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Posted on September 22, 2026 by Eternity Lab

Monday Morning NFL Top 10 Rankings: Multiple Potential AFC Contenders

It’s tough to definitively say we know who will be contending for the Lombardi Trophy this season, but it’s hard to ignore what some teams have done so far this season.

The San Francisco 49ers have blown out both teams they’ve played, while the defending-champion Seattle Seahawks went on the road and beat an upstart Cardinals team in Week 2. Also, the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals have put the AFC on notice that they might be back as contenders.

But how do they stack up against each other? Here’s my top-10 rankings following Week 2’s Sunday slate and ahead of Monday night’s Giants vs. Rams matchup.

Record: 0-1

Previous ranking: 8 ↓

Matthew Stafford and the Rams face a tough test in Week 2 following a dud to open the season. (Martin Keep / AFP via Getty Images)

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The Rams are too talented to leave off this list after one game. That said, though, a loss to the Giants on Monday night would mean they will not be here next week.

Record: 1-0

Previous ranking: N/A ↑

Isaiah Likely (left), Jaxson Dart (center) and Malik Nabers were on Cloud 9 after beating the Cowboys in Week 1. (Elsa/Getty Images)

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The Giants were extremely impressive in Week 1, dominating the Cowboys at home to kick off a new era under head coach John Harbaugh. A trip across the country to play one of the most talented rosters in the NFL will be a good litmus test for them.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: N/A ↑

Kirk Cousins has played well in both of the Raiders’ wins to start the season under new head coach Klint Kubiak. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

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Do not sleep on the Silver and Black after head coach Klint Kubiak quickly changed the culture in Las Vegas. The offensive guru has transformed the Raiders into a disciplined unit that pays attention to detail and avoids the self-inflicted miscues (turnovers, penalties and missed assignments) that lead to losses.

Although the wins have not been perfect, the Raiders’ 2-0 start suggests the team is headed in the right direction.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: N/A ↑

Joe Burrow and the Bengals have made a statement in the first two weeks of the NFL season. (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

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Joe Burrow & Co. are quietly re-emerging as a force in the AFC with a couple of W’s to start the season. Although the offense was expected to sizzle with wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase terrorizing opponents, the defense has held its own with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence dominating the line of scrimmage.

With a more balanced roster producing impressive results, the Bengals are back in business as a playoff contender.

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Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: N/A ↑

Patrick Mahomes is back in control of a Chiefs offense that thrived on Sunday night against the Colts. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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After taking a year off as a title contender, the Chiefs are officially back in contention with quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading the way. The NFL’s QB1 of the 2020s remains as clutch as ever, delivering big plays in key moments as a playmaking wizard.

Running back Kenneth Walker III adds a dynamic element as a runner-receiver with home-run potential. With another stellar performance on Sunday night, Walker became the first player in 40 years to record at least 175 yards from scrimmage in each of his team’s first two games.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 4 ↓

Jalen Hurts threw two interceptions, but he led the Eagles to a late win over the Titans. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

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After registering a couple of gritty wins, the Eagles are well-positioned to make another title run. Jalen Hurts closed out Philadelphia’s Week 2 victory over Tennessee with a “dime” to silence the haters questioning his skills as a title-winning quarterback with a Super Bowl MVP in the trophy case.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 7 ↑

Brock Purdy and the 49ers are 2-0 with a pair of blowout wins under their belt. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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The 49ers showed no signs of jet lag from their Week 1 trip to Australia, issuing a beatdown on the Dolphins that was not as close as the 35-13 score indicated. The Brock Purdy-led offense is clicking on all cylinders, with running back Christian McCaffrey continuing to dazzle as the ultimate offensive weapon out of the backfield.

On the other side of the ball, the defense looks like a juggernaut under new coordinator Raheem Morris, setting the “Bang Bang” gang up to make a deep postseason run.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 9 ↑

Minnesota’s defense, in part led by Byron Murphy Jr. (left) and Isaiah Rodgers (right), shut down the Bears’ offense for an impressive win on Sunday in Chicago. (Getty Images)

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Defensive coordinator Brian Flores put on a clinic, holding a high-powered Chicago Bears offense to three points with a barrage of pressures that disrupted QB Caleb Williams’ timing and suffocated the running game.

