The top five teams remain unchanged going into Week 3.
One 2-0 team made a 15-spot advance, almost into the top 10.
Patrick Mahomes is 0-2 for the first time in his career. What has that cost K.C. in our weekly power poll?

NFL power rankings entering Week 3 of the 2025 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): They have yet to flash their 2024 dominance, and QB Jalen Hurts has done little with his arm so far. But the reigning champs are 2-0, an undefeated mark that will be difficult to maintain given their next three opponents were all playoff teams last season − starting with a Rams team that nearly knocked Philly out of the postseason.

2. Buffalo Bills (2): After trampling the Jets, they now start a three-game homestand against opponents with a combined 1-5 record and don’t see another 2024 playoff squad (K.C.) until November. Sure feels like a fast track to the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

3. Green Bay Packers (3): How well does DE Micah Parsons fit into this unit? Per PFF, he’s on (a very early) pace for 85 pressures even though he’s barely played more than half the Pack’s snaps.

5. Los Angeles Rams (5): For all of the headlines this offense generates, the defense has surrendered just one TD − a figure no other club can match.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (7): They’re set up to become the third team since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002 to open their season with a 3-0 record that includes a sweep of all three of their divisional foes.

7. Washington Commanders (6): Coming off a deflating and damaging loss at Lambeau, at least their healthy players − TBD if QB Jayden Daniels’ knee will be sufficiently healed by Sunday − will have extra rest as the Raiders come cross country to the nation’s capital on a short week.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (8): Since QB Patrick Mahomes is their only player who can run the ball effectively, here’s an idea − get 310-pound LT Josh Simmons some carries.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10): Congrats to longtime LB Lavonte David, the first player in franchise history to start 200 games. If only a growing cast of injured teammates was so durable.

10. Detroit Lions (14): Ben who? During Sunday’s 52-point outburst against their former OC, the Lions averaged a team-record 8.8 yards per play under new coordinator John Morton.

11. Indianapolis Colts (26): Daniel ‘Indiana’ Jones? Let’s take him and his teammates seriously. The quarterback and his undefeated team have quickly become the young season’s surprise story, one that seems likely to continue with an upcoming trip to Nashville.

13. Arizona Cardinals (11): Good thing for the Cards that revenant DL Calais Campbell, 39, still knows how to close out a game.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (9): While the spotlight will doubtless remain trained on QB Aaron Rodgers, it has to concern coach Mike Tomlin that his historically reliable defense and special teams have already surrendered 63 points.

17. Atlanta Falcons (20): This defense generated six sacks and four takeaways? In one game? Seriously? That could be a pretty ominous sign for the rest of the NFC South.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (16): Burrow? Bro? What do you think is going to happen to your feet when you’re defacing your Air Jordans? Now your buddies get to face five 2024 playoffs squads without you over the next five weeks, and that’s just for starters.

21. Dallas Cowboys (23): How about RB Javonte Williams’ resurgence in Big D? Tied for the league lead with three rushing TDs, he’ll match his career high with the next one.

22. Minnesota Vikings (15): With apologies to injured J.J. McCarthy, here’s a wild stat − backup Carson Wentz is likely about to become the first quarterback to start for six different teams over a six-season stretch in the Super Bowl era, which dates to 1966.

23. Las Vegas Raiders (24): Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty has almost nowhere to go but up after averaging 2.4 yards per touch through two weeks.

24. New England Patriots (25): Tied for the league lead with 3½ sacks, OLB Harold Landry III is quickly proving worthy of his offseason investment.

25. New York Giants (28): Next up, a pair of dates with AFC West teams (Chiefs, Chargers) — so looking at Week 5 against the Saints as the possible sweet spot to insert rookie QB Jaxson Dart into the lineup, which might also coincide with Russell Wilson’s arm falling off.

26. Chicago Bears (22): Last year’s first-round pick is looking awfully good − an obvious reference to emergent WR Rome Odunze.

27. New York Jets (21): Where do New Yorkers go when they need to flee the big city? Florida. The NYJ’s next two games are in Tampa and Miami.

