Bill Belichick made his ‘College GameDay’ debut as the head man of the North Carolina football program on Saturday with an on-the-field interview and aced it.

The appearance included giving former Alabama coach and ‘College GameDay’ host Nick Saban credit for the ‘awful lot’ of information the former NFL coach learned from their time together with the Cleveland Browns. That apparently isn’t true, according to Saban, who quickly unleashed an expletive at Belichick’s response.

‘I never thought in all the time we’ve been friends, I ever say you are full of (expletive),’ Saban said jokingly back to Belichick on ‘College GameDay’ on Saturday. ‘I learned a lot more from you than you learned from me.’

But what did Belichick learn from Saban over the years? Here’s what the first-year Tar Heels coach had to say, going as far back as their days together with the Cleveland Browns. Saban served as Belichick’s defensive coordinator in Cleveland from 1991 to 1994, the first of two stints in the NFL for the legendary college football coach.

‘I learned an awful lot from Coach Saban. We came from different defensive systems and we merged them together in Cleveland. I learned a lot from him on man-to-man coverage, which we didn’t play a lot of in New York (with the Jets). And the 4-3 defense, which he played at Michigan State and Toledo,’ Belichick said.

‘It was a great experience watching Nick handle the free agents and recruit and build a program at Alabama. I’m very grateful for the relationship that I have with him and all the things that I learned from him. He’s the best to have ever done it.’

Belichick is now in the midst of building his own program in Chapel Hill with the Tar Heels, his first college football coaching job of his illustrious career. Despite being 2-2 on the season, with two losses to Power Four opponents in TCU and UCF, Belichick mentioned on ‘College GameDay’ that he believes the program is making progress and is looking at recruiting classes as a way of building a foundation for success.

North Carolina has its biggest test yet under Belichick on Saturday against another struggling team: Dabo Swinney’s Clemson at noon ET at Kenan Memorial Stadium. A win for the Tar Heels on Oct. 4 not only will be the biggest win of the budding Belichick era but would snap a six-game losing skid to the Tigers.

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North Carolina fans left early during a game against Clemson after falling behind 28-3 in the first quarter.
Coach Bill Belichick’s first season with the Tar Heels has been challenging, with the team on its way to a third significant loss.
Belichick, who joined North Carolina in the offseason, stated he is focused on rebuilding the team through recruiting.

North Carolina football and coach Bill Belichick might already be looking to next season, and so are its fans.

Tar Heels fans are already starting to leave in droves after Clemson’s touchdown gave the Tigers a 28-3 lead just before the end of the first quarter. North Carolina has two wins against Charlotte and Richmond this season, but is on its way to its third huge defeat this season.

Clemson has been quite the disappointment this season as well, although to a different degree. The Tigers entered the season has a trendy national championship pick before dropping three of their first four games to LSU, Georgia Tech and Syracuse.

UNC’s student section looked even worse at halftime, with the Tar Heels trailing 35-3.

North Carolina turned to a new quarterback in Week 6, as veteran Max Johnson started over South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez. Johnson, who started his career at LSU before transferring to Texas A&M and then North Carolina, entered the game with 6,094 career passing yards and 49 touchdowns in six seasons.

Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as the New England Patriots head coach, made a shocking move in the offseason by joining the college ranks for the first time in his career. The 73-year-old coach is the oldest in college football, and the experiment hasn’t gone well so far.

‘We’ve got a big recruiting class coming in,’ Belichick said on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ on Saturday, Oct. 4. ‘We missed a couple recruiting classes from the last two years. We only got just a handful of players that are playing. So we’ll get try to build through the recruiting classes and supplement that with some transfer guys, but we need a couple good recruiting classes, and I think we’re on the way to getting those. Excited about it.’

North Carolina fans are certainly hoping Belichick is right.

Texas football freshman wide receiver Parker Livingstone had to be helped off the field against Florida after sustaining an apparent leg injury.

The injury occurred in the second quarter of the Longhorns’ road game in Gainesville, at the conclusion of a 33-yard reception on second-and-8. He took a hit to his leg from Florida defensive back Devin Moore.

He was helped off the field with the help of several Longhorns trainers. He returned to the field in the winding minutes of the first half on his own power after a further evaluation in the locker room.

Before he exited the field, Livingston reeled in his second catch of the day of at least 14 yards. He currently leads all Texas receivers with two catches for 47 receiving yards, as Texas trails Florida 19-7 in the second quarter.

Entering Saturday’s game vs. Florida, Livingstone led Texas with 232 receiving yards and was tied with Ryan Wingo for a team-leading three touchdown receptions.

