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STATE FARM STADIUM (Glendale, Ariz.) — The U.S. men’s soccer team trounced Mexico, its fiercest rival and FIFA’s No. 10 ranked nation, 3-0 in Saturday’s exhibition match here in front of a heavily pro El Tri crowd of more than 60,000 at the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Eighteen-year-old forward Julian Hall scored for the third straight game, 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan added the second and Malik Tillman rounded out the scoring with just a few minutes remaining. Here are my takeaways, plus post-game reaction from U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and his players. Last weekend against Peru, Cavan Sullivan became the second-youngest player to start in U.S. men’s national team history. On Saturday, he notched an even more impressive milestone when he pounced on an errant pass by Jose Rangel and chipped the Mexico keeper to give the Americans a dos-a-cero lead — the youngest goalscorer in the 113-year history of the program. “He’s a talented player with enormous quality, but with a very good balance in possession and out of possession,” Pochettino said. “He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior. It’s difficult to find this type of player. “Happy for him, happy for the team,” the coach added. “I like what he said [on TNT’s broadcast] after the game, that the most important thing was the result. He’s learning every day. That is a good thing.” Until losing back-to-back games to Mexico in 2024 and ’25, the U.S. had dominated its southern neighbor this decade, beating El Tri in three straight Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Gold Cup final in 2021. The pendulum swung back after Pochettino took over as coach, though that was hardly his fault, with an understrength U.S. squad falling in a so-called friendly in Guadalajara and in the 2025 Gold Cup final in Houston. After beating the Peruvians and Chile decisively late last month, Pochettino cautioned on Friday that there would be downs as well as ups for this unusually young roster, the first one of the 2030 World Cup cycle. But the kids didn’t get the memo, growing into the match against Mexico and taking the scoring chances they were presented with. That’s a hugely encouraging sign going forward. “Mexico is a great team,” Pochettino said. “They forced us to play backwards. We never connected, we were losing all the duels. And then we started to grow after 15-20 minutes.” “We had to adapt in different ways,” U.S. captain Tyler Adams said. “At halftime we kind of regrouped…I thought it was a complete team performance in a lot of different facets of the game. We had some challenges to defend. I think we defended all right for most of the part, and then obviously scored some good goals.” It’s possible that the 18-year-old Red Bull New York striker wouldn’t even have been on Pochettino’s roster for Saturday’s contest. World Cup starter Folarin Balogun and one of his backups, Haji Wright, were not called in this window. Hall might not have played nearly as much if Ricardo Pepi, who appeared in all five games during the Americans’ run to the round of 16, hadn’t gotten hurt after Pochettino named his roster back on Sept. 17. No matter. Hall has taken every opportunity he’s been given since making his senior international debut in last week’s 4-1 win over Peru, scoring it that game shortly after entering as a second half substitute and then finding the net again in his first start, a 4-2 victory against Chile. Those goals were enough for Poch to keep the Manhattan-born Hall in his lineup for Saturday’s showdown with Mexico, the highest-profile match among the four the No. 16-ranked U.S. team will play this window. And Hall rose to the challenge again, giving the home team a 1-0 lead following one of the only extended spells of possession the USA had during a first half in which El Tri had the ball for more than 60 percent of the time. “I mean, three goals in three games is not bad for a striker, especially in your first three games in the national team,” said Gio Reyna, whose cross led to Hall’s tap-in. “He sort of has that eye for goal.” Like most of the rest of the youngsters who Pochettino handed minutes to this month, Hall will probably return to either the U.S. under-20 national team or the 2028 Olympics-bound U-23s when the more experienced forwards in the player pool inevitably return. But for a country that never seems to have enough pure goalscorers, he’s definitely given Poch and his staff something to think about ahead of next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. “It’s a fantastic problem for us,” the coach told me when I asked if the performances of Hall and the other youngsters might alter thier plans. Once its strongest position by far, the U.S. has had a devil of a time producing elite goalkeepers in recent years. But the 20-year-old Kochen is the country’s best backstop prospect in years, and the fact that Poch started him in a hostile environment in Glendale says plenty about the Barcelona product’s potential. That talent was on full display in the 58th minute when, with the U.S. clinging to a 1-0 lead and Mexico knocking on the door, he made an all-world stop on El Tri attacker Roberto Alvarado on the way to a clean sheet: “It’s one of the greatest moments of my entire life,” a beaming Kochen told me about an hour after the final whistle blew. “I’m super thankful that the coach trusted me with this.” It remains to be seen if Kochen will keep his place going forward, stick with the senior team in an understudy role, or if he, like others, will return to the youth ranks. Given his competition, his age, and his status as the American keeper with the highest ceiling, don’t be surprised if it’s the first one. The Americans have another quick turnaround following Saturday’s victory, with just two days between the Mexican match and another rivalry game on Tuesday against Canada and its American coach, Jesse Marsch. “We have Canada in three days,” said Reyna, the only U.S. player to start all three games during this camp. “First time I started three games in the week in probably four or five years, so I’m a little bit tired now. But I’ll be good for Canada.” While the U.S. holds the all-time series lead with a record of 17 wins to 12 losses (along with two draws), it has won just once in the last six meetings between the teams, including the most recent in 2025. Can the Red, White and Blue break another streak of futility against another neighbor in Minnesota?​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

From big home runs to dominant pitching and confusing late-inning calls, the first four games of the Division Series had everything. After the Chicago White Sox opened the day with a win, the three home teams – the Dodgers, Rays and Brewers – held serve with wins. Los Angeles and Tampa Bay got huge outings from their starting pitchers, while Milwaukee got some timely hitting and a little bit of luck. Here are our takeaways: Deesha Thosar: In the same inning, with two clutch swings, the two most valuable White Sox players showed just how quickly they can turn the table. Guardians left-hander Parker Messick was dealing through three innings, racking up six strikeouts across his first 11 batters faced. Then, just when it looked like Messick was getting into a groove, the heart of Chicago’s order overmatched Cleveland’s talented rookie. White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off the fourth inning with a single that left his bat at 110 mph to left field, representing a nightmare scenario for Messick. Digging into the box was first baseman Munetaka Murakami, one of the league’s top sluggers this year, who instantly became a fan favorite in Chicago after he joined the club as a free agent through the Japanese posting system. Murakami’s 