The New York Yankees took advantage of the middle of their lineup on Saturday, Sept. 13, to beat the rival Boston Red Sox for the second game in a row at Fenway Park.

Aaron Judge got on base all four times and scored twice, Cody Bellinger had two RBIs and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had three, including a solo home run, in Saturday’s 5-3 win. New York scored four times against Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello.

The Yankees moved 2½ games ahead of the Red Sox for the American League’s first wild-card seed. But they didn’t gain ground on the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays, who rallied past the Baltimore Orioles.

The Yankees, who won the opener 4-1, can complete the sweep on Sunday evening (7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Yankees pitcher Max Fried picked up his league-best 17th win, striking out six in 5⅓ innings. He gave up a solo home run to Alex Bregman.

Highlights from the Yankees’ win against the Red Sox:

Yankees vs. Red Sox highlights

Yankees win 5-3

Closer David Bednar comes into the ninth innning and gets three consecutive outs as the Yankees pick up their second win of the series.

Yankees add a run

Cody Bellinger drives in Aaron Judge with a double off the Green Monster in the top of the ninth inning. He gets the hit off Aroldis Chapman. It’s 5-3 Yankees heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Red Sox add a run

Pitch-hitter Jarren Duran hits a solo home run to right field off new Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz. That cuts New York’s lead to 4-3.

Yankees make pitching, defensive change

Reliever Devin Williams starts the seventh inning for the Yankees. Paul Goldschmidt comes into the game at first base.

Red Sox make pitching change

Right-hander Garrett Whitlock replaces Chris Murphy in the seventh with Aaron Judge at the plate. Bases are empty after Murphy gets Ben Rice to ground into a double play. Judge singles off Whitlock but Cody Bellinger grounds out to first to end the inning. Still 4-2 Yankees.

Red Sox score again; Yankees make pitching change

Nate Eaton and Nick Sogard get back-to-back singles in the sixth. The Yankees opt to keep Max Fried in the game. He gives up a single to Connor Wong and Eaton scores to cut the Yankees’ lead to 4-2. Luke Weaver comes into the game for the Yankees and ends the threat with back-to-back strikeouts.

Fried gives up two runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Red Sox make pitching change

Chris Murphy is in the game for Boston in the sixth inning. He retires the side in order. Brayan Bello gave up four runs in five innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

Red Sox get first run

Alex Bregman hits a home run off the pole in right field in the fifth inning to cut the Yankees’ lead to 4-1.

Blue Jays rally for win

Toronto rallies with three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win against the Orioles so the winner of this Yankees-Red Sox game won’t gain any ground on the AL East leaders.

Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. homers

Jazz Chisholm Jr. hits a two-out solo run to right field in the fifth inning to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. It’s his 29th home run of the season and third RBI of the game.

Max Fried settling down

He gets a 1-2-3 inning in the third inning and has retired five in a row. He had allowed two baserunners in each of the first two innings.

Yankees add another run

Aaron Judge walks in the third inning and goes to third on a Cody Bellinger single. Jazz Chisholm Jr. drives Judge in with an infield single to make it 3-0 Yankees.

Baserunning error for Red Sox

Nate Eaton, who had a leadoff walk, is thrown out at third on a Nick Sogard single in the bottom of the second. That costs Boston a run when Connor Wong doubles. Max Fried gets out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. Still 2-0 Yankees.

Yankees lead 2-0 after first

Max Fried strands two Red Sox players by fielding a comebacker from Carlos Narváez.

Yankees take 2-0 lead in first

Trent Grisham is hit by a pitch and Ben Rice follows with a ground-rule double to right-center. Aaron Judge walks to load the bases and Cody Bellinger hits a sacrifice fly to center. Jazz Chisholm Jr. drives in another run with an infield single to make it 2-0 Yankees with one out. Brayan Bello loads the bases with a walk but gets out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.

What time is Yankees vs Red Sox?

First pitch for the Yankees-Red Sox matchup on Saturday is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.

Watch Yankees at Red Sox on Fubo with a free trial

How to watch Yankees vs Red Sox

The Yankees-Red Sox game can seen on MLB Network, in addition to locally on the YES Network and NESN. The game will also be available on Fubo.

