The two-year qualifying process for the 2026 World Cup is nearly done, with multiple nations booking their spots in next summer’s tournament in recent days.

The most recent qualifiers have mostly come from Africa, which concluded the main phase of the region’s qualifying process on Tuesday. There are some familiar powers among the teams to qualify from the continent thus far in October, including Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. However, tiny Cape Verde — with a population under 600,000 — is also on the list, having stunned Cameroon to claim the top spot in Group D in the Confederation of African Football’s qualifying process.

Tuesday saw Qatar become the 24th country to claim one of the 48 available World Cup berths, with Canada, Mexico, and the United States set to host a newly-expanded format next year. England, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and South Africa followed shortly thereafter, taking the total number of claimed spots up to 28. Portugal could have made it 29, but conceded a stoppage-time equalizer against Hungary in a UEFA qualifier on Tuesday, leaving them stuck on the brink.

There are also pivotal matches in Concacaf (the region comprising North and Central America, along with the Caribbean) and elsewhere in Europe, with some teams having to endure a tense wait for the next round of qualifying in November to discover their fate.

Here’s what to know about where qualifying stands for the 2026 World Cup, including who could secure their berth next:

Who has qualified for World Cup 2026?

The 2026 World Cup will include 48 teams, a huge jump up from the 32 that participated in Qatar 2022. As October’s qualifiers play out, 28 nations have qualified.

Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as of the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 14:

Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: None yet
Europe: England
Oceania: New Zealand
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

World Cup qualifying: Who could clinch a 2026 spot next?

There aren’t that many rounds of World Cup qualifying left to get through, though each confederation’s schedule and process mean each continent will wrap up at different points.

At the moment, there are eight teams (mostly hailing from Europe) that could claim a place at the 2026 World Cup with the right results in the coming days:

Austria: After missing out on six straight men’s World Cups, Austria could clinch a berth next month. A win on Nov. 15 at Cyprus combined with Bosnia and Herzegovina failing to defeat Romania would mean party time in Vienna.
Croatia: The Faroe Islands’ shock win over the Czech Republic on Sunday means that Croatia needs just one more point to win Group L and qualify for an eighth straight World Cup. The Croats host the Faroese on Nov. 14 in Rijeka.
France: ‘Les Bleus’ nearly won UEFA’s Group D after just four rounds of games, but will have to wait until November for a shot at finishing the job. France hosts second-place Ukraine in Paris on Nov. 13, and a win would guarantee the hosts a spot at the World Cup.
Honduras: ‘Los Catrachos’ have a path to clinch in the next round of play in Concacaf’s Group C. A win at Nicaragua on Nov. 13 combined with a draw between Haiti and Costa Rica in a game played earlier that same day would give Honduras entry into their fourth World Cup ever.
Netherlands: The Dutch control their own destiny in UEFA’s Group G. A win on Nov. 14 at Poland would clinch a place at next summer’s tournament for the ‘Oranje.’
Norway: The Norwegians have been a surprise in Group I, with Erling Haaland and Co. close to mathematical certainty of a World Cup spot. If Norway’s result against Estonia on Nov. 13 is superior to what Italy can do against Moldova, the job will be done.
Portugal: Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time equalizer for Hungary left Portugal frustrated, but they’re still highly likely to qualify. A road win on Nov. 13 over the Republic of Ireland would clinch their berth, as would Hungary failing to defeat Armenia earlier that same day.
Switzerland: The Swiss will head into the November window with a chance at clinching in UEFA’s Group B. All they need to do is pick up a better result than Kosovo on Nov. 15. A Swiss win plus Kosovo draw, or Swiss draw and Kosovo loss, will settle the issue.

World Cup qualifiers: How many spots for each region?

