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He may have struggled at the plate, but Munetaka Murakami knows how to make the most of the locker room party. 

With the Chicago White Sox ousting the Houston Astros thanks to a 7-3 win on Wednesday to sweep their AL Wild Card Series, Murakami and his South Side teammates didn’t hold back from celebrating the franchise’s incredible turnaround.

It’s the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under the direction of Venable, the second-year skipper, and with a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.

The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the previous three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.

Murekami, who hit 35 homers and knocked in 77 RBI in his first season with Chicago, had just one hit and struck out five times in the two games against Houston. But that stop him from taking in the moment. 

“It means everything for our fans,” Chase Meidroth said, who hit a three-run shot to seal Wednesday’s win. “They have been incredible all year. So the main thing was getting back to Chicago for some postseason baseball, and so we’re really blessed that we get to do that.”

“I’m proud of the guys and certainly happy for them as they’re probably the only ones in this country that believed that they could be in this spot,’ manager Will Venable said. “And they maintained that belief in the beginning of the season and went throughout the season maintaining that, and they made it happen. So it’s awesome to get to this point.”

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Max Fried dominated Boston in the playoffs for the second straight year, Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr. homered, and the New York Yankees romped over the Red Sox 9-2 Wednesday night for a two-game AL Wild Card Series sweep.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead after Willson Contreras homered to end Boston’s 26-inning postseason scoreless streak, the Yankees broke the game open with a six-run sixth after Spencer Jones reached on a wild pitch while striking out leading off — with the help of a video review.

García, acquired at the trade deadline, had three hits in his first postseason start, and Bellinger had four RBIs that included a three-run homer capping the sixth-inning burst that put New York ahead 8-1.

New York will face AL East champion Tampa Bay in an AL Division Series starting Saturday.

Boston, which reached the playoffs after rebounding from a 32-46 start, was eliminated by the Yankees in the first round for the second straight year. The Red Sox hit .117 in the two-game series (7 for 60) with 18 strikeouts and were outscored 18-2.

A day after Cam Schlittler led New York to a 9-0 win, Fried pitched three-hit ball over six innings to win a postseason game for the first time since the 2021 World Series clincher with Atlanta.

New York started eight left-handed hitters against Sonny Gray, back on the mound where his career derailed during a dismal Yankees stretch in 2017 and ’18.

García’s fourth-inning homer put the Yankees ahead and Bellinger, one of the top lefty-on-lefty hitters in the major leagues, added a fifth-inning RBI single against left-handed Erik Miller, who had just relieved. Bellinger caught the ceremonial first pitch from his dad, Clay Bellinger, who won a World Series with New York in 2000.

Jones struck out both to start and end the bottom of the sixth, a weird half-inning that included a wild pitch, throwing error, stolen base, bunt single and intentional walk to Ben Rice that preceded Bellinger’s homer.

Garrett Crochet, who beat the Yankees in last year’s Wild Card Series opener, hadn’t pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inflammation when he bounced a sweeper off Contreras’ chest. The catcher picked up the ball and threw to first, where umpire John Libka signaled out. The Yankees appealed and the call was reversed by the video umpire at the commissioner’s office.

Jones swiped second and kept going to third when Contreras’ throw skipped into center. Rookie George Lombard Jr. singled for his first postseason RBI, Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled and Trent Grisham loaded the bases with a bunt single.

Austin Wells’ sacrifice fly against Garrett Whitlock increased the lead to 4-1, Ryan McMahon hit an RBI groundout and Rice, who had four hits and six RBIs in the opener, was intentionally walked. Bellinger reached down and pulled a changeup into the right-center field seats.

Fried struck out six and walked one. He has allowed one run over 12 1/3 innings in the two Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.

Nick Sogard hit a solo homer off Will Warren in the seventh.

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The second day of the MLB playoffs brought our first set of eliminations from the postseason, while one team extended its season by at least one more day.

The White Sox finished off a sweep of the Astros for their first playoff series win since 2005, and the Phillies forced a decisive Game 3 behind back-to-back homers and an extra-inning win in Atlanta. Max Fried, meanwhile, shut down the Red Sox in the Bronx as the Yankees completed a sweep to advance past their rivals. The Padres stayed hot to send the Cubs packing.

The White Sox now face the Guardians in the American League Division Series, with the Yankees taking on the Rays. The Padres will get the Brewers, owners of the best record in baseball. The Braves and Phillies will play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday for the right to take on the two-time defending champion Dodgers in the NLDS. 

Here is everything you might have missed on Day 2 of the MLB Playoffs:

Biggest Moment

The White Sox got a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV and have not looked back since.

The White Sox scored four first-inning runs on two Astros errors and beat Houston 7-3 to sweep the AL Wild Card Series, their first playoff series win since the 2005 World Series.

