The Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander, who has announced he is retiring after the season, will not be on the team’s roster for the upcoming NL wild card series, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Sept. 28. 

Kershaw, 37, is starting the Dodgers’ season finale at Seattle and will make a regular start, Roberts said. The club has pondered using him in relief in the postseason and he even appeared in the ninth inning of a tie game at Arizona last week. 

Yet in the best-of-three wild card series beginning Sept. 30, the Dodgers will be flush with pitching, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Shohei Ohtani able to start the two to three games and others such as Emmet Sheehan sent to the bullpen. 

And they may not need his services in a best-of-five NL Division Series, either, if they survive the wild card round against either the New York Mets or Cincinnati Reds. But the best-of-seven NL Championship Series and World Series may require greater length and likelier, a role for Kershaw.

Kershaw, the three-time Cy Young winner, has a 222-96 career record, and will bring a 10-3 2025 mark into his start at Seattle. 

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Ryan Blaney moved one step closer to a potential second NASCAR Cup Series championship last week in New Hampshire.

The Team Penske driver was easily the fastest car in qualifying and race day as he led the final 50 laps to take his third victory of the year. His prize was a secured spot in the Round of 8 – and a local delicacy: a live lobster.

‘I’ve wanted a lobster ever since I was a little kid coming to watch these races. I’ve always wanted one of those things, so I’m looking forward to it,’ Blaney said after his victory.

Blaney won the championship in 2023 and finished runner-up last year to teammate Joey Logano. His win last week ensures he’ll fight on to the next round of the playoffs and he holds a two-point lead over William Byron in the playoff standings.

Sunday marks the Cup Series’ second visit to Kansas Speedway this season. Kyle Larson won the AdventHealth 400 in May in dominant fashion. The Hendrick Motorsports driver took pole position, won every stage, led the most laps and notched the fastest lap of the race.

Larson sits in third in the playoff standings behind Blaney and Byron. He’s one of eight playoff drivers looking for their first win of the postseason to punch their ticket one step further in the playoffs.

Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 28:

Denny Hamlin wins Stage 1 of Kansas playoff race

Denny Hamlin led 55 laps in the opening stage of the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and held off Kyle Larson at the line to win Stage 1 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race. Hamlin started second, alongside pole winner and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, who led 19 laps in the 80-lap opening stage.

Larson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott finished second and third, respectively, followed by JGR’s Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing. Briscoe took sixth in Stage 1, with reigning series champion Joey Logano in seventh, Chris Buescher eighth, Zane Smith ninth and Carson Hocevar 10th.

Among the other playoff drivers remaining in the Round of 12, Bubba Wallace was 13th, Ryan Blaney 14th, William Byron 15th, Austin Cindric 19th and Tyler Reddick 24th.

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas start?

The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

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

The Hollywood Casino 400 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 Kansas?

Yes, the Hollywood Casino 400 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR race at Kansas on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

The Hollywood Casino 400 is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile track for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 80 laps; Stage 2: 85 laps; Stage 3: 102 laps.

NASCAR playoff standings

Here’s how the field stacks up with the gap to leader in parentheses. Four drivers were eliminated after Bristol: Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry.

Ryan Blaney
William Byron (-2)
Kyle Larson (-8)
Christopher Bell (-20)
Denny Hamlin (-22)
Joey Logano (-25)
Chase Elliott (-35)
Chase Briscoe (-37)
Ross Chastain (-49)
Austin Cindric (-56)
Tyler Reddick (-60)
Bubba Wallace (-64)

Who won the NASCAR Cup playoff race at Kansas last year?

Ross Chastain didn’t make the playoffs but ensured he wouldn’t go winless in the 2024 Cup Series season by taking the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway last September. He overtook Martin Truex Jr. for the lead on a restart with less than 20 laps to go and kept William Byron far enough behind to get the win. Byron, Truex, Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top five.

What is the lineup for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas?

Here is the lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway (car number in parentheses; P=playoff driver):

Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (P)
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota (P)
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (P)
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (P)
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota (P)
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Chris Buescher, No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford 
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (P)
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford (P)
JJ Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (P)

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Robots haven’t take over the world yet, but we might have to investigate the NFL kickers to ensure they’re human.

