The Florida Gators fired head football coach Billy Napier on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
Napier finished his tenure at Florida with a 22-23 record over four seasons.
Longtime assistant Billy Gonzales will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.

Florida football became the latest program to enter the coaching carousel in 2025, as the Gators announced the firing of Billy Napier on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Replacing him is longtime assistant Billy Gonzales, who will serve as the interim for the remainder of the season.

Napier, fired midway through his fourth season with the program, finishes his tenure with a 22-23 record. Florida is 3-4 this season after its win over Mississippi State on Oct. 18.

Napier secured some big wins at Florida, especially in 2024, when the Gators won four of their last six games with wins over LSU and Ole Miss. Florida also upset Texas this season at home.

Florida now shifts its focus to who will replace Napier and lead the program back to a consistent place on the field.

Here’s everything to know of Gonzales, Florida’s interim coach.

Who is Billy Gonzales?

Gonzales, a longtime Florida offensive assistant, is in his third separate tenure with the program, and has served as the Gators’ receivers coach since 2023.

Gonzales also coached at Florida from 2018-21 as the co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach from 2018-19 and passing-game coordinator and receivers coach from 2020-21. Gonzales served one season as the receivers coach at FAU in 2022 after Dan Mullen was fired before being brought back on staff by Napier in 2023.

‘Coach Gonzales has been a valued member of our program for many years, including being a part of multiple championship teams,’ Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. ‘He is a Gator through and through. His deep understanding of our culture, our student-athletes, and what it means to represent the University of Florida makes him well-suited to lead our team.’

The 54-year-old coach first met Urban Meyer as the receivers coach at Bowling Green from 2001-02. He moved with Meyer to Utah from 2003-04 before following Meyer again to Florida, where he stayed from 2005-09 as receivers coach.

Gonzales was also the receivers coach at Mississippi State under Mullen from 2013-17.

The Thornton, Colorado, native played college football at Colorado State from 1989-92 before starting his career as the receivers coach at MacMurray College, a then-Division III program that has since closed down.

Gonzales has mentored receivers such as Ricky Pearsall, Percy Harvin and Kadarius Toney at Florida, and also mentored Odell Beckham Jr. during his time at LSU.

A Heisman Trophy candidate throws his teammate under the bus, Penn State coach auditions don’t go so well and Group of Five playoff hopefuls stumble. So yeah, there was a lot going on in Week 8 of college football. Here’s the worst of it:

Carson Beck

The Miami quarterback threw four interceptions in the Hurricanes’ 24-21 loss to Louisville on Friday night. While Beck’s first interception was a ridiculous defensive play by Antonio Watts, the ball was thrown into triple coverage. His fourth pick was with 32 seconds left and Miami driving at the Cardinals’ 30-yard line. To make it even worse, Beck blamed his receiver for the game-ending mistake. He wants you to know there was a communication error, just not on his end.

Dude.

Beck finished 25-of-35 for 271 yards, no TDs and those four picks as the second-ranked Canes now need some help to even make the ACC Championship game.

Matt Rhule’s Penn State audition

One of the most-popular names linked with the vacant Penn State job, Rhule is known for being an offensive guru. If Friday was a job interview, consider it offensive. Minnesota was missing two of its top three cornerbacks, so Dylan Raiola should have cooked. Welp. The Cornhuskers managed just two field goals and 213 yards in Minneapolis, and the Golden Gophers sacked Temu Patrick Mahomes nine times.

“We were just kind of out of whack the whole day,” Rhule said afterward. ‘At no point did we make the play we needed to make to win the game.’

It was the first time Nebraska hadn’t scored a touchdown in defeat since a 62-3 loss to Ohio State in 2016.

“Six points is pretty brutal,” Raiola said.

Indeed.

UNLV

How about another prospective Penn State candidate? Urban Meyer has been stumping for Dan Mullen to get a look at State College. I’m sure Mullen’s Rebels appreciated that pitch. UNLV entered Saturday unbeaten and the third-highest ranked Group of Five team, putting it in the playoff mix. The Rebels lost 56-31 to Boise State, which opened the second half with four straight touchdowns. The Broncos, who are now 3-0 in Mountain West play, ran for 294 yards — led by Dylan Riley’s 201 yards (13.4 per carry).

Thanks, Urban!

Luke Fickell

No one expected Wisconsin to beat No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday. Very few thought they’d even give the Buckeyes a game. But man, make ’em sweat a little. The Badgers never left their sett (look it up) and lost 34-0, marking the first time the Badgers have been shut out in back-to-back home games since 1968. Under Fickell, Wisconsin has been toothless vs. ranked teams (0-9) and are sinking like a stone.

Wisconsin has lost its past nine Big Ten games with eight coming by double digits. 
The Badgers haven’t scored a touchdown in 11 quarters. 
Wisconsin had nine first downs Saturday and 144 yards total offense.
Badgers QB Hunter Simmons had 54 yards passing. Fifty-four.

Fittingly, Wisconsin plays at Oregon next because Fickell is a lame duck. And soon-to-be-ranked-No. 2 Indiana is still on the Badgers’ schedule. Last year was the first year Wisconsin hadn’t been to a bowl since 2001. Last time it hadn’t made a bowl in consecutive seasons? ‘Baby Got Back’, white men couldn’t jump and ‘Real World’ introduced us to reality TV (1992).