45-day negotiating window this past winter gave all 30 teams a chance to speak with the power slugger. There was limited interest in a long-term deal for Murakami, so he signed a two-year, prove-it contract with the White Sox. It didn’t take long to understand why every Murakami at-bat is must-see television, and why 29 teams should be kicking themselves for losing out on him. In that electric fourth inning on Saturday, the 26-year-old rookie slugger didn’t even need to wait for a fastball to do serious damage. On the first pitch from Messick, a 93 mph sinker slightly up and in, Murakami connected at 112 mph off the bat and lifted it into the right-field seats for a thunderous two-run home run that gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead. It was the hardest-hit ball of the playoffs so far and traveled 440 feet, giving the White Sox an early lead they didn’t relinquish. Munetaka was quiet in the wild-card series against the Astros, going 1-for-10 without finding his first postseason home run. When it finally arrived, he knew he got it. Murakami stayed in the box and watched all of it sail to right field before turning to his dugout, slamming his bat on the ground and pumping up his teammates. Vargas, too, had been silent this postseason until Game 1 of the ALDS. After going 0-for-9 against the Astros, he went 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored in the series opener against the Guardians. Saturday’s performance was a full-circle moment of sorts for Vargas, who didn’t hide his disappointment when he was traded from the Dodgers to the White Sox during MLB’s trade deadline in 2024. At the time, Vargas went from a Los Angeles super team that was on its way to winning the World Series to a historically awful 121-loss White Sox team. Vargas was a cast-off until he found his place on this year’s Cinderella Sox squad. It all came together for Vargas and Murakami in Chicago’s gripping opening salvo on Saturday. Both players are critical to the White Sox’ goals for a deep postseason run, and both are enjoying terrific redemption arcs. Rowan Kavner: In six career playoff starts entering Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Tarik Skubal had never received more than three runs of support from his offense. He had also never played with a lineup like the one he has now. Skubal starred in his Dodgers playoff debut, at one point retiring 15 straight Braves. Despite his success through five innings, he led just 2-0 when he left a sinker up to Braves catcher Sean Murphy, who deposited the pitch 421 feet over the fence to center field. While it was a scorching hot day at Dodger Stadium — it was 100 degrees at first pitch and ascended to 103 degrees from there — it took a while for the Dodgers’ offense to warm up. Eventually, though, it ignited in a 5-3 win – and it was their maligned corner outfielders leading the charge, continuing their late-season resurgence. Teoscar Hernández had an OPS under .700 in late August and nearly started getting platooned in left field before he took off in September, producing an OPS over 1.000 in his final 25 games of the regular season. Kyle Tucker, meanwhile, was mired in a year-long struggle in the first season of a four-year, $240 million deal. He was particularly ineffective at Dodger Stadium, where he was the fourth-worst qualified home hitter in the sport. But he, too, started to look better in the season’s final weeks, also producing an OPS over 1.000 in his last 17 games. And in their first game of October, both continued to rewrite the script of their season. After Braves opener Dylan Dodd carved through the Dodgers’ lineup for the first three innings, Hernández greeted Braves reliever Victor Mederos with a 431-foot blast to start the scoring. Two innings later, Tucker and Max Muncy both went deep off AJ Smith-Shawver to break the game open — runs that would be crucial, after the Braves tagged Tanner Scott for two runs in the ninth on a home run from Ozzie Albies — demonstrating that even if Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman aren’t right physically, there are myriad game-changers in the Dodgers’ lineup. Thosar: Drew Rasmussen, or Yankee killer? The final time Rasmussen took the mound in the regular season was against the Yankees, and he shoved. In front of a packed house in the Bronx last week, Rasmussen struck out 11 batters and limited New York to one run over 6 ⅔ innings on 114 pitches. It was a phenomenal way to wrap up his dominant year. On Saturday night, under the bright lights of the MLB postseason, Rasmussen outdid himself. Call it the best start of his seven-year career. The 30-year-old right-hander was untouchable. The four-pitch mix coming out of his hand was ridiculous. The Yankees lineup was so stupefied by Rasmussen’s arsenal that he carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. It wasn’t until Yankees catcher Austin Wells lined a two-out double down the first-base foul line that the Yankees had a man on base for the first time since the third inning. Finally, the Yankees had their chance to rattle Rasmussen and bring Giancarlo Stanton off the bench to pinch-hit for third baseman Ryan McMahon. But Wells, a stocky backstop with catcher speed, decided to leg out a triple in a one-run playoff game. That was never going to end well. Wells was easily out at third, the Rays got out of their only jam of the game, and Rasmussen was completely fired up instead of flustered. His final line was impeccable. Rasmussen struck out 10 batters, allowed two walks and one hit over eight shutdown innings and 101 pitches. Simply put, he could do whatever he wanted against these Yankees. They never stood a chance, and when they finally created one, they made yet another silly baserunning mistake, which has plagued them in October for the past several seasons. Rasmussen’s dominance overshadowed what was actually a strong outing from Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the ALDS. Cole pitched five one-run innings, allowed one walk and struck out five, with his only blemish being a solo shot to Jonathan Aranda in the third inning. Cole’s start was in question leading up to the weekend, and nobody would’ve faulted Yankees manager Aaron Boone if he went with Carlos Rodón for the series opener instead. But Cole was solid, and the Yankees still have a fully rested Rodón to pitch a different game in the series. Kavner: Throw out the script. Ditch the blueprint. Then raise the roof. Or, if you’re a Brewers fan, maybe leave it right where it is. In the playoffs, sometimes things go awry. On Saturday in Milwaukee, the Brewers countered with Plan B. Or maybe C or D. Their Cy Young favorite lasted only four innings. They got into a battle with the best bullpen in the sport. They watched a deep ninth-inning drive nearly put the Padres ahead. But they somehow prevailed in a wacky 3-2 victory, protecting home field in Game 1 of the NLDS with an assist from the roof at American Family Field. Trailing by a run with one on and one out in the ninth, Padres first baseman Ty France pulled a fastball from Brewers closer Trevor Megill deep to left field. It looked like it might get out when suddenly the ball struck a roof cable and ricocheted back into the field of play. By rule, any ball that strikes the roof, roof truss or roof cable at the stadium in fair territory is in play. Left fielder Jackson Chourio was alertly camped underneath to catch it. One batter later, Jackson Merrill lined out to end the game. “Four years in this stadium, never seen that before,” Megill said. “Just glad it worked in our favor.” Even before the bizarre finish, this was certainly not how the Brewers drew up their win. They had the clear starting pitching advantage, with their ace Jacob Misiorowski facing veteran Robbie Ray, who had an ERA over 5.00 in nine starts after getting traded from the Giants