To assist with your most difficult lineup decisions, you’ll find complete Week 1 fantasy football rankings below. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.

Our team at the USA TODAY Sports Network also has you covered for all your fantasy football needs. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Need to know who the best starts and sits of the week are for every position? We have an article for that. We also have a complete fantasy injury report.

Given the volatility of this league and fantasy football in particular, these rankings will be updated up until a half hour before the Sunday afternoon games kick off. Let’s get to it.

Week 1 fantasy football rankings: PPR and non-PPR

Oregon defeated Oklahoma State 69-3 in a dominant performance at Autzen Stadium.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy’s comments earlier in the week about Oregon’s spending only fueled the fire for the Ducks.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning encouraged his team to ‘break the scoreboard’ in 66-point win.

EUGENE, OR — It was expected No. 5 Oregon would have little trouble against Oklahoma State, evident in their 69-3 drubbing of the Cowboys inside Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6.

But if we’re being honest, this game was over way before the Ducks put the game out of reach in the first quarter. In fact, it was well decided five days prior.

When playing a team that is clearly on another level than you, a coach’s job is to bring belief that their team can pull off the unbelievable. When you’re a 27.5-point underdog, you have to inspire your squad to show up in the stadium.

So what did a renowned coach like Mike Gundy do? Try to reason why his team was no match for the Ducks.   

The longtime Cowboys coach alleged Oregon spent in one year more than five times the amount of money his team spent in three years, adding that maybe teams spending that much dough on its roster should be playing non-conference games against similarly constructed teams.

That’s as close as you can get without directly admitting you are going to lose. Is that how Gundy meant it? Maybe not, but he sealed his fate, giving Oregon coach Dan Lanning motivation like dangling a chunk of tuna in front of a great white shark. 

“I told our team right before the game that it never requires extra motivation for an opportunity to go out and kick ass,” Lanning said. “But it never hurts when somebody pours gasoline on the fire.”

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Lanning in his four seasons in Eugene, you better not test him. Remember that infamous pregame speech against Colorado and what his team did? It was almost as if Gundy dared Lanning to see how badly he could dispose of his team. 

Not one to shy away from any shots directed at his squad, there wasn’t anything spicy said ahead of the contest. Lanning gave nothing but love to Gundy in the pregame conversation. 

But once that ball was kicked, he sure showed how invested he was in putting a straight beatdown on the Cowboys.

On the second play of the game, running back Noah Whittington sprinted right through a wide open gap for a 59-yard touchdown. On the first play of the second drive after the Ducks defense forced a three-and-out, quarterback Dante Moore rolled to his left and placed the ball perfectly into Dakorien Moore’s hands, who finished off a 65-yard touchdown score for a 13-0 lead just 96 seconds into the game. 

The torture didn’t stop there. Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein had their foot planted on the gas pedal for the entirety of the first half. Reverses, trick plays, going for it on fourth down. Nothing was off limits as Oregon had seven plays gain at least 25 yards en route to a 41-3 halftime lead.

You’d think Oregon would lay off the pressure in the second half? Think again. 

As if Gundy didn’t give Oregon enough bait, he served up another delicious platter by saying he wasn’t sure if his quarterback, Zane Flores, making his first college start, would be affected much by the Autzen Stadium crowd.

The crowd clearly rattled the redshirt freshman; he finished 6-of-18 with 61 yards, 35 of which came on a play where the Ducks’ coverage collapsed. When the game was well wrapped up in the third quarter, he threw back-to-back Pick-6s to add more misery. 

Oregon scored all 69 points in the first three quarters before finally pressing the brakes for the fourth quarter. The Ducks finished with 631 yards to Oklahoma State’s 211, and Oregon had more touchdowns (10) than the Cowboys had first downs (nine).

‘Obviously, some things were said, some things were brought up,’ said Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher. ‘Throw a little fuel on the fire. You love that.’

Moore said Gundy’s comments “hit close to home” since they were directed at Lanning and the program, likening it to attacking his dad. As a result, he took it personally and the team used it “to make sure that we push ourselves and score 69 points.”

It helps when your coach is telling you not to let up.

“Coach Lanning said, ‘We keep the foot on the neck, make sure you score as many points and try to break the scoreboard,’” Moore said. 

Coming off a horrid 3-9 season and having a team that clearly doesn’t look like it will have a rebound year, it’s worth pondering if this week is the beginning of the end of Gundy’s time in Stillwater. That fiery nature that helped make the Cowboys relevant seems like it’s fading, and he couldn’t bring it to what was by far his program’s biggest game of the season. All he did was aid the Ducks in handing Oklahoma State its worst loss since 1907 when it lost to Oklahoma 67-0.