With a defense that has surrendered just six points over the past six quarters, the Vikings have been able to climb to the top of the NFC North with their starting quarterback on the sidelines.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 5 ↑

Led by QB Josh Allen, Highmark Stadium opened with an impressive Bills win last Thursday night. (Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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Josh Allen has the Bills’ offense humming with his weekly heroics. The 2024 league MVP could earn some more hardware at season’s end if he continues to put up five-touchdown days while leading the Bills to more primetime wins.

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 1

Quarterback Drew Lock runs off the field after his team’s 31-7 win over the Cardinals. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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The defending champs are primed for a back-to-back title run after jumping out to a 2-0 record with a pair of impressive performances. With Drew Lock thriving as a super-sub in place of Sam Darnold, the Seahawks’ offense hasn’t skipped a beat without its QB1.

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Posted on September 22, 2026 by Eternity Lab

CFB Week 3 Superlatives: Ole Miss’ Revenge, Jeremiah Smith’s Record

The lead up to Week 3 was all about Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford after leaving Ole Miss for LSU before the College Football Playoff last season.

And then, the Rebels outlasted the Tigers in an emotional 32-24 win that was essentially a massive sigh of relief for the state of Mississippi. Kiffin said after the game that he was grateful for his time coaching Ole Miss because his feelings for the place were not just about football.

Now that this SEC game — one of the most highly and hotly anticipated matchups of this regular season — is over, we can maybe all move on from the dramatic Kiffin headlines. We’ll see.

There was more than just LSU and Ole Miss in Week 3, though we still have more to discuss. With that, here are our superlatives from another fun weekend of college football:

Game Of The Week: Ole Miss Gets Revenge On Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss topped LSU and Lane Kiffin 32-24 to improve to 3-0. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

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Before we move on, we have to briefly talk about the game of the week, which obviously was Kiffin’s Ole Miss homecoming. The Rebels jumped out to a 24-7 lead at halftime behind quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ sharpness and accuracy. His counterpart, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, took awhile to settle in.

Things got spicy in the third quarter when the Tigers put together two touchdown drives and tied things up 24-24 early in the fourth. Chambliss then proceeded to lead his offense on a 13-play drive that he finished with a 14-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion to pull ahead.

The Ole Miss defense then shut things down with a goal line stand, which ended in Jaylon Braxton intercepting Leavitt on the Tigers’ final play of the game to clinch the 32-24 victory.

“Hotty f****** Toddy!” Chambliss said on the broadcast after the game.

Moment Of The Week: Vanderbilt, NC State’s Wild Finish

Vanderbilt converted a fumble (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

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It has to be Vanderbilt’s fumble recovery in the end zone to pull off a shocking 35-31 win over NC State.

The Wolfpack faced fourth down on its own five-yard line while leading, 31-28, with six seconds left. Quarterback CJ Bailey tried to run out the clock and take a safety, but he fumbled, and the Commodores recovered to win the game. Vandy fans didn’t rush the field in excitement, but they would have had a good reason to do so.

The broadcast put up a wild statistic after the game, which was that teams who had the ball and the lead in the final 10 seconds of a game were 1,046-1 over the last 20 seasons before Vandy’s stunner.

Ole Miss’ 32-24 win over LSU earned them No. 4 in the AP Top 25. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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It must feel good to be Pete Golding right now. All the chatter leading into the Ole Miss-LSU game was about Kiffin’s return, how Leavitt was “doubtful” according to LSU’s mid-week injury report, and that the Tigers’ defense was dominant.

Golding may have benefited most from Kiffin’s departure last year, as he was ultimately named the successor. Golding took the Rebels to the CFP, winning the first round and a quarterfinal game vs. Georgia before losing to Miami in the semifinal. Those results gave the program a confidence boost entering this season, where they are currently sitting with a 3-0 record.

Getting past the Tigers was important for team confidence, but Golding didn’t overhype the game with his players and reminded them afterward that they have more work to do.

“Is it sweet? Absolutely,” Golding told reporters. “But we’ve got to come back to work. It wasn’t our Super Bowl, and we didn’t make it out to be our Super Bowl.”

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith officially became the Buckeyes’ all-time leading wide receiver against Kent State in Week 3. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Jeremiah Smith made history Saturday in Ohio State’s 59-3 win over Kent State, becoming the program’s all-time leader in career receiving yards. After catching five passes for 85 yards, the star wide receiver now has 2,959 career receiving yards, surpassing Michael Jenkins’ previous record of 2,898.