Yankees lineup today vs. Red Sox

Trent Grisham (L) CF
Ben Rice (L) 1B
Aaron Judge (R) DH
Cody Bellinger (L) RF
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Jasson Domínguez (S) LF
José Caballero (R) SS
Austin Wells (L) C
Ryan McMahon (L) 3B

Red Sox lineup today

Romy Gonzalez (R) 1B
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Trevor Story (R) SS
Rob Refsnyder (R) LF
Carlos Narváez (R) DH
Nate Eaton (R) RF
Nick Sogard (S) 2B
Connor Wong (R) C
Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF

It didn’t take long for Anthony Rizzo to get back into the spotlight with the Chicago Cubs.

Earlier this week, Rizzo announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after 14 seasons, including 10 seasons with the Northsiders, helping them break the team’s 108-year championship drought when they won the World Series in 2016.

Rizzo will join the Cubs as a team ambassador, and he was at Wrigley Field for Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays as the team celebrated his career.

In the bottom of the second inning, rookie Moisés Ballesteros took a 96 mph fastball from Rays starter Drew Rasmussen and deposited it 391 feet into left center field for his first career home run to give the Cubs the early lead.

Rizzo just happened to be sitting in the stands with the fans during the game, and the Ballesteros home run came right toward Rizzo. He reached up and tried to grab it, only for the ball to bounce out of his hands.

Guess those four Gold Glove Awards he had during his career didn’t come in handy on this day.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

It was the biggest move of the offseason across the NFL: the Dallas Cowboys trading edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.

The blockbuster trade came less than week before the start of the regular season. It also could’ve gone differently as Parsons may have called the Big Apple home instead of Titletown.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed on ESPN New York that he’d reached out to the New York Jets about a deal for Parsons.

‘I had initiated that with one of the [New York NFL] teams and you can guess that it was not the Giants,’ Jones said with a laugh.

He detailed that Jets officials responded and they ‘did not have the resources’ to get a deal done for Parsons. Dallas got two future first-round NFL draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark from the Packers in the deal for Parsons.

‘I would imagine somewhere in that conversation you might’ve asked for Quinnen Williams since you were really looking to help your run defense,’ ESPN New York host Gary Myers said. ‘Maybe a [first-round pick], maybe two [first-round picks] and Quinnen Williams. Quinnen Williams is a better player than Kenny Clark in my opinion but am I going down the right path there?’

‘Yes, yes you are,’ Jones said. ‘A prerequisite to the entire trade is that we had to have right now a really, frankly, significant, dominant inside defensive player which was our goal to address the run… we wanted to bolster up there. We tried to do it with Mazi Smith when we drafted him two years earlier but that was prerequisite.’

Jones confirmed that was his price for the Jets in a Parsons deal and they did not want to meet that price. Once they said no, that was the end of talks.

Green Bay has won its first two games of the season with Parsons on the defense. The four-time Pro Bowler has 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in those two games despite playing just 57% of the snaps on defense.

EVANSTON, IL ―Dante Moore was not fazed by the wind blowing off Lake Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 13, in Oregon football’s Big Ten Conference opener against Northwestern.

An early kickoff on a windy day at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium wasn’t going to impact the Ducks’ redshirt sophomore signal-caller in Week 3 of the college football season. Moore played at Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School in Detroit, off the banks of the Detroit River, where he became a 5-star quarterback recruit and the No. 4 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings.

That experience turned into something of an advantage for Moore in the Ducks’ road trip to Evanston.

‘Mother nature doesn’t play on Lake Michigan,” Moore told assembled media after the game, laughing. “It’s windy, it’s kind of how high school was for me. My high school was right by the water. Coming out in warmup was like, ‘Holy (expletive), it’s windy.’ I am looking at (quarterbacks) coach Will Stein, and he said, ‘Let it rip today.’”

Let it rip he did, as Moore completed 16 of 20 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown in Oregon’s 34-14 win over the Wildcats. With Evanston just a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Detroit, it was something of a homecoming for Moore.

‘The best thing was my family being able to come out here,’ he said. ‘(Four)-hour drive from Detroit. … I am just glad they got a chance to come out. I take videos and pictures of every stadium I play in. I have a lot of great pictures here, especially with the wind kicking in.’

While Moore did complete a touchdown pass to tight end Kenyon Sadiq near the end of the first half, he also threw his first interception of the season at the beginning of the fourth quarter. It was his interception since he threw nine as a true freshman at UCLA in 2023.

Moore was able to look at the positive from that pick, however, choosing to frame it in how much he has grown as a player.

“It’s been a while. It’s been about two years,’ Moore said of the last time he threw an interception. ‘I know my freshman self would have been, like, ‘Damn,’ chewing me alive, looking at the play over and over, devastated by the pick. But now it’s just the next play. …

‘The ‘GOATS’ throw picks: Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning. A lot of those happen, it’s just the way of playing quarterback, but I am not a big statistical guy. … The biggest part is just seeing everyone’s faces after the win, making sure everyone is smiling.”