Fans used to moan and groan when a kicker trotted onto the field, especially when it wasn’t so automatic. Fans may still moan and groan, but it’s hard to end a drive without at least three points in the modern NFL.

Chase McLaughlin has entered that circle of trust in recent years and continued to prove why on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker drilled a 65-yard field goal as time expired in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The made kick is the longest outdoor field goal in NFL history, according to ESPN.

It’s not the longest kick in NFL history, however. Former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker still owns that honor with his 66-yard field goal against the Detroit Lions in 2021, but McLaughlin didn’t come up empty being entered into the history books.

Unlike Tucker’s field goal, McLaughlin’s wasn’t a game-winner. Instead it just cut a 21-point halftime deficit to 18.

Arkansas fired head football coach Sam Pittman after a 2-3 start to the season.
Pittman’s tenure ends with a 32-34 record over six seasons with the Razorbacks.
Potential replacements include coaches with Arkansas ties like Gus Malzahn and Rhett Lashlee.

September isn’t over but another college football coaching job is opening with Arkansas firing coach Sam Pittman one day after a 56-13 home loss to No. 21 Notre Dame that saw the Razorbacks fall to 2-3 on the season.

Pittman went 32-34 during his six campaigns and failed to successfully build on the momentum of a nine-win season in 2021. That’s been the history of a program that has slowly slid down the pecking order in the SEC as it has failed to find consistent results since Bobby Petrino had back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins in 2010 and 2011.

Athletics director Hunter Yuracheck recently lamented the school’s inability to financially compete with other programs. Still, this is a job with a strong fan base and enough resources and tradition to have high expectations of winning. The Razorback should be able to lure a coach either looking for elevation from a Group of Five job or an assistant from a Power Four school.

Who are some of the possible hires? Here’s our look at the top candidates:

Gus Malzahn, Florida State offensive coordinator

A name consistently connected with the Arkansas job for two decades, Malzahn has only coached one season at the school after successful coaching stints at multiple high school programs in the state. That tenure as the Razorbacks offensive coordinator in 2006 preceded similar jobs at Tulsa and Auburn. He is best known for his time as Auburn head coach when he took the Tigers to the Bowl Championship Series title game in his first season before departing after his eighth year. Malzahn spent four years at Central Florida before moving to his current job with Florida State last offseason. With 105 wins and 10 bowl appearances, he’s an experienced hand with Arkansas roots.

Jon Sumrall, Tulane

If the goal is to hire the hottest Group of Five coach, then Sumrall would be the prime candidate for Arkansas. A former Kentucky linebacker, he had extensive experience as an assistant before taking the Troy job in 2022. He led the Trojans a 23-4 record in two seasons before being hired in Tulane. The Green Wave went 9-5 last season and should be contenders for this year’s College Football Playoff in the American with Power Four wins over Northwestern and Duke already this season. Is Arkansas the job that will lure him to make the jump to the Power Four or could he look for better opportunity?

Rhett Lashlee, SMU

This might be the dream hire for the Razorbacks. Lashlee is a former Arkansas quarterback and graduate assistant that played for Malzahn in high school. His coaching career took off while leading offenses at Auburn, SMU and Miami. He returned as the head coach of the Mustangs in 2022 and led them to the College Football Playoff in his third season. Should he want to return home, this would seem to be a slam dunk, but Lasheee will need to weigh the pressure that comes with that decision and if he feels like he can win at the highest levels there.

Ryan Silverfield, Memphis

Silverfield already had an informal interview in front of Arkansas and its fans when the Tigers defeated the Razorbacks two weeks ago. He’s been able to pick up the baton from Mike Norvell, who left for Florida State, and won consistently with the Tigers. Memphis is 25-5 across the past three seasons and have established itself as one of the top Group of Five programs in the country.

Mike Gundy

Gundy was just fired by Oklahoma State but his profile of consistently punching above his weight at a similar program in the Big 12 as Arkansas’ place in the SEC could make him an attractive candidate. Things got stale quickly in Stillwater before his firing. That shouldn’t obscure the fact the Cowboys were in the Big 12 title game two years ago with Texas and Oklahoma still in the league. Whether Arkansas is comfortable about Gundy’s ability is able to operate in NIL environment is a concern as is Oklahoma State’s recent struggles at quarterback.