Munetaka Murakami knows how to party. Last week, the rookie first baseman went viral for his clubhouse interview after the White Sox clinched a playoff berth, answering in English that he’d rate the celebration a “100” on a scale of 1 to 10. 

On Wednesday, he was enjoying himself again after Chicago swept the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card Series:

Chase Meidroth’s three-run homer in the sixth inning pushed the lead to 7-3. The White Sox lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons and are the only team in MLB history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. 

Second-year manager Will Venable’s club now visits AL Central champion Cleveland in the division series beginning Saturday. The Astros, who went 81-81, lost their ninth straight home playoff game.

Best Hitters

Harper, Schwarber Keep Philly Alive

 

Bryce Harper’s night turned on two swings. In the seventh inning, with the Phillies trailing 1-0 in what had become a pitchers’ duel, Drake Baldwin’s drive glanced off Harper’s glove as he leaped at the warning track in right field.

The double drove in the go-ahead run, and Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1 Atlanta. Harper was not charged with an error, but he owned it. “Probably should have been caught, obviously,” Harper said afterwards. 

An inning later, Kyle Schwarber hit a 447-foot homer off Dylan Lee, and Harper followed with a 418-foot shot to tie the game at 3-3. Alec Bohm’s two-out, 357-foot homer in the 10th inning put the Phillies ahead for good in a 4-3 win that forces a decisive Game 3 on Thursday. Philadelphia has a history of beating Atlanta in October, including the 1993 NLCS as well as the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

Philadelphia has won each of its past three playoff series against the Braves: the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS, taking 10 of 14 games.

Best Pitcher

Max Fried had a strong outing on the mound as the Yankees finished off a sweep of the Red Sox with a 9-2 win at Yankee Stadium. He allowed one run over six innings with six strikeouts, and he was one strike from six scoreless innings when Willson Contreras clubbed a high fastball into the first row of the right-field bleachers. 

That homer was Boston’s first run of the series. Fried stranded a runner at second in the third inning and stayed ahead of a lineup that had managed just three hits the night before. Fried and Cam Schlittler combined to allow one run over 12⅓ innings with 16 strikeouts as the Yankees outscored Boston 18-2 over both games.

Fried had a 0.77 ERA in two starts against the Red Sox this season, and he threw 6⅓ scoreless innings against them in last year’s Wild Card opener. Cody Bellinger’s three-run homer capped a six-run sixth inning that broke the game open, and New York now faces the Tampa Bay Rays in a division series beginning Saturday.

Honorable mention goes to the Phillies’ Andrew Painter, a starter in the regular season, who threw three scoreless innings in relief to close out the win. He ended the game by striking out Dominic Smith on an 0-2 fastball that was initially called a ball, then confirmed as a strike on a challenge. 

Painter, a starter during the regular season, bailed out a taxed Phillies bullpen with three scoreless innings of relief work. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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It was the first time a postseason game ended on a strike-zone appeal.

What’s Next

The White Sox, Yankees and Padres have punched their tickets to the division series, with those matchups beginning Saturday. That leaves the Braves and Phillies, who play a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday night. 

Here’s how it will play out:

• The White Sox will visit the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians.
• The Yankees will face the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays.
• The Padres will face the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers, who have MLB’s best record.
• The Braves-Phillies winner will take on the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers. First pitch at Truist Park is set for 8:15 p.m. ET

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Eight teams entered the wild-card round on Tuesday. Three are already heading home Wednesday. That’s playoff baseball for you.

The Red Sox, Astros and Cubs didn’t get to technically play October baseball. But the Yankees, White Sox and Padres made sure to keep their hopes of a deep run alive. That just leaves us one more wild-card matchup (Phillies vs. Braves) to settle.

Here are our takeaways from Wednesday’s action:

1. Bryce Harper Redeems Himself

Rowan Kavner: The repercussions of two San Francisco Giants trades threatened to end the Phillies’ season Wednesday afternoon at Truist Park. 

‘On Aug. 2, the Giants sent starter Tyler Mahle to Atlanta. The move garnered little attention at the time, but Mahle would become the most consequential player to switch teams at the deadline. 

On Aug. 3, the Giants traded Luis Arraez to the Phillies, who then reshuffled their defensive alignment to accommodate the infielder. One of those moves, shifting Bryce Harper from first base to right field, nearly had ruinous consequences in Game 2 of the wild-card series. 

Mahle delivered seven innings of one-run ball on Wednesday to put Atlanta in prime position to move on to the National League Division Series. Arraez, meanwhile, didn’t make the Phillies’ wild-card roster after spraining his ankle a week ago. Harper, however, remained in right field for the first two games of the playoffs. 

That decision backfired in the seventh inning Wednesday when Harper misplayed a fly ball from Drake Baldwin, allowing the go-ahead run to score. A sacrifice fly followed, adding an insurance run for the Braves, ending Cristopher Sánchez’s day and endangering the Phillies’ season. 