While Gundy did his team no favors, he did prove his point. Maybe teams that spend like Oregon should play against those that do the same, because the talent discrepancy was easy to see.

But let this blowout be a warning: if you’re going to give Lanning extra motivation – especially in his home stadium where he’s now 21-1 – that raging fire is only going to get bigger.

It took one weekend for Chase Briscoe to equal his regular season win total in the playoffs.

Briscoe dominated the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs opener at Darlington in leading 309 of 367 laps and sealing his spot in the Round of 12. The fourth win of his Cup Series career came by 0.408 seconds over Tyler Reddick and a second over Erik Jones.

Briscoe earned his playoff spot by winning in Pocono back in June. Three months later, he’s secured his best finish in the Cup Series since 2022 when he finished ninth.

This week, NASCAR heads to World Wide Technology Raceway – known as Gateway – for the Cup Series’ first playoff race at the venue. The event has only been on the calendar since 2022 with different winners in each race.

A new winner could emerge again this weekend as the playoff field marches closer to the first stage of elimination. Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter on Sunday, Sept. 7:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway start?

The Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 7 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway on?

The Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter will be broadcast on USA Network, the channel for most of the Cup Series playoffs. Pre-race coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway?

Yes, the Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR playoff race at Gateway on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway?

The Enjoy Illinois 300 presented by TicketSmarter is 240 laps around the 1.25-mile track for a total of 300 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 45 laps; Stage 2: 95 laps; Stage 3: 100 laps.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Here’s how things look after the playoff opener at Darlington with the gap to the leader in parentheses. The bottom four drivers will be eliminated after the first round of the playoffs.

Chase Briscoe
Denny Hamlin (+3)
Kyle Larson (+8)
Tyler Reddick (+11)
Bubba Wallace (+21)
William Byron (+21)
Ryan Blaney (+24)
Ross Chastain (+25)
Austin Cindric (+34)
Christopher Bell (+35)
Chase Elliott (+37)
Shane van Gisbergen (+43)
Joey Logano (+46)
Austin Dillon (+51)
Alex Bowman (+62)
Josh Berry (+62)

Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Gateway last year?

Last year’s race came down to the final laps in a battle between Team Penske teammates as Austin Cindric earned his first win of the season. Teammate Ryan Blaney led heading to the start/finish line for the final lap but his No. 12 Ford ran out of gas and he slowed as Cindric soared past and into the lead and his first win since the 2022 Daytona 500. Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

NASCAR Cup race at Gateway starting lineup

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are often overlooked as Super Bowl contenders despite winning four straight NFC South titles.
General Manager Jason Licht and players like Mike Evans embrace an underdog mentality, fueled by a perceived lack of respect.
The team returns key offensive players, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had a career year in 2024.

Quick. Raise your hand if you see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a Super Bowl contender.

I didn’t think you’d go there.

No, Tom Brady isn’t coming out of retirement again. If the Bucs are going to make a legitimate run at another championship, it’ll happen with Baker Mayfield having another career year. With Mike Evans and Lavonte David. With Vita Vea, Tristin Wirfs and Bucky Irving. With low-key coach Todd Bowles flanked by underrated GM Jason Licht.

Not convinced?

Understood. There’s a healthy, worthy discussion going on about the Eagles maybe repeating as Super Bowl champs. The Lions gagged in their last two playoff exits, so perhaps it’s Amon-Ra’s time. If, with all due respect, Micah Parsons doesn’t morph into the second coming of Reggie White and lead the Packers to the promised land.

In the NFC field, there’s noise about the Commanders and a 49ers revival, too.

But the Bucs? They’ve got 30-to-1 odds to make it to Santa Clara for Super Bowl 60.

Never mind that Tampa Bay has won four consecutive NFC South titles and with the best five-year stretch in franchise history, is the only team in the NFC to make the playoffs in each of the past five seasons. Usually, that’s a track record that leaves a team poised to take the next step. Until it’s not.

“We’re in witness protection,” Licht told USA TODAY Sports before a training camp practice. “Nobody cares. We’re down here in Tampa. Nobody realizes that we’ve quietly built – Todd, myself, our staffs – a really good team.”

In some ways, like when it’s convenient, they can roll with a Rodney Dangerfield complex and grumble about a lack of respect.

