Week 9 of the 2025 NFL schedule kicks off Thursday night with the Miami Dolphins hosting the Baltimore Ravens (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video) at Hard Rock Stadium.

At first blush, it’s not all that compelling a matchup − two disappointing teams entering the contest with two wins apiece as the season nears its halfway point. And even despite that, oddsmakers aren’t expecting a whole lot, either − BetMGM installing the Ravens as 7½-point favorites.

That doesn’t mean it won’t be a consequential game, perhaps on multiple levels.

What should you be looking for? Let’s go three and out ahead of this week’s ‘TNF’ installment:

Lamar Jackson is back

The two-time league MVP will be behind center for the Ravens for the first time since injuring his hamstring in Week 4. Up to that point, Jackson had been his typical spectacular self, and his 130.5 quarterback rating easily paces the NFL − and would smash the single-season record set by Aaron Rodgers (122.5 in 2011) if he can somehow maintain it. After some oddities last week, when Jackson practiced but was eventually ruled out of Baltimore’s game against the Chicago Bears, he was a full participant this entire week and doesn’t carry any kind of injury designation going into Thursday.

“I am extremely excited,’ Jackson, a native of South Florida, said Tuesday. ‘I can’t wait to touch the grass with my guys; it’s been a while.” 

Saying he’s back to 100%, expect Jackson and backfield mate Derrick Henry to take aim at a Miami defense that currently ranks as the league’s fifth-worst against the run and surrenders 5.0 yards per carry.

Ravens about to roll?

Even without Jackson, the Ravens handled the Bears 30-16 on Sunday and wound up as the only AFC North team with a victory in Week 8. Though Baltimore, a popular preseason pick to win Super Bowl 60, is currently in 12th place in the 16-team conference, a squad that’s won its division the past two seasons appears set to go on a heater with Jackson and several other injured players returning to the lineup. Based on opponents’ collective winning percentages, the Ravens have the league’s fifth-easiest schedule the rest of the way and their next five games come against teams currently sporting sub-.500 records. After that, they face the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, who are only two games up on Baltimore in the standings.

‘Each and every game is going to be like a ‘win or go home game,’’ said Jackson.

‘This is the first season ever (that we’re) starting off this slow. So, it’s do or die right now, each and every week.” 

Trade deadline showcase for Dolphins?

While Miami’s 2-6 record is comparable to Baltimore’s 2-5 on the surface, the Fins’ talent quotient can’t touch the Ravens’. The vibes in South Florida haven’t been great going back to the offseason, and questions about the job security of head coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier persist.

Even coming off a 34-10 shellacking of the Falcons in Atlanta, the main focus on the Dolphins right now pertains to next Tuesday’s trade deadline − and which players might get offloaded. And while dealing wideout Jaylen Waddle seems like a long shot, especially with Tyreek Hill out for the rest of the year and possibly at the end of his tenure with the Dolphins, pass rushers Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Matt Judon could all be available. A strong showing by any of them against Jackson and Co. could drive up their price tags while fueling interest heading into the weekend.

Not that Miami’s players are focused on such outside narratives.

“We look at it like there’s still a lot of ball left. We just want to be 1-0 every week. We believe in the process for sure,’ said Dolphins defensive lineman Benito Jones.

‘Wins and losses, they happen but we always want to win more than we lose. That’s why we come to work every day to try to get better.”

Experienced stars are expected to shine in women’s college basketball with UCLA center Lauren Betts and Connecticut forward Sarah Strong leading the USA TODAY Sports preseason All-America team.

The two frontcourt stars were unanimous selections on teams that feature several players that played in the 2025 Final Four and are on teams expected to reach Arizona in 2026 for the chance to win a title. Betts was a dominant force in leading the Bruins to its first Final Four appearance in NCAA history, and Strong was excellent in her freshman season as the Huskies won the national championship.

Strong is one of two players from Connecticut – this year’s preseason No. 1 – to make the first or second team, with South Carolina the only other program to have multiple selections. All established players headline the team with no freshman named.

All-America first team

G Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

A certified bucket-getter, Hidalgo is coming off a campaign where she averaged 23.8 points per game, fifth-most in the NCAA and a Notre Dame single-season record. While her offense is what makes headlines, her defense is just as good. She had 119 steals in the 2024-25 season, fifth-most in the country, which helped her earn ACC defensive player of the year honors. Hidalgo will be the focal point of the Fighting Irish’s success.

G Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina

Dawn Staley got a gem in the transfer portal with the addition of Latson from Florida State. She was the nation’s leading scorer with 25.2 points per game, leading to Seminoles as they lead the country at 86.9 points a game. Latson had more games scoring at least 30 points (eight) than less than 10 points (two). She was a major reason why Florida State won its first tournament game since 2019, and becomes the top scoring option for South Carolina.

F Sarah Strong, Connecticut

Strong is indeed the best way to describe the forward, smashing the freshman program record for rebounds in a season (356) and joining Maya Moore as the only Huskies to score at least 600 points in their first season. The WBCA freshman of the year started all 40 games and stepped up her play in the tournament, averaging 19 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in the big dance. She becomes the leader for Geno Auriemma’s team aiming for back-to-back titles.