It’s safe to say that’s the case for Moore, his family and Oregon fans following another dominant effort from the Ducks.

A 2025 UCLA football season that began with some sense of promise following the high-profile addition of transfer Nico Iamaleava got off to an inauspicious start.

The Bruins were drubbed in their season opener, falling to Utah 43-10 on Saturday, Aug. 30, a game in which they managed only 220 yards. A week later, they went on the road and fell to UNLV, which hadn’t beaten a Big Ten program in 22 years.

In Week 3, they fell to a new low.

In what appeared to be one of its easiest games of the season, UCLA was dominated against New Mexico, getting outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter on its way to a 35-10 defeat on Friday, Sept. 12 in front of a paltry crowd of 31,123 at the Rose Bowl.

In the loss, the Bruins gave up 450 yards, 298 of which came on the ground against an opponent that averaged 6.5 yards per carry. 

All those nightmarish stats may not have even been the worst aspect of the setback for UCLA, either, as the school will have to pay New Mexico a seven-figure sum for the pleasure of earning a 25-point win.

Here’s a closer look about the payout the Lobos received for beating UCLA:

How much did UCLA pay New Mexico?

According to the terms of the game contract between the schools, which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports, UCLA has to pay New Mexico $1.2 million. The payment has to be made by April 1, 2026.

Interestingly, that figure is the same as what the Bruins are reportedly paying Iamaleava as part of his name, image and likeness deal with the school after he transferred in from Tennessee during the spring, per On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos.

The deal between UCLA and New Mexico, which was agreed to in 2016, was just for one game. Given what the Bruins saw from the Lobos on Friday, it might be for the best.

The matchup between No. 6 Miami and No. 23 South Florida has been halted due to weather.

Lightning was detected within eight miles of Hard Rock Stadium at roughly 5:25 p.m. ET. wiith Miami 14-3. There was 13:45 left in the second quarter when the teams were told to exit the field. Fans in the stadium were told to seek shelter while the teams headed to their locker rooms.

The forecast in Miami Gardens, Florida shows thunderstorms are expected until 7 p.m. ET, according to AccuWeather.

Miami-South Florida weather updates: Game still in delay

Lightning is still in the area and the game is still suspended. The CW Network, which is broadcasting the game, said the game will resume at 7:07 p.m. ET. It was originally slated to resume at 6:07 p.m. ET.

College football lightning rules

NCAA rules state games must be delayed or must stop if lightning is detected within a six-mile radius of the stadium. Teams cannot return to the field until there is no lightning in the area for 30 uninterrupted minutes. The clock to resume plays resets with each lightning strike in the radius.

After there is no lightning in the area for 30 minutes, teams are then allowed a 10-minute warm-up before play can begin or resume.

Year Two of the Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama got off to an inauspicious start, with a 31-17 loss to Florida State dampening at least some of the enthusiasm that greeted the Crimson Tide entering the 2025 college football season.

Since then, however, the Tide have been rolling — with their latest game only continuing that trend.

Stream Wisconsin vs. Alabama live with Fubo (free trial)

Alabama’s offense was ruthlessly efficient against Wisconsin, racking up 454 yards and averaging 8.7 yards per play as the Crimson Tide knocked off the Badgers 38-14 on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Quarterback Ty Simpson was stellar for Alabama, completing 24 of his 29 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Williams was his favorite target, with the sophomore phenom hauling in five passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went for at least 40 yards. Germie Bernard added a pair of touchdowns for the Crimson Tide, one rushing and one receiving.

Since the season-opening dud against Florida State, Simpson has completed 41 of his 46 passes for 608 yards and seven touchdowns.

Wisconsin struggled for much of the day, managing only 209 yards and scoring just one offensive touchdown, which didn’t come until 5:29 remained in regulation. Starting in place of Billy Edwards Jr., Badgers quarterback Danny O’Neil completed 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, both of which ended up in the hands of Alabama safety Bray Hubbard.

USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game:

Wisconsin vs Alabama score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Wisconsin vs Alabama live updates

Final: Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14

Alabama vs Wisconsin highlights

Danny O’Neil TD pass gets Wisconsin first offensive points

The game is well out of hand and a win is out of the question, but Wisconsin’s still fighting.

