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South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart was suspended indefinitely after throwing a punch at an Alabama player on Saturday night, coach Shane Beamer announced Sunday.

Stewart was called for a personal foul after he punched tight end Josh Ford in the helmet in the fourth quarter of the Gamecocks’ 49-18 loss in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Beamer said he would make a decision early this week about when, and if, Stewart will return. Stewart, who is widely projected to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft, was ruled out of Saturday’s home game against No. 24 Kentucky.

“There’s a standard of how we do things in this program, and that was not it last night,” Beamer said. “It’s beyond the punch. The punch is unacceptable. He’s not the first person to ever, unfortunately, throw a punch in a football game, and he won’t be the last. But it’s some of the other stuff that isn’t how we do things in this program. Accountability is a core value of this program, and we are all accountable to the standard.”

Stewart, an Associated Press preseason All-America first-team pick, missed the first two games of the season because of a back injury. He has one tackle for loss and three quarterback hurries in two games.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, Kan.) — Kyle Larson appeared to have lost the Cup race Sunday with 30 laps remaining when Chase Briscoe blew past him.

But 23 laps later, Larson came back to not only win the race but also take control of The Chase with six races remaining.

Larson, who went winless in 51 races before claiming two of the last three, increased his points lead from one point to 26 over Denny Hamlin, who placed third behind Larson and Austin Cindric.

“I don’t look at it like [it’s mine to lose],” Larson said in his post-race news conference. “I’m just really trying to do the best job I can, again. And, yeah, just show up to the racetrack and kind of block out all that stuff.”

Here are my takeaways:

1. Kyle Larson In Control

Kyle Larson is the firm leader in The Chase standings.

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When Briscoe had the lead, Hamlin was within 5-10 points of Larson in the standings. 

But once Larson got back in the lead, that made a significant difference, as a victory is worth 55 points and second is worth 35 points.

Larson earned the maximum 76 points — 55 for the win, 20 stage points (10 points for winning each stage) and one point for posting the fastest lap in the race. He now has a 26-point lead on Hamlin, a 50-point lead on Christopher Bell and a 67-point lead on Joey Logano. 

Those are the only three drivers within 76 points of Larson.

But not only does Larson have the points lead, he showed he might be the fastest on a 1.5-mile oval and the next two races at Las Vegas and Charlotte are at 1.5-mile ovals (albeit, they have different banking).

Larson said he felt that, because qualifying got rained out and he started on the front row, that made a big difference. He said he doesn’t want to get a false sense of security.

“If I qualify the third row, the race could look completely different,” Larson said in his post-race news conference. “I don’t know what my balance was like in traffic for a short run. I could have been plowing tight and faded even more. I don’t know.

“So I still have some skepticism of where I really rank to the guys who are really good on intermediates.”

2. Denny Hamlin Needs Speed

Denny Hamlin knows he and his team are going to have to find more speed if they want to take the lead in points.

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Denny Hamlin needs speed and admits that Larson is in control. He indicated the last three finishes of ninth, eighth and third were about what he had.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver said it isn’t as much a matter of overall speed but a balance problem.

“He’s got the point lead. He’s definitely in control,” Hamlin told me and other reporters after the race. “We’re right there. We have finished right where we’ve run [recently]. … This is where we’re at right now on speed.

“Until we get a little bit faster in the short run, we’re going to finish right where we’re at.”

3. Carson Hocevar-Brad Keselowski Incident Unlikely Payback

The latest Hocevar-Keselowski incident was likely not retaliation.

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At the start of Stage 2, Hocevar got loose, starting a chain-reaction wreck. It appeared that he possibly got loose from a shove from Brad Keselowski, a driver he tangled with a few weeks ago and threatened payback.

But Hocevar didn’t think it was payback.

“I don’t think so,” Hocevar told me and other reporters. “If anything, I felt like us trying to merge with whoever was right of me.”

Keselowski likely wouldn’t admit payback, as that potentially would result in sanctions from NASCAR. But he went as far as saying he didn’t know how much damage Hocevar got in it.

“I gave him a push, and then they started wrecking to my right,” Keselowski told me and other reporters. “I couldn’t tell what happened.”

4. Chase Briscoe & Austin Cindric Close But Empty

Chase Briscoe was extremely close to having an epic day.

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Briscoe used up his car in getting by Larson late in the race and then couldn’t hold him off, eventually falling to fourth. 

“When I was behind Kyle, it kind of helped my car,” Briscoe told me and other reporters. “I got the lead and got really, really loose and I had to run the wall to not, honestly, spin out and it left me vulnerable.”

As Briscoe faded, Austin Cindric surged and finished second for just his third top five of the year.

“It’s encouraging,” Cindric told me and another reporter. “I’m proud of everyone. … I just wish we had a little more at the end.”

4 ½. What’s next: Las Vegas

Denny Hamlin won at Vegas earlier this year. Can he get the win he desperately needs next week?

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The Cup Series heads to Las Vegas, where Hamlin has won the last two Cup races and will enter as the favorite.

Larson noted one thing that could help Hamlin. 

“I’m sure it’s not going to rain in Vegas, so we’re going to get to qualify. We’ll see how that kind of shakes the weekend up.”

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

The Chase begins this weekend and Bob Pockrass breaks down everything you need to know about NASCAR’s thrilling postseason.

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One of soccer’s most iconic celebrations showed up at the Maracanã on Sunday, courtesy of an NFL kicker.

Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop made a 56-yard field goal as time expired Sunday to beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-31, then celebrated with Cristiano Ronaldo’s “Siu” as the crowd at Maracanã Stadium repeated it back to him.

The “Siu” is Ronaldo’s trademark goal celebration, in which he jumps, spins in the air and lands with his feet wide and his arms at his sides while shouting “Siuuu,” a stretched-out version of the Spanish word for “yes.”

Loop said teammate Ryan Eckley had suggested a soccer-style knee slide after a big kick. He went with the “Siu” instead. With about three minutes left, Loop said, teammate Nick Moore told him, “We’re gonna do something epic to win this game.”

