Three undefeated teams remain, and a new group of two- and three-loss teams have entered the College Football Playoff conversation after Week 8.

Indiana made a strong case for the No. 1 seed with its gritty road win over Michigan. But who takes the No. 2 slot, between one-loss teams like Georgia and Ohio State? Which Group of Six squad earns the No. 12 seed? FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt has the answers, as he updated his 12-team CFP bracket on the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show”.

Here are Klatt’s updated College Football Playoff projections.

1.

Klatt’s thoughts: “So who’s the No. 1 seed in all of this? Well, Miami will have lost. Georgia would have two losses. So I’m looking at the Big Ten champion, Indiana Hoosiers. Their only loss would be to Ohio State. They would have avenged that loss in the conference championship game. And in this scenario – if Ohio State were to win out, with a Miami loss to Notre Dame – [Indiana] would be the No. 1 team in the country in the Big Ten championship game. Which means Indiana would, for the second straight year, be the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff.”

2.

Georgia Bulldogs

Klatt’s thoughts: “So who gets the second seed? Last year, Ohio State was No. 1. They got beat and just went to No. 2. I don’t think that’s the case this year, because I think that [the committee] would honor the strength of schedule. Obviously, Ohio State has a ridiculous strength of schedule as well. This is just a projection, and I think they would honor the SEC. I think the committee favors the SEC. You guys know this about me. I think that the entire narrative of the sport favors the SEC.

“So, in this setting, I would think that Georgia would get the No. 2 overall seed. And I’m not arguing against that. I’m just saying like that’s kind of how I see it panning out. This is what we see. You know, the narrative would fit. They would have avenged their late-season loss to Ole Miss. They beat Ole Miss [in the SEC championship game]. They win the SEC, and boom, Georgia would be No. 2.”

3.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Klatt’s thoughts: “So now you get to the No. 3 seed, and I think my No. 2 and No. 3 seeds would be basically interchangeable. I think it gets a little bit more tricky here at three. I think you’ve got to consider Notre Dame, although their schedule doesn’t look great. You got to consider Miami, although they just lost to Notre Dame. So, where are we landing? Well, again, Ohio State would be No. 1 in the country playing the Big Ten championship game in our scenario. And if they lose to Indiana, in particular, if it’s a great game like we’ve seen them play great games, I think they would go to number three right there. And by the way, you could probably interchange my Georgia at two and Ohio State at three, but those two teams are two and three. I’ve got Ohio State as my No. 3 overall seed. They would be 11-2 in this setting. Okay, so Ohio State is in there at number three.”

4.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Klatt’s thoughts: “Who gets No. 4? This is the last bye. It’s important. This No. 4 seed is vital. Even though we’ve only seen one team in the history of this 12-team playoff actually win a quarterfinal game after the long break. I’m going to give it to Notre Dame. They would be 11-1 on the back of their late-season win over Miami, who, by the way, will be the No. 1 team in the country when they play in South Bend, so that would be a win over the No. 1 team in the country. I think Notre Dame gets the No. 4 seed right there. Their résumé is not going to be the strongest. I think they’re going to pass the eye test. People love CJ Carr. I love CJ Carr, and Notre Dame is going to get in there. Remember, in this case, they are 11-1. They beat Miami, who was No. 1 in November, and they’re the No. 4 seed.”

5.

Klatt’s thoughts: “Now we go to the No. 5 seed. The first team with a home game non-bye is then going to be Miami. That’s why that game becomes so important, obviously. So Miami, I think their bye is on the line at Notre Dame, and I think Notre Dame’s possible playoff life is on the line in that game at Notre Dame. In this scenario, I’ve got Notre Dame winning that game; they get the buy. Miami Falls just outside; they’re the fifth seed in the country right there, and they’re back in the playoffs. They’re 12-1, ACC champ at No. 6.”

6.

Klatt’s thoughts: “Now I’ve got to go Big 12 champions, and so Utah, who I had winning the Big 12, they get slotted in here. They’re 12-1 at this point. They have avenged their regular season loss to BYU, and they beat BYU in the championship game. And so they’re 12-1 at this point, Big 12 champs, and they’re the No. 6 seed.”

7.

(Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “So who gets No. 7? Well, Texas could be higher than this because, remember, they’ve got a win over Ohio State. They’ve got a win over Ole Miss. They would have a win over LSU. Texas is going to be my No. 7 seed. They would be rewarded with the home game. You could make a strong argument that they would be higher than this if they were to win out. I could get on board with that, but again, if you just kind of play the scenario out. You can see where Miami would be way up there at No. 1. They wouldn’t get hurt all that much. So then, Notre Dame, who beat them, would have to be up there. Ohio State would have been No. 1 in the conference championship game. They would only lose to Indiana and then Texas on the road all the way back. You can see where it gets a little bit dicey. But Texas, as a 10-2 in my estimation, again they have a high ceiling and maybe a low floor. Are they consistent? We don’t know. If they play well, run the football, play defense, and they win out, they’re the No. 7 seed in the playoff.”

8.

Klatt’s thoughts: “Who gets the No. 8 seed in the last home game? It would be Ole Miss. Remember, Ole Miss I had in the SEC championship game. But the only reason they fall all the way to number eight is because they lost to Texas. Miami would have been number one. You see where we’re going here, right? They get the home game in the eighth seed, but they can’t be ahead of Texas because Texas beat them. You could make the argument like, ‘well, you’re penalizing them for playing the SEC championship game.’ It’s one of the reasons why a lot of the coaches want the championship games to go away. But in my case, it’s a 10-3 Ole Miss team that wins big.”

9.

(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “Who’s making the playoff? Who’s No. 9 and heading to Oxford? UCLA has only lost one game. Not a great résumé, but 11-1 UCLA is No. 9 in the country, and UCLA is going to the College Football Playoff. If that’s the case, remember, they avoided Ohio State, they avoided Indiana this year, and they had Oregon. So everyone thought, ‘Yeah, well, they got the Oregon win in Eugene, but that looks worse every single week with the way that Oregon has played,’ that’s losing value every single week. So at 11-1, I think they fall below all of those teams, even a three-loss Ole Miss team, because Ole Miss would have been in the SEC championship game. See where I’m going with that, but UCLA is in.”

10.

Klatt’s thoughts: “Now we’re really getting to the nitty-gritty. This is where, two weeks ago, that matchup BYU had with Notre Dame is going to pay off, because now BYU – who has the loss to UCF in my scenario – has a win over Utah who’s already in, has a win over Notre Dame but is not a conference champ. I think the Big 12 gets a second team in here. This is where I think BYU falls. They’re 11 -2 as a runner-up in that conference. That game against Notre Dame is going to be massive, and they head down to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns. So BYU is in.”

11.

(Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “This is it. The No. 11 seed. Where are we at with the No. 11 seed? It’s crazy. You start playing all this out, and you’ve got teams like SMU sitting there with probably three losses. You’ve got Wake Forest with maybe two losses, you never know. Maybe, maybe Wisconsin is sitting there with two losses. I mean, it could get crazy. Iowa could be sitting there with two losses. But you also have a bunch of 9-3 teams in the SEC … I actually see the path, and this is the path. The path is that you’ve got four candidates out of the SEC, all 9-3, and those candidates are LSU, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. And I think one of those gets the last spot. 

“So here’s how it’s going to play out. Alabama will have a win over Kentucky, but losses to LSU and Tennessee. Remember I’ve got LSU beating Alabama, and because of that big win they’re too high. They get beat by Texas. See, I played this whole thing out. LSU will have beaten Alabama and Tennessee in November. Hang on to that. I’ve got Kentucky with two losses in November, so I’ve got one team arrow pointed straight up, one team arrow pointed down. As we know, the timing of losses makes an impact. I think LSU’s arrow is pointing up. They will have the win over Bama. They will have the win over Tennessee. Both of those in November, and I think the Texas loss. There’s a pass on that, because all of a sudden Texas has turned into something that we’ve never seen them be, and I get that. Trust me, I struggle with that. 

“LSU gets the 11-seed. LSU 9-3. Lane Kiffin goes to the playoff.”

12.

Klatt’s thoughts: “That’s a great fan base, Oregon State. They would be locked and ready to go for that one in a Pac-12 championship game on a Friday night. Oregon State beats Boise State twice, Beeves to the playoffs. Let’s go! I want Atkinson. I want Jesse Legree in there. I think that would be amazing. I think New Mexico gets boxed out, and I think Oregon State takes that passing game down to Salt Beach and they face Miami in the first round.”

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So much for a quiet coaching carousel.

After a chaotic cycle last offseason, industry sources expected a slower carousel this offseason. But with Baylor, Maryland and NC State all making changes in the past week, the carousel is already threatening to spin out of control again.

