schneider said before Game 1. ‘But he’s going to keep himself ready and trying to get ready. Hopefully, we advance and hopefully he can kind of check off the boxes that we need him to check off.’

Blue Jays Addison Barger was a ‘die-hard’ Mariners fan

‘Most of my family is from Everett (Washington), so about 45 minutes north (of Seattle). I was a die-hard Mariners fan growing up, went to a few games,’ Toronto’s Addison Barger told reporters.

‘I don’t think I went to a ton, but when we moved to Florida, I was watching the Mariners every single night, like, my whole childhood.’

Have the Mariners ever won a World Series?

Seattle is one of five teams that has never won a World Series title and is the only club in Major League Baseball that has never even reached the Fall Classic.

The Mariners came into existence in 1977 and didn’t make the playoffs for the first time until 1995. This year marks Seattle’s fourth appearance in the ALCS after losing in 1995 (Cleveland), 2000 (Yankees) and 2001 (Yankees).

When did the Blue Jays win the World Series?

The Toronto Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.

They defeated the Atlanta Braves in six games in 1992 for their first title and then beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six to repeat, clinching on Joe Carter’s walk-off home run.

Mariners vs Blue Jays prediction, odds

This will be the second week we lead the best broadcasting moments column with the announcer of the Carolina Panthers game. Who would have thought that two weeks ago? Not me. That’s why we love watching the NFL on television.

We’re highlighting Carolina for a couple of reasons. They are:

It was another exciting Panthers game! Carolina won 30-27 – the highest-scoring game of the week as of this writing – over the Dallas Cowboys on Ryan Fitzgerald’s walk-off field goal from 33 yards out.
Adam Amin.

Amin was behind the mic for Fox for the epic 15-inning American League Division Series winner-take-all Game 5 between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners on Friday. He nailed the call for a game that will go down in history as a classic.

About 36 hours after that game ended, he and Greg Olsen were live from the opposite coast. Once again, Amin nailed it.

That is the combination of range and grind we love at ‘best broadcasting moments.’

Amin and Olsen don’t normally work together. Amin will be without his normal partner, Mark Sanchez, for what appears to be an extended period.

Olsen comes close to stepping on the play and Amin’s narration but cuts out just in time. Already, Olsen has mastered timing while experimenting with the traditional limits. Fun stuff.

Here are three other moments from the booth in Week 6 that caught my eye:

Jim Nantz gets hyped about Baker Mayfield

Honestly, Jim Nantz is all of us when it comes to watching Baker Mayfield in the year 2025.

This is Nantz’s inaugural appearance on ‘best broadcasting moments’ this season. It took six weeks, but it’s hard not to be excited when Mayfield is playing like this. Nantz made sure the viewer felt that way during CBS’ broadcast.

Chris Myers casts classic announcer jinx on Sam Darnold

Those who believe in an announcer’s ability to jinx reality have never heard of the words “coincidence” or “probability” before, but it happens. In football, kickers are typically on the receiving end of the hex.

This time, the victim was Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. The perpetrator: Chris Myers of Fox.

“No sacks of Darnold in this game,” Myers said. ‘Kupp goes in motion. The blitz is on. Darnold is sacked.’

TNF Honorable Mention: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Cam Skattebo

Thursday night was basically a million years ago per the modern news cycle, but this moment between Prime Video analyst and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo will either be legendary or completely laughable in a few years.

The Baltimore Ravens fell to 1-5 after a 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, prompting fan frustration.
Baltimore’s offense struggled, failing to score a touchdown despite running three plays from the one-yard line in a row at one point.
Injuries have plagued the team, including to quarterback Lamar Jackson, though he is expected to return after the bye week.

In the history of bye weeks, perhaps this is the most-needed one for a preseason Super Bowl contender 

Zay Flowers can’t hold onto the football. Cooper Rush can’t command the offense. The defense has backups’ backups playing due to injuries (but did play admirably against a high-powered and rested Rams offense). Fans called for head coach John Harbaugh’s job with cries of “Fire Harbaugh!” as the Ravens fell to the Los Angeles Rams, 17-3, on Sunday, Oct. 12. 

