Another weekend with SIX ranked matchups on the schedule. From the last two national champs facing off against each other to a top-10 showdown in Provo, Utah, this weekend has it all.

Will No. 6 Alabama bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Georgia when it faces No. 15 Tennessee? Plus, there’s a reunion in Eugene, with Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola facing his former team, Nebraska.

There are some major matchups this weekend with massive conference and playoff implications, but here are five sleeper games worth watching — and wagering on — in a stacked Week 7 of college football.

See how much you could win with this week’s parlay slip at the end.

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Spread: Oklahoma -7

Why This Game Matters: Kentucky has already shown it can win on the road in the SEC and keep pace with a high-powered offense like LSU’s, yet it is still an underdog against the Sooners.

Oklahoma has a chance to climb back into the College Football Playoff conversation and change the national perception of its season by following a win over its biggest rival with a victory over a top-15 team at home. If the Sooners can string together back-to-back top-15 wins, they’ll be right back in the mix in the SEC.

The Outlook: Oklahoma was humiliated by Georgia two weeks ago, and its season looked all but over. But beating your most-hated rival, who also happens to be No. 1 in the country, can change a season in a hurry. That’s exactly what the Sooners did last week, rallying from a 17-7 deficit against Texas to win on a walk-off field goal.

The roles are reversed this week for Kentucky, which is coming off a stunning upset of its own. Just as it did against South Carolina, Kentucky won in overtime on a two-point conversion — this time against No. 22 LSU — extending its home winning streak against the Tigers.

Spread: UCLA -2.5

Why This Game Matters: Don’t look now, but Wisconsin is 4-1 and about to begin a stretch of three straight games against ranked opponents. If coach Luke Fickell wants to bring the Badgers back, it starts here. The last time Wisconsin beat two top-15 teams in the same season, Jonathan Taylor was carrying the ball for them.

The Outlook: UCLA did something last weekend it hadn’t done since 2004: beat Oregon in Eugene. The Bruins forced six turnovers to escape with a 17-15 win and snap an eight-game road losing streak against the Ducks. Everything seemed to be lining up for a College Football Playoff berth, but then came a major blow: starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out for the season with a left knee injury. Now the focus shifts to Wisconsin, a team that already has a big upset under its belt.

Since a Week 1 loss to Notre Dame, the Badgers haven’t allowed more than one offensive touchdown in any game, giving up just 10.5 points per game. During that stretch, they stunned No. 13 Penn State in Happy Valley. This weekend, they get the same chance against another ranked opponent.

Spread: Duke -3.5

Why This Game Matters: These bitter rivals aren’t meeting on the basketball court just yet. First, they have to settle things on the football field. This rivalry doesn’t generate the same hype as the schools’ basketball matchups, but the animosity is still there, and Duke is looking for its third straight win over North Carolina.

If coach Bill Belichick wants to turn around his tenure in Chapel Hill, he can follow his first win over a ranked opponent with a victory over one of the Tar Heels’ biggest rivals. Meanwhile, Duke is still the reigning ACC champion. Even without quarterback Darian Mensah, the Blue Devils are fighting to defend their crown, with coach Manny Diaz keeping them right in the mix.

The Outlook: North Carolina coach Bill Belichick picked up his first win over a ranked opponent with the Tar Heels last week, beating No. 25 Pitt. North Carolina made stops at the right time, holding the Panthers to just seven points in the second half while forcing two turnovers.

Bill Belichick defeated No. 25 Pitt 21-17. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

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Duke’s bid for a 5-0 start slipped away when a 33-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left in the final seconds against Georgia Tech last week. Even after their first loss, the Blue Devils remain one of five ACC teams with no more than one defeat, powered by a stingy defense and one of the best running backs in the country. Sophomore Nate Sheppard ranks fourth nationally with 743 rushing yards and has scored eight touchdowns. Against Georgia Tech, he finished with 99 rushing yards, falling one yard short of his fifth straight 100-yard game.

Spread: Baylor -6

Why This Game Matters: There are five ranked teams in the Big 12, and Baylor could join the list with another impressive performance this week. With a win, the Bears would start 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 2019. At 5-1, Baylor would be right in the mix in the Big 12 and even the College Football Playoff conversation.

The Outlook: This is the most-played rivalry in the state of Texas, and this weekend marks the 122nd meeting between the Bears and Horned Frogs, with both teams coming off a bye week.

Baylor is the only Power Four team that has yet to allow 20 points in a game this season. That defense has spearheaded the Bears’ 4-1 start while their quarterback finds his footing. Transfer DJ Lagway is coming off his first five-touchdown performance in a 55-19 rout of Arizona State. The junior signal-caller threw for 306 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.

For his performance, Lagway was named one of two Big 12 Offensive Players of the Week in Week 5. (Photo by Hanna Kotlarek/Baylor Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

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On the other sideline, TCU is still searching for its first conference win this season after coming up short against No. 8 BYU in Fort Worth. Like Baylor, TCU has been tough to score against, allowing just 13.4 points and 255 yards per game, both second-fewest in the conference. The Horned Frogs were two points away from joining the Bears as the only Power Four teams yet to allow 20 points in a game this season.

Spread: JMU -12.5

Why This Game Matters: These are the top two teams in the Sun Belt, and they happen to share a division. Yes, the Sun Belt still has divisions. The two rank first and second in most conference categories, and now they can settle on the field which is the better team. Can Georgia State end James Madison’s winning streak?

The Outlook: Coach Billy Napier has returned to the Sun Belt and picked up right where he left off, losing just four conference games dating back to his time at Louisiana. He has guided JMU to 17 straight regular-season wins, extending the run that Bob Chesney started last season. The Dukes average 41.8 points per game, which is 11th in the country.

Meanwhile, Georgia State is off to its best start since 2023 but has never beaten JMU, losing all five previous meetings. The Panthers fell short by seven points last season, but this year they look better positioned than ever to end the Dukes’ regular-season winning streak.

Week 7 Parlay Slip

Bet $10 to win $251.78 if:

• No. 12 UCLA vs. Wisconsin UNDER 42.5 (-104)
• Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Kentucky OVER 43.5 (-110)
• Duke (-3.5) vs. North Carolina (+100)
• TCU vs. Baylor UNDER 48.5 (-115)
• Georgia State (+12.5) vs James Madison (-115)

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So much attention is paid to the physical characteristics players possess. When evaluating quarterbacks, though, poise is every bit as critical as arm strength, accuracy or athleticism. 

Its presence – or lack thereof – is the single biggest factor in why there is a need to update my QB Power Rankings for the 2027 NFL Draft after six weeks of college football. 

Like many others, I had Arch Manning and Dante Moore atop my preseason QB board. At that time, I considered them well above other projected first-round candidates and made that clear by listing each in their own unique category as “Top 5 Talents.” 

So far this season, Manning and Moore have failed to justify this lofty perch, which is why these rankings have the quarterbacks listed in tiers, with players simply projected as First Round, Day 2 or Day 3 prospects (albeit in reverse order). While the preseason favorites have faltered a bit, others have emerged, legitimizing optimism that the 2027 draft could boast quite the quarterback class. 

Day 3 Prospects

Previous ranking: 13

Previous ranking: 7

Previous ranking: 12

Previous ranking: 5

Previous ranking: 14

Previous ranking: 6

There have been 69 quarterbacks drafted on Day Three over the last decade. Of them, only the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott (fourth round in 2016) and the 49ers’ Brock Purdy (seventh round in 2022) have become long-term starters.  

Given the financial windfall that comes if a team is fortunate enough to hit a Day 3 lottery ticket on a quarterback, we can expect several more to be selected in 2027. These are typically players with ideal physical traits but sporadic accuracy. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, LSU’s Sam Leavitt and Oklahoma’s John Mateer are examples from this class.

Each is currently a better runner than a passer but has the arm strength and intangibles that some NFL coaches will find intriguing. With just a little fine-tuning, that coach will be thinking, “I can turn this kid into a pro.”

After pulling off the upset over Manning and top-ranked Texas, Mateer is especially topical. He’s not developed as a passer to nearly the extent the Sooners hoped he would after flashing early in his college career at Washington State, but scouts remain intrigued by his improvisational skills, strength and resiliency. He’s often been criticized for his lack of poise, but his composure late against Texas stood out. 