“It doesn’t matter what you did the at-bat before, the inning before,” Harper said. “It’s what you do in that moment.”

An inning later, the moment found Harper again. 

And this time, he delivered in a 4-3 comeback win to keep the Phillies’ season alive. 

Braves reliever Dylan Lee hadn’t allowed a home run to a left-handed hitter all year before Kyle Schwarber and Harper started the eighth inning with back-to-back shots to tie the game, erasing Mahle’s superb work. 

Mahle, who stepped up with a 1.99 ERA over nine second-half starts to lessen the Braves’ rotation concerns, aced his first playoff test in Atlanta, outdueling a Cy Young contender in Sánchez before handing the ball to one of the best bullpens in baseball. 

But his gem was not rewarded. 

Lee blew the lead, Andrew Painter provided three vital innings of relief for Philadelphia to keep the game tied, and Alec Bohm delivered the deciding blow in the 10th inning with a solo shot off Didier Fuentes to keep the Phillies’ season going in a back-and-forth battle. An elimination Game 3 will take place Thursday in Atlanta. 

“I really, really don’t want this year to end,” Bohm said. 

2. White Sox Meet The Moment

Deesha Thosar: With one decisive swing, Chase Meidroth sucked all the air out of Houston. For Chicago, call it the franchise’s biggest hit of the past five years. 

The White Sox were hanging onto a miniscule one-run lead when Meidroth’s three-run home run off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu in the sixth inning broke the game open. As the South Siders charged ahead to a 7-3 lead that they would never relinquish, Meidroth and his flowing brown locks rounded the bases in unbridled joy. The 25-year-old second baseman joined the White Sox from Boston as part of the Garrett Crochet trade in 2024. It was, by far, the most memorable and clutch hit of Meidroth’s budding career. 

Chase Meidroth’s homer slammed the door shut on the Astros. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

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“There’s no better feeling than coming through for the guys,” he said. 

Moments before Meidroth’s deafening shot, none other than Astros homegrown legend Jose Altuve had the perfect opportunity to put his team in front. The Astros, trailing 4-3, had loaded the bases for Altuve, who had already hit a solo shot in the fourth inning. All he needed was a hit, something he had done 120 times in 107 playoff games for Houston. But Altuve flew out to right field, and with him, the Astros’ dreams of making something out of an otherwise disappointing season went down the drain.

After all, the Astros were the team with the worst record (81-81) ever to win a division. Given how the year unfolded, it was always going to be a longshot for Houston to suddenly resemble a serious playoff team. One of their only hopes was slugger Yordan Alvarez, the AL MVP favorite after crushing 42 home runs in a full, healthy season for the Astros. But the White Sox pitching staff kept Alvarez in the ballpark throughout the series. He went 1-for-8 with his lone hit being a single in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss. 

“They made sure they came in with the objective of not letting Yordan beat them,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “If I’m on the other side, I would have come in here with the same game plan, not letting Yordan beat you. But I thought they executed really well. We couldn’t get our bats going. We had some opportunities but just couldn’t get that big hit.”

Preseason projection systems had this year’s White Sox team penciled in to lose close to 100 games. Instead, they went 84-78, and were this close to grabbing the division title from the Guardians. Chicago’s successful season was built from a band of misfits, including Savannah Banana to AL All-Star, Tristan Peters, and Nippon Professional Baseball slugger to 35-homer AL All-Star, Munetaka Murakami. They believed, since the club came together at spring training, that they had the right blend of players to prove the world wrong. 

The White Sox, after recording three consecutive 100-loss seasons from 2023-2025, now advance to the ALDS to face the Guardians. They will look for their first ALDS victory since 2021 and after that, they hope, their first trip back to the World Series since they won it all in 2005. 

3. Even Without Judge, Yankees Can Still Hit

Thosar: The Red Sox knew that facing the Yankees’ elite rotation was going to be the toughest uphill battle in a season full of them. What they didn’t expect, what they couldn’t have known, was how much of a force the Yankees offense would suddenly become while their best hitter sat on the bench trying to make his way back from injury. 

Aaron Judge, idling in the dugout wearing a sweatshirt with the hoodie pulled over his head, watched as the Yankees embarrassed the Red Sox for a second consecutive day, ending Boston’s season on a balmy night in the Bronx. There was action up and down New York’s lineup in its 9-2 series-clinching win on Wednesday — something the Bombers have struggled to consistently provide throughout most of the season without their key sluggers.

Giancarlo Stanton, who hasn’t played since April 24, was actually activated and included on the Yankees’ wild-card series roster against the Red Sox, unlike Judge. But the Yankees never needed either of their big bats to dispose of their longtime division rivals and advance to the ALDS against the Rays. 