Here’s the latest on Livingstone’s injury:

Parker Livingstone injury update

Livingston sustained an apparent leg injury in the second quarter of Texas’ Week 6 road game at Florida at the conclusion of a 33-yard catch down the field. As Livingston made the catch, he took a hit to his kneecap area from a Florida defender that caused him to flip in the air.

He was helped off the field by members of Texas’ medical staff back to the Longhorns bench where it looked like he was limping and in some noticeable pain.

After being taken back to the Longhorns’ locker room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Livingstone was seen walking back to Texas’ bench on his own power. According to several reports on X (formerly Twitter), Livingstone has not yet been given back his helmet as he stands on the sidelines.

Parker Livingstone stats

Here’s a look at Livingstone’s stats at Texas this season entering Saturday:

2025: 11 receptions for 232 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns

This story has been updated with new information.

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The UFC light heavyweight title won’t be the only thing on the line Oct. 4 when Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev square off in their rematch at UFC 320.

Also in play: the aura of invincibility.

Pereira, the 38-year-old Brazilian, is trying to reclaim the aura of invincibility after losing the light heavyweight belt to Ankalaev in a defeat by unanimous decision in March. Ankalaev, the 33-year-old Russian, is trying to solidify the aura of invincibility after the victory over Pereira extended his streak of matches without a loss to 14 in a row.

Why might the outcome of the rematch be different than the first fight? Pereira, the former kickboxer, has said an assortment of injuries left him at 40 percent and he indicated he’s closer to full strength.

But Ankalaev’s coach, Sukhrab Magomedov, expressed little concern. “He’s an old kickboxer,’’ Magomedov said of Pereira. “He has no speed.”

And, the coach added, “Alex, he has a punch, but not the kind that can really knock you out.” We’ll see about that. Of Pereira’s 12 victories, 10 have come by knockout.

USA TODAY Sports has everything you need to enjoy UFC 320, including updates, highlights and analysis:

UFC 320: Time, PPV, streaming for Ankalaev vs Pereira 2

The highly anticipated rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4 and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 4
Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
Early prelims start time: 6 p.m. ET
Early prelims card TV: FX; Early prelims stream: ESPN+, Disney+
Prelims card start time: 8 p.m. ET
Prelims card TV: ESPNEWS, FX; Prelims stream: ESPN+, Disney+
Main card start time: 10 p.m. ET
Main card stream: ESPN+ PPV

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 320 predictions: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 picks

Anatoly Pimentel writes: ‘I predict that Ankalaev will win again by unanimous decision against Pereira in this championship rematch because he will impose his grappling more urgently and earlier compared to the first fight. I never expected both of them to thrive in each other’s game in their first meeting, with Ankalev landing more significant strikes and Pereira successfully defending all the takedown attempts by the Russian.’

Doc Sports: Magomed Ankalaev

Guy Bruhn writes: ‘In his last fight, Magomed Ankalaev squared up with Alex Pereira and ended up getting the win by unanimous decision in round 5. Pereira ended up landing 97 of 159 total strikes attempted in that fight. Ankalaev walked away from this fight having landed 127 of 224 total strikes. In the category of significant strikes, Pereira ended up landing 76 of 137, which gave him a rate of 55%. He finished the fight landing 11 of 57 significant strikes to the head. On the other side of the cage, Ankalaev ended up landing 52% of the significant strikes he threw by landing 94 of 180. In terms of accuracy for the significant strikes, he was 36 of 112 to the head. 90% of the significant strikes connected on by Pereira and 79% of them connected on by Ankalaev were done at a distance.’

UFC 320 odds: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 fight card

Fight card according to ESPN: Odds via BetMGM.

(Odds as of Saturday at 4:45 p.m. ET)

Main Card:

Magomed Ankalaev (-250) vs. Alex Pereira (+200): Light Heavyweight title
Merab Dvalishvili (-450) vs. Cory Sandhagen (+340): Bantamweight title
Jiří Procházka (-200) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (+165): Light heavyweight
Josh Emmett (+360) vs. Youssef Zalal (-500): Featherweight
Abus Magomedov (+200) vs. Joe Pyfer (-250): Middleweight

Prelims:

Ateba Gautier (-2000) vs. Treston Vines (+950): Middleweight
Edmen Shahbazyan (-325) vs. Andre Muniz (+260): Middleweight
Chris Gutierrez (+375) vs. Farid Basharat (-500): Bantamweight
Daniel Zantos (-150) vs. JooSang Yoo (+125): Featherweight

Early Prelims:

Macy Chiasson (-190) vs. Yana Santos (+150): Women’s bantamweight
Patchy Mix (-325) vs. Jakub Wiklacz (+260): Bantamweight
Punahele Soriano (-350) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (+275): Welterweight
Ramiz Brahimaj (+240) vs. Austin Vanderford (-300): Welterweight
Veronica Hardy (-800) vs. Brogan Walker (+550): Women’s Flyweight

The biggest storyline thus far in Week 6 of the college football season may have come out of the Big 12, thanks in part to Cincinnati upsetting No. 12 Iowa State for the Cyclones’ first loss of the season.