Those people are delusional, of course. Not even a healthy Lamar Jackson hamstring could make the Ravens, a popular pick by pundits and “experts” to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara in February, whole – or a team worthy of (or close to) contending. 

But that doesn’t change how rock-bottom everything feels around the team at the moment. 

“The only worse thing is 0-6, so yes, it’s a big hole,” center Tyler Linderbaum told reporters in the locker room. “We’re going to have to bounce back, take some time to reflect on this bye week, figure (out) what we need to get better at, and we have 11 games left to try to run the table.”

Running back Derrick Henry can only do so much. Credit to the offensive line for a nice push on the opening drive, which opened enough holes for Henry to plow for 45 yards. He finished with 122, the first time he ran for more than 100 yards since his Week 1 outburst against the Buffalo Bills. But the Ravens never found the end zone, not on that successful opening possession or when they ran three straight plays from the one-yard line late in the second quarter. 

The Ravens called two tush pushes with tight end Mark Andrews in what was an insult to the operation of the much-maligned Philadelphia Eagles operation. Andrews was stood up both times. They tried Henry on fourth down and he was stopped for a loss of two. 

“As an offense, we pride ourselves on having a lot of playmakers and being able to score points, which we didn’t do today when we got down there,” Henry said, referencing himself and the Ravens’ receiver contingent of DeAndre Hopkins, Rashod Bateman and Flowers. “They held us out of the end zone on those three plays, which we all know we have to be better and get the ball in there on the one-yard line. That’s unacceptable.” 

The boos only grew louder, whether it was one of three turnovers on downs or the three actual turnovers. 

Flowers was at the center of two fumbles, the second of which was credited to quarterback Cooper Rush. The former Dallas Cowboy has proved ill-suited to be Jackson’s backup in Todd Monken’s offense, and head coach John Harbaugh replaced him with Tyler “Snoop” Huntley in the fourth quarter. 

Flowers did not stick around after the game to speak with reporters. 

“We work extremely hard,” running back Justice Hill said. “This is not a great reflection of the work we put in.”

Finding an empty seat at M&T Bank Stadium in recent seasons has been a difficult proposition. Not during Sunday’s game. Roughly one-third of the seats were available by the start of the fourth.

Harbaugh has grown “tired” of having the same conversation every week. He tried to be optimistic after the fourth consecutive loss and anticipates Jackson’s return in Week 8 after the bye against the Chicago Bears. 

“You can’t replace him,” Hill said. “Getting him back obviously will be a huge deal for our offense.” 

The Ravens’ defense held the Rams to lows in total yards (241) and net passing yards (167). Los Angeles entered the game averaging 401.8 total yards per game and 289.6 net passing yards per game – ranking second in the NFL in both categories. The defense could get Roquan Smith back soon as well. Safety Alohi Gilman (seven tackles), acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers for edge rusher Odafe Oweh last week, fared well. 

“I thought our defense played pretty darn well against a high-powered offense,” Harbaugh said. “It was good to see. We needed to see that.” 

“I’ve been on a lot of teams,” the 13-year veteran said,” but I think in critical situations, we have to be better, like in the red zone down there. In certain situations, we have to be better. I think that’s not just on the coaches, but the players, as well.” 

The bye week is a time for healing – physically, yes. Baltimore needs some emotional and spiritual healing to flush this nightmare third of a season. 

At 1-5, the opening in the AFC North – although the season is only 33.3% over – is slim (even with the struggling Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns) because of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 4-1 start. Only four teams in NFL history have made the postseason after starting 1-5.  

Or it could be a year like the San Francisco 49ers experienced last season – an expected contender whose injuries simply sank them. (Speaking of which, the Niners could be confronting a similar reality after the loss of Fred Warner on Sunday.) 

“When we come back, it’s a brand new season,” Hill said, “a brand new game.” 

LAS VEGAS — Denny Hamlin celebrated his 60th career NASCAR Cup Series victory with a legendary burnout and tears.