And while on the topic of poise, how about yet another terrific demonstration of this trait by Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, who was brilliant in the Bulldogs’ 20-17 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa?

Stockton has made a career out of playing well in big games, especially on the road. Over the past two seasons, Stockton is now 8-1 in games played on the road or on a neutral field, with a 14-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and five more touchdowns on the ground. And while the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Bulldog may not possess the height or elite arm strength of his peers, he’s a quality athlete, reads defenses well, and throws a really catchable ball, adjusting the trajectory and velocity for the occasion. In Saturday’s win, Stockton completed 18-of-22 passes and was especially good on third down, connecting on nine of his 10 attempts.

I still think of this throw – on fourth down in Neyland Stadium – that eventually led to Georgia winning in overtime. 

Stockton is the type of quarterback who NFL coaches will love, even if scouts question his “upside.” It will be interesting to see how teams view him, compared to other quarterbacks with more unique physical traits.  

UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby are similarly gifted dual-threats but also have to convince NFL teams that they possess the leadership and accountability expected of a pro quarterback. Watching from the sidelines is a slice of humble pie that not every young quarterback can handle. 

Due to his well-documented suspension and brief admittance into the subsequently canceled Supplemental Draft this summer, most draft fans are familiar with Sorsby.

Iamaleava has also been in the news for the wrong reasons, most recently for a significant knee injury suffered Saturday against Oregon that might be season-ending. Prior to that, he flourished as a redshirt freshman at Tennessee in 2024 before a dispute over NIL dollars led to a messy public divorce with the Vols and a transfer to UCLA. 

Iamaleava faces a significant decision next season. If he were to give up his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2027 draft, he’d need to overcome a relatively poor 17-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio since leaving Knoxville. Those numbers have dropped him off the radar for some – but not NFL scouts.

Iamaleava will need to prove his health, of course, but the 6-foot-5, 215-pound QB certainly has the traits worth developing, including rare athleticism for the position and plenty of arm talent. He can drive the ball through tight windows and shows great touch and trajectory on the deep ball. 

Day 2 Prospects

Previous ranking: 8

Previous ranking: 10

Previous ranking: 3

Previous ranking: 4

While the aforementioned Iamaleava’s statistics have scouts searching for more, the play so far this season of Miami’s Darian Mensah has been downright Heisman-worthy and could ultimately make him a first-round selection. 

Mensah leads the FBS with a ridiculous 84.2% completion rate and, entering Miami’s Oct. 17 game against Florida State, hasn’t thrown an interception. He led the ACC with 34 touchdown passes a year ago while leading Duke to its first conference title since 1962, and he’s doing the same for Miami this year with 15 touchdowns for the undefeated Hurricanes.

Clearly, Mensah has played well for Miami this season, but he has sometimes been more lucky than good. That was the case with back-to-back poor throws in the red zone during last weekend’s win over Clemson. 

Still, the good has far outweighed the bad. Mensah is very good at reading coverage at the line and he throws a very catchable ball. He anticipates well and is willing to throw the ball into space in a way that allows his receivers to go make plays. But make no mistake, Mensah’s receivers have rewarded him. Pro Football Focus has Miami pass-catchers dropping just one pass through the first five games this season. Texas receivers, by comparison, have dropped 11 of Manning’s passes.

And therein lies the debate scouts have with Mensah, as well as Ohio State’s Julian Sayin. 

There is simply no denying that playing quarterback is easier when you’re throwing to first-round NFL draft picks at wide receiver. Sayin has that, of course, with Jeremiah Smith, who I’m projecting as the No. 1 overall pick in my latest mock draft. Mensah has that in Malachi Toney, who will be a first-round selection next year, when he’s eligible for the NFL. 

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds and 6-foot-1, 214 pounds, respectively, neither Mensah nor Sayin possess eye-popping physical traits. Each can make every throw expected of an NFL quarterback, but their arm strength is more good than great, and they have more of a game-manager style rather than the “field general” mentality some believe is critical to becoming a true franchise-changer in the NFL.

Notre Dame’s CJ Carr has shown more of a willingness to attack downfield and has more of the offense relying on him this season with star running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price now in the NFL. He processes defenses quickly and has an excellent deep ball passer. He has also thrown 16 touchdowns so far this season and just one interception. And some would argue that just by playing for a program as high-profile as Notre Dame, Carr is already learning about poise on and off the field.

But I struggle to stamp a first-round grade on a quarterback until he shows the ability to win close games. Notre Dame has simply outclassed each of its opponents so far this season, outscoring Rice, Michigan State, Purdue, North Carolina and Stanford by a combined 173 points. As the scoring differential suggests, Notre Dame provides Carr with an excellent supporting cast.

Carr and the Irish will get their first test of the season this Saturday, on Oct. 17 in Provo, Utah, against a quality BYU Cougars team that enters the weekend ranked No. 8 in the AP Top 25. The regular season game I have circled to get a true evaluation of where Carr fits into the quarterback conversation next spring won’t come until Nov. 3, when Mensah and Hurricanes come to South Bend. 

USC’s Jayden Maiava possesses the body armor the NFL is looking for at a prototypical 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds. And he’s been even more productive this season than last, currently leading the Big Ten with a sparkling 18 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions, which is happening despite losing dynamic wide receivers Makai Lemon and Jakobi Lane to the NFL. Maiava appears to be answering the “supporting cast” question Mensah and Sayin are currently working through.

The concern that could keep Maiava out of the first round, however, is a relative lack of variety with his throws. Most of his best throws require touch, rather than driving the ball through tight windows. Think of it like a shooter in basketball. One needs to be able to drive to the basket, as well as shoot from the perimeter. It’s clear from his beautiful throw below from last weekend’s big win at Penn State that Maiava can feather the ball in – including while on the move – but so much of his game is based on fade-away jumpers. 

The development he’s shown since beginning his career at UNLV, however, is certainly intriguing. 

Day 1 Prospects

Previous ranking: 11

Previous ranking: 2

Previous ranking: 1

Previous ranking: 9

He won’t be old enough to order a beer until January, but in guiding the Oklahoma State to its fourth consecutive win – including a colossal upset of Moore and Oregon back on September 12 – Drew Mestemaker has emerged as one of the biggest risers at any position so far this season.

It has been a dizzying ascent for Mestemaker, who didn’t start a single game at quarterback in high school and was sixth on the depth chart at North Texas just two years ago. He’s proven a remarkably quick study since, however, leading the entire country with 4,379 passing yards for the Mean Green last year and following head coach Eric Morris to Stillwater.

Mestemaker has all the physical traits scouts look for in a future NFL starter, including a solid 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, plus athleticism and a strong, accurate arm. Belying his lack of experience, he looks comfortable in the pocket and is already among the best in this class, attacking the intermediate and deep levels of the defense by firing throws down the seam.

That said, while he’s undeniably gifted, Mestemaker is a long way from being a “sure thing” as a future NFL starter. He’s clearly a terrific fit in Morris’ offense but still leads the Big 12 with five interceptions thrown in as many games because, like most inexperienced quarterbacks, he can get a bit rattled with pressure. That’s notable because he’s barely been touched by opposing pass rushes this season, with the Cowboys allowing just four sacks in 2026. 

Scouts like to use player comparisons to give their peers (and general managers) a vision of what a prospect could look like in the NFL, if all things go as hoped. The comp you will continue to hear for Mestemaker is another No. 17: Josh Allen. 

Mestemaker’s emergence is the perfect contrast to Arch Manning, whose lineage has guaranteed he’d have scouts tracking him since he first picked up a football. 

Like Mestemaker, Manning possesses a blend of size, arm strength and mobility that every NFL team is looking for at the quarterback position. Even if the NFL draft were held this weekend, there is no doubt in my mind that if he were to make himself eligible, Manning would be a first-round pick. The traits and upside are just too rare. 

But two fourth-quarter interceptions in Texas’ Red River Rivalry loss to Oklahoma underscore the fact that Manning remains a very immature quarterback – one who needs plenty more seasoning before he can be expected to lead an NFL team to success. He’s thrown an interception in four of Texas’ first five games this season. The lack of poise he’s shown is concerning, but frankly, not especially surprising. Saturday against the Sooners was just the 19th start of his college career.

Unless he makes significant improvement in these three areas, the team that invests a first-round selection this spring in Manning should be resigned to the idea that he’d need to spend his first year learning from the sideline.

Criticize Manning all you’d like. I wonder if NFL teams aren’t even more worried about Oregon’s Dante Moore. The fact that Moore suffered a concussion following a blatant late hit against USC is a major concern in itself. That’s the tragic, fickle nature of this game, especially for quarterbacks. There is nothing Moore can do to reassure teams about his health except get back onto the field and play well.

Even prior to the injury, though, Moore was not playing as well as his 9-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio might suggest. Frankly, he was outplayed by Mestemaker in Oregon’s stunning road loss to Oklahoma State on Sept. 12, resorting to checkdowns rather than delivering the inspirational downfield strikes that we saw last year. 

Nevertheless, he remains the most talented pure passer in this class, in my opinion. 

But talented passers aren’t always the best quarterbacks. The ability to put one’s team on their back in the biggest moments is a separator. 

And it is that area which has catapulted Trinidad Chambliss into not only the first-round conversation, but the possibility of being the first quarterback off the board in the 2027 draft. 

I recently took a deep dive into Chambliss’ play, evaluating him in the five categories I’ve learned over my career that are the best indicators of future NFL success for the quarterback position. 

Chambliss’ numbers are good, but his play has been better than his statistics suggest. After leading the SEC in passing yards last year, he’s improved his completion percentage and has a solid 11-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio that is all the more impressive given that he’s also run for five scores. 

It is also worth noting that, like Manning, Chambliss has thrown an interception in four of his five games played so far this season, reinforcing two facts: 

The 2027 NFL Draft won’t be here for another six months. 

And, if the start of the regular season is any indication, the quarterback who comes off the board first may wind up being more of a matter of personal preference than the consensus top signal-caller – which could result in a handful of quarterbacks flying off the board rapid-fire style as we saw back in 2024. 

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It felt like receivers defined this week, whether it was Justin Jefferson’s incredible catch over three defenders to help the Vikings beat the Saints — or whether it was Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s drop on the Seahawks’ game-losing drive against the 49ers.

We’ll talk endlessly about quarterbacks — and for good reason. (I’ll get to plenty of QB talk.) But let’s kick things off with an ode to a receiver who’s changing the complexion of the NFC: Mike Evans.

Welcome to Sound Smart, where I take you beyond what’s obvious. Let’s go below the surface. Let’s spin it forward, dive deeper, think outside the box and read between the lines. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 5 action.

1.

Evans is right up there with Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III as the most impactful acquisitions of the 2026 NFL offseason. 

In the biggest game of the 49ers’ season, there was Evans. He had seven catches for 113 yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion — even though he has been playing through two broken ribs. The 49ers beat the Seahawks 32-29 in Seattle.

“He’s a difference-maker. He’s a spark. He’s everything that you want in a receiver,” running back Christian McCaffrey said after the game. “It’s pretty cool when you get new guys and they continue to up the standard.”

It sounds like a cliché, but there’s real truth in that statement. Evans has a Super Bowl win; McCaffrey doesn’t.

Mike Evans celebrates with his 49ers teammates after scoring a crucial two-point conversion against the Seahawks during the fourth quarter on Sunday. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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This offseason, when the 49ers signed Evans, I’ll admit that I sort of shrugged when he said, “I think I’m that piece” at his introductory press conference. He’s 33 and his hamstring injuries have been a real issue. So it felt like throwing an aging, injury-prone WR1 on top of an aging, injury-prone RB1 (Christian McCaffrey) on top of an aging, injury-prone TE1 (George Kittle).

It felt like more of the same. And that wouldn’t change the 49ers’ inability to win it all.

Evans’ performance gives me reason to believe they can really win the Super Bowl. This season. He is among the biggest reasons they have been so impressive. In the moments quarterback Brock Purdy needs a first down or a touchdown, Evans is there. 

He dominated Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe, who spent the game covering Evans for all but one reception (that went for one yard). Jobe’s 112 yards allowed are the most by a cornerback in the Mike Macdonald era in Seattle, per Next Gen Stats.

Evans also dominated Seahawks corner Trevon Diggs as a blocker — and, later, Evans and Diggs were talking trash. Evans ended the conversation when he checked the back of Diggs’ jersey. The gesture said more than the trash talk could: I don’t even know who you are.

Diggs knows Evans. Everyone does.

His 7.3 receptions over expected is third-best in the NFL, behind Trey McBride (8.6) and Smith-Njigba (7.4). His success rate per route run (24.2%) is best in the NFL. And his expected points added per route is .33, also best in the NFL.

This is all to say that Evans might just be the most efficient and statistically impactful receiver on a per-play basis.

Now, it’s important to give the defense credit where credit’s due. Last year, they ranked 13th in points allowed per game. This year, they rank third going into Monday night. There have been improvements across the board — and not just on offense. And on Sunday, the defense posted four takeaways.

“That was the difference between winning and losing today — to be able to get points off those turnovers,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters postgame.

But it’s no coincidence that Purdy has looked like an MVP candidate in Evans’ first season with the team. The veteran wideout has given this offense a sixth gear — that I didn’t expect and really didn’t know existed.

“I thought Brock did an unbelievable job to find a way to win there at the end. That’s one of the best defenses in the league,” Shanahan said. “I thought he was really good in the fourth quarter. There were a lot of times when something wasn’t there and he made some plays.”

Want one more example of Evans’ value? He had 60 of Purdy’s 76 fourth-quarter passing yards. 

For his efforts on Sunday, Evans earned former Buccaneers teammate Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game.

2.

Jordan Love beat Ben Johnson at his own game.

In the Bears-Packers’ rivalry matchup, the Green Bay quarterback was firing the ball downfield without a care in the world. He just kept attacking and, in the 31-7 Packers blowout, Love had 258 passing yards and two touchdowns — on deep passes alone.

That’s right: He was 6-of-8 on passes that traveled 20-plus air yards. And he racked up 258 of his 367 passing yards and both of his touchdowns on those deep balls.

“It’s something that we saw throughout the game that was working. We kept doing it,” Love told reporters postgame. He later added: “It’s a flow state.”

The more I watched the Packers’ offense on Sunday, the more I saw the offense Johnson wanted out of his offense — all explosives in the passing game. Now, the schemes are apples to oranges. (And Johnson loves explosives in the running game, which the Packers lacked.) But the passing-game identity? That’s what he wants from quarterback Caleb Williams, who missed this game with a hamstring injury.

I’ve always thought that Love is, in many ways, a player Williams should study and should look at as a North star. I know that Williams is more athletic and has (somehow) more arm strength. But it’s actually Love’s restraint and acuity that makes him the better QB than Williams right now. Last year, Love was one of the NFL’s most efficient quarterbacks while Williams — despite leading the league with six fourth-quarter comebacks — failed to get his completion percentage above 60%.

Against Chicago, Love married his efficiency with his athleticism, exploiting the Bears’ unimpressive defense. It was way too easy. And the blowout should pour even more fuel on an already legendary rivalry, which Love fielded a question about after the game.

“We’re never going to apologize for a win,” Love said. “To be able to dominate somebody at home — an NFC North opponent — it felt great, and that’s all I got to say.”

3.

It’s getting to the point where coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts are working to keep their jobs. 

At 2-3, the danger is there for the QB and the coach.

Over the past few months, the Eagles traded receiver A.J. Brown and offensive lineman Cam Jurgens for a haul that included first- and second-round picks in 2028. It’s clear that GM Howie Roseman has his eyes on the future. And he’s not afraid to fire a Super Bowl-winning head coach (Doug Pederson) — nor is he unwilling to move on from a Super Bowl-winning QB (Nick Foles).

He hasn’t done both in one offseason. But with Roseman, you should never say never.

The interesting thing about the Eagles’ 19-17 loss to the Jaguars in London wasn’t just the way they lost it. It was about who lost it. And Sirianni left no doubt.

“I didn’t make the right decision [on the kickoff]. I lost us that game,” Sirianni told reporters afterward. “That one’s on me. There’s no way around it. I didn’t do my job in that situation.”

