Florida is predicted to upset No. 7 Texas, while Penn State is expected to have a lackluster win against UCLA.
Cincinnati could continue its hot streak by defeating Iowa State, and Florida State may bounce back by beating rival Miami.
After a big win, Virginia is predicted to lose on the road to an undefeated Louisville team.

Given the amount of high-impact games in last weekend, it appears Week 6 will be a sort of calm after the storm. However, the schedule on tap for Saturday still provides potential for some eyebrow-raising moments across the country.

And we’ve seen time and time again that the schedules that don’t have a multitude of matchups that will have bearing on the College Football Playoff race often produce surprises. The challenge is trying to forecast when those upsets or results of significance will take place.

USA TODAY Sports college football staff is here to provide some answers. Matt Hayes, Jordan Mendoza, Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Blake Toppmeyer weigh in with their bold predictions for Week 6 of the college football season.

Billy Napier, Florida take down Texas, Arch Manning

The hottest of hot seats may belong to Billy Napier, but it’s about to get cooler. The Florida coach always seems to perform best with his back up against the wall and this week’s matchup against No. 7 Texas with his team 1-3 qualfies. The Longhorns, meanwhile, might be looking ahead to next week’s showdown with Oklahoma. Expect the home crowd to be a factor and a strong defense that harasses Arch Maning to be pivotal as Florida gets to celebrate a big win. — Matt Hayes

Penn State damages CFP hopes against UCLA

We know Penn State can’t win big games, but they sure can take those gimme ones. The Nittany Lions head West to take on winless UCLA in what will likely be a Rose Bowl filled with more visiting fans. However, it won’t be a cakewalk. Playing with nothing to lose, UCLA actually makes things interesting and forces Penn State to play all four quarters. While the Nittany Lions win, the performance against one of the worst teams in the country won’t help the argument this team deserves to be in the playoff conversation. — Jordan Mendoza

Cincinnati continues upset run with Iowa State win

Cincinnati stays hot and beats Iowa State to throw the Big 12 race into further chaos. In addition to moving the Bearcats up the standings, a marquee win against the Cyclones would go a long way toward securing another year for coach Scott Satterfield. UC has been very good all year and particularly the past three games, rebounding from a narrow loss to Nebraska in the opener to look like one of the top offenses in the conference. Few quarterbacks have been playing better than Brendan Sorsby. — Paul Myerberg

Florida State bounces back with defeat of Miami

A week ago, the Seminoles were getting exposed on defense while getting beat on the road at Virginia. So conventional wisdom would be that a visit from the rival Hurricanes would go poorly this week. But that loss actually might work in Florida State’s favor by getting them refocused and Miami overconfident. The Hurricanes have risen into the top five but haven’t yet gone on the road. We’ll see how good Carson Beck and the rest of the team function in a tough environment. The bet is they won’t pass the test. — Erick Smith

Virginia stumbles at Louisville after Florida State win

Let’s give credit where due. Virginia’s victory against Florida State was a true program changer, a much needed ray of light for a team that has struggled for relevance for years amid a multitude of issues on and off the field.

But sometimes in college football, winning the game after the game is the hardest thing, and the Cavaliers are about to learn this lesson at unbeaten Louisville. The Cardinals had to work a bit harder than they’d have liked to get out of Pittsburgh with a win last week, and they’ll be very happy to be back at home. Add in the uncertainty of UVa quarterback Chandler Morris’s hand injury, and Saturday shapes up to be a back down to earth affair for the Cavaliers as the Cardinals stay undefeated for another week. — Eddie Timanus

Another rough day for UCLA, Nico Iamaleava

Nico Iamaleava, aka “Mr. April,” will continue his quest to become “Mr. Winless” at UCLA after taking a pay cut to leave Tennessee, a playoff contender. Penn State heads west with a perfect opportunity to lick their wounds while basking in some sunshine and playing in front of a friends-and-family crowd at the Rose Bowl. Drew Allar might never look closer to a first-round NFL pick than he does in this get-right game against UCLA. Meanwhile, Iamaleava has a good chance to throw for at least 85 yards. — Blake Toppmeyer

Bryce Underwood and Michigan football came off their bye on Saturday, Oct. 4 looking to take the next step on their respective paths to a potential College Football Playoff berth.

Thanks to another big day from running back Justice Haynes and the Wolverines defense, No. 20 Michigan (4-1, 2-0in Big Ten play) was able to do just that against their longtime Big Ten conference foe Wisconsin (2-3, 0-2).

Michigan picked up its second Big Ten win of the season with a 24-10 victory over the Badgers at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Stream Michigan vs. Wisconsin live with Fubo (free trial)

Haynes became the first Michigan player since Denard Robinson to open their career with the Wolverines with five straight games of at least 100 rushing yards. The former Alabama running back was responsible for two of Michigan’s three touchdowns on the afternoon, both 1-yard plunges into the end zone. The other touchdown of the afternoon for Michigan was a 29-yard pass on the RPO from Underwood to wide receiver Donaven McCulley. 

​​Wisconsin struggled to find rhythm on offense for much of the afternoon after it marched down the field on the game’s opening drive for a touchdown. The Badgers’ punted on eight of their 11 drives of the afternoon.

Underwood completed 19 of 28 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon. Wisconsin third-string quarterback Hunter Simmons was given the loss in his first start with the Badgers. He finished 18 of 29 passing for 177 yards and an interception on the day, which came in the third quarter from Michigan defensive back Rob Moore.

The loss for the Badgers dropped their record against ranked opponents under Luke Fickell to 0-8. Meanwhile, the win for Michigan is its 27th consecutive win at The Big House against an unranked opponent.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow below for a recap:

Michigan vs Wisconsin football final score

This section will be updated during the game

Michigan vs Wisconsin football updates

This section has been updated with new information

Postgame

Sherrone Moore on Justice Haynes

Asked by Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft following his team’s win over Wisconsin, Michigan coach Sherrone Moore spoke about the impact Justice Haynes has had on the Wolverines program and how he ‘feels sorry’ for the team that let Haynes go, referring to Alabama.

Justice Haynes stats today vs Wisconsin

Here’s a look at Haynes full stats from Michigan’s win over Wisconsin:

Rushing yards: 117
Carries: 19
Rushing touchdowns: Two

Final score: Michigan 24, Wisconsin 10

Michigan picks up Big Ten win over Wisconsin

Michigan defeats Wisconsin 24-10 at home for its second Big Ten win of the season. The Wolverines move to 4-1 on the season with the win, while the loss drops the Badgers to 2-3 on the season.

Derrick Moore sacks Hunter Simmons, Wisconsin hits field goal

Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore comes up with the first sack of the afternoon for the Wolverines’ defense, as he sacks Hunter Simmons for a loss of 12-yards on third-and-8. Wisconsin then settles for the 39-yard field goal from Nathanial Vakos to cut the deficit to 24-10 with 2:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hunter Simmons, Wisconsin convert fourth down

Michigan dials up the pressure on fourth-and-4 as Wisconsin goes for it and Hunter Simmons reads it nicely, as he finds Grant Stec on the left side of the field for an 8-yard reception and the first down. It’s a nice grab by Stec, who reeled in Simmons’ pass with one hand.

The Badgers’ drive continues as they are on the Wolverines’ side of the field.

Justice Haynes extends Michigan lead with touchdown

Who else but Justice Haynes! The Wolverines’ power running back plunges into the end zone from the 1-yard line for his second touchdown of the day.

It is now 24 unanswered points for Michigan since Wisconsin opened the game with a touchdown on the opening drive. Michigan now leads Wisconsin 24-7 with 9:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Justice Haynes hits Michigan RB milestone

Justice Haynes moves past the 100 rushing yard mark on the afternoon with an 11-yard carry up the middle of the field. He follows that with back-to-back runs of 8- and 4-yards respectively to put him at 116 rushing yards on the afternoon on 18 carries. He is the first Michigan player with at least 100 rushing yards in his first five games at Michigan since 2010.

Michigan can’t convert fourth down

Michigan elects to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Wisconsin 31-yard line and it backfires, as the snap is low and Bryce Underwood isn’t able to hold onto it. Underwood recovers the ball, but it is for a 3-yard loss, resulting in a turnover on downs for Wisconsin’s defense.

It’s the first fourth-down stop of the game for either team. Wisconsin gets the ball at its own 31-yard line trailing 17-7 with 13:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Third quarter: Michigan 17, Wisconsin 7

Rod Moore picks off Hunter Simmons

Rob Moore picks off Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons on second-and-6. It’s a great read by Moore on Simmons’ pass as he comes out of nowhere to give the Wolverines their first takeaway of the game.

The Wolverines get the ball back at their own 17-yard line. The Badgers had been moving on offense and picked up a gain of 21 yards on a pass from Simmons to Vinny Anthony III.

Donaven McCulley scores touchdown for Michigan

Here comes Michigan.

Bryce Underwood dumps it off to Donaven McCulley on the RPO and it is all McCulley after that, as he breaks a tackle and runs it into the end zone. McCulley also had a 33-yard catch up the left sidelines for a big play on Michigan’s scoring drive.

The scoring drive was three plays for 67 yards and took 1:03 off the game clock.

Michigan nearly picks off Hunter Simmons, Badgers punt

Zeke Berry nearly comes up with an interception deep in Wisconsin’s side of the field on third-and-9, but he is unable to get a hand on it. The Badgers’ eighth drive of the day ends just like their previous six: a punt.

This Big Ten battle continues to be all about both teams’ defenses. Michigan gets the ball at its own 33-yard line, looking to get some points on the board after missing out on a field goal on its last drive.