Smith, a junior, is a Heisman Trophy candidate and widely projected to be a top-5 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. He had 1,315 receiving yards as a true freshman and then 1,234 as a sophomore last season. Through three games this year, he has 312 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 157.5 yards per game.

The Buckeyes are 2-1 with Big Ten play beginning next week vs. Illinois.

Kentucky completed the upset over then-No.9 Texas A&M to clinch its first SEC win under new coach Will Stein. (Photo by Zach Del Bello/Getty Images)

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Kentucky shocked then-No. 9 Texas A&M, 31-21, in College Station. It was a massive win for first-year Wildcats coach Will Stein in his first-ever SEC road game.

A week ago, the Wildcats were embarrassed in a 45-17 loss to Alabama. They led the Crimson Tide 17-13 at halftime before being outscored 32-0 in the second half. This week, Kentucky’s defense – led by former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Jay Bateman – was especially lethal, limiting Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed to 26-of-49 passing for 236 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

“Hats off to Kentucky, they came in here and beat our ass,” Aggies head coach Mike Elko said after the game. “No good enough from us on any level — coaching, playing, performing, physicality, anything. On me, I own it. It’s my program, I’m in charge of it. We have to get it fixed.

“… There’s no positives. Not an ounce of a positive anywhere.”

In this new era of a nine-game SEC schedule, no team has an easy path to the CFP. And things get tougher for Texas A&M, who has to travel to No. 10 LSU next week.

Biggest Week 4 Storyline: Oregon’s Road Contest At USC

No. 12 USC and No. 21 Oregon are set for a top-25 showdown in Week 4. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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There are a lot of intriguing matchups coming in Week 4. No. 1 Texas travels to No. 15 Tennessee, while No. 24 Oklahoma goes to No. 2 Georgia. It’s important for both the Longhorns and Sooners to get those road wins with the Red River Shootout looming in two weeks (both teams have a bye the week before their annual rivalry showdown).

But perhaps the biggest storyline entering next week is a Big Ten meeting between No. 12 USC and No. 21 Oregon. The Ducks have been confusing to start the season. They were a popular pick to win the national championship with quarterback Dante Moore a frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy. Then they nearly lost their season opener to Boise State and were stunningly upset by Oklahoma State in Stillwater in Week 2. This past week, they tried to make some sort of statement by trouncing Portland State, 84-0.

The Trojans, meanwhile, are 4-0, but raised questions in their 42-35 win over Rutgers on Saturday. USC was a three-touchdown favorite, and although Lincoln Riley’s team never trailed, it let the Scarlet Knights hang around.

There is no telling what will happen when the Trojans host the Ducks in Week 4.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

NFL, CFB Weekend Betting Recap: ‘It Was An Extremely Rough

After a big Week 1 for the public betting masses, the pendulum sharply swung back in the NFL Week 2 odds market.

Popular favorites came up big in Week 1 and contrastingly small in Week 2. So the bookmakers beat the bettors, particularly on Sunday.

“It was an extremely rough week for the bettors, with five upsets and only seven favorites covering the spread,” BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne said Sunday night.

Oddsmakers from Las Vegas and across the country chimed in to recap the weekend that was in NFL and college football betting.

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Early Window Woes

In Week 1, the first wave of Sunday games was a massive boon for bettors. Favorites went wild, there were several high-scoring games, and many big-name players found the end zone, cashing a slew of First Touchdown/Anytime Touchdown props.

In Week 2, not so much.

Most notably, the Ravens were 8.5-point home favorites vs. the Saints and lost outright 24-17. Then, in a game with a two-hour weather delay in order to play the final two minutes, the Buccaneers — another 8.5-point home favorite — tumbled to the Browns 24-19.

Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel, who after Week 1 declared the public was popping champagne corks, said those two results set the tone for oddsmakers to do some cork-popping.

“The Ravens had the book chilling the sparkling water. The Buccaneers’ defeat finally popped the cork,” Feazel said. “The Eagles, Ravens, Bears and Bucs were the most popular moneyline parlay selections, so the book needed at least one significant interruption to the bettors’ Sunday plans.

“The book will typically survive the early slate if a touchdown-or-bigger underdog wins outright. We were handed three opportunities to find one.”

They got two with the Browns and Saints, and the Titans fell just short of stunning the Eagles. Philadelphia needed a touchdown with nine seconds left to claim a 24-20 victory, though it didn’t cover as a 7-point favorite.

The Browns’ win was particularly satisfying at Caesars.