Memphis

The Tigers entered Saturday unbeaten and the top-ranked Group of Five playoff hopeful (No. 20). They were playing UAB, who just fired coach Trent Dilfer and named Alex Mortensen (Mort’s son) interim. Memphis was a 23.5-point favorite. Guess what happened… Mort’s Blazers pulled off the second-biggest upset of the season (UCLA beat Penn State despite being a 24.5-point dog). But it didn’t come without some drama. Memphis had 1st-and-goal from the 1 with a chance 45 seconds left and a chance to tie. The 1!?! Here’s how the sequence unfolded:

False start
5-yard pass just short of goal line
False start
Incomplete pass
Incomplete pass
Delay of game
Incomplete pass

‘He would be excited for our team and program,’ Mortensen told ESPN when asked about his late dad. ‘He covered football for a long time. He’s always sensitive to coaches losing their jobs. I know he would understand how hard it was what these guys went through this week.’

A nice moment, at Memphis’ expense.

Texas Tech

This was a Flop 10 play-in game. At one point, Arizona State was ticketed here after giving up a 12-point fourth-quarter lead in a flash. The Sun Devils led 19-7 with 3:57 left. By the 2-minute mark, they were trailing 22-19. But not to be outdone, the Red Raiders shot themselves in the foot, too. It’s worth mentioning Tech played without starting QB Behren Morton. But the Raiders had a lengthy list of miscues: an interception, a punt blocked, a roughing the passer on 3rd-and-goal and two turnover on downs, including one at the ASU 8-yard line. And then after the Raiders finally took the lead, Tech surrendered a 10-play, 76-yard drive in 1:26 as Sam Leavitt engineered a game-winning drive. Unbeaten no more, Tech still has a cake schedule, with only BYU a real threat, so its playoff hopes aren’t dead, but they’ll want this one back.

Purdue

That early-season optimism after a 2-0 start under first-year coach Barry Odom has vanished with five straight losses, the latest a 19-0 loss at Northwestern on Saturday. The Boilermakers are still better than they were last season under Ryan Walters, but the recent struggles are only amplified by what’s happening further south in the state. If Indiana wins a football national title before Purdue wins one in basketball… I don’t think Boilers fans will ever hear the end of it.

Boston College

Believe it or not, there’s a bigger train wreck in the ACC than what’s happening in Chapel Hill. Bill Belichick’s season has been a disaster. His former Patriots assistant’s season is a disaster wrapped in a debacle. Bill O’Brien’s BC team is awful. The Golden Eagles are 1-6 after a home loss to UConn and sit 0-4 in league play with Louisville, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame still on the schedule. FUN!

O’Brien seems out of answers.

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights (3-4, 0-4 in Big Ten) had the unenviable task of having to play a ticked-off Oregon team. Rutgers actually scored first, turning a Ducks fumble into three points. Then Oregon ran off the next 56 points on its way to a 56-10 win, which included a 42-3 halftime lead. After the Ducks offense struggled in its loss last week to Indiana, it was in high gear Saturday in Piscataway. Oregon racked up 750 total yards. That’s 335 passing and 415 rushing. That’s playing Madden on rookie.

“You might be historically the first to play football, but you’re actually last in football,” Mathew Selby, an Oregon native who attends Rutgers as a doctoral student in nutritional sciences, told the Asbury Park Press. “When everybody thinks of Rutgers, they have an image of leather helmets. Baby, this is 2025. We’re playing tennis and you’re on pickleball… I will say this about Rutgers. It has a great science program.”

Washington State

OK, so on consecutive trips out east looking for an opponent, the Cougars put a scare into a ranked opponent. Last week, it was Ole Miss. On Saturday, it was Virginia. Wazzu led by 10 with 10 minutes remaining, but found a creative way to lose. After the Cavaliers scored to make it a three-point game with 9 minutes left, the Cougars next possession looked like this:

Rush for no gain
False start
False start
Holding
7-yard run on 2nd-and-27
Interception

UVA tied it with a field goal with three minutes left. Then things got weird with Wazzu’s Leyton Smithson calling a fair catch at the 2-yard line on the kickoff. A false start pushed the ball to the 1-yard line and a play later Kirby Vorhees was tackled in the end zone for the game-winning safety. Final: Virginia 22, Washington State 20.

‘Lost control there at the end. That’s on me,’ said Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers. ‘All of this is on me.”

Keep up with the latest news and analysis from college football’s top two conferences: Check out our Big Ten Hub and our SEC Hub to get school-by-school coverage from across the USA TODAY Network.

Red Bull star Max Verstappen looks to win his fourth Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in five years, when the race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, begins at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Verstappen starts the 2025 race on pole, while McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (who won the 2024 race) start second and third. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton round out the Top 5.

F1 drivers’ championship leader Oscar Piastri will start sixth in Austin – the second of three American races (Miami and Las Vegas). and the 19th of 24 F1 races during the 2025 season.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sunday’s F1 race, and follow along here for live updates from USA TODAY Sports:

How to watch the F1 U.S. Grand Prix race on TV, live stream?