Throughout Game 2, the Yankees were in cruise control. Left-hander Max Fried kept Boston’s bats at bay with six innings of one-run ball, and New York provided plenty of run support with 14 hits, including at least one hit from each of its nine starters. 

Will Aaron Judge return for the ALDS? (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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“Being able to celebrate with your teammates after a playoff series win, it doesn’t get old,” Fried said. “This is what we start practicing in February for. This is where we want to be. So just about playing our game, having fun and hopefully we’ve got a couple more of these that we can do.”

The Red Sox failed to generate enough offense to be a real threat to the Yankees at any point during the wild card series. They were without Roman Anthony for the majority of Game 1 and all of Game 2 after the outfielder went down with a hand injury. That left catcher Adley Rutschman and first baseman Willson Contreras as the only bats who could realistically do some damage. Contreras, at least, snapped Boston’s 26 ⅔ scoreless innings streak in the postseason with a solo shot in the sixth. But that was never going to be enough against a 93-win Yankees team that relied on its elite starting pitching staff to get it to this point. 

Plus, Chad Tracy’s moves backfired. The Red Sox manager deployed southpaw Garrett Crochet in the sixth inning — his first time pitching since April after being sidelined all season with a shoulder and lat injury — only for the Yankees to pulverize him. Crochet faced four batters and coughed up four runs while failing to record an out. He was booed off the mound by the Bronx faithful.

In the same inning, Tracy and the Red Sox opted to intentionally walk the red-hot Ben Rice in favor of facing Cody Bellinger. It backfired. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Bellinger slugged a three-run home run to right field, increased New York’s lead to 8-1, and buried the Red Sox for good. 

“Regardless of all the special things that happened this summer, and there were quite a few, the goal is to win the World Series, and that ended for us tonight,” Tracy said. “So it’s frustrating. And there’s a lot of things you can say, but in the moment, right now, I think the guys only care that we lost. And it’s going to take some time to get over that.”

4. Padres Were Dominant Across The Board

Kavner: In Game 1, the Padres’ offensive stars dazzled. In Game 2, their bullpen arms dominated. 

And after two nights of quieting the highest-scoring lineup in the sport, stymying the National League MVP favorite, dissecting a depleted Cubs pitching staff, exploiting one of MLB’s most electrifying home-field advantages and dominating in every way imaginable, the Padres are moving on to the NLDS, where they’ll face the Brewers in a matchup of baseball’s two best teams since the All-Star break. 

“I can’t speak for anyone else,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado told me, “but playing here, tonight, these last two days, I’ve never felt anything like it. I never have.” 

The Padres demonstrated why they went 51-30 at home this year. A raucous crowd, featuring 47,000-plus screaming fans twirling yellow towels both nights, seemed to help smother a Cubs offense that led MLB this year in OPS and scoring. 

San Diego was raucous throughout the series. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

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The Cubs got outscored 12-1 in the series, with standouts Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman finishing a combined 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts. 

“Those were the two guys we marked as, ‘We don’t want those guys to beat us in this series,’” said Padres manager Craig Stammen. “We tried our best to set up our pitching to handle them.” 

In Game 1, it was starter Michael King who shut down the star duo. In Game 2, it was Nick Pivetta and a well-rested, fearsome bullpen. Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller combined to allow just two hits over 5.2 scoreless innings to finish off the sweep. 

And after their offensive stars powered them forward at the plate in Game 1, with Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill combining for six hits, five RBI and five runs scored, it was the depth of the lineup that shined in Game 2. 

Ty France doubled and scored. Xander Bogaerts had two hits, including an RBI single off Kevin Gausman to start the scoring Wednesday night. And Gavin Sheets, behind a chorus of “Ho-ly Sheets” chants, came off the bench and parked a two-run homer to right field to break the game open. 

San Diego’s shutdown bullpen took it from there. A Nico Hoerner double was the only extra-base hit the Padres surrendered all series. 

And now, the hottest team in baseball will move on to face its best, the 103-win Brewers, in the NLDS. 

“We’re playing as a group, playing as a whole,” Machado told me. “Everyone’s pulling by the same rope. Wherever you have that going, it’s impressive to see. It’s impressive to be a part of. Never seen anything like it.” 

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Welcome back to our Daily Fantasy Football picks.

Our Week 3 slate delivered another big payday, led by a standout performance from Lamar Jackson. James Cook added 21.40 FanDuel points, the second-most among running backs on the main slate, while Garrett Wilson’s 21.7 points ranked second among wide receivers, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Let’s carry that momentum into Week 4.

On FanDuel, you’ll have $60,000 to fill out your lineup, with each player assigned a salary based on factors such as recent performance, matchup and expected production. The goal is to find the right mix of stars and value plays while staying under the cap.

Here are our favorite DFS plays for Week 4’s main Sunday slate.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Quarterback

The Jaguars-Bengals matchup has the highest Over/Under on the main slate at 51.5.