“Anytime Cleveland is playing, the entire trading floor becomes Browns fans. We’re honorary members of the Dawg Pound,” Feazel said half-jokingly. “So when that result came through after a long weather delay, there was certainly some excitement in the room.”

The Browns over the Bucs was one of the many upsets in Week 2 (Getty Images).

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Scoring Drop-Off

Horne said BetMGM also thrived off upsets, both early and late. In Sunday’s early window, along with the Browns and Bucs, the Vikings (+4.5) upset the Bears in a 9-3 slog of a game, and the Bengals (+2.5) took out the Texans, 20-6.

In one of the five late-window games Sunday, the Raiders were 6.5-point road underdogs vs. the Chargers and landed a 26-14 upset. That helped blow up any moneyline parlays that might’ve survived the early kicks.

But the public masses also got smacked by a scoring drought.

The Under went 9-2 in the first 11 completed games on Sunday. The Over hit in the final three games, but that wasn’t nearly enough to save bettors’ day.

“The best games for the books were basically low-scoring games where the favorite lost outright or didn’t cover the spread,” Horne said. “Vikings vs. Bears, Eagles vs. Titans, Bengals vs. Texans and Raiders vs. Chargers.”

Added Feazel: “Underdogs and defenses came out swinging, offenses went quiet, and touchdowns were much harder to locate. In Week 1, it felt like everyone with a jersey found the end zone.

“This Sunday, the end zone required a reservation.”

Public Victories

The masses managed to claw a little back in the few games where favorites won and covered, and/or there was some scoring.

Thursday night, for example: Bills 41, Lions 31, with Buffalo a 5.5-point home favorite and a 54.5 total, the highest so far in this young season. That was after Week 1 prime-time games saw the Under go 3-1.

“The book enjoyed a steady diet of low-scoring prime-time games in Week 1,” Feazel said. “But Week 2 began with an all-you-can-eat touchdown buffet for bettors on Thursday night.

“Seven of the eight most popular touchdown scorers cashed.”

Bills wideout D.J. Moore was the eighth, and he might’ve scored if not for exiting with a shoulder injury late in the first half.

Said Horne: “The best games for betters were Lions vs. Bills, Commanders vs. Cowboys, Dolphins vs. 49ers and Seahawks vs. Cardinals.”

Dallas, a 4.5-point home favorite, rolled over Washington 37-20 in a game that cleared the 51.5 total. San Francisco smacked Miami 35-13, covering as a 12.5-point favorite, and Over 45.5 came in, as well.

Seattle was a 4.5-point road favorite vs. Arizona and rolled 31-7, though that result fell short of the 41 total.

“Overall, it was [still] a great week for the book and a tough one for bettors,” Horne said.

The Cowboys delivered the public one of its few victories over the weekend (Getty Images).

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On Campus

The public didn’t quite get what It needed out of college football Week 3 odds, either, particularly BetMGM customers, and especially in the Game of the Day, LSU vs. Ole Miss.

The Tigers were 3-point road favorites and lost outright 32-24.

“The book had a really solid day, particularly the live [in-game] book,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said. “A lot of action came in on LSU when it was down in the first half. We needed Ole Miss outright and got there.”

No. 9 Texas A&M laying a huge egg vs. Kentucky also boosted the bookmakers. The Aggies were 17-point home favorites and trailed 28-7 late in the third quarter, en route to a 31-21 loss.

“A&M going down outright was also a huge game for our in-play book,” Magee said.

The wild North Carolina State-Vanderbilt ending wasn’t a notable decision for BetMGM. Still, you had to feel sick for N.C. State moneyline bettors and, perhaps more so, N.C State +3 bettors.

With seven seconds left, the underdog Wolfpack led 31-28 while facing fourth-and-7 from their own 5-yard line. Coach Dave Doeren decided to try to have QB Cayden Daniels run out the clock while taking a safety on the game’s final play.

But shockingly, Daniels fumbled as he was tackled in the end zone. Vandy recovered with no time left and won 35-31.

N.C. State not only didn’t finish off the modest moneyline upset, but didn’t cover as a 3-point ‘dog either. An absolute double-whammy of epic proportions, and arguably the bad beat of the season.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

Bears’ Caleb Williams Reportedly Avoided Major Injury To Hamstring, Could

The Chicago Bears might not be without Caleb Williams for long, if it all.