The race will be broadcast on ABC in the United States and steamed on Fubo

Watch the F1 United States Grand Prix on Fubo

What time does the F1 U.S. Grand Prix start?

The race begins at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT). Here’s a global race start time map, from F1.

U.S. Grand Prix trophy

Check out this Texas Longhorns inspired trophy for the U.S. Grand Prix’s Top 3 performers.

Who starts on pole for the U.S. Grand Prix race?

Max Verstappen will start the U.S. Grand Prix in pole position. Here’s how close it was between Verstappen and Lando Norris for pole.

Here’s the race order for the U.S. Grand Prix

Row 1: 1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
Row 2: 3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari); 4. George Russell (Mercedes)
Row 3: 5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari); 6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Row 4: 7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes); 8. Ollie Bearman (Haas)
Row 5: 9. Carlos Sainz (Williams); 10. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Row 6: 11. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber); 12. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
Row 7: 13. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull); 14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Row 8: 15. Franco Colapinto (Alpine); 16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
Row 9: 17. Esteban Ocon (Haas); 18. Lance Stroll (Austin Martin)
Row 10: 19. Alexander Albon (Williams); 20. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

Who won the Sprint race in Austin?

Max Verstappen won the Austin Sprint race on Saturday, finishing ahead of George Russell and Carlos Sainz on podium. Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rounded out the Top 5. McLaren stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri provided the drama during the Sprint with their collision on Turn 1, forcing them both to retire from the race.

Formula 1 Drivers’ Standings before Austin

Here’s the Top 6 in the Drivers’ standings before the Austin race: Oscar Piastri (336); Lando Norris (314); Max Verstappen (281); George Russell (244); Charles Leclerc (177); Lewis Hamilton (130).

Formula 1 Constructors Standings before Austin

McLaren is the run-away favorite to win the Constructors with 650 points before the Austin race, followed by Mercedes (333), Ferrari (307), Red Bull (300), Williams (111), Racing Bulls (72), Aston Martin (68), Sauber (55), Haas (46) and Alpine (20).

U.S. Grand Prix will remain on F1’s calendar through 2034

F1 has announced the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will remain on its calendar through 2034. The race has delivered $7 billion in economic impact to Austin and Texas since 2012, the company said in a statement.

Stefano Domenicali, F1 president and CEO said in a statement: ‘Since 2012 the United States Grand Prix has continued to grow in strength and popularity … The event at the Circuit of The Americas stands out as a true highlight for fans, drivers, and teams alike, drawing hundreds of thousands of passionate supporters who come to witness the thrilling on-track action and soak up the vibrant energy of the circuit and the city.’

Bobby Epstein, Chairman of Circuit of The Americas, added: ‘We’re glad Formula 1 has found a home in Texas, and are grateful to the fans, teams, and the entire F1 community who have consistently supported us and made the United States Grand Prix a favorite stop on the global calendar.’

F1 races moving to Apple TV in 2026

F1 and Apple announced a five-year deal that will move all F1 races to Apple TV, beginning in 2026.

‘When you compare it to other sports in the U.S., certainly the biggest sports – which I think F1 is, and should be in the U.S. – the growth opportunity is huge. It’s exponentially huge. You can exponentially grow the sport,’ Apple’s senior vice president of Services Eddy Cue said of F1 during a media call Thursday before the announcement.

F1 2025 race winners

March 16: Australian GP – Lando Norris (McLaren)
March 23: Chinese GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
April 6: Japanese GP – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
April 13: Bahrain GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
April 20: Saudi Arabian GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
May 4: Miami GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
May 18: Emilia Romagna GP – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
May 25: Monaco GP – Lando Norris (McLaren)
June 1: Spanish GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
June 15: Canadian GP – George Russell (Mercedes)
June 29: Austrian GP – Lando Norris (McLaren)
July 6: British GP – Lando Norris (McLaren)
July 27: Belgian GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Aug. 3: Hungarian GP – Lando Norris (McLaren)
Aug. 31: Dutch GP – Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Sept. 7: Italian GP – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Sept. 21: Azerbaijan GP – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Oct. 5: Singapore GP – George Russell (Mercedes)
Oct: 19: U.S. Grand Prix (TBD)

Upcoming F1 Calendar

Oct. 24-26: Mexico City Grand Prix (Mexico)
Nov. 7-9: São Paulo GP (Brazil)
Nov. 20-22: Las Vegas Grand Prix (U.S.)
Nov. 28-30: Qatar Grand Prix
Dec. 5-7: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

High-scoring star Kevin Durant has agreed to a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets, according to an ESPN report.

Durant’s business partner Rich Kleiman told ESPN on Sunday, Oct. 19 that the new deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.

Durant, 37, joined the Rockets in July in a seven-team deal – the largest trade in NBA history. He did so knowing they wouldn’t give him the maximum two-year, $120 million extension he might have received elsewhere.

A 15-time All-Star, Durant averaged 26.6 points. 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the Phoenix Suns last season, shooting 52.7% from the field and 83.9% from the free throw line. He ranks eighth on the all-time NBA scoring list and can pass Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki this coming season.

Shohei Ohtani hit three home runs in the NLCS game that sent the Dodgers to the World Series.
A fan named David Flores says he caught the third home run ball and plans to sell it.
Another fan, Carlo Mendoza, claims to have found the second home run ball and wants to give it to Ohtani.