Despite Cincinnati’s Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh, Joe Burrow shined. He has thrown for 743 yards and six touchdowns through three games, all against solid defenses.

Now, he faces a Jaguars defense that has struggled against the pass. Jacksonville allows 8.79 yards per attempt and 13.18 yards per completion, both fourth-highest in the NFL, along with 235.7 net passing yards per game, ninth-highest.

Last week’s pick didn’t pan out, but C.J. Stroud now faces a struggling Cowboys defense and is expected to get his top target, Nico Collins, back.

Dallas allows the third-highest opponent passer rating (121.3) and second-highest completion percentage (72.6%) in the NFL, while tying for the fourth-most passing touchdowns allowed (seven). If Stroud and the Texans can’t get their offense going against this defense, they could be in trouble.

Houston is 0-3 for the second consecutive season. After overcoming that start to make the playoffs last year, the Texans need a win to begin climbing out of another early hole. Stroud has the matchup to deliver.

Running Back

Kyren Williams delivered an efficient performance against the Broncos in Week 3, rushing for 88 yards on 15 carries and adding six catches for 70 yards while Blake Corum finished with just 15 rushing yards.

Williams now gets a favorable Week 4 matchup against an Eagles defense that was picked apart by Case Keenum and the Bears. Philadelphia has also struggled against the run, allowing 127.3 rushing yards per game, the eighth-most in the NFL.

With Breece Hall sidelined for a few weeks, Braelon Allen takes over as the Jets lead back.

The former Wisconsin standout has the power and explosiveness to handle the role, and New York could lean on the ground game on the road in Week 4.

His first start brings a favorable matchup against a Bears defense allowing 5.09 yards per carry, second-most in the NFL, and 117.0 rushing yards per game.

Wide Receiver

Christian Watson has been the lone bright spot in the Packers struggling offense. He ranks fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (284), sixth in targets and tied for third in receiving touchdowns (four).

Green Bay averages the fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL. Against a Bucs defense that is strong against the run but vulnerable through the air, Watson could be in for another big day.

Tight End 

Travis Kelce has returned to vintage form, already catching two passes of 40+ yards (59 and 48) through three games after having just one in 17 games last season.

He ranks second among tight ends in receiving yards and now faces a Raiders defense allowing the third-most fantasy points to the position. It’s an ideal matchup to keep his strong start rolling.

Defense

Tampa Bay Buccaneers $3,200

Another week, another cheap defense. The approach worked in the first two weeks before Kirk Cousins lit up the Saints last week.

Tampa Bay is the play in Week 4 against a Packers offense averaging an NFL-low 48.7 rushing yards per game, including just 17 against Atlanta.

If the Bucs shut down the run, Jordan Love will have to lean on the passing game, creating opportunities for sacks and turnovers for this underrated defense.

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Before the College Football Playoff, there are conference championship games to be played.

Will Georgia go back-to-back in the SEC? Can Oregon march its way back into the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2024? In this week’s edition of “The Joel Klatt Show,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt made his October projections for conference championships.

Here are Klatt’s projected conference championship matchups and winners for the Power Four.

Big Ten Championship Game

Klatt’s thoughts: “Here’s how I see it right now. With the injuries that Indiana is having – and now kind of a resurgent Oregon team with all that talent – we hope QB Dante Moore comes back, but they’re plenty serviceable with their backup [Dylan] Raiola. I think Oregon makes the Big Ten Championship. Obviously, they have some tough games ahead, in particular that game in Columbus. But I like Oregon to make it to Indianapolis. I like Ohio State. Their schedule is not going to be easy.  But they’ve got wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and they’ve got QB Julian Sayin.”

Winner: Ohio State

SEC Championship Game

Will Georgia once again host the SEC trophy after downing Alabama? (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

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Klatt’s thoughts: “Georgia and Alabama. I think Georgia is the best team in the SEC. I know Texas is technically the No. 1 team in the country. But if you look at their schedule and the way that they’ve played outside of those 18 minutes against Ohio State, I think that they’re going to be susceptible to getting beat. Because of that, I think Alabama actually passes them, wins the tiebreaker and goes to the SEC Championship game.”

Winner: Georgia

Big 12 Championship Game

Klatt’s thoughts: “This one is going to be an interesting one. Here are two games I want you to pay attention to. I think the participants in the Big 12 championship game are going to be the winners of these games. The winner of BYU vs. Utah game in Salt Lake, and the Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State game in Stillwater. I think it’s tough to win on the road. I’m taking both home teams, and I think it’s Utah vs. Oklahoma State Big 12 championship game in Dallas.”