28. New Orleans Saints (31): Give them credit for being awfully competitive despite their inexperience under center and under the headset.

29. Tennessee Titans (30): No. 1 pick Cam Ward has already been sacked 11 times, putting him on pace to suffer nearly 100 over 17 games. Someone help this man.

30. Carolina Panthers (29): Monday may have been worse than Sunday amid the revelation that starting OL Austin Corbett and Robert Hunt are both headed to IR for at least a lengthy period of time.

31. Cleveland Browns (27): Dillon Gabriel got to mop up Sunday’s loss to Baltimore. Seems only fair that Shedeur Sanders should get a similar opportunity against Green Bay.

Esteemed actor, director, and environmentalist Robert Redford, 89, passed away Tuesday while surrounded by his loved ones.

Redford was renowned for his iconic roles in movies like ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ and ‘All the President’s Men.’ He also won numerous awards as a director for films like ‘Ordinary People’ and ‘A River Runs Through It.’

However, for sports fans, one specific role stands above all, and that is none other than that of Roy Hobbs in ‘The Natural.’

‘The Natural’ best moments

Redford’s 1984 film, centered around a promising young baseball player from Nebraska, had numerous iconic moments that still get talked about in sports media.

Although many baseball commentators like to use the hyperbole ‘knock the cover off the ball’ to describe any hard hit, Redford’s character Roy Hobbs did exactly that in the film.

However, throughout the film, Hobbs continues to shatter more than just baseballs. Even stadium infrastructure wasn’t safe. Hobbs’ immense power, courtesy of his bat ‘Wonderboy’, led to Wrigley Field’s scoreboard getting smashed as well.

The most iconic moment throughout the film happens toward the end, though. After refusing two bribes and splitting his iconic bat, Hobbs hits another home run to help the New York Knights win the pennant. This time, it destroys the stadium lights.

Where does ‘The Natural’ rank among all-time sports movies?

‘The Natural’ is widely considered one of the greatest sports movies of all-time. At the time of its release, the film was nominated for four Academy Awards. And its stature among cinema fans has remained to this day, constantly named among the top-20 sports films ever made.

Rolling Stone labeled it No. 19 in 2020. ESPN listed the film at No. 6 in one of their lists.

Oklahoma’s defense plus John Mateer offers balance.
Defenses at LSU and Texas look good, too, but where’s the offense?
Georia earns respect by beating Tennessee on road.

OK, so that’s perhaps a bit premature, but programs have been declared resurrected based on less evidence.

Seriously, though, when evaluating SEC teams after three weeks, who’s performing better than Oklahoma? Combine the Sooners’ stout defense with cool-handed transfer quarterback John Mateer, and they’re playing like the SEC’s most balanced team.

Speaking of good defenses, the way LSU’s is playing has Brian Kelly fired up – especially at reporters looking to throw stones at his team’s 3-0 start.

On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each rank their five-best teams in the SEC.

It’s a difficult exercise. More than half the conference remains undefeated, and Tennessee showed a punch despite losing in overtime to Georgia.

There are fewer bad teams in the SEC than in any other conference, but, how many are great teams?

Opinions differ on the conference’s best team.

Who are the five-best teams in the SEC?

Adams’ top five:

1. LSU

2. Georgia

3. Oklahoma

4. Texas A&M

5. Tennessee

Rationale for LSU at No. 1: No other SEC team has a better combination of victories than LSU’s, which include wins at Clemson and at home against Florida. LSU’s defense looks like an elite unit from a past time when the Tigers won national championships by fighting to defend every yard. The offense needs some grease, and Garrett Nussmeier hasn’t find the consistency to match his talent, but that defense is a wrecking crew.

Toppmeyer’s top five:

1. Oklahoma

2. LSU

3. Georgia

4. Texas

5. Texas A&M

Rational for Oklahoma at No. 1: I, too, admire LSU’s defense, but the Sooners’ D looks just as good, and Oklahoma’s offense is in a much better rhythm. If I could choose any SEC quarterback to start for my team for the rest of the season, I’d choose Mateer. He needs more support from his ground game, but that could be coming. Tory Blaylock rushed for 100 yards last weekend at Temple. Several SEC teams are strong on defense, and I’m keeping Texas in my top five, despite Arch Manning’s struggles, based on its defense. Oklahoma’s defense, though, looks like a classically good Brent Venables unit, and Mateer remedied Oklahoma’s previous offensive woes.

Week 4 picks against the spread!

Toppmeyer’s five-pack of picks (picks in bold):

∎ Alabama-Birmingham at Tennessee (-39.5)

∎ Auburn at Oklahoma (-6.5)

∎ Tulane at Mississippi (-12.5)

∎ Florida at Miami (-3)

∎ Oregon State at Oregon (-34.5)

Season record: 9-6 (4-1 last week)

Adams’ five-pack of picks (picks in bold):

∎ Auburn at Oklahoma (-6.5)

∎ South Carolina at Missouri (-13.5)

∎ Florida at Miami (-3)

∎ Alabama-Birmingham at Tennessee (-39.5)

∎ Michigan (-2.5) at Nebraska

Season record: 7-8 (4-1 last week)

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Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.

The stars at night aren’t the only things big and bright deep in the heart of Texas as former No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers was named 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Bueckers becomes the second member of the Wings to win the award, joining 2017 recipient Allisha Gray.

The Dallas Wings struggled in 2025, finishing the regular season tied with the Chicago Sky for the worst record in the WNBA at 10-34, while losing 10 straight to end the season before beating the Mercury in the final game. However, Bueckers was one of the team’s few bright spots.

The UConn product put up one of the best rookie seasons in league history statistically, tallying 19.1 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and 3.8 rebounds per game, with both her points and assists totals ranking top-ten among rookies in league history, per Basketball-Reference.

Bueckers received 70 out of the 72 votes for the award. Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron received the other two votes.

Paige Bueckers stats

Bueckers’ 2025 stats were some of the greatest rookie numbers the league has ever seen. As mentioned earlier, Bueckers’ points per game (19.1) ranks eighth in league history among rookies, while her assists per game (5.3) ranks seventh all-time.

Bueckers also broke the rookie single-game scoring record, dropping 44 points in an August 20 game against the Los Angeles Sparks. Unfortunately, the Wings would wind up losing that game 81-80.

Paige Bueckers receives Rookie of the Year award

Bueckers received a nice surprise when making an appearance on ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show.’

WNBA Rookie of the Year recipients

2024: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
2023: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
2021: Michaela Onyenwere, New York Liberty
2020: Crystal Dangerfield, Minnesota Lynx
2019: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
2018: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
2017: Allisha Gray, Dallas Wings
2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun
2013: Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky
2012: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks
2011: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
2010: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
2009: Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream
2008: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
2007: Armintie Price, Chicago Sky
2006: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx
2005: Temeka Johnson, Washington Mystics
2004: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
2003: Cheryl Floyd, Detroit Shock
2002: Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2001: Jackie Stiles, Portland Fire
2000: Betty Lennox, Minnesota Lynx
1999: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics
1998: Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting

UCLA became a land of broken dreams and interceptions for Nico Iamaleava.
After UCLA fired coach DeShaun Foster, what reason does Nico Iamaleava have to stay?
Nico Iamaleava burned Tennessee, then fizzled at UCLA. He needs a reboot.

The transfer portal can’t open quickly enough for Nico Iamaleava.

This Iamaleava-UCLA union quickly went bust, for all parties involved. The Bruins are one of two winless Power Four programs. UCLA took action by firing coach DeShaun Foster.

Iamaleava’s chance to pursue annulment will arrive in a few months, in the form of the transfer portal’s sweet release.

The Bruins stink, and Iamaleava’s not helping. He needs a reboot, if he hopes to salvage what’s left of his college career.

Nico Iamaleava needs a fresh start, not UCLA’s rebuild

When they write the story of college football’s transfer era, Iamaleava’s vamoose from Tennessee will be held aloft as the paragon for how to mishandle the situation, in the way the Exxon Valdez disaster became the textbook case of crisis management flubs.

Iamaleava waited until demand for transfer quarterbacks had waned before hitting the market. He got faulty advice. He misjudged his worth. He botched a good situation on a playoff-caliber team and wound up taking a pay cut to sign on with a bad team that plays in front of sparse crowds.

Here’s the beauty of being a quarterback in the transfer era, though: There’s always a team in need of a guy with starting experience, and the restart window arrives every winter.

If Iamaleava felt insufficient loyalty to stay with a Tennessee program that made him a teenage millionaire, then there’s no reason to stay at UCLA after this season and play for a new coach and a program in rebuilding mode.

Only a fool would pay Iamaleava what he once made at Tennessee, but never mind money. That’s secondary to Iamaleava’s immediate need for a landing spot where he can showcase his abilities in hopes of building a résumé worthy of the NFL draft. He needs a coach with whom he’ll flourish and a system wherein he’ll thrive. Because, right now, I see a mediocre quarterback on a bad team.

Transferring again would allow Iamaleava to correct what he got wrong last time.

For starters, get a deal done in the winter, and not the spring. If Iamaleava had taken care of his business last December, rather than dragging out his situation at Tennessee into April, he would’ve had better options than UCLA.

Transfer demand peaks in December, creating financial opportunity for transferring quarterbacks.

Carson Beck negotiated a sweet deal with Miami last December. By the time Iamaleava finally forced a breakup with Tennessee and hit the portal in April, most teams had their quarterback in place.

Iamaleava took a reputational hit by jilting Tennessee just before the spring game. Worse, he left a good squad coached by a proven quarterback developer in favor of a bad team out of its depth in the Big Ten, with an in-over-his-head coach.

College is a time when you begin to learn about who you are, and who you’re not. Iamaleava learned the hard way he’s not someone who can command a $4 million deal in the April, and that allowing his dad a spot in the driver’s seat isn’t such a great business move.

Lesson learned? We’ll see.

Suitors gather in December transfer period

Miami will need a quarterback to replace Beck after this season. Coach Mario Cristobal likes transfers. Leaving Westwood for Coral Gables would harpoon Iamaleava’s narrative that he transferred from Tennessee to UCLA to be close to family, but narratives are subordinate to his need for a program where he’ll improve.

Texas Tech will need a quarterback, too, after Behren Morton departs. Couldn’t you just see the Iamaleavas being a big fan of billionaire booster Cody Campbell’s checkbook?

Deion Sanders is in need of a quarterback at Colorado.

Western Kentucky will have a quarterback vacancy, too. Before you laugh at the thought of Iamaleava’s career swirling the drain in Conference USA, I’d remind you Bailey Zappe became a fourth-round NFL draft pick starring for coach Tyson Helton at Western Kentucky.

Point being, Iamaleava would do well to keep all options on the table, and consider what a particular coach and team can do for his NFL prospects, instead of getting sidetracked by zeroes on an NIL deal.

Or, maybe Iamaleava could lean into his heel turn at Tennessee and position himself as Diego Pavia’s heir at Vanderbilt.

Look, I can’t say for sure which programs would exhibit the most interest in Iamaleava. He damaged his stock these past six months. But, show me a quarterback with Iamaleava’s arm talent, and I’ll show you a coach who believes he’s the guy who can add the necessary polish to elevate a struggling quarterback to his previous five-star billing.

Iamaleava isn’t tethered to UCLA. With every Bruins loss and every Iamaleava interception, December free agency can’t get here fast enough.

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.

Molly Qerim, the influential host of ESPN’s First Take, has announced on social media her departure from the show after a decade.

Qerim, a prominent figure in sports media, has been a part of ESPN since 2006. She took over hosting duties from Cari Champion in 2015 and was named the permanent host of First Take in 2017. Though she has only addressed leaving the show, the Sports Business Journal has reported that she will leave the network at the end of the year, according to sources.

‘To my First Take family, after much reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to close this incredible chapter and step away from First Take. Hosting this show has been one of the greatest honors of my career. Every morning, I had the privilege of sharing the desk with some of the most brilliant, passionate, and entertaining voices in sports – and with all of you, the best fans in the world,’ Qerim wrote on social media.

Qerim has not yet revealed her next career move.