The Badgers go 70 yards in seven plays, with much of that coming on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Danny O’Neil to Jayden Ballard to make it 38-14 with 5:29 remaining.

Alabama punts for the first time

It took until about six minutes into the fourth quarter, but at long last, Alabama has been forced to punt. A Ty Simpson pass bounces off the hands of Lotzeir Brooks on third down, wiping out what would have been at least a 14-yard gain.

Wisconsin will take over at its own 30-yard line with 9:27 left.

LT Overton injury

LT Overton, Alabama’s star defensive lineman, left the game in the second half after sustaining what was described as an upper-body injury after bringing down Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil. Given the lopsided nature of this game, it’s hard to envision him returning, even if only out of an abundance of caution.

Alabama tacks on field goal

The Alabama drive stalls out in the red zone, with the Crimson Tide settling for a Conor Talty 33-yard field goal to push their lead to 38-7. Ty Simpson very nearly had his fifth touchdown pass of the game, but Ryan Williams is unable to bring in a ball that hit him in the hands in the end zone.

End of third quarter: Alabama 35, Wisconsin 7

The Crimson Tide enters the final quarter with a 28-point lead and may soon be adding on to it, with a first-and-goal from the Wisconsin 9-yard line.

Bray Hubbard gets second interception of day for Alabama

Wisconsin pieces together its best offensive drive of the day, but it ends with no points.

On a second-and-6 from the Alabama 21-yard line, Badgers quarterback Danny O’Neil tries to connect with Lance Mason, but the ball ends up in the hands of Crimson Tide safety Bray Hubbard, who comes down with his second interception of the day.

Alabama will take over at its own 13-yard line.

Ryan Williams gets second TD of half on spectacular move

For the second time in the opening four minutes of the second half, Ryan Williams has a touchdown for Alabama. And this one may have been even more extraordinary than his first one.

Williams catches a pass from Ty Simpson at the Wisconsin 21-yard line, stops on a dime on the sideline, makes two Badgers defenders miss and has a clear path to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown.

With the extra point, the Crimson Tide lead is back to 28, 35-7, with 11 minutes left in the third quarter.

Wisconsin gets on the board with kickoff return TD

Moments after giving up a 75-yard touchdown to Alabama and Ryan Williams, Wisconsin responded with a big play of its own.

Vinny Anthony II takes the ensuing kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown to get the Badgers some long-awaited and sorely-needed points. Wisconsin still has a long way to go, with a 21-point deficit, but at the very least, coach Luke Fickell’s team won’t be shut out.

Ryan Williams scores TD for Alabama on first play of second half

It took only 11 seconds in the second half for Alabama to add to its lead.

On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, a series of pitches ends with the ball back in the hands of Ty Simpson, who tosses it to Ryan Williams. From there, the sophomore phenom does the rest, catching the ball at his own 18-yard line, following his blockers and slicing through the Wisconsin defense for a 75-yard touchdown that gives the Crimson Tide a 28-0 lead.

Halftime: Alabama 21, Wisconsin 0

Alabama was dominant in the opening 30 minutes, outgaining Wisconsin by a 212-59 margin on its way to a 21-0 lead. It could soon get worse for the Badgers, too, with the Crimson Tide set to receive the opening kickoff of the second half.

Germie Bernard stats

Few players were quite as impactful in the first half as Germie Bernard. The wide receiver caught two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. He made his mark on the ground, too, scoring the Crimson Tide’s first touchdown of the game on a 2-yard rush on fourth down.

Ty Simpson TD pass puts Alabama up 21-0

The Tide’s starting to roll.

A drive that started in the shadow of Alabama’s own end zone ends on the other side of the field, with the Crimson Tide marching 98 yards in eight plays and 4:58. It’s capped off by a bullet of a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ty Simpson to Isaiah Horton, giving Alabama a 21-0 lead with 45 seconds remaining in the first half.

Simpson is on a tear, with 13 completions on 14 attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Since the start of Alabama’s Week 2 win against Louisiana-Monroe, Simpson has completed 30 of his past 31 passes.

Wisconsin punts again

The Badgers are able to move the ball a bit against Alabama, but facing a fourth-and-12 from the Crimson Tide 43-yard line, coach Luke Fickell opts to punt.

Wisconsin downs the ball at the Alabama 2 with 5:43 left in the first half.

Germie Bernard’s second TD doubles Alabama’s lead

Germie Bernard finds the end zone yet again for Alabama, this time through the air. The Crimson Tide wide receiver gets open across the middle, catches a pass from Ty Simpson at the Wisconsin 24-yard line and runs unimpeded the rest of the way for a 43-yard touchdown, pushing Alabama’s lead to 14-0.