Winner: Utah

Klatt’s thoughts: “In the ACC, we know Miami is going to be there, I think we all understand that. With Louisville’s loss a week ago, I got a little more gun-shy. But when you actually look at their schedule and the fact that I don’t see any other team running the table, I certainly believe that Louisville is going to get themselves back into a position to play Miami for the ACC Championship game.”

Winner: Miami 

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The Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH.

Both teams are entering at 2-1 through three games this season.

Pittsburgh has controlled the ball efficiently early, posting a plus-2 turnover margin while averaging 303.3 total yards per game, a mix of 207.7 passing yards and 95.7 rushing yards.

Cleveland’s offense has been more modest by comparison, averaging 266 total yards per game with 178.3 passing and 87.7 rushing, while converting just 30.6 percent of its third-down chances.

The Steelers are 2.5-point favorites over the Browns.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Steelers vs. Browns

• When: Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH
• Stream: Amazon Prime Video
• Follow Live: FOX Sports

Players To Watch

Pittsburgh’s backfield workload has shifted squarely to Warren, and Sunday showed why. He turned 17 carries into 127 rushing yards against Cincinnati and added 3 catches for 49 more, 176 total yards in one afternoon, with Rico Dowdle still sidelined by a toe injury after missing Monday’s walkthrough.

Warren carries that volume into Thursday night at Huntington Bank Field, where Cleveland’s defense will make stopping the run its first priority.

Cleveland’s secondary could be without Grant Delpit and Tyson Campbell Thursday night, and Pittsburgh has a receiver ready to take advantage of the openings. Pittman caught just 2 of 5 targets for 16 yards against Cincinnati, but he played 45 of 62 offensive snaps, 72.3 percent, second among Pittsburgh wide receivers behind DK Metcalf. He enters Thursday night questionable with a foot injury after a limited practice week.

The Steelers already lead the NFL in yards after catch with 409, and Pittman’s snap share puts him in position to keep adding to that total.

Cleveland’s offense has been uneven through the first month, and Boston’s ability to create in the fourth quarter has stood out. He caught 2 passes for 41 yards and added a two-point conversion against Carolina, both receptions coming after halftime, and he now has 9 catches for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 targets through 3 games.

Every possession against Pittsburgh figures to be a fight for field position, and Boston’s chunk-play ability carries more weight in a game like that.

Cleveland still needs someone to finish drives, and Fannin has become that answer. He caught 7 of 9 targets for 51 yards and 2 touchdowns against Carolina, and over his last 2 games he has stacked 12 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 targets as Deshaun Watson leans on him in the red zone.

The Browns have managed just 587 receiving yards through 3 games, the sixth fewest in the league, and 46 first downs, the fourth fewest, making Fannin one of the offense’s few consistent answers heading into Pittsburgh.

Steelers vs. Browns Odds

Learn more about the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns game and check the full schedule on FOX Sports!

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No. 1 Nebraska visits No. 16 Penn State on Thursday night at Rec Hall, a Big Ten matchup between two ranked teams. The Cornhuskers enter at 13-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play, winners of nine straight matches. Penn State is 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten.

Nebraska is coming off a 3-0 sweep of Ohio State at the Bob Devaney Sports Center last Saturday, taking sets 25-19, 25-10 and 25-12. Penn State’s most recent result was a 1-3 loss to Tennessee on Sept. 20.

How to Watch Nebraska vs. Penn State Volleyball

• Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV: BTN
• Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One
• Location: Rec Hall, University Park, Pennsylvania

Nebraska vs. Penn State Preview

Nebraska has won nine straight matches and is unbeaten this season, holding the No. 1 ranking in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. Penn State sits at No. 16 in that same Sept. 28 poll, after entering the year ranked higher.

The two teams split a pair of meetings last season. Nebraska won the regular-season matchup in straight sets on Oct. 3, but Penn State beat the Huskers in the NCAA semifinals on its way to the national championship.

Nebraska’s Remaining 2026 Volleyball Schedule on FOX Networks

Here is every Nebraska match left this season that airs on FOX, FS1 or BTN, current as of Oct. 1. All times are Eastern and subject to change.

• Thursday, Oct. 1: at Penn State, University Park, Pennsylvania – 7 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Thursday, Oct. 8: at Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana – 6:30 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Saturday, Oct. 10: vs. Wisconsin, Lincoln, Nebraska – TBA (FOX)
• Saturday, Oct. 17: vs. Purdue, Lincoln, Nebraska – 5 or 9 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Thursday, Oct. 22: vs. UCLA, Lincoln, Nebraska – 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
• Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. USC, Lincoln, Nebraska – 9 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Saturday, Nov. 7: at Oregon, Eugene, Oregon – 10 p.m. ET (BTN)
• Sunday, Nov. 8: at Washington, Seattle – TBA (FS1)
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: vs. Minnesota, Lincoln, Nebraska – 8:30 p.m. ET (BTN)

Nebraska’s schedule also includes matches on B1G+ and other outlets outside FOX’s family of networks. Stream every FOX, FS1 and BTN broadcast with FOX One, which brings all of FOX’s Nebraska volleyball coverage into one subscription. The Big Ten Volleyball Tournament runs Nov. 20-25 at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Indiana, and FOX will air the championship match at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 25 if the Huskers advance that far.