Michigan misses field goal attempt

Bryce Underwood overthrows a pass attempt into the end zone that was intended for Marlin Klein on third-and-9, and it results in no points for Michigan. Wolverines kicker Dominic Zvada misses the 27-yard field goal attempt as the snap was low from long snapper Greg Tarr.

The Wolverines’ lead stays at 10-3 with 9:26 remaining in the third quarter. Wisconsin takes over at its own 20-yard line, looking for its first points since the opening drive of the game.

Bryce Underwood makes nice throw on run

Bryce Underwood makes one of his best throws of the afternoon on second-and-9 with a 26-yard throw on the run to Andrew Marsh. The Wolverines are marching on offense.

First half: Michigan 10, Wisconsin 7

Michigan leads Wisconsin at halftime

At the end of the first half, Michigan leads Wisconsin 10-7 at Michigan Stadium. The main storyline from the first half in Ann Arbor was neither team being able to find a consistent rhythm offensively, as both teams combined for eight punts in the half.

Michigan was able to get a field goal on its fourth drive of the game to break the 7-7 tie. Bryce Underwood was 4 of 9 for 55 yards in the first half, while Hunter Simmons was 9 of 12 for 84 yards.

Wisconsin punts again

Wisconsin is unable to pick up the first down on third-and-2, and it sends out the punt unit for the fourth consecutive drive.

The Badgers, who have gone back-and-forth with Hunter Simmons and Danny O’Neil at quarterback the last four drives, haven’t been able to find any offensive momentum or rhythm since they marched down the field for a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown scoring drive to open the game.

Since that opening touchdown drive, Wisconsin has created just 54 yards of total offense.

Dominic Zvada hits 40-yard FG for Michigan lead

Michigan retakes the lead at 10-7 with 5:43 remaining in the second quarter after a 40-yard field goal from Dominic Zvada.

It’s a nice response by the Badgers’ defense to hold the Wolverines to just three points on their drive after Wisconsin safety Matt Jung lost a 1-on-1 battle with Michigan wide receiver Andrew Marsh for a 32-yard catch down the right sidelines from Bryce Underwood.

Here’s a look at that 32-yard catch Marsh made earlier on the Wolverines’ scoring drive:

Wisconsin wildcat call fails, Michigan gets ball

On third-and-4, Wisconsin tries to pick up the first down on the wildcat keeper with running back Cade Yacamelli, but Michigan defense isn’t fooled and tackles Yacamelli for a loss of a yard.

Michigan gets the ball back at its own 19-yard line looking to find some rhythm on offense.

First quarter: Michigan 7, Wisconsin 7

Michigan, Wisconsin tied after one quarter

It is all even at 7-7 after the first quarter of play in Ann Arbor between Michigan and Wisconsin. The Badgers have the ball after getting a stop on third down and face a third-and-4 to begin the second quarter.

Michigan first down overturned, Wisconsin gets stop

Following an official review on the field, Michigan’s first down conversion on third-and-1 on a 1-yard carry up the middle from Justice Haynes is overturned. It is fourth-and-1 and Michigan sends out the punt unit.

Wisconsin punts

Rod Moore nearly comes up with a pick-6 against Wisconsin quarterback Hunter Simmons on third-and-9 but is unable to hold onto it, forcing the Badgers to send the punt unit out.

Wisconsin then pins Michigan at its own 2-yard line after a nice special teams play by the Badgers’ coverage team that started with a 51-yard punt from Atticus Bertrams.

Justice Haynes ties game with Michigan touchdown

Justice Haynes provides the answer for Michigan with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to the right side of the end zone. It is the seventh rushing touchdown of the season for the Wolverines’ running back, which ties his career record from his two seasons at Alabama.

Haynes set up the Wolverines’ scoring drive, which went five plays for 75 yards in just over two minutes, with a 43-yard carry up the middle on the third play of the drive.

Wisconsin scores on first drive

Dilin Jones takes the handoff from Hunter Simmons and cashes it in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive of the game for Wisconsin.

It’s a nice start from the Badgers’ offense that has struggled in recent weeks. It’s also an encouraging start for Simmons, Wisconsin’s third-string quarterback, who is starting over the injured Billy Edwards Jr. and backup Danny O’Neil.

The scoring drive was 12 plays for 75 yards and took 6:50 off the game clock.

Michigan wins toss, Wisconsin starts on offense

The Wolverines win the opening coin toss and defer the kickoff to the second half. It will be Wisconsin and Hunter Simmons out on offense today vs. Wink Martindale’s defense.

Pregame

Derek Jeter predicts Michigan win over Wisconsin

Derek Jeter has called a Michigan win on Saturday. The former Michigan baseball product made it known in a pregame message to Wolverines’ fans as he prepares for the MLB on Fox pregame show in Toronto for the AL Division series between the Blue Jays and New York Yankees.

Michigan takes field vs Wisconsin

Sherrone Moore, back from his two-game self-imposed suspension, leads Michigan out of the tunnel at Michigan Stadium for Saturday’s Big Ten matchup vs. Wisconsin.