Williams has avoided a major injury to his hamstring and could start for the Bears when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3, The Ringer reported Monday. Williams reportedly underwent an MRI on Monday to confirm the severity of the hamstring injury.

Williams suffered the injury in the final minutes of the Bears’ 9-3 Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The quarterback went down without contact after he took off for a scramble and was yelling in pain. He was helped off the field and was eventually carted to the locker room.

With Williams in notable pain, the injury seemed like it could potentially shelve the third-year quarterback for the long haul. However, the Bears later said that Williams had suffered a hamstring injury and he was seen in the locker room walking under his own power, per FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer.

If Williams can’t play against the Eagles, Tyson Bagent would be in line to start. Bagent has had some impressive moments as a backup in his young career. In fact, he nearly led the Bears to a game-winning touchdown in the lone drive he played from start to finish on Sunday. The 26-year-old is 2-2 in four career starts, throwing for 776 yards to go with five total touchdowns against five interceptions in those outings.

After Week 3, the Bears have games against the New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots over the next month.

Williams has emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in football. The 24-year-old helped the Bears win the NFC North in 2025, throwing for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions, to go with 388 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

As Chicago has been viewed as a Super Bowl contender, Williams has also established himself as an early MVP candidate. He threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears’ dominant 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, adding 65 yards and two more scores on the ground.

Williams didn’t play as well against the Vikings on Sunday, though. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 138 yards and an interception. He was sacked three times and added 42 rushing yards on five carries in the loss.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

2026 College Football Rankings: Ole Miss Rises After Win Over

Joel Klatt said he had a real tug of war at the top of his rankings this week.

The choice at the top was tough: Ole Miss coming off a massive win over LSU, or Texas because of its win over Ohio State two weekends ago?

Elsewhere, Alabama returns to the top 10 after a wild comeback win over Florida State, and LSU takes a tumble after a shaky showing and a pair of costly injuries.

Now, that three weeks of college football are in the books, here are Klatt’s 10 best teams in the country.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 10

Klatt’s thoughts: I know a lot of you don’t watch Utah. I think this is a very good Utah team, and there’s something about them that reminds me a little of Ole Miss. I don’t want to say betrayed because I don’t think Kyle Whittingham betrayed Utah by going to Michigan, but there’s still that sense of, “Wait, you just left us.”

There was a galvanizing effort around first-year head coach Morgan Scalley. He’s a very good football coach who’s been at Utah a long time, so he understands the culture, knows how to win at Utah.

Utah has an exceptional quarterback in Devon Dampier, and they’re sprinkling in Byrd Ficklin. The Utes beat Utah State 33-0. Dampier is playing really well. Defense looks fantastic, and we know they can run the ball.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 8 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: That was a weird game with Florida State, and I know that head coach Kalen DeBoer is going to lament their starts. The Tide started slowly against Kentucky and then again against Florida State, but I do love the way they responded each of those times.

Quarterback Keelon Russell was fantastic — the electric run he had down the right side was amazing. Alabama ended up scoring 50 points after falling behind 21-6.

The defense was the disappointment last week — you can’t give up that many points and 400 yards through the air to Florida State. Alabama has too good of a secondary to do that. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is going to know that. He’s got to go back to the drawing board on defense.

Record: 2-1

Previous ranking: 5 ↓

LSU drops to 2-1 on the season after its 32-24 loss to Ole Miss. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Klatt’s thoughts: LSU has some injuries now. Tight end Trey’Dez Green avoided a major injury, but he could miss some time, which is a blow because they’re clearly better with him on the field. They lose safety Dashawn Spears to a torn ACL.

I think this ranking is fair. That’s still a very good football team, no doubt, and you’d assume they can clean some things up — offensive execution early in games, in particular. But they do have a really tough remaining schedule. They’ve still got to face Texas A&M, at Kentucky — great win against A&M this weekend, by the way. They’ve got Mississippi State, a ranked team with a good quarterback. They still have Alabama, they still have No. 1 Texas, and they still have to travel to Tennessee.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 7

Klatt’s thoughts: Notre Dame is solid, but they haven’t done anything that I’ve been like, “Wow,” this year. They beat Wisconsin, who I think is improved. They beat Michigan State, who I think is improved.

The Irish still need to show me they can run the football consistently, because that’s part of their DNA — they’re not going to turn into the greatest passing team in college football all of a sudden, even with quarterback C.J. Carr. So, the run game is where I need them to take the next jump.