Nebraska’s schedule is subject to change. Check back for updated start times and TV designations.

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The Chase drives on as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sin City for the South Point 400. The race gets the green flag on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The favorite, Kyle Larson, has found a new gear recently and it has earned him two wins this postseason. 

Will the dice roll in Larson’s favor in Las Vegas this weekend or will Denny Hamlin, who’s right behind him on the oddsboard, take the checkered flag?

Here are the latest odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 1.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 2026

Kyle Larson: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Denny Hamlin: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Christopher Bell: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Chase Briscoe: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Tyler Reddick: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
William Byron: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Ryan Blaney: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Ty Gibbs: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Joey Logano: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Carson Hocevar: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Chase Elliott: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Bubba Wallace: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Austin Cindric: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Ross Chastain: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Chris Buescher: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Brad Keselowski: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)

Josh Berry: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Daniel Suárez: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Alex Bowman: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Ryan Preece: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Zane Smith: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Erik Jones: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
Riley Herbst: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Michael McDowell: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Connor Zilisch: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Austin Dillon: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Austin Hill: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Noah Gragson: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Todd Gilliland: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Cole Custer: +70000 (bet $10 to win $7,010 total)
Ty Dillon: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)

Here’s What To Know About The Oddsboard:

The Favorite

Kyle Larson drives into Vegas as the favorite.

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Not only is Kyle Larson the favorite to win at Vegas, he’s the new favorite to win The Chase. And lucky for him, Kyle Larson got the hot hand at the right time with his two postseason wins. In fact, his win last weekend at Kansas helped widen the gap between him and Denny Hamlin for the title. Now, the series is heading to Vegas, a track where he’s had some success recently. Last year, after leading 192 laps, he finished second. When the series stopped in Vegas in the spring, Larson got a seventh-place finish.

Denny’s Day?

Can Denny Hamlin close the gap with Larson?

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Other than Larson, Denny Hamlin is a driver every fan and bettor will be watching at Vegas. Going into last week’s Kansas race, Denny was only one point behind the lead for The Chase. After his third-place finish, Hamlin’s now 26 points behind Larson. Can he make up some ground with a good day in Sin City? The last two times Cup raced at Vegas, Denny Hamlin got into Victory Lane.

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Do the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines manage bounce back wins after Week 4 losses? Does Alabama win on the road again, or will Kamario Taylor and Mississippi State overpower their defense? These are just a few of the many storylines of Week 5 of the 2026 college football season.

USC fell to Oregon 41-27, marking their first loss at home since the 2023 season. The Trojans now host the Huskies in another home Big Ten matchup. The Iowa Hawkeyes beat Michigan after a fourth-quarter comeback, and now welcome No. 4 Ohio State to their home turf. 

With coaching hot seat conversations and conference play ramping up, Week 5 will be a test for some of college football’s top programs.

Here are FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt’s Week 5 picks and previews:

  Ohio State 35, Iowa 13

Jeremiah Smith leads the FBS with 617 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns through Week 4. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

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Spread: Ohio State -14.5
Moneyline: Ohio State -625, Iowa +455

Klatt’s thoughts: “Kinnick Stadium is a dangerous place for top-five teams to go. It has been historic, no doubt. Ask Oregon and ask Indiana last season. Here comes Ohio State. I think there are a lot of people expecting a similar style of game, in particular after that win for Iowa over Michigan … You know how I feel about Kirk Ferentz and Iowa. I love the Iowa Hawkeyes. It just so happens though that this matchup is specifically not a great matchup for Iowa. But why is this a different matchup? Because of Jeremiah Smith.

“While Iowa plays these other teams very tightly, they don’t play Ohio State very tightly … because of the deep-threat ability of Ohio State through the years, whether it’s been Smith, (Carnell) Tate, (Chris) Olave, or Garrett Wilson or any of these guys. In their last two matchups with Ohio State, Iowa has given up 54 and 35 points. Because it is an offense that can take advantage of the one-on-one on the outside … This is where the game is won or lost for Ohio State, they’re going to need to run the ball effectively. If Iowa helps on Smith and can still stop the run, Ohio State is in trouble … I think this matchup highly favors Ohio State because Iowa has to manipulate what they have to do on the other side of the ball.”