Bryce Underwood stats

Freshman starting quarterback Bryce Underwood has opened his career at Michigan with a 3-1 record. In those four games, Underwood has completed 58 of 102 passes for 733 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, while scoring three rushing touchdowns on 22 carries and 169 rushing yards.

Blake Corum back in Ann Arbor for Michigan-Wisconsin

Former Michigan national champion running back Blake Corum is back in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines’ Big Ten home opener vs. Wisconsin. Corum, now with the Los Angeles Rams, finished with one carry for 13 rushing yards in the Rams’ Thursday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Charles Woodson leads Michigan chant on ‘Big Noon Kickoff’

Former Michigan great Charles Woodson is back in Ann Arbor on Saturday with the Fox Sports’ ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ crew and leads the Wolverines’ ‘The Victors’ chant with the home crowd.

Wisconsin availability report vs Michigan

Here’s the availability report for Wisconsin vs. Michigan

Michigan availability report vs Wisconsin

Here’s the availability report for Michigan vs. Wisconsin, according to Detroit Free Press’ Tony Garcia:

Of note, Wisconsin is actually starting Hunter Simmons and not Danny O’Neil vs. Michigan

What is Michigan football’s record vs Wisconsin?

Michigan enters Saturday’s Big Ten home opener vs. Wisconsin with a 52-17-1 record in the all-time series against the Badgers. Of the Wolverines’ 52 wins against the Badgers, 24 of them have come at The Big House in Ann Arbor.

A win on Saturday for Michigan would improve its record vs. Wisconsin at home to 25-7.

Luke Fickell record vs ranked teams at Wisconsin 

Wisconsin has struggled mightily against top-25 opponents in three years under Luke Fickell, which comes as a surprise given his success against ranked opponents at Cincinnati. The Badgers enter Saturday’s game vs. Michigan 0-7 against top-25 teams under Fickell, including 0-1 this season following a 38-14 road loss to then-No. 18 Alabama in Week 3.

Who is Hunter Simmons? What to know of Wisconsin football’s starting QB vs Michigan

With Billy Edwards Jr. out vs. Michigan, Luke Fickell will give the keys to the offense on Saturday to third-string quarterback Hunter Simmons over backup Danny O’Neil. Fickell made the announcement in a pregame on the field interview posted by the program’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

O’Neil has been the go-to quarterback with Edwards Jr. out for the last several weeks, but with Wisconsin looking for a new spark to its offense, it will be Simmons, who transferred from Southern Illinois this past offseason. Simmons completed 2 of 9 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown in the final series against Maryland in Week 4.

Wisconsin football injury update: Latest on QB Billy Edwards Jr. 

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Wisconsin will once again be without starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who returned briefly in Week 4 against Maryland but has been dealing with an injury that he sustained in Week 1 vs Miami (OH). 

That won’t be the only member of the starting offense Wisconsin will be without on Saturday at Michigan. Thamel also reported that starting center Jake Renfro is out for the game. 

Justice Haynes stats at Michigan

Former Alabama running back Justice Haynes has been on a tear at Michigan to start the season, as he has already surpassed his career-high for rushing yards in a single season at 536.

His hot start to the season on the ground has Michigan ranked as one of the top-five rushing offenses in the Big Ten. 

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of Haynes’ stats at Michigan this season: 

vs. New Mexico: 16 carries for 159 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns; two receptions for six receiving yards 
at Oklahoma: 19 carries for 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown 
vs. Central Michigan: 14 carries for 104 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; one reception for 16 receiving yards
at Nebraska: 17 carries for 149 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; three receptions for 12 receiving yards 

What time is Michigan vs Wisconsin start?

Date: Saturday, Oct. 4
Time: Noon ET
Where: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

Michigan and Wisconsin are slated for a noon ET kickoff against each other on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

What TV channel is Michigan vs Wisconsin on today?

TV: Fox
Streaming: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)

Michigan vs. Wisconsin will air nationally on Fox in Week 7 of the college football season as the network’s main ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ Game of the Week. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will call the game from the booth at Michigan Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers, and the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login).

Stream Michigan vs. Wisconsin live with Fubo (free trial)

Michigan vs Wisconsin predictions

John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Michigan 30, Wisconsin 10

Michigan football schedule 2025

Here is Michigan’s schedule and results:

Saturday, Aug. 30: Michigan 34, New Mexico 17
Saturday, Sept. 6: No. 18 Oklahoma 24, Michigan 13
Saturday, Sept. 13: Michigan 63, Central Michigan 3
Saturday, Sept. 20: Michigan 30, Nebraska 27 *
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Wisconsin * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 11: at USC * | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC (Fubo) /Peacock
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. Washington *
Saturday, Oct. 25: at Michigan State *
Saturday, Nov. 1: vs. Purdue *
Saturday, Nov. 8: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 15: at Northwestern *
Saturday, Nov. 22: at Maryland *
Saturday, Nov. 29: vs. No. 1 Ohio State * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)