They won that game over Michigan State 27-10 — third straight game under four yards per carry. Defense looks fine. The run game is where I’m a little leery of what Notre Dame is doing.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 6

Klatt’s thoughts: Second straight shutout — they beat Western Kentucky 38-0. Running back Turbo Richard ran it well. Charlie Becker from Nashville, Tennessee, is still off to a great start.

Indiana’s in there at number six, they’ve earned that spot. I know they haven’t played anybody, and you can scream at me all you want, but remember, this is still Curt Cignetti. Indiana is still on a massive winning streak, Cignetti still hasn’t lost in his home stadium, and they’ve got some big ones in Bloomington this year, namely Ohio State.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 4 ↓

Malachi Toney and Darian Mensah lifted Miami to a 3-0 start after its 33-20 win over Wake Forest. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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Klatt’s thoughts: I flipped it here from last week. The Hurricanes looked great in the first half — looked like a team that can go win the national championship — but then they kind of stumble through the second half.

Quaterback Darian Mensah completed his first 24 pass attempts. If you take those 24 and go back to the previous game, he was on a streak of 35 straight completions — that’s pretty amazing.

Wide receiver Malachi Toney is catching a million passes. He’s second in college football in both receptions and receiving yards. He’s electric. You know how I feel about him.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 3 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I know I said there was no team flawless in college football. Everybody on that list so far, I can sense like, “OK, they might have a flaw.”

I don’t know about Georgia. They’re the one I’m going to put a little asterisk next to. They’re playing like the best team in the country again against nobody, really.

Georgia was so bored with Arkansas — remember, Arkansas got drilled by Utah the week before — that the Bulldogs were running defensive lineman drills during a timeout. Also, the running game looks great so far.

Real test coming up this week against that Oklahoma defense — we’ll see if they can run against that front. They should be able to beat OU, because the Sooners cannot play offense right now.

Record: 2-1

Previous ranking: 2 ↓

Klatt’s thoughts: I didn’t want to penalize Ohio State for continuing to play that out-of-conference game against Texas.

Right now, this is what Ohio State’s trying to figure out — they don’t have a quarterback that’s going to equate the numbers for them in the run game like a Will Howard or a Justin Fields, so they’re trying to find a running back in their stable that can be a plus runner in the red zone or in short yardage. Those two things are linked together, and that’s what we’ll be watching as the season goes along.

The Buckeyes got knocked back one spot because Ole Miss has done more than they have. I’m not going to penalize Ohio State, which is still one of the best teams in the country.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: New Ranking ↑

Klatt’s thoughts: I had a big tug of war at the top of my rankings because I wanted to put Ole Miss at No. 1. Nobody has done more than Ole Miss in the first month of the season. Now, I would still argue that Texas has a better overall win, but I’m going to go Ole Miss at two.

I wanted to put them at one — I really did, and even right now, I still want to do it. But Ole Miss is going to be number two.

The Rebels have earned it. They have, outside of Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, the best player in college football. So, they’re going to be number two.

Record: 3-0

Previous ranking: 1

Klatt’s thoughts: Texas. I’m still honoring that win over Ohio State. They kind of sleepwalked through that game against Texas State, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt here because of the win over Ohio State.

I just want to make this very clear: that was a tough decision. I wanted to put Ole Miss at number one. I really did.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

Why This Could Be The Year Of John Harbaugh And

A healthy offense and a brand-new head coach could be the answer to a winning season for the New York Giants. But what about a shot at a Super Bowl?

Quarterback Jaxson Dart led the Giants to an impressive Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, completing 23-of-29 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Next to Dart is head coach John Harbaugh, who brings 18 seasons of head-coaching experience to New York.

After a 4-13 season in 2025, will the Giants’ revamp be enough to earn them a winning season, let alone a Super Bowl? FOX NFL Sunday’s Michael Strahan has confidence the Giants can achieve just that.

“Giants are going to the Super Bowl. Every Giants fan out there, it was good to watch because you saw a clear game plan,” Strahan said on FOX NFL Sunday. “You also saw a better organized team. You saw a situation where every Giants fan sat there and held their breath and said, ‘When are they going to go down? When are they going to blow it?’ and they didn’t.”

The Giants moved on from former coach Brian Daboll – who now serves as the Titans’ offensive coordinator – in November 2025 after a 2-8 start to the season, and hired Harbaugh after his 18 seasons in Baltimore. The supporting cast continues with wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo – who both returned from injuries from last season – and tight end Isaiah Likely from the Ravens.

