Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold has died, the team announced Sunday. Mangold passed away from complications of kidney disease Saturday night.

He was 41 years old.

“It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge that we acknowledge the passing of Nick Mangold, a true legend of our franchise and cherished member of the Jets family,” Jets vice chairman Christopher Johnson said in a statement.

“Nick was the embodiment of consistency, strength, and leadership. For over a decade, he anchored our offensive line with unmatched skill and determination, earning the respect of teammates, opponents, and fans alike. His contributions on the field were extraordinary – but it was his character, humility, and humor off the field that made him unforgettable.”

Mangold played all 11 seasons of his career with the Jets. He earned two first-team All-Pro honors and was selected to seven Pro Bowls. He started in 171 games for New York, including the playoffs. He is a member of the Jets ring of honor.

The Jets originally selected Mangold in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

Mangold recently shared on social media his battle with kidney disease that required him to undergo dialysis treatment.

‘Nick was more than a legendary center,’ Jets owner Woody Johnson said, via the team’s website. ‘He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade and a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football. Off the field, Nick’s wit, warmth, and unwavering loyalty made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.’

The Washington Capitals have fired assistant coach Mitch Love after a league-wide investigation into his personal conduct.

Multiple reports suggest that investigation looked into allegations of domestic abuse.

The decision to relieve Love of his duties came after the NHL suspended him for the entire 2025-26 season.

According to reports, the victim reported allegations against Love directly to the NHL while he was interviewing for head coach positions, including one with the Seattle Kraken, during the summer. The investigation began in June.

In a post to social media addressing the situation, the Capitals said ‘the organization is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability.’

Mitch Love joined the Capitals in June 2023 as an assistant coach to Spencer Carbery, working with the team’s defensemen. The details of the evidence against Love have not been disclosed.

The NHL, in a statement to the Washington Post, said, ‘Following a thorough investigation, Mitch Love has been suspended for the remainder of the 2025-26 season for conduct detrimental to the League. Mr. Love will be eligible to apply for reinstatement to the League for the 2026-27 season subject to certain conditions.”

The NHL did not disclose the findings of its investigation.

The Post reported that Love had not been with the Capitals since the 2024-25 season ended in May.

Ex-Jets coach Rex Ryan paid a tearful tribute to Nick Mangold after the former center’s death.
The Jets announced Sunday that Mangold had died at 41 due to complications from kidney disease.
Former Jets offensive lineman Willie Colon was among the other notable figures who spoke highly of his former teammate.

The news of former New York Jets center Nick Mangold’s death at 41 hit the NFL world hard on Sunday, when the team announced the seven-time Pro Bowl center had passed away from complications from kidney disease.

Among those who paid tribute to Mangold was former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who counted on the two-time All-Pro as a fixture up front for his entire tenure (2009-14) in New York.

‘It’s brutal,’ a tearful Ryan said on ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ on ESPN. ‘Such a great young man. I had the pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets. I remember (when) it was obvious I was getting fired, my last game, Mangold’s injured. And he comes to me and says, ‘I’m playing this game.’ And he went and played for me.

‘That’s what I remember about this kid. He was awesome, and just way too young. I feel so bad for his wife and family.’

Ryan then stopped as fellow ESPN analyst Randy Moss comforted him and Mike Greenberg took over.

Former Jets offensive tackle Willie Colon, who played alongside Mangold from 2013-15, said he talked to Mangold last week but that the morning’s news ‘broke’ him.

‘Those who knew about my career as a Jet, I was injury-prone,’ Colon said on ‘Jets Pre-Game Live’ on SNY. ‘I had a lot of injuries, and there were a lot of days I was going out on that field on one leg. And I could look to 7-4 (Mangold’s number), and he’s like, ‘I got you.”

‘There was times where emotionally, I was a wreck. And he always had my back. So, I love you, Nick.’

Twelve days prior to Sunday’s announcement, Mangold had revealed that he was diagnosed in 2006 with a rare genetic disorder and was seeking a kidney transplant.

A staple of the Jets’ line throughout his 11-year career and a leading figure in the team’s push to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009-10, Mangold started 164 of 176 possible games with the team. He was inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2022 and is among the 52 modern-era candidates currently under consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class.

Brian Kelly is out of answers at LSU, and this tragedy nears its final act.
Lane Kiffin left rooting for LSU? Yeah, that actually makes sense.
Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith finds the hot seat, too.