“Our number was called, and Nick (Moore) and Ryan and the guys up front, they all did their job, so I can do mine,” Loop said. “I’m so proud of this team.”

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey made a 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 31 with seven seconds left. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson then completed a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers and called a timeout with one second remaining, which set up Loop’s kick.

The game was the NFL’s third in Brazil and its first in Rio de Janeiro, and the announced crowd was 72,792. It was the first American football game played at Maracanã. 

The kick came after a miss in last season’s finale. Loop missed a 44-yard field goal that would have sent the Ravens to the playoffs, and Baltimore lost 26-24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He said the team responded to difficulty this season. 

“One thing we talked about was being on one accord,” Loop said. “There was adversity, and then we went and responded, and we delivered, and it was awesome.”

He said the bond with teammates is what he values most about the sport.

“That’s the most special thing about this sport, the fellowship and the togetherness that you can build with those guys,” Loop said. “It’s a blast to see all this come through a lot of adversity between last season and now.”

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It all came down to Game 162 to round out the 12-team MLB postseason field.

The Astros won the American League West (with the worst full-season record by a playoff team in MLB history) and the Phillies held off a late surge from the Diamondbacks to secure the final National League wild-card spot on the final day of the regular season. 

Despite going just 81-81, the division-champion Astros will get to host the White Sox for their wild-card series. Meanwhile, the Yankees will host the Red Sox, the Braves will host the Phillies and the Padres will host the Cubs, with each best-of-three series beginning Tuesday. 

Let’s rank the eight wild-card teams who’ll play this week for the chance to reach the Division Series. 

Wild Card Opponent: vs. White Sox (winner plays the Guardians)

The Astros made it in with the worst full-season record by a playoff team in MLB history, winning the AL West over the Rangers by a game. Suddenly, they find themselves in a terrific position. They have 13 fewer wins than their No. 3 seed National League counterpart (the Braves), and they get to play a worse team in the wild-card round than Atlanta does. 

Yordan Alvarez finished in top of most offensive categories. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Depth issues have been a problem all year across the roster in Houston, which was a major reason general manager Dana Brown was let go in August. But they did hit the most home runs in MLB this year, and they have AL MVP favorite in Yordan Alvarez to mask some of their offensive issues, which are particularly obvious in an outfield that produced the lowest batting average and on-base percentage in MLB. 

They’re short in the pitching staff, too, but they have Hunter Brown at the top of the rotation and closer Josh Hader — who had a 1.01 ERA while converting all 26 of his save opportunities — at the back end of the bullpen. Plus, their first-round opponent might have even bigger pitching questions than them…

Wild Card Opponent: at Astros (winner plays the Guardians)

Whatever happens from here, this year has been a greater success than anyone could have imagined on Chicago’s South Side. After three straight 100-loss seasons, including the worst season in modern baseball history two years ago, the White Sox are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021. 

Munetaka Murakami has become a star in the South Side. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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While they fell short of winning the AL Central after leading the division by three games entering the season’s final month (they went 12-13 while the Guardians went 17-8 in September), the White Sox will get to play the worst team in the playoff field and will enter the postseason with some momentum after winning each of their last three series of the year.  Their young, all-or-nothing offense can mash. They ranked fifth in MLB in home runs — Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery all finished the year with more than 30 homers — though they also had the fifth-most strikeouts in the sport. 

They’ll need those bats to get hot because there are serious questions both in their rotation, which ranked 26th in ERA, and a taxed bullpen that threw the most innings in MLB. 

Wild Card Opponent: at Braves (winner plays the Dodgers)

Well, that was a lot more stressful than it needed to be! The Phillies led the Diamondbacks for the final wild-card spot by four games with five to play … and it still took until Game 162 for Philadelphia to clinch the final NL wild-card spot. 

Kyle Schwarber keeps knocking them out of the park. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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The Phillies’ offense was anemic in September, and Jesús Luzardo’s late-season injury certainly didn’t help matters, but they made it in. Considering where this year began (9-19 with their manager fired), it only seems fitting that the ending was also tense and uncomfortable.  

It’s notable that they had to use Aaron Nola on Saturday and Zack Wheeler on Sunday to seal their spot in the postseason, considering so much of their advantage in a short series is the top of their rotation. Being unable to line up Wheeler and uncertain of what Luzardo can provide (though he did throw a scoreless inning Sunday) will make life tougher for them against a Braves team that won the NL East and beat them nine out of 13 times during the regular season. But it was all hands on deck for the Phillies, who ultimately avoided what would have been a devastating collapse to reach the playoffs for a fifth straight year. 

Wild Card Opponent: at Yankees (winner plays the Rays)

It’s hard to overstate just how much Willson Contreras means to this offense, so getting him back in the regular-season finale for the first time since he was hit by a pitch on the hand on Sept. 17 is a huge deal. Contreras ranked third among all qualified MLB players in OPS and hit 51% better than league average by wRC+; his next closest qualified teammate was Wilyer Abreu at 12% above league average.

Willson Contreras leads a scrappy Red Sox side. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

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If Contreras is still aching, though, there will be even more pressure on Roman Anthony and deadline acquisition Adley Rutschman to help provide an offensive boost to a team that ranked last in MLB in runs scored in September (and 23rd for the season). Luckily for the Red Sox, both Anthony and Rutschman have been playing well lately, and their pitching staff should keep them competitive against any team. 

The Boston bullpen had the lowest ERA in the sport this year, and the Red Sox rotation offers upside. Rookie Payton Tolle had a 2.59 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 59 innings over his last 10 starts of the season. Sonny Gray went 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA on the year, and Ranger Suarez had a 3.22 ERA. That trio could make life tough on the Yankees’ lineup in the wild-card series.

Wild Card Opponent: at Padres (winner plays the Brewers)

They have the National League MVP frontrunner in Pete Crow-Armstrong, who just put together a 40-40 season that will go down as one of the best in Cubs history. His standout year was not enough, however, to end the Brewers’ reign atop the NL Central or to earn home-field advantage in the wild-card series. 