The scenes at Nippert Stadium showcased the significance of just that.

Shortly after the clock went 0:00, Bearcats’ fans stormed the field and began what will go down as the biggest party at Nippert Stadium in decades, as Oct. 4’s 38-30 win over the Cyclones marked Cincinnati’s highest-ranked home win since 2006.

Here’s another look at the field storming at Nippert Stadium on Saturday:

The Bearcats never trailed in Saturday’s game against the Cyclones, as they scored on all five of their first-half drives to lead 31-15 going into halftime.

They extended their lead to 38-22 at the 5:57 mark of the game on an 82-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendan Sorsby to Caleb Goodie. The Cyclones responded with a touchdown to make the score 38-30 before getting an opportunity to tie the score at the end of regulation, but Rocco Becht threw an incomplete pass to end the game.

‘We really appreciate the crowd this afternoon. Great environment for college football. Man, that stripe out was incredible,’ Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield said after the win. ‘These recruits got to see what Cincinnati football was all about. I am so proud of these guys.’

Sorsby completed 23-of-25 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Bearcats’ running back Evan Pryor added two touchdowns on 10 carries for 111 rushing yards, with his first touchdown coming on the game’s opening drive on a 30-yard carry.

The win for Cincinnati moved Satterfield’s squad to 4-1 overall on the season and 2-0 in Big 12 play. Cincinnati next plays UCF on Saturday, Oct. 11 at noon ET at Nippert Stadium.

This story will be updated

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Florida is predicted to upset No. 7 Texas, while Penn State is expected to have a lackluster win against UCLA.
Cincinnati could continue its hot streak by defeating Iowa State, and Florida State may bounce back by beating rival Miami.
After a big win, Virginia is predicted to lose on the road to an undefeated Louisville team.

Given the amount of high-impact games in last weekend, it appears Week 6 will be a sort of calm after the storm. However, the schedule on tap for Saturday still provides potential for some eyebrow-raising moments across the country.

And we’ve seen time and time again that the schedules that don’t have a multitude of matchups that will have bearing on the College Football Playoff race often produce surprises. The challenge is trying to forecast when those upsets or results of significance will take place.

USA TODAY Sports college football staff is here to provide some answers. Matt Hayes, Jordan Mendoza, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Blake Toppmeyer weigh in with their bold predictions for Week 6 of the college football season.

Billy Napier, Florida take down Texas, Arch Manning

The hottest of hot seats may belong to Billy Napier, but it’s about to get cooler. The Florida coach always seems to perform best with his back up against the wall and this week’s matchup against No. 7 Texas with his team 1-3 qualfies. The Longhorns, meanwhile, might be looking ahead to next week’s showdown with Oklahoma. Expect the home crowd to be a factor and a strong defense that harasses Arch Maning to be pivotal as Florida gets to celebrate a big win. — Matt Hayes

Penn State damages CFP hopes against UCLA

We know Penn State can’t win big games, but they sure can take those gimme ones. The Nittany Lions head West to take on winless UCLA in what will likely be a Rose Bowl filled with more visiting fans. However, it won’t be a cakewalk. Playing with nothing to lose, UCLA actually makes things interesting and forces Penn State to play all four quarters. While the Nittany Lions win, the performance against one of the worst teams in the country won’t help the argument this team deserves to be in the playoff conversation. — Jordan Mendoza

Cincinnati continues upset run with Iowa State win

Cincinnati stays hot and beats Iowa State to throw the Big 12 race into further chaos. In addition to moving the Bearcats up the standings, a marquee win against the Cyclones would go a long way toward securing another year for coach Scott Satterfield. UC has been very good all year and particularly the past three games, rebounding from a narrow loss to Nebraska in the opener to look like one of the top offenses in the conference. Few quarterbacks have been playing better than Brendan Sorsby. — Paul Myerberg

Florida State bounces back with defeat of Miami

A week ago, the Seminoles were getting exposed on defense while getting beat on the road at Virginia. So conventional wisdom would be that a visit from the rival Hurricanes would go poorly this week. But that loss actually might work in Florida State’s favor by getting them refocused and Miami overconfident. The Hurricanes have risen into the top five but haven’t yet gone on the road. We’ll see how good Carson Beck and the rest of the team function in a tough environment. The bet is they won’t pass the test. — Erick Smith

Virginia stumbles at Louisville after Florida State win

Let’s give credit where due. Virginia’s victory against Florida State was a true program changer, a much needed ray of light for a team that has struggled for relevance for years amid a multitude of issues on and off the field.