Here is a complete breakdown of how FIFA divided all 48 berths at the 2026 World Cup:

Host nations (3): Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualified as soon as they were picked to host the tournament.
Asia (8): Six Asian countries have qualified. The Asian Football Confederation’s fourth round (which will settle who claims the final two automatic bids) will conclude on Tuesday.
Africa (9): African qualifying sorted 54 countries into nine groups of six (though Eritrea withdrew from Group E before play began). The nine group winners have qualified, while the four best runners-up — Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria — will convene for a dramatic playoff in Morocco in November. The winner of that event will enter the intercontinental playoff.
Concacaf (3): The region’s third round — featuring three groups of four — began on Thursday, Sept. 4. Group winners qualify directly, while the two best runners-up will enter the intercontinental playoff.
Europe (16): UEFA qualifying features 54 teams broken up into 12 groups. Group winners qualify for the World Cup, while the second-place finishers (along with the top four teams from the UEFA Nations League who didn’t win their qualifying groups) will enter a playoff for Europe’s final four berths that is set for March 2026.
Oceania (1): New Zealand has already claimed Oceania’s only guaranteed berth at the 2026 World Cup, while New Caledonia is headed to the intercontinental playoff.
South America (6): CONMEBOL’s marathon qualifying tournament has concluded, with six teams getting places at the World Cup. A seventh (Bolivia) claimed the region’s spot in the intercontinental playoff.
Intercontinental playoff (2): New Caledonia and Bolivia have locked in spots in what will be a six-team tournament scheduled for March 2026.

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Georgia coach Kirby Smart appeared to call a timeout but then convinced officials he did not, resulting in a ‘do-over.’
The incident highlights recent questionable officiating calls within the SEC.
Officials gave Georgia back its timeout and reset the play clock, a decision the article calls a ‘charade.’

There’s something going on with this Kirby Kerfuffle, and we should be annoyed as all get out. 

The only person talking is Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who just happens to be the center of the controversy. Or charade.

A sleight of hand in Georgia’s 20-10 victory over Auburn last weekend has underscored a rash of questionable officiating in the SEC, while at the same time revealing an unspoken power structure within college football’s biggest, baddest conference.

True or not, believe it or not, it sure looks like the best coach in college football has his own set of rules. 

“I talked to no one, SEC office-wise,” Smart said Monday, two days after the scene of the crime, uh, kerfuffle. “I stand by what I talked about after the game.”

Yeah, well, we all have eyes, Kirby. You can’t tell us what we saw.

The kerfuffle, I mean charade, recap: Georgia leads Auburn 13-10 early in the fourth quarter when facing a 3rd-and-9 from the Auburn 28. The play clock is winding down, and Smart sprints to the side judge — clearly calling timeout by using one pointed hand pushed into the other open hand, and saying what looks like, “stop!”

The SEC official then gives Smart a timeout, and all hell breaks loose.

Smart starts screaming at the official, declaring he didn’t call timeout — but that he was clapping his hands in response to what he believed was an Auburn defender clapping his hands in an effort to use disconcerting signals to get Georgia to false start in one of the loudest stadiums in college football.

Got all that? Wait, it gets better. 

So after video evidence clearly shows Smart calling timeout, he convinces the SEC officiating crew he wasn’t calling timeout, and that he reminded those same officials before the game Auburn players have used disconcerting signals before. So, you know, get your stuff together. 

What do the officials do, you ask? Capitulate to the greatest coach in college football, of course.

And call a do-over.

A flipping do-over at the highest level of college football, where every play may as well be life and death. Officials then not only agree with Smart, they retroactively give him back the precious timeout, and — are you ready for this? — start the play clock over at 25 seconds.

This isn’t rocket science, everyone. It’s either a timeout, or a penalty on Georgia for delay of game.

There’s no gray area like the other questionable call in the game, where what looked like an Auburn touchdown at the goal line was ruled a fumble. That kerfuffle can be easily eliminated by saying there’s not enough evidence to change the call on the field.

But a do-over is a completely different animal.

The coach who should’ve been screaming during the charade is Auburn’s Hugh Freeze. But instead of Coach Eeyore demanding an explanation from the referee — or demanding collaborative replay look at actual video evidence of Smart calling timeout — Freeze stands on the other sideline and takes it. 

“We find ways to not win football games,” Freeze would later say. 

