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From big home runs to dominant pitching and confusing late-inning calls, the first four games of the Division Series had everything.

After the Chicago White Sox opened the day with a win, the three home teams – the Dodgers, Rays and Brewers – held serve with wins. Los Angeles and Tampa Bay got huge outings from their starting pitchers, while Milwaukee got some timely hitting and a little bit of luck.

Here are our takeaways:

Murakami And Vargas Deliver After Slow Start To Postseason

Deesha Thosar: In the same inning, with two clutch swings, the two most valuable White Sox players showed just how quickly they can turn the table.

Guardians left-hander Parker Messick was dealing through three innings, racking up six strikeouts across his first 11 batters faced. Then, just when it looked like Messick was getting into a groove, the heart of Chicago’s order overmatched Cleveland’s talented rookie.

White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off the fourth inning with a single that left his bat at 110 mph to left field, representing a nightmare scenario for Messick. Digging into the box was first baseman Munetaka Murakami, one of the league’s top sluggers this year, who instantly became a fan favorite in Chicago after he joined the club as a free agent through the Japanese posting system. 

Murakami’s 45-day negotiating window this past winter gave all 30 teams a chance to speak with the power slugger. There was limited interest in a long-term deal for Murakami, so he signed a two-year, prove-it contract with the White Sox.

It didn’t take long to understand why every Murakami at-bat is must-see television, and why 29 teams should be kicking themselves for losing out on him.

In that electric fourth inning on Saturday, the 26-year-old rookie slugger didn’t even need to wait for a fastball to do serious damage. On the first pitch from Messick, a 93 mph sinker slightly up and in, Murakami connected at 112 mph off the bat and lifted it into the right-field seats for a thunderous two-run home run that gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead. It was the hardest-hit ball of the playoffs so far and traveled 440 feet, giving the White Sox an early lead they didn’t relinquish.

Munetaka was quiet in the wild-card series against the Astros, going 1-for-10 without finding his first postseason home run. When it finally arrived, he knew he got it. Murakami stayed in the box and watched all of it sail to right field before turning to his dugout, slamming his bat on the ground and pumping up his teammates.

Vargas, too, had been silent this postseason until Game 1 of the ALDS. After going 0-for-9 against the Astros, he went 1-for-1 with two walks and a run scored in the series opener against the Guardians.

Saturday’s performance was a full-circle moment of sorts for Vargas, who didn’t hide his disappointment when he was traded from the Dodgers to the White Sox during MLB’s trade deadline in 2024. 

At the time, Vargas went from a Los Angeles super team that was on its way to winning the World Series to a historically awful 121-loss White Sox team. Vargas was a cast-off until he found his place on this year’s Cinderella Sox squad.

It all came together for Vargas and Murakami in Chicago’s gripping opening salvo on Saturday. Both players are critical to the White Sox’ goals for a deep postseason run, and both are enjoying terrific redemption arcs.

Miguel Vargas (left) and Munetaka Murakami combined to give the White Sox the lead on Saturday afternoon. (Jason Miller/Getty Images) –>

Depth of Dodgers Lineup On Full Display In Game 1

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Rowan Kavner: In six career playoff starts entering Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Tarik Skubal had never received more than three runs of support from his offense.

He had also never played with a lineup like the one he has now.

Skubal starred in his Dodgers playoff debut, at one point retiring 15 straight Braves. Despite his success through five innings, he led just 2-0 when he left a sinker up to Braves catcher Sean Murphy, who deposited the pitch 421 feet over the fence to center field.

While it was a scorching hot day at Dodger Stadium — it was 100 degrees at first pitch and ascended to 103 degrees from there — it took a while for the Dodgers’ offense to warm up.

Eventually, though, it ignited in a 5-3 win – and it was their maligned corner outfielders leading the charge, continuing their late-season resurgence.

Teoscar Hernández had an OPS under .700 in late August and nearly started getting platooned in left field before he took off in September, producing an OPS over 1.000 in his final 25 games of the regular season.

Kyle Tucker, meanwhile, was mired in a year-long struggle in the first season of a four-year, $240 million deal. He was particularly ineffective at Dodger Stadium, where he was the fourth-worst qualified home hitter in the sport.

But he, too, started to look better in the season’s final weeks, also producing an OPS over 1.000 in his last 17 games.

And in their first game of October, both continued to rewrite the script of their season. After Braves opener Dylan Dodd carved through the Dodgers’ lineup for the first three innings, Hernández greeted Braves reliever Victor Mederos with a 431-foot blast to start the scoring.

Two innings later, Tucker and Max Muncy both went deep off AJ Smith-Shawver to break the game open — runs that would be crucial, after the Braves tagged Tanner Scott for two runs in the ninth on a home run from Ozzie Albies — demonstrating that even if Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman aren’t right physically, there are myriad game-changers in the Dodgers’ lineup.

Kyle Tucker’s two-run home run drove in Teoscar Hernandez, two innings after Hernandez went yard to open the scoring. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Thosar: Drew Rasmussen, or Yankee killer?

The final time Rasmussen took the mound in the regular season was against the Yankees, and he shoved. In front of a packed house in the Bronx last week, Rasmussen struck out 11 batters and limited New York to one run over 6 ⅔ innings on 114 pitches. It was a phenomenal way to wrap up his dominant year.

On Saturday night, under the bright lights of the MLB postseason, Rasmussen outdid himself. Call it the best start of his seven-year career.

Everything was working for Rays starter Drew Rasmussen on Saturday night. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images) –>

The 30-year-old right-hander was untouchable. The four-pitch mix coming out of his hand was ridiculous. The Yankees lineup was so stupefied by Rasmussen’s arsenal that he carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. It wasn’t until Yankees catcher Austin Wells lined a two-out double down the first-base foul line that the Yankees had a man on base for the first time since the third inning.

Finally, the Yankees had their chance to rattle Rasmussen and bring Giancarlo Stanton off the bench to pinch-hit for third baseman Ryan McMahon. But Wells, a stocky backstop with catcher speed, decided to leg out a triple in a one-run playoff game. That was never going to end well. Wells was easily out at third, the Rays got out of their only jam of the game, and Rasmussen was completely fired up instead of flustered.

His final line was impeccable. Rasmussen struck out 10 batters, allowed two walks and one hit over eight shutdown innings and 101 pitches. Simply put, he could do whatever he wanted against these Yankees. They never stood a chance, and when they finally created one, they made yet another silly baserunning mistake, which has plagued them in October for the past several seasons.

Rasmussen’s dominance overshadowed what was actually a strong outing from Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the ALDS. Cole pitched five one-run innings, allowed one walk and struck out five, with his only blemish being a solo shot to Jonathan Aranda in the third inning. 

Cole’s start was in question leading up to the weekend, and nobody would’ve faulted Yankees manager Aaron Boone if he went with Carlos Rodón for the series opener instead. But Cole was solid, and the Yankees still have a fully rested Rodón to pitch a different game in the series.

Crew Goes Off-Script To Win After Short Miz Start – With Help From The Roof

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Kavner: Throw out the script. Ditch the blueprint. Then raise the roof.

Or, if you’re a Brewers fan, maybe leave it right where it is.

In the playoffs, sometimes things go awry. On Saturday in Milwaukee, the Brewers countered with Plan B. Or maybe C or D.

Their Cy Young favorite lasted only four innings. They got into a battle with the best bullpen in the sport. They watched a deep ninth-inning drive nearly put the Padres ahead.

But they somehow prevailed in a wacky 3-2 victory, protecting home field in Game 1 of the NLDS with an assist from the roof at American Family Field.

Trailing by a run with one on and one out in the ninth, Padres first baseman Ty France pulled a fastball from Brewers closer Trevor Megill deep to left field. It looked like it might get out when suddenly the ball struck a roof cable and ricocheted back into the field of play.

Ty France reacts after his fly ball hit the American Family Field roof before being caught by left fielder Jackson Chourio. (John Fisher/Getty Images)

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By rule, any ball that strikes the roof, roof truss or roof cable at the stadium in fair territory is in play. Left fielder Jackson Chourio was alertly camped underneath to catch it. One batter later, Jackson Merrill lined out to end the game.

“Four years in this stadium, never seen that before,” Megill said. “Just glad it worked in our favor.”

Even before the bizarre finish, this was certainly not how the Brewers drew up their win. They had the clear starting pitching advantage, with their ace Jacob Misiorowski facing veteran Robbie Ray, who had an ERA over 5.00 in nine starts after getting traded from the Giants to the Padres. The first pitch of the game from “The Miz” clocked in at 104.8 mph, making it the fastest postseason pitch on record.

Jacob Misiorowski wasn’t his usual dominant self on Saturday night, but he ended the night by emphatically celebrating a strikeout of Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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So, the Padres decided to wait the flamethrower out.

They routinely spoiled heaters, then attacked his secondary pitches. Manny Machado doubled on a slider in the first. In the second, Xander Bogaerts singled on a slider, while Ethan Salas and Luis Campusano singled on cutters. A fielder’s choice followed, and the Brewers suddenly trailed 2-0.

Milwaukee responded when a 22-year-old who is already now their all-time postseason home run leader went yard. Chourio obliterated a first-pitch slider from Ray, launching it 113.3 mph off the bat and 420 feet out to left-center for a two-run shot in the third. It was Chourio’s fifth home run in just 13 career playoff games.

Brewers’ Jackson Chourio hits two-run home run, tying game vs Padres

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Misiorowski, who lasted just four innings but struck out six and only allowed the two runs, has credited catcher William Contreras for helping him navigate through his record-setting season on the mound. But in the seventh inning on Saturday, it was Contreras’ bat that made the difference.

Contreras worked the count full against Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, then went the other way on a full-count, 100.1 mph sinker for a go-ahead home run. It was the first homer Morejon had allowed since Aug. 18.

A skirmish against the Padres’ high-powered bullpen is usually not a recipe for success. Milwaukee’s relief corps danced around trouble to post five scoreless innings, complete with a hat-tip to the roof, or maybe a divine power, to end it.

Afterward, Brewers manager Pat Murphy could only think of the late, legendary Bob Uecker.

“The only thing that you could probably figure on the ball that everybody’s going to be talking about is that Ueck decided to put his hand on it and swat it down so Chourio could catch it,” Murphy said. “So, thanks, Ueck.” 

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STATE FARM STADIUM (Glendale, Ariz.) — The U.S. men’s soccer team trounced Mexico, its fiercest rival and FIFA’s No. 10 ranked nation, 3-0 in Saturday’s exhibition match here in front of a heavily pro El Tri crowd of more than 60,000 at the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.

Eighteen-year-old forward Julian Hall scored for the third straight game, 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan added the second and Malik Tillman rounded out the scoring with just a few minutes remaining. 

Here are my takeaways, plus post-game reaction from U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and his players.

Last weekend against Peru, Cavan Sullivan became the second-youngest player to start in U.S. men’s national team history. 

On Saturday, he notched an even more impressive milestone when he pounced on an errant pass by Jose Rangel and chipped the Mexico keeper to give the Americans a dos-a-cero lead — the youngest goalscorer in the 113-year history of the program.

“He’s a talented player with enormous quality, but with a very good balance in possession and out of possession,” Pochettino said. “He’s a fighter. He’s a warrior. It’s difficult to find this type of player.

“Happy for him, happy for the team,” the coach added. “I like what he said [on TNT’s broadcast] after the game, that the most important thing was the result. He’s learning every day. That is a good thing.”

2. Statement Over Biggest Rival

Until losing back-to-back games to Mexico in 2024 and ’25, the U.S. had dominated its southern neighbor this decade, beating El Tri in three straight Concacaf Nations League Finals and the Gold Cup final in 2021. The pendulum swung back after Pochettino took over as coach, though that was hardly his fault, with an understrength U.S. squad falling in a so-called friendly in Guadalajara and in the 2025 Gold Cup final in Houston.

Mauricio Pochettino leading the USA. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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After beating the Peruvians and Chile decisively late last month, Pochettino cautioned on Friday that there would be downs as well as ups for this unusually young roster, the first one of the 2030 World Cup cycle.

But the kids didn’t get the memo, growing into the match against Mexico and taking the scoring chances they were presented with. That’s a hugely encouraging sign going forward.

“Mexico is a great team,” Pochettino said. “They forced us to play backwards. We never connected, we were losing all the duels. And then we started to grow after 15-20 minutes.”

“We had to adapt in different ways,” U.S. captain Tyler Adams said. “At halftime we kind of regrouped…I thought it was a complete team performance in a lot of different facets of the game. We had some challenges to defend. I think we defended all right for most of the part, and then obviously scored some good goals.”

It’s possible that the 18-year-old Red Bull New York striker wouldn’t even have been on Pochettino’s roster for Saturday’s contest.

World Cup starter Folarin Balogun and one of his backups, Haji Wright, were not called in this window. Hall might not have played nearly as much if Ricardo Pepi, who appeared in all five games during the Americans’ run to the round of 16, hadn’t gotten hurt after Pochettino named his roster back on Sept. 17.

Julian Hall keeps scoring. (Photo by Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images)

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No matter. Hall has taken every opportunity he’s been given since making his senior international debut in last week’s 4-1 win over Peru, scoring it that game shortly after entering as a second half substitute and then finding the net again in his first start, a 4-2 victory against Chile.

Those goals were enough for Poch to keep the Manhattan-born Hall in his lineup for Saturday’s showdown with Mexico, the highest-profile match among the four the No. 16-ranked U.S. team will play this window. And Hall rose to the challenge again, giving the home team a 1-0 lead following one of the only extended spells of possession the USA had during a first half in which El Tri had the ball for more than 60 percent of the time.

“I mean, three goals in three games is not bad for a striker, especially in your first three games in the national team,” said Gio Reyna, whose cross led to Hall’s tap-in. “He sort of has that eye for goal.”

Like most of the rest of the youngsters who Pochettino handed minutes to this month, Hall will probably return to either the U.S. under-20 national team or the 2028 Olympics-bound U-23s when the more experienced forwards in the player pool inevitably return. But for a country that never seems to have enough pure goalscorers, he’s definitely given Poch and his staff something to think about ahead of next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

“It’s a fantastic problem for us,” the coach told me when I asked if the performances of Hall and the other youngsters might alter thier plans.  

Once its strongest position by far, the U.S. has had a devil of a time producing elite goalkeepers in recent years. But the 20-year-old Kochen is the country’s best backstop prospect in years, and the fact that Poch started him in a hostile environment in Glendale says plenty about the Barcelona product’s potential.

That talent was on full display in the 58th minute when, with the U.S. clinging to a 1-0 lead and Mexico knocking on the door, he made an all-world stop onEl Tri attacker Roberto Alvarado on the way to a clean sheet:

“It’s one of the greatest moments of my entire life,” a beaming Kochen told me about an hour after the final whistle blew. “I’m super thankful that the coach trusted me with this.” 

It remains to be seen if Kochen will keep his place going forward, stick with the senior team in an understudy role, or if he, like others, will return to the youth ranks. Given his competition, his age, and his status as the American keeper with the highest ceiling, don’t be surprised if it’s the first one.

4 1/2. Next Up? A Familiar Foe

The Americans have another quick turnaround following Saturday’s victory, with just two days between the Mexican match and another rivalry game on Tuesday against Canada and its American coach, Jesse Marsch. 

“We have Canada in three days,” said Reyna, the only U.S. player to start all three games during this camp. “First time I started three games in the week in probably four or five years, so I’m a little bit tired now. But I’ll be good for Canada.”

While the U.S. holds the all-time series lead with a record of 17 wins to 12 losses (along with two draws), it has won just once in the last six meetings between the teams, including the most recent in 2025. Can the Red, White and Blue break another streak of futility against another neighbor in Minnesota?

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MEMORIAL STADIUM (Clemson, S.C.) — The bodies crammed inside the Esso Club were packed tight, almost shoulder-to-shoulder as a line spilled from the bar, swerving toward the door and out into the courtyard.

It was four hours before Dabo Swinney’s Tigers squad kicked off against the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes, and the beer was fully flowing inside “Clemson’s Original Sports Bar.” A quartet of Tigers orange-clad patrons created a pyramid of camouflage Busch light cans in the center of their high top, each marveling at their feat of pale ale-infused engineering.

En route to Clemson’s favorite watering hole, a pair of Tigers faithful revealed themselves to a trio of Miami fans as Palm Beach residents.

“When you get up 20, just back off a little bit,” one chided.

“I guess you guys owe us for that 58-0 thing at your house,” the other conceded, a brief reminder of the Hurricanes’ pre-Mario Cristobal follies.

Whatever gas last week’s win over Cal pumped into Swinney’s players, Clemson’s carburetor was flooded on Saturday as the Tigers were meticulously mauled, 41-13, by a Miami team that looks every bit as ferocious as its 2025 version, which came one score short of a national title.

Exiting the field following the loss, Clemson’s squad was surrounded by a sea of Miami fans that made the trip north. They mobbed Cristobal. They flung iPhones skyward in hopes of capturing a selfie with bruising tailback Mark Fletcher Jr.

They chanted, as the clock ticked down, “Fire Dabo! Fire Dabo!” 

Welcome to the life of a program stuck in neutral.

“Winning heals everything,” ex-Clemson standout Eric Mac Lain told me pregame along the Tigers’ sidelines. “… But it’s just one of those things where it’s a double-edged sword because, for years, what did [Swinney] preach? Best is the standard — and obviously Clemson hasn’t been at their best.”

SATURDAY WAS SUPPOSED Saturday was supposed to be a washout. Forecasts projected heavy rain that might send the Tigers toward their third weather delay of the season. The rain held off. The fans showed up.

Death Valley rocked and swayed as the Tigers ripped past Howard’s Rock and onto the playing surface at Memorial Stadium ahead of kickoff. It came to a lull when Clemson actually had to run its offense.

The Tigers burned a timeout before calling an offensive snap on the first play of the game. A bobbled third-down snap saw freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds get flattened by Hurricanes linebacker Chase Smith.

A long night for Tait Reynolds and the Clemson Tigers. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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A preview of coming attractions.

Twice the Tigers committed penalties inside the Miami 10-yard line. Twice the Tigers turned the ball over to Miami’s zero. Twice — once to end the half and once to open the third quarter — the Tigers failed to score red-zone touchdowns.

“We’ve gotta close that gap,” Swinney said in his post-game press conference. “… Those are game-changing opportunities that you have to cash in on to give yourself a chance to win games like that. And we did not. 

“… We’re a work in progress, but the season ain’t over. We’ve got a long way to go. It’s a [long] season. This one stinks. We played a really good team, and they were better than us today. We’ve got to see if we get better next time we play, and then at the end of the season, we’ll hopefully be a football team that nobody wants to play. We’ve got work to do.”

Dabo Swinney looks on as Clemson fell to the Miami Hurricanes. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

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Saturday was not so much a reckoning as it was a reminder. Clemson of old, this is not — a truth that makes the present and future in the South Carolina Upstate increasingly uncomfortable.

Clemson is the poster child of schools aspiring for more.

It’s only two years since the Tigers brass pressed lawsuits against their own league challenging the grant of rights and, effectively, creating a smoother ACC exit strategy with fewer stiff financial penalties.

Those future aspirations — whether it be in the ACC or elsewhere — are perhaps less clear now as Congress continues to entertain the Protect College Sports Act and the strict anti-expansion clauses included in the bill’s verbiage.

Winning football games, though, would help those desires.

“That’s frustrating for all these people that were used to winning 12-plus games a year,” Mac Lain said. “They’re frustrated, and they have the right to, because they build us and they vaporize. 

Does it suck? Yeah, but at the end of the day, just win and you’ll be OK.”

AND WHAT OF Miami in all this?

Hate if you will, but Cristobal’s $40-plus million roster looks worth every dime.

The Hurricanes have been the most aggressive school this side of Texas Tech in college football’s new world order. Boosters are, shall we say, woven into the fabric of South Florida’s preeminent college football program. That they might contribute directly to the Canes’ success has proven as lucrative as one might imagine.

Sweet slingin’ quarterback Darian Mensah — whose contract dispute with Duke over the offseason created its own cavalcade of enemies across the ecosystem — has justified in spades the headaches, billable hours and animosity that will undoubtedly be directed his way the rest of the season.

Darian Mensah once again had a big night for the ‘Canes. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

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Mensah entered Saturday’s contest with more touchdowns (14) than incomplete passes (12). He was similarly efficient amid the rowdy rows of orange and white that littered the stands in Death Valley, connecting on a pedestrian — at least by his otherworldly standards — 67% of his 27 passes for 227 yards and one score.

Lest you not forget all-world receiver Malachi Toney, or his running mate Cooper Barkate, or pass-catcher Daylyn Upshaw, or Fletcher, or … OK, you get the point.

They’re flashy. They’re physical. The ‘Canes might just be the national title favorite. They looked it Saturday night.

“Four years ago, we came here when we had just got to Miami with a roster that wasn’t what it was supposed to be. And we got our faces kicked in,” Cristobal quipped post-game of the 2022 shellacking the ‘Canes endured in Clemson. “It was good to come out today and play good football, and to give ourselves a chance to control our own destiny.”

Mario Cristobal has the ‘Canes on track toward another CFP appearance. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

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To be clear, there is no reckoning coming tomorrow for Swinney. Clemson is not a place that operates on the emotion of a single result against a national title contender.

Tigers athletics director Graham Neff is analytical and tempered. Competitive? You bet. But he’s far from a shoot from the hip, ask for forgiveness later-type.

Still, there’s an almost malaise and longing for days past around the grounds outside Death Valley. There was little angst about Swinney or the Tigers in pregame talk. Speak with enough people, and you’ll hear an appreciation for what has been accomplished under his watch, even if that history has begun to fade. 

“We love Dabo. He gave us two national championships,” 2016 Clemson grad Ryan Hall told me. “But he gets paid $12 million per year. We expect a little bit more. At Clemson, we’ll always show up. We just want to see our boys compete on the national level.”

There will one day, perhaps soon, be a statue of Swinney in front of Memorial Stadium. No man has meant more to this program in its 130-year history, and a Week 5 loss to a talented Miami team won’t define his legacy.

But Saturday was a reminder that the statue may represent accomplishments achieved long before Clemson’s most recent loss to the nation’s elite.

That’s indictment enough.

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The Miami Dolphins will face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a Week 4 NFL showdown on FOX.

Minnesota is 3-0 and has won eight straight games dating back to last season, the longest active winning streak in the NFL. Its defense has led the way, allowing just 11.6 points per game during that stretch.

Meanwhile, Miami is 0-3 for the second consecutive season and has lost each game by at least 14 points. Making matters worse, running back De’Von Achane suffered a torn ACL last week and will miss the rest of the season.

The Vikings will also be missing a star, as Justin Jefferson will sit out Sunday with an ankle injury. Minnesota already ranks last in the NFL in total offense, leaving its defense to carry the load once again.

Can the Dolphins earn their first win, or will the Vikings keep rolling?

Let’s take a look at the odds for Dolphins vs. Vikings at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 4. 

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.

   Dolphins @ Vikings Odds

Moneyline

[–>
• Dolphins: +460 (bet $10 to win $56 total)
• Vikings: -620 (bet $10 to win $11.61 total)

Spread

• Dolphins +10.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Vikings -10.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 38.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 38.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   Dolphins @ Vikings Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research:

Minnesota’s defense leads the NFL with 14 sacks, and it now faces a struggling Miami offense without its most explosive weapon. Achane has accounted for 32% of the Dolphins scrimmage yards since 2025, leaving a massive hole for quarterback Malik Willis to help fill.

Jefferson’s absence hurts an already struggling Vikings offense, but Minnesota has shown it can win behind its dominant defense. Against a Dolphins team with the NFL’s worst point differential, that should be enough.

Take the Vikings to cover.

   The Pick: Vikings -10.5

How to Watch Dolphins vs. Vikings

• Date: Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026
• Time: 4:05 p.m. EST
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

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The SEC insists on cannibalizing itself, or so it would seem with Missouri upsetting a Florida team that looked destined — and could still be — to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in its history. But that doesn’t help us find out just who is a national title contender in the SEC because: Alabama beat Mississippi State, which beat Missouri, which beat Florida, which beat Ole Miss, which beat LSU.

For now, only Texas and Georgia seem fit to play for championships. But that could soon change on Saturday when the Bulldogs finally get to play a ranked opponent we all think is good: Bama. Bring October 10 to us on winged feet. We need answers.

Virginia Tech lost to Pittsburgh at home on Friday night, necessitating the Hokies’ relief from this week’s top 25 and bumping the Panthers in. Michigan dropped its second game in as many weeks — this time on the road to Minnesota, a program that hadn’t beaten the Wolverines in Minnesota in 49 years.

Teams are starting to separate themselves as this year’s elite, some are showing signs of fraudulence and others are just joining my list. With that, here are my top-25 rankings after an exciting Week 5.

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: NR

Wide receiver Cataurus Hicks runs after a catch against Virginia Tech in Pitt’s Week 5 win. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 35-33 win vs. Virginia Tech
Week 6 game: vs. North Carolina

“We got a hell of a football team,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said on ESPN’s broadcast following the victory. “Any of those voters, if they wake their ass up, they might figure it out.”

Sure thing, Pat. Just remember when you get seven wins, the season isn’t over. The Panthers started 7-0 in 2024 and still managed to finish 7-6. Last year, they finished 7-5.

Stat to know: Pitt’s win over Virginia Tech marks just the second time in the last 35 years (since 1991) that the Panthers started a season 5-0. 

Odds to make CFP: +700
Odds to win national title: +30000

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: NR

Wide receiver Nic Anderson catches a touchdown pass in Kentucky’s Week 5 comeback win against South Carolina. (Photo by Matt Kelley/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 35-34 OT win vs. South Carolina
Week 6 game: vs. LSU

Behind quarterback Kenny Minchey, Kentucky overcame a 17-0 first-half deficit to win in overtime against South Carolina. The Wildcats’ only loss, to undefeated Alabama, looks better on Sunday than it did at the beginning of Saturday.

Stat to know: With its win against the Gamecocks, Kentucky recorded its largest road comeback win in program history after trailing, 17-0, in the second quarter.

Odds to make CFP: +2500
Odds to win national title: +75000

Record: 5-1

Previous ranking: 24

Quarterback Jayden Maiava looks down field to pass against Washington in a narrow Week 5 win for USC. (Photo by Ben Liebenberg/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 25-21 win vs. Washington
Week 6 game: At Penn State

USC needed a convincing win against an unranked opponent and middling conference team on Saturday. What it did instead was play a game that left the ball in the Huskies’ hands for a chance to win at the end. Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. simply threw away.

While the Trojans remain in the College Football Playoff conversation, that won’t last for long if they insist on playing this poorly with Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA still on their schedule.

Stat to know: Quarterback Jayden Maiava ranks second in the FBS in passing yards with 1,499 and is in a four-way tie for No. 1 with 14 touchdowns so far this season. 

Odds to make CFP: +600
Odds to win national title: +10000

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 23

Running back Re’shaun Sanford II breaks through UCF’s defense during Houston’s win in Week 5. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 27-17 win vs. UCF
Week 6 game: At Kansas State

The Cougars scored all 27 points in the second half, erasing a 17-0 third-quarter deficit to rally for the win at home. Houston was good on third down, converting eight times on 16 attempts while holding UCF to just 73 rushing yards.

Stat to know: Houston came back from a 17-0 deficit. Prior to Saturday, Houston had lost 15 straight games after trailing by 17 or more points — and entering today, FBS teams down at least 17 points in the second half were 3-130 this season. 

Odds to make CFP: +800
Odds to win national title: +25000

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 22

Quarterback Drew Mestemaker, tight end Carson Kolb and defensive end Jaleel Johnson lead the Cowboys onto the field in September.  (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: Bye
Week 6 game: vs. UCF

Stat to know: Oklahoma State knocked off No. 6 Oregon, giving the Cowboys their first home non-conference win over an AP top-10 team since 2008.

Odds to make CFP: +1200
Odds to win national title: +35000

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 20

Quarterback Nathan Hayes has North Dakota State looking strong in its first FBS season after a Week 5 shutout win. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 28-0 win vs. Wyoming
Week 6 game: At UNLV

The Bison look like the only team in the Group of Six capable of running the table, and North Dakota State is still the only FBS program in history to never lose a game to an FBS opponent. We’ll see how long that lasts, but it could be a minute.

Stat to know: Through five games, quarterback Nathan Hayes has completed 64.7% of his passes for 995 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions, along with 122 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. 

Odds to make CFP: +550
Odds to win national title: +100000

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 14

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss look to bounce back in Week 6 after a loss and a bye. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: Bye 
Week 6 game: At Vanderbilt 

Stat to know: Ole Miss has faced three AP-ranked opponents in its opening four games for the first time in program history, picking up top-25 wins over then-No. 24 Louisville and then-No. 7 LSU.

Odds to make CFP: +140
Odds to win national title: +2800

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 17

Quarterback Hank Brown throws against Ohio State Buckeyes during Iowa’s Week 5 loss. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 31-14 loss vs. Ohio State
Week 6 game: At Washington

Iowa performed like it has for the entirety of Kirk Ferentz’s tenure. In a low-scoring game, the team looks like it could defeat almost anyone. But as points run up, the offensive ineptitude of the Hawkeyes becomes impossible to ignore and often leads to them losing games. As soon as Ohio State opened a two-score lead, this felt lost for Iowa.

Stat to know: Iowa’s defense is allowing just 12.6 points per game — which is tied for second in the Big Ten, with Ohio State, trailing only Indiana at 9.8 points per game — and ranks 11th in the FBS.

Odds to make CFP: +450
Odds to win national title: +10000

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 16

Running back DeSean Bishop scores a touchdown against Auburn in Tennessee’s Week 5 win. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 24-14 win vs. Auburn
Week 6 game: At Arkansas

Quarterback Faizon Brandon was benched for George MacIntyre after passing for zero yards and throwing an interception just before the end of the first half. And all MacIntyre really needed to do after that was exist in the seconds between taking the snap and handing running back DeSean Bishop the ball.

Bishop carried the ball 34 times for 220 rushing yards with three touchdowns. Tennessee’s identity — a power-run team offensively — was on full display against Auburn. And the Vols’ only loss so far was to the No. 1 team in the country (Texas).

Stat to know: Running back DeSean Bishop is the first Tennessee player to rush for at least 200 yards and three touchdowns in a single game since 2019.

Odds to make CFP: +330
Odds to win national title: +7600

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 18

Linebacker Sammy Omosigho and his UCLA teammates beating Purdue in September. (Photo by Greg Fiore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: Bye
Week 6 game: At Oregon

Stat to know: With 52 points against Purdue and 54 against Maryland, UCLA scored at least 50 points in consecutive regular-season games for the first time since 1993.

Odds to make CFP: +500
Odds to win national title: +25000

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 15

Running back Wayshawn Parker and wide receiver Ricky Johnson celebrate after scoring a touchdown against Iowa State in September. (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: Bye
Week 6 game: vs. Kansas

Stat to know: Utah owns a +132 point differential (173-41), marking its largest scoring margin through the first four games of a season since 1994.

Odds to make CFP: +190
Odds to win national title: +8400

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 7

Wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. runs the ball against the grain in Florida’s Week 5 loss to Missouri. (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 45-17 loss vs. Missouri
Week 6 game: vs. South Carolina

The Gators looked like a Group of Six team collecting a guaranteed check in the face of a Missouri offense that was relentless and a Missouri defense that was punishing. Star running back Jadan Baugh was held to just 13 rushing yards on 12 carries after rushing for an average of 150 per game in each of his previous four.

Missouri isn’t great, and yet, it greatly kicked Florida’s ass.

Stat to know: Coming off a 52-28 win over Ole Miss in Week 4, Florida’s 28-point loss to Missouri marks a 52-point swing in scoring margin (+24 to -28) — its largest negative one-week turnaround in SEC play since 2011.

Odds to make CFP: -105
Odds to win national title: +3200

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 13

Quarterback Kamario Taylor is sacked by Alabama linebacker Xavier Griffin during Mississippi State’s loss in Week 5. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 56-23 loss vs. Alabama
Week 6 game: Bye

Yes, the Bulldogs got beat like they stole something on a Saturday when they were expected to make the leap. But two turnovers on their first two possessions — including a pick-six — by star quarterback Kamario Taylor made the task of beating Alabama too difficult.

The Bulldogs are helped by Missouri’s win against Florida, though, as the Tigers lost to Mississippi State last week before taking down the AP’s No. 5 Gators. That Mizzou loss last week to Mississippi State looks better this morning than it did last weekend.

Stat to know: Kamario Taylor has thrown for at least three touchdowns in all five games this season, and he leads the FBS with 17 passing touchdowns.

Odds to make CFP: +1100
Odds to win national title: +20000

Record: 3-1

Previous ranking: 12

Wide reciver Jamari Johnson runs after a catch against USC in Week 4. (Photo by Ben Liebenberg/Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: Bye
Week 6 game: vs. UCLA

Stat to know: Oregon has won five consecutive games against USC, dating back to November 2, 2019, and eight of the last nine meetings overall.

Odds to make CFP: +105
Odds to win national title: +2100

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 11

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier passes against TCU in BYU’s narrow Week 5 victory. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 17-10 win vs. TCU
Week 6 game: vs. Iowa State

BYU is right where it was most of last year: playing great football against not-so-great competition, in the not-so-highly-rated Big 12. It’s a horrible place for Cougars fans to be when they think their team is a CFP contender. But they will have to win a Big 12 Championship to be sure. And I need to see that to be sure too. But for now, let’s enjoy the Cougars doing everything they can to reach a postseason they’ve never been invited to play in.

Stat to know: Quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw for just 62 passing yards against TCU, marking BYU’s fewest passing yards in a regular-season victory since at least 2000.

Odds to make CFP: +200
Odds to win national title: +7800

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 10

Quarterback Sam Leavitt before LSU’s Week 5 win against McNeese. (Photo by Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 63-14 win vs. McNeese
Week 6 game: At Kentucky

LSU held a 42-0 halftime lead against its FCS opponent and will not play another team outside the SEC for the rest of the season. The Tigers put up 729 yards of offense — 365 rushing and 364 passing — along with their nine touchdowns.

Stat to know: While Sam Leavitt has six rushing touchdowns through five games, he only has eight passing touchdowns compared to seven interceptions. 

Odds to make CFP: -115
Odds to win national title: +1650

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 9

Running back J’Koby Williams breaks through Colorado’s defense in Texas Tech’s Week 5 win. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 29-7 win vs. Colorado
Week 6 game: Bye

The Red Raiders offense wasn’t great, but it didn’t need to be because the Buffaloes offense was awful. Colorado turned the ball over four times, and starting quarterback Isaac Wilson threw an egregious pick-six in the Buffs’ end zone to add insult to injury. The Red Raiders were out-gained in total yards (375-315), passing yards (297-134) and awful on third down (3-for-12). But they remain undefeated.

Stat to know: Including its win over Colorado tonight, Texas Tech is 11-1 (.917) overall against Big 12 opponents across the last two seasons. 

Odds to make CFP: +140
Odds to win national title: +7400

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 19

Running back Jamal Roberts celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Florida in Missouri’s Week 5 blowout win. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 45-17 win vs. Florida
Week 6 game: vs. Texas A&M

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz might never enjoy beating a top-10 opponent quite like his Tigers did against the Gators on Saturday. It’s not just that Mizzou stomped out Florida by 28 points, but also that it is the first top-10 win he’s ever had in the regular season and against an SEC opponent and legacy SEC East foe.

I realize Missouri lost to Mississippi State last week, and that the Bulldogs lost to the Tide on Saturday. But Missouri also turned Florida into a piñata, which has to, ahem, just mean more.

Stat to know: Jamal Roberts rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns against Florida. He became the first SEC running back to rush for 200 yards and three rushing scores against an AP top-10 team since Derrick Henry in 2015.

Odds to make CFP: +700
Odds to win national title: +12000

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 5

Running back Turbo Richard celebrates a first down against Rutgers in Indiana’s Week 5 victory. (Photo by Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 47-15 win vs. Rutgers
Week 6 game: At Nebraska

Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers responded to a ho-hum performance against what might be a surging Northwestern with a dominating one against the Scarlet Knights, running up 593 yards of offense while holding Rutgers to just 254 yards.

Stat to know: Josh Hoover has completed 71.0% of his passes for 1,101 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns with zero interceptions so far this season. 

Odds to make CFP: -320
Odds to win national title: +1050

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 8

Quarterback Keelon Russell and receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams celebrate in the first half during Alabama’s Week 5 win against Mississippi State. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

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Week 5 game: 56-23 win vs. Mississippi State
Week 6 game: vs. Georgia

Kalen DeBoer is 10-2 against top-25 teams on the road after the Crimson Tide’s win Saturday and 5-1 against teams on the road as head coach at Alabama. None of that matters next week when Georgia travels to Tuscaloosa. With a win, Alabama doesn’t just look like a contender for the SEC title but also a serious national championship contender.

Stat to know: Keelon Russell is the now the fifth Alabama quarterback since 2000 to be responsible for at least 14 touchdowns through the first five games. He joins Tua Tagovailoa (2018, 2019), Ty Simpson (2025), Jalen Milroe (2024) and Bryce Young (2021, 2022).

Odds to make CFP: -270
Odds to win national title: +1300

Record: 4-1

Previous ranking: 6

Receiver Jeremiah Smith catches a pass against Iowa in Ohio State’s Week 5 road win against Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 31-14 win vs. Iowa
Week 6 game: vs. Maryland

Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith became the school all-time record-holder in receiving touchdowns and catches in a signature performance where he caught 11 passes for 206 yards in a thumping of the first top-25 team Ohio State has faced since losing at Texas earlier this season. While the Buckeyes aren’t perfect and can’t quite finish games like I’d expect a national title team to in the fourth quarter, Smith is a second queen on the chessboard and masks, even erases, some deficiencies on this team.

Stat to know: Jeremiah Smith completed the Ohio State triple crown in Week 5: He is now the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receptions (207), receiving yards (3,381) and receiving touchdowns (36).

Odds to make CFP: -450
Odds to win national title: +440

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 4

Wide receiver Malachi Toney catches a touchdown pass against Clemson in Miami’s dominant Week 5 win. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 41-13 win vs. Clemson
Week 6 game: Bye

Darian Mensah continued to play like one of the best quarterbacks in the sport with 227 passing yards and two total touchdowns against the first program the Hurricanes have played in their weight class in a month. And while they continue to look devastatingly good, no one is taking them seriously until they beat a team with a single-digit next to their name on the score bug.

Stat to know: Darian Mensah has only four fewer total touchdowns (17) than incompletions (21) through five games this season.

Odds to make CFP: -1200
Odds to win national title: +700

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 3

Quarterback CJ Carr smiles after a touchdown against North Carolina in Notre Dame’s Week 5 win. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 37-26 win vs. North Carolina
Week 6 game: vs. Stanford

Notre Dame continues to look like a team capable of winning the program’s first national title this century. The Fighting Irish have won 14 straight games by double digits, and with a double-digit win over North Carolina, they became the first team to win 15 straight games by 10 or more points since Florida from 2008 to 2009. You’ll remember the 2008 Florida team won the national title that year.

Stat to know: Through five games in 2026, quarterback CJ Carr has completed 71% of his passes for 1,197 yards, 13 passing touchdowns and only one interception. Carr’s 16 total touchdowns are the most by any Notre Dame starting quarterback through the first five games of a season since at least 2000.

Odds to make CFP: -2000
Odds to win national title: +620

Record: 5-0

Previous ranking: 2

Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 25 of 32 passes against Vanderbilt for 295 yards and three touchdowns. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: 38-14 win vs. Vanderbilt
Week 6 game: At Alabama

Kirby Smart’s Dawgs still feel like the best team in the country to me, and one of the reasons is just how fast this team starts and how much it holds its opponents back. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents, 63-0, in the first quarter of its first five games.

On vibes, this is the best team in the sport. What’s awesome is the Dawgs get a chance to prove that on Saturday on the road against Alabama. 

Stat to know: Through his first five games this season, Gunner Stockton has completed 75.5% of his passes for 1,049 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception, while adding 122 rushing yards.

Odds to make CFP: -750
Odds to win national title: +540

Record: 4-0

Previous ranking: 1

Edge rusher Colin Simmons is responsible for 7.5 of Texas’ 15 total sacks this season so far. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

–>

Week 5 game: Bye
Week 6 game: At Oklahoma

Stat to know: With wins over then-No. 1 Ohio State and then-No. 14 Tennessee in its four games of the 2026 season, Texas has defeated multiple AP top-15 opponents in its first four games of a season for the first time since 1984.

Odds to make CFP: -700
Odds to win national title: +640

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The New York Jets visit the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears are 2-1 this season, while the Jets are 1-2.

Chicago is coming off a 27-7 win over the Eagles and is averaging 29.7 points per game while allowing 17.7. New York lost 31-24 at Detroit last Sunday and is averaging 21.3 points per game while allowing 20.3.

Chicago is a 3.5-point favorite over New York, with a total of 43.5 and a moneyline of -178 for the Bears and +149 for the Jets.

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

How to Watch Jets vs. Bears

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players to Watch

Chicago’s ground game did the finishing work in the Week 3 win over Philadelphia, and Swift handled the closing minutes himself. He carried 20 times for 84 yards and added two catches, part of a three-game stretch in which he has already topped 80 rushing yards twice and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry on his way to 253 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Bears lead the NFL in rushing at 184.3 yards per game and have 7 rushing touchdowns, second most in the league behind Buffalo’s 8. New York has been considerably tougher against the pass than the run through three weeks, and Swift gets an offense that has shown no hesitation about staying committed to the backfield even with a lead in hand.

Thrown into a spot start against Philadelphia in Week 3, Keenum delivered more than a game-manager performance. He completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns, added a rushing score, and helped power a 27-7 win over the Eagles.

New York has recorded 8 sacks through three games, and whoever lines up behind Chicago’s line will feel it. Keenum’s protection held up well against Philadelphia’s front, and doing it again against a Jets defense generating pressure at that rate is the bigger question in Week 4.

New York’s passing game has carried the offense, and Smith is the reason why. Through three games he has thrown for 783 yards and 4 touchdowns without an interception, and last week against Detroit he threw for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns to keep the Jets in a game they lost late.

Chicago has intercepted 3 passes through three games, so ball security matters against a defense that has already shown it can take the ball away. The Jets are averaging just 92.3 rushing yards per game, which puts extra weight on Smith to keep the offense on schedule through the air.

Breece Hall is out with a quad injury, which puts the backfield workload in Allen’s hands this week. Allen has 61 rushing yards on 19 carries with a touchdown so far this season, and he is set to lead the Jets backfield Sunday.

Chicago has forced 6 takeaways and sits at a plus-3 turnover margin, tied for fourth in the league, through three games, a tough draw for a back stepping into a bigger role. If Allen ends up carrying the load at Soldier Field, protecting the ball matters as much as finding yards.

Jets vs. Bears Odds

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The Dallas Cowboys visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Texans are 0-3 this season, while the Cowboys are 1-2.

Houston lost 19-17 at Indianapolis last Sunday and is averaging 18.0 points per game while allowing 25.0. Dallas lost 34-31 to Baltimore and is averaging 29.3 points per game while allowing 27.3.

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

How to Watch Cowboys vs. Texans

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

Houston has leaned on the pass through three games, and Stroud has carried that volume with 794 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on 120 attempts, numbers that rank ninth in the league in passing yards. In the Week 3 loss to Indianapolis, he went 16 of 27 for 167 yards and a touchdown in a game Houston dropped 19-17. Even at 0-3, the turnover column has stayed clean for Houston’s quarterback.

Dallas has recorded only two sacks through three games, one of the lowest totals in the league, while Houston’s offense ranks 10th in passing yards per game. Stroud will have a defense in front of him that hasn’t finished many pass-rush snaps this season.

A strip-sack in last week’s loss to Indianapolis was the signature play in a strong start for Anderson, who finished that game with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble Houston recovered. He now has 4.0 sacks through three weeks, among the league leaders, to go with 18 tackles.

Dallas has protected Dak Prescott well overall, allowing only three sacks in three games. Anderson’s ability to still get home against that protection sets up one of the most direct matchups on the field Sunday.

Houston’s pass rush is still searching for consistency, but the quarterback lining up across from it has been one of the most productive in the league. Prescott has thrown for 730 yards and seven touchdowns through three games, tied for fifth most touchdown passes in the NFL. In last week’s 34-31 loss to Baltimore, he went 25 of 40 for 276 yards and a score, added 19 rushing yards and connected on a two-point conversion pass.

Houston’s offense converts 36.4 percent on third down, well behind a Cowboys offense that converts 57.1 percent of its third downs, the second-best rate in the NFL. That gap sets up one of the more lopsided situational comparisons of the week.

The production has stayed loud for Lamb, who is coming off a seven-catch, 112-yard game against Baltimore that included a two-point conversion catch, part of back-to-back 100-yard performances heading into this matchup. Through three games this season, he has 20 catches for 309 yards and three touchdowns on 25 targets, numbers that rank fourth in the league in receiving yards.

Houston has allowed 75 points and just one interception through three games, a defense that has given up yardage without forcing many turnovers. Lamb enters averaging just over 100 receiving yards a game, the exact kind of production that defense has had trouble limiting.

Cowboys vs. Texans Odds

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The Los Angeles Rams visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles are 2-1 this season, while the Rams are 1-2.

Philadelphia lost 27-7 at Chicago last Monday and is averaging 18.3 points per game while allowing 23. Los Angeles lost 30-26 at Denver and is averaging 20.3 points per game while allowing 21.

Los Angeles is a 3-point favorite over Philadelphia, with a total of 43.5 and a moneyline of -166 for the Rams and +139 for the Eagles.

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

How to Watch Rams vs. Eagles

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

Philadelphia needs a cleaner game from him after Monday night. Hurts completed 16 of 25 passes for 153 yards with an interception in the loss to Chicago, then added a rushing touchdown on 4 carries for 25 yards. He’s at 620 passing yards and 5 touchdowns through three games this season.

The Rams have already picked off three passes on defense this year, and the Eagles sit at minus-5 in turnover differential entering Sunday. Hurts was evaluated for a concussion against the Bears and cleared to return, and he’s expected to start at home. Taking care of the football is the job this week.

The ground game has been one of Philadelphia’s steadier pieces, and Barkley is the reason why. He ran 15 times for 82 yards at a 5.5 average against Chicago, and he’s yet to top 15 carries in any game this season despite totaling 174 yards on 34 attempts.

That efficiency lines up well with a Rams defense allowing 21 points per game and just 3 sacks through three weeks, part of an Eagles rushing attack averaging 110.7 yards per game as a team. Barkley gave Philadelphia one of its few steady answers in a rough week.

Los Angeles has leaned on Stafford early, and the volume backs it up. He has thrown for 872 yards and 6 touchdowns through three games, with the Rams ranking second in the league in passing yards per game at 284.0 and averaging 417.7 total yards, one of the stronger early-season outputs in football.

Philadelphia’s defense hasn’t recorded an interception through three games and is tied for 28th in the league with 3 sacks. That combination gives Stafford a favorable setup on paper against an Eagles pass defense still searching for its first takeaway.

Recent form has been loud for Adams. He caught 7 of 13 targets for 137 yards in the Week 3 loss to Denver, and over the last two games, with Puka Nacua sidelined by a hip injury, he has 15 catches for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns. For the season he leads the Rams with 18 receptions, 358 yards and 2 touchdown catches. Nacua is expected to return Sunday.

That production now meets an Eagles defense that has allowed 69 points across three games. Philadelphia has contested plenty of throws without forcing a single takeaway, and Adams has been the receiver making teams pay for it.

Rams vs. Eagles Odds

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The Green Bay Packers visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Packers are 1-2 this season, while the Buccaneers are 0-3.

Green Bay lost 35-14 to Atlanta on Thursday, Sept. 24, and is averaging 18.7 points per game while allowing 30.3. Tampa Bay lost 23-16 to Minnesota last Sunday and is averaging 20.7 points per game while allowing 26.3.

Green Bay is a 3.5-point favorite over Tampa Bay, with a total of 38.5 and a moneyline of -183 for the Packers and +152 for the Buccaneers.

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

How to Watch Packers vs. Buccaneers

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

Baker Mayfield’s dislocated thumb hands the Buccaneers offense to an undrafted rookie with 3 career pass attempts and 1 interception. Daniels gets his first career start after Mayfield went down late against Minnesota, stepping into an offense averaging 185 passing yards and 94.3 rushing yards a game while converting just 32.6 percent of its third downs through three weeks.

Green Bay’s defense has given up 91 points in three games and posted only 7 sacks, but Daniels also brings scrambling ability that can turn broken pockets into extra yards. A first career start against a defense still finding its footing sets up one of the more unpredictable matchups on the board.

Tampa Bay’s ground game now carries more weight than ever with Mayfield sidelined, and Irving has been the engine behind it. He has rushed for 180 of the team’s 283 rushing yards through three games, the clear focal point of an offense that has managed only 5 touchdowns total this season.

Green Bay allowed 30.3 points per game entering Week 4, but the more revealing number is Tampa Bay’s own recent output: just 2.7 yards per carry in its last outing against Minnesota. Irving’s ability to find a rhythm early will shape how much Daniels has to lean on the passing game in his debut.

Green Bay’s offense runs through the air, and Love has been busy proving it. He has thrown for 844 yards and 6 touchdowns already, good for sixth in the league in passing yards, even as the Packers have managed just 18.7 points per game and thrown the ball 124 times in three weeks.

Tampa Bay’s defense has surrendered 26.3 points per game and collected 6 sacks and 2 interceptions this season. A Buccaneers defense adjusting to life without Mayfield on the other side of the ball faces a Packers passing attack that has shown it can push volume even when the scoreboard hasn’t followed.

Green Bay’s receiving room has taken a hit with Jayden Reed out for the season with a neck injury and on injured reserve, and that puts Watson squarely in the lead role. He leads the Packers with 284 receiving yards, including an 81-yard touchdown that shows the offense’s big-play upside.

Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed 79 points and 101 targets through three games, exposure that Watson’s group can look to test again. With Reed out, Watson stands as the top receiving threat in a passing attack that has been Green Bay’s most productive unit so far.

Packers vs. Buccaneers Odds

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The Miami Dolphins visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Oct. 4, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings are 3-0 this season, while the Dolphins are 0-3.

Minnesota beat Tampa Bay 23-16 last Sunday and is averaging 23.7 points per game while allowing 13.7. Miami lost 24-10 to Kansas City and is averaging 12.0 points per game while allowing 28.7.

Minnesota is a 10.5-point favorite over Miami, with a total of 38.5 and a moneyline of -617 for the Vikings and +455 for the Dolphins.

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

How to Watch Dolphins vs. Vikings

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 4:05 p.m. ET
• Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

Miami needs steadier quarterback play against one of the league’s fastest-starting defenses. Willis has thrown for 627 yards through three games, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, and went 20 of 36 for 210 yards and a pick last week against Kansas City. Miami is averaging just 12 points a game so far this season.

The matchup gets tougher from here. Minnesota leads the league with 14 sacks, is tied for first with 4 interceptions and has allowed only 13.7 points a game, second-best in the NFL. Miami has already given up 9 sacks through three games, and Willis will be working behind that line all afternoon.

A bigger workload landed on Addison in Week 3 once Justin Jefferson left with an ankle injury, and he delivered: 5 catches, 90 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota’s win over Tampa Bay. Jefferson is out this week with an ankle sprain, and Addison arrives off his most productive outing of the season.

Miami’s defense hasn’t recorded a sack all season, one reason Minnesota’s passing game needs more than one voice right now. The Vikings have averaged only 137 yards through the air and taken 9 sacks of their own this year. Addison’s five catches last week give this offense a proven second option.

Minnesota’s defense has carried this 3-0 start, and Van Ginkel is part of a front that has overwhelmed opposing quarterbacks early. The Vikings have piled up 14 sacks in three games, tops in the league, forced 6 takeaways and held opponents to 13.7 points a game. Van Ginkel also picked off a pass this season, one more way this defense has taken the ball away.

Miami has scored only 36 points through three games with just 1 passing touchdown, and the Dolphins have turned the ball over 4 times already. That profile plays right into Minnesota’s pass rush this week.

Dolphins vs. Vikings Odds

Learn more about the Miami Dolphins vs. Minnesota Vikings game and check the full schedule on FOX Sports!

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