F Madison Booker, Texas

Booker is one of the most versatile threats in the country, able to have an impact anywhere on the court. The reigning SEC player of the year had no problem playing in a new conference, leading Texas with 16.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. She was great behind the arc, as her 40.3% mark would be among the best forwards in the country if she qualified. She has proven to be the best small forward in the sport by winning back-to-back Cheryl Miller Awards.

C Lauren Betts, UCLA

Standing at 6-foot-7-inches, Betts commands the interior for UCLA and is nearly unstoppable. The WBCA defensive player of the year was just as good on offense, leading the Bruins with 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Her 100 blocks were also fifth-most in the country. She added a jump shot heading into her final season, making her an even more dangerous threat for a Bruins team that is expected to return to the Final Four. Betts is the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.

All-America second team

G Azzi Fudd, Connecticut

Fudd bounced back from her ACL injury, averaging 13.6 points per game in her junior season and getting better as the year went along. She is one of the best shooters in the country, making 3-point attempts at a 43.6% clip. Fudd, however, really solidified herself as an all-around star for the Huskies in the Final Four, when she put up a magical performance in the title game that earned her Final Four Most Outstanding Player. She’ll now command the back court for Connecticut with a fully healthy offseason.

G Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Despite the SEC getting tougher with expansion, Vanderbilt held its own thanks to the play of Blakes. She was great at the start of the season, but turned it up in conference play, which included a 53-point game against Florida and a 55-point showing at Auburn. Her 23.3 points per game were the most for a freshman last year. Now Blakes tries to build upon that stellar start and lead the Commodores back to the tournament.

F Joyce Edwards, South Carolina

The South Carolina-native made an immediate impact in her freshman season with the Gamecocks, leading the team with 12.7 points per game. What was really encouraging was she improved as the season went on, as her 57.2% field goal percentage was second-best in the SEC. It only carried into the tournament as she was stuffing the stat sheet in the postseason. She will be heavily relied on to command the interior for Dawn Staley’s club.

F Toby Fournier, Duke

The Canada-native took Duke to new heights in her first college season. Not only did she lead the Blue Devils in almost every statistical category, including scoring (13.4) and field goal percentage (52.6%), but she did it all while coming off the bench. She earned ACC rookie of the year and led Duke to its first ACC tournament title and Elite Eight appearance since 2013. Fournier can now have more expanded role on a Duke team picked to win the conference again.

C Raegan Beers, Oklahoma

There was no letdown from Oregon State transfer in her first season with the Sooners. Beers averaged 17.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while leading the SEC in player efficiency rating (35.9). Beers was the model of consistency, finding any way to affect the game. She propelled Oklahoma to its first Sweet 16 since 2013 and has generated more hype in her final college season with the Sooners starting 2025-26 in the top 10 of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin is a top target for both LSU and Florida, creating a major off-field storyline.
Several teams, including Ohio State and Indiana, are in a strong position to make the College Football Playoff.
The Heisman Trophy race remains wide open, with several quarterbacks emerging as leading candidates.

Drama, debate, controversy, madness, chaos: November will have it all.

College football’s regular season rounds the corner and heads toward the finish line with heavy focus on the College Football Playoff. While two teams have separated themselves from the pack in the Big Ten, races in the ACC, Big 12 and SEC could come down to the final weekend of the month and rivalry games that may decide who gets seated and where in the 12-team bracket.

Another major theme in November will be the direction of high-profile coaching searches at LSU, Florida and Penn State. While the Nittany Lions’ search has cast a wider net, the Tigers and Gators have zeroed in on Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin.

The playoff, a potentially wild coaching cycle and a very open-ended Heisman Trophy race are among the storylines to watch across the final month of the regular season:

Where will Lane Kiffin land?

There’s always a chance Kiffin opts to stay at No. 8 Mississippi and retains ownership of a program he’s built into one of the best in the SEC. While NIL and the transfer portal have trimmed the resource gap separating traditional SEC powers from the rest of the pack, there are still better odds he lands at one of LSU or Florida, rivals set to duel for Kiffin’s signature in November’s defining off-field storyline.

Meanwhile, Kiffin will look to land the Rebels’ plane in the playoff — or maybe the conference championship game, though that’s less likely — against a four-game stretch of South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State. While this is a smooth run by SEC standards, the Rebels haven’t made things easy all season: Six of their past seven games have been decided by a single possession, including a puzzling nail-biter against Washington State.

Not even a bellyflop in November could derail Kiffin’s candidacy for these two positions, though. Should the Rebels take care of business, in fact, Kiffin could become a case study for coaches who have teams in the playoff mix while negotiating for another opening.

Would he leave for another SEC program before the postseason? Could he simultaneously balance coaching one team while recruiting for another? Would Florida and LSU be willing to wait until January to make the hire official, potentially losing a chunk of their rosters while missing out on the transfer-portal window? What Kiffin decides could set a precedent.

Will the Big Ten get a fourth playoff team?

No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana are currently the safest bets in the Power Four to make the playoff. No. 6 Oregon is in good shape with only a loss to the Hoosiers in hand, though the Ducks have to get back in gear before taking on Iowa, Southern California and Washington.

After sending four teams into last year’s bracket, the Big Ten may be capped at three playoff teams given the ridiculous depth in the SEC — the league has nine teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll — and the number of potential one- and two-loss teams in the Big 12 and ACC. Given the wealth of contenders, it’s reasonable to expect that a three-loss Big Ten team would be squeezed out of the field.