to the Padres. The first pitch of the game from “The Miz” clocked in at 104.8 mph, making it the fastest postseason pitch on record. So, the Padres decided to wait the flamethrower out. They routinely spoiled heaters, then attacked his secondary pitches. Manny Machado doubled on a slider in the first. In the second, Xander Bogaerts singled on a slider, while Ethan Salas and Luis Campusano singled on cutters. A fielder’s choice followed, and the Brewers suddenly trailed 2-0. Milwaukee responded when a 22-year-old who is already now their all-time postseason home run leader went yard. Chourio obliterated a first-pitch slider from Ray, launching it 113.3 mph off the bat and 420 feet out to left-center for a two-run shot in the third. It was Chourio’s fifth home run in just 13 career playoff games. Misiorowski, who lasted just four innings but struck out six and only allowed the two runs, has credited catcher William Contreras for helping him navigate through his record-setting season on the mound. But in the seventh inning on Saturday, it was Contreras’ bat that made the difference. Contreras worked the count full against Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, then went the other way on a full-count, 100.1 mph sinker for a go-ahead home run. It was the first homer Morejon had allowed since Aug. 18. A skirmish against the Padres’ high-powered bullpen is usually not a recipe for success. Milwaukee’s relief corps danced around trouble to post five scoreless innings, complete with a hat-tip to the roof, or maybe a divine power, to end it. Afterward, Brewers manager Pat Murphy could only think of the late, legendary Bob Uecker. “The only thing that you could probably figure on the ball that everybody’s going to be talking about is that Ueck decided to put his hand on it and swat it down so Chourio could catch it,” Murphy said. “So, thanks, Ueck.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

From a morning crowd-surf to a field-storming celebration with the Little Brown Jug, this is the oral history of P.J. Fleck’s unforgettable day. P.J. Fleck arrived at Huntington Bank Stadium dressed for the occasion. Gopher maroon pants. Brown preppy loafers. A navy blue sport coat. A maroon tie and pocket square. On his left lapel, a Minnesota “M” pin. It was well before 9 a.m., and Fleck was already in his element. Since his first head coaching job at Western Michigan in 2013, Fleck’s relentless energy, booming voice and unwavering belief in his teams have become trademarks of his career. At Minnesota, that personality can be summed up in one phrase: Row the Boat. It’s about resilience. The idea that every individual in the program has a role in moving the boat forward. At his introductory press conference at Minnesota back in 2017, Fleck offered a glimpse into the mentality he would bring to the program. “My entire life has been about running into the fire, not away from the fire.” On Saturday, the fire was Michigan. And Fleck was ready to run in head first. ACT I: THE SHOW 9:15 A.M. CT Fleck appeared on the set of FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” shortly after 9 a.m. CT. He sprinted to the set, slapping high-fives with fans as he ran through a spirit tunnel filled with Minnesota supporters dressed in maroon and gold. He leaped onto the stage, dapped up Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram, Urban Meyer and host Rob Stone, and immediately became the center of attention. Quinn had a question for him. The previous week, after Minnesota’s win over Washington, Fleck had wiped linebacker Maverick Baranowski’s blood across his own face in one of the stranger postgame moments of the season. FOX Sports’ Brady Quinn:”Talk to me about the blood-brother relationship you have with him (Baranowski) and your players?” Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck:”You can’t go out there and bleed with them and play with them anymore as players. So, the way to show that is, ‘I got your back.’” Then Fleck, being, well … Fleck … took the story in another direction. Fleck:”It’s Minnesota. It’s hunting season, and if you get your first deer, you’re supposed to take a bite out of the heart, so I didn’t do that.” Ingram erupted in laughter. Then the BNK Crew convinced Fleck to do something even more Fleck-like. Crowd surf. He leaped into a sea of Minnesota fans outside the set, pumping his fists and screaming, “Let’s go!” as supporters lifted him above their heads and carried him through the crowd. When Fleck finally made his way back to the stage, Stone had seen enough. FOX Sports’ Rob Stone:”Best guest ever.” Kickoff was still nearly two hours away. ACT II: THE MOMENT GETS REAL Fleck changed out of his Saturday-best outfit and into a maroon Minnesota quarter-zip. He led his team onto the field with a sea of gold chrome helmets sprinting out of the tunnel behind him. The stadium was rocking. FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft:”The hype is real. You can hear how excited this place is.” Fleck had a theme for this game. Last week against Washington, it was frontiersmen heading west. Against Michigan, the message was darker: Darth Vader. The Evil Empire. Taft:”The message is simple: Feel the force. Use the energy from a sellout crowd and get the job done.” Then the game started. And the first half was far from perfect. Minnesota trailed 14-7 at halftime after quarterback Drake Lindsey threw a late second-quarter pick-six. As Fleck prepared to lead his team back onto the field, Taft caught up with him. Fleck:”We played 30 minutes of really good football. We gotta get some takeaways, have some long drives go our way. It’s 0-0. Let’s go!” The second half would belong to the Gophers. ACT III: THE COMEBACK Minnesota’s defense took over in the second half, holding Michigan scoreless. The Gophers intercepted Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood twice. They held the talented sophomore signal-caller to 101 yards passing and 20 yards rushing. Michigan had opportunities. Minnesota kept taking them away. Then the clock hit zero. MINNESOTA 20, MICHIGAN 14. For the first time since 1977, Minnesota had beaten Michigan at home. Fans poured over the railings and onto the field. Players sprinted toward the Little Brown Jug – the historic trophy awarded to the winner of the contest. “Mr. Brightside” — the song traditionally played at the Big House during Michigan football games — blared over the speakers. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos was Fleck. Taft found him for a postgame interview. Taft:”Minnesota has not beaten Michigan at home since 1977. How and why did the Gophers do it today?” Fleck:”This team, their heart, their spirit, our community, our spirit, our state. They never stopped believing. This team is resilient. There’s pandemonium in Minnesota right now.” Taft turned her attention to the defense. Taft:”Your defense was so suffocating today. What was the highlight for you?” Fleck couldn’t wait to reply. “They swarmed to the ball. They played complementary defense. They played structured downs. They shrunk the pocket. They tackled. They trusted one another.” Then Taft asked him about the players who had bought into that philosophy. Taft:”Coach, your program is all about development, guys who want to stick around and be here and believe. How proud are you?” Fleck paused before delivering the quote of the day. Fleck:”I couldn’t be prouder. Besides my marriage and my kids being born, this might be the best day of my life. ROW THE BOAT!” FOX Sports’ Gus Johnson:”Oh, wow, Coach Fleck. What a coach!” ACT IV: WHY IT MATTERED The field eventually began to clear. It was time for Fleck to speak to the media, addressing what he told his players following the historic win. Fleck:”I told them in the locker room that they make my life amazing. When you’ve got everyone feeling really good about