If you thought a fine was going to deter Rico Dowdle from fully channeling Hingle McCringleberry, guess again.

The Carolina Panthers running back scored his first touchdown since his paycheck was docked for thrusting two pumps a week ago in his life-imitates-art moment while mimicking McCringleberry, the fictional football player from a ‘Key & Peele’ sketch infamous for drawing penalties with his inappropriate end-zone celebrations.

After scoring on a 5-yard run Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, Dowdle again put his hands behind his head as if he was considering a pump or two, a la McCringleberry, portrayed by actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key, who couldn’t help himself while deciding whether or not to test the official (played by Jordan Peele). McCringleberry had a propensity to test a fictional rule that permitted two pumps but not three.

But Dowdle contained himself this time, eventually celebrating with his teammates while forgoing even a single pump.

The Minnesota Vikings’ Aaron Jones also faked a pump Sunday after scoring a TD against the Baltimore Ravens.

Dowdle was fined $14,491 after being penalized for the celebration following his second Week 9 touchdown against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Not only did he lose money, his 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty contributed to a missed extra point. Dowdle later made amends with a 19-yard run on Carolina’s final drive, setting up the game-winning field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald.

Dowdle joked on social media that he was staring a GoFundMe initiative after learning his wallet had taken a hit.

By NFL standards, the Panthers’ breakout star is vastly underpaid, his one-year deal with Carolina set to pay him $2.75 million − less the cut the NFL has taken.

Dowdle ran for nearly 1,100 yards with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 and entered Week 10 ranked third in the NFL with 735 rushing yards − despite starting just three games since he took over the lead role from Chuba Hubbard.

Dowdle was surprised when he was penalized, holding up two fingers as he left the field for the sideline in Green Bay.

‘From my understanding and everything I’ve learned, we go over stuff like this every week in the meeting room. I definitely think you’re supposed to get two pumps,’ Dowdle said following the game.

His infraction came at a time when the league has emphasized good sportsmanship. However the entire episode has generally been met with good fun, actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key, who portrayed McCringleberry, expressing faux outrage on Instagram on Sunday night.

‘Rico! Man, you got robbed − you only did two pumps,’ said a flabbergasted Key, tongue firmly placed in cheek.

‘I’m sorry, man. Now I’m gonna have to write a new sketch.’

‘We’ve got to be smarter in that situation,’ said Panthers coach Dave Canales while in a forgiving mood Monday.

‘We’ve got to make sure that we understand the rules. I might have to call up Keegan-Michael Key to get clarification on that part of it, but from what I understand, any kind of movement that way, any weapons, or all that stuff is going to get flagged. We’ve got to be smarter about that.’

Sunday, it appeared Dowdle had learned his lesson.

The Week 11 college football schedule provided further clarity for what the respective conference and College Football Playoff races may look like as the season enters its final stretch run.

The top four teams of last week’s US LBM Coaches Poll and CFP top 25 — No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama — won their Week 11 contests, setting up potential championship games between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in the Big Ten and Aggies and Crimson Tide in the Southeastern Conference.

But what about the rest of college football landscape?

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, any hope the league had of producing multiple bids took a major hit on Saturday, Nov. 8, as two of its top teams in No. 11 Virginia (No. 14 in CFP) and No. 15 Louisville (No. 15 CFP) fell to Wake Forest and California, respectively. With the ACC standings currently muddied heading into the final three weeks of the season, it seems only the ACC champion may make it to the CFP in 2025-26.

Elsewhere, No. 9 Texas Tech (No. 8 CFP) demolished previously unbeaten No. 8 BYU (No. 7 CFP) to claim Big 12 supremacy after Week 11. And South Florida has once again emerged as a favorite to earn the Group of Five nod after not only beating Texas-San Antonio, 55-23, but also watching prior favorite Memphis fall 38-32 to Tulane on Friday, Nov. 7.

As the 12-team College Football Playoff field continues to take shape, here’s what USA TODAY Sports’ experts think the final bracket will look like after Week 11:

CFP bracket projections after Week 11

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network

Ohio State *
Alabama *
Indiana
Texas A&M
Texas Tech *
Georgia
Ole Miss
Notre Dame
Oregon
Miami *
Vanderbilt
James Madison *

* Denotes one of five highest-ranked conference champions

Ohio State and Alabama look well-positioned to win the Big Ten and SEC, respectively, while Texas Tech showed pretty definitively Saturday it’s the best team in the Big 12. I still think Miami has a clear enough path and more than enough talent to win a chaotic ACC while the American will cannibalize itself enough to get Sun Belt team James Madison a back door into the playoff as the designated non-Power Four participant.

Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Network

Ohio State *
Alabama *
Indiana
Georgia
Texas A&M
Texas Tech *
Ole Miss
Notre Dame
Oregon
Texas
Georgia Tech *
USF *

* Denotes one of five highest-ranked conference champions

Ohio State looks like the best team in college football this season, and, as of now, I have the Buckeyes taking down Indiana in the Big Ten title game to secure the No. 1 spot in the CFP bracket. I also have Alabama beating Georgia for the second time this season in the SEC championship game, as Texas A&M misses out on a conference title game berth after falling to Texas in the season finale.

Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Network

Ohio State *
Alabama *
Indiana
Texas A&M
Georgia
Texas Tech *
Notre Dame
Oregon
Ole Miss
Texas
Georgia Tech *
South Florida *

* Denotes one of five highest-ranked conference champions

Until someone shows me they can beat the defending champions, Ohio State remains the best team in the country. Ranking 2-6 is pretty even, but Alabama earns the No. 2 ranking as the Crimson Tide beat Georgia in the SEC championship game. Georgia Tech and USF get the last two spots as the ACC and American champs, respectively.

John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Network

Ohio State *
Alabama *
Indiana
Texas A&M
Georgia
Notre Dame
Ole Miss
Texas Tech *
Oregon
BYU
Georgia Tech *
North Texas *

Even with Carnell Tate absent from its win at Purdue, Ohio State remains the top-seeded team in the CFP. Alabama likewise kept its undefeated streak in the SEC, making the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide the top two seeds. The Big 12 runs through Lubbock with Texas Tech, which held BYU to a season-low 255 total yards of offense this past week.

Where it gets tricky is who will represent the ACC and Group of Five. For now, I think it is Georgia Tech — largely in part to Virginia’s loss to Wake Forest and Louisville’s loss to Cal — and North Texas, though the winner out of the American feels like a toss-up each week.

Craig Meyer, Austin Curtright, Ehsan Kassim and John Leuzzi of the USA TODAY Network contributed to this article.

Wisconsin stunned Washington, ending a six-game losing streak and securing its first home touchdown in more than a month.
The ACC continues to struggle after its top-ranked teams, Virginia and Louisville, both lost to unranked opponents.
Several games featured wild endings, including a premature celebration on a missed field goal and a fumbled spike attempt.

For much of 2025, there hasn’t been much to jump around for in Wisconsin.

Six consecutive losses. Two straight home shutouts. All while the coach fans want out gets told he will be back next season.

How much worse was it going to get for the Badgers? Turns out, the good times have finally arrived.

Not only did Wisconsin score a touchdown at home, but it pulled through to stun Washington, 13-10.

It was by no means pretty. It’s not often you see the leading passer is the punter – on one pass – but the Badgers mustered 157 yards on the ground and kept the Huskies, No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings, scoreless in the second half.

It may be silly to see Wisconsin fans storm the field, but they absolutely deserve it after the pain they’ve endured this season. It’s the little things that matter, and that’s why Wisconsin leads the best and worst things from Week 11.

Best: Indiana and Gus Johnson

Fox top play-by-play man Gus Johnson is beloved for his electric calls, but he may have delivered one of his best on one of the greatest plays of the season.

Worst: ACC woes continue 

After not having teams in the top 12 of the initial CFP rankings, the ACC plummeted further with its highest ranked teams – Virginia and Louisville – losing to unranked foes.

The Cavaliers and Cardinals will surely fall down the rankings, and a four-way tie for first place ensures absolute chaos. Even worse, the only ranked team to play, Miami, won but doesn’t even control its destiny to the conference title game.

Does anyone want to win this conference?

Best: UConn

One of the best stories is developing at the independent level, where Jim Mora has Connecticut winning again.

The Huskies beat Duke to move to 7-3, making it two straight seasons of at least seven wins for the first time since 2009-10. Mora has done an excellent job building off last season’s nine-win campaign, and the fans are buying in.

The win over the Blue Devils came in front of its best home crowd in 12 years, proving basketball isn’t the only thing the Huskies care about.

It’s even more impressive when you realize UConn has more ACC wins (three) than seven actual ACC teams, including North Carolina and Florida State.

Worst: Painful celebration

Western Carolina thought it pulled off the upset of Mercer in FCS with a last second field goal, and the players and crowd went wild as they stormed the field.

There was just one problem: the kick wasn’t good.

It appears the stadium public address announcer thought the kick was good, and told the crowd it was successful, resulting in the celebration. It was only after some time everyone supporting the Catamounts realized the field goal was missed, and Mercer actually won.

Nothing worse than a premature celebration.

Best: Not giving up

Southern California quarterback Jayden Maiava made a bad mistake when his pass went right to the hands of Northwestern’s Najee Story. The Wildcats defensive lineman looked like he was going to take it back for a pick six and give Northwestern the lead, but Maiava didn’t quit on the play.

Just as Story was going to cross the goal line, Maiava hit him and forced the ball out. It tumbled out of the endzone, resulting in a touchback and no points for Northwestern.

It was a big play as USC got the ball back and eventually scored a touchdown, proving you should never give up even after making a mistake.

Worst: Failed spike

There’s plenty of insane ways to lose a game, but Eastern Washington took the cake this week. 

With the Eagles down 29-24 in the final minute to Montana, quarterback Jake Schakel tried to spike the ball to stop the clock and set up one last play. Only problem was he fumbled the ball on the spike.

By the time EWU got control of the ball, the clock ran out and the undefeated Grizzlies avoided the upset. A brutal way to lose.

Best: Deception

Southern California pulled off one of the sneakiest fake punts you’ll ever see.

Against Northwestern, the punt team was on hand on fourth down, but when the play began, the punter looked like a seasoned quarterback, dropping back and delivering a dot left-handed to receiver Tanook Hines for the first down.

It looked impressive from punter No. 80 Sam Johnson – only for it to not be him. 

That was actually third-string quarterback Sam Huard. Listed as No. 7 on USC’s online roster, he was listed on the game day roster as No. 80. 

It clearly faked out Northwestern, which didn’t realize a quarterback was in the game. Lincoln Riley’s trickery worked out well as USC scored a touchdown on the drive.

Worst: Fighting

Something must’ve been in the air on Nov, 8 that was making several teams want to throw down. 

Three notable fights took place in Week 11, with Auburn and Vanderbilt nearly throwing down, while Grambling and Bethune-Cookman got crazy on the sideline.

Leave it on the football field.

Best: Onside kick

The chances of recovering an onside kick are rare, but if executed correctly, the benefits are great.

Delaware reaped all the rewards against Louisiana Tech. Down 24-16 in the final minute, the Blue Hens scored a touchdown but couldn’t tie it on the two-point conversion. So, it attempted the onside kick, and it worked perfectly. Kicker Nate Reed placed it perfectly for Delaware to get the ball with 33 seconds left.

A few plays later, Reed was back on the field, and he drilled a 51-yard field goal with 12 seconds left to put the Blue Hens on top, and they held for a stunning victory. 

Best: Army kills the clock

Temple was down 14-13 against Army when it punted it away with 9:45 left in the game. The Owls presumably figured just get a stop, get the ball back for a chance to take the lead.

It never happened.

The Black Knights put on a clinic in time of possession, running an 18-play drive that took up the rest of the game to preserve the win. Army started at its own 42-yard line, and made it to the Temple 1-yard line before it went to victory formation. Death by the triple option.

Worst: All-time losing team

For years, Indiana has been the most losing team in college football history. It entered 2025 with 715 losses. But Indiana hasn’t lost since, and in that time a new all-time loser has emerged: Northwestern. 

With the loss to USC, Northwestern now has 716 losses, the most in FBS. Congratulations?

Best: Sam Houston wins

Another team has fallen off the rank of winless.

Sam Houston entered Week 11 0-8 with a trip to Corvallis to take on Oregon State. The Bearkats were facing a Beavers team coming off a solid win against Washington State, but they didn’t fold on the road. Thanks to two special teams touchdowns, Sam Houston overcame some late mistakes to stun Oregon State and get its first win of the season. A remarkable achievement for Phil Longo’s team.

Now there’s only one team left without a win: Massachusetts. Hopefully the Minutemen can get out of the cellar.

This story was updated to change a video.

Clete Blakeman signed up for 60 minutes and not a second more.

The NFL referee inserted himself into the spotlight with a pair of bloopers towards the end of the NFL Germany game. It appeared the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons were destined for overtime, but Michael Penix Jr. had one last shot in regulation.

After Penix was flagged for intentional grounding, Blakeman’s crew had a tough time explaining, and executing, the 10-second runoff. The penalty ultimately ended regulation. While they eventually figured that out, the confusion spilled over into overtime.

Before the coin toss, Blakeman gestured to the Colts for them to call it. Indianapolis is the designated home team in Berlin, which means Atlanta should’ve had that privilege. Naturally, the Colts won the toss and were primed to start overtime with the ball.

Luckily for Blakeman, they corrected the snafu before overtime kicked off and the Falcons ended up with the ball first.

Penix and co. failed to capitalize on that possession, handing it right back to Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis offense. The Colts managed to march right down the field to win the game with a Jonathan Taylor touchdown.

The NFL’s new overtime rules made Blakeman’s error a little less impactful than it would’ve been under the old version. Both teams now have the chance to possess the ball in the extra session, meaning you can’t win the game without letting the other team have a chance to score.

Of course, there is a clock component, but luckily for everyone involved, none of that managed to become an issue.

In Blakeman’s defense, both teams were a long way from home. It won’t prevent him from ending up the blooper reels though.

Is this all one incredible thrill ride of distraction before a soul-sucking march to glory by Ohio State?
A ‘most improbable’ victory by Indiana keeps the Hoosiers undefeated.
The ACC is a mess, but we can’t look away.

Make room in Indiana athletics lore. If the wins keep coming for the Hoosiers, they may talk in Bloomington about Omar Cooper Jr.’s catch with the same reverence reserved for Keith Smart’s jumper against Syracuse.

Cooper leaped, caught and somehow affixed his left foot to the turf millimeters inside of the white chalk, good for a last-minute touchdown and an incredible 27-24 comeback victory for No. 2 Indiana at Penn State.

“It was the most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of,” coach Curt Cignetti said after his team traveled 87 yards in less than two minutes for the triumph.

With wayward Wisconsin and woebegone Purdue left on the schedule, the Hoosiers are going to march into the Big Ten championship with an undefeated record and a shot at the playoff’s No. 1 seed.

And I still can’t decide whether this is a team of destiny or an incredible dose of window dressing before the inevitable — Ohio State repeating as national champions — takes hold in the postseason.

That’s the big, unanswered question looming over this season. Is this all one incredible thrill ride of distraction before a soul-sucking march to glory by Ohio State?

While the Hoosiers cooked up theatrics to survive left-for-dead Penn State, the thump-thump-thump Buckeyes drumbeat played in the background, as No. 1 Ohio State steamrolled Purdue 34-10.

“Business-like,” coach Ryan Day said of the team’s 13th consecutive victory.

C’mon, Buckeyes, don’t you want in on the white-knuckle theatrics?

In lieu of that, Ohio State served another masterclass of defense. Another game in which Julian Sayin completed more than 80% of his passes. Impressive though Ohio State’s persistent dominance is, it’s serving as the season’s boring undercard. All the drama’s elsewhere.

Hours after Indiana’s thriller, No. 11 Virginia finally fell during its weekly walk on the high wire, and California used a fourth-down completion to topple No. 15 Louisville in overtime.

The ACC is a mess of mediocrity, but its conference race commands our attention. Get a load of this: With three games remaining, Duke remains in the hunt for an ACC crown. That’s the same Duke that lost to Illinois, Tulane and UConn. Yep, the four-loss Dukies, with their three nonconference losses, are in better shape for the conference championship than onetime darlings Clemson, Miami and Florida State.

Some kind of season, this one.

And if you’ll turn your attention toward Nashville, the quarterback who’s spent one-quarter of his life in college just keeps delivering heroics. Diego Pavia, you rascal. He spurred Vanderbilt’s 28-point second-half outburst and completed the game-winner with a jump pass in overtime to keep the Commodores’ playoff hopes afloat. Vanderbilt’s beating Auburn, and nobody’s storming the field, because it’s not an upset.

Like I said, this is some kind of season.

Big oil money rules the kingdoms south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

No. 9 Texas Tech solidified its Big 12 frontrunner status with a suffocating win over No. 8 Brigham Young, and No. 3 Texas A&M keeps defying stereotypes by avoiding the collapse of Aggies teams of yore.

Neither Texas Tech nor Texas A&M has ever appeared in their respective conference’s championship game. Prepare for that to change.

Head back up to Big Ten country, and Oregon maintained its playoff positioning by out-Iowa’ing Iowa in an 18-16 victory. A safety became the difference in the score after Iowa’s errant snap on a punt traveled 147 feet out the back of the end zone.

You can’t make this up. Just another college football Saturday. Soak it up. Maybe, it portends an enthralling playoff.

Or, it’s just a beautiful facade, and Ohio State will tear through that gorgeous window dressing once the postseason arrives.

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.

This story was updated to change a video.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers continue to elbow for position in a crowded AFC playoff picture on ‘Sunday Night Football.’

Despite leading the AFC North, the Steelers are in a somewhat precarious position. After returning Lamar Jackson from injury, the Baltimore Ravens are just a few games back of the division lead, meaning Pittsburgh would love to be able to put a little bit more distance between themselves and their divisional foe.

That starts with getting a little more consistency on both sides of the ball. The Steelers haven’t been able to unlock their offense with Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf despite ranking among the best in TD passes this season. On defense, the unit, which is the highest paid in the NFL, has underperformed.

Finding that consistency may be a difficult ask against a tough Jim Harbaugh-coached squad. The Chargers got off to a promising start this season, but the top-heavy AFC West is providing something of an uphill climb for Justin Herbert and Co. The Denver Broncos sit atop the division and eked out another win on ‘Thursday Night Football.’

That all makes for a crucial ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup in Week 10. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the matchup below.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

What time is the Chargers vs Steelers game?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Chargers and Steelers get underway at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT). Pittsburgh travels to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California for the prime-time matchup.

What channel is Chargers vs Steelers on?

TV channel: NBC

NBC is the broadcast home of ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Mike Tirico will be on the call alongside Cris Collinsworth, with Melissa Stark providing reports from the sideline.

Chargers vs Steelers stream

Live stream:Fubo | Peacock

For those looking to live stream the matchup, NBC’s streaming service Peacock will carry the game.

Cord-cutters can also turn to Fubo, which carries NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

Chargers vs Steelers prediction

Could the Steelers offense be rounding into form? That’s a big question entering ‘SNF.’ Aaron Rodgers and Co. have put up 25 points or more in their last three matchups, potentially indicative of a little more consistency moving forward. The bigger question is their defense: While they’re coming off allowed just 20 points to the high-powered Colts in Week 9, their issues stopping offenses all season have been apparent. The Chargers win tonight on Herber’s arm.

Prediction: Chargers 27, Steelers 20

Chargers vs Steelers live betting odds, moneyline, O/U

It was the Jonathan Taylor show in Germany, as the Indianapolis Colts outlasted the Atlanta Falcons in overtime in the NFL’s first-ever game in Berlin.

Taylor showed up and showed out for the international crowd, tallying a monstrous 244 yards and three touchdowns in the win to push the Colts to their eighth win on the season and the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

The Colts will go as their superstar running back goes, especially if Daniel Jones plays as he did on Sunday: The quarterback fumbled three times (one lost) and threw an interception in the loss, making it clear that the Indy offense runs through the running back.

On the other side, the Falcons may regret not running Bijan Robinson more. Michael Penix Jr. was under duress throughout the afternoon, but Atlanta confusingly did not turn to the running game more as the offensive line failed to protect Penix appropriately.

The OT loss sent the Falcons to their fourth straight, while they cling to any semblance of hope for an NFC South title.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the next installment of the NFL’s international series below. All times are Eastern.

Colts vs Falcons takeaways

JT for MVP: If there was any doubt that the Colts running back is a front-runner for MVP, then that went out the window with his dazzling performance on Sunday. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the offense moves as Taylor does: With Daniel Jones producing diminishing returns in recent weeks, the Colts will need to ride the Taylor wave to the AFC South crown – and he’ll be at the top of MVP ballots if they finish the job.
Where did you go, Mr. Robinson? The Falcons seeming hesitance to utilize Bijan Robinson in the second half was confusing at best and malpractice at worst. Robinson carried it just two times in the third quarter, a stark difference from the Colts, who leaned heavily on Jonathan Taylor in the second half to keep the offense running. The Falcons seem very disjointed when it comes to their offensive play-calling – something that needs to get figured out fast as their season spirals.
Keeping up with the Jones: Daniel Jones certainly hasn’t looked like the Daniel Jones of the early goings of the season. Jones did throw a 37-yard touchdown to Alec Pierce, but he looked hesitant in the pocket and his sacks and turnovers were more of a result of his indecisiveness and desire to make a play than Falcons defense coming up big. With a killer schedule the remainder of the season, if the Colts want to put away the AFC South, they’ll need the Jones of old.
Penix under pressure: Michael Penix is at his best when he can stand in the pocket and deliver strikes, a luxury he wasn’t afforded much during the matchup. He was sacked three times and on the run throughout the afternoon. Keeping with the above point, the Falcons would be wise to continue to lean on the run game to help their passer while the chemistry with Drake London continues to develop.

Colts vs Falcons in Berlin: Score, highlights, stats

Jonathan Taylor stats today

The Colts running back finished the matchup with 244 yards and three touchdowns in the game, including the game-ending score vs. the Falcons.

Jonathan Taylor secures win with OT touchdown

It was all Jonathan Taylor, all day, and he walked it off on the Falcons with an untouched touchdown run from eight yards out. That gives the Colts the win and the Falcons a frustrating loss.

Coin toss confusion ahead of Falcons-Colts overtime

Referee Clete Blakeman went through the rules and regulations of overtime before asking the Colts what their choice was – but it wasn’t their choice to make. Since the Falcons are the designated road team in this matchup, they had the right to call the coin flip, not the Colts.

During the commercial break, the coin was re-flipped, and the Falcons won, leading to Atlanta receiving the overtime kick.

Intentional grounding confusion leads ahead of overtime

Michael Penix was flagged for intentional grounding with 11 seconds left, but referee Clete Blakeman deemed the game was over. Ultimately, penalty was accepted and Atlanta declined to use a timeout, letting the clock run out and head to overtime.

Colts-Falcons score: Indy ties it up with field goal

Daniel Jones was under pressure on the drive, but the Colts found a way to convert a fourth down and later kick a 44-yard Michael Badgley field goal to tie the game with 26 seconds left.

Colts 25, Falcons 25

Colts convert critical fourth down

The Colts found themselves in a third-and-21, and Daniel Jones picked up a big chunk of that with his legs. On the following fourth down, Jones found rookie tight end Tyler Warren for the first down.

Colts-Falcons score: Tyler Allgeier finds the end zone

The Falcons marched methodically down the field and Tyler Allgeier found the end zone for the second time on the day to take the lead. Atlanta’s 2-point conversion was successful after Sauce Gardner fell down on a Drake London route.

Falcons 25, Colts 22

2-minute warning: Falcons threatening

The Falcons have the ball with two minutes left in regulation on the Colts’ 19-yard line. It’s been a healthy dose of Tyler Allgeier on the drive, who has made the most of his carries.

Colts-Falcons score: Jonathan Taylor breaks free for long TD run

Jonathan Taylor looked like he was stopped for a short gain, but instead taking it to the house for an 83-yard touchdown run. Indy’s 2-point conversion attempt would be batted down at the line, meaning it’s a five-point game with six minutes remaining.

Score: Colts 22, Falcons 17

Falcons offense again stalls out in fourth quarter

Atlanta again got 18 yards rushing from Bijan Robinson and then decided to throw several times, the last an incomplete pass on third down to give the ball back to the Colts via punt.

Colts-Falcons score: Indianapolis cuts the lead to one point

The Colts again found themselves deep in Atlanta territory, but a third down sack of Daniel Jones led to a field goal attempt. The Badgely kick sailed through the uprights, cutting the lead to one with nine minutes remaining.

Score: Falcons 17, Colts 16

Bijan Robinson stats vs. Colts

The Falcons running back has had an efficient game, carrying the ball 12 times for 63 yards (5.3 YPC). He had just two carries in the third quarter, one of a which was a 10-yard run.

Colts-Falcons score: Falcons lead entering fourth quarter

The Falcons defense has done well to bottle up the Colts offense after a torrid first quarter. The Colts haven’t scored since that first quarter, while the Falcons offense has sputtered, as well. Falcons are up 17-13.

Colts again fail to convert fourth down

From the Falcons’ 6-yard line, the Colts needed two yards to convert and set up for a fresh goal-to-go situation. Instead, Atlanta’s defense stands up and holds Jonathan Taylor behind the line of scrimmage to stop the Colts on fourth down.

Sauce Gardner drops interception

The Colts big-time deadline addition had an opportunity to make a big-time play. Gardner read Penix’s eyes and darted up field to grab an INT, but the ball bounced off his chest and landed harmlessly to the ground. The PBU ended the Falcons’ chance to lengthen their lead off the Jones fumble.

Daniel Jones turns it over again, Falcons take over

The Colts had an opportunity to tighten the gap but instead a Daniel Jones strip sack gives the ball back to Atlanta in the third quarter. It’s the second turnover on the day for Jones.

Ashton Dulin sets up Colts with big return

The Colts return man put Indianapolis in good position to answer with a 50-yard return. Indianapolis looks to answer again.

Colts-Falcons score: Zane Gonzalez adds FG to Atlanta lead

Zane Gonzalez, making his kicking debut for the Falcons, drills a field goal to lengthen Atlanta’s lead to four points. The kick came a play after Penix couldn’t connect with Pitts in the end zone.

Score: Falcons 17, Colts 13

Falcons receive second-half kickoff

Looking to build on their momentum at the end of the first half, the Falcons receive the second-half kickoff and look to build on their one-poin lead.

Daniel Jones throws interception late in second

The Colts seemed relatively content to let time tick down in the half and set themselves up for a lengthy field goal try, but a Daniel Jones pass landed in the hands of Jessie Bates, and the Falcons would let the remaining eight seconds run out on the ensuing offensive possession.

Colts-Falcons score: Drake London secures catch for TD

It truly is an international affair in Berlin, at least according to the Falcons WR’s last name. London hauled in a Michael Penix Jr. throw to put the Falcons back into the lead with time ticking down in the first half.

Score: Falcons 14, Colts 13

Michael Badgley kick comes up short

The Colts kicker can add a missed field goal to his missed extra point today. A 53-yard field goal came up just short of the uprights, keeping the Colts’ lead to six points.

Colts lead Falcons at end of first quarter

The Colts and Falcons exchanged punches in the first quarter, but Indianapolis emerged from the period ahead and with possession of the ball. The second quarter starts with the Colts driving in their own territory.

Colts-Falcons score: Daniel Jones finds Alec Pierce for long TD

Danny Dimes lived up to his nickname on a 37-yard bomb to Alec Pierce. The passer found Pierce in the end zone for a long touchdown, again quickly answering the Falcons score to retake the lead.

Score: Colts 13, Falcons 7

Colts-Falcons score: Falcons answer quickly

It didn’t take long at all for the Falcons to answer. Atlanta marched down the field and Tyler Allgeier punched it in for a touchdown. The Falcons take a one-point lead.

Score: Falcons 7, Colts 6

Colts-Falcons score: Jonathan Taylor finds pay dirt for 6

It didn’t take long for the Colts to score following the fumble: Jonathan Taylor scored his 13th rushing touchdown of the season a few plays later. The extra point try would sail wide of the uprights, leading to six points instead of seven.

Score: Colts 6, Falcons 0

Michael Penix Jr. sacked, fumbles

The Falcons passer was the victim of a bad drop by tight end Kyle Pitts. On the ensuing pass play, Penix was strip-sacked by Cam Bynum, and the ball was recovered deep in Falcons territory, setting the Colts up with prime field position.

Norma Jean Martine sings national anthem in Berlin

The American singer belted out a stunning rendition of the national anthem prior to the Colts-Falcons matchup on Sunday.

Who is Number 25 on the Colts?

No. 25 on the Colts is safety Ronald Thomas II.

Daniel Jones, Colts fail to convert fourth down

A promising drive for the Colts offense resulted in a failed fourth-down pass attempt to Josh Downs. Jonathan Taylor was the primary beneficiary of the ball on the drive, and nearly coughed up a fumble on a screen pass, but it was recovered by the Colts.

Colts receive kickoff: Berlin game gets underway

The Colts and Falcons are underway for the NFL’s first-ever game in Berlin.

What time does the Colts vs Falcons Germany game?

Start time: 9:30 a.m. ET

The Colts-Falcons game in Berlin is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. ET local time.

Where to watch the Colts game today

The NFL is broadcasting this week’s Germany game nationally on NFL Network. Fans living in the local markets of the two competing teams – Indianapolis and Atlanta – can tune in on one of their local affiliate channels.

National: NFL Network
Indianapolis: FOX59
Atlanta: FOX 5 Atlanta

Falcons inactives vs. Colts

CB Mike Hughes
S Jordan Fuller
EDGE Leonard Floyd
OL Andrew Stueber
G Matthew Bergeron
OL Joshua Gray
DL LaCale London

Colts inactives vs. Falcons

No surprises on the Colts inactives list, as the team is starting a pretty healthy squad vs. the Falcons:

Sauce Gardner trade details

Colts receive:

CB Sauce Gardner

Jets receive:

WR Adonai Mitchell
Two first-round picks

Atlanta Falcons defense ranking

The Falcons defense ranks just about middle of the pack entering Week 10 Sunday games, with a -0.02 defensive EPA mark sitting at 14th in the league. The unit ranks fourth in the NFL in yards allowed and 13th in points allowed.

Is Sauce Gardner playing today?

Gardner is set to play in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons in Germany.

The cornerback cleared concussion protocol and will suit up for the first time since Week 7. Gardner avoided any setbacks after returning to practice on Nov. 5, paving the way for him to make his Colts debut.

Falcons QB today

Michael Penix Jr. will again get the start today vs. the Colts, with Kirk Cousins backing him up in Berlin.

Colts vs Falcons injury report

Colts vs Falcons live stream

Stream: Fubo

Cord-cutters looking to live stream Colts vs. Falcons can tune in to Fubo.

Watch Colts vs. Falcons with Fubo (free trial)

Colts vs Falcons prediction

The 7-2 Indianapolis Colts appear to be an imposing force against a 3-5 Falcons squad, but Atlanta is coming into this matchup with its back against the wall after dropping three straight. They’ve fallen behind the Panthers and Buccaneers and can’t afford another loss at this stage. The Colts placed star defensive linemen DeForest Buckner on IR after he suffered a neck injury in Week 9, and his absence will open up plenty of running lanes for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. The Colts have allowed 3.6 yards per rush with Buckner on the field but that number jumps to 4.5 with him off. This game will be tighter than some expect, but the Colts will pull away late with Jonathan Taylor, who is due for a bounce-back. Atlanta ranks 30th in rush defense success rate over the last six weeks. – Tom Viera

PREDICTION: Colts 24, Falcons 20

Colts vs Falcons live betting odds, moneyline, O/U

USC’s deception crossed the line, the ACC is chaos, while Florida and Florida State flirt with futility not seen since the Jimmy Carter presidency.

Here’s the worst from Week 11 of the college football season with our Flop 10:

USC fake punt, number swap

Lincoln Riley gave a new meaning to QB sneak. In Friday night’s win over Northwestern, Riley snuck third-string QB Sam Huard onto the field in punt formation. And how did Northwestern not realize a QB lined up to punt? Well, Huard — who normally wears No. 7 — was wearing No. 80, which is usually worn by punter Sam Johnson. Huard completed a strike for a Trojans first down. ‘It was just a well-thought out thing by several of our staff members,’ Riley said postgame. Here’s my thought: That’s some bull****. Play with integrity, not duplicity.

Wisconsin fans

Rushing the field after beating a Washington team not ranked in US LBM Coaches Poll proves two things:

This season has been truly awful for the Badgers.
More beer is sold at Camp Randall than anywhere else (h/t Matt Brown).

Congrats on the win, Luke Fickell. And on your athletic director assuring your return for another season. But my golly, your offense is among the worst in the country. Those back-to-back home shutouts were bad, but if you needed more evidence:

It took the Badgers 29 minutes to complete their first forward pass Saturday.
The punter was the leading passer with a single 24-yard completion in a 13-10 win.

As we said earlier, watching Wisconsin football will drive you to drink.

ACC

The first College Football Playoff rankings showed us what the selection committee thought of the ACC with one-loss Virginia and Louisville slotted at 14th and 15th. They are now two-loss Virginia and Louisville after Wake Forest upset the Cavs and Cal knocked off the Cards in OT on a gutsy fourth-down call.

It also didn’t help that Duke, which is 4-1 in ACC play, lost to UConn as an 8.5-point favorite.

Five ACC teams have one league loss. Things are going to get messy on the road to Charlotte.

Boston College

As unpredictable as the ACC is, one constant has been Boston College losing. Bill O’Brien showed more fight in his midweek news conference than his Golden Eagles have shown this season. O’Brien fired back at a reporter who asked about the team’s rough season. ‘You come in here with these down questions. I’m not down. I don’t know what year you graduated from BC, but this is a program that we’re building,” O’Brien huffed. On Saturday, Boston College dropped to 1-9 (0-6 in ACC) with a 45-13 home defeat to SMU. BC’s only win this year is against FCS Fordham. ‘What’s up, Trevor?’

BYU’s offense

The Cougars offense — led by a Bear — hibernated through the first three quarters in BYU’s trip to Lubbock in the marquee game of the Big 12 season. BYU didn’t reach its fifth play in Texas Tech territory until there was nine minutes to play — and already trailed 26-0 at that point. The Cougars were averaging 36.3 points per game this season but were held in check by Jacob Rodriguez and Co. There’s still CFP hope for BYU, but it likely requires a Big 12 championship game win.

Florida and Florida State

One fired their coach already and the other should. College football is better when Florida and Florida State are good. Maybe that’s just the Florida boy in me speaking, but this ain’t it. The Gators, who fired Billy Napier two weeks ago, weren’t competitive in a 38-7 loss to Kentucky. The Seminoles weren’t much better in a 24-10 loss to Clemson.