* Denotes Big Ten game

Wisconsin football schedule 2025

Here is Wisconsin’s schedule and results:

Thursday, Aug. 28: Wisconsin 17, Miami (OH) 0
Saturday, Sept. 6: Wisconsin 42, Middle Tennessee 10
Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 19 Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14
Saturday, Sept. 20: Maryland 27, Wisconsin 10 *
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: at No. 20 Michigan * | Noon ET | Fox (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Iowa * | 7 p.m. ET | Fox Sports 1 (Fubo)
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 1 Ohio State *
Saturday, Oct. 25: at No. 2 Oregon *
Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. Washington *
Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. No. 22 Illinois *
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Minnesota *

PHILADELPHIA – Bryce Harper was still an outfielder with the Washington Nationals. DH Kyle Schwarber was still a folk hero at Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia Phillies were in the midst of a 10-year postseason drought.

And Shohei Ohtani was making his major-league debut for the Los Angeles Angels.

It was March 29, 2018.

Now, seven years, six months and five days later (2,746 days, to be exact), Ohtani, the greatest show on Earth, will be making his first pitching appearance in a postseason game Saturday night (6:38 p.m. ET, TBS) when the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

This is the moment he has been awaiting his entire life.

Sure, he made history as the first player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases last year. He helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series title over the New York Yankees as a DH. He pitched Japan to the championship in the World Baseball Classic, striking out Mike Trout for the final out.

But now, for the first time, he’ll be a two-way player in the postseason, leading off for the Dodgers as a DH Saturday, and then stepping onto the mound to be their starting pitcher.

The last time we saw a true two-way player like this in the postseason was Babe Ruth when he was a starting pitcher in Game 1 of the 1918 World Series, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

“The thing that’s aways so impressive to me with Sho,’’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy told USA TODAY Sports, “is to go out there, dominate on the mound, and then rushing into the dugout, putting his stuff on, and hopping in the batter’s box. I think about how well I sleep after I play a long game, because when you watch him after those games, he’s just absolutely gassed.

“I mean, that’s a lot to ask of somebody, and he does it every single day. You know he really loves (pitching). He really loves focusing on pitching. And he really loves everything that comes with preparing to pitch.

“The amount of work he puts in every day for pitching is just incredible to watch, and that’s obviously behind-the-scenes stuff that not everyone sees. When you look at just the amount of work he’s done, it’s incredible that he can still play the way he plays.’’

Ohtani, who normally keeps his emotions in check, didn’t try to disguise his excitement. Sure, he made 86 starts in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, but never did they sniff the postseason.

Now, he’s finally in the postseason as a genuine two-way player.

“Just really looking forward to it,’’ he said. “I’m sure I’ll be nervous at times. But more than that, I’m just really grateful that I get to play baseball at this time of the year. And just being healthy is really important to me, so I’m just grateful for that.’’

He’s even anxiously awaiting the hostile atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park, which can make life a bit uncomfortable for opposing players, to put it mildly.

“They’re known to be very passionate fans,’’ Ohtani says. “The atmosphere, I’m sure, is going to be passionate and rocking, as well. And one thing I do know is that they serve really good (Philly) cheesesteaks at the clubhouse.’’

Ohtani, who made his way back to pitching in mid-June after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, says he feels normal once again.

It was validated when the Dodgers took off the gloves Sept. 16 against these same Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani merely pitched five no-hit innings against the Phillies, showing for the first time that he was out of rehab mode, and was now a starter with no health concerns. For an encore, he pitched six shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing a season-high 91 pitches, in his last regular-season start.

“I think even right before that start he said he was out of the rehab mode,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And obviously you’re playing a very talented team in the Phillies at that point in time. So you saw a really good Shohei that night.’’

Good?

How about sensational?

“He was phenomenal,’’ Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s the combination of power and control, command, stuff. He was really good. He was pumping strikes, and it was 98-, 99-mph. And the secondary pitches are all way above-average. So if he’s doing that, it’s a tough task.’’

Said Ohtani: “I’m very glad that I was able to end the rehab progression at that moment.’’

It was a moment in time where the Dodgers morphed from a powerful contender to perhaps the World Series favorite, with their starting rotation becoming a three-headed beast with Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Ohtani.

Phillies pitcher Walker Buehler, who saw Ohtani’s progress firsthand last season while with the Dodgers, had a feeling this day was coming. He just wished it was delayed a bit … like into next season.

“Having gone through the second surgery, it’s a different monster,’’ Buehler said. “Him being active and playing, it’s probably helpful in a lot of ways. I think there’s some aspects of him playing that help him physically in terms of this rehab process. The flip side is the load, and the load managing, and stuff like that because he’s doing both.