themselves, really good about their lives, that’s what it’s all about.” When reporters asked him what beating Michigan meant, Fleck talked about the memory his team had created. Fleck:”You want to create the memory so bad for other people because it’s not about you.” He mentioned the players. He shouted out the administration. He spoke about fans. He harped on the student body. And last, he spoke about the state of Minnesota. Fleck:”I want everybody to have such great pride in it.” And then there was the Little Brown Jug. Fleck:”Winning one of the oldest rivalry trophies. It’s special.” The victory belonged to everybody associated with the Minnesota football program. ACT V: ROW THE BOAT By now, fans had begun to empty out of the stadium. The coaches had spoken to reporters. The players had hugged their loved ones and made the walk to the locker room. But Fleck’s celebration was far from over. He grabbed the Little Brown Jug, hoisted it over his head and poured water all over himself. He handed the trophy off and sprinted toward the locker room. Another crowd surf. His hands went up. Water rained down around him. This was his time to celebrate with his players. No stage. No nerves ahead of kickoff. Just Fleck, his players and the historic trophy they had spent 12 years chasing. His team embraced the moment. They ran into the fire. And on Saturday afternoon, in front of 50,000-plus fans dressed from head to toe in Minnesota marron and gold, they rowed the boat.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles) – After firing six innings of one-run ball in his first playoff start for the Dodgers, delivering exactly what the back-to-back champions envisioned when they traded for the back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner at the deadline, Tarik Skubal returned to his home dugout on a scorching Saturday afternoon and asked his teammates a question. “Has it been this hot all game?” At the time of Skubal’s departure, the video board over the left-field pavilion read “103.” The official temperature at first pitch of Game 1 of the National League Division Series was 100 degrees, making it the second-hottest postseason game in Dodger Stadium history, behind only Game 1 of the 2017 World Series. “It’s amazing what your brain can do in certain circumstances and moments,” Skubal said. “It’s amazing what you can control and kind of eliminate. So, I actually didn’t think it was horrible when I was pitching.” It was hot, Skubal eventually conceded. Nothing he hadn’t dealt with before, though. “I played a Little League game in 127,” claimed Skubal, who moved from Northern California to Arizona as a kid. “Lake Havasu.” So, rather than withering in the sweltering heat, he melted the Braves’ bats in a 5-3 win. Skubal knew how to handle the adverse conditions, doing his best to stay hydrated and out of the sun as often as possible. Quick innings would help. He delivered plenty. After Braves designated hitter Drake Baldwin led off the game with a single, Skubal retired the next 15 Atlanta batters he faced, including seven by strikeout. “That’s why you acquire a guy like him,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said. Skubal got eight whiffs with his changeup. His fastball played up, as expected with the added adrenaline of postseason baseball. Five of his 15 fastest pitches this season came Saturday afternoon, including a 101.1 mph that was his hardest since last year’s American League wild-card series. “I think I was just trying to match the temperature out there,” Skubal quipped. As the sun beamed down in the sixth inning, a beacon of light finally appeared for the Braves offense. After getting ahead 0-2 on Sean Murphy, Skubal left a sinker up at the top of the zone. The Atlanta catcher sent it 421 feet out to center field for a solo shot. The Braves continued to threaten later in the inning after Skubal walked two batters, but the left-hander navigated around the traffic and prevented the inning from spiraling. He bought time for the Dodgers’ offense to break out, which it eventually did with home runs from Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy in the middle innings. By the time Skubal departed, the Dodgers led 5-1. “He was as advertised,” Muncy said. “It was really fun to see him go out there and do his thing.” Skubal had aced his first test, one he considered a privilege. He was informed he would start Game 1 right after he left his final start of the regular season in San Francisco on Sept. 25. The left-hander was only at 75 pitches after striking out 10 Giants in seven innings, so he figured he was going to keep going. Instead, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts came out, shook Skubal’s hand and delivered the news. “Get ready for Game 1.” Skubal was fired up, but he was also deferential. Many had expected Yoshinobu Yamamoto to get the Game 1 start, and Skubal knew what Yamamoto meant to the team after winning World Series MVP honors last season with a herculean effort in Games 6 and 7. “Tarik was very respectful of Yoshinobu,” Roberts said, “but we have thoughts on why we do things, and all these guys are all in for whatever we decide.” In a short time, Skubal has also garnered respect in his new clubhouse, not just because of his talent and production but because of how he has embraced his new surroundings, for however long he might be a Dodger. “I just feel like he’s into it,” Rojas said. “It’s really refreshing when you get a guy in the middle of the year and get so much more than just performance. You get a guy that’s helping the rest of the guys in the clubhouse.” Rojas noticed that after Skubal’s day was done Saturday, the pitcher didn’t go to the training room. Instead, Skubal stayed in the dugout, wanting to support his teammates. “The person that he is, the player that he is, the way he works, it just has been awesome,” Hernandez told me. “Not only for him, but for everybody in the clubhouse and the organization, to see the way he goes about his business and the dedication he puts in every day.” This winter, Skubal is due to become one of the highest-paid pitchers in MLB history, yet Muncy said he hasn’t heard Skubal mention free agency once. Muncy has also noticed how badly Skubal wants the ball in any scenario, despite that looming payday. After his first playoff start as a Dodger on Saturday, Skubal said he is “absolutely” willing to pitch on short rest or in relief should the situation call for it, much like Yamamoto did last year. “He’s a bull,” Rojas said. “He’s one of those guys that you want in the front of your rotation.” Luckily for the Dodgers, they have a few of those. On Sunday, another two-time Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell, will take the mound for the Dodgers in Game 2. Yamamoto will likely follow in Game 3. For the Braves, the heat won’t let up after Saturday’s sweltering opener. “We’re in a good spot,” Roberts said. “It all starts with winning Game 1.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