So what was the situation, exactly?

There were actually two glaring errors, from my view. 

But let’s talk about the first one — the kick. With eight seconds left to play and a 17-16 lead, the Eagles kicked off. They should have kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone. Had they done that, the ball would’ve started on the 35-yard line and the Jaguars would’ve had time for just a Hail Mary. 

But the Eagles kicked the ball to a returner. And because they did that, it allowed an explosive return of 53 yards. Worse yet, they tackled ball-carrier Ameer Abdullah with one second left in the game, which the Jaguars used to kick a 57-yard field goal. If they’d tackled Abdullah just five yards farther up field, time would have expired.

Bottom line: Kick it out of the back of the end zone and make the Jaguars throw a Hail Mary. 

But there was another mistake — more nuanced — from the Eagles’ final offensive drive that was glaring.

On the penultimate play, they ran a quick-out to receiver Makai Lemon, who put them at the Jacksonville 27-yard line. Problem was, he went out of bounds — which he shouldn’t have done. The Eagles had a timeout. If he’d laid down in bounds, they could have forced the Jaguars to use their only timeout (or let the clock bleed down to three seconds). They didn’t do that. And that 10-second difference ended up costing them the game.

Maybe you’re thinking: That’s so elaborate! We could only possibly know that’s important with hindsight!

Well, the Eagles had hindsight, because the Cowboys made this exact same mistake against the Ravens in Week 3, with Dallas failing to bleed the clock (when it could have) and leaving enough time for two plays (a pass and a field goal) for Baltimore. Which is exactly how Ravens QB Lamar Jackson moved his team into 3-point position, from which Tyler Loop hit the game-winner.

Even with that happening across the league this season, the Eagles didn’t think to drain the clock. Lemon went out of bounds — and staying in-bounds in that situation is the exact kind of detail Sirianni and/or coordinator Sean Mannion need to drill into their players.

So you can see clearly: The Eagles had the lead. And Sirianni made a series of decisions that cost them that lead.

And Hurts? Well, starting with 1:35 left in the game, he got his team into position for the go-ahead field goal despite a diminished offense. Hurts led an ugly-but-effective-enough drive despite the absences of running back Saquon Barkley (injury), receiver Devonta Smith (injury), tackle Lane Johnson (retirement), guard Cam Jurgens (trade) and guard Landon Dickerson (IR). Overall, the QB produced a very Hurts-ian performance: 21-for-40, 220 passing yards, two touchdowns.

And he got his team in a winning position in the last minute. It’s just that — well, we already went over how it went wrong.

If I’m Roseman, I liked what I saw from Hurts a whole hell of a lot more than what I saw from Sirianni.

4.

Somehow, the Commanders’ explanations for their final play against the Giants in the teams’ 27-27 tie were more confounding than the final play itself. 

In overtime, with 12 seconds left and Washington in field-goal position and no timeouts, quarterback Jayden Daniels dropped back to pass.

Wait, what?

Yup, he dropped back. Which was risky, because, again, the Commanders had no timeouts. But surely, Daniels would throw it away and stop the clock. He wouldn’t take a sack, right? Because that might cost them the field-goal attempt — and the win. But, well, you know what happened next: a sack.

When Daniels hit the ground, there were still eight seconds left. The next logical step was to get the offense up and in formation to clock it. But the Commanders were sluggish and disorganized on their way to the line. So time expired. And they tied the Giants, squandering a win.

“We gotta stop the clock. We gotta know the situation. We’ve gotta relay that as an offense. It starts with everyone — from top down. But ultimately, it’s on me,” Daniels told reporters after the game.

It helps for coaches to 1) tell the QB he needs to throw it away if nothing’s there (rather than run it) and 2) tell him he has no timeouts left. But Daniels also just … needs to know those things.

The other problem was that the Commanders were even running a play to begin with. Coach Dan Quinn owned that mistake.

“Does not fall on [Jayden Daniels]. It’s an outside throw or a clock,” Quinn said. “That had to come from me. I don’t even have to put him in that spot. … We don’t need to gain more yards.”

His answer that “It’s an outside throw or a clock” is kind of putting it on Daniels — right after he said the opposite. But Quinn did take accountability, because he’s right: The Commanders didn’t need to gain more yards. Washington was at the Giants’ 26-yard line. The field goal probably would’ve been just fine where they were.

So, ultimately, no team won a game in the NFC East this week, even though two of the division’s teams played each other. That’s … hard to do.

5.

Just two weeks ago, it would be fair to wonder if the Patriots needed to rush receiver A.J. Brown (sprained ankle) back into the lineup — because quarterback Drake Maye and the New England offense looked broken.

But in recent weeks, it’s been just fine. In fact, it’s been … incredible.

In Week 5, New England beat the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17, with Maye going 26-of-34 for 374 passing yards and four passing touchdowns — with a fifth score on the ground. As a team, the Patriots rushed 31 times for 165 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Here’s the stat that tells me that Maye is feeling himself: On throws over 10 air yards, he completed 8 of 11 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. That’s just the third time in his career he has completed over 70% of his downfield pass attempts (minimum 10 attempts), per Next Gen Stats.

Maye owned the intermediate and deep parts of the field. Those throws require confidence and precision — all of which Maye lacked in his first three games of the year when he opened the season with one touchdown and six interceptions. But Maye hit 15-plus-yard plays to six different pass-catchers and hit 25-plus-yard plays to four different pass-catchers.

That’s confidence.

Drake Maye (No. 10) has the Patriots’ offense rolling again. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

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He was elevating the likes of Efton Chism, Kyle Williams, Eli Raridon and DeMario Douglas. And if you’re not familiar with those folks, well, that’s the point. This is Maye’s MVP form from last year — the style of play that eluded him in the first three weeks.

So let’s add Brown back into the mix. He’s progressing well in rehab and could return by Week 7. He was Maye’s most trusted target in training camp. Brown has been the most-trusted target with every QB he’s played for (on the field, at least). The receiver will be the best playmaker Maye has ever played alongside.

When it comes together, New England’s offense will go exponential, particularly with games against three of the league’s worst defenses — Bears, Dolphins and Lions — over the next five weeks.

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You knew change would be coming to Joel Klatt’s rankings after a wild Saturday; the question was just how much change we would see.

Georgia holds at No. 1 after its first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007, beating Alabama 20-17 and bullying the Crimson Tide around for most of the night. Ohio State and Miami both climbed up behind the Bulldogs. 

But Texas, the former AP No. 1 and last week’s No. 2 in Klatt’s ranking, craters all the way to No. 7 after a stunning 27-24 loss to unranked Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. UCLA, fresh off upsetting Oregon in Eugene, cracks the top 10 for the first time, replacing the Ducks.

With six weeks of college football in the books, here are Klatt’s 10 best teams in the country.

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: Unranked ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “So UCLA is real. Where are they at in my top 10? They’ve cracked it, man. I’ve got to put them in there. Part of this is their upcoming schedule, yes, but UCLA is going to be No. 10 for me. So kudos to Bob Chesney. 

“This UCLA team — there’s some juice there. I can’t wait to see. Is it always going to be full in the Rose Bowl? No, that homefield environment isn’t the greatest. But if it’s good, it’s good.”

Odds to make CFP: +105 (eighth-best)
Odds to win national title: +7000 (14th best)

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 10 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “At nine, I’ve got BYU. BYU is still in there. 

“They beat Iowa State 24-10, but they’ve got some injuries. I don’t love the next couple of weeks for BYU, I certainly don’t love their matchup against Notre Dame without LJ Martin, their running back, and without Isaiah Glasker, their linebacker. 

“Both of those guys look to be out moving forward here for the next couple of weeks, so facing Notre Dame might be quite a tall task. And then they’ve got a huge game in conference on the road, just up the road, against Utah.”

Odds to make CFP: +200 (14th-best)
Odds to win national title: +7800 (16th-best)

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 9 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “Another week, another comfortable win for the Utes. Although they were messing around a little bit with Kansas.  

“Kansas had a fourth down inside the five to make it basically a three-point game at one point in the fourth quarter, and then all of a sudden they stop them, get a big run going the other direction and end up beating Kansas 41-24. 