“I knew there was no chance I was holding it back,’ he said after winning the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a dramatic surge over the final 10 laps on Sunday, Oct. 12. “Just let it go.’’

The more Hamlin shared, the clearer it became those were not simply tears of joy.

Hamlin said his parents almost lost the family’s home because they sacrificed so much supporting Hamlin’s dream of becoming a NASCAR driver. Hamlin also relayed that his 75-year-old father is ill.

“He’s the one that got me into racing and just took me to a racetrack when I was five and then made all the sacrifices financially to keep me going,’’ Hamlin said during his post-race news conference. “Sold everything they had and we almost lost our house a couple times and just tried to keep it all going. And so I’m glad he was able to see 60.’

Nearly losing the family home wasn’t the only painful memory Hamlin shared.

“I mean, the arguments I had to listen to, I’m in my room,’’ he said. “My mom and dad are just going at it, one saying, ‘I can’t do it anymore.’ The other saying, ‘Please, just one more week.’

“It’s great that it’s all paid off and certainly they’ve got the life now that they deserve before I decided to do this.’’

The sacrifices have led Hamlin to not only to 60 career victories, including three at the Daytona 500, but credentials that surely will get him inducted into the Hall of Fame. But Hamlin did not endorse the path his family took to get him to this point.

“My parents had no money,’ Hamlin said. “My parents had very normal jobs, but they found a way. Now that way is a path that I would never recommend anybody taking. It’s every credit card that comes through the mail – OK, we’ll use it. Asking people to help, and second and third mortgage on the house and just all these things.’’

Hamlin had another reason to be emotional over Sunday’s momentous 60th victory. It guaranteed Hamlin a berth in the NASCAR Championship 4, where he will compete against three yet-to-be-determined drivers in the championship race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2 as he seeks his first career Cup title a few weeks before his 45th birthday.

‘I just know how much work it took for this to happen,” he said.

‘

Curt Cignetti could either be a turncoat, or he could keep authoring this epic turnaround at Indiana.
Penn State is a good job, but NIL and transfer free agency changed game. Indiana can win big now, too.
Call Curt Cignetti? Sure, go ahead. Why not call Urban Meyer, too?

If you’ve got Curt Cignetti penciled in as Penn State’s next coach, I’m afraid I see one teeny, tiny problem.

Cignetti’s going to be otherwise occupied this winter, what with chasing a national championship at Indiana.

If you’re thinking Cignetti could one day build a national title contender at Penn State, I’d invite you to check out the Hoosiers. Cignetti’s current team can win a national championship. If you don’t believe that, you didn’t watch Indiana chew up Oregon.

So, Penn State, good luck trying to find the next Cignetti, because the O.G. would be a fool to leave Indiana and miss out on winning a national championship with the Hoosiers.

Cignetti’s a lot of things. Cocky. Savvy. Strategic. A virtuoso. One thing he’s not: a fool.

Penn State job is good. Winning national title at Indiana would be better

Don’t get me wrong, Penn State’s a good job, with resources and a good recruiting base, but the year isn’t 1986, and national championship pursuits are not reserved to bluebloods. This is the time of the nouveau riche. A basketball school with a sharp coach and an NIL bankroll can pursue glory. Cignetti can chase a ring at Indiana, without the pressures of Penn State. Pretty ideal, eh?

A program’s historical prestige, or lack thereof, has never meant less than it does now. Out in West Texas, a program with a roster funded by a billionaire is vying for a first-round playoff bye.

NIL changed the game, and that includes the coaching carousel. Even a decade ago, if an Indiana coach thought he had a chance to springboard to Penn State, he’d have been on the next plane out of town. Heck, he’d have walked to State College. Now, that’s not necessary, not when Bobby Knight’s basketball school can become a national championship frontrunner — in football.

The season’s longer than ever, too. That complicates trying to plunder a playoff-qualifying coach. Indiana could take an undefeated record into the Big Ten championship game or beyond. Its season could go as late as Jan. 19, the date of the national championship. By then, the transfer free agent market will be operating at full speed.

Would Penn State be willing to hold up its hire to wait on Cignetti? Would Cignetti be up for changing jobs that late in the calendar?