David Ortiz is all in on the Dodgers winning a third consecutive title, but not everyone on the MLB on FOX crew is ready to crown L.A. just yet. Dontrelle Willis, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Ortiz split their picks evenly between the two franchises, with Jeter and Rodriguez taking New York and Willis and Ortiz siding with Los Angeles. The segment also came with some playful ribbing over who on set got a call from the Yankees’ front office. Willis got things started with the Dodgers, picking them to beat the Tampa Bay Rays and leaning on the strength of their rotation and overall roster. “Dodgers over Rays. I know I got a couple Yankee faithfuls up here, but the Dodgers win,” Willis said. “They have that rotation, timely hitting, and most important, experience.” Jeter, the first of those Yankee faithfuls, went with New York to win it all, riding its pitching staff past a surprise National League contender. “I got the New York Yankees riding their pitching staff over the surprise team, the San Diego Padres,” Jeter said. Rodriguez agreed on the champion but chose a different opponent, calling for a rematch of the Yankees-Dodgers World Series from a couple of years ago. His reasoning came down to the arms on both sides. “I’m gonna go with the Yankees beating the Dodgers in a rematch from a couple of years ago,” Rodriguez said. “Best two pitching staffs in the game — I’m going with pitching and defense.” With two of his three desk-mates rocking with the men in pinstripes, Willis couldn’t let it slide. “(Brian)Cashman called both of y’all already. I know the deal,” he said. Ortiz had the last word and used it to side with Willis, picking Los Angeles over New York. He admitted the Dodgers’ dominance hasn’t gotten old for him, even if it probably should have by now. “We’ve been watching the Dodgers whooping everybody every year, man, and I still don’t get enough of it. I guess we don’t learn,” Ortiz said. “Come on, man…Dodgers over the Yankees. I believe the Yankees have good pitching, but the Dodgers are still the same. Three-peat. Let’s go.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Ohio State is known as “Wide Receiver U” thanks to players like Chris Olave and Emeka Egbuka. Cris Carter and David Boston before them. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. as well. On Saturday while playing against Iowa, Jeremiah Smith surpassed every single one of them and so many more. Smith set the record for most touchdown catches and total receptions, while adding to his record for most yards. He earned the triple crown in wide receiver stats. He hauled in 11 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns to lead the fifth-ranked Buckeyes to a 31-14 win over No. 14 Iowa. With 6:11 remaining in the third quarter, Smith broke free for a 57-yard touchdown catch, hitting the Heisman pose after he broke the plane of the end zone, for his 36th career touchdown catch. One more than Olave. Four minutes later, Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin connected on a short route for his 10th catch of the afternoon, as he passed Egbuka for most receptions all time. After one more quarter of play, here’s where Smith stands through five games in the 2026 season and 34 games as a Buckeye: Career Receiving Yards Career Receptions Career Receiving Touchdowns After his historic day against Iowa, Smith is now the +105 heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles) – Before they took the field on Opening Day, Dodgers players had a gift waiting in their lockers, courtesy of their best player. Next to a brand-new Seiko watch was a note. “From Shohei Ohtani. Let’s three-peat.” The goal has existed on the periphery all season, usually unspoken yet omnipresent as the Dodgers attempt to accomplish what no team has done since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. No National League team has ever won three consecutive World Series championships. The Dodgers understand the opportunity ahead, even if it’s not something their manager chooses to bring up often. When they clinched the division for a fifth straight year on Sept. 17, manager Dave Roberts instead focused on his team’s toughness and hunger and the sacrifices it would take, including time away from family, to make sure this October would be another to remember. “You never know who is going to be the guy, who that moment is going to fall to,” Roberts told his team. “Many people have lived it in this clubhouse. My ask is, be ready to be that guy.” He did not mention the phrase “three-peat.” He didn’t need to. Ohtani’s veteran team knows what’s at stake, especially as the club’s aging core gets a year older and labor strife invites uncertainty about the future. What the Dodgers have built, and the chance in front of them, is not guaranteed forever. “We’re all aware we have a chance to do something that’s never been done in the National League and what it would mean for this franchise, this fanbase,” Roberts said. “But it just makes life more difficult when you don’t focus on the job, that’s winning this next series. I think our guys are pretty focused on that.” They’re also equipped for it. In 2024, the Dodgers’ talented bullpen arms made up for a patchwork rotation on their triumphant postseason run. Last year, their surplus of starters gave them extra relief options to manage an unstable bullpen. In Game 7 of the World Series, all six pitchers who entered the game for the Dodgers began the year as starters. This year, the Dodgers anticipate a more reliable mix of arms. Everything is set up smoothly for them to make history. They are the least-flawed group in the playoff field — Do the Brewers have enough power to win? Do the Braves or Padres have enough reliable starting pitching? Will any American League team have a chance against the National League winner? — with a rotation that could go down as one of the best October units ever assembled. Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, will take the mound for Game 1 against the Braves in the National League Division Series. Roberts delivered the news to Skubal right after their star deadline acquisition exited his final start of the season in San Francisco, where he needed just 75 pitches to strike out 10 batters in seven innings. “I thought in the moment I was going to be able to finish the game,” Skubal recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Get ready for Game 1.’ That’s how I was told, and obviously excited and fired up and ready to go.” The Dodgers have another two-time Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell, and the reigning World Series MVP, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, ready to follow in some order for the ensuing games. Tyler Glasnow, who struck out 21 batters over his final two starts of the season, would be the top arm on some playoff teams. He is the Dodgers’ fourth starter. “In my opinion,” Freeman said, “we’ve got four No. 1s rolling out there.” Contrast that with their National League Division Series foes. While Tyler Mahle has stepped up in a significant way to give Atlanta more pitching depth, Chris Sale is the lone ace of the group. The Braves used Sale twice in their wild-card series, once to start Game 1 and again two days later to secure the final five outs of the series — a decision that now yields significant consequences. The Braves will likely use a bullpen game against Skubal on Saturday in Los Angeles, and Sale’s status for Sunday’s Game 2 is up in the air. The Braves should have the bullpen advantage, but there are reasons for October optimism — certainly more than a year ago — once the Dodgers’ full stable of arms gets narrowed down to those in Roberts’ trust tree. In August and September, Dodgers relievers combined for a 3.20 ERA, which ranked fourth in MLB. In September, Alex Vesia was 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA while Evan Phillips had a 2.16 ERA with 12 strikeouts and one walk in nine appearances. Most notably, after a miserable season for Edwin Díaz, the Dodgers’ $69 million offseason signing started to resemble the player they expected to get. After returning from the injured list, Díaz made five scoreless appearances in which he struck out nine batters and allowed just two baserunners to finish the year. Lefty Tanner Scott has enjoyed a bounce-back season in the second year of a four-year, $72 million deal and is the likeliest option to pitch the ninth to begin the postseason, though that role is not set in stone. If Díaz continues to look more like the player the Dodgers expected, he gives the club another closing option. They also have starter Roki Sasaki ready to make his annual postseason pilgrimage to the Dodgers’ bullpen, only now with a much more consistent season under his belt. Roberts said he feels comfortable with any of Scott, Phillips, Díaz or Sasaki closing games. Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ struggling hitters have finally caught fire. Entering September, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández were the only hitters on the team who had received at least 300 plate appearances and produced below league-average results. Then, in the season’s final month, Betts had a 1.112 OPS, Hernández hit .341 and Tucker homered six times. In addition, catcher Will Smith returned from a nearly three-month hiatus with a neck issue to slash .290/.400/.548 with four home runs over his last 21 games. All-Star center fielder Andy Pages, meanwhile, returned from a fractured hand for the final six games of the regular season and proceeded to go 6-for-18 with two home runs. That doesn’t mean that the Dodgers enter October are without any concerns. Snell left his start early on Sept. 16 with a groin issue, though he returned to deliver four innings of work on Sept. 26. A sore right knee sapped much of Freddie Freeman’s power in the second half. Meanwhile, the team’s biggest October question mark centers on the player who delivered that Opening Day gift. Lingering left knee and right biceps issues impacted Ohtani’s production in the season’s second half and forced him to the injured list in September. Neither Freeman nor Ohtani are expected to be 100% on this postseason run. That’s why the first-round bye the Dodgers secured was so vital, giving the club’s ailing veterans adequate time to rest. Snell, Freeman and Ohtani are all expected to be ready to go. Freeman, in particular, has already shown that he can take his game up a notch in October even when he’s not feeling right physically. “A couple Octobers ago was probably 100 times worse, ailment-wise,” Freeman said. “I truly feel good right now physically, so it’s on me now to figure out the mechanics of the swing.” Thursday provided a promising sign when Freeman laced a double in an intrasquad scrimmage. “I feel very confident that once we get to Saturday, we’re going to see the best version of Freddie,” Roberts said. Earlier this week, Ohtani took batting practice on the field, a rare occurrence for him. Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates said he launched a couple of baseballs off the scoreboard. “It was as good as we’ve seen it this year, as far as the way the ball was coming off and the way he was getting his move off,” Bates said. In live at-bats Friday against Emmet Sheehan — another pitching depth option for the Dodgers this postseason — Ohtani struck out once and then lined a hard hit to right field. Roberts is hopeful that the bright lights of October will bring the best out of his superstar designated hitter, even in a compromised form. “I expect good things,” Roberts said. “I really do. We just haven’t seen it enough for me to forecast it.” Since 2024, after getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in back-to-back seasons, the Dodgers have used the downtime between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason to spend more time together as a team, including hosting playoff watch parties and participating in intrasquad games, to stay close and avoid rust. It worked the last two years for more-flawed clubs than this one, yielding back-to-back World Series titles. Given the way everything seems to be coming together, there’s no reason it won’t again. “This team knows when to turn the switch and go,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas told me. “We all understand the task that’s ahead of us, and we’ve got the motivation that’s winning three in a row.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

TEMPE, Arizona — For any international soccer squad (or really a team in any sport at all), hitting the road for games in inhospitable environments is a fact of life. Home-field advantage is real. The flip side of that fact is that it also holds true for opponents. Being the away team is almost always harder. It sure has been for the U.S. men’s national team against Mexico, its fiercest rival. While the USA has gotten the better of El Tri more often than not over the last quarter-century — including a 2-0 win that sent the Americans to the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, it still has never won a competitive match south of the border since the neighbors first met in one there almost 80 years ago. Saturday’s exhibition between the U.S. and Mexico just outside of Phoenix is technically a home game for the Stars and Stripes. As a practical matter, it isn’t. The overwhelming majority of the 60,000-plus fans expected at State Farm Stadium in nearby Glendale are sure to be rooting for the visiting team. “It’s going to be an adverse crowd, tough conditions to play in,” veteran American defender Antonee Robinson said on Thursday. “But that’s something we embrace.” They should. It’s been almost two years since Mauricio Pochettino’s side last played outside the United States. Because the USA qualified automatically as co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, it didn’t have to earn its way there by collecting points in hostile regional outposts such as Port-of-Spain or San Pedro Sula or Mexico City. That won’t be the case ahead of the 2030 World Cup. Concacaf’s marathon two-year-long qualifying tournament begins late next year. Saturday’s contest will help prepare the U.S. for what’s coming. “It’s a good opportunity for us to live that experience, of course,” Pochettino said during his pre-game press conference, adding that if the composition of the crowd resembles the 2025 Gold Cup final that the U.S. narrowly lost to Mexico in front of an ocean of green jerseys in Houston, it will be like starting the game “down 1-nil.” “To play in a difficult atmosphere, I think that for sure is going to help for the future.” The U.S. kicked off this new World Cup cycle with impressive multi-goal wins over South American foes Peru and Chile. Pochettino started a number of young players against both. The initial feeling was that he’d opt for more experienced lineups for the final two tests of this extended four-match window. But the youngsters did well enough — the Americans got goals from teenagers Mathis Albert and Justin Ellis and two from Julian Hall — to suggest that they won’t be at all overawed if they’re called on against Mexico and/or Canada. After facing El Tri, the U.S. will wrap things up in St. Paul, Minnesota, with another rivalry game against their neighbors in the north. “Tomorrow is going to be similar to Peru or Chile,” Pochettino said Friday. “We are going to always try to find a good balance, a mix between experienced players and non-experienced players at the international level.” Still, the intensity of the game against El Tri figures to be unlike anything any of the newcomers have seen before. “Dislike, hate. I mean, it’s a rivalry,” said Tyler Adams, who Pochettino announced will inherit the captain’s armband from the now-retired Tim Ream. “Whenever we play Mexico — whether it’s a qualifier, a friendly, Gold Cup, Nations League — it’s always seen as a must-win game,” Robinson said. “It feels like a cup final, and we get a lot of boys who’ve never experienced that at this level who’ll get to see it for the first time.” Given what we’ve seen from the new generation so far, they’ll likley be up for the challenge. “There’s a lot of games where we’ve played and it’s been mostly Mexico fans. Some teams could fold under that pressure,” Robibnsion continued. “But I think we like the kind of adversity that comes with that. We love when we score and we’re getting beers thrown at us and things like that. “It’s a great feeling.