The previous play, Wisconsin forced a fourth down, but Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger was flagged for a personal foul for a late hit on Simpson, giving Alabama a first down.

Jake Renfro leaves game with injury for Wisconsin

Not only are the Badgers trailing, but they’re now down one of their best players. Center Jake Renfro, who was questionable with an injury heading into the game, is rolled up on by Alabama linebacker Qua Russaw on a sack of Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil. Renfro remained on the turf for a bit before walking gingerly off the field alongside team medical personnel.

After another O’Neil sack, the Badgers punt, with the Crimson Tide taking over at their own 35-yard line.

End of first quarter: Alabama 7, Wisconsin 0

Wisconsin’s got a second-and-9 at its own 41-yard line as we head into the second quarter with Alabama holding a 7-0 lead.

Germie Bernard TD gives Alabama the lead

Alabama’s second fourth-down conversion attempt went much better than their first.

On a fourth-and-1 from the Wisconsin 2-yard line, Kalen DeBoer goes for it, with Ty Simpson handing off the ball to wide receiver Germie Bernard, who bounces to the outside and dives for the pylon for a touchdown.

The Crimson Tide have a 7-0 lead with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

Alabama picks off Danny O’Neil

As it turns out, the failed fourth-down conversion didn’t end up making much of a difference.

On Wisconsin’s first play of its drive, a Danny O’Neil pass to Vinny Anthony II is intercepted by Alabama’s Bray Hubbard, who returned it 3 yards to the Crimson Tide’s 39-yard line.

A much-needed jolt of positive momentum early for Kalen DeBoer’s team.

Alabama turns it over on downs

On his team’s first possession, Kalen DeBoer makes the gutsy call to have Alabama go for it on a fourth-and-2 from its own 46-yard line. Wisconsin is able to get pressure on Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson, who’s flushed from the pocket and is unable to connect with Germie Bernard.

The Badgers have the ball in Alabama territory.

Wisconsin punts on first possession

The Badgers initially convert a third-and-4 with an 8-yard Danny O’Neil completion to Chris Brooks Jr. to the Wisconsin 46-yard line, but they’re flagged for pass interference for a pick play by another Badgers wideout.

On a third-and-19, O’Neil is sacked for a 7-yard loss and Wisconsin punts, with Alabama taking over at its own 30.

What time does Wisconsin vs Alabama start?

Date: Saturday, Sept. 13
Time: Noon ET
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

Wisconsin and Alabama are scheduled for a noon ET kickoff on Saturday, September 13 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

What TV channel is Wisconsin vs Alabama on today?

TV: ABC
Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

Wisconsin vs. Alabama will broadcast nationally on ABC in Week 3 of the college football season. Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) and Jesse Palmer (analyst) will call the game from the booth at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with Katie George serving as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Stream Wisconsin vs. Alabama live with Fubo (free trial)

Wisconsin receives opening kickoff

Alabama won the pregame coin toss and elects to defer, meaning Wisconsin will receive the opening kickoff.

Greg Sankey speaks about SEC before Wisconsin-Alabama

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey met with reporters before the Alabama vs. Wisconsin game to discuss some of the most important topics surrounding his conference.

Jam Miller injury update

Alabama running back Jam Miller, the team’s top non-quarterback rusher last season, is not expected to play against Wisconsin, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Miller’s still recovering from a collarbone injury he suffered in the preseason.

Wisconsin injury updates

Here’s a look at the status of Wisconsin’s injured players heading into the Alabama game, according to the Big Ten availability report:

Out: TE Tucker Ashcraft, S Luke Emmerich, LB Evan Van Dyn Hoven, OL Kevin Heywood, OL Barrett Nelson, WR Ben Lemirand, LB Corey Walker

Questionable: QB Billy Edwards Jr., DL Charles Perkins, OL Jake Renfro

Wisconsin vs Alabama predictions

After a 73-0 drubbing of Louisiana Monroe in its home opener, Alabama is at a high even with a Tallahassee-sized chip on the team’s collective shoulder. The two-win Badgers have not seen a challenge like the Crimson Tide. With the efficiency of Alabama’s offense paired with a defense that is still looking to make a statement after the Florida State loss, the Crimson Tide should walk away and look toward SEC play with another dominating win notched to its belt.