It’s worth finding out. Go ahead and make the phone call, Penn State, but once you learn Cignetti’s not leaving an undefeated squad, move along.

Is Urban Meyer answering his phone?

Heck, while you’re at it, call Urban Meyer. See if he wants to try to stick it to Ohio State. Might be a better chance of Urb dusting off his play sheet than Cignetti walking away from the nation’s No. 3-ranked team.

While the phone is handy, maybe fire off a text to Lane Kiffin and see if he’s up for reprising his renegade past.

Plundering a sitting Power Four coach isn’t a perquisite to success, though.

Look around the Big Ten. None of the guys leading the top three teams — Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon — had been a Power Four coach before their current roles.

Quick, name for me the coach who replaced Cignetti at James Madison, who’s also a Pennsylvania native, and who, like Cignetti, won consistently at the Division II and Championship Subdivision levels before continuing Cigs’ success at James Madison.

That’d be Bob Chesney.

Or, has anyone in Pennsylvania noticed what Alex Golesh is achieving at South Florida? Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying Penn State will settle on a Group of Five coach. I expect the Nittany Lions will chase bigger names. Also not saying Chesney or Golesh would be a home-run hire. I didn’t know Cignetti would be a grand slam for Indiana, either.

For every Cignetti, there’s many, many more Billy Napiers who fizzle after their call-up to the big-time. Plenty of Luke Fickells, too, who flop despite seeming like a natural choice.

If only it were easy to unearth the next Cignetti, everyone would do it.

Strange things sometimes happen when the coaching carousel twirls into hyperdrive, so, sure, check and see if Cignetti would leave his epic turnaround at Indiana to become a turncoat. Make him say no. Once he does, Cignetti can get back to work on that statue (not to mention a raise) that’ll be owed to him at Indiana if he stays.

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.

Sixteen days ago, everything was going well for James Franklin, with his Penn State football team at 3-0, No. 2 in the country and with a seemingly clear path back to the College Football Playoff, where a shot at a long-awaited national championship loomed.

Now, he’s out of a job.

With his team riding a three-game losing streak, Franklin was fired by the Nittany Lions on Sunday, Oct. 12, with the university confirming the stunning news.

The move came one day after Penn State lost at home 22-21 to Northwestern, dropping it to 3-3 and with no wins against Power Four conference opponents.

The two most recent defeats in that run were particularly damning for a talented and experienced team that was No. 3 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. After a double-overtime loss to Oregon on Sept. 27, Penn State came up short against two of the worst teams in the Big Ten, UCLA and Northwestern, in back-to-back weeks.

According to a financial term sheet he signed in 2022, which was obtained by the USA TODAY Network, Franklin is owed $49.7 million for being fired without cause.

Franklin was in his 12th season at the school. Over that time, he went 104-45, which included appearances in the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl. Last season, the Nittany Lions advanced to the semifinals of the playoff, where it fell 27-24 to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame.

Associate head coach Terry Smith will serve as Penn State’s interim head coach.

How did it to a point few people, if any, could have realistically envisioned as recently as last month?

Here’s a closer look at why Penn State fired Franklin:

Why did Penn State fire James Franklin?

By almost any measurement, Franklin is one of the greatest coaches in the history of Penn State, the kind of program where such a designation really means something.

His 104 wins are tied with Rip Engle for the second-most in Nittany Lions history, behind only Joe Paterno, the FBS career victories leader. Under Franklin, a program that was still reeling from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal was rebuilt into a national power. Franklin helped guide Penn State to a Big Ten championship in 2016, five New Year’s Six Bowl appearances and, perhaps most notably, a run to the playoff semifinals last season. He recruited extremely well, stocking the Nittany Lions with talented rosters that featured future NFL standouts like Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons, among others.

For all Franklin accomplished, he had shortcomings that were eventually too glaring for university leadership to ignore.

Franklin’s teams regularly struggled to beat the best opponents on their schedule in the kinds of games that define seasons and coaching tenures. With a 30-24 loss to Oregon on Sept. 27, Franklin fell to 4-21 against top-10 teams at Penn State. 