But sometimes in college football, winning the game after the game is the hardest thing, and the Cavaliers are about to learn this lesson at unbeaten Louisville. The Cardinals had to work a bit harder than they’d have liked to get out of Pittsburgh with a win last week, and they’ll be very happy to be back at home. Add in the uncertainty of UVa quarterback Chandler Morris’s hand injury, and Saturday shapes up to be a back down to earth affair for the Cavaliers as the Cardinals stay undefeated for another week. — Eddie Timanus

Another rough day for UCLA, Nico Iamaleava

Nico Iamaleava, aka “Mr. April,” will continue his quest to become “Mr. Winless” at UCLA after taking a pay cut to leave Tennessee, a playoff contender. Penn State heads west with a perfect opportunity to lick their wounds while basking in some sunshine and playing in front of a friends-and-family crowd at the Rose Bowl. Drew Allar might never look closer to a first-round NFL pick than he does in this get-right game against UCLA. Meanwhile, Iamaleava has a good chance to throw for at least 85 yards. — Blake Toppmeyer

Bryce Underwood and Michigan football came off their bye on Saturday, Oct. 4 looking to take the next step on their respective paths to a potential College Football Playoff berth.

Thanks to another big day from running back Justice Haynes and the Wolverines defense, No. 20 Michigan (4-1, 2-0in Big Ten play) was able to do just that against their longtime Big Ten conference foe Wisconsin (2-3, 0-2).

Michigan picked up its second Big Ten win of the season with a 24-10 victory over the Badgers at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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

Haynes became the first Michigan player since Denard Robinson to open their career with the Wolverines with five straight games of at least 100 rushing yards. The former Alabama running back was responsible for two of Michigan’s three touchdowns on the afternoon, both 1-yard plunges into the end zone. The other touchdown of the afternoon for Michigan was a 29-yard pass on the RPO from Underwood to wide receiver Donaven McCulley. 

​​Wisconsin struggled to find rhythm on offense for much of the afternoon after it marched down the field on the game’s opening drive for a touchdown. The Badgers’ punted on eight of their 11 drives of the afternoon.

Underwood completed 19 of 28 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon. Wisconsin third-string quarterback Hunter Simmons was given the loss in his first start with the Badgers. He finished 18 of 29 passing for 177 yards and an interception on the day, which came in the third quarter from Michigan defensive back Rob Moore.

The loss for the Badgers dropped their record against ranked opponents under Luke Fickell to 0-8. Meanwhile, the win for Michigan is its 27th consecutive win at The Big House against an unranked opponent.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow below for a recap:

Michigan vs Wisconsin football final score

This section will be updated during the game

Michigan vs Wisconsin football updates

This section has been updated with new information

Postgame

Sherrone Moore on Justice Haynes

Asked by Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft following his team’s win over Wisconsin, Michigan coach Sherrone Moore spoke about the impact Justice Haynes has had on the Wolverines program and how he ‘feels sorry’ for the team that let Haynes go, referring to Alabama.

Justice Haynes stats today vs Wisconsin

Here’s a look at Haynes full stats from Michigan’s win over Wisconsin:

Rushing yards: 117
Carries: 19
Rushing touchdowns: Two

Final score: Michigan 24, Wisconsin 10

Michigan picks up Big Ten win over Wisconsin

Michigan defeats Wisconsin 24-10 at home for its second Big Ten win of the season. The Wolverines move to 4-1 on the season with the win, while the loss drops the Badgers to 2-3 on the season.

Derrick Moore sacks Hunter Simmons, Wisconsin hits field goal

Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore comes up with the first sack of the afternoon for the Wolverines’ defense, as he sacks Hunter Simmons for a loss of 12-yards on third-and-8. Wisconsin then settles for the 39-yard field goal from Nathanial Vakos to cut the deficit to 24-10 with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hunter Simmons, Wisconsin convert fourth down

Michigan dials up the pressure on fourth-and-4 as Wisconsin goes for it and Hunter Simmons reads it nicely, as he finds Grant Stec on the left side of the field for an 8-yard reception and the first down. It’s a nice grab by Stec, who reeled in Simmons’ pass with one hand.