Klatt’s straight-up pick: Ohio State 
Klatt’s pick against the spread: Ohio State -14.5

  Alabama 35, Mississippi State 28

Bama’s QB, Keelon Russell, has 177.5 QB rating in his first season as a starter. (Photo by Jason Clark/Getty Images)

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Spread: Alabama -5.5
Moneyline: Alabama -225, Mississippi State +185

Klatt’s thoughts: “Alabama can flat throw the ball. Keelon Russell has been dynamic. This is kind of Kalen DeBoer’s offense … This week they’re going to see a little different defense. Now I don’t think that Russell will struggle because it’s a road game. He’s already had a road start. Having that in your pocket is huge for a young quarterback. He played at Kentucky, they even went through their lumps early in that game in his first road start. Now, he’s going to have a wealth of knowledge just from that one start against Kentucky.

“Kamario Taylor, gosh he’s good. This is the best defense he will have seen by a wide margin. He’s unbelievable. They can run the ball as well. They’ll be at home. Alabama has faced some mobile quarterbacks already. They’ve got experience seeing (LaNorris) Sellers … did a great job against Ashton Daniels … I don’t think Alabama is going to go in there and blow the doors off Mississippi State by any stretch of imagination. But this is a better team than Missouri. This will be the best team Mississippi State has faced.

“I think Alabama wins this one 35-28.”

Klatt’s straight-up pick: Alabama
Klatt’s pick against the spread: Alabama -5.5

  Florida 42, Missouri 32

Jadan Baugh leads the SEC with 600 rushing yards, and the FBS with 11 rushing touchdowns. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Spread: Florida -5.5
Moneyline: Florida -205, Missouri +170

Klatt’s thoughts: “What a joke that Missouri is still ranked … Since Eliah Drinkwitz took over, Missouri is 0-16 – that is a goose egg and 16 – versus SEC teams that finished with a winning record in SEC play. So how do we think they’re going to do against Florida?

“Florida can run the rock. I think that’s reliable when you go on the road … you’ve got Jadan Baugh. You’ve got Duke Clark. They can do it. I think Missouri might score some points in this one. They’re a bit of an all-or-nothing passing game with Austin Simmons. He’s only completing 60% of his passes against FBS opponents, but they can create big explosive plays. They still don’t have running back Ahmad Hardy though. Does Missouri win games like this? The answer’s no. Those are just the facts, that’s not me being a hater.

“I think Florida wins this one 42-32.”

Klatt’s straight-up pick: Florida
Klatt’s pick against the spread: Florida -5.5

  Miami (FL) 42, Clemson 17

Malachi Toney and Miami are set to ascend on Saturday. (Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Spread: Miami -16.5
Moneyline: Miami -850, Clemson +575

Klatt’s thoughts: “I actually think this is going to be Miami’s announcement to the rest of the country. We think we know that they’re really good. I think on Saturday night we’re going to be like, ‘yep, that is one of – if not the – best teams in the country.’ … I don’t know if there’s enough guts in a bring your own guts-style environment for Dabo Swinney to go out there and beat a Miami team that’s that talented. Unless Miami beats themselves, which they have a propensity to do at times, but this feels different this year. You’ve got Darian Mensah playing at a high level. You’ve got Malachi Toney. And if we didn’t have Jeremiah Smith in the sport right now, Malachi Toney would be head and shoulders the best wide receiver in college football. 

“They’re better at the line of scrimmage than Clemson is. They’re better than Clemson. Clemson’s got some wins over Georgia Southern, North Carolina and Cal since the loss to LSU. None of those have been that impressive. Miami is a great team. I have them as an undefeated, No.1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

“I’ve got Miami winning 42-17 on the road, and they cover 16.5.”

Klatt’s straight-up pick: Miami
Klatt’s pick against the spread: Miami -16.5

  USC 35, Washington 21

DT Jahkeem Stewart returned to action for the Trojans in Week 4 after missing the first three weeks of 2026. (Photo by Ben Liebenberg/Getty Images)

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Spread: USC -9.5
Moneyline: USC -375, Oklahoma +295

Klatt’s thoughts: “Washington at USC. Both teams are coming off of tough losses at home. Washington lost to Minnesota, couldn’t protect the quarterback. And we all know about USC. Here’s the thing about USC and that loss to Oregon. Everyone is writing that program’s and coach’s obituary right now. That’s the talk of the town … that wasn’t an atrocious performance against Oregon. This is where it’s at for USC. I think the amount of pressure from the outside and the scrutiny … you either fold as a program or you get your best … I expect a good performance. That defense has obviously been bad for the last couple of weeks, but they did get DT Jahkeem Stewart back. Their freshmen are outstanding. 

“The problem with Washington is they don’t protect the quarterback. Minnesota sacked Demond Williams Jr. seven times and that led to turnovers. Guess what USC can do? They can get after the quarterback. They can rush the passer. I don’t see how USC scores less than 35 points in this game. 

“I think USC wins this one 35-21, and they cover the 9.5.”

Klatt’s straight-up pick: USC
Klatt’s pick against the spread: USC -9.5

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