Based on that condition, there are five Big Ten teams in the mix for this fourth spot: No. 21 Michigan, Iowa, Southern California, Washington and Nebraska. One of the Trojans and Cornhuskers will be eliminated after Saturday night’s matchup in Lincoln. USC then hosts Iowa on Nov. 15 and heads to Autzen Stadium a week later.

The race could come down to the final weekend of November, when the Hawkeyes travel to Lincoln and Michigan hosts the Buckeyes. The Wolverines could shake up the entire playoff picture by beating OSU to reach the Big Ten championship game.

Can Vanderbilt lock down an at-large berth?

The No. 11 Commodores will be impossible to keep out of the field with road wins this month against No. 19 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee.

But there will be almost no room for error in November. A loss in Austin this weekend would hand the Longhorns a potentially huge head-to-head tiebreaker. Dropping one of Auburn and Kentucky at home would be devastating. And with the Volunteers favored to beat No. 18 Oklahoma, New Mexico State and Florida, the season finale in Knoxville could be a win-or-go-home eliminator for the final at-large SEC berth.

Beating elite opponents on the road is the last hurdle for Clark Lea’s program, which is just 4-13 away from home since he took over in 2021. While Vanderbilt topped then-No. 10 South Carolina in Columbia back in September, the Commodores haven’t earned a road win against an SEC opponent that finished the season ranked since Alabama in 1950.

What teams are in the best shape?

Five teams hold the pole position for the playoff heading into November:

Ohio State could lose twice and still earn an at-large berth, though even one loss — to Michigan or to a shared opponent with Oregon — could once again hold the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship game.
Indiana will be expected to steamroll Maryland, Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue; even a loss wouldn’t prevent the Hoosiers from reaching Indianapolis thanks to the tiebreaker against the Ducks.
No. 3 Texas A&M has an excellent road win against No. 12 Notre Dame and will be a playoff lock with a win against Missouri on Nov. 8 or the Longhorns on Black Friday.
As noted, Mississippi’s remaining schedule should grease the Rebels’ path to the playoff amid the high likelihood of off-field drama.
And after dropping games to No. 9 Miami and A&M by a combined four points, Notre Dame will not be held out of the field by closing with wins against Boston College, No. 23 Navy, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Stanford.

Oregon doesn’t make the list because of those three difficult Big Ten games, two coming on the road. While there’s a case for No. 7 Georgia Tech, the unbeaten Yellow Jackets could get squeezed out of an at-large bid by losing once in ACC play, dropping the rivalry against No. 5 Georgia and then losing in the ACC championship game.

Who wins the Heisman Trophy?

Few Heisman races in recent history have been this uncertain and unsettled heading into November. That raises the possibility of a contender coming out of relative anonymity this month, such as Georgia Tech’s Haynes King or Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby.

But the conversation has coalesced around four quarterbacks. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is the current favorite thanks to his 1,932 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s followed by Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who has been spectacular during the Crimson Tide’s seven-game winning streak and has just one interception in 261 attempts.

Just behind this pair is Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who has hit on 80.6% of his attempts with 11 touchdowns and no turnovers in Big Ten play. Then comes Texas A&M sophomore Marcel Reed, last seen putting on a clinic in the second half against LSU, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia.

LOS ANGELES — No one was in Toronto to see it, with most not even born yet, but those magical enchanted images remain etched in their mind.

Joe Carter dancing around the bases.

The menacing glare of Dave Stewart on the mound.

The powerful bat of DH Paul Molitor and the grace of second baseman Roberto Alomar.

Now, for the first time in 32 years, the Toronto Blue Jays have a chance to create their own history, leaving memories for the next generation of Blue Jays’ fans and assuring they will be forever remembered for pulling off one of the greatest upsets in World Series history.

‘No one gave us a chance all year, so nothing’s changed,’ Blue Jays veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman told USA TODAY Sports. ‘We’ve learned to kind of block out what people think about us, good bad or whatever. What people write about us, what people say about it, it doesn’t really matter.

‘We’ll see what people are saying when it’s over.’

The Blue Jays, who only 48 hours earlier suffered one of the most gut-wrenching World Series defeats in history, waltzed out of the visiting clubhouse at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night, never so eager to take a six-hour flight back home to Toronto in their lives.

The Blue Jays, after stifling the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-1, behind a 22-year-old pitcher and a relentless offense, are now just one victory away from becoming World Series champions.

The Blue Jays, after winning back-to-back games in Los Angeles to take a 3-2 series lead over the defending champion – and heavily-favored – Dodgers, will now be playing their first Game 6 at the Rogers Centre since that glorious Oct. 23, 1993 evening of Carter’s game-winning World Series’ clinching home run that reverberated ‘round Canada.

‘I’ve seen it a thousand times,’ Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho said. ‘But Joe has even told us, ‘Go out there and win, so I don’t have to keep coming here and doing this stuff.’ It was kind of funny.

‘Obviously, he’s enjoyed the moment, enjoyed everything, but now is our time.’

It’s unfathomable to think that it was about 44½ hours earlier, when the Blue Jays sat slumped in their chairs, losing a heartbreaking 18-inning, 6½-hour Game 3, with the Dodgers leading 2-games-to-1 with visions of winning their first championship at Dodger Stadium since 1963.