“Every win this year has been by at least two touchdowns, so they’re dominating some folks. They had over 500 yards of offense, nearly 300 on the ground against Kansas.”

Odds to make CFP: +105 (eighth-best) 
Odds to win national title: +6600 (11th-best)

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 2 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: “You can’t make those mistakes. The sloppiness has got to be maddening from the Texas perspective. I don’t want to harp on this, but this is one of the more talented offenses, just late, inconsistent, slower in processing, slower feet, slower release. The variance is killing them. 

“Sarkisian, sloppy for the second straight week, they’ve got to fix some things. 

“So where does Texas go in the top 10? Because they still have such a high ceiling, they’re still a top-10 team. Have they played like that for even a full half? I don’t think they have. But I can’t put them lower than seven. So Texas is going to be seventh right now.”

Odds to make CFP: -450 (seventh-best)
Odds to win national title: +900 (sixth-best)

Record: 6-0

Previous ranking: 6

Klatt’s thoughts: “Indiana is going to be at No. 6. I think there are some things there that they need to work on, their secondary still needs some help, they’re trying to figure out where they need to be from a secondary standpoint. But Indiana’s going to be my sixth-ranked team in the country.”

Odds to make CFP: -800 (fourth-best)
Odds to win national title: +1100 (seventh-best)

Record: 6-0

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “Notre Dame is going to be five. They beat Stanford 58-7, handled them, got the ground game going, by the way, 361 on the ground. 

“We’re finally going to see what Notre Dame is all about when they face BYU, and maybe we’re going to learn that BYU isn’t very good, or maybe we’re going to learn that Notre Dame isn’t very good. Maybe we’re going to learn that both of them are very good. I’m not sure, because Notre Dame’s level of competition just hasn’t been great. 

“Again, Stanford isn’t going to give you any sort of barometer about what your team is.”

Odds to make CFP: -3000 (first)
Odds to win national title: +500 (tied second-best)

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “Everyone says it’s your first game to your second game — no, it’s your first real game to your second. That’s when the growth shows up, and QB Keelon Russell is going to grow from this. 

“So Bama is going to go to four. They were at five last week. Texas dropped out, so obviously they can move up again. Bama can absolutely win the national championship, that team could win a national championship, I firmly believe that.”

Odds to make CFP: -700 (sixth-best)
Odds to win national title: +900 (fifth-best)

“In particular, if Russell continues to improve and gets more efficient, and if the offensive line continues to develop under Adrian Klemm, their offensive line coach, then they’ve got something. They totally rebuilt their offensive line, and it shows in a positive way.”

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 4 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “Miami was off this week. They’re the No. 1 scoring team in the country. They’re the No. 1 point-differential team in the country. They’ve got Florida State at home this week — I think they should beat Florida State, although Florida State is improving a little bit. But all eyes are pointing toward that Notre Dame game in November.”

Odds to make CFP: -1500 (third-best)
Odds to win national title: +700 (fourth-best)

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 3 ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: “They took care of Maryland, 45-16. They’ve basically been one of the most dominant and best teams in college football outside of three possessions. 

“Those three possessions are keeping them out of that No. 1 spot. If they would’ve beaten Texas that night, obviously they’d be No. 1 right there with Georgia. 

“But Georgia’s one, Ohio State’s two. They’ve been very consistent after that game against Texas.”

Odds to make CFP: -750 (fifth-best)
Odds to win national title: +400 (first)

Record: 6-0

Previous ranking: 1

Klatt’s thoughts: “Georgia is still the team that can bully Alabama around a little bit. Now, was it to the extent we saw in the last six quarters of their two meetings a year ago? No, it wasn’t … All of a sudden there’s a fumble, and they take a huge review. Where does it go? It goes Georgia’s way.

“They come back and win that game. Georgia gets a good whistle. They do. They just do … I’ve told you for a couple of weeks now, three weeks ago I said I have a sneaky suspicion that Georgia is actually the best team in the country.

Odds to make CFP: -2500 (second-best)
Odds to win national title: +500 (tied second-best)

“Why do I feel that way? Because of everything we saw on Saturday night. When they need a play, Gunner Stockton makes it. When they have to gain some yards, they do it. They just don’t beat themselves, and for that, they’re the No. 1 team in the country, and we all know it. They’ve proven that.”

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One sure thing about NFL betting is that there are no sure things. 

That played out in NFL Week 5 odds right out of the gate on Thursday night, with the public betting masses on the wrong side.

The Cowboys were the biggest favorite on the board. Dallas faced a Buccaneers side that hadn’t covered in its last 13 games and was starting an undrafted rookie QB in Jalon Daniels.

So of course: Bucs 24, Cowboys 16.

“The Cowboys spent the week as the safest leg on the NFL card. But Thursday night served as a reminder that there are no free squares in the NFL,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said.

The upset kicked off four days of back-and-forth between sportsbooks and bettors. Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and across the country chimed in to recap the weekend that was in NFL and college football betting.

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.

Bookmaker Boosters

Nothing starts off an NFL week better for sportsbooks — or worse for the masses — than a popular favorite going up in flames. The Cowboys were surely the lead-off hitter on countless moneyline parlays running to Sunday’s NFL games, and perhaps to some Saturday college football, too.

All those parlays went poof before Friday even arrived.

“Undrafted Kansas product Jalon Daniels stunned bettors by leading the winless Buccaneers to the season’s biggest upset,” Feazel said.

Indeed, the Cowboys were 9.5-point favorites, matching the Chargers’ line vs. the Cardinals in Week 1, when L.A. tumbled 26-14. But Dallas’ loss certainly felt like a bigger upset due to the surrounding circumstances.

The Bucs were on an 0-13 slide against the spread (ATS), having not covered since Week 8 of last season. And Tampa was just 2-11 straight up (SU) in that stretch, including 0-4 SU and ATS this season.

Jalon Daniels helped doom bettors win his performance against the Cowboys (Getty Images).

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In Sunday’s first game, Eagles vs. Jaguars in London, Jacksonville won in crazy fashion, but didn’t cover the number. More on that in a moment.

Both BetMGM and Caesars Sports said the 1 p.m. ET games — eight in all — generally fell in their favor, even with a lot of favorites winning and covering.

“We got off to a reasonably good start,” BetMGM trading manager Tristan Davis said.

The Raiders and Browns were trendy underdogs on the spread and moneyline, and both failed to deliver. Las Vegas (+3.5) got blown out by the host Patriots 45-17. Cleveland (+2.5), on a three-game SU and ATS win streak, lost to the Jets 17-12 on the road.

“It was a solid early slate for the book,” Feazel said. “Even with the Eagles unable to hold on for the upset in the final seconds of the game, there was healthy Jacksonville action on the spread throughout the week.”

The Jags closed as 7.5-point favorites and were never covering the number. In fact, Jacksonville trailed most of the game, including 17-16 with eight seconds remaining, after Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal for Philly.

But Ameer Abdullah returned the ensuing kick 53 yards to the Eagles’ 39-yard line, getting tackled with one second left. Cam Little then booted a 57-yarder to give the Jags an improbable 19-17 win, albeit well short of covering.

Las Vegas entered Week 5 at 3-1 SU/4-0 ATS, the only team with a perfect spread-covering mark. That’s no longer the case.

“The love for the Raiders in Vegas continued into this week, [so] the Patriots’ blowout was another key decision,” Feazel said.

Public Performers

There were only three games in the 4:05 p.m./4:25 p.m. ET window. The Broncos and Lions were popular road favorites, vs. the Chargers and Cardinals, respectively. 

Denver (-3.5) once again had to rally, but won and covered 23-17. Detroit (-5.5) ran away from Arizona 45-21.

And the 49ers were another trendy underdog vs. the 3-point home favorite Seahawks. In a back-and-forth battle, San Francisco won outright 32-29.

“Bettors expected fireworks in the 49ers-Seahawks matchup and were not shy about backing San Francisco as the live ‘dog. Points and the 49ers proved to be a popular marriage for the public,” Feazel said.

Added Davis: “The afternoon slate reared its ugly head, which gave the bettors the edge.”

Also helping the masses were the favorites going 9-3 SU and ATS across the early and late windows, and two of those three underdogs being popular with the public: Green Bay and San Fran. The Packers were 1.5-point home ‘dogs and smoked the Bears 45-17.

“Way too many favorites won, way too many favorites covered. And all the money was on the Packers,” South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said.

The Packers were one of many favorites that won and covered in NFL Week 5 (Getty Images).

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Feazel noted that the Texans (1-4 SU and ATS) finally cracking the win column also boosted bettors. Houston was a 6.5-point favorite at Tennessee and rolled 26-3.

“Bettors have been taking the Texans and fading the Titans since Week 1, and that was finally the perfect combination for them to capitalize on,” Feazel said.

Sunday night’s Ravens-Falcons tilt was a big winner for DraftKings customers. Pregame, DraftKings noted that its worst outcome was Baltimore moneyline — a Ravens outright win — and Over 43.5 points scored.

So a 30-23 Ravens overtime victory padded the bettors’ pockets.

However, BetMGM’s Davis and South Point’s Andrews both said they needed a Baltimore outright win. So, as is the case sometimes, different sportsbooks can have different needs.

On Campus

Three outright underdog winners and one key favorite across Saturday’s slate proved too much for the public betting masses to overcome.

Leading the way: Unranked Oklahoma, a 7.5-point neutral-site ‘dog, knocking off No. 1 Texas 27-24 on a Tate Sandel 47-yard field goal as time expired at the Cotton Bowl.

UCLA was a 10-point road underdog to Oregon and shut down the Ducks in a 17-15 upset. USC was a 1.5-point road favorite, but Penn State was a trendy underdog with the public and lost 31-23.

And in the game of the day, 2.5-point road ‘dog Georgia held off Alabama 20-17.

“It was day for the ages for BetMGM. Oklahoma, UCLA, Georgia and USC all winning outright were massive results for the book,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “Oklahoma alone took out a heap of moneyline parlays, which really set the table for the rest of Saturday night.

“It felt like Notre Dame covering was just about the only result that didn’t go our way.”

The Fighting Irish had no trouble with Stanford, winning 58-7 as massive 40.5-point home favorites.

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Three top-10 teams — Texas, Alabama and LSU — suffered losses this weekend, as did Oregon, creating more questions about who can make a legitimate run at a national championship this year.

Meanwhile, UCLA remains undefeated under new coach Bob Chesney, and Kentucky is becoming an increasingly intriguing team under first-year coach Will Stein. Georgia is the new No. 1 team in the country and doesn’t look like it will give up that spot easily.

The SEC will continue to dominate the headlines, but the Big 12 is demanding attention of its own. BYU, Utah, Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma State are all positioning themselves for a shot at the College Football Playoff, making the conference one to watch as this race heats up.

With that, here are our superlatives from another fun weekend of college football.

   Game Of The Week: Indiana Tops Nebraska

(Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

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No. 5 Indiana scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally past previously undefeated Nebraska, 20-17, on the road. Hoosiers quarterback Josh Hoover connected with receiver Nick Marsh for a 75-yard score with about 12 minutes remaining, and on the next possession, found Marsh again for a 44-yard touchdown on fourth-and-one to complete the comeback. 

“I’m not sure it’s completely sunk in — it’s starting to — that we won, because it took everything the players and coaches had in that one to find a way to overcome,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after the game.

The defending national champions have now won 22 consecutive games. Just in time to host No. 4 Ohio State next week in an anticipated rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game.

   Moment Of The Week: Kentucky’s OT Win vs. LSU

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey ran for a two-point conversion in overtime to lift the Wildcats to a 35-34 win over then-No. 10 LSU on Saturday night.

An unranked Kentucky team forced overtime when Adam Zouagui made a 33-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in regulation – a huge confidence boost after missing his previous two attempts in the final five minutes. Before the game-tying kick, Stein gave Zouagui a hug.

“I’m in shock,” Stein said after the game. “We’ve got a really good football team. People count us out. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. We just kept chopping. We kept fighting.”

In his first season in Lexington, Stein has led Kentucky, now ranked No. 15, to a 5-1 start, putting the Wildcats in position to make a run. Kentucky’s remaining schedule looks winnable with games against only two ranked opponents — Tennessee and Missouri — remaining.

   Coaching Win Of The Week: Kirby Smart And Georgia

(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)

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This one goes to Kirby Smart after then-No. 2 Georgia beat sixth-ranked Alabama, 20-17, on Saturday night. It was the Bulldogs’ first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007, when Smart was on the opposite sideline as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator. 

The Crimson Tide had won their previous five regular-season meetings against the Bulldogs entering Saturday, but Georgia has now beaten Alabama twice in nine months, dating back to a 28-7 victory in last December’s SEC championship game.

Alabama had a chance to tie or take the lead late, but a controversial no-call in the fourth quarter was costly. Trailing 20-17, Tide quarterback Keelon Russell looked for receiver Rico Scott, who was sprinting toward the end zone, but Georgia defensive back KJ Bolden broke up the pass. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer pleaded for pass interference, but to no avail. Russell was sacked on the next play, forcing Alabama to punt.

There were still three minutes left, but Georgia maintained possession with help from a late personal foul on Alabama defensive back Dijon Lee Jr.

Player Of The Week: Northern Arizona QB Ty Pennington

Meet quarterback Ty Pennington, who accounted for six touchdowns in Northern Arizona’s 49-44 upset win over Montana in the FCS this weekend. 

Pennington went 26 of 38 for 322 yards with one passing touchdown, a 28-yarder to receiver Jeter Purdy, in the first quarter. He added four rushing scores and caught a seven-yard touchdown from receiver Joey Stout, which gave the Lumberjacks the lead for good in the third quarter.

Head coach Brian Wright was full of praise after the game.

“Ty is not only the toughest player in America; he is the best player in America,” Wright told reporters. “What that guy did today was amazing. That guy put us on our shoulders like I’ve never seen a football player do. He threw touchdowns, he ran for touchdowns, he caught a touchdown. I would hope after today, he gets the recognition he deserves around the country.”

CFP Impact Game Of The Week: Oklahoma Upsets Texas

(Photo by Gunnar Word/Getty Images)

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In the 121 meetings between Texas and Oklahoma leading up to Saturday, the Longhorns had never lost to the Sooners when ranked No. 1 in the nation. That changed this year, as an unranked Oklahoma team pulled off a 27-24 upset on a walk-off 47-yard field goal.

Texas largely beat itself. The Longhorns gave up a blocked punt in the end zone that resulted in a touchdown, while quarterback Arch Manning threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 42 yards for a touchdown. Texas also committed eight penalties and missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining that would have given it the lead.

Oklahoma’s numbers weren’t much better, but the Sooners didn’t turn the ball over, which was a pivotal difference in the game. After Texas missed a potential go-ahead field goal late and Manning threw his second interception, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer delivered with a couple of big throws in the waning moments to set up the winning kick.

“I thought about this game for 365 days,” said Mateer, who had three interceptions against Texas last year. “I think that was the longest fourth quarter I’ve ever been a part of. It was awesome and I’ll never forget it. But I knew [with] 19 seconds left that this was the time.”

What Saturday’s loss means for the Longhorns moving forward remains to be seen. Their schedule is tough, with games against Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M still ahead. Coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged a “level of anger and frustration” after this one, but it’s unclear if he can address the team’s issues and keep the season from spiraling. Texas’ defense has championship-caliber potential, but the offense lacks an identity under Manning, and there are questions about if this group can get it together.

   Biggest Storyline Into Week 7: Notre Dame At BYU

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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There’s no question that No. 2 Notre Dame looks like a complete team and could legitimately contend for a championship. The hang-up, though, is the Fighting Irish have yet to face a true test, blowing out nearly every opponent on their schedule so far.

That will change this week with a trip to Provo for a prime-time matchup against No. 8 BYU. Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr has been efficient, completing more than 70% of his passes, while Notre Dame’s defense ranks No. 1 in the country. 

But BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier is a playmaker in his own right. Over the weekend, he threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 109 yards on the ground. 

This showdown will be an important measuring stick to see just how serious we should be taking them in the CFP and national title conversation.

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Game officials made an error in spotting the ball on Oregon’s 2-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to UCLA, the Big Ten announced on Sunday.

After Evan Stewart’s 44-yard scoring catch from Brock Thomas pulled the Ducks within 17-15 with 2:16 left, UCLA was flagged for a facemask penalty on Oregon’s 2-point conversion try.

Officials spotted the ball one-and-a-half yards from the goal line and UCLA’s defense smothered rusher Jordon Davison to thwart the Ducks’ second chance.

The Big Ten said that officials erred in spotting the ball half the distance from the line of scrimmage. Instead, the ball should have been a half-yard from the goal line.

“Per rule, the ball should have been spotted half-the-distance to the goal from the end of the run of the first attempt,” the Big Ten’s statement said. 

The Ducks had one final drive with less than a minute left but a lost fumble — one of seven Oregon turnovers in the game. With the 17-15 loss, the Ducks (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) dropped out of the AP Top 25.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

FOX Sports’ RJ Young shares his latest college football rankings after a heated Week 6 slate.

“The Big Ten has been in contact with its officiating team from Saturday’s game regarding the error and will continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules,” the conference statement said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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U.S. NATIONAL TEAM TRAINING CENTER (Fayetteville, Ga.) – The epiphany came to Emma Hayes about a decade ago.

She was well into her coaching tenure at Chelsea and her team had just lost to rivals Arsenal, 1-0, in the 2016 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

When Hayes talks about this moment, she explains the Gunners deserved to win that game. What she couldn’t see at the time – but very clearly understands now – is why her players were so off that day. Their reaction times were slower than normal and their coordination was like “watching a group of people that looked separated from their bodies,” Hayes recently told a small group of reporters at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center near Atlanta.

“I remember in the middle of the game thinking, ‘What’s wrong with them?’” Hayes continued. “‘Is it their nerves?’”

Emma Hayes and the U.S. women’s national team. (Photo by Georgia Soares/USSF/Getty Images)

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Hayes later learned her players were at different points in their menstrual cycles and that, in some cases, those hormonal fluctuations were affecting their performance. She was at a loss. “Why don’t I know these things?” she asked herself. 

Brain fog, fluid retention, inflammation, cramping, pelvic floor issues – these are things women know all too well. This caused Hayes to think about her own body – she’s been open about her endometriosis diagnosis – and how little she really knew. In her players’ case, they were navigating this while trying to compete at the highest level.

“We’re asking players to perform in a culture that says, ‘Oh, you’ve got a period? Sit out,’” Hayes said. “I was like, ‘It’s not good enough. We don’t want to sit out.”

Since then, Hayes has made it her life’s work to normalize conversations around women’s health and transform what was once treated as a taboo topic into a superpower. 

Through her own research, she discovered there is no degree devoted solely on female physiology. If she wanted to truly understand women’s bodies, she would have to build that education herself – seeking out scientists, former players, coaches and other like-minded people who were asking the same questions.

So she did. 

The result is an entire ecosystem – first at Chelsea and now as the U.S. women’s national team manager – created around putting the female lens “at the heart of everything we do.” 

Part of the end goal is that this contributes to developing a team to win. The Americans are preparing for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and then the Olympics on home soil in 2028. The squad is currently in the middle of an international window – they fell to Spain 2-0 in a friendly on Saturday and will face the defending World Cup champions again on Tuesday – before turning focus to qualifying for next summer’s tournament in November.

Emma Hayes led the USA to Olympic gold in 2024. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images).

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The other part, though, is larger than that. 

Hayes and her passionate staff want to share their findings with women and girls at every level of the sport. Which is why Hayes and U.S. Soccer opened the second annual HerLens Conference – which was held internally last year – to 300 people, ranging from NWSL general managers to youth soccer coaches at the National Training Center earlier this month. 

The two-day event included interactive sessions about bias and inclusivity, why girls stay or leave the game, building women- and girls-centric team culture, and more. And she introduced attendees to the term “Female 360,” a holistic approach that considers every aspect of the female player’s experience on and off the field.

“For me, this is more than winning on the pitch,” Hayes said. “This is transformational. I think my purpose, my mission, came from a losing situation and I felt robbed. I felt denied. I felt like, how have I, at this stage of my life, [not known] these things about myself?”

HAYES TOOK OVER as the U.S. national team head coach a few weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics. It was a whirlwind way to begin a new job, and she led a group of players she’d only just met to a gold medal.

Afterward, she surveyed every player and staff member: “OK, where do we go from here?”

A couple of months later, Hayes introduced her approach for reframing women’s soccer through a female lens in an effort to not just copy and paste a game inherited from men. She’s been instilling her vision ever since. 

“It was like a light bulb went off in my brain, like, ‘Yeah, duh!’” U.S. and Manchester City midfielder Sam Coffey told me. “It was like, ‘Wow, this makes so much sense. How am I just recognizing this?’ It was almost like catching my own bias and my own acceptance for how things had been up until that point.”

Sam Coffey is one of the USWNT stars benefiting from the new approach. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

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A fundamental part of Hayes’ methodology is the recognition that women and men have distinct needs, from nutrition, sleep and recovery to uniforms and even the placement of scales outside the locker room. Her staff has examined data revealing differences in how male and female players cross the ball into the box and how much space goalkeepers take up within it. What works for men doesn’t necessarily work for women, and building a better blueprint starts with understanding those differences.

“I think so much of the women’s game has just been dominated by what we know to be true of male players instead of, hang on a second, these are completely different athletes,” said Coffey, who was part of the squad that won Olympic gold two years ago. 

“And that’s not a weakness or a disadvantage. It’s just, how do we best serve us instead of how do you get the best out of men. Because we’re not men.”

The U.S. women’s national team ahead of a match against Spain. (Photo by Georgia Soares/USSF/Getty Images)

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Hayes calls the senior team her “proving lab” and the National Training Center serves as an incubator for new ideas – a space to think critically, connect and reimagine what’s possible. The goal is for those principles to extend beyond the national team, reaching youth clubs and soccer communities across the country.

With support from the federation and its CEO and secretary general JT Batson, Hayes hopes to transform the future of the game for women and girls. The 2031 World Cup, which the U.S. plans to co-host, offers a chance to see how much progress can be made when the needs of female athletes are at the center of the conversation.

“Emma wants us to be trendsetters,” Tash Patel, director of sporting analytics for the women’s national team, said during her classroom session about coaching the women’s game.

That’s what this program has always been known for. From winning World Cups to finding ways to start families while continuing to play to fighting for equal pay, the national team has consistently pushed the game forward, striving to leave it better than they found it and serve as role models around the world.

This is simply the next iteration of that legacy.

THE IMPACT THIS has had on the players has been transformative. Hayes has seen their confidence grow as they’ve gained more knowledge, and Coffey can attest to this. She’s more comfortable speaking openly about where she is in her cycle and how her body feels, whether she’s competing for club or country.

Georgie Bruinvels, the female health and research innovation lead for the team, has played an integral role in spearheading much of this. She tracks the players’ cycles and Oura Ring stats – only if they are willing as this is not mandatory – to better understand each player’s individual needs and how to best support them.

The USA will challenge Spain as one of the top teams at the 2027 Women’s World Cup. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/USSF/Getty Images)

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“She’s always looking for little 1% ways to approach things from a female point of view, down to the temperature of our meeting room,” Coffey said, noting that it should be 68 degrees because that’s the temperature that women process information most efficiently. 

“I’ll be filling my plate for dinner and she’s like, ‘I would get extra anti-inflammatory foods if I were you!’ And I’m like, ‘All I want is chocolate, but OK!’” Coffey said, laughing. “All these little things add up over time and cumulatively make such an impact on how we feel and how we perform.

“They’re detailed down to the T. It’s not just taking an ibuprofen and calling it a day. And I’ve noticed a difference.”

As for how this entire mindset is spreading across the sport, Coffey said she brings back habits from national team camp to Man City – like the “yogurt pot” parfait recipe that Bruinvels has introduced her to.

“In my club and country environments, I do 100% feel like nothing is a hand-me-down,” Coffey said. “It feels tailored to being a female and we’re only going deeper in our understanding of that, which is super cool.”

While Hayes’ strategy may end up giving the Americans a competitive edge – because not every team or federation will have these same resources – all of this information is not something they plan to gatekeep.