“It’s the market,” said Evans, the Hall of Fame-credentialed receiver who was Licht’s first draft pick for the Bucs in 2014, standing in a hallway at One Buc Place. ‘But it don’t matter.”

Until it can be used to make a point. Are they underdogs again?

2025 NFL season predictions: Experts pick who will win MVP, Super Bowl, more

“I hope so,” Licht replied. “Our quarterback likes a chip on his shoulder. Our GM likes a chip on his shoulder. We all like a chip on our shoulder. Seems like everybody wants the Falcons and the Panthers…”

Licht stopped himself right there. But he knows. There’s buzz about division-rival Carolina (5-12 in ’24) progressing with young quarterback Bryce Young. Atlanta, meanwhile, is loaded with weapons around its young quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., and used its two first-round picks in the NFL draft to address its weak pass rush.

Then again, there was talk about the Falcons (8-9 in ’24) overtaking the Bucs last year behind new quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Bucs won with division by two games with a 10-7 record but something was just a bit off as they were swept by Atlanta as Cousins passed for a combined 8 TDs in the two contests and threw for a career-high 509 yards in Week 5.

That sets up an intriguing subplot for the regular-season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Cousins was benched last season as the Falcons faded after a 6-2 start, but he sure lit up the Bucs.

“If we played Tampa Bay every week last year, he’d be in the Hall of Fame now,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank quipped during the NFL owners meetings in March.

Ouch. As if the Bucs need any bulletin-board material.  

Typically, Bowles, prompted from defensive coordinator in succeeding the retired Bruce Arians in 2022, smiled and shrugged when presented with the chance to claim a headline with some bold statement about disrespect. Jimmy Johnson, he is not. Denny Green, hardly. And he won’t be compared with the Tuna

“We feel like we should win every ballgame and we don’t really care who we play,” Bowles told USA TODAY Sports after a camp practice.

This optimism has substance. The Bucs had the only offense in the NFL last season to rank in the top five in rushing (fourth) and passing (third) and were the first team in NFL history (est. 1920) to complete 70% of its passes while averaging 5 yards per carry. All the key contributors return, including Evans (who shares an NFL record with Jerry Rice with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons) and Mayfield, who in 2024 posted career highs for passing yards (4,500) and TDs (41) and set the franchise mark with a 106.8 passer rating.

Bowles’ defense, meanwhile, has impact players at every level, including Vea, the nose tackle, David, a 14th-year linebacker, and safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. And it will be interesting to see whether Haason Reddick regains the form that allowed him to post 50 ½ sacks over a four-year span beginning in 2020, when he compiled double-digit sacks for four consecutive seasons.

After Brady retired in 2023, having led the Bucs to a Super Bowl 55 crown that capped the 2020 campaign, it seemed natural to expect a drop-off. After all, they won the division in Brady’s final season in 2022 with a losing record (8-9), then was blown out at home – by the Cowboys, of all unlikely teams – in the NFC playoff opener was Brady’s last game. There was no viable succession plan at quarterback. And after breaking the salary cap bank in chasing championships with TB12, they were cap-dry. Enter Mayfield, to go with shrewd cap management (take a bow, cap guru Jackie Davidson) and the typically deft draft stockpiles provided by Licht & Co.

“I thought we would still be a team that competed,” Evans told USA TODAY Sports, reflecting on Brady’s departure. “Obviously, we needed to figure out the quarterback situation. Luckily, Baker was available. I knew that if I played with Baker, we would get the respect that he deserves. Because quarterbacks need good skilled players and a good offensive line.”

Evans points to another factor, too. Culture.

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott facing more pressure after Micah Parsons trade

“I think it’s everything,” he said. “The front office. The coaching staff. The veteran leadership is really top tier. It’s way better than it was earlier in my career. Not trying to knock my guys back then, but…we’re all about playing for each other.”

Mayfield: “I think it starts with the two franchise guys, Mike Evans and Lavonte David, that have been criminally underrated for a long time. They just work their tails off and lead the way. I think everybody kind of follows that.”

Still, championship DNA or not, nobody’s picking the Bucs to get to the Super Bowl. I mean, according to USA TODAY Sports soothsayer Nate Davis, the ceiling for Bowles’ team is a 9-8 finish that’s good enough to win the weak NFC South again and claim the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs.

“We make our own projections and predictions,” Bowles said, maybe tapping his inner Nate vibe. “And our projection is to try to win the division and try to win the Super Bowl. Whatever else everybody has to say, if we listen to that, we’d be in last (place) every year. So, we don’t, and we’ve been in first every year.