Well, in back-to-back nights, the Blue Jays bludgeoned the Dodgers, winning by a combined score of 12-3, with the Dodgers offense shut down one night by veteran Shane Bieber, and the next by rookie Trey Yesavage, who opened the season pitching at Class A.

‘Baseball is a game of failure; you know you’re going to fail at some point,’ Blue Jays reliever Eric Lauer said. ‘It’s all about how well you can respond after getting punched in the mouth. We took a punch. And we punched right back.’

Yesavage was the one who threw most of the blows, striking out 12 batters in seven innings, the most by a pitcher 22 years old or younger in World Series history, surpassing Smokey Joe Wood in the 1912 World Series, and the most by anyone of any age since Orlando ‘El Duque: Hernandez in 2000.

The Dodgers struck out 15 times Wednesday with only one walk, four hits, and they are now batting .164 without a single hit with a runner in scoring position since their 18-inning victory.

‘It seems like at-bats are snowballing on us right now,’ said Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernandez, whose third-inning home run provided L.A.’s lone run.

The Blue Jays, who won the AL East on a final day tiebreaker and avoided elimination twice to beat the Seattle Mariners for the American League pennant, have suddenly turned this World Series upside down.

It’s the Dodgers who are desperately shuffling their lineup, trying to find a cure.

It’s the Dodgers and their four future Hall of Famers who suddenly are mumbling to themselves wondering what has happened.

And it’s the Blue Jays, those lovable characters north of the border, who are about to turn Toronto into baseball utopia.

They live close to one another in the city by Rogers Centre, their families hang out together off the field, and they have insisted all year they believe in one another.

Now, they’ve got the whole baseball universe believing.

Just when you thought their 18-inning defeat would break them, it only united them, saying they couldn’t have possibly played worse, and they still hung with the Dodgers for 6½-grueling hours.

‘I mean at the end of the day, it was just a loss,’ Blue Jays DH Bo Bichette said. ‘I mean, there was no other option but to turn the page.’

Said Blue Jays veteran starter Max Scherzer: ‘As tough as it was, we were also proud of each other. We stood toe-to-toe with them for 18 innings. Everybody poured their heart into that. We knew if we could just come back, played our game, we could win.’

Says Varsho: ‘We didn’t play good at all, but we grinded them out all day and night. They came out on top, but you know, we actually felt good about it. We played terrible, and hung right there with them.’

Now, 48 hours later, they feel on top of the world, convinced they are the best team in North America, and plan to prove it.

‘It’s just the way our team is,’ Blue Jays veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt said. ‘We’re able to flush wins, we’re able to flush losses, and we’re able to move on. We’ve done that all year. Just move on. We’re not going to ride the crazy highs and the lows. It’s just a brand of baseball that we’ve taken a lot of pride in and we’re focusing on keeping that brand every day.’

They lose George Springer, their most productive bat, to a mild strained oblique, and Davis Schneider steps up and hits the first pitch of the game for a home run. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, playing second base only because of Bichette’s bruised knee, plays flawless defense and drives in a ninth-inning run.

‘I don’t think it’s too complicated,’ Bichette said. ‘It was just believe in ourselves, believe in each other, and go out and give everything we have.’

And, of course, there’s the kid, Yesavage, who was in the minor leagues three weeks before the playoffs, earning a spot in the rotation and now looking like the second coming of Bob Gibson.

‘When he’s on,’ says Scherzer, 41, nearly old enough to be Yesavage’s father, ‘he’s going to make anybody in the game look stupid.’

Yep, just like those who believed the Blue Jays had no chance against the Dodgers, who were talking about a dynasty before the World Series, and now are trying to figure out what hit them.

This blue-collar bunch doesn’t have a household name besides Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Their ace (Shane Bieber) was acquired at the trade deadline while still recovering from Tommy John surgery. And their closer (Jeff Hoffman) flunked two physicals in the offseason before signing with the Blue Jays.

Somehow, someway, manager John Schneider has made all of these pieces fit together.

‘I don’t know, it’s a weird thing,’ Bichette says. ‘No matter who steps in this locker room, everyone believes in them. I don’t know how I can even explain it.

‘Really, who can?’

Well, Lauer decided to give it a try.

‘Everybody’s just going out there, doing their jobs, making sure they’re putting forth their best effort every day,’ Lauer said, ‘and really just playing for your brothers out there. I think that’s one of the coolest things about this team is like everybody can just feel it.

‘You can feel everybody in the clubhouse, everybody on the field, really pulling for you and making sure that they’re keeping you accountable.

‘What can I say, we love hanging out together.’

Toronto has always been one of the most beautiful cities in North America, and a franchise loaded with cash and luxurious facilities. But for years they always were the bridesmaids in free agency. Shohei Ohtani left them jilted at the alter. So did Yoshinobu Yamamoto. And Roki Sasaki. And Pete Alonso. The list is endless.

Now, if they have a World Series championship flag hanging in the rafters, and a World Series trophy at their entrance, Toronto could be the place for free agents clamoring to play for a winner.

‘We’ve been in the mix with just about everybody the last five years,’ Gausman said. ‘We’ve been in on every big-name guy since I’ve been here. So, I hope everybody’s watching us now.

‘This series has been great for baseball. Toronto’s an unbelievable market. It’s an unbelievable place to play. And as you’ve seen our last couple of games there, it’s a crazy environment.