A 98-mph fastball rocketed off Shohei Ohtani’s bat at 114 mph, sailed toward the left-center field pavilion at Dodger Stadium and, based on two videos, the home run ball fell into the hands of David Flores.

And so it appears Flores took possession of the third home run Ohtani hit Friday, Oct. 17 in a spectacular showing that propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS and into the World Series.

‘It ricocheted to me and I just caught it like a baby and I squeezed it nice and tight,’ Flores told USA TODAY Sports, ‘and it just happened that I stayed calm and I remained calm.’

Now, Flores said, he hopes the baseball will prove to be a windfall. He said he has not heard from the Dodgers and has no plans to give the ball back.

‘I’m going to sell the ball,’ he said.

The whereabouts of the other two home run balls Ohtani hit in a 5-1 victory over the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS remains unclear.

Carlo Mendoza, a 26-year-old man from Los Angeles, said he retrieved Ohtani’s second home run ball, hit in the fourth inning, from inside bushes. He said he was eating nachos in a food court behind the pavilion at the time Ohtani belted the homer.

There is no video footage of Mendoza finding the ball, which sailed over the right-center field pavilion roof.

Steve Brener, who hands public relations for the Dodgers, expressed skepticism about Mendoza’s claim while Mendoza said he wants to give the ball to Ohtani. ‘It’ll have more sentimental value to him than me,’ Mendoza said.

Efforts by USA TODAY Sports to find the person who caught Ohtani’s first home run ball, hit in the bottom of the first, were unsuccessful.

What else do Dodgers say?

Lon Rosen, Executive Vice President of the Los Angeles Dodgers, said the team will address the matter on Monday, according to Brener.

As of Saturday night, Flores said he still had not authenticated the ball. It could be challenging because postseason balls are specially marked only for World Series games, Brener said the team’s equipment manager told him.

But Flores, who said he is a 35-year-old boxing coach from Sante Fe Springs, California – about 15 miles southeast of Dodger Stadium – told USA TODAY Sports he’s already gotten offers for the ball. He declined to disclose the amount of the offers but said he hoped to buy a house, car and pay for his son’s college tuition.

‘I have a 12-year-old son and his college is in his future,’ Flores told USA TODAY Sports.

When he caught the home run ball, Flores said, he was sitting in Section 313, Seat 11, Row J in the pavilion. That corresponds with the area in which Ohtani’s third home run of the game landed after the ball was pitched by Brewers reliever Trevor Megill in the bottom of the seventh inning.

More on video evidence

Video footage posted on Flores’ Instagram and elsewhere appears to verify it was Flores who caught the ball.

A homemade video taken from a spot near the bleachers where Flores said he sat shows the ball skipping across outstretched hands and into the midsection of the lucky fan. Footage of that fan match photos of Flores on social media and others he provided to USA TODAY Sports.

Footage of the home run aired by TBS during the broadcast shows the ball landing behind a woman who was sitting a row in front of the man who caught the ball. The woman can be seen in both videos.

‘It was a great October night and Dodger playoffs baseball,’ said Flores, who said he attended the game with a friend.

Mendoza, who said he caught Ohtani’s second home run ball, shared a photo in which he posed with Flores at Dodger Stadium and shared video footage of his holding a baseball and explaining how he says he found it.

This story was updated to add a photo.

It was all Los Angeles Rams in London on Sunday morning.

Matthew Stafford and the Rams (5-2) trounced the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) in a 35-7 win in Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The win pushes the Rams – albeit potentially temporarily – back atop the NFC West.

Stafford was in vintage form on Sunday across the pond: The passer found 10 different Rams with receptions and threw five touchdown passes on the day, successfully avoiding a turnover against the ball-hawking Jaguars secondary. Stafford made the most of his passing yards on the day, throwing just 182 yards in the loss.

The Jaguars couldn’t match that offensive prowess in the matchup. Trevor Lawrence finished the game 23-of-48 passing for 296 yards and a single touchdown in the loss. On the bright side, the lone score fell into the hands of Travis Hunter, his first NFL touchdown.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the London matchup below. All times are Eastern.

Rams-Jaguars takeaways

No Puka, no problem: Matthew Stafford found 10 different receivers for a reception on Sunday afternoon. Davante Adams was the prime beneficiary of Nacua’s absence, securing three touchdown grabs in the win.
Jacked up offense: Jacksonville’s offense hasn’t looked crisp, and some of that is thanks to Trevor Lawrence: The passer looked a tick late on his throws all afternoon, resulting in some ugly offense all afternoon.
Rams sneaky Super Bowl contenders? While Stafford will get the headlines, the Rams defense should get the glory. If LA’s defense – which sacked Trevor Lawrence seven times – plays this well down the stretch, then they could pair extremely well with an efficient, effective offense.

Rams-Jaguars highlights

Jaguars fail to score on final possession, Rams kneel out for win

The Jaguars were set up deep in Rams territory for a potential score, but turned over on downs. The Rams would kneel out the clock for the victory.

Rams-Jaguars score: Davante Adams catches third TD, Stafford has fifth

It’s a little bit of history for Matthew Stafford on his fifth touchdown of the day: It’s the first time a player has thrown five touchdowns in an NFL international game. Davante Adams is the recipient of the TD, for his third TD catch of the day.

Rams 35, Jaguars 7

Travis Hunter scores first career touchdown

In an afternoon that’s been largely empty of joy for the Jaguars, Travis Hunter found some happiness: The two-way star secured the first touchdown catch of the day for the Jags and the first of his career. It cuts into the Rams’ lead late, but it may be too little.

Rams 28, Jaguars 7

Rams-Jaguars score: Matthew Stafford throws fourth TD of the game

Matthew Stafford has been in vintage form today. On a fourth-and-short, the veteran passer tossed his fourth touchdown of the day, this time to rookie Terrance Ferguson, who was waiting patiently in the end zone for the ball to reach him. Stafford his hit 10 different receivers with a pass today.

Rams 28, Jaguars 0

Another Jaguars punt

By either punt or turnover on downs, Jacksonville is giving Los Angeles every opportunity to close out this game late. Another empty drive leads to a punt for Jacksonville, with time ticking down in the third quarter.

Jaguars fail another fourth-down opportunity

Trevor Lawrence failed to connect with Travis Hunter on the sideline, leading to another turnover on downs for the Jaguars offense.

Trevor Lawrence finds Dyami Brown for big play

An offense that’s been devoid of big plays today finally got one: Trevor Lawrence found Dyami Brown for 39 yards down the middle of the field.

Travis Hunter stats today

Travis Hunter secured his third catch of the day on six targets, and he has 30 receiving yards. He has yet to play a single snap on defense.

Rams receive second half kickoff, third quarter underway

The third quarter is underway as the Rams set up shop with good field position after Xavier Scott returns the kick off to the Rams 36-yard line.

Rams-Jaguars score: LA takes 21-point lead into halftime

It was all Rams in the first half, with Matthew Stafford’s three passing touchdowns and the Rams’ dominant offense outclassing the Jaguars in London. LA leads 21-0 and gets the ball coming out of the break.

Jaguars turnover on downs deep in Rams territory

Rather than take a Cam Little chip-shot field goal attempt, the Jaguars attempted a fourth-down conversion. Instead, it went nowhere: Lawrence couldn’t find an open receiver, leading to a scramble that came up just short of the sticks. The Rams take over on their own 7-yard line with 1:35 left in the half.

Rams-Jaguars score: Davante Adams scores second TD of game

It looked like Colby Parkinson had a touchdown on a screen pass, but replay review deemed he was down at the one. A few plays later, Davante Adams hauled in a Stafford pass for his second touchdown of the game. The Rams lengthen their lead late in the second.

Rams 21, Jaguars 0

Rams-Jaguars score: Cam Little shanks field goal

It looked like the Jaguars were going to put their first points of the game on the board, but Cam Little missed the 50-yard kick wide left. Rams 14, Jaguars 0

Parker Washington punt return TD called back due to penalty

Jaguars returner Parker Washington took a punt to the house for a 62-yard return TD – but it was quickly called back due to an illegal block in the back. That means the Jaguars will start their next offensive possession in their own territory after potentially promising field position (and the score) go to waste.

Jaguars force three-and-out

The Jaguars finally forced a three-and-out, stopping the Rams on their first possession of the second quarter.

Jaguars get first first down of game

It took over 15 minutes of game time, but the Jaguars notched their first first down of the game, quickly followed by their second. But a penalty and a missed throw to Travis Hunter resulted in Jacksonville’s third punt of the day.

Rams-Jaguars score: Davante Adams scores Rams’ second TD

Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense made minced meat of Jacksonville’s defense on its second offensive drive of the game, resulting in a Davante Adams TD grab in the corner of the end zone.

Rams 14, Jaguars 0

Jaguars fail to answer Rams, punt

The Jaguars offense is a bit disjointed early on, as Trevor Lawrence is just 1-of-4 passing in the early goings. Xavier Smith fields the punt at around the Rams’ 10-yard line and. The Rams take over on their own 21-yard line.

Konata Mumpfield hits Cristiano Ronaldo celebration

Of course, they like a different kind of football overseas, too: Mumpfield hit the famed Cristiano Ronaldo ‘SIU!’ celebration after the score:

Jaguars-Rams score: Matthew Stafford finds Konata Mumpfield for TD

No Puka, no problem: After an Andrew Wingard unnecessary roughness call and a failed Kyren Williams rush up the gut, Matthew Stafford found wide receiver Konata Mumpfield in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. A Josh Karty extra point gives the Rams a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Rams convert on fourth down in Jags territory

Sean McVay and the Rams are gambling early. Rather than settle for a short field goal, the Rams decided to go for it in the Jacksonville red zone. Kyren Williams converts to give the Rams the fresh set of downs from the Jacksonville 8-yard line.

Jaguars go three-and-out to start game

A Lawrence pass intended for Parker Washington was broken up, and the Rams defense holds up for the first possession of the game. Matthew Stafford and the Rans offense will take over from their own 40-yard line to start.

Jared Verse sacks Trevor Lawrence on first snap

It didn’t take long for Rams pass rusher Jared Verse to announce his presence, with a sack on the first play from scrimmage in the matchup.

Rams, Jaguars get underway in London

The kickoff has been executed, and Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars take the field for the first offensive possession of the game.

What time does Jaguars-Rams NFL London game start?

The Jaguars and Rams game will kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Where to watch the Jaguars vs. Rams London game today

It’s another NFL Network exclusive game for the national audience hoping to find the Jaguars and Rams action on their television screens.

For fans in the Jacksonville and Los Angeles markets, you can catch the contest on your local broadcast networks:

National: NFL Network
Jacksonville: WFOX
Los Angeles: KTTV

NFL Network will utilize its talent on the broadcast for the second straight week as Rich Eisen handles the play-by-play duties. Kurt Warner joins him in the booth to provide analysis. Sara Walsh reports from the sidelines. Mike Pereira serves as the rules analyst.

Jaguars record in London

The Jaguars have played 13 games in London and enter Sunday’s tilt vs. the Rams with a 7-6 record.

Is Puka Nacua playing today?

No, the Rams wide receiver will not play as he’s dealing with an ankle injury. He has not been placed on IR, leaving an opportunity for him to return in Week 9 vs. the Saints following the Rams’ Week 8 bye.

Jaguars vs. Rams live stream

For cord-cutters, Fubo carries NFL Network, as well as CBS, Fox, NBC and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season with the streaming service.

NFL’s proprietary streaming service, NFL+, will also carry the game.

Watch all the NFL action with Fubo

Rams vs. Jaguars injury report

Jaguars vs. Rams prediction

The Rams are on upset alert this week. Los Angeles’ road trip continues and they’ll be without top playmaker Puka Nacua. Matthew Stafford could be in for a frustrating day against a Jaguars defense that ranks fifth in defensive EPA per play. While the Rams also boast a top-five defense entering Sunday in Week 7, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense are healthy. Jacksonville will find a way to win this clash overseas with a field goal by Cam Little as time expires.

Prediction: Jaguars 23, Rams 20

Jaguars inactives vs. Rams

Standout linebacker Devin Lloyd will be inactive today vs. the Rams. Here’s the rest of the list:

Rams inactives vs. Jaguars

The Rams will be without star wide receiver Puka Nacua as he recovers from an ankle injury. Here are the rest of Los Angeles’ inactives:

Jaguars vs. Rams odds

Terry Wymer, a longtime college basketball official, the Executive Director of Collegiate Officiate Consortium, and Coordinator of Officials for the Big Ten and Mountain West, died Saturday, Oct. 18 at age 66.

‘It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Terry Wymer,’ the Collegiate Officiating Consortium said in a statement. ‘Terry’s leadership, integrity, and passion for the game set the standard for all of us.

‘Terry brought out the best in those around him – whether mentoring new officials, working with our coaches, or simply sharing a laugh in the locker room. His impact on the officiating community will be felt for years to come, and his absence leaves an unmistakable void in our industry.

‘We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, especially his wife, Teresa, and his children Luke, Eric and Rachel.’

In addition to his work with the Collegiate Officiating Consortium and the Big Ten, Wymer oversaw official assignment in the Horizon League, MAC, Mountain West, and Summit League.

However, as Castellanos was about to slide, Stanford safety Mitch Leigber came in and hit the quarterback. It was a rough hit and Leigber was called for targeting as Castellanos remained down on the ground.

The Florida State singal-caller was on the field for over a minute as team personnel attended him. He eventually got up but he did not return to the game.

True freshman Kevin Sperry stepped in for the Seminoles, but he was unable to lead Florida State to victory as it lost 20-13.

What injury did Tommy Castellanos suffer?

Florida State coach Mike Norvell did not address Castellanos’ injury postgame, so it is unclear what injury his quarterback suffered.

Regardless, it could be an injury that sidelines Castellanos, which could be a tough blow for the Seminoles. After starting the season 3-0, Florida State has lost four straight games, all of which were conference games. The Seminoles were the No. 8 team in the US LBM coaches poll in Week 5 but have fallen out of the poll and out of ACC contention.

Castellanos was a major contributor to Florida State’s hot start and he has thrown for 1,607 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. He also is second on the team in rushing with 319 yards on the ground and five scores.

Who is Florida State backup QB?

Sperry is the backup quarterback for Florida State and he relieved Castellanos after his injury.

A true freshman, Sperry was a three-star quarterback from Texas, according to 247Sports, and committed to Florida State after originally committing with Oklahoma.

He appeared in two games this season heading into the week, mostly in mop-up duty in wins over East Texas A&M and Kent State. He was 8-for-10 for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the two games.

After coming in relief for Castellanos, Sperry went 4-for-7 for 69 yards, along with 17 on the ground from three carries.

If Ty Simpson can keep doing for Alabama what Bryce Young did in 2021, he’ll be a prime candidate for Heisman Trophy.
Alabama quarterback relishes victory against Tennessee, the state where he grew up.
Nick Saban’s cigar strategy serves as inspiration for Ty Simpson.

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Nick Saban’s final Alabama team to play for a national championship did not resemble those that came before it. The 2021 Crimson Tide were not especially ruthless or overwhelming, but they could be magical, because they had Houdini as their quarterback.

Now, Kalen DeBoer’s got a magic man of his own, a third-down maestro named Ty Simpson. Like Young before him, Simpson is helping paper over some of Alabama’s cracks. And if you think the Tide can compete for a national championship, it’s Simpson who makes that theory possible.

He’s the engine behind this six-game Alabama win streak that continued with a 37-20 shredding of No. 11 Tennessee, a result that pushed the Vols to the brink of playoff elimination and buoyed the Tide as an SEC frontrunner.

Simpson needed only three offensive plays to uncork brilliance. He stood in his own end zone on 3rd-and-13, and a safety looked more likely than a conversion after a pair of Tennessee pass rushers pinned him in.

With 607 pounds of defensive linemen harassing him, Simpson calmly danced into a crease of space and ripped a completion to Josh Cuevas.

First down.

Magic, man.

The South’s officially got a Heisman contender to counter Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin.

Ty Simpson relishes beating Vols

Simpson, a Tennessee native, couldn’t deny this win in the Third Saturday in October rivalry tasted just “a little bit sweeter” than those that came before this. Alabama and Tennessee were his top two schools as a five-star recruit coming out of Westview High in Martin, Tennessee.

The Vols were navigating a coaching change after the Jeremy Pruitt debacle. Simpson committed to Saban, then mostly sat for three seasons as a backup behind Young and then Jalen Milroe. He’d thrown just 50 career passes before this season.

He’s something of a throwback in this transfer age, as a quarterback who stayed put and developed before becoming a starter as a fourth-year player at the school where he signed.

Credit Saban for landing Simpson. Credit Kalen DeBoer developing him into the SEC’s top-rated passer.

‘I love coach DeBoer,’ Simpson said. ‘I’d go to war with that guy.’

Ty Simpson excels with dad, Jason, in attendance

The Simpson family went 2-0 on this day. Simpson’s dad, Jason, coaches Tennessee-Martin in the Championship Subdivision. That job makes it difficult for him to attend his son’s games.

Tennessee-Martin’s game kicked off against Gardner-Webb in North Carolina six hours before Alabama’s game against the Vols started. Jason Simpson coached the Skyhawks to a 37-7 victory, then hopped on a plane to Alabama.

Simpson knew his dad planned to pull off the unique doubleheader of coaching, then cheering, but he didn’t know when he’d arrive. He made it to the stadium before kickoff.

“Sure enough, I’m warming up on the sideline, and I know his voice from anything,’ Simpson said, ‘and he says, ‘Hey, Ty,’ and I look around and there he was It was just awesome to see him there, honestly.”

“He means the world to me,” Simpson added. “That’s my best friend.”

Ty Simpson enjoys a cigar in the Nick Saban way

Simpson led scoring drives of 91 and 99 yards. Did I mention he’s emerging as a Heisman candidate? He even fashioned himself as a lead blocker when Ryan Williams ran off tackle on a reverse for a first down.

Simpson smoked Tennessee’s shoddy pass defense, but as for the postgame tradition of lighting a cigar after beating the Vols, well, Simpson took his cue from Saban, who famously abstained from smoking but did “chew on one” after his final win against Tennessee.

“When coach Saban was here, he was talking to me about the tradition, and he was like, ‘I don’t even smoke it. I just let it sit in my mouth.’ I kind of take that type of energy,” Simpson said, “but I definitely am going to keep (that cigar) for a while.”

A fine souvenir, indeed. With more performances like this one, perhaps Simpson will capture a souvenir of a different sort in New York City.

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 Big 12 remains unpredictable, as Arizona State’s win over Texas Tech shakes up the conference.
There’s a new rushing king in NCAA after a Division III player ran for the most yards ever in a college football game.

Nothing in life is certain − especially in the Big 12.

The conference proved it’s one of the most outrageous ones in the country with another week that completely flipped the script of who are its top contenders.

For much of the season, it looked like Texas Tech was the top dog with a dominant 6-0 start. But last year’s champion Arizona State had something to say about that, and with quarterback Sam Leavitt back, the Sun Devils put themselves back in the picture with a 26-22 win over the Red Raiders.

Just like that, the narrative has changed. Now, it looks like Brigham Young is the top team at 7-0, the only undefeated team left in the conference. But given how crazy this conference is, will the perfect start last long?

Meanwhile, everything we thought we knew heading into the season is making us look like fools. In the preseason USA TODAY Sports Big 12 rankings, BYU was No. 11. Cincinnati − at No. 12 − is 6-1 and joins the Cougars as the only teams at 4-0 in conference play. Houston is also in the running at 6-1.

It’s the wild, wild west in the Big 12, and every week it’s consistently reminding us how beautiful chaos can be, and that’s why it leads the best and worst things from Week 8 in college football.

Best: Little Poppa Pump

It’s hard living up to your dad when they were an athlete, let alone a ‘Genetic Freak,’ but Jacksonville State receiver Brock Rechsteiner is doing a pretty good job of it.

The last name may sound familar, as Rechsteiner’s father is Scott Rechsteiner, better known as Scott Steiner, legendary WWE Hall of Fame wrestler. Steiner was known as ‘Big Poppa Pump’ for his ridiculously sized muscles and his signature flex.

In some midweek football, Rechsteiner paid homage to his dad, hauling in a touchdown and celebrating it with his dad’s trademark flex.

Worst: Wisconsin’s zeros

Scoring is the name of the game, but Wisconsin hasn’t gotten the memo as the Badgers’ horrid 2025 continues. Wisconsin hosted Ohio State and was shut out 34-0. Even worse, it came one week after it lost to Iowa, 37-0.

In summary, Wisconsin has been outscored 71-0 the past two games, shut out in two consecutive contests for the first time since 1977. Fifteen days without scoring is rough, and the count is approaching midnight for Luke Fickell in Madison.

Best: Upset win in first game

With UAB firing Trent Dilfer, offensive coordinator Alex Mortensen was named interim coach of the 2-4 Blazers. The name might sound familiar, as he is the son of late NFL reporter Chris Mortensen, who died in 2024.

Mortensen’s first game came against undefeated Memphis. The Tigers were expected to roll past UAB, but Mortensen had other plans. He led the Blazers to break their three game skid and stun Memphis 31-24, handing it its first loss of the season and completely throwing off the Group of Five race for a College Football Playoff spot.

The interim coach got a proper Gatorade bath afterward, and you can’t help but think dad is proud to see this one.

Worst: Disaster trick plays

Southern California coach Lincoln Riley is known to be an innovative play caller, but there was nothing spectacular about what happened that likely sealed the Trojans’ loss to Notre Dame.

Down with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, USC tried a reverse play with receiver Makai Lemon trying to make a pass. However, no one was open for Lemon. He still appeared like he was trying to get the ball out, but the Notre Dame defense rushed him. He got hit and fumbled the ball away in a critical mistake.

The risky call backfired, and all Riley could say about it was ‘stupid call, stupid call.’ USC ended up losing 34-24.

Best: A Calgorithm troll of Belichick

The hits continue to keep landing for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels fumbled away their first ACC win of the Bill Belichick era against California.

Rightfully, the Golden Bears had some fun with it, and made sure the North Carolina coach could see it. Inside the stadium, the scoreboard displayed a statement of Cal mascot Oski’s commitment to the program, a great jab at the odd statements from the Tar Heels and Belichick regarding their relationship.

Worst: UMass remains a mess

With Oregon State’s win over Lafayette, only two winless teams remain in FBS: Sam Houston and Massachusetts. UMass had a chance to change that in Week 8, but completely dropped the ball.

Up 21-20 with just over a minute left, the Minutemen intercepted Buffalo and looked like they were about to pick up a W. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebrating pushed the offense back, and the Bulls were able to get the ball back after forcing a punt.

Forty seconds after getting what Umass thought was game-sealing interception, Buffalo found the endzone to take the lead and eventually a win.

Make that 357 days since Massachusetts has tasted victory. Hopefully, the pain ends soon.

Best: Oklahoma State vibes

Obviously, things aren’t going well for 1-6 Oklahoma State, but you wouldn’t know based on the parties going on in the stands at Boone-Pickens Stadium.

Last week, fans in one section went viral for being shirtless and waving their shirts in the air. It returned against Cincinnati, but joining in on the fun were a group of bananas. During the game, while shirts were waving in the air in one section, the bananas decided to form one epic conga line.

The Cowboys lost 49-17 for their sixth loss in a row, but when you’re having fun, who cares? Plus, Oklahoma State clearly started something after shirtless fans were seen doing the same thing at Wisconsin and UCLA.

Worst: Phantom flags

Referees always get a hard time for allegedly ‘robbing’ your favorite team, but sometimes calls are made or missed that you can’t help but scratch your head at. That was the case in UCLA vs. Maryland.

The Bruins picked up a big run for a first down, but it was called back after an official threw a flag on receiver Kwazi Gilmer for block in the back. There was just one problem: Gilmer didn’t touch any player.

Best: Scary face paint

We get players like to paint their face as a form of intimidation, but James Madison linebacker Gannon Weathersby took it to the next level. He sported a not just intimidating, but straight up frightening look that could only be described as a somehow, more evil Joker.

Wouldn’t want to run up to this linebacker.

Worst: Penn State’s coaching search

Not only did the Nittany Lions lose to Iowa for their fourth straight loss, but the search for a new coach isn’t off to a great start.

For some reason, there was a belief Penn State would be able to lure Nick Saban out of retirement. It sounds ridiculous, and thankfully, Ms. Terry was on ‘College GameDay’ to shut down that crazy thought.

The other popular pick is Matt Rhule, a former Penn State linebacker. However, after his Nebraska team got beat down by Minnesota, not sure if that’s what Nittany Lion fans are wanting in a coach to take them to the elite level.

Best: Breaking an NCAA record

No matter what level it is, breaking an NCAA record is a remarkable achievement worth of acknowledging. That happened at the Division III level in a stat line you got to see to believe.

Curry College defeated Nichols College 71-27, and the story was the play of running back Montie Quinn. The senior running back ran for an astonishing 522 yards, the most rushing yards in one game in NCAA history, breaking the previous record of 465 yards set in 2013. It’s the first time a player has ran for at least 500 yards in an NCAA game.

That was on top of him scoring seven rushing touchdowns, a school record.

What a fantastic game and a performance Quinn won’t ever forget.