The Badgers’ drive continues as they are on the Wolverines’ side of the field.

Justice Haynes extends Michigan lead with touchdown

Who else but Justice Haynes! The Wolverines’ power running back plunges into the end zone from the 1-yard line for his second touchdown of the day.

It is now 24 unanswered points for Michigan since Wisconsin opened the game with a touchdown on the opening drive. Michigan now leads Wisconsin 24-7 with 9:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Justice Haynes hits Michigan RB milestone

Justice Haynes moves past the 100 rushing yard mark on the afternoon with an 11-yard carry up the middle of the field. He follows that with back-to-back runs of 8- and 4-yards respectively to put him at 116 rushing yards on the afternoon on 18 carries. He is the first Michigan player with at least 100 rushing yards in his first five games at Michigan since 2010.

Michigan can’t convert fourth down

Michigan elects to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Wisconsin 31-yard line and it backfires, as the snap is low and Bryce Underwood isn’t able to hold onto it. Underwood recovers the ball, but it is for a 3-yard loss, resulting in a turnover on downs for Wisconsin’s defense.

It’s the first fourth-down stop of the game for either team. Wisconsin gets the ball at its own 31-yard line trailing 17-7 with 13:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Third quarter: Michigan 17, Wisconsin 7

Rod Moore picks off Hunter Simmons

Rob Moore picks off Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons on second-and-6. It’s a great read by Moore on Simmons’ pass as he comes out of nowhere to give the Wolverines their first takeaway of the game.

The Wolverines get the ball back at their own 17-yard line. The Badgers had been moving on offense and picked up a gain of 21 yards on a pass from Simmons to Vinny Anthony III.

Donaven McCulley scores touchdown for Michigan

Here comes Michigan.

Bryce Underwood dumps it off to Donaven McCulley on the RPO and it is all McCulley after that, as he breaks a tackle and runs it into the end zone. McCulley also had a 33-yard catch up the left sidelines for a big play on Michigan’s scoring drive.

The scoring drive was three plays for 67 yards and took 1:03 off the game clock.

Michigan nearly picks off Hunter Simmons, Badgers punt

Zeke Berry nearly comes up with an interception deep in Wisconsin’s side of the field on third-and-9, but he is unable to get a hand on it. The Badgers’ eighth drive of the day ends just like their previous six: a punt.

This Big Ten battle continues to be all about both teams’ defenses. Michigan gets the ball at its own 33-yard line, looking to get some points on the board after missing out on a field goal on its last drive.

Michigan misses field goal attempt

Bryce Underwood overthrows a pass attempt into the end zone that was intended for Marlin Klein on third-and-9, and it results in no points for Michigan. Wolverines kicker Dominic Zvada misses the 27-yard field goal attempt as the snap was low from long snapper Greg Tarr.

The Wolverines’ lead stays at 10-3 with 9:26 remaining in the third quarter. Wisconsin takes over at its own 20-yard line, looking for its first points since the opening drive of the game.

Bryce Underwood makes nice throw on run

Bryce Underwood makes one of his best throws of the afternoon on second-and-9 with a 26-yard throw on the run to Andrew Marsh. The Wolverines are marching on offense.

First half: Michigan 10, Wisconsin 7

Michigan leads Wisconsin at halftime

At the end of the first half, Michigan leads Wisconsin 10-7 at Michigan Stadium. The main storyline from the first half in Ann Arbor was neither team being able to find a consistent rhythm offensively, as both teams combined for eight punts in the half.

Michigan was able to get a field goal on its fourth drive of the game to break the 7-7 tie. Bryce Underwood was 4 of 9 for 55 yards in the first half, while Hunter Simmons was 9 of 12 for 84 yards.

Wisconsin punts again

Wisconsin is unable to pick up the first down on third-and-2, and it sends out the punt unit for the fourth consecutive drive.

The Badgers, who have gone back-and-forth with Hunter Simmons and Danny O’Neil at quarterback the last four drives, haven’t been able to find any offensive momentum or rhythm since they marched down the field for a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown scoring drive to open the game.

Since that opening touchdown drive, Wisconsin has created just 54 yards of total offense.

Dominic Zvada hits 40-yard FG for Michigan lead

Michigan retakes the lead at 10-7 with 5:43 remaining in the second quarter after a 40-yard field goal from Dominic Zvada.

It’s a nice response by the Badgers’ defense to hold the Wolverines to just three points on their drive after Wisconsin safety Matt Jung lost a 1-on-1 battle with Michigan wide receiver Andrew Marsh for a 32-yard catch down the right sidelines from Bryce Underwood.