‘So, why wouldn’t you want to play there, too?’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The NBA’s in-season tournament returns for its third year. The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks won the last two tournaments, and with over $500,000 for each player on the winning team on the line, it’s certainly something several of the game’s biggest stars will show out for.

The first games of the tournament begin on Halloween night. And the NBA Cup has historically been a decent indicator of future success. In 2023, the Lakers won and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. However, their adversaries in the finals, the Indiana Pacers, reached the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

In 2024, the Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals. The Bucks fell in the first round, but lost to the Pacers, who wound up reaching the NBA Finals. We all know what the Thunder wound up doing.

So, with that in mind, it’s time to start paying attention. Here’s everything to know for the NBA’s third NBA Cup tournament:

2025 NBA Cup format

NBA teams are split into six groups of five. Each team will play against one another, four games in total, with the best record in each group advancing to the knockout stages. Should multiple teams be tied record-wise after the four group stage games, the following tiebreakers will be implemented in order:

Head-to-head record
Point differential
Total points scored
Win-loss record from the previous NBA regular season
Random selection

2025 NBA Cup prize pool

Prize money will only be handed out to players on teams that advance to the knockout stages. Here is what each player earns depending on how far their team gets in the tournament:

Quarterfinals: $51,497
Semifinals: $102,994
Runner-up: $205,988
NBA Cup winners: $514,971 each

2025 NBA Cup groups

The NBA Cup groups are determined by putting all 15 teams in each conference into five pots. Each pot contains one of each of the following:

A team that finished the previous regular season as a top-three seed in conference
A team that finished the previous regular season ranked 4-6 in conference
A team that finished the previous regular season ranked 7-9 in conference
A team that finished the previous regular season ranked 10-12 in conference
A team that finished the previous regular season 13-15 in conference

One member of each pot is drawn randomly and thrown into a singular group. Here is how the groups fell this year:

East A: Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards
East B: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
East C: New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets
West A: Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz
West B: Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans
West C: Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs

West C stands out as one of the most talented groups. The Houston Rockets finished last year in second place in the Western Conference and added Kevin Durant in the offseason. The Nuggets are perennial championship contenders as well, and the Warriors were one of the toughest team in the NBA after adding Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline.

The San Antonio Spurs are no slouch either. They may not have performed well last year, but much of their shortcomings were due to the absence of Victor Wembanyama. He returns this year, alongside a litany of talented young players. The Spurs certainly aren’t slouches.

2025 NBA Cup winner odds

*All odds provided are via BetMGM

Oklahoma City Thunder (+400)
New York Knicks (+600)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+700)
Denver Nuggets (+1100)
Orlando Magic (+1200)
Houston Rockets (+1400)
Minnesota Timberwolves (+1600)
Golden State Warriors (+1600)
Los Angeles Clippers (+2000)
Detroit Pistons (+2000)
Atlanta Hawks (+2000)
Los Angeles Lakers (+2500)
Milwaukee Bucks (+2500)
San Antonio Spurs (+2500)
Philadelphia 76ers (+2500)
Boston Celtics (+4000)
Indiana Pacers (+6600)
Dallas Mavericks (+6600)
Toronto Raptors (+6600)
Memphis Grizzlies (+8000)
Chicago Bulls (+10000)
Miami Heat (+10000)
New Orleans Pelicans (+10000)
Sacramento Kings (+12500)
Phoenix Suns (+15000)
Portland Trail Blazers (+25000)
Charlotte Hornets (+25000)
Brooklyn Nets (+50000)
Washington Wizards (+50000)
Utah Jazz (+50000)

2025 NBA Cup full schedule

*All times Eastern

Group Play

Oct. 31

Atlanta Hawks @ Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m.
Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m.
Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.
New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Memphis Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m.
Utah Jazz @ Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m.
Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Nov. 7

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards, 7 p.m.
Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.
Detroit Pistons @ Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs, 7:30 p.m.
Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte Hornets @ Miami Heat, 8 p.m.
Utah Jazz @ Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks @ Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m.
Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks, 8 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m.
Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets, 10 p.m.

Nov. 14

Brooklyn Nets @ Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.
Miami Heat @ New York Knicks, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m.
Charlotte Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks, 8 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers @ Houston Rockets, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers @ Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Golden State Warriors @ San Antonio Spurs, 9:30 p.m.

Nov. 21

Indiana Pacers @ Cleveland Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
Washington Wizards @ Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m.
New Orleans Pelicans @ Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Phoenix Suns, 9 p.m.
Denver Nuggets @ Houston Rockets, 9:30 p.m.
Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Utah Jazz, 10 p.m.

Nov. 25

Atlanta Hawks @ Washington Wizards, 7 p.m.
Orlando Magic @ Philadelphia 76ers, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers, 11 p.m.

Nov. 26

Detroit Pistons @ Boston Celtics, 5 p.m.
New York Knicks @ Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m.
Indiana Pacers @ Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies @ New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m.
San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.
Phoenix Suns @ Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m.

Nov. 28

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Bulls @ Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m.
Washington Wizards @ Indiana Pacers, 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m.
Sacramento Kings @ Utah Jazz, 9:30 p.m.
San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets, 9:30 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m.

The knockout stages will take place on Dec. 9 and 10, with two games on each day. The semifinals will take place three days later on Dec. 13, with the finals scheduled for Dec. 16.

All games in the knockout stages will air on Prime Video.

William Byron, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe will race for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship Nov. 2 at Phoenix Raceway.