How do you know a coach is cooked? Well, when he runs out of answers, that’s generally a good indicator.

Brian Kelly is out of answers at LSU, but one question lingers: Is LSU ready to admit its hiring mistake and eat a buyout that tops $53 million?

Hot seats and coaching searches remain the headline story after college football’s Week 9, but the College Football Playoff will make a bid for the spotlight when the initial rankings come out next week.

Here’s what lingers on the brain after Week 9:

Brian Kelly becomes fired-coach-in-waiting after Texas A&M routs LSU

Brian Kelly stars in a four-act tragedy that’s playing in Baton Rouge. Let’s call it, “A Sad Season and a Broken Coach.”

The curtain rises on a veteran coach wearing LSU gear in a beachfront hotel in Miramar Beach, Florida. Reporters gather ‘round, and he tells them on this May day, when hope springs eternal, he’s assembled his best team yet on the Bayou. And the reporters lap it up like it’s Louisiana’s finest gumbo and begin to believe maybe this Yankee with the faux Southern accent is poised for his finest hour, inside the SEC’s fires, no less.

Act I: Seeding of hope. In Week 1, at the show’s beginning, we’re free to believe anything. So, when we see Kelly’s Tigers beat Dabo’s Tigers, we don’t see two past-their-prime coaches or a pair of overrated teams. We see an LSU team with a star quarterback and a worthy supporting cast, bought from the transfer portal.

Act II: Warning signs. Clemson loses twice more. It’s apparent Dabo’s Tigers are a fraud. Down in Baton Rouge, cracks show. The offensive line can’t block. The offense can’t score. The quarterback looks off. The coach gets hot under the collar. In a classic warning sign of a failing coach, he lashes out at the media. Trouble brews.

Act III: The jig is up. The coach humbles himself before the press after a loss to a former doormat that’s become emboldened in Nashville. The Vandy boys play with more spirit and swagger than this LSU team ever mustered. Vanderbilt looks like LSU, and LSU looks like Vanderbilt. Then comes an enemy from the west, and Texas A&M completes this unmasking of LSU by emptying out Tiger Stadium, so that Aggies are all who are left. LSU’s coach is revealed to be a charlatan. He yells at anyone within earshot, for all the good that does. He looks tired. So very tired.

Act IV (still to come): Failure. A sad trombone plays, while a broken coach prepares for his last stand against an unforgiving adversary in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Somewhere back in Louisiana, a hat is passed.

Would Lane Kiffin be an option for LSU … in 2026?

Kelly might have one fan left. For multiple reasons, it’s good for Lane Kiffin if LSU perks up in November. If LSU fizzles, that downgrades one of Mississippi’s top victories, which could negatively affect its playoff seeding.

Also, Kelly persisting into 2026 could give Kiffin a potential offramp, should he desire to exit Ole Miss next season.

Kiffin is understandably attached to Florida’s ongoing coaching search, but the Rebels making the playoff would complicate an exit. If Kiffin stays at Ole Miss and LSU sat out this year’s crowded coaching carousel and waited a year to fire Kelly, Kiffin could emerge as a target for LSU in 2026.

Either way, it behooves Kiffin for LSU to find some life these next few weeks.

Hot seat finds Jonathan Smith at Michigan State

The cutting of the buyout check looks like the only possible ending for Jonathan Smith at Michigan State. He’s gone bust. His Spartans are 0-5 in the Big Ten after a 31-20 loss to Michigan.

As Smith languishes in his second season, no signs of life have presented either on the field or on the recruiting trail.

Spartans athletic director J Batt arrived this summer, meaning he’s not responsible for hiring Smith. Neither is Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz. He, too, arrived after Smith’s hiring. A coach with an 8-12 record working for bosses who didn’t hire him becomes a recipe for a swift firing.

In Smith’s defense, he inherited a rough situation. He hasn’t improved it. There’s no sign of this being a well-coached team. Curt Cignetti’s Indiana success makes programs like Michigan State think: Why not us?

CFP committee must consider Texas A&M for No. 1 ranking

The first CFP rankings will arrive next week (Nov. 4) with at least a sliver of intrigue around the No. 1 ranking, with the potential for three undefeated teams from either the Big Ten or the SEC.

Ohio State, riding an 11-game win streak that dates to last season, is the prevailing candidate, even if the Buckeyes lack a signature victory. Indiana offers one alternative. The Hoosiers ace the eye test and own a road win against Oregon.