Is Pete Crow-Armstrong this year’s NL MVP? (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

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The Cubs’ offense slowed down in September, but they still finished the year with the highest OPS in the sport. A significant reason for that was the second-half surge from Alex Bregman. So, it had to feel great for Cubs fans to see Bregman go 4-for-4 with two home runs in the regular season finale, just a week after he suffered facial fractures when he was hit by a foul ball. 

The Cubs have another recent injury to monitor, after Kevin Gausman hurt his non-throwing shoulder while making a tag in his last start. Gausman’s health adds to a growing list of concerns about a beleaguered Cubs pitching staff that had issues both in the rotation (18th in ERA) and bullpen (13th). They do, however, have the best defense in baseball, and their offense is capable of outscoring any opponent they face. 

Wild Card Opponent: vs. Cubs (winner plays the Brewers)

On July 23, the Padres were 50-53 with 7.4% playoff odds, according to FanGraphs. Now, they’re hosting a wild-card series. It has been a tale of two halves for the San Diego offense, which was the worst in MLB before the break and has been one of the best since. It’s not hard to understand why. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. has ramped it up for the Padres down the stretch. (Photo by Ryan Levy/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Fernando Tatís Jr. had three home runs through his first 82 games and then launched 22 over his last 72. Jackson Merrill had a .628 OPS in the first half and a .908 OPS in the second half. Their best players look like superstars again, and their bullpen is the most overpowering unit in the sport. 

They’ll need to rely on their relief arms, considering their rotation leaves a lot to be desired, but this is a team no one will want to see in October. They’ve been the best team in baseball since July 24 and will be a threat to anyone they face. That’s especially the case at home, where they went 51-30 this season. 

Wild Card Opponent: vs. Red Sox (winner plays the Rays)

I thought about bumping them further down this list, given the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Judge’s health. I don’t have to tell you how big of a deal it is if he can’t play or look right in the wild-card series. They went 41-25 (.621) when he was in the lineup and 52-43 (.547) when he wasn’t. 

All eyes are on Aaron Judge and his health struggles. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

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However, Ben Rice is looking more like the MVP contender he was early in the year, Austin Wells has improved at the plate, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back from injury. Along with Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and deadline additions Heliot Ramos and Luis Garcia Jr., the Yankees may have just enough offense to survive and make a run even without a healthy Judge. 

Most importantly, they’ll have AL Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole and Max Fried in the rotation. That’s a huge advantage in a wild-card series, even if Cole hasn’t looked quite so sharp lately. They’ll also have Carlos Rodón available, and Will Warren can shift to relief to assist a bullpen that has some real concerns. 

Wild Card Opponent: vs. Phillies (winner plays the Dodgers)

It’s unlikely he’ll win the National League Cy Young Award because Jacob Misiorowski exists, but we can’t overlook what Chris Sale is doing. At 37 years old, he had a 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts. He is an ace in every sense of the word. But there’s a lot of pressure on Atlanta to win the game he starts. 

Tyler Mahle, who had a 1.99 ERA in nine starts for the Braves, was brilliant after getting traded to Atlanta at the deadline. But he lacks the typical swing-and-miss stuff you’d like from a starter in October, and the rotation depth gets much thinner after the top two. 

Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves have been stout all season. (Photo by Joe Buvid/Getty Images)

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Still, the Braves employ one of the best bullpens in baseball to help shorten games. And while the offense underwhelmed down the stretch, Ronald Acuña Jr. started to heat up at the right time, Matt Olson hit 41 home runs, Drake Baldwin was one of the best catchers in baseball, and Michael Harris II enjoyed a bounceback year. This is the best team in the wild-card field — one that proved last year’s 76-win season was just a blip. 

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No one was comparing Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye to Bill Belichick and Tom Brady just yet — not even after the New England Patriots HC-QB duo went to the Super Bowl in their first year together. But Pats fans were feeling pretty good about their future. The franchise seemed set for a sustained run of success.

It turns out that last year, when Vrabel was the Coach of the Year and Maye was nearly the league MVP, were the good old days — already gone, and maybe soon to be forgotten. Because as good as last year was, that’s how bad this year has been.

And the way Maye and the 1-2 Patriots are going, their Super Bowl hangover might linger through the fall.

Yes, it’s almost time to write off the 2026 Patriots, who suffered a humiliating 35-6 loss in Jacksonville on Sunday. Maye, in particular, has been awful this season. He was just 14 of 25 for 199 yards and two interceptions against the Jaguars. Those are basically his season averages through three games, as he’s passed for less than 600 yards and thrown just one touchdown pass with six interceptions.

That puts him among the worst quarterbacks in football, one year after he was easily one of the best. And he’s not alone in his ineptitude. Vrabel appears to have no answers for a team with no running game, no pass rush, no consistency, no spark.

Maybe the world should have seen this coming. When Vrabel should’ve been focused on the NFL draft and laying the groundwork for another Super Bowl run, he was embroiled in personal scandal with NFL insider Dianna Russini this offseason, which included a marriage counseling retreat. That was a bad way to prepare for a season in which his Pats were already facing a big jump in strength of schedule.

Drake Maye has looked nothing like the MVP runner-up from last season — and his Patriots’ Super Bowl run is starting to feel fluky. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)

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Still, they should have been good enough to at least not embarrass themselves in the face of stiffer competition. But what they really couldn’t have seen coming was Maye’s regression. The third-year pro looks lost at times on the field. He’s made some incredibly bad decisions. Both his interceptions against the Jaguars were to well-covered receivers who didn’t have much of a chance to make the catch. That included one in the end zone where Maye threw on the run, off his back foot and right into the defender’s hands.

A year ago, when Maye threw 31 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions, he made few decisions like these. He played with poise and remained accurate, even when his offensive line had him under duress.