“Crazy body, with crazy work ethic, and crazy talent. And the ability to put them all together is what makes him really special. It’s a hard thing to deal with to have that second surgery, but if there’s anyone that there was very little doubt about him being successful, it was him.’’

The Phillies are hoping that their recent familiarity with Ohtani, seeing him just three weeks ago, could pay off, Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm said. This was the first time they had ever faced him in their careers, so this time around, they won’t be surprised watching him throw five different pitches, all for strikes.

They vow to be more patient, more selective, trying to get into the Dodgers’ flawed bullpen, which yielded a 10.38 ERA in their two-game wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds. If not, well, it could be an awful long evening, which could turn into an early winter.

“I think our goal, doesn’t matter who we’re facing, try to get the starter out of the game as soon as we can,’’ Thomson says. “So that’s really what our game plan is. I don’t think it’s a secret. …. What we really want to do is keep the ball in the strike zone. That’s really the goal. If you can do that, you’ll build pitch counts.’’

And to that, well, Ohtani says good luck.

“I’m sure there’s pros and cons on both sides as a pitcher and hitters facing me,’’ Ohtani says. “Having the history provides a little more context.’’

Ohtani paused, broke into a smile, and said: “We’re going to find out.’’

Follow Nightengale on X: @BNightengale

Similar to 2024, another spirited MVP debate is taking shape.
There are also several good candidates for the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year.
And, in case you missed it, a new award will be handed out after this season for the first time.

Entering its second month, the 2025 NFL season hasn’t exactly been awash in superlatives.

Only two teams, the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, survived September unscathed … well, in terms of their 4-0 records anyway. Some of the league’s biggest stars – Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, CeeDee Lamb, Malik Nabers and Tyreek Hill, to name just  few – have been hit by injuries. Others (Saquon Barkley, Brian Thomas Jr., C.J. Stroud) have been figuratively MIA.

Such is the state of the NFL, when the first few weeks are now often typified by choppy play as veterans settle in and rookies figure things out in an era when September often effectively serves as preseason. Nevertheless, even though 14 weeks remain until ballots are officially submitted, a few players have begun to emerge as leading candidates for the league’s most prestigious individual awards.

Here are our (very premature) choices for MVP, rookies of the year, Protector of the Year and several more:

Assistant Coach of the Year – Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns

Will anyone from the lowly Brown ultimately be lauded when all is said and done? Likely not. But this a good time to recognize one of the league’s best assistants, a guy who should certainly be under consideration for perhaps it’s most anonymous award. Schwartz’s defense has been remarkable – ranked No. 1 overall while giving up nearly 22 fewer yards per game than the next-closest team (and, for the analytics crowd, quite high on the DVOA scale). It’s all the more notable given how poor Cleveland’s offense, which has scored the second-fewest points in the league and was just turned over to rookie QB Dillon Gabriel, has been.

Coach of the Year – Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts

Personally, I know I didn’t give his team an ice cube’s chance in perdition. But not only have the Colts survived with Daniel “Indiana” Jones at quarterback, they’ve excelled – Steichen’s offense not punting during its first two games and new coordinator Lou Anarumo breathing life into the defense. If the season ended today – it doesn’t – the Colts would be the AFC South champs and a No. 3 playoff seed. Nice to see Steichen’s team finally justifying his reputation as a topflight play-caller.

Protector of the Year – OT Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers

This will be the first season the league will recognize an offensive lineman for individual excellence. The finalists and winner will be determined by a panel of retired blockers, Andrew Whitworth and Jason Kelce among them, who will evaluate metrics like blocking win rates while factoring in team success, leadership and durability, among other considerations.

As it pertains to Alt? Yes, he’s going to miss some time with a high ankle sprain, though I’d wager it won’t be much. Regardless, to this point, he’s already shifted from right tackle to the left side, which he played at Notre Dame, following the season-ending knee injury regular LT Rashawn Slater suffered in training camp. The results? Alt was exceptionally good prior to going down in Week 4, and the offense of the AFC West-leading Bolts was far more multi-dimensional than the ground-and-pound unit it often was last year.

Comeback Player of the Year – RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

For a guy who’s often battled durability issues during his career, including various Achilles and knee problems in 2024, he and the Niners have certainly – and probably necessarily – thrown caution to the wind. CMC, who’s already played five games after Thursday night’s win over the Rams, leads the NFL with 130 touches and 669 yards from scrimmage. Hard to believe McCaffrey will remain on a pace for 442 touches, which would be the most in the league since DeMarco Murray had 449 (in 16 games) in 2014. Regardless, it’s been a selfless performance for a depleted team that nevertheless tops the NFC West and, if McCaffrey survives the season, might get him some MVP love.

Defensive Rookie of the Year – S Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons

The only freshman with multiple picks so far this season, the third-rounder out of Notre Dame is also among rookie leaders with 17 tackles. He’s certainly solidified the back end of an Atlanta D that currently ranks second in the league overall.