If the committee values resumé above all else, though, then Texas A&M would be No. 1. The undefeated Aggies claim road wins at Notre Dame and LSU. Their average margin of victory does not stand out like that of Indiana or Ohio State, but the Aggies have played the toughest schedule of the trio.

My prediction: Texas A&M will rank No. 3, behind Ohio State and Indiana. The Aggies would rank No. 1 if they wore Ohio State or Alabama uniforms.

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.

The Philadelphia Eagles converted a fourth down using their controversial ‘tush push’ play against the New York Giants.
Officials ruled quarterback Jalen Hurts’ forward progress was stopped, negating a fumble recovered by the Giants.
The ruling on the field was not reviewable, despite a challenge attempt by Giants coach Brian Daboll.
The Eagles scored a touchdown two plays after the controversial call.

It wouldn’t be a NFL Sunday without some “tush push” controversy involving the Philadelphia Eagles. 

With the Eagles facing a 4th-and-1 early in the second quarter against the New York Giants, the Eagles lined up ready to execute the much-debated short-yardage play that they have both mastered and popularized – although the minor infractions that give Philadelphia an advantage have come under scrutiny this season, to the point officials have been instructed to call the play more stringently. 

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts lunged forward and pushed the ball beyond the line of gain for a first down, but Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux snatched the pigskin from Hurt’s clutches. The side judge, however, had ruled that Hurts’ forward progress had been stopped – a dubious assertion in real time and even more questionable thanks to slow-motion replay. 

Giants head coach Brian Daboll attempted to challenge the play, but calls involving forward progress are not eligible for further review. 

FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino said “the key here is they ruled progress.” 

The Eagles scored two plays later, with Saquon Barkley adding another touchdown against his former team (his second of the day), to make it 14-7. 

The Atlanta Falcons are looking to bounce back in Week 8 after a loss on ‘Sunday Night Football’ against the San Francisco 49ers. They will have to do so with their backup quarterback, Kirk Cousins, starting.

Cousins is getting his first start for the Falcons since he was benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. for the final three games of the 2024 NFL season. The 37-year-old has played sparingly in 2025, completing 5 of 7 passes for 29 yards at the end of a blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3.

So, why is Cousins starting? The 14-year veteran drew into the lineup as Penix deals with an injury.

Here’s what to know about the Falcons’ quarterback situation as they face the Miami Dolphins in NFL Week 8.

What happened to Michael Penix Jr.?

Penix is dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee. He suffered the injury in the Falcons’ Week 7 loss to the 49ers but managed to finish the game in spite of it.

Penix was limited at Falcons practice in the lead-up to Week 8. He was originally ruled ‘questionable’ for the Oct. 26 clash with the Dolphins but reports on Oct. 25 indicated Atlanta would start Cousins to allow Penix to recover from his injury.

Sure enough, Penix was rendered inactive for the Week 8 game, allowing Cousins to make his first start of the season.

Falcons QB depth chart

The Falcons have just two quarterbacks available for Sundays’ game with Penix out of action. Below is the pecking order in the quarterback room.

Kirk Cousins
Easton Stick

Penix will not be eligible to be the Falcons’ emergency third quarterback, as Stick was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad. An emergency quarterback can only be designated if all three quarterbacks are on a team’s 53-man roster.

As such, Penix will not be in action at any point during Sunday’s game.

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin wasn’t phased by the noise in the Rebels’ big 34-26 road victory over Oklahoma.
North Carolina and Missouri both lost their games by a matter of inches on final plays.
Oregon and Miami showcased unique uniforms with varying degrees of reactions.

Even with all the noise surrounding Lane Kiffin, it’s not fazing him.

The Mississippi coach has been at the center of coaching rumors as it’s been speculated he’ll be persuaded to leave Oxford. Sooner fans sure had fun taunting him with a Gator chomp as Florida is rumored to heavily pursue him.

After hearing all the jabs, Kiffin dished it right back. He and Mississippi faced the music and walked out of Norman with a 34-26 win to move to 7-1 and keep those College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Not only did Kiffin get to shut up the Oklahoma fans, but also the Sooners themselves after this beauty of a postgame interview.

‘A little quieter now than before,’ Kiffin told an Oklahoma player. ‘This guy yelled at me during the game like five times how great they were and we can’t score on them.’

Kiffin couldn’t hide that smirk, knowing he’s on top of all the haters. He’s got the last laugh, and his swagger leads the best and worst things of Week 9 in college football.