It’s a battle that pits Hendrick Motorsports against Joe Gibbs Racing. Byron and Larson drive for Hendrick, and Hamlin and Briscoe drive for Gibbs.

The four drivers navigated nine playoff races to reach Phoenix. Hamlin booked his spot by winning the third-round opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Briscoe won the following week at Talladega Superspeedway, and Byron capped off the third round with a victory at Martinsville Speedway. Larson made the Championship 4 on points after edging JGR’s Christopher Bell by seven points.

See how the drivers stack up in 2025 and throughout their Cup Series careers:

William Byron

Car: No. 24 Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Age: 27
DOB: Nov. 29, 1997

∎ 2025 STATISTICS

Wins: Three
Top fives: 11
Top 10s: 16
Laps led: 1,278
Poles: Three

∎ CAREER STATISTICS

Seasons: Eight
Wins: 16
Top fives: 65
Top 10s: 120
Championships: None

Chase Briscoe

Car: No. 19 Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Age: 30
DOB: Dec. 15, 1994

∎ 2025 STATISTICS

Wins: Three
Top fives: 15
Top 10s: 19
Laps led: 881
Poles: Seven

∎ CAREER STATISTICS

Seasons: Five
Wins: Five
Top fives: 28
Top 10s: 49
Championships: None

Denny Hamlin

Car: No. 11 Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Age: 44
DOB: Nov. 18, 1980

∎ 2025 STATISTICS

Wins: Six
Top fives: 14
Top 10s: 17
Laps led: 816
Poles: Four

∎ CAREER STATISTICS

Seasons: 20 (full time)
Wins: 60
Top fives: 248
Top 10s: 375
Championships: None

Kyle Larson

Car: No. 5 Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Age: 33
DOB: July 31, 1992

∎ 2025 STATISTICS

Wins: Three
Top fives: 14
Top 10s: 21
Laps led: 1,106
Poles: One

∎ CAREER STATISTICS

Seasons: 12 (full time)
Wins: 32
Top fives: 133
Top 10s: 203
Championships: One (2021)

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup, the last major Grade 1 Thoroughbred horse racing event of the year, returns to the picturesque Del Mar racetrack in Southern California this weekend.

Over the course of two days, 14 races showcasing the best horses from around the world will take place with millions of dollars at stake for the winners. Last year, Sierra Leone emerged victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Other notable winners included Thorpedo Anna, who won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and Starlust, who took the title in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

This year will feature plenty of talent returning to finish the season strong at Del Mar. Here are the list of entries and the current morning lines.

2025 Breeders’ Cup horses and odds

List and odds according to the Breeders’ Cup:

Fierceness | Odds: 5-2
Baeza | Odds: 10-1
Nevada Beach | Odds: 20-1
Contrary Thinking | Odds: 50-1
Forever Young | Odds: 7-2
Sovereignty | SCRATCHED
Sierra Leione | Odds: 7-2
Mindframe | Odds: 6-1
Journalism | Odds: 5-1
Antiqurian | Odds: 10-1
Rebel’s Romance | Odds: 5-1
Goliath | Odds: 8-1
Amiloc | Odds: 10-1
Redistricting | Odds: 15-1
Rebel Red | Odds: 30-1
Wilbledon Hawkeye | Odds: 20-1
Silawi | Odds: 30-1
Minnie Hauk | Odds: 8-5
Gold Phoenix | Odds: 20-1
El Cordobes | Odds: 15-1
Rashabar | Odds: 20-1
Tawny Port | Odds: 30-1
Hill Road | Odds: 30-1
Ethical Diamond | Odds: 30-1
Nitrogen | Odds: 4-1
Sarawak Rim | Odds: 12-1
Clicquot | Odds: 10-1
Scylla | Odds: 15-1
Scottish Lassie | Odds: 12-1
Alice Verite | Odds: 20-1
Gin Gin | Odds: 12-1
Seismic Beauty | Odds: 9-5
Majestic Oops | Odds: 30-1
Gun Song | Odds: 30-1
Dry Powder | Odds: 20-1
Dorth Vader | Odds: 5-1
Regaled | Odds: 30-1
Kopion | Odds: 7-2
Banishing | Odds: 15-1
Lovesick Blues | Odds: 10-1
Patriot Spirit | Odds: 30-1
Big City Lights | Odds: 15-1
Dr. Venkman | Odds: 15-1
Imagination | Odds: 6-1
Nakatomi | Odds: 15-1
American Stage | Odds: 30-1
Bentornato | Odds: 5-2
Mullikin | Odds: 15-1
Straight No Chaser | Odds: 8-1
Mad House | Odds: 30-1
Whatchatalkingabout | Odds: 30-1
One Stripe | Odds: 30-1
Notable Speech | Odds: 5-2
Sahlan | Odds: 6-1
The Lion in Winter | Odds: 6-1
Program Trading | Odds: 10-1
Gran Oriente | Odds: 30-1
Johannas | Odds: 8-1
Formidable Man | Odds: 10-1
Argine | Odds: 20-1
Jonquil | Odds: 10-1
Rhetorical | Odds: 5-1
Gas Me Up | Odds: 30-1
Qirat | Odds: 20-1
Mission of Joy | Odds: 30-1
Stellify | Odds: 30-1
Atsila | Odds: 20-1
Village Voice | Odds: 15-1
Gezora | Odds: 7-2
Diamond Rain | Odds: 6-1
Be Your Best | Odds: 30-1
Cathedral | Odds: 30-1
Cinderella’s Deam | Odds: 9-2
La Kika | Odds: 30-1
Bedtime Story | Odds: 12-1
Belleza | Odds: 20-1
She Feels Pretty | Odds: 4-1
Set The Fire | Odds: 5-1
Zeitlos | Odds: 20-1
Splendora | Odds: 8-1
Vahva | Odds: 12-1
Tamara | Odds: 7-2
Sweet Azteca | Odds: 2-1
Haulin Ice | Odds: 20-1
Hope Road | Odds: 4-1
Richi | Odds: 5-1
Praying | Odds: 20-1
Motorious | Odds: 7-2
Reef Running | Odds: 6-1
Arizona Blaze | Odds: 5-1
Khaadem | Odds: 10-1
Bring The Band Home | Odds: 12-1
Governor Sam | Odds: 15-1
She’s Quality | Odds: 20-1
AG Bullet | Odds: 4-1
Bear River | Odds: 20-1
Shisospicy | Odds: 6-1
Bucanero Fuerte | Odds: 20-1
Invincible Papa | Odds: 20-1
Will Take It | Odds: 30-1
Goal Orineted | Odds: 6-1
Nysos | Odds: 8-5
Mystik Dan | Odds: 6-1
Timbarumba | Odds: 20-1
Full Serrano | Odds: 7-2
Citizen Bull | Odds: 10-1
Chancer McPatrick | Odds: 15-1
Touch of Destiny | Odds: 20-1
White Abrarrio | Odds: 8-1
Intrepido | Odds: 8-1
Blackout Time | Odds: 5-1
Mr. A.P. | Odds: 30-1
Comport | Odds: 30-1
Litmus Test | Odds: 15-1
Brant | Odds: 5-2
Ted Noffey | Odds: 4-5
Iron Orchard | Odds: 6-1
Bottle of Rouge | Odds: 9-2
Meaning | Odds: 15-1
Percy’s Bar | Odds: 9-2
Tommy Jo | Odds: 7-2
La Ville Lumiere | Odds: 20-1
Explora | Odds: 5-2
Super Corredora | Odds: 15-1
La Wally | Odds: 10-1
Heere’s Johnny | Odds: 15-1
Street Beast | Odds: 10-1
Outfielder | Odds: 10-1
Third Beer | Odds: 30-1
Let’s Be Frank | Odds: 15-1
North Coast | Odds: 30-1
Gordon Pass | Odds: 20-1
Stark Contrast | Odds: 30-1
Argos | Odds: 6-1
Ardisia | Odds: 15-1
Turf Star | Odds: 30-1
Bottas | Odds: 6-1
Hey Nay Nay | Odds: 8-1
Gstaad | Odds: 9-5
Ultimate Love | Odds: 8-1
Queen of Hawaii | Odds: 12-1
Imaginationthelady | Odds: 10-1
Infinite Sky | Odds: 20-1
Final Accord | Odds: 15-1
Switch in Love | Odds: 20-1
Celebrity Warrior | Odds: 30-1
Brave Deb | Odds: 20-1
Time To Dream | Odds: 5-1
Balantina | Odds: 30-1
Ground Support | Odds: 15-1
Pacific Mission | Odds: 15-1
Precise | Odds: 6-5
Brussels | Odds: 8-1
Military Code | Odds: 12-1
Royal Testament | Odds: 12-1
Aspect Island | Odds: 20-1
Obliteration | Odds: 15-1
Intricate Spirit | Odds: 12-1
Mission Central | Odds: 20-1
Havana Anna | Odds: 6-1
True Love | Odds: 7-2
Cy Fair | Odds: 6-1
Schwarzenegger | Odds: 5-1
Lennilu | Odds: 8-1

2025 Breeders’ Cup Schedule

All Post Times listed are Eastern

Friday, Oct. 31

Juvenile Turf Sprint: 5:45 p.m.
Juvenile Fillies: 6:25 p.m.
Juvenile Fillies Turf: 7:05 p.m.
Juvenile: 7:45 p.m.
Juvenile Turf: 8:25 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 1

Filly & Mares Sprint: 3 p.m.
Turf Sprint: 3:41 p.m.
Dirt Sprint: 4:21 p.m.
Distaff: 5:01 p.m.
Turf: 5:41 p.m.
Classic: 6:25 p.m.
Mile: 7:05 p.m.
Dirt Mile: 7:45 p.m.
Filly & Mare Turf: 8:25 p.m.

How to watch the 2025 Breeders’ Cup ?

Start time:  5:45 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 31); 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1
Location: Del Mar Race Track (Del Mar, California)
TV: NBC (Saturday), USA Network, FanDuel TV
Stream: Peacock 

Watch the 2025 Breeders’ Cup with Peacock

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers had two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell on the mound for Game 5 of the World Series with a chance to take a 3-2 lead.

Instead, the Dodgers have fallen behind after losing 6-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

While Snell is one of the Dodgers’ aces, starting his second game of the series, his latest performance wasn’t much better than the first.

The 10-year veteran allowed home runs to the first two batters he faced – to Davis Schneider on the first pitch of the game and the second to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the third pitch.