A quick aside: Auburn isn’t paying Freeze $6.7 million annually to just take it. (Dear, Aubie: just pay the $15,437,500 walkaway money and be done with this nonsense). 

But here’s the best part: it looks like everybody just took it — despite the obvious video evidence. Smart tantrums, and an important game that could eventually be the difference between who plays in the SEC championship game and who doesn’t, reverts to a do-over. 

A do-over. From the conference that runs college football.

There’s no way to explain it. Either Smart called a timeout — like the official clearly saw and called — or he didn’t. There’s no damn do-over.

There was, however, the classic makeup call ON THE VERY NEXT PLAY.

Officials flagged Georgia running back Cash Jones with a personal foul for an illegal block on Auburn linebacker Bryce Deas. And if you think that block was illegal, I’ve got some pristine beachfront property for you in Lee County, Alabama.

Georgia eventually missed a field goal on the drive, but that doesn’t eliminate what we all saw. Despite what Smart said immediately after the game, while trying to explain why he called timeout. I mean, didn’t call timeout.

“Go lip read, because I’m screaming, ‘They’re clapping!’” Smart said. “I didn’t need a timeout because we were going to get it off before the shot clock. It was two, one. It was the fact that they were clapping. I wanted him to call it because it’s a penalty.”

I don’t even know what to say here, ladies and gentlemen. This is the point where you’re so good at what you do, when you’ve reached the top of your profession, and you can pretty much say and do whatever you want on a football field during 60 highly-competitive and massively intense minutes.

And get away with it.

What’s the SEC going to do, admit their officials were wrong again? They already had to publicly apologize to — wait for it — Auburn when Oklahoma used a sleight of hand to keep wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III on the field while standing at the sideline, looking like he wasn’t part of the play. A disconcerting formation, no less.

Seconds later, Sategna was uncovered and scored on a 24-yard touchdown pass from John Mateer in a game OU won by seven points. So the SEC suspended the crew for a game, and delivered the apology. 

But this kerfuffle is different. Georgia won by 10, so let’s just make like it never really happened. Sort of like what Smart did. 

It is here where I give you the kicker to this masterpiece of a controversy. I mean, charade. 

Georgia informed the SEC office Sunday that Auburn had someone in the front row of the stands blowing a whistle during the first drive of the game. A disconcerting whistle, no less.   

Because, you know, these games need to be fair.

No matter what your eyes see.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. 

The Buffalo Sabres are off to a poor start in their quest to end a 14-season playoff drought.
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the 2025 No. 1 draft pick, has been impressive in his first few games.
Veteran stars Alex Ovechkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy are off to slow starts after dealing with injuries in training camp.

The NHL season is one week old on Oct. 14, and the worst thing to do is to overreact and try to extrapolate an entire season out of a short sample size.

But it isn’t a stretch to say that the Buffalo Sabres’ 0-3 start isn’t good for a team looking to end a record 14-season playoff drought. Usually, the Sabres start well and go through a season-wrecking slump later in the season.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams traded No. 2 scorer J.J. Peterka during the summer and the Sabres have two goals this season. Their minus-8 goal differential is worst in the league.

But the Sabres are dealing with multiple injuries. Josh Norris has been limited to four games since arriving last season at the trade deadline. He left the opener with an upper-body injury after a faceoff and could miss eight weeks, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported.

No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is also hurt and forward Zach Benson has yet to play after being hit in the face by a puck during practice. Michael Kesselring, acquired in the Peterka trade, is week-to-week.

The Sabres probably aren’t a playoff team with those players in the lineup, but it certainly hurts their chances with them out.

Here are some overreactions from the first week of the season:

Hand Matthew Schaefer rookie of the year

The New York Islanders defenseman and No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft has looked impressive in the first three games of his NHL career. He has a point in each game, is a terrific skater and is putting up major minutes. He played more than 26 minutes in his second and third games. He leads all rookies with 13 shots. He’ll have plenty of competition, though, with Jimmy Snuggerud, Zeev Buium, preseason favorite Ivan Demidov and others.