These are a few coaches who remain on the hot seat heading into the back half of the season:

• Mike Norvell, Florida State
• Greg Schiano, Rutgers
• Sonny Dykes, TCU
• Deion Sanders, Colorado
• Lincoln Riley, USC

The Main Event: Are College Football GMs Being Held Accountable?

As I was reporting a story last week on Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood and the impact his contract might have on college football, one other interesting nugget came up in my conversations with front-office staffers: 

Are general managers going to be held more accountable for bad spending?

The evolution of college football front offices has been swift. Gone are the days of goodie bags and karaoke. It’s been replaced with conversations around cold hard cash with agents who’ve been negotiating these deals for years.

The broader sentiment in all of this is schools are spending more than ever to build rosters. That kind of effort necessitates support. But when the investments made don’t bring success, that falls on someone.

NC State fired longtime head coach Dave Doeren, along with Wolfpack GM Andy Vaughn, after the team’s Week 8 loss to Stanford. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)

Head coaches have often been the fall guys for these decisions because, at the end of the day, they’ve been the ones calling the shots on roster construction. That has changed with more supercharged front office staffs.

“It highlights how strictly GM’s will be evaluated moving forward,” one Power Four general manager told me in reference to the Underwood saga. “There’s a real cost to having money on the sidelines, and if you have too much of it, there will likely be consequences.”

That sentiment permeated my conversations last week with staffers across the Power Four and in the recruiting world. In so many words, with a more NFL-style approach to roster construction, general managers are more responsible for the teams that are being trotted out on Saturdays.

Stanford Football general manager Andrew Luck ahead of the Stanford-Notre Dame game earlier this month.  (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As I wrote last week:

Think in an NFL context. General managers oversee draft picks, roster construction, etc. When those results don’t bring success, there’s accountability. College football could be due for its own reckoning.

How soon might we see this kind of reckoning? Well, it’s already happening.

NC State announced the firing of head coach Dave Doeren on Saturday after more than 13 years in charge. It was later reported that Wolfpack general manager Andy Vaughn had also been relieved of his duties.

“You can’t stop spending the money if that’s what the market dictates,” said a second Power Four general manager. “It’s on you as the person spending the money and being held accountable for who you’re spending it on. Sometimes you have to walk away and get your ego out of the way.”

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham shake hands after the Hoosiers beat Michigan in overtime in Week 8. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

To be clear, every front office setup is unique. At Indiana, head coach Curt Cignetti essentially operates as his own general manager. Andrew Luck, meanwhile, oversees everything involving the Stanford football program in a more NFL-style approach.

That makes it harder to cast broad aspersions about the current state of the market and how front office staffers might be held accountable for poor investments, but the pressure is ratcheting up — particularly as the money grows larger.

“If you draft your quarterback at 16 overall and you think that he’s going to be the guy, you better put him in a position to succeed,” Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman told me. “… The truth is, high school quarterback recruits are not all always ready to play right out of high school. That takes an extremely gifted quarterback to be able to come in and make an impact from Friday nights and then onto Saturdays. But when you have a million-plus dollar price tag attached to your name coming out of high school, the pressure is certainly on.”

Best Deal I Saw This Week

Apparel contracts have become popular fodder in the business world of college sports, but who doesn’t love a great collaboration?

Georgia and Nike announced a new line that’s being released in conjunction with rapper Outkast and integrates a number of Bulldog football players into its advertising. 

The entire collection comes out on Wednesday. 

Best Quote I Saw This Week

OK, it might not be the “best” quote I saw this week, but it’s definitely the one that stopped me in my tracks the quickest.

Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham was asked about the potential of changing offensive coordinators as play-caller Jason Beck is under intense scrutiny after a six-point effort against Indiana on Saturday.

Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr talks to offensive coordinator Jason Beck during the 2026 spring game. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“Right now, it’s not time to panic,” Whittingham said on Monday. “We’re a play away from being 6-1 or 7-0.”

Listen, I’m not here to call out coaching decisions or things of that nature, but the suggestion that Michigan has narrowly missed on being 7-0 this season feels like a complete inability to read the room in Ann Arbor at the moment.

Whittingham is an amazing coach and one who will assuredly be in the Hall of Fame one day. This just wasn’t one of his better sound bites.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are signing Justin Tucker to their practice squad, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press on Wednesday, giving the five-time All-Pro kicker a second chance in the NFL after serving a 10-game suspension last year for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the signing had not been announced by the team. Coach Andy Reid was expected to address it at his weekly news conference later Wednesday.

Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has struggled mightily the last two seasons, missing a pair of kicks in Sunday’s loss in Seattle to the Seahawks. He was still on the active roster Wednesday, so the signing of Tucker could merely be to provide some competition.

Tucker spent 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, earning a reputation as one of the league’s best kickers, before his tenure there ended in controversy. The Baltimore Banner reported in 2025 that Tucker had been accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists at a series of high-end spas, accusations that he called “unequivocally false” and “tabloid fodder.”

The Ravens released Tucker in May. And while he was never criminally charged or sued in civil court, the NFL suspended him for the first 10 games of the 2025 season, which Tucker served as a free agent; he became eligible for reinstatement last November.

Tucker worked out for the New York Jets before this season but did not sign with them.

Butker has missed 10 field-goal attempts and five extra points since the start of last season, the most in the league. That includes multiple missed kicks in back-to-back games and four of his last six, including two costly ones in the Chiefs’ 20-3 loss to the Seahawks.

Tucker, who turns 37 next month, hadn’t been a whole lot better when he was released. He missed 10 kicks during the 2024 season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Eight weeks into the season, potential conference championship matchups across college football are taking shape, but questions remain.

Will Ohio State and Indiana meet back in Indianapolis for a 2025 Big Ten rematch? Does UCLA continue its hot streak and reach its first-ever Big Ten title match instead? Despite its loss to Auburn, Georgia continues to make its case as the SEC’s top team. But who could the Bulldogs face? A two-loss Ole Miss team, or could a contender like Kentucky earn a spot in the SEC championship? 

On the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt made his projections heading into Week 9 of the regular season.

(Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “I’m going to give Ohio State the benefit of the doubt. They’re going to figure something out on offense, and I think Ohio State gets themselves to Indianapolis and they’re going to play for the Big Ten Championship. So that leaves the next spot. Is it going to be UCLA? Now I don’t think UCLA is going to run the table. I just think that that’s too difficult. We see every single week that it is difficult for these 18-to-24-year olds, and some older at this point. But you know what I’m saying. It’s difficult for these young men to play at a consistent level. We see it week in and week out. So to expect UCLA to just run off into Indianapolis and get to the Big Ten championship game, I think would be naive of us. I think UCLA gets tripped up one time, which means those two teams would actually be in a tiebreak, and the tiebreak would be that game against Michigan. In this case, in this scenario, I think that Michigan were to trip up UCLA. Indiana got that win last week [against Michigan], which means Indiana is in the Big Ten championship game.

“So here, we have for the second-straight year an Ohio State-Indiana matchup. And by the way, please, that would be amazing because the two previous games that we’ve seen from these teams have been amazing, amazing games. Last year in the championship game, what we just witnessed two weeks ago with Nick Marsh’s foot being just out of bounds, that was an amazing game. I would love to see this, and we know how evenly matched these teams are … If you tell me, if you take that at face value and you’ve got Julian Sayin not on the field for Ohio State, it’s really hard for me to say that Ohio State’s going to beat Indiana, in particular with how evenly matched I know that they are. 

“If they don’t have Sayin on the field, Indiana is going to win the Big Ten championship over Ohio State.”

(Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “This one’s much more difficult. In a good way … It’s hard to project what’s going on from week-to-week, and we see that with Georgia losing to Auburn, and then all of a sudden LSU destroys Auburn. We see this week in and week out. Florida and Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas. I think it’s a mess in the most beautiful way, because it’s going to be very difficult to actually project what we see during the course of this last month … I see Georgia as my SEC favorite. I think Georgia is the best team in the SEC, partly because they’re the most consistent. Even though they lost to Auburn, I get it … Now we have to figure out, okay, who else is going to Atlanta now? Because this is where it’s a real mess. Ole Miss only has one ranked opponent left on the schedule. It happens to be that Georgia game … Do we really anticipate anyone winning out? I don’t know. I got to be honest with you. I really don’t.

“But they have a quarterback that I trust that almost came back on the road against Texas, in a game in which Texas showed that they’re playing the best football that they had played all season long, and Ole Miss still almost came back and beat them. So do I trust Ole Miss? Yeah, I kind of do. Where does that all land us? Well, it lands us in this scenario. There would be a large tie in the standings in which Ole Miss essentially wins the tiebreaker. I’m not quite sure. I just don’t see Alabama, LSU or Tennessee winning out. So I’m projecting Kentucky also to drop a couple of games, and I think Ole Miss is sitting there as a two-loss team, and they get that nod, and they go and play Georgia. In my scenario, remember Ole Miss had knocked off Georgia in the regular season. Do we really think Georgia is going to lose a rematch to Ole Miss? I don’t. 