We all know the odds are stacked against the Badgers, but is the Crimson Tide really 21 points better as the oddsmakers have listed the game? The goal this week for UW is to play respectable ball, learn more of its strengths and stay healthy with the start of Big Ten play one week away. I’m not expecting an upset this week, but a solid showing is possible.

Wisconsin football schedule 2025

Here is Wisconsin’s 2025 football schedule and results:

All times Eastern.

Thursday, Aug. 28: Wisconsin 17, Miami (Ohio) 0
Saturday, Sept. 6: Wisconsin 42, Middle Tennessee State 10
Saturday, Sept. 13: at No. 18 Alabama | Noon | ABC (Fubo)
Saturday, Sept. 20: vs. Maryland
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: at No. 22 Michigan
Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Iowa
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 1 Ohio State
Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 5 Oregon
Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Washington
Saturday, Nov. 15: at No. 19 Indiana
Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. No. 9 Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Minnesota

Alabama football schedule 2025

Here is Alabama’s 2025 football schedule and results:

All times Eastern

Saturday, Aug. 30: Florida State 31, Alabama 17
Saturday, Sept. 6: Alabama 73, Louisiana-Monroe 0
Saturday, Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin | Noon | ABC (Fubo)
Saturday, Sept. 20: BYE
Saturday, Sept. 27: at No. 3 Georgia | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt
Saturday, Oct. 11: at Missouri | Noon
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 15 Tennessee
Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 10 South Carolina
Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. No. 4 LSU
Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. No. 16 Oklahoma
Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Eastern Illinois | 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Auburn

The Big Ten opener between Southern California and Purdue won’t be starting on time.

The first meeting between the Trojans and Boilermakers since 1998 is delayed due to lightning. It is taking place at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The game was scheduled to kick off at 3:40 p.m. ET.

Teams were instructed to stay in their locker rooms and fans were instructed to seek shelter at nearby Lambert Fieldhouse, Mackey Arena or Holloway Gymnasium, according to the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

There is a thunderstorm currently in the area, but it is not expected to last for the entirety of the evening, according to AccuWeather.

USC-Purdue weather updates: Game still delayed

The game will start at least an hour later than its original kick off time. CBS Sports, which is broadcasting the game, reported lightning flashes were in the area at 4:05 ET. That means the game can kick off no earlier than 4:45 p.m. ET.

AccuWeather’s hourly forecast shows thunderstorms are in the forecast until 6 p.m. ET. It is also expected to return around 10 p.m. ET.

College football lightning rules

NCAA rules state games must be delayed or must stop if lightning is detected within a six-mile radius of the stadium. Teams cannot return to the field until there is no lightning in the area for 30 uninterrupted minutes. The clock to resume plays resets with each lightning strike in the radius.

After there is no lightning in the area for 30 minutes, teams are then allowed a 10-minute warm-up before play can begin or resume.

Colorado fell to 1-2 after a 36-20 loss to Houston, leaving coach Deion Sanders ‘dumbfounded.’
Sanders expressed uncertainty about the team’s quarterback situation after starter Ryan Staub’s performance.
Sanders took full responsibility for the team’s performance, stating they need to improve in every phase.

HOUSTON – Colorado football coach Deion Sanders sat down on a folding chair in a warm, cramped room Friday night and tried to provide some answers about what just happened.

But he didn’t really have any.

He said he was “dumbfounded” after his team fell apart in various ways during a 36-20 loss to Houston. The loss dropped Colorado to 1-2 this season in front of an announced crowd of 37,899 at TDECU Stadium. Houston improved to 3-0 in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.

“Nobody could have told me that was gonna go down like that,” Sanders told reporters afterward. “There’s no way.”

Sanders even blamed “night games” for his team’s sluggishness before backtracking and noting that the opponent is playing at night, too. Sanders’ laundry list to clean up otherwise included his defense, his coaching and his quarterback situation, which remains unresolved.

“I have no idea,” Sanders said when asked about the future of that position.

At one point he was asked where he was falling below his own expectations as a coach. Which specific areas?

“Every,” Sanders said. “Every. Every. Yeah, every.”

It starts with the most important position on the field.

What did Deion Sanders say about his new quarterback?

Sanders tried a new starting quarterback Friday, Ryan Staub, who was listed as the team’s third-string passer before he came off the bench to spark the team in a 31-7 win against Delaware. Staub started slowly against Houston, leading his team to punts on four consecutive possessions to start the game. He then came alive to bring his team to within 16-14 at halftime. But then he couldn’t sustaine the momentum in the third quarter and finished with two interceptions in the fourth.

“Staub didn’t play well,” Sanders said. “I saw what you saw. He did not play well today.”