Give the Florida Panthers another Stanley Cup

They came back to earth in Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers with backup Daniil Tarasov in net. But they opened 3-0 without injured captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Matthew Tkachuk. That’s not surprising, considering the team’s depth. No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is helping with a 1.67 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. There will be more setbacks, especially with defenseman Dmitry Kulikov now out, but the Panthers are back-to-back champions for a reason.

Big paydays look like bargains

Kirill Kaprizov (eight years, record $17 million average), Jack Eichel (eight years, $13.5 million average) and Kyle Connor (eight years, $12 million average) signed lucrative extensions and are putting up big numbers early. Connor had a hat trick in the opener. Kaprizov and Eichel are tied for second in the league with seven points in three games. Kaprizov is helping the Wild’s power play click at a 47.1% rate. There will be some regression, but those players got their big contracts for a reason.

Alex Ovechkin off to slow start

The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer entered the season needing three goals to reach 900. After one week, he still needs three goals. But the Washington Capitals star was bothered by a lower-body issue in training camp and slow starts aren’t unusual for him. In his past three seasons, he didn’t get his first goal until his fourth or fifth game. Last season, he had no goals in three games, then took off and finished with 44 (despite missing 16 games with a broken leg) to top Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Andrei Vasilevskiy starting slowly

The Tampa Bay Lightning goalie has an unwieldy 4.62 goals-against average and .855 save percentage after two games. But he, too, was dealing with an injury in training camp that limited him to one preseason game. The Lightning had him back up on Monday because the team is playing on back-to-back nights. That gave him an extra day of rest.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL –  Lionel Messi could represent Argentina against Puerto Rico in an international friendly at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

It’s unclear if Messi will start or come off the bench in a unique opportunity to play with his national team at his home Major League Soccer stadium.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said before the match he would speak to Messi about how many minutes he could play.

“I’ll talk to him and if he’s in condition, he’ll play [Tuesday],” Scaloni told reporters a day before the match.

“We’re going to see if he’s fit to play from the start or for a few minutes. I think he’ll get those minutes, but I couldn’t say how many. What I can say is that we’ll definitely see him so that everyone can enjoy watching him.”

The friendly between Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, and Puerto Rico, eliminated from World Cup contention earlier this summer, also falls during the final week of the MLS season.

Messi is expected to rejoin Inter Miami for its regular-season finale against Nashville SC on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Follow along here as USA TODAY Sports provides live updates from the Argentina vs. Puerto Rico match:

Is Messi playing today vs Puerto Rico?

Messi is expected to play. His status will be confirmed when Argentina announces its lineup roughly an hour before the match.

What time is Argentina vs Puerto Rico match today?

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina).

Where to watch the Argentina vs. Puerto Rico match on TV and live stream

The match will be broadcast by beIN Sports in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. It will also be available to live stream on Fanatiz.

Watch Argentina vs Puerto Rico on Fubo

Here’s the latest on Messi with Inter Miami and Argentina

Messi has trained with the Argentine national team this week as they held two matches in the South Florida area.

Messi did not play in Argentina’s match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 10, opting to play in in Inter Miami’s 4-0 win at home against  Atlanta United on Oct. 11 – where he scored twice with an assist.

Messi scored two goals with an assist against Atlanta, assuming the MLS lead with 26 goals and 18 assists (44 total goal contributions) – which could influence him being the first back-to-back MLS MVP.

Philadelphia (66 points) and FC Cincinnati (62 points with 19 wins) are ahead of Inter Miami (62 points with 18 wins) in the MLS Eastern Conference.

Messi is expected to be back in action with Inter Miami for the MLS regular-season finale on the road against Nashville SC on Oct. 18.

When was Messi’s last game with Argentina?

If Messi plays with Argentina against Puerto Rico, it’ll be his first match with the national team in a month.

Messi scored twice in a 3-0 win against Venezuela on Sept. 4 at Mas Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. He treated the match like his final match in his home country because Argentina is not scheduled to host any matches in the next year.

Will Messi play in the World Cup?

Messi has not yet officially declared he will play in the 2026 World Cup, saying his age and health would be factors.

“Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it. But well, we’re almost there so I’m excited and motivated to play it,” Messi said after scoring twice for Argentina against Venezuela in his final World Cup qualifier in his home country on Sept. 4.

‘Match by match, I’ll finish the season, then I’ll have preseason, and there will be six months left. So, we’ll see how I feel. Hopefully I’ll have a good preseason in 2026, and finish this MLS season well, and then I’ll decide.’

The New York Jets flight has been anything but smooth through six weeks. To make matters worse, the flight crew is set to lose a key piece for the foreseeable future.

Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ leading receiver and arguably best player, suffered a knee injury during the team’s Week 6 loss to the Denver Broncos in London. He was seen exiting the field multiple times during the game, appearing to be at less than 100%.

After the game, it was revealed that Wilson would be getting an MRI to determine the severity of the issue and those results are in.

The Jets will now get to experience life without their WR1 for a bit. Here’s how long Wilson will be sidelined.

Garrett Wilson injury update

Wilson suffered a hyperextended knee and will miss a couple weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Jets have two games remaining before their bye week, which would seemingly put Wilson on track to return in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 9.

Wilson inked a four-year, $130 million extension over the offseason, keeping him with ‘Gang Green’ going forward. New York spent the 10th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on the former Ohio State star and Wilson has been as advertised despite a less-than-ideal quarterback situation.

After reuniting with his college quarterback, Justin Fields, Wilson has seen 56 targets through six games, hauling in 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns.

The Jets’ passing game undoubtedly revolves around their WR1, meaning an already struggling offense is set to take a major hit in Wilson’s absence.

Jets WR depth chart

Garrett Wilson (injured)
Josh Reynolds
Arian Smith
Allen Lazard
Tyler Johnson

It’s an uninspiring room at best for offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand in the immediate future. The Jets already lacked depth and top-end talent at the position before Wilson’s injury.

The task becomes even more daunting without him.

LANDOVER, MD – After a sleepless night and a frigid shower, Jake Moody was mobbed by virtual strangers for doing a job he didn’t know he’d have until the day before.

Such is the life of an NFL kicker.

Moody’s 38-yard field goal – through the Maryland mist and at the final gun – defeated the Washington Commanders 25-24 in his Chicago Bears debut Monday night.

“(I)t feels amazing, obviously,” said Moody, a third-round pick out of Michigan two years ago by the San Francisco 49ers, who waived him last month after he failed to find a consistent groove with them.

“Hitting a game winner is always a good time. Doing it for a new team, my first game – it’s huge. … So, glad to be a part of a team like this, and we’re going to keep moving forward.” 

Moody, who joined Chicago’s practice squad Sept. 12, found out Sunday he’d be filling in for Cairo Santos, whose injured quadriceps muscle wouldn’t allow him to play. Over the ensuing 24 hours, Moody continued to get familiarized with his new teammates while also tossing and turning in an uncomfortable hotel bed − he thought it was a twin − when he wasn’t getting scalded in the bathroom.

“(T)ook a nice ice shower before the game and that might be the new tradition that I start, we’ll see,” he said after also being flummoxed by a hotel showerhead that only operated at extreme temperatures.

But whatever makes for a successful routine.

Prior to Monday, when he converted four of five field-goal attempts and his lone extra-point try, Moody had been something of an adventure with the Niners. His 74.2% field-goal conversion rate in Silicon Valley – including 10 misfires in 34 attempts in 2024 – was a non-starter, especially when he missed two of three in this season’s opener.

Since then, he’s been biding his time behind Santos, working with performance coaches and rebuilding his confidence – which didn’t waver even after his 48-yard try to start the fourth quarter, one that would have given Chicago the lead but came off his foot low, was blocked.

“Just get reps, simple as that,” said Moody, who won the Lou Groza Award in 2021 as college football’s top place-kicker. “I like to think if you’re over-prepared for something, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be confident.”

Santos, who made the trip to Washington, also provided welcome assistance on a wet and windy night.

“He’s kicked here a fair amount, and he was able to kind of help me with the wind, with the field surface, all that stuff,” said Moody.