“So Georgia is going to be my SEC champion.”

(Photo by Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “The Big 12, another conference that’s kind of a mess right now. A lot of teams in the mix as of right now. Utah is obviously in the mix; they’re undefeated. BYU is still in the mix even after that loss to UCF. Arizona, don’t write off the Wildcats. Brent Brennan and Noah Fafita. Noah Fafita is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country, so watch out for them. Texas Tech is still alive in this thing. Oklahoma State is alive in this, all with one or fewer losses. I’ve been pointing to that Holy War on Nov. 7 as kind of like the game in the Big 12. I’m going to stand by that. I think it’s the most critical game in the conference. Projecting that game is very difficult. You know that I love Utah, but I’m also a big believer in BYU.

“Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that BYU were to beat Utah in Salt Lake. I don’t see Texas Tech, Arizona and Oklahoma State running the table the rest of the way. You look at their schedules. There’s areas for these teams to trip up. So now they all land with two losses. BYU and Utah would have one loss in conference play, and those teams would rematch in the Big 12 championship game. That was as clean as I could make it … Those two teams are super closely matched in a lot of ways. I can’t see either of those teams winning both games. I think they’re going to play a great game on November 7, and I think they’re going to rematch in the championship game. 

“I’m going to go Utah as the winner of the Big 12.”

(Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Klatt’s thoughts: “In the ACC, listen, put Miami in there. They’re not losing a conference game. So who plays Miami? Well, if you look at the standings, and you see how these things are going to play out, we basically are going to have a play-in game between Wake Forest and SMU. That game is at SMU, and SMU is 11-0 at home since joining the ACC. Kevin Jennings has done a great job not turning the football over. They have not been a team that we focused on a lot. 

“But remember … When they play clean, they are very dangerous on the offensive side. Rhett Lashley has done a remarkable job there. They win a lot of football games, and they’ve got an experienced quarterback. And if you look at Wake’s schedule, it has not been a very difficult schedule. So SMU is a more tested team. I think that they are a better team. They have a more sustained era of success, at least currently. Again, 11-0 at home, 11 and zero at home since joining the ACC. I think Wake finishes at 10-2, but SMU wins that game, and they play Miami, and Miami beats SMU. 

“So, Miami is going to win the ACC.”

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It’s Halloween weekend and things could get very spooky on the gridiron.

Here’s why I’m backing a couple of underdogs this weekend.

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In 2025, Penn State was coming off a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals the previous year and entered the season as a consensus national title contender. Then the wheels came off and never went back on, as the Nittany Lions finished the regular season 6-6. 

A year later, another Big Ten team, Oregon, is following a similar path. 

Before the season, the Ducks were picked by many to win it all. A couple of months later, right before the trick-or-treating festivities begin, they are essentially eliminated from the Playoff conversation. 

Can Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles lead the Wildcats past Oregon? (Getty Images)

Now, Oregon will face a hungry Northwestern team with a ferocious ground game, one that is averaging over 200 rushing yards per game. 

Oregon will be without quarterback Dante Moore for the remainder of the season. I don’t expect this lifeless bunch to bounce back in what has been a nightmare season.

Hill’s Pick: Northwestern Moneyline (+140)

Guessing when — and if — Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson might play is a challenging proposition. But with the Ravens in last place entering November, I’ll bet on the two-time league MVP suiting up for the first time in nearly a month. 

While the Bills have a former MVP of their own in quarterback Josh Allen, their defense is still quite suspect. The Bills allowing 30.8 points per game (30th), alongside 386 yards per game (31st). 

If Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is back in the lineup, it could be anyone’s game (Getty Images).

The Ravens are 4-3. They are looking up at every other team in the AFC North and are desperate for a win on Sunday.

It seems like Jackson is close to a return. And if he does, this is very much anyone’s game. 

Hill’s Pick: Ravens Moneyline (+145)

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A player being bitter about how their time ended with their respective team is a familiar sight, but Jorge Posada has a more defined feeling about his relationship with the New York Yankees.

“I mean, I could, but I don’t think they want me there to tell you the truth,” Posada said in an interview with the New York Post’s “The Show” when asked if he’d be open to a role in the Yankees’ organization.