Staub completed 19 of 35 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown pass – a 37-yarder to receiver Joseph Williams with 4:34 left in the game. It was too little, too late, cutting Houston’s lead to 33-20.

“At the end of the day, it always falls on the quarterback,” Staub said.

Yet it wasn’t his fault alone. His receivers dropped passes at times and sometimes he didn’t get good protection. He was sacked three times.

In the third quarter, he barely got the ball. Colorado possessed the ball for only 2:11 of the 15-minute quarter as Houston grinded away on offense with 25 plays, compared to only five for Colorado.

“It wasn’t good,” Sanders said of the overall effort. “It wasn’t good at all. I take full responsibility of the foolishness that went on out there.”

What will Deion Sanders do at quarterback now?

He said he had no idea and wasn’t thinking about that after the game. Sanders basically has two choices: Stick with Staub and give him another shot at home next weekend against Wyoming in another night game. Or, go back to Kaidon Salter, the Liberty transfer who started Colorado’s first two games.

Celebrated freshman quarterback Julian Lewis also is an option but still is considered too young and underdeveloped at age 17.

“Our team is going to go as far as our QB room goes,” Staub said. “Those guys definitely need to stay ready, stay supportive. We need to all support each other, help each other, and yeah, this team is only going to go far as that room goes.”

What’s the deal with Colorado’s defense?

Colorado entered the game ranking among the bottom 30 in the nation in rushing defense and total defense. This time the Buffaloes gave up 209 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, including two in the second half to Houston quarterback Conner Weigman. His last one came on a 7-yard draw with 11:39 left, helping the Cougars go up 33-14.

“We just had trouble stopping the run,” Colorado defensive back Preston Hodge said. “It’s not a specific person’s fault.”

They often bent but didn’t always break. Houston kicker Ethan Sanchez drilled five field goals of 52, 43, 47, 35 and 49 yards.

“We’re getting our butts kicked,” Sanders said of his defense.

Sanders was particularly surprised by how his team fell flat after a week of practice that left him impressed.

‘No one could have told me that this game was gonna turn out like this with the week of preparation that we had, with the meetings that we had and the film study and the preparation that we had,’ Sanders said.

Kickoff against Wyoming next Saturday is 8:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. ET). A week later, the Buffs host BYU in a game at the same time.

“We gotta do better in every phase of the game,” Sanders said. “We gotta to better preparing our kids. We gotta do better period.”

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

Just two weeks remain in the 2025 Major League Baseball season with some playoff races going down to the wire, while the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani are the heavy favorites to repeat as Most Valuable Player award winners.

While the sport’s biggest stars hog the hardware, USA TODAY Sports takes a look at one guy on every team who deserves a round of applause for their 2025 performance – from workhorse pitchers to former All-Stars reborn.

Baltimore Orioles

2B Jackson Holliday: The young man had a nice season at age 21! Sure, he only has a league-average 100 OPS+ but the former No. 1 overall pick made huge progress after a disappointing 2024 debut and has been one of the few bright spots in Baltimore’s season.

Boston Red Sox

SS Trevor Story: His first three years in Boston couldn’t have gone much worse, but Story has stayed healthy in 2025 and had 15 homers with 56 RBIs and an .857 OPS in 75 games from the day Rafael Devers was traded.

New York Yankees

OF Giancarlo Stanton: Has absolutely mashed since his June debut with 20 homers and 49 RBIs in 61 games and unexpectedly became an outfielder again, stepping in so that Aaron Judge could DH.

Tampa Bay Rays

SP Ryan Pepiot: Acquired from the Dodgers in the Tyler Glasnow trade, Pepiot had another strong year as a full-time starter, tossing 163 innings over 29 starts this season. He’s under team control through 2028.

Toronto Blue Jays

RP Yariel Rodriguez: With Jeff Hoffman far from a sure thing in the ninth inning, Rodriguez has been an anchor in high-leverage situations for John Schneider and Toronto.

Chicago White Sox

RP Jordan Leasure: A product of the Division II powerhouse University of Tampa, Leasure has earned a part-time ninth-inning role with 73 strikeouts in 62 appearances, racking up 12 holds and seven saves.

Cleveland Guardians

1B Kyle Manzardo: Manzardo just turned 24 and has an .801 OPS with 26 home runs in his first full season following an impressive 2024 ALCS.

Detroit Tigers

C Dillon Dingler: Has firmly established himself as the team’s catcher of the future, batting .282 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 390 at-bats while throwing out would-be base stealers at an elite 33.3% clip.