Worst: Game of inches

Football is played on a 120-yard long field, but sometimes it comes down to inches. Unfortunately, North Carolina and Missouri were on the wrong end of it.

Bill Belichick’s team went for the win against Virginia in overtime, only for Benjamin Hall to get stopped right before the goal line.

For Missouri, a Hail Mary was answered when Matt Zollers found Kevin Coleman Jr. for a 36-yard catch. The only problem was the Tigers needed 37 yards to score a touchdown and send the game to overtime.

Two ‘what ifs’ that will haunt Missouri and North Carolina for a while.

Best: Oregon (Grateful) Ducks

It’s Grateful Dead weekend in Eugene with the ‘Grateful Ducks’ theme, and Oregon made sure to go all out with special uniforms and a fantastic entrance from The Duck.

Worst: Miami camo uniforms

Not only did it really blend onto the field at Hard Rock Stadium, but it was causing issues on the television broadcast with players appearing to be wearing green screen uniforms.

Great idea, bad execution.

Best: Wisconsin scores

Stop the presses. For the first time in three games, Wisconsin put up points, getting a fourth quarter touchdown in the 21-7 loss to Oregon.

It sounds silly, but it’s been hard to score for the Badgers. It hadn’t scored a point since the fourth quarter against Michigan on Oct. 4. Since then, Wisconsin gave up 92 consecutive points. It took 12 quarters for Wisconsin to score, or two hours and 54 minutes of game time.

For reference, you could nearly watch all three hours of ‘Oppenheimer’ in that same time.

Wisconsin did lose sixth consecutive game, but you got to celebrate the little things.

Worst: Iowa State’s punt mistake

One play can truly change an entire game. Iowa State found that out the hard way.

The Cyclones were going toe-to-toe with Brigham Young and were looking at good field position after forcing a punt late in the third quarter. However, it quickly went wrong when Iowa State’s Eli Green inadvertedly touched the rolling ball. The Cougars recovered in Iowa State territory in a sudden change of momentum.

How consequential was it? BYU scored a touchdown three plays later and shutout Iowa State the rest of the way for a 41-27 win to remain undefeated.

Best: Curt Cignetti lookalike

The Indiana coach has been the most famous man in Bloomington, so of course Hoosier fans can’t help but dress like their hero.

Worst: Kansas rivalry skid

Is it a rivalry if it’s one-sided?

That’s been the sory in the Sunflower Showdown, where Kansas State entered Saturday with 16 consecutive wins over rival Kansas. This year marked the best chance for the Jayhawks to break the streak, entering the 2025 matchup at home as favorites. After Kansas forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, it looked like a sign of fortunes changing.

It actually was far from good as the Wildcats put a 42-17 beatdown for their 17th consecutive win over Kansas. Who knows if Kansas will ever get the best of its rival again?

Just to show how bad the losing streak is, Kansas hasn’t won since Nov. 1, 2008, before Barack Obama was elected president and two years before the iPad came out.

Worst: San Diego State coach’s hat tan

Nothing beats the California sun, but San Diego State coach Sean Lewis’ head doesn’t get much of it. Turns out he’s sporting a hat quite frequently.

Best: Wake Forest wins on field goal from downtown

Something special may be brewing in Winston-Salem as Wake Forest beat Southern Methodist to move to 5-2. How did the Demon Deacons do it?

By kicker Connor Calvert barely getting over the crossbar on a 50-yard field goal, the longest Wake Forest made kick in the past decade.

Worst: fourth-and-17 fake field goal?

It’s been a season to forget for Nevada, but on Friday, Oct. 24, the 1-6 Wolfpack were hanging around with Boise State. Tied at three in the second quarter, Nevada had a chance to take the lead on a field goal after it was pushed to fourth-and-17.

Rather that kick it, the Wolfpack tried a fake field goal that went absolutely nowhere in a bizzare play call.

Nevada wouldn’t score again in a 24-3 loss to move to 1-7.

Best: A Greg Jennings-like TD

We all know the legendary Madden video game clip of Greg Jennings putting the team on his back, and we saw it happen in an actually game.

North Carolina State receiver Justin Joly was wide open when he hauled in a catch on a trick play ran by the Wolfpack. A touchdown was in sight, but with 25 yards left to go, he suddenly appeared to hurt his leg. Even though he was hampered, Joly put the team on his back and used everything we had to cross the goal line to complete the score, even if it meant being injured.