But through three games this year, he’s just been alarmingly ineffective. And he’s getting no help from an anemic rushing attack. On Sunday, New England’s defense couldn’t get off the field on third downs and was worn down by its own offense repeatedly putting it back on the field. That all falls on Vrabel and his coaching staff. They’d surely argue that his distraction-filled offseason had nothing to do with the Pats’ current problems, but with each stumble, that gets harder to believe.

Coming out of the Super Bowl, albeit a lopsided loss to the Seahawks, I believed they were just getting started on a long run of contention. It feels premature to suggest their title window could already be closing, but it might be too late for them to reverse course in 2026.

Their Waterloo may come this Sunday in Buffalo — a last chance to stop the Bills from turning the AFC East race into a rout. Because after that, even while playing in a division with the Dolphins and the Jets, the Patriots’ schedule is too unforgiving to assume they’ll fix their myriad issues on the field enough to even be in the wild-card hunt.

And that’s shocking, really, because a mere eight months ago there were legitimate reasons to believe that New England was perhaps building another dynasty. The calendar still says September, and the Pats already look like last year’s AFC title was a fluke.

The Texans Are Done … And Perhaps So Is The C.J. Stroud Era

After three straight years of seemingly knocking on the door of Super Bowl contention, that door has now slammed shut in the face of the Houston Texans. And soon they’re going to have to grapple with a very difficult problem concerning their quarterback:

C.J. Stroud isn’t good enough to lead them to a title.

Right now, this era in Texans football is going to be remembered as a waste. Never mind that they had three trips to the playoffs and three playoff wins in the past three seasons. The bigger picture is they had the best defense in football last season, and maybe the best in the league since DeMeco Ryans became the coach in 2023.

And somehow it just wasn’t enough.

The Texans were one of the best stories in the league in recent seasons but now might be at a crossroads with young QB C.J. Stroud. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

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Stroud, who was sensational as a rookie in 2023, has been average, at best, ever since. On Sunday, he became a game manager against a Colts defense that had given up a ridiculous 1,029 yards through its first two games. He was just 16 for 27 for 167 yards and a touchdown in the Texans’ 19-17 loss. He’s thrown just three touchdown passes this season.

The Texans started 0-3 last year, too, but their defense was good enough to drag them to the playoffs. This year’s defense is still good, but hasn’t quite shown the same level of dominance. That means that to pull out of this tailspin, the Texans will need to see the dynamic version of Stroud that has been missing the past two-plus years.

Absent that, they’ll head into the offseason wondering if they made a mistake even picking up his fifth-year option, which will pay him $25.9 million in 2027. Given his talent and potential, it was probably worth the relatively low price. But it’s going to be hard to argue Stroud is worth a lucrative, long-term commitment when contract talks resume after the season. It wouldn’t surprise me if the front office was already studying what might be a loaded quarterback draft class.

Vikings Are A QB Away From Being Title Contenders

The quarterback situation in Minnesota is bordering on miserable. Kyler Murray, in his first game back from a concussion Sunday, looked like a shell of his former self. Carson Wentz was barely serviceable, not even reaching 300 total yards in Murray’s near-two-game absence. And J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in 2024, can’t get on the field.

So, how are the Vikings 3-0?

It’s a combination of some impressive defensive play (and scheming by Vikings DC Brian Flores) and O’Connell coaxing just enough offense out of his underwhelming unit. On Sunday, they beat the reeling Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-16 despite just 168 passing yards from Murray, 78 team rushing yards, and just two catches from top receiver Justin Jefferson before he left with an ankle injury. 

Minnesota pulled off another improbable win by generating six sacks and constant pressure, plus a pair of interceptions inside the final 100 seconds to officially end the game.

Such success is probably unsustainable if the Vikings can’t get more out of their offense. But the way Flores’ defense is playing, they might not need much. If O’Connell can turn Murray into anything close to what he was in Arizona, maybe work some of the magic he conjured up with Sam Darnold two years ago, this becomes a dangerous team.

Right now, the Vikings are probably a notch below the three contenders in the NFC West, and maybe even the Philadelphia Eagles. But don’t count out O’Connell, who might be the early front-runner for NFL Coach of the Year and has gotten the most out of middling QBs in the past.

The Browns Are No Longer the NFL’s Go-To Punchline Under Todd Monken

The Cleveland Browns were supposed to be one of the worst teams in football, especially after trading away All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. And Deshaun Watson was universally considered a well-deserved disaster waiting to happen at quarterback.

But it turns out, maybe Todd Monken wasn’t completely delusional with the confidence he showed heading into his first NFL head coaching job. Because after their 21-18 win over the Panthers on Sunday, the Browns are 2-1, and it would be foolish to dismiss them as a punchline anymore.

They still have issues, particularly at quarterback. Watson wasn’t good at all for the first three quarters against Carolina (10 of 21, 67 yards), before he engineered the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter and won it with his third touchdown pass. But the embattled QB is surrounded by a host of young talent (RB Quinshon Jenkins, TE Harold Fanin, WR Denzel Boston, DL Jared Verse, LB Carson Schwesinger and more) and a coach who has put them in the right places to succeed against back-to-back NFC South teams.

Maybe it won’t last. And maybe at some point this season Cleveland will be better off giving Shedeur Sanders another look. But don’t dismiss these wins as a fluke. And don’t pretend like there was anyone outside of Monken’s office who thought the Browns were capable of a 2-1 start.

Kirk Cousins Is Making The Fernando Mendoza Debate A Moot Point

Fernando Mendoza figured to be one of the most exciting rookies to watch this season, once the Las Vegas Raiders drafted him in April with the No. 1 overall pick.

Now it’s not clear if we’ll even get a chance to watch him this season at all.

The way Kirk Cousins is playing for the Raiders right now, the wait for Mendoza could be an unexpectedly long one. The 38-year-old Cousins has given the undermanned Raiders exactly what they need: relatively solid and stable play at the most important position. Cousins has thrown nine touchdown passes and just three interceptions. He threw 10 all of last year (in eight starts) and led the NFL in interceptions in 2024.

Stunningly, he’s been the anchor to Las Vegas’ 3-0 start.

Kirk Cousins is playing his best football since tearing his Achilles in 2023. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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Now, the Raiders’ schedule has been suspect — they’ve beaten the 0-3 Dolphins, the 0-3 Dolphins and now the 1-2 Saints. But two of those wins came as road underdogs. Over the next eight weeks, they’ll play Kansas City, Buffalo, the Rams, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver, so maybe the bubble is about to burst. But Cousins’ presence has at least given the Raiders a chance to get better, and maybe to even stay on the fringe of the playoff chase for a little while.

As long as he’s doing that, there’s no rush for coach Klint Kubiak to turn things over to Mendoza. The kid can learn plenty by standing on the sidelines, watching the veteran lead the team, adopt good habits and build a strong culture. That’ll make it easier for Mendoza when he does finally play.

In other words, there’s no reason to rush the rookie. The Raiders’ future can wait.

• The season is over in Los Angeles, at least on whatever is considered the Chargers’ side of town. At 0-3, they’re not going to survive a brutal early schedule that has them playing Seattle, Denver, Kansas City, the Rams, Houston and Baltimore over the next seven weeks. The Chargers’ bigger issue is what to do about this mess. Jim Harbaugh (signed through 2028) and Justin Herbert (2029) aren’t going anywhere. They could fire their general manager (Joe Horitz) or change offensive coordinators again, but the heart of their team in 2027 will likely look a lot like it does now. 
• I am as big of a Geno Smith skeptic as you can find, but give him some credit: He was terrific against the Detroit Lions on Sunday (31 of 37, 321 yards, 3 touchdowns) and he still hasn’t thrown an interception through three games this year. I still think in the long run he’ll be a liability at QB, but he is an enormous upgrade over 2025 starter Justin Fields. Between Smith’s play and the revamped defense that Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey put together in the offseason, the Jets are actually competitive and watchable. They’re only 1-2 after Sunday’s 31-24 defeat, but they’re far from the disaster they’ve been in recent years.
• Both Jameis Winston (stepping in for the injured Jaxson Dart) and Marcus Mariota (in for Jayden Daniels) won on Sunday, but only one team left feeling good about its backup QB. Mariota was stellar against a strong Seahawks defense (19 of 31, 183 yards, 3 TDs). Winston was shaky against a bad Titans team (14 of 22, 118 yards). Daniels is expected back in the next couple of weeks, but with Dart out for the season, the Giants are planning to bring in another veteran QB to at least push Winston. The speculation centers on free agent Jimmy Garoppolo, Chiefs backup Justin Fields and Vikings third-stringer J.J. McCarthy. The Giants were originally just looking for Winston insurance. But if his play doesn’t improve, they might be looking for someone to step in and start as soon as they’re ready.

In NFL Fallout, Ralph Vacchiano breaks down the impact of the biggest events every Sunday.

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Week 3 brought another round of records, led by three players who keep finding new ways to make history.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba joined Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison Sr. on exclusive lists, while Jahmyr Gibbs matched a mark set by fellow Lions running back Billy Sims. Derrick Henry climbed two all-time leaderboards and Josh Allen continues to find a way to get it done. 

Elsewhere, last season’s MVP frontrunners had a tougher time. Drake Maye’s turnover troubles continued, and Deebo Samuel made history in a way few could have ever imagined. 

From familiar names rewriting the record books to one of the strangest plays of the season, here are the numbers that defined Week 3:

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• Jaxon Smith-Njigba joined Jerry Rice (1989) as the only players with at least 120 receiving yards and a touchdown in each of their first three games of a season.
• Smith-Njigba also joined Marvin Harrison Sr. (1999) as the only players with at least 400 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns through three games. He, Harrison and Calvin Johnson Jr. (2011) are the only players with six receiving touchdowns through three games in the last 40 years.

• Gibbs became the second player in NFL history with at least 300 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards and six touchdowns through three games of a season. The other was fellow Lions running back Billy Sims in 1980.
• Gibbs scored at least three touchdowns against the Jets for the fifth time in his career, tying Jim Brown and Todd Gurley for the most such games before turning 25. He also tied Brown, Gurley and Christian McCaffrey for the most multi-touchdown games before age 25.
• With two rushing touchdowns against the Jets, Gibbs passed Sims for second in Lions history with 43. Only Barry Sanders (99) has more.

• Josh Allen became the second quarterback in NFL history with at least two rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games, joining Billy Kilmer, who did it with the 49ers in 1961.
• The Bills won despite a minus-four turnover margin, their first victory with a margin that poor since beating the Colts in 1997. Jim Harbaugh started at quarterback for Indianapolis in that game.

• Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy reached 100 regular-season wins together, becoming the seventh starting quarterback–head coach duo to hit that mark. They’re the only duo to do it across two teams.
• With the Steelers win, Rodgers tied Ben Roethlisberger for fifth-most wins by a starting quarterback since 1950 with 165. Only Tom Brady (251), Brett Favre (186), Peyton Manning (186) and Drew Brees (172) have more.

• Derrick Henry passed Eric Dickerson for ninth on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list, now with 13,319 yards. He is 344 yards away from passing Jerome Bettis for the seventh-most all-time.
• Henry also scored his 133rd career touchdown, passing Cris Carter for eighth in NFL history.

• Patrick Mahomes earned his 98th win as a starting quarterback, passing Tom Brady for third-most through a quarterback’s first 10 seasons. He trails only Peyton Manning (105) and Russell Wilson (104).
• With their win vs. the Dolphins, the Chiefs have snapped a six-game road losing streak dating back to last season. It was their first road win since Week 3 of last season.

How About the Jaguars?

• Jacksonville is 10-1 in its last 11 regular-season games, the best record in the NFL over that span.
• Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns against the Patriots, passing Blake Bortles for second in Jaguars history with 105 career touchdown passes. Only Mark Brunell (144) has more.

• Drake Maye has committed 15 turnovers in seven games since the start of the 2025 playoffs. He had 11 in 17 regular-season games last year.
• Maye is the first quarterback since 2007 with one passing touchdown and at least six interceptions through his first three games of a season. Rex Grossman and Drew Brees both did it that year.

• Matthew Stafford became the sixth player in NFL history to reach 65,000 career passing yards, joining Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
• Stafford also became the first player in NFL history to throw for at least 20,000 yards with two franchises.
• Stafford also made history he’d rather avoid. His interception returned for a touchdown in the loss to the Broncos was the 33rd of his career, passing Brett Favre for the most in NFL history.

• Deebo Samuel had 80 receiving yards but zero catches Sunday. He gained all 80 yards on a hook-and-ladder play, which is the most receiving yards in a game without a reception since at least 1950.
• His 80 yards were also the most by a player on a receiving touchdown play without being credited with a catch since at least 1991.

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The Los Angeles Rams appeared to be cruising to a second victory in a row on the road against the Denver Broncos, but Bo Nix had other plans.

The third-year quarterback authored a 30-point, second-half comeback to take a 30-26 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. 

Dubbed the “Dream Team” before the start of the regular season because of blockbuster offseason moves for players like star pass-rusher Myles Garrett and cornerback Trent McDuffee, the Rams dropped to 1-2 with the loss. Denver improved to 2-1.

The Rams had one last chance from Denver’s 19-yard line, but Matthew Stafford’s attempt to Davante Adams was intercepted by safety Talanoa Hufanga, his second of the game.

1.

Denver’s offense was nowhere to be found in the first half. The Broncos were blanked on the scoreboard by L.A.’s defense while the Rams offense stayed on the field for most of the first two quarters.

It was the same story as the first two weeks of the season. Denver has now scored 10 first-half points through its first three games this season.

But that all changed in the second half, as Nix led his offense on back-to-back touchdown drives and successful two-point conversions, allowing Denver to tie the game at 16-all with two minutes left in the third quarter.

Bo Nix and the Broncos scored 30 second-half points to beat the Rams on Sunday night. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) –>

On the game-winning drive, Nix and the Broncos benefited from two defensive penalties – a defensive pass interference on cornerback Josh Wallace where he appeared to intercept the ball, and then an illegal hands to the face on safety Quentin Lake – that allowed the drive to continue.

Nix eventually scored on a quarterback sneak from a yard out for the victory.

2.

The Rams’ 38-year-old reigning MVP had a roller-coaster performance against one of the best defenses in the league in facing the Broncos.

Stafford struggled against Denver’s dominant defensive front. When Stafford was blitzed, he was 11-of-23 for 204 yards, according to Next Gen Stats, with two touchdowns and two interceptions by Hufanga, including one returned 66 yards for a score.

When Stafford faced any pressure, he was 5-of-18 for 70 yards and an interception.

It was Stafford’s 33rd pick-six of his career, the most in NFL history. He was seen holding his elbow after that interception but didn’t miss any snaps.

However, Stafford also finished with 390 passing yards and two TDs, including a 48-yard touchdown to wide receiver Konata Mumpfield that put Los Angeles up late in the fourth quarter.

Stafford was helped by the running game. Running back Kyren Williams finished with 158 scrimmage yards and looked like the best player on the field at times, while Adams was excellent, as well. 

Stafford kept his team in the game and kept the pressure on Denver’s defense, but it ultimately wasn’t enough.

Matthew Stafford struggled for the majority of the second half against the Broncos. (Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) –>

3.

Los Angeles played a second straight game without the team’s No. 1 receiver Puka Nacua, who sat out with a groin injury. 

Fortunately for the Rams, they have another elite receiver in Adams.

Adams finished with 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns last week in a vintage performance against the Giants on Monday night. He followed that up with seven receptions for 138 yards matched up against one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, the Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II. Per Next Gen Stats, Adams against Surtain.

For the second straight week, wide receiver Davante Adams stepped up in a big way without Puka Nacua. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) –>

Adams also got open deep twice on double moves against Surtain, but he was overthrown both times.

Nacua has a chance to return to play next week, when the Rams head east to take on the Eagles. In Nacua’s absence, Adams has been productive in leading the passing offense, stepping up and filling the role of WR1 very well.

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Two teams that started the season undefeated tumbled, as the Seattle Seahawks snapped a league-leading 12-game winning streak with a loss to the Washington Commanders, and the Cincinnati Bengals also fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Buffalo Bills almost joined the list, but they overcame three Josh Allen turnovers in a come-from-behind victory over the hapless Los Angeles Chargers. The Las Vegas Raiders joined the Bills in the undefeated club, also picking up a comeback win over the New Orleans Saints. 

Some teams continue to surprise, like the 2-1 Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, while Super Bowl-contending teams like the 0-3 Houston Texans and the 1-2 New England Patriots are searching for answers again.

Here are my overreactions for Week 3. 

The Chargers had their best defensive output of the season under new coordinator Chris O’Leary. Entering Sunday’s contest, Josh Allen hadn’t thrown an interception in his last 190 regular-season pass attempts, the longest active streak in the NFL. But the Chargers ended the streak by forcing two Allen interceptions, both secured by rookie defensive back Genesis Smith.

Add in three Buffalo fumbles (one by Allen) and the Chargers totaled five takeaways. But the Chargers scored just 10 points off those miscues. Buffalo had lost 16 straight when committing at least five turnovers, with the last win coming in 1997 against Indianapolis. Playing quarterback for the Colts that day? Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Chargers finished 1-for-4 in the red zone and managed just 13 points on offense. Since taking over the Bolts in 2024, Harbaugh-led teams are 20-2 when they score at least 20 points. But they’ve been unable to reach that mark in three games led by Mike McDaniel, considered one of the best offensive coordinators in the league.

In fact, the Chargers have now scored fewer than 20 points in six straight games dating back to last season (regular and playoffs) — their longest streak since 1998.

Herbert is playing his worst football since joining the Chargers in 2020, with career lows in completion percentage (59.3%), passer rating (71.6) and average passing yards per game (200.5).