“Shoutout Cairo. He’s been a great help through all of it.” 

But it was Moody who was helped off the field by his appreciative and victorious – if still unfamiliar – teammates, who enjoyed their third consecutive victory at the Commanders’ expense nearly a year after losing on a Hail Mary in this same building.

“Amazing,” running back D’Andre Swift said of Moody. “I introduced myself to him on the sideline – first time I spoke to him. He did a great job.

“Resilient, man. I’m proud of him. Happy to have him on the team, too.” 

Said Bears quarterback Caleb Williams: “I didn’t necessarily fully know who (Moody) was when he got here. So being able to hear about his story when he got here, being able to see him work and being able to kind of have this moment – I know he’s been through some tough moments, and so having this moment for him I know is important.

“Kudos to him, and we love him for that.”

Moody loved it, too, even if he was only temping for Santos for one prime-time night.

“It’s a pretty cool series of events,” he said. “A couple days ago, I didn’t know I was playing and to get lifted up by my teammates. It’s an amazing feeling, and I’m really glad I got to share that moment with them.”

Penn State needs its very own Curt Cignetti.
Matt Rhule’s best attribute is that he’s a program builder. You could say the same of James Franklin.
Penn State needs a closer, not a builder.

Matt Rhule has a big ol’ crush on Penn State.

Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Nebraska’s coach gush with affection for his alma mater.

“I love Penn State,” Rhule said, as his face lit up, during his weekly news conference one day after James Franklin’s firing. “Met my wife there. It’s my alma mater. Fan since I was born. I think I probably had a Penn State shirt when I was born. I love Pat Kraft,” the Penn State athletic director.

That, folks, sounds like a man waiting on a job offer. A man experiencing a bout of infatuation — and not for the Huskers.

I half expected Rhule to rip off his Nebraska hoodie, reveal a mountain lion’s head on his undershirt, and start swaying and singing “For the Glory.”

Oh, sure, Rhule also said he loves Nebraska and he wants to “turn this thing into a beast,” but how much are we to believe that pledge while Rhule is rubbernecking Penn State?

This whole situation smells a little too obvious. Rhule played at Penn State as a walk-on under Joe Paterno, then started his career as a volunteer coach there. Kraft previously was Rhule’s boss when he coached Temple. They’re pals.

Rhule also hinted Nebraska’s not bankrolling his roster to the extent he’d like.

It’s clear why Rhule would flirt with well-heeled Penn State, but why should Penn State settle for the easy choice? Hiring Rhule would amount to hiring a Franklin 2.0. This one just smiles more.

Matt Rhule credentials are a lot like that of James Franklin

By every indicator, Rhule’s a solid coach. He’s a program builder. He’s steady. He worked wonders at Baylor and Temple, just as Franklin did at Vanderbilt. He leaves programs better than he found them.

Each of those descriptors applies to Franklin, too.

By firing Franklin, Penn State signaled it desires to be elite, not solid.

By every indicator, Rhule’s not elite. Like Franklin, he loses the big games. He lost to Michigan a few weeks ago. He’s 8-13 against Big Ten competition in 2½ seasons at Nebraska.

It should be said he’s got Nebraska trending up, with a 5-1 record. Year 3 consistently marks a crescendo for Rhule’s tenures, and this one is no exception.

Sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola is flourishing. Might Raiola follow Rhule to Penn State, if his coach left?

If Penn State hired Rhule, nobody could say it hired a bad coach. I would say Penn State spent tens of millions of dollars and triggered the second-largest buyout in college football history, just to replace Franklin with a more charismatic Franklin.

Rhule’s chops for program building cannot be questioned, but Penn State doesn’t need a rebuild. It needs a closer, a cut-throat like the one Big Ten rival Indiana cooked up.

Will Penn State go for obvious hire or challenge its imagination?

Rhule is the unimaginative, tug-on-the-heart strings choice. That’s worked elsewhere. Mario Cristobal, a Miami native who played for the Hurricanes, has “The U” humming.