“That’s how we treat it. At this point, it’s kind of a running joke, so we don’t care.”

Which leaves the Bucs flying under the radar as a team that just might emerge as a legit championship contender. In other words, Shh!

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on social media: On X: @JarrettBell

On Bluesky: jarrettbell.bsky.social

The 2025 WNBA playoff picture is coming into focus as the season enters the final stretch.

Six teams have already punched their tickets to the postseason — the Minnesota Lynx (No. 1 overall seed), Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries — and two spots remain. The Indiana Fever is one of three teams battling for the final playoff spots, alongside the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks, with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Fever have navigated devastating injuries all season long, from season-ending injuries to Aari McDonald (broken right foot), Sydney Colson (left ACL tear) and Sophie Cunningham (right MCL tear), to Caitlin Clark (right groin) being sidelined indefinitely. Yet the team’s playoff hopes are still alive. For now.

Indiana will face the Washington Mystics on Sunday in the team’s penultimate game of the regular season. It is a must-win for the Fever and won’t be easy. Despite the Mystics being eliminated from playoff contention, Washington leads the head-to-head against the Fever this season, 2-1.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Fever-Mystics game on Sunday:

What time is Indiana Fever at Washington Mystics?

The Indiana Fever travel to Washington DC to face the Mystics at 3 p.m. ET (noon, PT) on Sunday, Sept. 7, at CFG Bank Arena. The game will be broadcast nationally on ION.

How to watch Indiana Fever at Washington Mystics: TV, stream

Time: 3 p.m. ET (noon PT)
Location: CFG Bank Arena (Baltimore)
TV channel:  NBA TV
Streaming: Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This weekend, as part of an otherwise largely bare Week 2 slate, two of the biggest brands and most decorated programs in the history of college football squared off.

And one of them picked up an important early-season victory.

Behind an electric performance from quarterback John Mateer and a suffocating outing from its defense, No. 24 Oklahoma knocked off No. 13 Michigan 24-13 on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.

Watch Michigan vs. Oklahoma live with Fubo (free trial)

Mateer, a Washington State transfer in his first season with the Sooners, accounted for 344 total yards (270 passing, 74 rushing) and all three of his team’s touchdowns, two of which came on the ground. He regularly got help from wide receiver Deion Burks, who caught seven passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.

On the other side of the ball, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables yet again executed a masterful defensive gameplan against a freshman quarterback, limiting the Wolverines and Bryce Underwood to 288 total yards. Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, completed only nine of 24 passes for 142 yards while regularly faced with blitzes.

Prior to Saturday night, the programs hadn’t faced off against each other since the end of the 1975 season, when Oklahoma defeated Michigan 14-6 in the Orange Bowl to secure a second-consecutive national championship.

USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game:

Michigan vs Oklahoma score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Oklahoma vs Michigan highlights

Here’s a look at the highlights from Oklahoma’s 24-13 win against Michigan:

Michigan vs Oklahoma updates

Final: Oklahoma 24, Michigan 13

The Sooners pick up a marquee, hard-earned 24-13 victory against the Wolverines. John Mateer was electric tonight and the Oklahoma defense did an excellent job bottling up Bryce Underwood.

Oklahoma kicks FG, likely seals win

Oklahoma now has some much-needed breathing room — and it was hard-earned.

With Michigan within eight, the Sooners get a 21-yard field goal from Tate Sandell with 1:44 remaining to extend their lead to 24-13 and cap off a 16-play, 78-yard drive. Most notably, though, the possession took 8:27 off the clock.

The Wolverines are down 11 points in the final two minutes and have no timeouts remaining.

Oklahoma misses field goal

After a productive drive, the Sooners come up empty-handed, with Tate Sandell pulling a 42-yard field goal attempt wide. A few plays earlier, John Mateer barely overthrew an open receiver in the end zone on a double flea-flicker that would have been a 24-yard touchdown.

Instead, Michigan takes over at its own 24-yard line with 12:32 left.

End of third quarter: Oklahoma 21, Michigan 13

Things are getting a little tight in Norman, with Michigan now within a single score of Oklahoma. The Sooners have a third-and-3 at their own 32-yard line.

Dominic Zvada field goal gets Michigan within one score of Oklahoma

Another drive and another score for Michigan. The Wolverines go 60 yards in eight plays, with Dominic Zvada drilling his second field goal of the night, this one from 35 yards out, to cut Oklahoma’s lead to 21-13 with 1:24 left in the third quarter. Michigan has now scored on three of its past five drives after being shut out on its first five possessions.