Here’s a look at that 32-yard catch Marsh made earlier on the Wolverines’ scoring drive:

Wisconsin wildcat call fails, Michigan gets ball

On third-and-4, Wisconsin tries to pick up the first down on the wildcat keeper with running back Cade Yacamelli, but Michigan defense isn’t fooled and tackles Yacamelli for a loss of a yard.

Michigan gets the ball back at its own 19-yard line looking to find some rhythm on offense.

First quarter: Michigan 7, Wisconsin 7

Michigan, Wisconsin tied after one quarter

It is all even at 7-7 after the first quarter of play in Ann Arbor between Michigan and Wisconsin. The Badgers have the ball after getting a stop on third down and face a third-and-4 to begin the second quarter.

Michigan first down overturned, Wisconsin gets stop

Following an official review on the field, Michigan’s first down conversion on third-and-1 on a 1-yard carry up the middle from Justice Haynes is overturned. It is fourth-and-1 and Michigan sends out the punt unit.

Wisconsin punts

Rod Moore nearly comes up with a pick-6 against Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons on third-and-9 but is unable to hold onto it, forcing the Badgers to send the punt unit out.

Wisconsin then pins Michigan at its own 2-yard line after a nice special teams play by the Badgers’ coverage team that started with a 51-yard punt from Atticus Bertrams.

Justice Haynes ties game with Michigan touchdown

Justice Haynes provides the answer for Michigan with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to the right side of the end zone. It is the seventh rushing touchdown of the season for the Wolverines’ running back, which ties his career record from his two seasons at Alabama.

Haynes set up the Wolverines’ scoring drive, which went five plays for 75 yards in just over two minutes, with a 43-yard carry up the middle on the third play of the drive.

Wisconsin scores on first drive

Dilin Jones takes the handoff from Hunter Simmons and cashes it in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive of the game for Wisconsin.

It’s a nice start from the Badgers’ offense that has struggled in recent weeks. It’s also an encouraging start for Simmons, Wisconsin’s third-string quarterback, who is starting over the injured Billy Edwards Jr. and backup Danny O’Neil.

The scoring drive was 12 plays for 75 yards and took 6:50 off the game clock.

Michigan wins toss, Wisconsin starts on offense

The Wolverines win the opening coin toss and defer the kickoff to the second half. It will be Wisconsin and Hunter Simmons out on offense today vs. Wink Martindale’s defense.

Pregame

Derek Jeter predicts Michigan win over Wisconsin

Derek Jeter has called a Michigan win on Saturday. The former Michigan baseball product made it known in a pregame message to Wolverines’ fans as he prepares for the MLB on Fox pregame show in Toronto for the AL Division series between the Blue Jays and New York Yankees.

Michigan takes field vs Wisconsin

Sherrone Moore, back from his two-game self-imposed suspension, leads Michigan out of the tunnel at Michigan Stadium for Saturday’s Big Ten matchup vs. Wisconsin.

Bryce Underwood stats

Freshman starting quarterback Bryce Underwood has opened his career at Michigan with a 3-1 record. In those four games, Underwood has completed 58 of 102 passes for 733 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, while scoring three rushing touchdowns on 22 carries and 169 rushing yards.

Blake Corum back in Ann Arbor for Michigan-Wisconsin

Former Michigan national champion running back Blake Corum is back in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ Big Ten home opener vs. Wisconsin. Corum, now with the Los Angeles Rams, finished with one carry for 13 rushing yards in the Rams’ Thursday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Charles Woodson leads Michigan chant on ‘Big Noon Kickoff’

Former Michigan great Charles Woodson is back in Ann Arbor on Saturday with the Fox Sports’ ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ crew and leads the Wolverines’ ‘The Victors’ chant with the home crowd.

Wisconsin availability report vs Michigan

Here’s the availability report for Wisconsin vs. Michigan

Michigan availability report vs Wisconsin

Here’s the availability report for Michigan vs. Wisconsin, according to Detroit Free Press’ Tony Garcia:

Of note, Wisconsin is actually starting Hunter Simmons and not Danny O’Neil vs. Michigan

What is Michigan football’s record vs Wisconsin?

Michigan enters Saturday’s Big Ten home opener vs. Wisconsin with a 52-17-1 record in the all-time series against the Badgers. Of the Wolverines’ 52 wins against the Badgers, 24 of them have come at The Big House in Ann Arbor.

A win on Saturday for Michigan would improve its record vs. Wisconsin at home to 25-7.

Luke Fickell record vs ranked teams at Wisconsin 

Wisconsin has struggled mightily against top-25 opponents in three years under Luke Fickell, which comes as a surprise given his success against ranked opponents at Cincinnati. The Badgers enter Saturday’s game vs. Michigan 0-7 against top-25 teams under Fickell, including 0-1 this season following a 38-14 road loss to then-No. 18 Alabama in Week 3.

Who is Hunter Simmons? What to know of Wisconsin football’s starting QB vs Michigan

With Billy Edwards Jr. out vs. Michigan, Luke Fickell will give the keys to the offense on Saturday to third-string quarterback Hunter Simmons over backup Danny O’Neil. Fickell made the announcement in a pregame on the field interview posted by the program’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

O’Neil has been the go-to quarterback with Edwards Jr. out for the last several weeks, but with Wisconsin looking for a new spark to its offense, it will be Simmons, who transferred from Southern Illinois this past offseason. Simmons completed 2 of 9 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in the final series against Maryland in Week 4.

Wisconsin football injury update: Latest on QB Billy Edwards Jr. 

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Wisconsin will once again be without starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who returned briefly in Week 4 against Maryland but has been dealing with an injury that he sustained in Week 1 vs Miami (OH). 

That won’t be the only member of the starting offense Wisconsin will be without on Saturday at Michigan. Thamel also reported that starting center Jake Renfro is out for the game. 

Justice Haynes stats at Michigan

Former Alabama running back Justice Haynes has been on a tear at Michigan to start the season, as he has already surpassed his career-high for rushing yards in a single season at 536.

His hot start to the season on the ground has Michigan ranked as one of the top-five rushing offenses in the Big Ten. 

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of Haynes’ stats at Michigan this season: 

vs. New Mexico: 16 carries for 159 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns; two receptions for six receiving yards 
at Oklahoma: 19 carries for 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown 
vs. Central Michigan: 14 carries for 104 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; one reception for 16 receiving yards
at Nebraska: 17 carries for 149 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; three receptions for 12 receiving yards 

What time is Michigan vs Wisconsin start?

Date: Saturday, Oct. 4
Time: Noon ET
Where: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Michigan and Wisconsin are slated for a noon ET kickoff against each other on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

What TV channel is Michigan vs Wisconsin on today?

TV: Fox
Streaming: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)

Michigan vs. Wisconsin will air nationally on Fox in Week 7 of the college football season as the network’s main ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ Game of the Week. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will call the game from the booth at Michigan Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers, and the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login).

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

Michigan vs Wisconsin predictions

John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Michigan 30, Wisconsin 10

Michigan football schedule 2025

Here is Michigan’s schedule and results:

Saturday, Aug. 30: Michigan 34, New Mexico 17
Saturday, Sept. 6: No. 18 Oklahoma 24, Michigan 13
Saturday, Sept. 13: Michigan 63, Central Michigan 3
Saturday, Sept. 20: Michigan 30, Nebraska 27 *
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Wisconsin * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 11: at USC * | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC (Fubo) /Peacock
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. Washington *
Saturday, Oct. 25: at Michigan State *
Saturday, Nov. 1: vs. Purdue *
Saturday, Nov. 8: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 15: at Northwestern *
Saturday, Nov. 22: at Maryland *
Saturday, Nov. 29: vs. No. 1 Ohio State * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)

* Denotes Big Ten game

Wisconsin football schedule 2025

Here is Wisconsin’s schedule and results:

Thursday, Aug. 28: Wisconsin 17, Miami (OH) 0
Saturday, Sept. 6: Wisconsin 42, Middle Tennessee 10
Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 19 Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14
Saturday, Sept. 20: Maryland 27, Wisconsin 10 *
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: at No. 20 Michigan * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Iowa * | 7 p.m. ET | Fox Sports 1 (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 1 Ohio State *
Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 2 Oregon *
Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Washington *
Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. No. 22 Illinois *
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Minnesota *

PHILADELPHIA – Bryce Harper was still an outfielder with the Washington Nationals. DH Kyle Schwarber was still a folk hero at Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia Phillies were in the midst of a 10-year postseason drought.

And Shohei Ohtani was making his major-league debut for the Los Angeles Angels.

It was March 29, 2018.

Now, seven years, six months and five days later (2,746 days, to be exact), Ohtani, the greatest show on Earth, will be making his first pitching appearance in a postseason game Saturday night (6:38 p.m. ET, TBS) when the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

This is the moment he has been awaiting his entire life.

Sure, he made history as the first player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases last year. He helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series title over the New York Yankees as a DH. He pitched Japan to the championship in the World Baseball Classic, striking out Mike Trout for the final out.

But now, for the first time, he’ll be a two-way player in the postseason, leading off for the Dodgers as a DH Saturday, and then stepping onto the mound to be their starting pitcher.

The last time we saw a true two-way player like this in the postseason was Babe Ruth when he was a starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 1918 World Series, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

“The thing that’s aways so impressive to me with Sho,’’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy told USA TODAY Sports, “is to go out there, dominate on the mound, and then rushing into the dugout, putting his stuff on, and hopping in the batter’s box. I think about how well I sleep after I play a long game, because when you watch him after those games, he’s just absolutely gassed.

“I mean, that’s a lot to ask of somebody, and he does it every single day. You know he really loves (pitching). He really loves focusing on pitching. And he really loves everything that comes with preparing to pitch.

“The amount of work he puts in every day for pitching is just incredible to watch, and that’s obviously behind-the-scenes stuff that not everyone sees. When you look at just the amount of work he’s done, it’s incredible that he can still play the way he plays.’’

Ohtani, who normally keeps his emotions in check, didn’t try to disguise his excitement. Sure, he made 86 starts in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, but never did they sniff the postseason.

Now, he’s finally in the postseason as a genuine two-way player.

“Just really looking forward to it,’’ he said. “I’m sure I’ll be nervous at times. But more than that, I’m just really grateful that I get to play baseball at this time of the year. And just being healthy is really important to me, so I’m just grateful for that.’’

He’s even anxiously awaiting the hostile atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park, which can make life a bit uncomfortable for opposing players, to put it mildly.

“They’re known to be very passionate fans,’’ Ohtani says. “The atmosphere, I’m sure, is going to be passionate and rocking, as well. And one thing I do know is that they serve really good (Philly) cheesesteaks at the clubhouse.’’

Ohtani, who made his way back to pitching in mid-June after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, says he feels normal once again.

It was validated when the Dodgers took off the gloves Sept. 16 against these same Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani merely pitched five no-hit innings against the Phillies, showing for the first time that he was out of rehab mode, and was now a starter with no health concerns. For an encore, he pitched six shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing a season-high 91 pitches, in his last regular-season start.

“I think even right before that start he said he was out of the rehab mode,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And obviously you’re playing a very talented team in the Phillies at that point in time. So you saw a really good Shohei that night.’’

Good?

How about sensational?

“He was phenomenal,’’ Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s the combination of power and control, command, stuff. He was really good. He was pumping strikes, and it was 98-, 99-mph. And the secondary pitches are all way above-average. So if he’s doing that, it’s a tough task.’’

Said Ohtani: “I’m very glad that I was able to end the rehab progression at that moment.’’

It was a moment in time where the Dodgers morphed from a powerful contender to perhaps the World Series favorite, with their starting rotation becoming a three-headed beast with Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Ohtani.

Phillies pitcher Walker Buehler, who saw Ohtani’s progress firsthand last season while with the Dodgers, had a feeling this day was coming. He just wished it was delayed a bit … like into next season.

“Having gone through the second surgery, it’s a different monster,’’ Buehler said. “Him being active and playing, it’s probably helpful in a lot of ways. I think there’s some aspects of him playing that help him physically in terms of this rehab process. The flip side is the load, and the load managing, and stuff like that because he’s doing both.

“Crazy body, with crazy work ethic, and crazy talent. And the ability to put them all together is what makes him really special. It’s a hard thing to deal with to have that second surgery, but if there’s anyone that there was very little doubt about him being successful, it was him.’’

The Phillies are hoping that their recent familiarity with Ohtani, seeing him just three weeks ago, could pay off, Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm said. This was the first time they had ever faced him in their careers, so this time around, they won’t be surprised watching him throw five different pitches, all for strikes.

They vow to be more patient, more selective, trying to get into the Dodgers’ flawed bullpen, which yielded a 10.38 ERA in their two-game wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds. If not, well, it could be an awful long evening, which could turn into an early winter.

“I think our goal, doesn’t matter who we’re facing, try to get the starter out of the game as soon as we can,’’ Thomson says. “So that’s really what our game plan is. I don’t think it’s a secret. …. What we really want to do is keep the ball in the strike zone. That’s really the goal. If you can do that, you’ll build pitch counts.’’

And to that, well, Ohtani says good luck.

“I’m sure there’s pros and cons on both sides as a pitcher and hitters facing me,’’ Ohtani says. “Having the history provides a little more context.’’

Ohtani paused, broke into a smile, and said: “We’re going to find out.’’

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