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction 

You can’t lose a game when the defense forces five turnovers. In one of the most critical moments of the game, Herbert once again fell short when his team needed a winning play. With his team in control of the game and driving to score up 13-10, Herbert tried to force a ball into double coverage to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the back of the end zone.

Instead, the ball was picked off by veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who returned it close to midfield. Herbert was picked off once but could have thrown as many as three interceptions. Allen drove the Bills and scored the go-ahead touchdown, allowing Buffalo to escape with a victory even though he acknowledged afterward they did not deserve it.

The play was a microcosm of Herbert’s time with the Chargers. He has fallen short in those situations more times than expected, including a 0-3 playoff record. The Chargers played well defensively, ran the ball for 131 yards on the road against one of the best teams in football.

They just needed Herbert to play efficient, mistake-free football on offense. Instead, they turned the ball over, had another handful of head-scratching pre-snap penalties, dropped passes and a missed field goal by kicker Cameron Dicker, his second of the year.

The Chargers don’t need heroics from their star quarterback — just competent play that leads to winning games.  

A strong consideration to win the league’s MVP award last year, Drake Maye has looked like a shell of himself so far this season. It started with a three-interception performance in the fourth quarter against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to start the year. 

However, that has proven to not be a blip on the radar, but a trend that continued through the first quarter of the season. Maye finished with two interceptions and a lost fumble in an embarrassing 35-6 road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Maye has thrown a league-high six interceptions and just one touchdown through three games. Maye threw eight interceptions all last year.

Maye’s 58.6 passer rating is the worst among qualifying passers this season. The second-worst? Herbert (73.4)

Conclusion: Overreaction

Maye certainly could benefit from better pass protection from a banged-up offensive line, but sometimes it helps young quarterbacks by giving them a breather so they can watch the game from the sidelines. Bryce Young certainly benefited from that approach from head coach Dave Canales with the Carolina Panthers a few years ago, and the Alabama product is now playing at a Pro Bowl level.

The Patriots also had Maye start out his rookie season watching Jacoby Brissett play before putting him in the starting lineup in 2024. New England’s backup is Tommy DeVito, who’s 3-5 as a starter and would give the Patriots a chance to win if placed in the lineup.

But Maye is the team’s franchise quarterback for a reason, and he needs to figure out how to work through this adversity at the start of his career. He has a better chance of breaking out while playing on the field instead of watching from the sideline. Also, Maye is missing his best receiver, A.J. Brown (ankle) out. 

  Defenses Will Hold Ravens, Cowboys Back

Every year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones cranks up the hype train, tricking us into believing his team has a chance to compete for a Super Bowl after a three-decade absence. And every year the season starts and we realize that we’ve been hoodwinked again.

This year, the Cowboys were supposed to have a much-improved defense to along with one of the best offenses in the league – a group infused with young talent and enthusiasm led by a new energetic defensive coordinator in Christian Parker. But through three games, consistent tackling has evaded the Dallas defense and (stop me if you’ve heard this before) the Cowboys can’t figure out how to stop the run.6

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens hired defensive guru Jesse Minter to turn that side of the ball around. But through three games, the Ravens are allowing 26 points a contest. 

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Ravens needed a last-second 26-yard pass to Zay Flowers to set up a game-winning 56-yard field goal for a 34-31 win over the Cowboys in Brazil. It’s a tough way for Dallas to lose and once again shows the youth and injuries affecting the secondary for the Cowboys. 

The Dallas defense did have an impressive goal-line stand led by rookie linebacker Jayshawn Barham, but the Cowboys still struggled to stop the run, allowing the Ravens to rush for 192 yards on the ground.

The Ravens didn’t fare much better in this shootout, giving up 415 total yards, including 148 on the ground against an explosive Cowboys offense. If both teams want to legitimately compete for a postseason berth later in the year, they need improved play from their defenses. 

The Chiefs Are The Best Team In The NFL

With the Bills squeaking past the hopeless Chargers at home and the Seahawks and Bengals all falling on the road, the Chiefs have a claim to the title of best team in football. Yes, Kansas City struggled on the road against the worst team in football, the Miami Dolphins. 

But good teams find ways to win games when they aren’t playing their best. Kenneth Walker III continues to play well, finishing with 73 scrimmage yards and two scores. And Kansas City’s defense is holding opponents to 252.5 total yards per game, which is the third-best mark in the NFL. 

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Chiefs have rebounded from a disappointing 6-11 campaign last season by starting the year undefeated. Kansas City has benefited from an easier schedule, with back-to-back AFC West games against the Chargers and Raiders over the next two weeks. 

But the No. 1 reason the Chiefs are back has been the play of Patrick Mahomes, who has been efficient and is playing at an MVP level just nine months from returning from a season-ending ACL knee injury that required surgery. 

Broncos OC Davis Webb No Longer Under Pressure

Davis Webb was promoted to offensive coordinator this offseason, taking over playcalling duties for head coach Sean Payton. Through three games, it’s been an up-and-down experience for quarterback Bo Nix and Denver’s offense.

The Broncos did not score a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams until midway through the third quarter. Webb’s inability to consistently move the football put pressure on Denver’s defense, considered one of the best in the league.

The Broncos were able to beat the Rams, but Davis Webb’s offense only put up 257 yards in the victory. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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However, the Broncos’ offense got into a rhythm in the second half, scoring 23 points and earning a comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams. 

Conclusion: Overreaction

Payton has served as one of the best offensive play-callers for most of his NFL coaching career. It’s one of the reasons he was hired as head coach of the Broncos, and something that has given him an edge in years past.

While the second-half performance against one of the better defenses in the league generated confidence for Nix and the offense, it will be tough for Payton to not at least consider taking back play-calling duties because of the success he’s had with quarterbacks like Drew Brees in years past.

So, Webb needs to string together another solid offensive performance for the return of Payton as the team’s play caller to go away as a talking point nationally.

Aaron Rodgers looked like a four-time MVP winner in his team’s 30-27 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. Rodgers threw for 292 yards, with three touchdown passes. His only blemish was an interception by Bengals safety Jordan Battle.

Specifically, head coach Mike McCarthy and Rodgers finally figured out a way to push the ball down the field and loosen up an improved Cincinnati defense, finishing with five passing plays of at least 20 yards. Pittsburgh also got the running game going, with Jaylen Warren totaling 127 yards rushing on 17 carries. 

The reigning AFC North champs, the Steelers, now sit tied atop the division with the Browns at 2-1. Pittsburgh is traveling to Cleveland next week. 

Conclusion: Overreaction 

While the improved numbers are certainly a good sign for McCarthy and Rodgers, we need to see more. With the relationship between the head coach and veteran quarterback, though, it makes sense that Rodgers would figure out a way to make it work.

Rodgers completed passes to nine different receivers. But the most important connection was a 6-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf, his first of the season. If the Steelers are going to consistently create explosive plays, Rodgers must figure out how to regularly get Metcalf the football. 

The Raiders Are A Legitimate Playoff Contender

After victories over winless teams to start the year against the Dolphins and Chargers, the Raiders earned their most impressive triumph this season with a 35-27 road win over the New Orleans Saints.

With the win, the Raiders are one of six undefeated teams to start the year. The decision to start veteran Kirk Cousins over Fernando Mendoza has proven the correct one for Las Vegas, as the Michigan State product has been surgical in his execution of head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense.

Cousins threw for 248 yards and three scores; he has nine touchdowns on the year. The Raiders snapped a 39-game streak without reaching 30 points by scoring 35 against the Saints, per FOX Sports Research.

Conclusion: Not An Overreaction

The Raiders have not reached the playoffs since the 2021 season, the last time Las Vegas started the season 3-0. And they have a legitimate chance to compete for a spot in the postseason if they can continue at this pace. 

Las Vegas entered Week 3 with the second-most takeaways in the NFL (5) and added four more on Sunday. They also have one of the best defensive closers in edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who has 14 quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks through three games. But the reason for success in the desert has been the change in culture by Kubiak off the field, creating a belief that Las Vegas can compete with anybody in the NFL.

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NASCAR Hall of Fame driver and broadcaster Darrell Waltrip will step back from the limelight and public appearances as he has been diagnosed with having cognitive issues that impact his personality.

Forever legend Darrell Waltrip was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.

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Here is the statement from Darrell, his wife Stevie and family:

“We wanted to share a health update with all of Darrell’s friends and fans who have supported him throughout his racing career. Recently, Darrell has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) — likely from injuries incurred during his racing career.

“While this disease will inevitably progress, thankfully, it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms. As a result, he will be stepping further away from the public limelight. Be assured, Darrell is happy and otherwise healthy — spending his time with his wife, Stevie, two daughters and his three young grandchildren. We are all grateful for your continued prayer, love and support!”

Waltrip laughed after being presented a commemorative Bruton Smith trophy for being the winningest Coca-Cola 600 driver back in 2019.

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The statement ended with Waltrip’s signature line:

“Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!”

Waltrip, now 79 years old, won three Cup titles and ranks fifth all time in Cup victories with 84 during a career that spanned from 1972-2000. 

Darrell Waltrip famously got into Victory Lane in 1989 at the Daytona 500.

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The 1989 Daytona 500 winner moved to the FOX broadcast booth in 2001 and spent 19 seasons as FOX Sports’ primary NASCAR analyst.

One of NASCAR’s most notable and well-known personalities, Waltrip was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012, the third five-member class to be enshrined after the Hall’s 2010 opening.

Darrell Waltrip continues to be a fan favorite among NASCAR enthusiasts.

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The Mayo Clinic states that frontotemporal degeneration causes atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the areas that impact personality, behavior and language.

CTE, a disease that kills nerve cells in the brain and can impact one’s thinking and emotions, can only be fully diagnosed after someone dies. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is believed to be caused by multiple head injuries and is more prevalent in those who participate in contact sports or military combat.

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Heading into Week 4 with a comfortable 3-0 record, how will No. 1 Texas continue its success on the road, facing No. 14 Tennessee? It’ll be up to quarterback Arch Manning. 

Manning has spent all season at the top of every NFL Draft prospect list and earned praise for taking down top-ranked Ohio State in Week 2. Especially under head coach Steve Sarkisian, the buzz around the Longhorns and Manning only continues to grow.

After last year’s first season as starting quarterback, his underwhelming start drew plenty of criticism, especially with the expectations his last name carries. However, his strong finish defeating then-No. 7 Texas A&M made him an intriguing quarterback — amongst a deep NFL Draft class of signal-callers — to watch this season.

But what does FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt think of Manning’s performance entering Texas’ pivotal Week 4 matchup? Klatt thinks Manning has not lived up to the hype. 

“Arch has just been OK, at best,” Klatt said while appearing on Wednesday’s edition of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” “He played really gritty for three series against Ohio State and competed his butt off … Outside of that, against UTSA … he needs to play better.”

Through three games this season, Manning has completed 59-of-96 passes for 661 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. What does help Manning’s case for his talent and his potential this year is his surrounding cast. In the offseason, Sarkisian reloaded with weapons like wide receiver Cam Coleman and running back Daylan “Hollywood” Smothers, giving Manning a balanced offense against a difficult conference schedule. 

Looking ahead to facing true freshman Faizon Brandon and the Volunteers, Klatt did not hesitate to acknowledge the difficulty of winning on the road, especially against a top-25 team. 

“I think it helps that they can run the football. They have some backs that they trust. They need to play quality defense,” Klatt said. “The other part of this …it’s really tough to win on the road. Think about every single big game this year, the home team wins. I think it’s going to be close. I picked Texas, but I think it’s going to be a very close game.”

After its road contest at Tennessee, the Longhorns still have to face No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 21 Florida at home, as well as No. 10 LSU and No. 23 Texas A&M on the road. If Manning can lead Texas to a strong SEC win on the road, momentum could carry the Longhorns into a successful regular season which could turn into a return to the College Football Playoff. 

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