The latest march was highlighted by a spectacular catch from Donaven McCulley, who trapped a slightly underthrown Bryce Underwood pass against the helmet of a Sooners defensive back for a 44-yard gain.

Dominic Zvada FG pushes Michigan closer to Oklahoma

The Wolverines are able to get at least some points off of the bungled Oklahoma punt return, with Dominic Zvada connecting on a 42-yard field goal to pull Michigan within 11, 21-10, with 6:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Oklahoma muffs punt, Michigan takes over

After the Oklahoma defense forced the fifth Michigan punt of the night, the Sooners gave the ball right back. Isaiah Sategna III, only a few minutes removed from his long reception from John Mateer, bobbles a Hudson Hollenbeck 55-yard punt, with the Wolverines pouncing on the ball.

They’ll take over at the Oklahoma 31-yard line.

John Mateer’s third TD extends Oklahoma’s lead over Michigan

For the second time tonight, John Mateer uses his legs to get into the end zone, scampering through the Michigan defense for a 10-yard rushing touchdown with 10:12 left in the third quarter to push Oklahoma’s lead back to 14, 21-7.

The Washington State transfer has racked up 238 yards and three touchdowns so far tonight. The latest touchdown was set up by a dynamic 36-yard completion from Mateer to Isaiah Sategna III.

Michigan’s Justice Haynes scores 75-yard touchdown

After being stymied in the first half, Michigan finally gets on the board in a big way: Justice Haynes rumbles for a 75-yard touchdown to get the Wolverines on the board on their first offensive possession of the half. That cuts into the Sooners’ lead, which is now 14-7 with 14:49 left in the third quarter.

Halftime: Oklahoma 14, Michigan 0

The Sooners head to the locker room with a 14-0 lead over Michigan after a physical and impressive first half. The Wolverines will receive the second-half kickoff.

Oklahoma doubles lead on John Mateer TD

The Sooners end the first half on an emphatic note, marching 80 yards in 10 plays, with John Mateer punctuating the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to extend his team’s lead to 14-0 with 22 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Mateer has 190 total yards and two touchdowns thus far.

Michigan misses field goal

The Wolverines looked poised to get on the board, but after a long, arduous march up the field, they come away scoreless. All-American kicker Dominic Zvada pulls a 32-yard field goal attempt wide at the end of a 12-play, 72-yard drive for Michigan, its most productive possession of the night.

Zvada missed just one field goal under 40 yards all of last season.

Michigan sack forces Oklahoma punt

With Oklahoma at midfield, Michigan’s Cole Sullivan sacks John Mateer for a 2-yard loss on third-and-6, forcing the Sooners to punt. The Wolverines will take over at their own 14-yard line with 9:25 remaining after a fair catch.

End of first quarter: Oklahoma 7, Michigan 0

The Sooners head into the second quarter with a 7-0 lead thanks to the early touchdown from Deion Burks.

John Mateer throws interception

Just when it looked like Oklahoma had all the momentum, Mateer overthrows his intended target for an interception by Michigan safety TJ Metcalf. The Wolverines take over at their own 38-yard line.

Oklahoma jumps to early lead over Michigan

The Sooners are methodical in their opening drive, traveling 75 yards in 12 plays for the game’s opening score. The drive was punctuated by a 9-yard receiving touchdown by Deion Burks.

Jaren Kanak makes one-handed grab into Michigan territory

There’s a nifty grab by Sooners tight end Jaren Kanak, who reels in a Mateer pass with one hand on the run for a 31-yard gain to the Michigan 43-yard line.

Oklahoma to receive ball

The Sooners have the ball up first. Here’s a look at Mateer’s first OU start against Power Four competition.

Oklahoma football jerseys vs Michigan

No surprise, but Oklahoma will be wearing its time-honored home uniform of white pants, crimson jerseys and crimson helmets with the school’s interlocking ‘OU’ logo.

Michigan football jerseys vs Oklahoma

Michigan will be wearing its traditional road look of maize pants, white jerseys and the iconic maize-and-blue winged helmet for its game at Oklahoma.

Bryce Underwood arrives at Oklahoma

The Michigan star freshman is on his way inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium ahead of the biggest game of his young college career.

Brent Venables vs freshman quarterbacks

For all of Bryce Underwood’s potential and hype, the Michigan quarterback may be running into an immovable object this weekend. Over the course of his long and distinguished career as a head coach and defensive coordinator, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables is 29-7 against redshirt and true freshman quarterbacks, with his exotic blitz packages often causing issues for inexperienced players.