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s not hard to understand why facing Jacob Misiorowski is often a fruitless endeavor. Prior to this year, Jordan Hicks was the only starting pitcher in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) to eclipse the 103-mph mark on a fastball. He did it twice in 2022. Misiorowski did it 143 times this year alone. Cardinals catcher Pedro Pagés saw Misiorowski’s stifling speed up close on May 25, when he was one of just two players in the lineup to record a hit off the Brewers ace, who struck out 12 batters in seven innings of work. Pagés’ advice? “Swing and pray,” he told me. “You’ve got to stay short and try to be early. That fastball’s different. That fastball’s definitely different. He throws it hard, he’s huge, and he lets it go right on you because of his extension.” Misiorowski, the likely National League Cy Young Award winner who will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Padres on Saturday night (FS1, 8:30 p.m. ET), led MLB in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), strikeout rate (37.9%) and WHIP (0.80), among many categories. He held opponents to a .157 batting average, the lowest mark ever for a qualified starter. With the hardest fastball on average of any MLB starting pitcher, it’s no wonder why stepping into the box against Misiorowski is typically a frustrating and futile effort. Of the 369 occasions this season that a starting pitcher reached 102 mph with their fastball, 365 belonged to Misiorowski. “He has the best fastball in baseball,” Mets infielder Bo Bichette said when asked about facing ‘The Miz.’ “And on top of that, he throws strikes. When you have great stuff and you throw strikes, it’s tough for hitters to get comfortable.” But it’s not just the velocity and strike-throwing that cause problems, as Pages pointed out — it’s also the place at which Misiorowski unleashes that heat. The 6-foot-7-inch right-hander has the farthest extension of any starter in MLB, allowing him to cut down the distance significantly from the 60 feet, 6 inches between the mound and home plate. For context, Misiorowski’s average of 7.6 feet of extension this season is more than a foot farther than Dylan Cease, who had the second-highest strikeout rate among MLB starters. Ask those who have faced Misiorowski, and that’s often what sticks with them. His four-seamer, which reached as high as 105.5 mph this year, feels a few ticks faster when you add on the extension. “Guys don’t get down the rubbers as far as he does, which is why I think his fastball plays way higher than what it was,” Angels infielder Zach Neto, who struck out twice in three at-bats against Misiorowski this year, told me. “It was a tough, very tough [at-bat], and I think it’s the reason why he has the success he has.” On Aug. 9, on the first of his three strikeouts against Twins infielder Royce Lewis, Misiorowski threw three straight fastballs over 103 mph. It’s not the velocity itself, Lewis agreed, that makes Misiorowski — a pitcher he described as “one of a kind” and “a unicorn” — stand out from the pack. Lewis, after all, has faced 17 different pitchers in his career who have thrown a pitch at least 100 mph against him. “The biggest difference is his extension toward the plate,” Lewis told me. “He’s cutting that distance, so that 103 really looks like 112. Your decision-making is sped up.” The Rockies concur. They faced Misiorowski twice this year, losing both matchups. The first time, Misiorowski struck out eight batters and allowed one unearned run in seven innings. Some of the best at-bats belonged to Kyle Karros, who lined out sharply in his first plate appearance, doubled in the Rockies’ lone run in his second and walked in his third. On the double, Karros swung through a slider then watched a 101.7 mph four-seamer go by to fall down 0-2. Then he battled, laying off two four-seamers just outside the zone before going the other way on a slider on the outer half. Like most others, Karros was thinking heater the whole time. Unlike most others, he was able to adjust. “I think the biggest thing for him is you can’t try to do too much,” Karros told me. “You can’t try to match power with power. All my hits were middle or opposite field, just letting him supply the power, because it is like a fastball you’ve never seen before.” The second time Misiorowski faced the Rockies a month later, he struck out 12 over five innings of one-run ball. He didn’t mess around with his secondaries that time, throwing 80% four-seam fastballs. He did not throw a single slider. In the first at-bat of the game, he threw Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy six four-seamers over 103 mph. “A lot of people see the velo, and that’s what gets the attention,” McCarthy told me. “And, obviously, 103 is 103. … But, sort of the angle of his pitches, there’s a lot of different elements that go into it rather than just, ‘Here’s 104, try to hit it.'” Angels outfielder Wade Meckler only hit three home runs this year, but one of those three was among the 14 homers surrendered by Misiorowski in 2026. Meckler, a left-handed hitter, did not have to see a four-seamer in the at-bat. “As every hitter will tell you, they’re only on the fastball against him, because you have to be,” Meckler told me. “But he threw me that first-pitch cutter, and it’s a different look.” Meckler watched that cutter go by at 95.5 mph for a strike on the inner corner of the plate. So, Misiorowski tried the same pitch in the same spot again. Despite thinking about the four-seamer, Meckler was able to adjust to the cutter — “my brain had now, I guess, seen what that pitch looked like,” he explained — pulling a 388-foot home run to right-center. While Meckler said he would prefer to look at his season as a full body of work as opposed to his success in one at-bat, that was, clearly, among the highlights of his season. “I mean, it’s cool to say you took him deep, obviously,” Meckler said. “I’m going to be telling people that I took him deep.” It’s not the extension itself, in Meckler’s mind, that stuck out most from facing Misiorowski that day. Rather, it’s the fact that, along with his extension, Misiorowski’s velocity and low release comes a deceptive horizontal break toward his arm side. His 11.2 inches of arm-side run on his four-seamer ranked 18th among right-handers who threw at least 500 fastballs this year. That is part of the reason, Meckler believes, why Misiorowski had reverse splits this year. (Lefties had a .378 OPS against Misiorowski this year, while righties had a .582 OPS.) “For whatever reason, it creates this optical illusion for a left-handed hitter,” Meckler said. “It creates this rising effect.” The second time Misiorowski faced Meckler that day, he fired three straight four-seamers for a strikeout. “It’s the best fastball I’ve ever seen, personally,” Meckler continued. “If it was 92 mph instead of 103 mph, it’d be a lot easier. But the fact that it’s 103 mph with arm-side run, that’s, I think, what sets him apart from other guys that throw hard from that low slot.” The Angels handed Misiorowski one of his five losses on the season that day, despite the Brewers star striking out 10 and allowing just two runs over seven innings. “If I had to face him again, I’d try to be ready for a fastball and just hope I get it,” Neto said. “It’s one of those things, you don’t really have time to think about what’s coming or kind of try to see what’s coming. Because it’s 104 coming at you.” Misiorowski and three relievers — the Angels’ Ben Joyce, the Dodgers’ Edgardo Henriquez and the Padres’ Mason Miller — are the only pitchers who have eclipsed 104 mph this year. Joyce did it four times, Henriquez twice, Miller once. Miz did it 22 times, often saving it for the fiercest competition, including twice apiece to Shohei Ohtani, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Harper took Misiorowski deep last year, but he went 0-for-3 against the Brewers flamethrower this year. “All I can do is try to be on time,” Harper said about facing Misiorowski. “I had success my first time against him, but the next three at-bats weren’t the greatest. He’s got incredible stuff.” In his lone appearance against the Phillies this year, Misiorowski fired a 15-strikeout, complete-game shutout on just 95 pitches. The Braves beat the Phillies in the wild-card round, though, so Harper won’t get another crack at Misiorowski this season. “I haven’t faced a lot of guys like that in my career,” Harper said. “He’s got one of the best heaters out there and it plays. It plays in this league, and I don’t see it going anywhere.” FOX Sports MLB writer Deesha Thosar contributed to this story.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