Kirby Smart, Jim Harbaugh, Phillip Fulmer and Steve Spurrier won national championships coaching their alma maters. Ohio native Urban Meyer did his thing at Ohio State. Bear Bryant suited Alabama beautifully.

There are just as many examples of the obvious choice going splat. Including the guy Rhule replaced at Nebraska. Scott Frost seemed like a slam dunk. He stunk.

So did Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, his alma mater. So did Kliff Kingsbury in his Texas Tech homecoming.

Mike Shula flopped coaching his alma mater. Alabama replaced Shula with a West Virginia native who played at Kent State. Nick Saban went on to become the GOAT. Alabama built him a statue.

None of the four coaches in last season’s CFP semifinals was at his alma mater. Of that quartet, only Franklin was a native of the state where he coached. A lot of good that Pennsylvania upbringing did Franklin against UCLA and Northwestern.

You think Indiana cares Curt Cignetti is from Pittsburgh, played at West Virginia and came to Indiana by way of James Madison? Indiana wouldn’t trade its Yinzer for any born and bred Hoosier.

Think Oregon minds Dan Lanning, he of the defending Big Ten champion Ducks, is from Missouri and ascended as Smart’s defensive coordinator, three time zones away from Oregon? Nope.

Plundering a coach from a big-brand program isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either. Texas A&M tried that with Jimbo Fisher. LSU is attempting that with Brian Kelly. Southern California is trying it with Lincoln Riley. None of those guys made the playoff after changing jobs.

Hiring Rhule would be the easy move, the obvious hire, a choice who ensures a high floor. He’d charm the skeptics at his introductory news conference, and he’d love Penn State, and, at first, Penn State would love him back.

And when Rhule proves he’s the second coming of Franklin, Penn State would wonder why it spent all that money to hire the coach it just fired.

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.

MILWAUKEE — There was the Milwaukee Brewers’ magical defensive play Monday night that no one has ever witnessed in a postseason game.

There was Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman tormenting the Brewers again with a towering home run and a double.

There was former Dodgers closer Blake Treinen coming in to rescue the kid who took his job.

But, in the end, it was all about Dodgers starter Blake Snell.

This was his game.

This was his night.

This was his piece of history.

Snell, in one of the finest playoff performances ever, put on a pitching clinic for the ages in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. He was in complete control from the first pitch to the last, leaving both sides believing they’ve never seen anything like it.

“This is as good as I can remember in the postseason,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “against a very gritty team. You’re not going to see too many performances like that, certainly in the postseason. This was pretty special.’

Snell not only faced the minimum 24 batters in eight innings, but also he retired the last 17 batters without a single ball leaving the infield.

Not. One. Single. Ball.

The Dodgers outfield could have spent their time sipping adult beverages while Snell was on the mound.

Only Brewers third baseman’s Caleb Durbin’s third-inning single prevented him from possibly joining Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series as the only ones to pitch a perfect game in the postseason.

Snell still became the first pitcher in postseason history to allow no more than one hit, no walks, and strike out 10 or more batters in at least eight shutout innings. He is only the fourth pitcher to face the minimum number of hitters through eight innings, joining Larsen, Bill James in the 1914 World Series and Hall of Fame pitcher Chief Bender in the 1910 World Series.

“The kid is incredible,’ Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I think it’s the most dominant performance against us. I’ve been here 10 years. The kid was amazing. Snell was unbelievable.

“We couldn’t get anything going.’

The Brewers never even sniffed a rally during Snell’s eight innings. He threw 103 pitches, and the Brewers swung and missed 22 times. He threw 23 changeups, and the Brewers swung and missed 14 times.

The best postseason pitching performance they’ve ever seen?

“I can’t think of one that was just off the top of my head,’ Freeman said, “that was just so good from the start. Sometimes it takes an inning or two for someone to settle in. It was from the get-go. It was a masterpiece tonight.

“He’s amazing. There’s a reason he’s a two-time Cy Young Award winner. He’s on the big stage now, and he’s just doing what he’s always done.’

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who has played in 81 postseason games over nine years with two teams, certainly couldn’t think of a game more dominant performance, suffocating the life out of a team from start to finish.