Kansas City Royals

SP Michael Wacha: Just went on the injured list but Wacha has turned in another strong season and helped keep Kansas City in the wild-card hunt. It’s the 34-year-old veteran’s fourth season in a row with an ERA under 3.50.

Minnesota Twins

CF Byron Buxton: Having the best season of his career with 31 home runs and a .905 OPS in – most importantly – 111 games. Maybe it’s all happening in his 30s?

Athletics

C Shea Langeliers: While Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have earned the spotlight at various points in 2025, Langeliers has further established himself as one of the game’s premier offensive catchers with 30 homers after 29 last season.

Houston Astros

RP Bryan Abreu: Stepped into the closer’s role when Josh Hader went down and has had a few bad outings in recent weeks, but the right-hander had another season as one of the more reliable setup men in baseball and is the natural stand-in for the ninth inning.

Los Angeles Angels

OF Jo Adell: With 35 homers and 94 RBIs, Adell is becoming the player he was projected to be as an elite prospect five years ago.

Seattle Mariners

CF Julio Rodríguez: Earned an All-Star nod for an underwhelming first half, but has come alive since the break with a .904 OPS and 16 homers. Though (understandably) overshadowed by Cal Raleigh’s history-making season, J-Rod is proving that his down 2024 was just an aberration.

Texas Rangers

SP Patrick Corbin: After getting crushed over his last four years in Washington, the left-hander is one of baseball’s best comeback stories with a 4.36 ERA in 27 starts.

Atlanta Braves

1B Matt Olson: It’s been a disastrous 2025 for the Braves, but their first baseman has of course played in every single game and brought his average back up after dipping last season.

Miami Marlins

SS Otto Lopez: You’d certainly like to get more than a .700 OPS, but a 3.4 WAR season with 72 RBIs represents a more-than-solid year for the 26-year-old infielder.

New York Mets

2B/OF Jeff McNeil: The 2022 NL batting champion didn’t contribute much the two seasons that followed, but he’s played a crucial role this year, stepping in admirably in center field while posting with an OPS around .800.

Philadelphia Phillies

RP Tanner Banks: The left-hander helped steady the Phillies’ bullpen all season long as it dealt with suspensions, injuries and ineffectiveness.

Washington Nationals

P Brad Lord: Pitched his way into the rotation over the summer, maybe enough to get penciled into the picture for 2026.

Chicago Cubs

2B Nico Hoerner: He’s never going to put up big numbers, but Hoerner has raised his batting average 20 points from last year while his 5.8 fWAR entering Saturday ranked 10th in all of baseball.

Cincinnati Reds

OF Austin Hays: Hasn’t been able to stay totally healthy only totaling 95 games, but had an enormous April and has been key in a Cincinnati lineup that has had its ups and downs throughout the season.

Milwaukee Brewers

OF Sal Frelick: The 25-year-old took a huge leap forward in his second full season, raising his OPS more than 100 points on top of the defense that won him a Gold Glove last season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

RP Dennis Santana: Was Pittsburgh’s best reliever all season and took over the ninth inning after David Bednar was traded. Hasn’t been perfect as the closer, but the 29-year-old has probably earned himself the job for next year – or at least will be a hot trade chip this winter.

St. Louis Cardinals

DH/C Ivan Herrera: Still a small sample size, but proved his impressive 2024 (.301 in 229 AB) was no fluke with 15 HR, 56 RBIs and a .820 OPS in 335 at-bats this year.

Arizona Diamondbacks

SP Zac Gallen: A free agent after the season, Gallen has a 2.83 ERA in eight starts since Arizona kept him at the trade deadline. Great to see him finish on a high note after his all contributions to the club through the years

Colorado Rockies

OF Mickey Moniak: Added off the scrap heap to begin the season, the former No. 1 overall pick has performed well all year for a historically terrible team.

Los Angeles Dodgers

RP Alex Vesia: Things haven’t gone according to plan for the Dodgers’ bullpen this year, but the lefty Vesia has put together another terrific season with a 2.67 ERA in 61 games, holding opponents to a .184 average.

San Diego Padres

SP Nick Pivetta: Pivetta’s four-year, $55 million deal raised some eyebrows but the right-hander has been terrific in his first season with a 2.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 5.3 WAR in 29 starts.

San Francisco Giants

SP Robbie Ray: The former Cy Young winner has come all the way back after two lost seasons due to Tommy John surgery, earning an All-Star nod and is signed through next year.