Those woes were most pronounced against Ohio State, a team that frequently stood as the Nittany Lions’ biggest obstacle in its quest to make the playoff and win a national championship under Franklin. Franklin ended his tenure at Penn State with just a 1-10 record against the Buckeyes, which included eight consecutive losses. The Nittany Lions’ last win against Ohio State came in Oct. 2016, in the final months of the Obama administration.

While Franklin’s teams perpetually came up short in their biggest games, they usually made up for it by consistently winning the overwhelming majority of the rest of its games, a tendency that allowed Penn State to win at least 10 games in six of its final eight full seasons under Franklin. With losses to UCLA and Northwestern, though, even that small bit of comfort was shattered.

“Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to Coach Franklin who rebuilt our football program into a national power,” Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft said in a statement following Franklin’s firing. “He won a Big Ten championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.”

This season, the Nittany Lions were one of a small handful of favorites to win a national title. They, at last, had playoff experience to fall back on, having nearly made the championship game earlier this year. They brought back many of their key players, from quarterback Drew Allar to the dynamic running back tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. They were aggressive in the transfer portal to address what had been an inadequate wide receivers room, bringing in Devonte Ross (Troy), Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and Kyron Hudson (USC). After defensive coordinator Tom Allen left for the same position at Clemson, they snagged Jim Knowles, arguably the best defensive mind in the sport, away from Ohio State days after he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title.

With the losses to UCLA and Northwestern, though, what was set up to be a dream season quickly turned into a nightmare.

James Franklin buyout

Franklin’s exit won’t come cheaply for his former employer.

According to a financial term sheet he signed in 2022, which was obtained by the USA TODAY Network, Franklin is owed $49.7 million for being fired without cause.

The buyout is the second-largest in college football history, behind only the record-$76 million Texas A&M owed Jimbo Fisher when the school fired him in 2023. The sum that Franklin is owed is more than double the previous second-highest buyout at the FBS level (the $21.45 million Auburn had to pay Gus Malzahn after it fired him in 2020).

James Franklin record

Franklin went 104-45 in his time at Penn State, including a 65-37 mark in Big Ten play.

Prior to his arrival in State College, Franklin was the head coach for three seasons at Vanderbilt, where he guided a previously woeful Commodores program to a 24-15 record and three bowl appearances. His time at Vanderbilt brings his total record as a head coach to 128-60.

Penn State fired head football coach James Franklin after a three-game losing streak dropped the team from its preseason No. 2 ranking.
Franklin’s tenure ends with a 104-45 record, but he struggled against top-10 opponents.
Potential replacements include Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, and Indiana’s Curt Cignetti.

Penn State fired football coach James Franklin on Sunday, Oct. 12 in a move that will create a ripple effect on this years coaching carousel.

Franklin and the Nittany Lions fell from preseason No. 2 in the US LBM Coaches Poll to disappointing very fast following their three-game losing streak. Penn State fell to Oregon in overtime on Sept. 27 before falling to winless UCLA and unranked Northwestern, with the latter two losses mounting loads of frustration with the fanbase and program.

Franklin, who was hired before the 2014 season, led Penn State to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff last season. He finishes his Penn State tenure with a 104-45 record, but struggled against elite prorgrams, posting a 4-21 record against top-10 ranked teams.

Penn State is already without quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season, as he suffered a season-ending injury against Northwestern.

Here’s a look at potential coaching candidates for Penn State.

Penn State coaching candidates

Matt Rhule, Nebraska

Rhule, a Penn State linebacker from 1994-97, is in his third season as head coach at Nebraska with the Cornhuskers 5-1 this year.

The 50-year-old former Carolina Panthers coach from 2020-22 has a proven track record as a program builder, as he led quick and successful rebuilds at both Temple and Baylor. He also has a long friendship with Penn State athletics director Pat Kraft.

But Rhule also has a losing record in games against ranked competition, which might sour a Nittany Lions fan base that bemoaned Franklin’s record in marquee matchups. Other factors to keep in mind are Rhule’s comfort level at Nebraska and the fact he’s already tugged the Cornhuskers through a difficult two-year learning curve.