For Strahan, the Giants’ Week 1 victory showed a lot of positives within the team, especially from Dart and Skattebo.

“They controlled the ball when they needed to control the ball; they were the more physical team, the way (Cam) Skattebo ran the ball,” Strahan said. “The decisive decisions that (Jaxson) Dart made at quarterback, looking at his first read, ‘Oh, it’s not there,’ then turn and bam, hitting No. 2.”

Jaxson Dart celebrates after the Giants’ Week 1 win over the Cowboys. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

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Dart replaced former quarterback Russell Wilson in Week 3 last season as a rookie, and led New York to a 21-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, earning his spot as the Giants’ permanent starter.

After finishing 28th in the league in yards allowed per game, the Giants reloaded on defense with first-rounders Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa.

Strahan also believes that Harbaugh has a big impact on the mindset of his Giants team, in terms of how New York can succeed this season.

“I think Jim Harbaugh has brought accountability and confidence that this team can finish games. I have a feeling he’s taught this team that you play to win, you don’t play not to lose,” Strahan said.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

Kylian Mbappé Dismisses Dembélé Tension Talk Amid Ballon d’Or Battle

Kylian Mbappé has dismissed talks of tensions with Ousmane Dembélé as the France teammates feature among the top contenders for the men’s Ballon d’Or.

With the winners to be announced at a ceremony in London on Oct. 26, clubs and players have been campaigning actively for the prestigious award.

During a recent interview with France Football, which organizes the trophy, Mbappé said he believes he can win it this year.

The Real Madrid striker also compared himself with Dembélé, who won the accolade last year. When told that 10 years ago only a few observers would have thought that Dembélé would win the Ballon d’Or before him, Mbappé replied:

“But he has always been seen as a talented player. I, on the other hand, have always been seen as the chosen one. I was at the top right away, from a very young age. He had a different journey, with injuries, but he has caught up really well!”

Mbappé’s comments reportedly created tensions between the pair. Both players were set to gather Monday for a France training camp ahead of upcoming Nations League matches, and Mbappé said their relationship remains unchanged.

Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé led France to a semifinal finish in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by Dustin Satloff – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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“I’ve already spoken to him about it, and there’s no tension,” he told L’Équipe during an interview in connection with his role as an ambassador for the brand On. “He’s a friend. I don’t think there’s really any problem regarding that. I’m very relaxed about it.”

After claiming a second straight Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain last season, Dembélé has a chance to retain the Ballon d’Or.

Dembélé and Mbappé both played for France at the World Cup, where their team lost to eventual champion Spain in the semifinals. Although it’s difficult to win the accolade without a major trophy, Mbappé made history when he overtook Lionel Messi for the most all-time World Cup goals (22), in fewer games.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

NASCAR Contender Rankings: Time To Start Believing In Joey Logano

Joey Logano could make me (and others) eat their words about whether he could win a championship this year.

From eating words to Ryan Blaney eating some knuckles, it was a wild time at Bristol.

And after three races, it seriously is time to wonder whether Denny Hamlin can recapture his mojo with the three-race intermediate-track swing that starts this weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Here are my contender rankings after three races of the 10-race Chase:

On The Verge (Alphabetical Order):

Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -124 points behind leader): Buescher finished 13th at Bristol with one stage point. Any hope of winning a title is slipping away as he heads to a track where he has only one career top five.

William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -121): He had another respectable finish with a ninth at Bristol. But considering he is losing points with back-to-back top 10s, that isn’t a good sign. He has two top fives in Next Gen races at Kansas.

Austin Cindric (Team Penske 2 Ford, -116): It was an 11th-place finish at Bristol for Cindric. Much like everyone in this category, that wouldn’t be bad during the regular season but this isn’t good enough when fighting for a title. He has never had a top 10 at Kansas.

Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet, -117): It was a rare night for Elliott as he was totally off. He finished 23rd and earned no stage points. He’s likely all but eliminated from contention. But wait — he is the defending winner of the fall Kansas race in what was the best finish of the 2025 season.

Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -124): Preece finished 10th with no stage points at Bristol and he’s now 14th in the standings. That’s not good enough considering that was one of his better tracks. And now he heads to a track where he has one career top 10.

Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevy, -134): Suarez has hopes to work his way into the top 10 in points (he’s now 32 points out of 10th). And that seems to be the reasonable goal after a 14th at Bristol and with Kansas being a place where he has a best of 10th in the Next Gen era.