Bobby Petrino, Arkansas offensive coordinator/interim head coach

His memorable departure before the 2012 season was a tipping point for the program. Petrino, after that off-field scandal, has slowly rebuilt his career. He spent a year at Western Kentucky, had a mostly successful tenure at Louisville that included Lamar Jackson winning the Heisman Trophy and had assistant stops at UNLV and Texas A&M. Before being hired to lead the Arkansas offense for the past two seasons, he was the coach at Missouri State. Petrino, who was named interim head coach following Pittman’s firing, would provide continuity and offensive punch. But is the baggage of the past too much to make him a serious contender?

The Steelers, with familial Irish roots, hung on to win the NFL’s first regular-season game in Ireland.
After a nightmare performance against the Vikings in Europe a year ago, veteran QB Aaron Rodgers rebounded against Minnesota on Sunday.
A backup running back also made an unexpectedly huge impact for Pittsburgh.

Just when you think you can head for the gates – or submit a game story before the final gun – that apparent NFL blowout suddenly turns highly competitive.

Such was the case Sunday (morning?), when the Irish saw the “hometown” Pittsburgh Steelers, who built a 24-6 fourth-quarter lead, fend off a late raid from the Minnesota Vikings during a 24-21 victory in Dublin – site of the first NFL regular-season game to be staged in Ireland.

And what a thrill for Steelers ownership – the venerable Rooney family hailing from Ireland and late owner Dan Rooney serving as the U.S. ambassador to the ‘Emerald Isle’ during the first administration of President Barack Obama. Art Rooney II, the club’s current president, got to witness his team improve to 3-1 on his family’s native soil and continue to look like it might (finally) be geared to make a late postseason run under QB Aaron Rodgers.

But Rooney’s Steelers weren’t the only winners (or losers) from a momentous NFL contest:

WINNERS

Pittsburgh pass defense

The Vikings were able to move the ball effectively at times, especially in the game’s final stages, but too little, too late − in large part due to the Steelers’ pass D working in unison front to back. Pittsburgh sacked Minnesota QB Carson Wentz six times and picked him off twice (and nearly a third on the Vikings’ final possession). And while Vikes WR Justin Jefferson and newly reinstated Jordan Addison combined for 14 catches and 240 yards, they didn’t reach the end zone − though a little luck of the Irish on that front (keep reading).

Pick-jig

Steelers S DeShon Elliott recorded the game’s first interception and celebrated in Irish-appropriate style. Elliott also broke up Minnesota’s final pass of the day, securing a hard-fought win.

Styx

“Renegade,” the Steelers’ fourth-quarter rally anthem, made the trip from Pittsburgh to Dublin and blared through Croke Park with 11:18 to go in the game, ‘Terrible Towels’ twirling throughout … though the team nearly fell apart afterward. Styx may not have, say, U2’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bona fides – more on them later – but no Steelers “home” game is complete without their signature song.

Steelers RB2 Kenneth Gainwell

Starting in place of injured Pittsburgh starting RB Jaylen Warren, Gainwell, a fifth-year vet, responded with a career day – rushing for a personal best 99 yards and scoring multiple touchdowns in a game for the first time in his pro career. Seemed kind of odd − and was nearly disastrous − when Mike Tomlin didn’t let Gainwell try to ice the game on fourth-and-inches from the Vikings’ 40-yard line at the end of the Steelers’ penultimate drive, the coach opting for a punt that resulted in a touchback and effectively netted 20 yards.

J.J. McCarthy

The Vikings’ injured second-year quarterback probably saw his QB1 status solidified on a day when his backup, Wentz, was picked off twice and couldn’t come close to delivering on an ugly last-gasp drive that included an intentional grounding infraction. Sunday was Wentz’s second start for the Vikes, and while he didn’t play terribly, this performance didn’t come close to the team’s dominant Week 3 win over Cincinnati – one that might have set the table for a QB controversy had Minnesota been able to maintain its momentum.

Mr. (Isaiah) Rodgers

The reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week, the Minnesota cornerback showed up again Sunday, blocking a 30-yard field-goal attempt by Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell in the second quarter.

Mr. (Aaron) Rodgers, 2025 European edition

A year ago, the future Hall of Fame quarterback had perhaps his worst game as a New York Jet – and that’s saying something – serving up three interceptions to the Vikings in London during a 23-17 loss that led to the firing of NYJ coach Robert Saleh and effectively ended the team’s 2024 campaign. Rodgers, an avowed Guinness fan, seemed much more comfortable Sunday in Dublin – efficiently picking apart the defense that previously gave him so much trouble across the Atlantic. Rodgers completed his first 10 passes against Minnesota, including a slant to WR DK Metcalf that resulted in an 80-yard TD after the quarterback manipulated the formation, and finished with 200 yards after completing 18 of 22 passes. Rodgers, who also looked limber outside the pocket, is off to his first 3-1 start since he was with the Green Bay Packers in 2022.

LOSERS

Minnesota Vikings, 2025 European edition

Not only could they not handle Rodgers this time, there were other short- and long-term implications for Minnesota. The Vikings lost their perfect 4-0 record in NFL International Series games – previously the league’s best in terms of winning percentage – and they now have to stew in it during their extended European staycation. The first NFL team that will play consecutive games in Europe but in different cities, the Vikes will face the Cleveland Browns in London next Sunday.

Vikings RB2 Jordan Mason

Starting again in place of injured Minnesota starting RB Aaron Jones Sr., Mason, a fourth-year vet obtained from the San Francisco 49ers in an offseason trade, never really got it going – despite being saved from an apparent fumble by replay in the first quarter. Mason finished with 57 yards on 16 carries, and Minnesota wound up passing 72% of the time due to its largely absent run game.

Croke Park turf?

Looked a bit slick? A few players seemed to struggle with their footing, notably Jefferson, who seemed to be running free toward the end zone on a 29-yard catch-and-run in the final minute of the first half before suffering a wipeout. Minnesota eventually settled for a field goal on the drive.

U2 fans

No, they’re not losers, quite the opposite – amazing musical community if you’ve ever been to one of the legendary band’s concerts. But given the famed Irish quartet gave the NFL its best-ever Super Bowl halftime show, would have also been nice seeing them perform on their home field in front of their countrymen and other supporters as opposed to just hearing snippets of their hits heading into commercial breaks or from Croke Park’s sound system.

James Franklin was well aware of the elephant in the room when he took the podium inside Beaver Stadium following then Penn State football’s 30-24 double overtime loss to No. 5 Oregon on Saturday, Sept, 27.

The Nittany Lions had dropped yet another big game under Franklin, who has a 104-32 overall record in 12 seasons at Penn State but a 15-29 all-time record against a ranked opponent — and a 4-21 record against top-10 opponents.

‘I kind of look at the greater picture and get that narrative. It’s not really a narrative; it’s a fact. I get it,’ Franklin said. ‘I kind of look at the greater picture and what we have been able to do here. But at the end of the day, we have to find a way to win those games.’

The Nittany Lions are now 1 for 6 in their previous games against top-10 opponents under Franklin, with that lone win coming against No. 8 Boise State in the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal in December 2025.

‘I take ownership and take responsibility (of that). At the end of the day, I wanted that (win) for those kids in that locker room. … We had our opportunities,’ Franklin continued on Sept. 27.

Penn State dug itself out of a 17-3 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter with two touchdowns from Drew Allar to Devonte Ross to force overtime. The Nittany Lions scored in the first overtime period on a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Kaytron Allen.

The Nittany Lions came one interception away from pulling off their fifth win over a top-10-ranked opponent under Franklin, but Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman picked off Allar on the first play of Penn State’s second overtime period.

The Nittany Lions’ next shot at beating a top-10-ranked opponent is on Saturday, Nov. 1, when they travel to No. 1 Ohio State, a team that Franklin is 1-10 all-time against with Penn State. The Nittany Lions won’t have much time to dwell on Saturday’s loss to Oregon, as it travels to winless UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 4 for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

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It’s a bittersweet homecoming for Micah Parsons on Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers throw down on ‘Sunday Night Football.’

It won’t have taken long for Parsons to make his return to ‘Big D.’ The superstar pass rusher began his stellar and budding career with Dallas, but was traded to the Packers in the week leading up to the NFL season. So far, he’s made his presence felt – and the Cowboys defense has felt his lack of presence.

Parsons has accounted for 15 total pressures and two sacks across three games with the Packers, per Pro Football Focus, with his 91.5 overall edge rusher grade trailing only Myles Garrett (92.0) and Joey Bosa (91.8). Dallas has three sacks combined as a unit.

To that end, Dallas’ defense has been amongst the worst in the league through three weeks, with opposing offenses facing minimal pressure and a bad secondary to throw the ball on. Dallas ranks dead last in passing yards allowed entering Week 4 – something that may have been remedied a bit had they rostered an all-world talent like Parsons.

USA TODAY Sports will cover all things Cowboys vs. Packers on Sunday night below, with live updates from pregame to triple-zeroes.

Watch Cowboys vs. Packers live with Fubo (free trial)

What time is Cowboys vs. Packers?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET | 7:20 p.m. CT

The Cowboys and Packers matchup gets underway at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Packers travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the tilt.

What TV channel is Cowboys vs. Packers on?

TV channel: NBC

NBC will broadcast the Cowboys vs. Packers ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline.

2025 Cowboys schedule

Cowboys 2025 record

The Cowboys enter their ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup with the Packers at 1-2. They have losses in Week 1 and 3 to the Eagles and Bears, respectively, with their sole win an overtime victory against the Giants in Week 2.

Packers 2025 record

The Packers walk into AT&T Stadium at 2-1 on the season. They have wins against the Lions and Commanders, with the Browns gaining an upset win over them in Week 3.

Cowboys vs. Packers live stream

Live stream:Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s proprietary streaming service, will carry the ‘SNF’ game.

Fubo will also carry Cowboys vs. Packers. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs. Packers prediction

Both teams are coming off surprising Week 3 losses: The Cowboys on the road to the Bears, and the Packers on the road to the Browns. Even with Jayden Reed out, expect the Packers to have their way with Dallas’ porous secondary –and a Parsons likely hellbent on revenge probably adds a bit more fuel to the fire, too. With CeeDee Lamb out, Prescott will have to find George Pickens early and often. That’s not going to be an easy task. The Packers win by a touchdown.

Prediction: Packers 27, Cowboys 20

Cowboys vs. Packers live betting odds

The WNBA is doubling down on its officials ahead of Game 4 between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces.

On Friday, Sept. 26, Game 3 of the WNBA playoffs between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx was not without its fair share of controversy. The Mercury would end up winning the game, 84-76, but the officiating came under question on multiple occasions in crucial moments.

In fact, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was ejected from the game after Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas stole a ball from the Lynx late in the game. Reeve did not like the fact that no call was made. Reeve later received a one-game suspension as well after the WNBA reviewed the footage, citing Reeve for ‘aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing’ the referees, failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected, ‘inappropriate’ comments made to fans while exiting the court, and remarks made during her post-game press conference.

Now, that same officiating crew will be in the building for Game 4 between the Fever and Aces.

Who are the officials for Fever-Aces Game 4?

Isaac Barnett, Randy Richardson and Jenna Reneau will be the officials for Game 4 in Indianapolis. The Las Vegas Aces lead the series 2-1.

What caused the confrontation in Mercury-Lynx Game 3?

With the Lynx trailing late in Game 3, a steal off an inbound pass from Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas led to an easy two points and a massive swing in momentum. Reeve was unhappy that the referees did not call a foul on Thomas.

When do the Lynx play next?

Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals series between the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx will take play tonight, Sunday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET.

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve will be suspended for this game.

How to watch Fever-Aces Game 4

Date: Sunday, Sept. 28
Time: 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
TV: ABC
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Viktor Hovland of Team Europe withdrew from his Sunday singles match due to a neck injury.
The withdrawal invoked the ‘envelope rule,’ resulting in a halved match against Harris English of the United States.
Hovland’s injury was diagnosed as a disc bulge in his neck following an MRI scan.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — The final match of the 2025 Ryder Cup was scheduled to be Europe’s Viktor Hovland against Harris English of the United States.

Instead, there will be no 12th match during Ryder Cup Sunday, as Hovland was scratched with a neck injury for the second consecutive day.

That invoked the mystical Ryder Cup ‘envelope rule,’ in which each side’s captain must submit an envelope with one player’s name should the other side have a player who must withdraw due to injury or illness at the start of the week. That unlucky player is then ‘paired’ with the withdrawn opposition and the matched is halved (worth .5 points).

For the Americans, that turned out to be English, who was originally paired with Hovland and therefore won’t affect the other matchups.  

Hovland and foursome (alternate shot) partner Robert MacIntyre lost during the Friday morning session to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. But the duo rebounded with a massive victory over Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler in the Saturday morning foursome session. Hovland drained a key birdie putt on hole No. 16 to tie the hole and keep his side’s one-up advantage, which he and MacIntyre held for the full point.

With the match halved, the score entering the singles matches is 12-5.

Hovland, from Norway, has been dealing with the neck injury since June and, despite winning Saturday morning, he had to withdraw from the Saturday afternoon fourballs (best ball), with Tyrrell Hatton replacing him in the final match alongside Matt Fitzpatrick.

Hovland underwent an MRI scan Saturday night at a local hospital and woke up Sunday morning unable to move his neck, according to a Ryder Cup statement. The imaging showed a disc bulge in his neck. That didn’t stop Hovland from trying to warm up at the course, ‘but due to limited movement, he had to inform captain Luke Donald that he will be unable to play.’

‘There is nothing more I would like to do than be out there representing Team Europe and trying to help them win the Ryder Cup today,’ Hovland said in the statement. ‘Not being able to do so is pretty heartbreaking. I will be backing my team as hard as I can and rooting them on.’

Arkansas has fired sixth-year coach Sam Pittman, following a 56-13 home loss to No. 21 Notre Dame, the university announced on Sunday, Sept. 28.

The loss dropped the Razorbacks to 2-3 during the 2025 college football season. Pittman will end his six-year tenure at two games below .500 with a 32-34 record leading the program.

Pittman, 63, is the fourth college football head coach fired through the first five weeks of the season after UCLA and Virginia Tech fired DeShaun Foster and Brent Pry, respectively, on Sunday, Sept. 14. Oklahoma State parted ways with Mike Gundy on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

The blowout loss to the Fighting Irish comes a week after Arkansas blew an 18-point lead against Memphis in a 32-31 loss on Sept. 20. The week prior, the Razorbacks’ road comeback effort against Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss came up short in a 41-35 loss.

The Razorbacks finished 9-4 in the 2021 season, which earned Pittman a contract extension. However, outside of that season, Arkansas has not won more than seven games nor finished a season ranked.

Why was Sam Pittman fired at Arkansas?

In its release, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek had this to say of Arkansas’ move from Pittman:

“I want to thank Coach Pittman for his service and dedication to the University of Arkansas throughout his time as head coach,” Yurachek said in a statement. “From Day 1, you could tell how much this opportunity meant to him. At this time, however, I feel a change is necessary to put our student-athletes and program in the best position to be successful.

‘The goal for our football program is to be highly competitive within the Southeastern Conference and compete for a national championship. As we move forward in the process of finding our next head coach, I am certain we will be able to provide the necessary resources to our staff and team to reach our goals.

‘We will begin a national search for our next head coach immediately and that search will include Coach Petrino, who has expressed his desire to be a candidate for the full-time job.”

Sam Pittman record at Arkansas

Outside of a nine-win season in 2021, the Razorbacks have not had sustained success under Pittman. He finishes his Razorback career with a 32-34 record with the program and never finished a season with a winning record against SEC opponents.

Here’s a breakdown of Pittman’s record by year at Arkansas:

2020: 3-7 (3-7 SEC play)
2021: 9-4 (4-4 SEC)
2022: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
2023: 4-8 (1-7 SEC)
2024: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)
2025: 2-3 (0-1 SEC)

Sam Pittman buyout

A clause in Pittman’s contract makes his buyout more interesting. Pittman signed his contract after the 2021 season and the clause determines how much his buyout would be.

Pittman will be owed $9.3 million, according to his contract documents obtained by the USA TODAY Network. According to the clause, if Pittman had a record below .500 since 2021 by the end of the season, he would be owed $5.7 million. However, if his record since 2021 is .500 or better at the end of the season, he would be owed $8.5 million.

With a 29-27 record since 2021, Arkansas could have waited to see if Pittman would have lost more games to pay a lower buyout. But the Razorbacks had seen enough and decided to part ways.