Even better, Jennings himself took notice of art imitating life.

Worst: QB catch failure

Quarterbacks have to think on the fly when a batted pass ends up in their hands. Do they catch and try to make it something? Or just bat it down to accept the lost play?

Unfortunately for Purdue’s Ryan Browne, he saw how bad these plays could be. He caught a batted pass, but his reception eventually turned into a fumble that fell into Rutgers’ hands with just over a minute to play.

Three plays later, the Scarlet Knights kicked the game-winning field goal and Purdue is now 2-6 with five losses in a row with the start Big Ten play.

Best: First win in 51 years

This year marked the first season for Division III New England College in 51 years with the Pilgrams returning to varsity status. So far, it hasn’t been a great first campaign with an 0-6 start that includes three shutout defeats and losing an average losing margin of 42.3 points.

But Saturday was a day the college has waited five decades for, as the Pilgrims beat Maine Maritime Academy 14-10 for their first win since the program’s revival. A glorious result as football comes back to New England College.

As the San Antonio Spurs played their home opener of the 2025-26 season on Sunday, Oct. 26, fans noticed some new decor in Frost Bank Center: a banner honoring former head coach Gregg Popovich as the winningest coach in NBA history.

There was no ceremony, no fanfare, no announcement. It truly honored the legacy that Popovich left behind.

Popovich still works within the Spurs’ organization, taking on the President of Basketball Operations role in May of this year. However, his greatness came courtside, coaching the Spurs to five NBA championships. His name is now hung alongside many of his best players, including Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.

Gregg Popovich career accolades

Popovich coached the Spurs for 29 seasons, amassing an NBA-record 1,390 regular season wins. That 1,390 figure is honored on Popovich’s banner.

Popovich won five championships with the Spurs and boasted an impressive 170-114 record in the playoffs as well.

He is still held in high esteem by players and coaches across the league and was a media darling, earning Coach of the Year honors on three occasions (2003, 2012, 2014).

Spurs 2025-26 record

The Spurs have opened the 2025-26 season with a two-game winning streak. At the time of writing this, they also have a large halftime lead over the Brooklyn Nets in their home opener.

Statements from Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson

Mitch Johnson has enormous shoes to fill in San Antonio. He expressed gratitude toward Popovich before Sunday’s game, stating ‘I’ve been blessed to have [Popovich’s leadership] now for years in a lot of different roles.’ He continued, ‘[Popovich has] been that for so many people in so many moments and times and situations. It’s one of his special powers for sure.’

The LSU-Brian Kelly marriage never seemed like a good fit. And some Tigers fans were asking for a divorce Saturday night. Elsewhere in the SEC, a few desperate teams had ranked foes wriggle off the hook, while Purdue and North Carolina found new ways to lose games.

Here’s the worst from Week 9 of college football in our Flop 10:

Brian Kelly

Only one place to start.

In college football, no coach is safe. Not even one with a $54 million buyout. If Penn State was willing to fire James Franklin, who was one win away from the national championship game, don’t think for a second LSU won’t fire Brian Kelly for achieving less. LSU entered this season with one of the nation’s most-expensive rosters and national title expectations. When November hits, the Tigers will be under .500 in the SEC and unranked. That’s why LSU fans were booing and chanting ‘Fire Kelly’ during Saturday’s 49-25 loss to No. 3 Texas A&M. Aggies fans dancing in Death Valley only added salt in the wound — especially if you’ve seen Aggies fans dance. Kelly left Notre Dame to compete for national titles. His replacement, Marcus Freeman, will have the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff back-to-back years. Go figure.

Mississippi State

Steve Sarkisian was ticketed for this spot. Was tough to follow those leaked NFL rumors with laying an egg in Starkville… Then, Mississippi State, WYD?

The Bulldogs led by 17 in the fourth quarter, but Jeff Lebby’s puzzling play calling and a 79-yard punt return by Ryan Niblett tied it for Texas with 1:47 left. In the final minute, MSU had a first down in Longhorns territory but couldn’t get in field goal range after a sack on 3rd down. It got worse in overtime. Texas scored with its backup QB, while the Bulldogs’ final plays looked like this:

incompletion
incompletion
false start penalty
false start penalty
fumble, sack, loss of 31 yards

‘That might be the worst overtime possession ever,’ USA TODAY’s Erick Smith said.

Game over. Texas survives 45-38.

South Carolina

Let’s stick with SEC teams blowing a chance at home to knock off a ranked team. South Carolina had No. 4 Alabama on the ropes. The Gamecocks led by eight with under 3 minutes left… and lost by seven.

‘I’m thinking we need to finish in the fourth quarter,’ USC coach Shane Beamer said postgame. ‘When you got an eight-point lead at home and you got a team on the ropes you gotta put ’em away, and we didn’t. We had an eight-point lead and we allowed them to go, whatever it was, 80 yards down the field and convert some third downs, and we did not play well on offense, defense or special teams in the fourth quarter.’

Other than that…

UCLA

This year’s feel-good story met last year’s feel-good story Saturday, and it was no contest. UCLA was a trendy upset pick (despite the 24.5-point spread) as some people resist the notion Indiana just might be really good. (I’m an alum and still can’t believe it.) IU went up 28-0, led 35-3 at halftime and ended up winning 56-6. It was the Hoosiers’ third-largest Big Ten win in their history. UCLA had won three straight and its offense was humming under Jerry Neuheisel’s direction. Not on this day as the Bruins failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season.

Fox noon games

The Big Ten may have some of the nation’s best teams (Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon), but its way too top-heavy. The SEC and even the Big 12 are probably deeper, more competitive. That provides more intriguing matchups. Fox went with UCLA at Indiana for its noon game Saturday and even sent their Big Noon Kickoff show to Bloomington. It was 35-3 at halftime. There’s a reason ABC/ESPN’s ratings are dominating Fox and CBS’ numbers. It’s all about inventory, and the Big Ten just doesn’t provide enough compelling TV week in, week out. Next week? Tail-spinning Penn State at Ohio State. Mercy.

Deion Sanders and Colorado

(via USA TODAY’s Brent Schrotenboer)

With less than two minutes remaining in Saturday’s game at Utah, Deion Sanders put both hands on his knees and bent over on the sideline.

If it looked like he was getting ready to vomit, pardon him for how he felt. He had never experienced anything quite like this — a 53-7 loss against the Utes on a night when almost everything seemed to go freakishly wrong for Colorado.

“This is bad,” Sanders said afterward. “It’s probably the worst beating I’ve ever had since my mama whooped me as a kid.”

He’s right, at least in terms of his college coaching career. It was the worst loss under Sanders in three seasons at Colorado — a span of 33 games. It also was the worst loss in Sanders’ college coaching career overall, including his tenure at Jackson State.

How bad was it? Here’s a stat for you:

Total yards in the first half: Utah 398, Colorado minus-18.

Purdue

Reddit thread r/purduefootball: ‘You can’t be serious… Unbelievable. How bad can it get?’

Apparently pretty bad. The Boilermakers — now losers of six straight — found a new way to lose Saturday. Up by three points with a minute to play, Purdue held Rutgers to a tying 20-yard field goal on 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

On the first play of the next drive, Boilermakers QB Ryan Browne had his pass batted in the air, he caught it, went to make a move and fumbled. After two running plays, Rutgers hit a game-winning 30-yard field goal as time expired, pushing Purdue’s losing streak to Power conference teams to 17, worst in the nation for a Power Four program.

“That’s a hard way to lose one,” Purdue coach Barry Odom said afterward.

North Carolina

Speaking of finding inventive ways to lose… UNC is getting so close they’re making Hugh Freeze proud. Last week, the Tar Heels lost after a receiver fumbled the ball just short of the goal line in a 21-18 loss at Cal. On Saturday, Bill Belichick went for two and the win in overtime over No. 16 Virginia. Credit for the guts to go for it, but UNC came up inches short and remain winless in the ACC. In true Belichick fashion, he offered insightful analysis on his decision after the game: “Trying to win the game,” Belichick said. “I don’t know what else you want me to tell you.”

South Florida’s CFP hopes

The highest-ranked Group of Five contender for the College Football Playoff, No. 20 South Florida led Memphis by 14 going into the fourth quarter… Then Memphis scored the game’s final 17 points, including a 10-yard catch and 2-point conversion to give the Tigers a three-point lead with a minute left. USF drove to the Memphis 24-yard line with 11 seconds left and well within Nico Gramatica’s range to send it to OT. (Gramatica beat Florida in The Swamp earlier this season). But instead of clocking the ball with 3 seconds left and kick, coach Alex Golesh got greedy, clocked it immediately and decided to run another play. You know how this story ends: Byrum Brown’s deep shot was incomplete, and accompanied with a back-breaking holding penalty, pushing the FG to a 52-yard try, which Gramatica pushed wide. Now Memphis has life as a potential CFP entrant. It’s the margins.

Minnesota

The Gophers were rowing the boat… upstream, and to no avail, eventually going over the waterfall Saturday vs. Iowa. The Hawkeyes got an interception return for a score and returned a punt for a touchdown in this 41-3 rout.

‘I want to make sure that I give credit where credit’s due,’ Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said postgame. ‘So starting with that, so nothing ever sounds like an excuse. There’s reasons, there’s no excuses. I mean, they absolutely dominated the football game from start to finish… Three hours of bad football, and that 100% falls on me, because that is unacceptable.’

IndyStar Purdue reporter Nathan Baird contributed to this story.

This story was updated to change a video.

After a thrilling 90 minutes, Real Madrid ended its four-game losing streak against Barcelona in an El Clasico matchup at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 24th minute, following a previous opening goal that had been ruled offside. This gave Real Madrid an early advantage in the first half. However, the lead was short-lived as Fermín López capitalized on an opportunity set up by Marcus Rashford, leveling the score at 1-1.

Jude Bellingham’s goal, scored just before the end of the first half, ultimately led to Real Madrid’s victory.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Players from both sides converge after hard foul

Barcelona’s Pedri received his second yellow card, for sliding into real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni in the closing minutes – which caused players from both teams to confront each other by the benches and midfield at the final whistle. 

The players eventually separated: Barcelona’s players went to the locker room, while Real Madrid’s danced on the pitch to celebrate the victory.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Mbappe, Bellingham come off (90’)

Mbappe and Bellingham came off in the 90th minute, despite 11 minutes of stoppage time added to the clock. They were replaced by Dani Ceballos and Gonzalo García.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Vinicius Jr. gets subbed off (72’)

Vinicius Junior was substituted off in the 72nd minute, and demonstratively upset at the substitution going straight to the locker room. He was replaced by Rodryo in the lineup.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Bellingham denied goal

Jude Bellingham attempts to find the back of the net from outside the box, but is blocked in the 70th minute.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Mbappé misses penalty

Mbappé missed a penalty shot in the 52nd minute, spoiling a chance to take a two-goal lead shortly before halftime.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Halftime

At halftime, after an exciting first half, Real Madrid is leading Barcelona 2-1.

Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1: Bellingham scores goal

Jude Bellingham has reclaimed the lead for Real Madrid, scoring after a setup by Éder Militão. Bellingham’s right-footed shot from close range found the bottom corner of the left side of the goal. Real Madrid now leads Barcelona 2-1 in the first half. —Elizabeth Flores

Real Madrid 1, Barcelona 1: Fermín López levels the score

Fermín López capitalizes on an assist from Marcus Rashford and takes a right-footed shot from the center of the box, scoring in the upper center of the goal to level the score at 1-1 against Barcelona in the first half.

Real Madrid 1, Barcelona 0: Mbappe redeems goal

Kylian Mbappé gave Real Madrid the lead against Barcelona in the 24th minute, converting a right-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner. The assist came from Jude Bellingham. Real Madrid now leads 1-0.

Real Madrid 0, Barcelona 0: Real Madrid goal ruled offside

Kylian Mbappe took advantage with a right-footed shot from outside the box to the bottom of the right corner, but it was ruled offside. Real Madrid and Barcelona are scoreless in the 14th minute. —Elizabeth Flores

What time is El Clasico Barcelona vs Real Madrid?

Sunday’s Real Madrid-Barcelona game kicks off at 11:15 a.m. ET.

How to watch El Clasico: Barcelona-Real Madrid TV channel, stream

The match will air on ESPN2 and can be streamed on Fubo.

Watch El Clasico LIVE on Fubo

Lamine Yamal stirs up El Clasico

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso declined to comment on Saturday after Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal suggested the capital club ‘cheat’ and ‘complain’ in a televised interview on Friday.

Alonso faced repeated questions from reporters regarding Yamal’s remarks, made during an appearance on a Kings League program alongside former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.

The 18-year-old Barca forward compared Real to Porcinos, a Kings League team, stating: ‘Of course! Yes, they cheat, they complain …’ The comments, which Pique supported, stirred debate in the build-up to one of soccer’s most iconic fixtures. — Reuters