One of the many lessons I’ve learned as I’ve evolved from a strictly online NFL draft analyst to a professional scout who attends summer workouts on college campuses and games throughout the fall is that only occasionally do prospects surprise true talent evaluators and dramatically change their stock over the first month of the season. But that is the case with the 10 prospects listed below. These players have either answered key questions to boost their stock or have stumbled out of the gate. Either way, scouts will be keeping a close eye on their progress as the 2026 college football season unfolds and we progress toward the 2027 NFL Draft. RISERS Just ask the Oregon Ducks how quickly QB Drew Mestemaker has made an impression. The wunderkind redshirt sophomore combines prototypical size and rare athleticism for the position with a strong and accurate arm, but he comes with very limited experience after serving as a backup throughout his prep career. Still, with a dazzling performance to upset Oregon in mid-September and an impressive win on the road versus West Virginia this past week, Mestemaker has risen from a curiosity to a legitimate early-round candidate. With so much attention heaped upon Oregon’s flashy skill-position talent on offense and a defensive front that will have at least four players selected in the 2027 NFL Draft, burly right guard Dave Luli has flown relatively under the radar. He plays with the physicality one might expect given his 6-foot-3, 332-pound frame, boasting a first punch that former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson would appreciate. But Luli is more than just a brawler. He’s also quick off the snap and shows good lateral agility to mirror in pass pro. Guards rarely earn anything higher than a Day 2 grade, but Luli has the look of an early and effective NFL starter. USC offensive tackle Elijah Paige doesn’t get much attention from media or even draft fans, but scouts recognize him as one of the more intriguing pass blockers in the country. At 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, Paige is absolutely massive. And, unlike many of the other top-rated tackles in the 2027 class, he has the requisite arm length and agility to remain at left tackle in the NFL — where each of his 24 career starts have come at USC. Paige has barely allowed edge rushers to even get close to star quarterback Jayden Maiava, surrendering just two pressures and zero sacks through the first four games. This past January, linebacker Sammy Omosigho transferred to UCLA after struggling to crack the starting lineup for three years at Oklahoma. Today, he is one of several breakout stars for the upstart 4-0 Bruins, leading the country with four forced fumbles, including the timely punchout against Purdue shown below. An explosive athlete who closes with jarring force, Omosigho routinely generates the kind of bone-rattling hits that knock ballcarriers to the turf immediately and force scouts to sit up and take notice. He has also impressed with his pre-snap diagnostic skills and communication, With three punt return touchdowns a year ago, Vicari Swain entered the 2026 season already well known, earning third-team All-SEC accolades from league coaches. And he’s only reinforced that impression so far this season, taking back two more punts for touchdowns to break Dickie Harris’ 55-year mark at South Carolina. Scouts knew Swain had the vision, courage and speed to excel as a returner, but it is his improved recognition in coverage and physicality as a tackler this season that really has his stock climbing. FALLERS There may not be a quarterback in the country with a more tantalizing combination of physical talent and intangibles than South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, but he made several critical errors in a 49-18 beatdown by Alabama last week that will force scouts to question whether he’ll ever play with the consistency needed to start in the NFL. On the interception shown below, for example, Sellers fails to account for the underneath defender, resulting in a catastrophic pick-six that extended the Crimson Tide’s lead to 35-3. This game was the 28th start of Sellers’ career. While his film is full of highlight-reel plays that suggest he could become an All-Pro one day, there are just as many lowlights. Coaches expect to see improvement as players gain experience, and Sellers’ touchdown-to-interception ratio has actually worsened throughout his career (18:7 in 2024, 13:8 in 2025, 6:4 this year). After rushing for 18 touchdowns while averaging a gaudy 7.73 yards per carry over his first two seasons at Louisville, Isaac Brown looked like a shoo-in to be one of the first five running backs selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. But the sledding has been much tougher so far this season, with his yards-per-carry dropping to a pedestrian 4.1. Brown added weight during the offseason to give him a better chance at being a true bell-cow runner, jumping from 186 to 198 pounds, and he still possesses enough burst to create big plays. But in doing so, he’s lost a bit of the explosiveness that made him so dangerous. Xavier Chaplin was thought to be a future first-round pick after earning All-American honors as a redshirt freshman at Virginia Tech back in 2023. Alas, he didn’t look like one against Alabama two weeks ago, surrendering multiple pressures. Even for a player of his mass (6-foot-8, 346 pounds), Chaplin looked heavy-footed and off-balance, struggling to handle the Crimson Tide’s speed rushers and counters. The Seminoles face some terrific edge rushers in the coming weeks, including road games at Louisville (Clev Lubin) and Miami (Damon Wilson II) before a home game against Clemson and star defensive end Will Heldt on Halloween night. Jyaire Hill entered the season as one of my favorite cornerbacks, but he really struggled last week against Iowa, missing a couple of tackles and allowing four receptions — each of which resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. NFL teams are always in search of tall cornerbacks, but they must possess the loose hips and quick feet to change direction in a flash. Hill has struggled with that, too, often guessing on routes and leaving receivers with plenty of space to make plays on critical downs. Although Hill didn’t give up the last-second touchdown that clinched Iowa’s stunning victory, he was badly beaten inside by the same receiver (Reece Vander Zee) earlier in the game for this score. Two weeks ago, safety Ty Benefield was left lunging at air a few times in LSU’s emotional loss to Ole Miss, raising concerns about where he’ll fit best in the NFL. Scouts are intrigued by the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder’s speed and physicality, but the position is called “safety” for a reason. Benefield will need to take safer angles in pursuit and show better wrap skills — rather than just relying on his knockdown power — if he is to develop into the top-100 candidate LSU hoped when luring him to the SEC after he began his career at Boise State.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports