Enter Pat McAfee. OK, so the former Indianapolis Colts punter lives in Indy and his wife is a Hoosier, but the ESPN personality was on an island this morning picking IU to beat Oregon on the ‘College GameDay’ set.

That faith didn’t go unnoticed by the seventh-ranked Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0). Quarterback Fernando Mendoza made sure to give McAfee some love following Indiana’s 30-20 win over the Ducks (5-1, 2-1).

‘I want to give a quick shoutout to my guy Pat McAfee for shouting us out because he’s friends with my guy Steve Levy, and Boston Connor. Let’s go. Go Hoosiers!’ Mendoza told CBS’ Jenny Dell.

Dell quipped back, ‘ESPN, CBS, whatever. We’ll go with that.’

McAfee’s pick Saturday morning came with a little misdirection.

“Fernando Mendoza has no chance to come in here,” McAfee said. “I love Oregon. I love Dan Lanning. I was shirtless with that man this morning… But my wife is a Hoosier, through and through. And so am I, baby! Give me the Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers! Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers! Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers!  In the biggest win of (Curt) Cignetti’s career, the Indiana Hoosiers tell the world, ‘We’re for real.’”

Indeed, it appears they are.

‘Indiana gets the win today, changes the trajectory of all of college sports,’ McAfee continued. ‘Congratulations to Cig and the boys.

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado football coach Deion Sanders returned to the sideline here Saturday Oct. 11 against Iowa State, inspiring his team with his energy just four days after undergoing surgery to clear blood clots in his left leg.

He apparently did not sit down during his team’s 24-17 win against the No. 22 Cyclones. ESPN reported during its broadcast an assistant on the sideline was following Sanders around with a stool in case he needed it. Sanders instead stood and prowled the sideline like normal as his Buffaloes held on for the win in front of 52,698 at Folsom Field.

Sanders, 58, didn’t talk about his situation in his postgame news conference. But his players did after Sanders returned to coach his team at practice the next morning following his surgery Oct. 7.

‘It gave us a reason to fight, a great reason to fight,’ Colorado linebacker Jeremiah Brown said after the game. ‘Coach Prime had the surgery Tuesday. He came back that Wednesday morning after a four-hour surgery. He (was) hurt and he (was) limping on the field, hurting, still running around. He was giving us all the energy we need. So I think that’s all we needed to fight.’

Offensive lineman Zy Crisler said Sanders’ comeback this week ‘motivated the team tremendously.’

‘I mean, going into surgery and the next morning, you had practice is crazy,’ Crisler said. ‘But man, Coach Prime is a warrior. He gonna do what he got to do, and I salute Coach Prime.’

What is Deion Sanders’ health history?

In his previous game Oct. 4 at TCU, Sanders was seen sitting down during the game and took a shoe because he said he was “hurting like crazy” and suspected it was because of blood clots. He has battled blood-circulation issues over the last four years and even had two toes amputated from his left foot in 2021, forcing him to miss three games that year when he was coach at Jackson State.

The surgery on Oct. 7 was the 16th since that time, according to videos posted by his son Deion Jr. He also had his bladder removed in May after a cancerous tumor was discovered during a medical appointment related to his vascular issues, which have involved arterial blood clots in his lower body.

Other coaches have sat during games

When he returned to the sideline after surgeries in 2021, Sanders coached Jackson State from a motorized wheelchair.

Other coaches have been forced to sit because of health issues, too, although it’s rare. Penn State coach Joe Paterno coached from a seat in the press box late in his career because of health issues. In 2019, Liberty coach Hugh Freeze coached from a bed in the press box as he recovered from a staph infection and back pain.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman also coached a game at Missouri from the press box after suffering from a broken hip.

Coaching from the press box is problematic because it separates the coach from his players on the field and makes it hard for the coach to join his team in the locker room at halftime. Being immobile on the sideline also is problematic because coaches need to follow their teams up and down the field as they communicate with their players and game officials.

Sanders and Colorado (3-4) have an off weekend next week before returning to play Oct. 25 at Utah.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Three WNBA titles in four years.

A four-time league MVP with two WNBA Finals most valuable player awards.

A 16-game winning streak to end the regular season and victories in 25 of their last 28 games.

A sweep in the WNBA’s first best-of-seven championship series.

The Las Vegas Aces once again rule the WNBA, and USA TODAY Sports has crafted a commemorative page print to celebrate the latest incredible season by this dynasty and its galaxy of stars.

The full-page print highlights the Aces’ 2025 championship with stunning photography after their 97-86 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 4, the giant headline of THREE OF A KIND and a memorable quotes from A’ja Wilson, the four-time league MVP and two-time Finals MVP.

Exclusive page print: Celebrate Aces’ latest title

The 2025 season will live forever in Aces lore and WNBA lore. Available formats include page prints, framed art with multiple frame styles, and canvases and metal prints. Sizes range from 12 inches tall all the way up to 42 inches tall. Pricing starts at $17.95, and bundling discounts are available. Order now at Aces.FrontPagePrint.com.

With championships in 2022, 2023 and now 2025, the Aces joined the old Houston Comets as the only teams to win so many titles in so short a span. The Comets captured four consecutive titles in the league’s first four seasons (1997-2000). The Minnesota Lynx won three titles in five years and four in seven in the 2010s, and the old Detroit Shock won three titles in six years in the 2000s. The game and the league, though, were different then, according to Aces coach Becky Hammon, a longtime pro player and coach who owned a 10-2 career record in the WNBA Finals.

“Those dynasties laid the groundwork, showed how winning should be done and really gave a lot to the W in so far as history,” Hammon said. “But the skill set and the level that these guys are at, to me, it’s not comparable. These ladies are at the top of the game, and it is the best basketball the W has ever seen. From top to bottom.”

Wilson’s performance in the Finals, including 31 points and nine rebounds in Game 4, added to her case as arguably the greatest player of all time. She is the first player in WNBA history to be the MVP, defensive player of the year, Finals MVP and scoring leader in the same season.

“She’s at the top of the list,” Hammon said. “She’s sitting alone on Everest. There’s no one else there.”

Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of basketball history with USA TODAY Sports’ commemorative page. Plus, it’s never too early to pick up a perfect holiday gift for the hoops fan in your life.

Exclusive page print: Celebrate Aces’ latest title

Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@gannett.com. Follow him on X @GeneMyers. After nearly a quarter-century as sports editor at the Detroit Free Press, Myers unretired to coordinate book and poster projects across the USA TODAY Network. Check out more books and page prints from the USA TODAY Network — including books on Caitlin Clark’s college career and WNBA rookie season, inspiring female athletes from the state of Indiana, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first NBA championship and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

The No. 19 Texas Longhorns defeated the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners 23-6 in the Red River Rivalry.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning had a season-best performance, while Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer threw three interceptions.
The Texas defense held Oklahoma to 258 total yards and forced three turnovers.

DALLAS – When John Mateer took the field for No. 6 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday, Oct. 11, he was set to become a Sooners legend after beating his injury timetable. 

But it was the Texas and Arch Manning show, as the 19th-ranked Longhorns dominated Oklahoma en route to a 23-6 win. Oklahoma got out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first quarter, but was held scoreless the rest of the game by a defense that was dominant in the final three periods.

Manning, the heralded five-star quarterback, turned in his season-best performance against the Sooners, making plays when the Longhorns needed them and leading an efficient offense in a game between two stingy defenses. Texas outgained Oklahoma with 189 yards to the Sooners’ 88 in the second half, and won the turnover battle 3-0 as Mateer tossed a trio of interceptions.

Oklahoma’s defense has looked among the best in the nation through five games in 2025, but it was Texas’ defense that came up huge against the Sooners, holding Oklahoma’s new-look offense to 258 total yards and three turnovers while sacking Mateer five times. It marked the third time Oklahoma was held without an offensive touchdown against Texas in the past four years, all of which have come under coach Brent Venables.

Manning finished 21-of-27 passing for 166 yards with a touchdown, also rushing for 34 yards on four carries. Running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 94 yards on 22 carries.

Texas put the nail in the coffin in the fourth quarter, after Ryan Niblett returned an Oklahoma punt 75 yards for a touchdown to make the score 20-6.

Venables kept Mateer’s availability under wraps in the days leading up to the game, practicing indoors and avoiding questions about the first-year Washington State transfer. It became clear as the week progressed, however, that he’d be available, after being listed as probable on the SEC availability report on Oct. 9.

Mateer, who suffered a hand injury against Auburn, underwent surgery 17 days ago to fix the issue. He threw three interceptions in his first action since missing Oklahoma’s win against Kent State in Week 6, and certainly looked rusty, or even less than 100% with his throwing hand.

A week after being thrashed by Florida in a 29-21 road loss, in which Manning was sacked six times, Texas held Oklahoma’s strong pass rush to only one sack, although the Sooners had 12 tackles for loss.

Venables falls to 1-3 against Texas, and awaiting him and Oklahoma is a gauntlet of a schedule. The Sooners travel to South Carolina next week, before upcoming games against Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU to round out the conference slate.

Texas gets a much-needed win against its archrival, keeping its College Football Playoff hopes alive and looking quite improved after dropping an upset loss to Florida.

ESPN analyst Booger McFarland has drawn the ire of college football fans following comments he made ahead of the Oklahoma-Texas matchup.

With Sooners quarterback John Mateer returning to action for the Red River Rivalry matchup from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, McFarland said that, if he were playing Matter, he would employ a less-than-sportsmanlike tactic against Mateer:

“That’s a thumb and a hand I would be looking to step on as a defensive lineman,’ McFarland said on ABC ahead of the Red River Rivalry matchup.

Mateer underwent surgery on Sept. 24 after he broke his hand in a win over Auburn. Following a bye week for the Sooners, Mateer missed the matchup against Kent State last week before returning to action for the matchup against the Longhorns.

McFarland played college football for LSU from 1995 to 1998. He was a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1999 NFL Draft and won two Super Bowls during his career with the Bucs and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2007.

McFarland’s comment created some negative reaction on social media:

Kyler Murray has been labeled as ‘questionable’ for Sunday’s game and that could make him a game-time decision.
Lamar Jackson will not start against the Rams and the team will go with Cooper Rush once again.
Mac Jones is listed as questionable for the 49ers game with knee and oblique injuries.

As the NFL season approaches the one-third mark, injuries have piled up. At this point, if your favorite team’s quarterback isn’t on the weekly injury report, consider yourself lucky.

Week 6 features just one divisional matchup – AFC North foes Cleveland and Pittsburgh facing off – but plenty of games between teams with playoff aspirations. Having your starting quarterback available is huge for these matchups.

Cincinnati made a change leading up to Week 6 by trading in-division for the Browns’ former starter, Joe Flacco. He’ll suit up for his first start for the Bengals Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The Bengals made that move to stay in contention while franchise quarterback Joe Burrow heals up from toe surgery.

They’re not the only team potentially missing their starter this week, though. Here’s the latest on quarterbacks across the league for Week 6.

Kyler Murray injury update

Arizona has a tough road game this week in Indianapolis against the 4-1 Colts. The Cardinals are 2-3 and need a win to keep pace in an NFC West that’s far more competitive in 2025.

That makes Murray’s health crucial for their Week 6 tilt. Murray injured his foot during the team’s Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans and did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. He was limited on Friday.

He’s been labeled as ‘questionable’ for Sunday’s game and that could make him a game-time decision.

Arizona moved quarterback Kedon Slovis from the practice squad to the active roster, per reports. That shows the team is preparing to operate without Murray in Week 6 as Slovis would back up veteran Jacoby Brissett.

Lamar Jackson injury update

Jackson left the Ravens’ Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a hamstring injury that’s kept him sidelined ever since. Baltimore started veteran Cooper Rush against the Houston Texans in Week 5 and lost 44-10 at home.

This week the team plays the Los Angeles Rams at home again before their bye week. Jackson will not start against the Rams and the team will go with Rush once again.

Brock Purdy injury update

Purdy suffered toe and shoulder injuries in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. He made a return to the starting lineup in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and did not look fully healthy as the team lost its first game of the season.

He missed Week 5 against the Rams and it’ll be the same case in Week 6 against Tampa Bay. The 49ers’ franchise quarterback will continue to recover from his toe injury.

San Francisco is on the road for three of their next four games. Purdy still has not been put on injured reserve, which is promising for his return. If he were put on IR, he’d have to miss at least four weeks.

Mac Jones injury update

Purdy’s backup is also dealing with injuries this week. He had a career game on ‘Thursday Night Football’ in Week 5 to lead the 49ers to a win over the Rams and stay undefeated as a starter in 2025 at 3-0.

With Purdy out for the game, Jones would be the primary starter in Week 6 against the Buccaneers. But he’s listed as questionable for the game with knee and oblique injuries.

Jones practiced all week but was limited in each session. That was the same in Week 4 when he missed the 49ers’ game against the Jaguars.

San Francisco has elevated former United Football League MVP Adrian Martinez from the practice squad for the game. If Jones can’t play, Martinez will make his first NFL start against Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers.

BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado football coach Deion Sanders returned to the sideline here Saturday Oct. 11 against Iowa State, inspiring his team with his energy just four days after undergoing surgery to clear blood clots in his left leg.

He apparently did not sit down during his team’s 24-17 win against the No. 22 Cyclones. ESPN reported during its broadcast that an assistant on the sideline was following him around with a stool in case he needed it. Sanders instead stood and prowled the sideline like normal as his Buffaloes held on for the win in front of 52,698 at Folsom Field.

Sanders, 58, didn’t talk about his situation in his postgame news conference. But his players did after Sanders returned to coach his team at practice the next morning following his surgery Oct. 7.

‘It gave us a reason to fight, a great reason to fight,’ Colorado linebacker Jeremiah Brown said after the game. ‘Coach Prime had the surgery Tuesday. He came back that Wednesday morning after a four-hour surgery. He (was) hurt and he (was) limping on the field, hurting, still running around. He was giving us all the energy we need. So I think that’s all we needed to fight.’

Offensive lineman Zy Crisler said Sanders’ comeback this week ‘motivated the team tremendously.’

‘I mean, going into surgery and the next morning, you had practice is crazy,’ Crisler said. ‘But man, Coach Prime is a warrior. He gonna do what he got to do, and I salute Coach Prime.’

What is Deion Sanders’ health history?

In his previous game Oct. 4 at TCU, Sanders was seen sitting down during the game and took a shoe because he said he was “hurting like crazy” and suspected it was because of blood clots. He has battled blood-circulation issues over the last four years and even had two toes amputated from his left foot in 2021, forcing him to miss three games that year when he was coach at Jackson State.

The surgery on Oct. 7 was the 16th since that time, according to videos posted by his son Deion Jr. He also had his bladder removed in May after a cancerous tumor was discovered during a medical appointment related to his vascular issues, which have involved arterial blood clots in his lower body.

Other coaches have sat during games

When he returned to the sideline after surgeries in 2021, Sanders coached Jackson State from a motorized wheelchair.

Other coaches have been forced to sit because of health issues, too, although it’s rare. Penn State coach Joe Paterno coached from a seat in the press box late in his career because of health issues. In 2019, Liberty coach Hugh Freeze coached from a bed in the press box as he recovered from a staph infection and back pain.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman also coached a game at Missouri from the press box after suffering from a broken hip.

Coaching from the press box is problematic because it separates the coach from his players on the field and makes it hard for the coach to join his team in the locker room at halftime. Being immobile on the sideline also is problematic because coaches need to follow their teams up and down the field as they communicate with their players and game officials.

Sanders and Colorado (3-4) have an off weekend next week before returning to play Oct. 25 at Utah.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Former unified welterweight champion Jaron Ennis is embarking on a new challenge at 154 pounds as he prepares to face Uisma Lima on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Ennis currently holds an undefeated record of 34 wins, including 30 knockouts. He is the reigning IBF and WBA welterweight champion. In his last fight in April, he retained his titles by defeating Eimantas Stanionis with a sixth-round stoppage. Since then, Ennis has signed a multi-year extension with Matchroom Boxing and has decided to move up in weight class. Although he has faced criticism for choosing to fight Uisma Lima, an ‘unknown fighter’ with a record of 14 wins and one loss, including 10 knockouts, Ennis has stated that he is focused on the upcoming match.

Get ready to witness Ennis’ debut at a new weight class as he faces Lima on Saturday.

Dennis Thompson vs. Sean Diaz results

Dennis Thompson won the six-round fight against Sean Diaz by split decision.

How to watch Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima fight

Jaron Ennis will face Uisma Lima on Saturday, October 11 with the whole event broadcasted on DAZN.

Date: Saturday, October 11
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima main event ringwalks (approx) : 10:47 p.m. ET
Stream:DAZN

Watch Jason Ennis vs Uisma Lima on DAZN

Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima ring walk

Jaron Ennis and Uisma Lima are expected to walk to the ring at 10:47 p.m. ET.

Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima prelim fight results

Zaquin Moses vs Antonio Dunton-El Jr ;  Super featherweight
Giorgio Visioli vs James Wilkins ;  Super featherweight
Harley Mederos vs TBC ;  Lightweight
Justin Palmieri vs Naheem Parker ;  Lightweight

When does Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima start?

The Jaron Ennis vs. Uisma Lima fight card consists of nine fights and will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 11, 2025 with early prelim fights. The main event for the Jaron Ennis vs. Uisma Lima fight is expected to be around 10:47 p.m. ET. However, the duration of the undercard will impact when Ennis and Lima actually start.

Jaron Ennis vs. Uisma Lima fight card

Jaron Ennis vs Uisma Lima ; Super welterweight
Khalil Coe vs Jesse Hart ;  Light heavyweight
Alexis Barreire vs Guido Vianello ;  Heavyweight
Tahmir Smalls vs Jose Roman ;  Welterweight
Dennis Thompson vs Sean Diaz;  Super bantamweight
Zaquin Moses vs Antonio Dunton-El Jr ;  Super featherweight
Giorgio Visioli vs James Wilkins ;  Super featherweight
Harley Mederos vs TBC ;  Lightweight
Justin Palmieri vs Naheem Parker ;  Lightweight

The Big Ten has produced the last two national champions, and No. 1 Ohio State is positioned to win another.
Saban himself conceded that Ohio State is a ‘great’ team, highlighting quarterback Julian Sayin’s talent.
Nick Saban applauds SEC’s depth of ‘pretty good’ teams, but ‘pretty good’ doesn’t win national titles.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Nick Saban’s not mistaken, but he’s having the wrong conversation.

Saban poo-pooed the Big Ten this week, and he exalted the SEC’s down-ballot clout.

The Big Ten “is not like the SEC, where you’ve got eight or nine teams that can beat you,” Saban said on ESPN.

OK, so, by Saban’s assessment, the SEC’s ninth-best team probably would beat the Big Ten’s ninth-best team. I don’t disagree, but so what?

The College Football Playoff is not an exam that rewards the conference with the most depth. The postseason rewards dominance, not depth.

That’s why the Big Ten produced the past two national champions, and that’s why the yanks in the north are well-positioned to produce another national champion and retain bragging rights on the SEC.

Until otherwise proven, No. 1 Ohio State remains the nation’s most-dominant, most-complete team.

A day before the Buckeyes smashed No. 17 Illinois, 34-16, Saban rattled off a bunch of SEC teams he believes are “pretty good.”

Texas A&M. Georgia. Mississippi. Alabama. Missouri. Tennessee.

He’s right, of course, but Saban knows better than anyone “pretty good” teams don’t win national championships.

In Saban’s heyday, Alabama smashed pretty good teams.

Dominant teams win national championships.

Great teams win national championships.

So, I wonder, whom did the GOAT spotlight as a great team?

“Ohio State is great,” Saban conceded.

Right again.

And Ohio State’s greatness matters more than which conference’s ninth-place team would win if they met in an also-ran bowl as an appetizer to the playoff.

Does SEC football have a team of Ohio State’s caliber?

Who’s the SEC’s lead horse?

Alabama, potentially. The Crimson Tide have ripped off three straight ranked victories, solidifying after that woeful opener at Florida State.

But, if you offered me the option of Ohio State’s offensive line or Alabama’s, I’d take the Buckeyes’ big fellas who seem intent on making sure the nearest defender is at least one country mile away from quarterback Julian Sayin.

I’d take Ohio State’s defensive line, too, and its wide receivers. As sharp as Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson looks — he’s the best thing going in Tuscaloosa — Sayin is completing better than 78% of his passes for Ohio State.

Insert Georgia or Ole Miss or Tennessee or Texas A&M or Oklahoma into that equation in place of Alabama, and my answer doesn’t change. At nearly every position, the Buckeyes enjoy supremacy.

Nick Saban lauds Ohio State’s Julian Sayin

Game recognizes game. You don’t win seven national championships without spotting talent.

“Nobody has done what Ohio State’s quarterback Julian Sayin” has done, Saban said on ESPN, hours before Ohio State’s redshirt freshman tossed two touchdown passes against the Illini.

Saban wanted Sayin as Alabama’s quarterback of the future, until he up and retired. Sayin flipped his commitment from Alabama to Ohio State.

“He’s my guy,” Saban said.

He’s Ohio State’s guy now, the latest in a run of excellent quarterbacks to develop under coach Ryan Day.

After Ohio State improved to 6-0, Day gave his players permission to feel some satisfaction in smashing a conference opponent by three scores on the road.

“It’s a good sign when you have to go into the locker room after a win like this and make sure everybody understands what a great win it was,” Day said. “I think we all felt like we left a little bit on the field, but with all that being said, I thought the effort was excellent.”

Efficient though this victory was, nobody wearing scarlet and gray considered this to be Ohio State at its peak.

“We’re going to keep building,” Sayin said.

That’s what’s scary about this latest beast forming in Columbus. The Buckeyes have a higher gear that, outside of last week’s rout of Minnesota, they’ve shown sparingly.

“We’re still finding our stride,” Ohio State tight end Max Klare said. “Once we hit that, we’ll get things rolling.”

If the Buckeyes learn to hit that higher gear more consistently, the SEC’s depth or the strength of its ninth-place team won’t matter a bit, because the playoff spits out “pretty good” teams and crowns the great ones.

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.

Another Saturday, another day full of college football upsets.

One of the biggest ones may have come courtesy of Northwestern football. The Wildcats upended No. 22 Penn State 22-21 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Oct. 11.

The Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) have now lost three games in a row following a 3-0 start to the season. Penn State was ranked No. 2 in the country as recently as the Sept. 21 US LBM Coaches Poll. However, following a loss to No. 5 Oregon, it has lost back-to-back games to unranked UCLA and Northwestern (4-2, 2-1).

The Wildcats scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 9-yard run by Caleb Komolafe with 4:51 remaining in the game. Penn State turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession, which also saw its quarterback, Drew Allar, go down with an injury.

Allar completed 13 of 20 passes for 137 yards and an interception in the loss. Northwestern has now won three in a row following a 1-2 start to the season.