“I don’t feel welcome when I go there, you know? Even in spring training, I don’t feel like, I’m just like, I don’t know, I don’t feel welcome. I don’t feel like they want me there, so I don’t go.”

Posada’s last season with the Yankees was 2011, with him transitioning from behind the plate to being the team’s primary designated hitter in the wake of them adding then-two-time All-Star and 2007 Gold Glover Russell Martin. Francisco Cervelli was also ahead of Posada, who dabbled at first base in the final years of his career, on the catching depth chart in 2011.

“My last season of my career was a really tough one when it came to handling everything on my part and also the Yankees toward Jorge Posada,” Posada said. “So, it’s tough to go back and feel that again.”

Jorge Posada’s Yankees’ Career

Jorge Posada was an integral part of the Yankees’ championship teams of the late 1990s. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Posada, a five-time Silver Slugger and five-time All-Star, spent his entire 17-year MLB career with the Yankees from 1995-2011 and was on their active roster for four World Series triumphs (1998-2000 and 2009).

Posada finished third in American League MVP voting in 2003, a year that saw the catcher total 30 home runs, 101 RBIs and 5.9 wins above replacement, while posting a .281/.405/.518 slash line.

In all, he logged 1,664 hits, blasted 275 home runs, posted a career .273/.374/.474 slash line and started 1,450 regular-season games behind the plate for the Yankees.

Jorge Posada On 2026 Yankees

As for the present, the Yankees are coming off a 93-68 season where they swept the Boston Red Sox in the MLB Wild Card Series but were then swept by the eventual AL-champion Tampa Bay Rays in the AL divisional series.

In the regular season, New York’s offense was sixth in MLB in strikeouts (1,480), with its collective defense tied for seventh in errors (96).

“[Mental mistakes are] magnified during the playoffs,” Posada of the Yankees. “So during the season, if it happens, and you don’t address it, that’s when it becomes a problem. It needs to happen more during the season and make these guys more accountable. You didn’t run to first base? Get him out of the game. Make him understand that this means something.

“It’s not a game. It’s really a job, and some guys are not doing their job.”

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner revealed in a press conference last week that manager Aaron Boone will return for a 10th season in 2027 and general manager Brian Cashman, who has been in the role since 1998 and with the organization since 1986, has been extended.

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Following up on last week’s “Sportsbook Whispers,” the best betting story in college football got even better last Saturday afternoon.  

UCLA covered again.

Make that 7-0 straight up and against the spread, and all the Bruins regular-season win totals are “Over.” Whether you bet 5.5, 6 or 6.5, you’re a winner thanks to a sensational first year from head coach Bob Chesney.

UCLA (7-0 ATS) and Kentucky (7-1 ATS) are the best cover teams in the country. BYU, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Utah are all 6-1 ATS.

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Speaking of BYU, let’s pour one out for all the Cougar fans who thought Las Vegas perceived them as a top-10 team. I read over 500 social media comments — lots of them insanely disrespectful — all because I said BYU wasn’t a top-10 team and that UCF plus the points was the play.

“I don’t make numbers with my feelings,” Vegas oddsmaker Motoi Pearson cracked. “I had Cougs 19th before the UCF game and now they’re 21st. They’re still a really good team that can crash the College Football Playoff.”

The biggest question mark for me heading into the weekend is how Ohio State’s offense will look without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. 

A Heisman finalist last year, Sayin is out indefinitely with an arm injury, and it sounds like freshman Luke Fahey will start under center at USC.

One projected look-ahead line last week was Ohio State -3.

Circa Sports in Vegas opened Ohio State -7 on Sunday.

“Lookaheads are lookaheads for a reason,” former Las Vegas bookmaker Ed Salmons told me. “USC scored seven points last weekend. They were awful. [Jayden] Maiava threw two picks. So, you have to drop their number.

“I did some more homework on Ohio State. The Fahey kid might start, but I wouldn’t be surprised if [Tavien] St. Clair finishes. He’s a better prospect and he’s a lot bigger. They’ll make the switch if Fahey isn’t playing well.

“And Ohio State is just a much tougher team than USC.”

That doesn’t mean bettors won’t pounce on a good number.

“Oh, I took some [+7] with the dog,” professional bettor Slice said. “I’ll take my chances against a young quarterback laying a touchdown on the road. It’s a solid spot for USC off that loss. If they’re any good, they’ll bounce back.”

Salmons has given this column a winner in six of the last seven weeks. It’s amazing he hasn’t gone full tout with a 900 number at this point.