“I want every little girl and woman, no matter what your practice is in our sport, to feel like this is more than just playing the game,” Hayes said. 

“I think we can impact society in a profound way.”

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The Tampa Bay Rays added rookie right-hander Brody Hopkins to their AL Championship Series roster and dropped lefty Garrett Cleavinger while the Cleveland Guardians added right-hander Slade Cecconi.

Shane McClanahan will not pitch for the Rays in the postseason. Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday the left-hander will not be added to the ALCS roster after pitching 118 innings this year in his return following a two-year absence.

McClanahan had Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue that forced him to miss 2024 and 2025. He was 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA in 24 starts this season before being placed on the injured list with left forearm tightness in early September.

“He’s a healthy pitcher. We are incredibly appreciative and grateful for the contributions that he gave us to get us to this point,” Cash said. “I don’t think any of us could have envisioned that he was going to get to that 120-inning mark and do it in a pretty dominant fashion. I mean, I think he’s got to be up there for Comeback Player of the Year with the time that he missed.

“But felt it made the most sense that his season is over. He’s going to go into the season as a healthy pitcher. Right now, he’s really focused on being the best teammate, which he does that pretty seamlessly and cheering his buddies on.”

The Rays made no other changes to their 26-man roster ahead of Game 1 Monday night against the Guardians. The AL East champions are carrying 14 hitters and 12 pitchers again in this round after sweeping the New York Yankees in the best-of-five Division Series.

The Guardians are carrying 13 pitchers after going to five games against the Chicago White Sox before advancing on Saturday night. Cecconi replaces utilityman Daniel Schneemann.

Cecconi was 5-7 with a 4.91 ERA in 28 games, including 21 starts. He moved to the bullpen in August and posted a 5.93 ERA in 13 2/3 innings.

Hopkins had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in six appearances this season but also walked six and posted a 5.06 ERA. He made his major league debut on Sept. 13. Cleavinger had a 4.79 ERA in 41 1/3 innings over 51 appearances. He didn’t pitch in the ALDS vs. the Yankees.

The Rays host the Guardians in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday night.

Here are the full ALCS rosters for both teams (L = left-handed pitcher):

Tampa Bay Rays ALCS Roster

Pitchers (12): Bryan Baker, Cam Booser (L), Brody Hopkins, Griffin Jax, Kevin Kelly, Nick Martinez, Steven Matz (L), Freddy Peralta, Drew Rasmussen, Ian Seymour (L), Cole Sulser, Tyler Wells

Catchers (2): Nick Fortes, Liam Hicks

Infielders (7): Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Jorge Mateo, Richie Palacios, Taylor Walls, Ben Williamson

Outfielders (5): Jonny DeLuca, Víctor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins, Chandler Simpson, Ryan Vilade

Cleveland Guardians ALCS Roster

Pitchers (13): Shawn Armstrong, Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo (L), Slade Cecconi, Daniel Espino, Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, Foster Griffin (L), Tim Herrin (L), Parker Messick (L), Erik Sabrowski (L), Cade Smith, Gavin Williams

Catchers (2): Patrick Bailey, Austin Hedges

Infielders (6): Travis Bazzana, David Fry, Ángel Genao, Nathaniel Lowe, José Ramírez, Brayan Rocchio

Outfielders (5): Jo Adell, Chase DeLauter, Petey Halpin, Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Lumen Field (Seattle) — We’ve seen this movie before. 

Sam Darnold threw the ball to the other team again and again on Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback had a two-interception showing in their home loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, falling 32-29. 

After another multi-interception game, Darnold was quick to point the finger at himself, as he should. 

“I’ve just got to continue to trust myself, trust my feet and trust what I’m doing,” Darnold said at the podium. “I’ve just got to be better taking care of the football.”

Only three quarterbacks have more interceptions than Darnold’s five this season, and he’s played in essentially two fewer games. Remember, Darnold missed practically the entire first two games of the season due to a glute injury. He’s now thrown an interception in all three games he’s started and finished, with Sunday being his second multi-interception game of the year after leading the league in turnovers last season with 20. 

Still, Seattle Seahawks left guard Grey Zabel told me it’s up to the rest of Seattle’s teammates to pick up their quarterback when he’s struggling.

“It starts up front, being better,” Zabel told me. “Me, in particular, giving the quarterback time and making him feel comfortable up there. Allowing him to make throws. … I don’t think Sam’s the problem. The problem was the left guard not being good enough, and that’s on me.” 

While it’s admirable that Zabel took accountability for Darnold and his offense’s poor performance, Seattle’s issues go deeper than an occasional missed block by the second-year offensive lineman. 

Since moving on from Kenneth Walker III in free agency, the Seahawks haven’t effectively run the football. They entered Sunday 14th in the league in rushing, with first-round pick Jadarian Price dealing with fumble issues before getting placed on injured reserve recently. They rushed for 89 yards on 3.4 yards per carry on Sunday, continuing their struggles.

And Seattle’s inability to run the ball came against a San Francisco front that hasn’t played all too well this season. The 49ers’ pass rush is considered among the league’s least dangerous, and they were missing Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa. Yet, Seattle allowed five sacks and a 45.7% pressure rate, per Next Gen Stats.

That led to Darnold’s pedestrian final stat line. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown with a 64.6 passer rating. Of course, there were also the two interceptions, which were both made by 49ers cornerback Renardo Green.

Darnold wasn’t the only one who played sloppy on Sunday, though. In what could be characterized as the game of the season so far, neither team played clean football. The seven combined turnovers by both teams are the most in a game this season, according to FOX Sports Research. The 38 combined points off turnovers were the most in a game this season and most in a game since 2017.

The heavyweight, see-saw battle saw four lead changes. One player was ejected: San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw, when he headbutted Seattle’s green-dot play caller, fellow linebacker Ernest Jones, who did not have his helmet on. 

Greenlaw found himself surrounded by Seahawks after hitting Darnold along Seattle’s sideline while he was out of bounds. But the 49ers figured out a way to tame Seattle’s offense without the tone-setter in the middle of their defense.  

The game included a rare drop on the potential game-winning drive by Jaxon Smith-Njigba that would have put Seattle into field goal position with 54 seconds left. 

A play later, the game ended with (no surprise) a controversial call when Cooper Kupp was called short of a first down by a yard while diving for the line to gain.

Defensively, the Seahawks pressured Brock Purdy in his worst game this season. Purdy finished 19 of 29 for 189 yards, with two touchdown passes. He was sacked for the first time this year and also threw an interception corralled by Seattle defensive back Nehemiah Prichett.

However, Seattle struggled to slow down perennial Pro Bowler Mike Evans, who finished with game highs in catches (7) and receiving yards (113), along with executing a viral moment where he named-checked Seattle veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs. Evans’ teammate Fred Warner described the veteran receiver as “walking aura,” which felt very appropriate considering how he played against the Seahawks on Sunday.

But even with the struggles around Darnold, the quarterback’s play will ultimately determine whether Seattle repeats as champions in 2026. And the Seahawks have proof that Darnold playing clean football leads to winning games. The USC product did not turn the ball over in the postseason, leading his team to a Super Bowl title.

So why does Darnold have five interceptions in just three games and a handful of plays in the season opener? Head coach Mike Macdonald said his team must get back to playing effective and efficient football.

“It’s everybody,” Macdonald said, when asked about Darnold’s struggles. “It’s not just Sam. And Sam knows it. It’s not like he wants to turn it over. We need to play collectively more efficiently, and I think when that happens, the ball doesn’t come into jeopardy as much.” 

Again, this isn’t unfamiliar territory for Darnold and the Seahawks. They engineered the same things last year, starting 3-2 before winning 11 of the last 12 games to close out the year. In fact, Darnold also had an early-season performance to forget in a loss to the 49ers last year as well, throwing for just 150 yards in a 17-13 loss. 

But every year is different. This year, Darnold will have to mitigate his mistakes to help Seattle overcome its shortcomings in the running game. 

Can Darnold do that? Kupp certainly believes so. 

“The energy, the belief and the trust in Sam is unwavering,” Kupp said. “There’s just an expectation the next time to try and find a way to meet the moment.” 

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