Florida (3-6) has Ole Miss and Tennessee left before finishing against Florida State. The Seminoles (4-5) have Virginia Tech and at NC State before the finale against the Gators. Both these teams are flirting with missing a bowl. The last time UF and FSU missed a bowl in the same season? 1978.

Brawls

Bethune Cookman and Grambling State were throwing haymakers, and those Ragin’ Cajuns of Louisiana were certainly ragin’ after the Texas State game.

American CFP hopes

Will someone from AAC step up and take control? The league keeps eating its own, and Memphis’ loss to Tulane on Friday night opens the door for a non-American team to sneak its way into the College Football Playoff as the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. North Texas is the only AAC team with just one loss, and the Mean Green have a cake schedule remaining. You can pencil them into the conference title game, but they’d have to win it. James Madison (Sun Belt, 8-1) is lurking. UNT was 27th in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll. JMU was 28th.

Midwest weather

It was miserable across the Midwest on Saturday. I was going to say Big Ten country, but that stretches from Jersey to Hollywood these days. Games at Iowa, Wisconsin and Notre Dame featured steady rain, some of the sideways frozen variety. It’s too early for that garbage.

Mike Locksley

A 4-0 start had some on this website waxing poetic about Mike Locksley and the Maryland turnaround after last season fell apart. How about a sequel? The Terrapins have lost five in a row after Saturday’s 35-20 loss at Rutgers. A week ago, some fans were chanting for Locksley’s dismissal. He’s 36-40 over the past seven years, which puts him among the top 20 longest-tenured FBS coaches. Locksley has one of the most-talented freshman QBs in the country to build around with Malik Washington, but a 17-45 Big Ten record is quite the albatross. The seat is warming, significantly.

Bonus: Oregon State

The Beavers lost to previously winless Sam Houston State late Saturday night… at home. Just brutal. The leaves UMass as the only winless FBS team.

Keep up with the latest news and analysis from college football’s top two conferences: Check out our Big Ten Hub and our SEC Hub to get school-by-school coverage from across the USA TODAY Network.

This story was updated to change a video.

Did Fernando Mendoza just secure the Heisman Trophy?

The Indiana football quarterback put an exclamation point on his Heisman submission tape in the final moments of 27-24 win over Penn State at Beaver Stadium.

With a 10-play, 80-yard drive in the final minute Saturday, Mendoza brought the No. 2 Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) back from the brink of a disaster that would have imperiled their chances of reaching the Big Ten championship game and damaged an impeccable College Football Playoff resume. 

‘Anybody looking for a Heisman moment, there it is, that dudes earned it,’ Hoosiers linebacker Aiden Fisher said. ‘He’s the best player in the country, and he showed that today.’

Mendoza capped off a gritty performance with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr., in the back of the end zone. Cooper made an incredible leaping grab while making sure to bend his legs back across his body to get a foot down in bounds. 

It was a heck of a throw as well with Mendoza having to leave his feet in order to ensure the pass attempt cleared the defenders who were in his face. 

‘No matter what the record is, Penn State is still Penn State,’ Mendoza said after the game. ‘These are game-winning drives you dream of growing up as a kid. I can say this is the top moment of my career.”

Mendoza wasn’t at his best for three-plus quarters Saturday. 

He described his performance as ‘sloppy’ and a prime example of that was the costly interception he threw in the fourth quarter. He forced a pass to E.J. Williams Jr. while rolling out of the pocket on a play that could have easily ended by him simply throwing it away or checking the ball down to a running back.

The problem for Mendoza was he reverted back to some of the bad habits he picked up at Cal when the protection broke down. He held onto the ball for too long and the offense struggled to get into a rhythm. 

After Indiana’s defense came through a critical stop in the final minutes, Fisher gave Mendoza a similar pep talk to the one he delivered to the quarterback in the wake of his pick-six at Autzen Stadium. 

‘I went up and told him, you do this every single day,” Fisher said. “It’s just another two-minute practice drill. You know what you are doing.’

The sack Mendoza took on first down looked like more of the same — IU’s offense totaled just 77 yards in the second half before its last minute drive — but everything snapped into focus for him on the next play when he hit Cooper for a 22-yard gain down the middle.

“We needed that one play to get our momentum going,” Mendoza said. “We know what our identity is on offense.”

He followed that up with a series of completions to different targets to get inside the 10-yard line. He threw a perfectly placed ball between two defenders to tight end Riley Nowakowski for a 29-yard gain and hit Charlie Becker at the sideline.

It still wasn’t the prettiest of drives with Penn State successfully bringing pressure — Cignetti told reporters after the game IU got “whipped” up front — but Mendoza stood tall in the pocket and delivered strikes to his receivers time and time again. 

Before throwing the game-winner, Mendoza got laid out by a blitzer off the corner who spun him around in mid-air. The hit might have caused some Indiana fans to hold their breath, but Mendoza just bounced off the turf into the huddle. 

‘To see what the defense, special teams and offense, especially the offensive line with what they are going through, battling every play, I can’t stay on the ground no matter how hard the hit is, no matter how much it hurts,’ Mendoza said. ‘I know I’m going to put my life on the line for the team, I will never sub myself out in that instance, I would die on that field for my brothers.’

This story was updated to change a video.