Offensive Rookie of the Year – WR Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Defensive Player of the Year – DE Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

Another strong candidate, along with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, for the comeback award after Hutchinson broke his leg at Dallas a year ago. He’s currently among the league’s leaders with four sacks and 23 pressures (per PFF). The fumble Hutchinson forced out of RB Derrick Henry’s grasp in a Week 3 win at Baltimore helped to turn the tide of that game. It’s also worth wondering if his production will only mushroom once he fully gets his sea legs back under him after missing 12 games and the playoffs in 2024.

Offensive Player of the Year – WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

His numbers, to a degree, also reflect the benefit of playing a fifth game already, though Nacua’s showing Thursday (10 catches, 85 yards, TD) was probably his most modest in an otherwise sterling season. With a league-best 52 receptions and 588 receiving yards, Nacua is on pace to shatter the single-season record for catches (149) and also has a shot to be the first 2,000-yard receiver in league history.

League MVP – QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Want to quibble with this choice? By all means – so am I. We all know a four-week sample size is way too small to make a determination for an award that will surely continue engendering debate four months from now. But in the moment, sure feels like we could be headed to a repeat of 2024, when Josh Allen was named MVP even though Lamar Jackson was voted the league’s first-team All-Pro quarterback – and, admittedly, I gave my MVP vote to Jackson last year.

By the numbers, and certainly from a passing perspective, Allen is the better player right now – and anyone backing his MVP candidacy is on fully solid ground. But Hurts’ Eagles are equally undefeated. They’ve also played a drastically tougher schedule than Buffalo, will get everyone’s best shot as the reigning champs, and Hurts is also adapting to new coordinator Kevin Patullo. Nevertheless, Hurts has accounted for nine touchdowns (against one turnover) and done whatever is required to notch a win – including quietly (publicly anyway) continuing to set tone for this locker room. If Philadelphia’s offense starts clicking, and WR A.J. Brown starts getting his numbers, too? Great. But Hurts, God bless him, only cares about that win column. What better way to evaluate an MVP hopeful?

For the second consecutive week, an NFC West clash on ‘Thursday Night Football’ came down to the wire to kick off the Week 5 NFL schedule.

In a battle of 3-1 teams, the shorthanded San Francisco 49ers stopped the Los Angeles Rams on downs in overtime, putting an end to the Rams’ second-half comeback. The 49ers now get some much-needed extra rest and rehab following their improbable road win.

Their fellow NFC West contenders (Cardinals, Seahawks) are among the other teams set to host opponents in an exciting Sunday slate.

Week 5 features the first of three NFL regular-season games in London in 2025. The Minnesota Vikings look to bounce back after losing 24-21 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin when they meet the Cleveland Browns. This is the second consecutive international game for the Vikings.

That means an early wake-up for NFL fans at 9:30 a.m. ET to catch all of the week’s action. Throughout the afternoon, there are intriguing matchups between playoff hopefuls. Among them, defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia hosts Denver in the early window while Tampa Bay visits Seattle in the late afternoon in what could be a key game for both NFC teams come January.

There are 12 matchups across the NFL schedule tomorrow. Here’s how to watch every game from Sunday’s slate:

NFL Week 5 Sunday game schedule

All times Eastern.

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns

Time: 9:30 a.m.
TV: NFL Network
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, England)

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)

Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)

Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: FOX
Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: FOX
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)

Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers

Time: 1 p.m.
TV: FOX
Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)

Watch NFL Week 5 games with Fubo

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks

Time: 4:05 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: Lumen Field (Seattle)

Tennessee Titans at Arizona Cardinals

Time: 4:05 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Chargers

Time: 4:25 p.m.
TV: FOX
Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

Time: 4:25 p.m.
TV: CBS
Location: Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati)

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

Time: 8:20 p.m.
TV: NBC
Location: Highmark Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)

Watch Bills vs Patriots with Peacock

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is facing criticism over comments she allegedly made to player Napheesa Collier during contract negotiations.
Engelbert denied telling Collier that Caitlin Clark should be grateful for the WNBA platform but did not clarify other reported remarks.
Tensions are high as the current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire, raising concerns about a potential labor stoppage.

Cathy Engelbert can tap dance until the WNBA Finals are over. The damage is irreparable.

The WNBA commissioner’s non-denial denials and plea for sympathy were not the assurance the players needed that Engelbert can be an honest broker in these tense contract negotiations. What little trust the players still had after that fruitless bargaining session at the All-Star Game was ethered earlier this week when Napheesa Collier shared how little Engelbert really thinks of them, and Engelbert would not — could not — counter that in her news conference ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.

It was telling that Engelbert’s best defense when asked whether she’d said the players should be, “on their knees, thanking their lucky stars” for a new, $2 billion media rights deal was to claim “inaccuracy” about what she’d said. Yet Engelbert wouldn’t say what those inaccuracies were or where they occurred, instead deflecting to how tough the criticism has been on her and her family.

“I’m a human, too,” Engelbert said. “I have a family. I have two kids who are devastated by these comments.”

You know what’s really devastating? Knowing the commissioner who is supposed to be championing the league and its players doesn’t respect them and thinks they should take less than they deserve.

Engelbert did deny — strongly — telling Collier that Caitlin Clark should be grateful for the platform the WNBA gives her because it’s the reason she has her long, lucrative list of endorsements.

“Obviously,” Engelbert said, “I did not make those comments.”

And if Collier has a recording of their conversation? Or someone to corroborate what Collier said Engelbert told her? Those reports about Engelbert stepping down after the CBA is done actually will be inaccurate because she won’t last the day.

Napheesa Collier knew what she was doing when she blasted WNBA leadership

It’s worth remembering, by the way, that Collier’s grandfather helped win independence for Sierra Leone and then served as its first representative to the United Nations. Playing chess when everyone else thinks they’re playing checkers is in Collier’s DNA.

“These women are smart. They’ve done the numbers, they’ve run the numbers — I know this because I was previously on the executive committee — and everyone is playing their role to get to a point where they avoid a lockout, they keep this product on the floor,” ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike said after Engelbert’s news conference.

“But in order to do that, you have to have conversations and it now feels like it’s been wasted time. And that’s on Cathy, unfortunately.”

The negotiations over this next collective bargaining agreement were always going to be tense. Interest in women’s sports, the WNBA in particular, has exploded over the last five years, and money is pouring into the league.

That new media rights deal that begins next season will pump $200 million a year into the WNBA. Sponsors are clamoring for a piece of the league, and owners in Detroit, Philadelphia and Cleveland just shelled out $250 million each for expansion franchises.

Players want a significant bump in both their salaries and revenue sharing. Salaries currently top out at $250,000 while revenue sharing is around 10%, a pittance compared with the roughly 50% that’s typical of major men’s leagues.

Engelbert claims she’s heard the players and says she, too, wants them to get a much bigger piece of the pie. But her actions, and her words, say differently.

The 40 players who showed up for the bargaining session at the All-Star Game was a show of their commitment, yet players left the meeting frustrated. Engelbert and the rest of the league’s negotiating team offered little new and showed little interest in trying to bridge the gap with the players.

“It was pretty shocking to see,” New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who like Collier is a union vice president, said then. “Not many things did we both agree on. I think there were two bullet points where we were like, `OK, we can move forward with this.’”

And now, with the CBA expiring on Oct. 31, Engelbert has injected even more toxicity into the conversation.

It’s already too little, too late from Cathy Engelbert

Engelbert said she plans to sit down with Collier next week, which is a week too late. The minute Collier finished her exit interview Tuesday, Engelbert should have been on a Zoom call with Collier, union president Nneka Ogwumike and as many of the VPs as were available. Better yet, she should have gotten on a plane.

Engelbert said she wanted to get past the beginning of the WNBA Finals, but that’s just further proof of her tone-deafness. Players are furious, and you don’t recognize that’s a five-alarm fire? Every other player who was asked about Collier’s comments, including Clark and four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, stood behind her, and Engelbert doesn’t realize that’s a damning indictment of her leadership?

The players don’t trust her. They don’t believe Engelbert has their best interests at heart. They think she’s more worried about covering her ass than protecting theirs. They think satisfying her NBA overlords is a bigger priority for Engelbert than getting a fair deal. That’s the makings of a labor stoppage, not an agreement.

“I feel confident that we can repair any loss of trust,” Engelbert said. “… I think together we need to move forward.”

Engelbert has made that untenable, however. The biggest impediment to negotiations right now is her.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Major League Baseball’s best-of-five division series feature some scintillating in 2025, highlighted by the heavyweight bout between the Philadelphia Phillies and defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the American League, the New York Yankees face the division champion Toronto Blue Jays while the Seattle Mariners take on the Detroit Tigers. The Brewers-Cubs NLDS is also filled with storylines, namely Chicago manager Craig Counsell facing his former club in the postseason after skipping town in 2023.

‘The series is going to come down to who’s able to get the big hits in the big moments,’ Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto told reporters. ‘They’re extremely talented over in that clubhouse. And we obviously have confidence in the guys we have.’

Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ MLB experts see the ALDS and NLDS playing out:

MLB playoff predictions, picks for division series

Blue Jays vs. Yankees

Bob Nightengale: Blue Jays in 5
Gabe Lacques: Yankees in 4
Jesse Yomtov: Yankees in 3

Mariners vs. Tigers

Bob Nightengale: Mariners in 4
Gabe Lacques: Mariners in 4
Jesse Yomtov: Tigers in 5

Phillies vs Dodgers prediction

Bob Nightengale: Phillies in 5
Gabe Lacques: Dodgers in 5
Jesse Yomtov: Dodgers in 4

Brewers vs. Cubs

Bob Nightengale: Brewers in 5
Gabe Lacques: Cubs in 5
Jesse Yomtov: Cubs in 4