“That’s pretty hard to do,’ Betts said. “That was electric, lights out.’

The Brewers, who managed to finally break though in the ninth when Roberts pulled Snell after 103 pitches and went to rookie Roki Sasaki, were left astounded

“It seemed like he was hitting corners with everything,’ Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, who struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. “It felt like the ball was just sort of disappearing once it got to the box. He was commanding the zone. He was throwing every pitch for a strike.’

Said Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick: “He was definitely on his game tonight. Executed and really didn’t give us too many good pitches to hit. We face a ton of really good pitchers, right? And when we see guys like that, you kind of got to choke up on the bat, find a way to get on base.

“We didn’t do that tonight.’

Not even close.

Snell, who threw his fastball for only 51 of the 103 pitches, relying heavily on his changeup, almost toyed with the Brewers. He had such pinpoint command they didn’t have a chance.

Then again, it’s not much different than what Snell has done for the past four weeks. Snell is yielding a 0.68 ERA in his last six starts since Sept. 10, giving up 15 hits over 40 innings with 56 strikeouts. He’s the only pitcher in history to go 5-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA with at least 50 strikeouts and permitting 15 or fewer hits over six starts since ERA became an official stat in 1913, according to OptaSTATS.

He has looked like Sandy Koufax this postseason, going 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA, giving up only six hits with 28 strikeouts. He has given up a run in only one of his 21 innings this postseason, retiring the side in order 16 times.

It’s hard to believe this is the same guy who had 10 postseason starts in his career before signing his five-year, $182 million free agent contact last winter with the Dodgers, never lasting more than 5 ⅔ innings. He has gone at least six innings in each of his three starts.

“Postseason, if you dominate and you do great,’ Snell said, “no one can say anything. That’s probably the best feeling is you get to prove yourself right, or you get to go out there and you fail. But at least you get to learn and grow and see who you are and how do you get better from it.’’

Snell was never in a jam the entire night and perhaps his most impressive feat was shutting down the Brewers just when it looked like the game could turn after one of the zaniest double plays in history.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning when Max Muncy sent Quinn Priester’s cut-fastball 404 feet to center field, potentially over the center-field wall for a grand slam. Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick leaped, brought the ball back, but it bounced off the wall back into his glove.

The Dodgers, who initially thought the ball was going over the fence, froze. Then, they thought Frelick caught the ball, even though left-field umpire Chad Fairchild ruled the ball was in play.

Teoscar Hernandez, who had gone back to tag up at third base, raced home. Frelick fired a strike to cutoff man Joey Ortiz, who fired home, just ahead of Hernandez, who didn’t realize it was a force play.

Meanwhile, Brewers catcher William Contreras, realizing that Will Smith, who headed back to second base believing the ball was caught, sprinted to third base.

Out at home. Out at third. Double play.

It was the first 8-6-2 double play in postseason history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It’s got to be the longest double play in history, too, right?’ Muncy said. “That was unbelievable.’

But while the sellout crowd of 41,737 were going bonkers, and the Brewers were wildly celebrating running off the field, Snell never lost his composure. He opened the fourth by striking out leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich and induced a comebacker from William Contreras. He retired the next 12 batters, too, without a single player hitting the ball out of the infield.

“That was huge for Blake,’ Smith said, “to put up another zero right back out there.’

It was just the latest gem for this starting rotation. The Dodgers’ four starters have a 1.65 ERA in seven games this postseason, yielding a .141 batting average with 56 strikeouts. They have struck out at least nine batters in five games, their most in a single postseason in franchise history.

“I don’t know if you can write enough words in your stories about our starting pitching,’ Freeman said. “It really has been amazing. They seem to feed off each other. And as an offense, we’re just doing everything we can to support them.’

And Snelll, who doesn’t have a World Series ring, just helped the Dodgers move one game closer to becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles in a quarter-century.

“To be here now, it’s a dream come true,’’ Snell said. “I couldn’t wish for anything more. I’m just going to do the best I can to help us win a World Series.’

Certainly, he did just that on a magical evening.

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