Matt Campbell, Iowa State

Campbell, who played college football at Pittsburgh and Division III Mount Union, has built Iowa State into a perennial Big 12 contender since joining the program in 2016.

The 45-year-old coach is a two-time Big 12 coach of the year and has two top-15 finishes with the Cyclones. He has also developed numerous NFL players, including Brock Purdy, Breece Hall, David Montgomery and Will McDonald IV.

Campbell has been a hot coaching name for multiple years, and Penn State could be the first job to lure him away. As much as any coach in the Power Four, there’s always been a very high level of interest and intrigue in how Campbell would fare if given Penn State-type resources. What’s clear is his ability to build a successful and sustainable program.

Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Penn State likely will consider Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who has turned Indiana into a national title contender in just two seasons.

Cignetti and the Hoosiers are coming off a 30-20 road win over No. 2 Oregon, rising to a program-best No. 3 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll. He is 17-2 at Indiana.

Prior to his time in Bloomington, Cignetti helped transition James Madison to the Bowl Subdivision and had a successful stint at Elon. He spent six easons as head coach of Division II Indiana University at Pennsylvania, where he father also coached.

The work Cignetti has done at Indiana represents one of the finest coaching jobs in recent Power Four history. While there’s a belief that the Hoosiers have succeeded at a historic level solely because of its offense, that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Cignetti has done an outstanding job turning the Hoosiers into one of the most physical teams in the Big Ten.

Manny Diaz, Duke

Diaz served as the defensive coordinator at Penn State from 2022-23 before taking over as head coach at Duke in 2024.

Diaz has a 13-6 record with the Blue Devils, leading the program to a 9-4 record in 2024. He also was the head coach at Miami from 2019-21, but finished 21-15 before being fired after the 2021 season.

Diaz wouldn’t be the most attractive option, but he has recent familiarity with the program. He’s also a two-time head coach at Miami and the Blue Devils with a clear area of expertise. One negative for his candidacy are the recent links to the Franklin era, which could make Diaz a non-starter.

Jon Sumrall, Tulane

Penn State will kick the tires on Sumrall, now in his second year at Tulane, and will find an attentive audience. Sumrall’s defensive background would be a good fit from a cultural perspective, though he’d need to present a strong plan for how he’d handle the offensive side of the ball. This is more of a long shot because of Sumrall’s deep ties to the SEC and particularly Kentucky, which might have an opening in the next two months.

Brent Key, Georgia Tech

Key would be an unflashy but serious hire for a program that could flourish by embracing the same mentality that has Georgia Tech rising in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Much like Franklin at Vanderbilt, there’s also high interest in how Key could do with a move to a program with much deeper resources.

Mike Elko, Texas A&M

Elko already has an elite Power Four job at Texas A&M, where he’s steadily developing a team and program capable of winning an SEC title and a national championship. But there’s a definite argument for PSU having a clearer and easier path to the playoff and an opening-round bye than at A&M, which would make the Aggies’ second-year coach at least listen to the Nittany Lions’ offer.

Alex Golesh, South Florida

Golesh is one of the hottest names in the Group of Five after leading South Florida to a 5-1 start, including Oct. 10’s 63-36 win against previously unbeaten North Texas. The former Tennessee assistant inherited a one-win team but led the Bulls to bowl bids in each of his first two years to lay the groundwork for this year’s breakthrough.

His background and track record on offense are two major selling points, though his lack of experience makes Golesh one of the Nittany Lions’ backup options.

Fran Brown, Syracuse

Brown, a second-year head coach at Syracuse, has limited head coaching experience but has made a mark after taking the job in 2024.

Brown was the defensive backs coach at Georgia from 2022-23 after serving in a variety of roles at Temple and Baylor under Rhule. The Camden, New Jersey, native was also at Rutgers from 2020-21.

Brown led Syracuse to a 10-3 record last season, and the Orange were 3-1 nthis year after an upset of Clemson. But with starting quarterback Steve Agneli injured in the defeat of the Tigers, Syracuse has lost two in a row.