There is a silver lining for Underwood, though — of those seven losses to freshman quarterbacks, four have come since he took over as Oklahoma’s head coach before the 2022 season.

Michigan vs Oklahoma series history

Despite being two of the preeminent programs in college football history, the Wolverines and Sooners have only played once before Saturday. That meeting came in the Orange Bowl at the end of the 1975 season, with Oklahoma winning the game 14-6 to help it win the national championship.

Bryce Underwood stats

In his first-ever college game, Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit nationally in the 2025 class, completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions in Michigan’s 34-17 victory against New Mexico.

John Mateer stats

In his first game since transferring to Oklahoma, Mateer completed 30 of 37 passes for 392 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in a 35-3 win against Illinois State in Week 1 of the 2025 season. He added 24 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven attempts.

Mateer left for Oklahoma after a stellar 2024 season at Washington State, where he completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, along with 826 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.

‘College GameDay’ picks for Michigan-Oklahoma

With ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ on site in Norman for Saturday’s game, the crew of the popular pregame show made their predictions for Oklahoma vs. Michigan. Here’s who they picked:

Desmond Howard: Michigan
Nick Saban: Michigan
Pat McAfee: Oklahoma
Trae Young (celebrity guest-picker): Oklahoma
Kirk Herbstreit: Did not pick (calling game for ESPN)

What time does Michigan vs Oklahoma start?

Date: Saturday, September 6
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, Oklahoma)

What TV channel is Michigan vs Oklahoma on today?

TV: ABC
Streaming: ESPN App ∣ ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

Michigan vs Oklahoma predictions

Matt Hayes, USA TODAY Network: Oklahoma
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: Oklahoma
Erick Smith, USA TODAY: Oklahoma
Paul Meyerberg, USA TODAY: Oklahoma
Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY: Oklahoma
Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY Network: Oklahoma

Michigan vs Oklahoma injury updates

Sooners coach Brent Venables said on September 2 that running back Jaydn Ott, a Cal transfer, ‘looks to be close to 100%.’ Ott is dealing with a shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than two weeks of fall training camp and limited him to one carry in an August 30 win against Illinois State.

Michigan schedule 2025

Here’s a look at the Wolverines’ 2025 football schedule:

Saturday, August 30: Michigan 34, New Mexico 17
Saturday, September 6: at No. 24 Oklahoma
Saturday, September 13: vs. Central Michigan
Saturday, September 20: at Nebraska
Saturday, September 27: BYE
Saturday, October 4: vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, October 11: at USC
Saturday, October 18: vs. Washington
Saturday, October 25: at Michigan State
Saturday, November 1: vs. Purdue
Saturday, November 8: BYE
Saturday, November 15: at Northwestern
Saturday, November 22: at Maryland
Saturday, November 29: at No. 1 Ohio State

Oklahoma schedule 2025

Here’s a look at the Sooners’ 2025 football schedule:

Saturday, August 30: Oklahoma 35, Illinois State 3
Saturday, September 6: vs. No. 13 Michigan
Saturday, September 13: at Temple
Saturday, September 20: vs. Auburn
Saturday, September 27: BYE
Saturday, October 4: vs. Kent State
Saturday, October 11: vs. No. 6 Texas*
Saturday, October 18: at No. 11 South Carolina
Saturday, October 25: vs. No. 14 Ole Miss
Saturday, November 1: at No. 17 Tennessee
Saturday, November 8: BYE
Saturday, November 15: at No. 20 Alabama
Saturday, November 22: vs. Missouri
Saturday, November 29: vs. No. 4 LSU

* Game will be played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have one of their key players when the team opens against the New York Jets on Sunday. That player is defensive lineman Cam Heyward.

The Steelers added over $3 million of incentives to Heyward’s contract for 2025, according to the NFL Network. The extra cash is premised on the Steelers making it to the postseason and winning playoff games, according to the report.

This could be the catch, however: the Steelers last won a postseason contest in their 2016 season. Hopefully for Heyward’s wallet (and the Steelers’ pride) that changes.

The important thing for the Steelers is Heyward is back. He’s a key part of the team and one of the franchise’s most cherished players ever. Heyward had suggested on Friday that he might sit out the team’s opener against the Jets if the contract situation wasn’t resolved.

Heyward actually did sit out a significant number of practices during training camp before eventually returning. Now, he’s back for good, and according to the report, he will play on Sunday.