“I bet UConn +3,” he said. “I think they win outright. Air Force is going to be down to QB3 and this UConn team is a lot better than people think.”

To the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings are the last undefeated team after Kansas City and San Francisco were dealt their first losses. Just like we all thought back in September. 

One American sportsbook was dealing the Vikings at 40/1 to lose last. I can’t imagine there was much liability there.

There is liability, though, at Caesars Sportsbook on the Las Vegas Raiders winning the Super Bowl. It would be no bueno for the house if that actually happened.

“It’s our biggest liability by far,” Caesars head of football Joey Feazel told me. “And there’s no reason to think it won’t remain that way going forward. We’re also pretty heavy on Brock Purdy and Joe Burrow to win NFL MVP.”

As unlikely as it is, a Raiders Super Bowl win would be bad for books (Getty Images).

Finally, I shared a stat last Thursday morning about Ben Johnson’s record as a play caller in primetime games. Dating back to his days as an offensive coordinator in Detroit, Johnson has called plays in 23 primetime games.

And the Bears and Lions are a combined 18-4-1 ATS.

I’m aware it’s not the biggest sample size in the world and there’s always going to be a faction of people that say “Trends don’t pay the rent.” 

Generally, I agree, but Bill Belichick always delivered against rookie quarterbacks and Patrick Mahomes has been unbelievable as an underdog. Ben Johnson is a 3-point pup Monday night in Seattle and I will be going back to the well.

Here’s hoping for 19-4-1. 

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NASCAR’s double-yellow line rule caused NASCAR a little bit of a headache again this week as questions remained about whether Kyle Larson went below the lines in his race-winning pass last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

The rule has been around for decades, as NASCAR doesn’t want drivers to try to make a pass on the apron and then try to merge back into traffic when the apron narrows to the racing groove. 

That is a recipe for even a bigger wreck than what is common at Daytona and Talladega.

Should Kyle Larson have been penalized at Talladega? 

The rule reads:

— Vehicles must compete above the double-painted lines at all times.
— Passing below the double-painted lines to advance position will result in a black flag.
— Forcing another vehicle below the double-painted lines to block a pass may result in a black flag.
— Below the double-painted lines is defined as when the vehicle’s left-side tires are below the left line of the inside double-painted lines that separate the apron from the racing surface.

Still, there is no real clear definition of what constitutes “below.” 

NASCAR says its interpretation (clarified from the weekend) is the entirety of both left-side tires and that if any part of either tire is on the line, then it’s good.

That makes perfect sense, although in many sports, out of bounds means that any part of the body is on or outside the lines. And it’s also hard to tell whether both tires are on the line because, at many angles — if not all angles — the inside part of the tire is hard to see.

Most cameras are at angles with very few head-on looks or shots directly above that give a 100 percent accurate view. 

The rule also notes advance position, which is another subject of debate. 

What is enough to advance position? 

Kyle Larson and his team celebrate after getting into Victory Lane at Talladega.

Taken somewhat literally, that could mean the leader could never be penalized and there was a time in NASCAR where that seemed to be the interpretation.

That’s no longer the case, as the basis now is whether a driver improved or retained their position in relationship to second. 

Plus, there is part of the rule that says “compete above,” which gives NASCAR an out saying a driver didn’t compete above the line.

So NASCAR has a lot of leeway to make decisions and change interpretations based on the racing at Daytona, Atlanta (where the double lines are white, not yellow) and Talladega.

From the photos and video of Larson’s car, it could easily be argued that there is part of the left-side tire on the yellow line. 

Some critics are arguing that Larson’s left tires were on the double-yellow line as he fought for the lead at Talladega.

Maybe using GPS, NASCAR could show something that confirmed that, but NASCAR could also probably argue that he didn’t advance his position. Some also would say he was reacting to those cars in the middle groove, but it didn’t appear he was forced below.

So what’s the answer?

The first is to announce a penalty if it is warranted. 

NASCAR, on its “Hauler Talk” podcast, said that Austin Hill would have been penalized for being the last car on the lead lap because he did go below the yellow line — except that is where he finished, so there was no need to issue a penalty. Still, for the record and for precedence, a penalty should have been announced.

Get rid of the double-yellow line rule for the last lap? 

That sounds good, at least in theory. And trying that doesn’t seem unreasonable. But do that and then see the drivers wreck every last lap and the reaction would be, “why did NASCAR ever change the rule?” Ryan Blaney scoffed at that idea on the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast.

Use technology to do a more extensive review of the final lap? It is done in other sports, but NASCAR needs to get a decision on a winner as quickly as possible. 

And, frankly, if it’s so close that it cannot tell with the naked eye and some video, then let that pretty much be a tie that goes to the runner. 

And speaking of technology — how much has tech ruined superspeedway racing to begin with, as seen in Talladega’s opening stage?

RFK Teammates Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher drafted together at Talladega.

Seeing the RFK drivers opt to go full throttle after 30 laps was fun and hopefully, it will mean more teams will consider racing that way in the future.

RFK’s Ryan Preece said, if NASCAR offered serious lap leader money (a certain amount for each lap led) that it might give more incentive for drivers to do that.

My favorite idea?

Require a four-tire pit stop for any pit stop under green or at the stage break. That will mean drivers won’t need to save much fuel because they know they will have to spend eight or nine seconds on pit road instead of just a few seconds for enough fuel to get to the end of the stage.

Sure, there would be complications regarding whether teams will need an additional set of tires. But at least that is as fair of a way to do it and brings the pit crews into play more than fuel mileage. That seems to be the better, more entertaining choice.

It does look like NASCAR has a decent handle on the package. Could Kyle Larson have gone from first to 11th to first with the old seven-inch spoiler? That certainly is debatable. 

And that debate is one that deserves more attention than arguing over whether a car is an inch beyond the double-yellow lines.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

Kyle Larson drove away from Talladega with a nice lead over the field for The Chase. Find out who’s been eliminated and who’s still in contention.

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The Detroit Lions cleared Kerby Joseph to practice on Wednesday, giving the team 21 days to decide whether to put the 2024 All-Pro safety on the active roster or on season-ending injured reserve.

“This is a step in the right direction,” coach Dan Campbell said.

Joseph has had a series of setbacks since his last game on Oct. 12, 2025, including an injured left knee that didn’t respond well to treatment and a lot of time off after he played in just six games. After attempting to come back last year, the Lions put him on injured reserve late in the season.

Injuries plagued Kerby Joseph’s 2025 season with the Lions. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

They put him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list at the start of this season. If Kerby is not activated within the next three weeks, he will not be eligible to play this season.

Kerby has been working out, away from team activities, and made enough progress to merit an opportunity to practice.

“He’s checked all those boxes,” Campbell said. “The rest is how does he react to football?”

The Lions signed Joseph a four-year contract worth $86 million before the 2025 season that makes him one of the highest-paid safeties.

Joseph got the deal after leading the NFL with nine interceptions in 2024, helping Detroit win a franchise-record 15 games and a second straight NFC North title. He finished sixth in voting for AP Defensive Player of the Year.

He had four interceptions in 2023, tied for seventh in the NFL, and four picks as a rookie after the Lions drafted him in the third round, No. 97 overall, out of Illinois in 2022. Joseph had three interceptions last season to increase his career total to 20.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Basketball and baseball and football, oh my. 

The greatest time of the year continues. Here’s what I’m looking at this week for my five-leg parlay.

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Thunder Moneyline (-230)

The Thunder have had a rough week, with serious injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace casting a cloud over their 4-0 start. Despite the absences, OKC has enough depth and star power to notch a road win against the rebuilding Mavericks on Wednesday.

  WS Game 5 Under 7 (-138)

“The Miz” Jacob Misiorowski takes the mound in Game 5 looking to crown the Brewers as World Series champs on Wednesday. While the Rays have not named a starting pitcher, it will surely be all hands on deck in what should be a competitive, low-scoring game.

Northwestern +3.5 (-110)

Northwestern takes on a reeling Oregon team that has already had its Playoff hopes crushed as it enters this game on Halloween. I like Northwestern and its prolific ground game to propel the underdog on Saturday.

Buccaneers Moneyline (-135)

The Bucs have now won two of their last three games and are in the thick of the NFC South race, after thrashing the Panthers last week. They next take on the Falcons, who just defeated a previously unbeaten 49ers team, but were fortunate, as they benefited from four 49ers turnovers, and were out-gained by the 49ers by 1.5 yards per play. 

Ravens +3.5

It’s turned into an annual guessing game with the Ravens and when their former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson will suit up. But, in a huge game, I’m going to bet on Jackson being in there, as the Ravens try to fight their way out of last place. If Jackson goes, this should be a very close game.

Hill’s Pick: 5-Leg Parlay +1369 (bet $10 to win $146.90 total)

 

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