It was just the second time in MLB postseason history that a team opened a game with back-to-back home runs, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Oakland Athletics were the first team to complete the feat during Game 3 of the 2002 American League Division Series.

“It’s just unlucky,” Snell said. “I’m not one to make excuses. It’s just pretty unlucky. There’s only so much you can do, and that’s baseball.”

Snell moved away from the fastball to try to shake up what he was doing throughout the rest of his outing.

“I don’t think there’s a tell,” Snell said. “I just think they were ambushing the fastball, as they should and as they thought they would.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider anticipated there would be some level of adjustment after seeing Snell pitch in Game 1.

“You never know what adjustments a pitcher is going to make when you are facing them again in the series,” Schneider said. “It was kind of the plan (to prepare for the fastball) and I think after that he threw a lot of sliders, change-ups and curveballs. You have to be ready to adapt. … You have to be ready to hit.”

Snell would end his night in the seventh inning, allowing six hits. He also struck out seven and walked four.

“It’s hard because you can only push a starter so much,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I thought Blake emptied the tank. … I pushed Blake as much as I’ve pushed him all year.”

He did enough, bouncing back from the Blue Jays’ early-inning scoring and keeping Roberts from having to go to the notorious bullpen.

The Dodgers’ pitching and defense, though, followed suit with the ongoing offensive struggles, making several mistakes throughout the game.

One helped put the game further out of reach for the Dodgers. Edgardo Henriquez, who came in to replace Snell in the seventh inning, threw a wild pitch that led to Guerrero walking and allowed Addison Barger to score and increase the lead to 4-1.

Mookie Betts made an inaccurate throw to second base, giving up a chance for an easy double-play opportunity.

“Giving up bases and not converting outs when you have an opportunity to convert outs, that came back to bite us tonight,” Roberts said.

LOS ANGELES — The Toronto Blue Jays, the team that was always the bridesmaid in the free-agent market, where players didn’t want to play, north of the border, suddenly is one step away from being the epicenter of the baseball universe.

The Blue Jays are just one victory away from winning their first World Series in 32 years after pounding the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-1, behind the surreal outing of 22-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage.

Yesavage, who opened the season pitching for Class A Dunedin in front of a crowd of 327 people, struck out 12 batters and gave up just three hits and one run in seven electrifying innings.

The brilliant performance has the Blue Jays up 3 games to 2 with the World Series heading to Toronto with Game 6 scheduled Friday at the Rogers Centre, where a frenzied country awaits.

When the Blue Jays show up for work Friday, they may have a statue erected of Yesavage, who delivered one of the the greatest World Series performances by a pitcher under the age of 23 in history.

Yesavage, who has made more starts this postseason (5) than regular-season starts, completely suffocated the Dodgers’ lineup. He struck out 12 batters, the most by a pitcher 23 or younger in World Series history, and became the first rookie pitcher to produce two starts of at least 10 strikeouts in a single postseason.

It’s hard to believe he was pitching for Dunedin on April 6, Class A Vancouver on May 20, Class AA New Hampshire on June 12, Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 11. He didn’t make his major league debut until Sept. 15.

Now, here he was this night, a pitcher so young he’ll still be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award next season, and earning $36 million less than Dodgers starter Blake Snell, putting on a legendary pitching performance that will forever be remembered in Blue Jays’ history.

Certainly, the Dodgers won’t forget it, either, as they packed up their suitcases for a long flight to Toronto, wondering what in the world happened to their offense.

This is a team that has been averaging just 3.75 runs a game this postseason since the wild-card series, batting .220, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shaking up his lineup to break out of its doldrums.

Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman even vowed Wednesday afternoon that they would quit swinging out of their shoes and just start making contact.

“We need to string some hits together,” Freeman said. “Just get some hits, get guys on, work the counts, get guys on, move ’em first to third, get ’em in. Kind of like what we did in the second inning [Tuesday]. We just need to continue that over and over and over again. You’ve got to put pressure on them. If we’re going up there just trying to hit home runs, it’s just not the name of the game.”

Nothing worked Wednesday.

The Dodgers wound up with just four hits, striking out 14 times, and have scored only four runs in their last 29 innings.

The Blue Jays scored two runs on the first three pitches of the game with leadoff hitter Davis Schneider swinging at Snell’s first pitch, a 96-mph fastball, and sending it 373 feet into the left-field seats.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. waited for a second pitch, and then hit Snell’s 96-mph fastball into the left-field pavilion, too, 394 feet away.

It was the first time in World Series history that the first two batters homered in a game.

Snell settled down, and threw 116 pitches over 6⅔ innings, but the damage was done.

“This team is talented, they’re resilient,’’ Roberts said, praising the Blue Jays. “You see these guys grinding and using the whole field.’’

The Dodgers have a 5½-hour flight and an off-day to figure it out.

For the Blue Jays, they’ve got an entire country ready to throw a party that will carry them right through hockey season.

“Rogers Centre is going to be fun,’’ said Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman, the scheduled Game 6 starter. “It’s going to be electric. It’s going to be everything that it has been for the last month and probably more. We’re excited to get back there. Obviously, we’re really good at home, so we feel confident playing in front of our own team. The fans there have been awesome, especially lately. They bring the energy, they pick us up when we need it.

“So yeah, obviously, coming here was the goal to get back to Toronto.’’

They have done that, and more.

Follow Nightengale on X: @BNightengale