Contender Rankings

10.

Hocevar finished third and had a 41-point day at Bristol. But he really shouldn’t be on this list since he has angered too many competitors. The post-race fight showed that much. But the rest of the pack after him has virtually no shot. It also doesn’t help that his best finish at Kansas came in April, but it was a 13th place.

Wallace finished seventh at Bristol. He had a solid day and he lost just two points to the leader. And now there are three tracks in the Toyota wheelhouse coming up. He has back-to-back fifth-place finishes at Kansas, where he won the fall 2022 race at the track. He was in the mix to potentially win the Kansas race a year ago when he tangled with Denny Hamlin at the end of the race as they battled for the lead.

Reddick salvaged an 18th-place finish on what appeared to be an awful day. The only reason he probably feels he has a shot is because he won at Kansas in the spring, so he will need a strong performance next week to get back in the mix. He has two wins at Kansas but has led only 26 laps in his last six Kansas starts.

A broken toe link late in the race ruined a decent day for Briscoe, who finished 27th and lost 28 points to the leader. Briscoe is looking forward to Kansas, where he has finishes of fourth, fourth and third since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. He’ll need a top five to keep any hope for a title.

A fifth-place finish and 47 points after leading 120 laps still probably has Gibbs wondering what could have been after the late battles relegated him to fifth. He did cut nine points off his deficit to the leader and if he keeps doing that, he’d be the champion. That’s a big if but it’s doable. He’ll need a career day at Kansas, where he has one top five in eight starts.

The crash with Hocevar left Blaney with a 33rd-place finish and obviously irate. He lost 19 points to the leader. And even if that incident had the ability to light a fire underneath him, scratch that — Blaney always has that fire. He’s got a bit of a hill to climb and Kansas isn’t exactly a place where he thrives. He has led just seven laps there in the Next Gen era, although he does have two top fives. He was ninth in the spring.

Logano has won three of the last nine races and his victory Saturday took him from 51 points out of the lead to just 16 points behind. But none of his wins came on intermediate tracks, and that’s where the next three races will be run. He has led just 14 laps at Kansas in the Next Gen era and has finishes of 21st and 20th in his last two starts there.

Bell finished fourth at Bristol but lost eight points to Kyle Larson, the new leader. Larson finished second and earned more stage points. If Bell continues to finish in the top five — and add some stage points — he should be able to battle Hamlin and Larson to the end. Bell traditionally leads laps at Kanas. He has four Kansas poles in Next Gen era and he has led laps in each of the last nine races and has four top-five finishes.

An eighth-place finish at Bristol finally has to have us wondering about Hamlin, who doesn’t have a top-five yet in The Chase (the eighth was his best in the three races). He has now seen his 25-point cushion wiped out, and he is a point behind Larson. The good news? He has led 290 laps in the last two Kansas races. He finished second a year ago after his tangle with Bubba Wallace ended up with a Chase Elliott win and then he was fourth in the spring. He has one win and three second places in Next Gen races at Kansas.

The defending Cup champion took over the points lead with a second-place finish and 12 stage points at Bristol. He has all the momentum even if he doesn’t have the full-season performance, as he has finishes of fifth, first and second in the three Chase races. What about Kansas? It’s one of Larson’s best tracks. He has two wins and three seconds in Next Gen races at the track. He has led at least 60 laps in eight of the last 12 Kansas races.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

Christian McCaffrey Joins Elite Company With Touchdown No

Christian McCaffrey put himself in some elite company with two short touchdown runs.

McCaffrey’s two 1-yard TDs in a 35-13 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday made him the fourth-fastest player in the Super Bowl era to reach 100 career touchdowns and the third player ever with at least 50 TDs with two franchises.

“It means a lot,” McCaffrey said. “It’s a blessing to be able to play this game and stuff like that is always cool. But it’s always about the team and showing up and doing your job.”

McCaffrey didn’t have to do a lot on Sunday, a day when Brock Purdy and the rest of the offense was clicking at such a high level that the Niners scored touchdowns on their first five drives.

McCaffrey started it with a 1-yard run in the first quarter and capped the scoring for San Francisco late in the third when he scored again from 1-yard out. He finished with 23 yards on 10 carries and four catches for 43 yards.

“CMC, he’s just the GOAT,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “GOATs do things like that. It’s just another day at the office for old Christian. But nobody works harder on their craft and is as dedicated to the game as Christian. Everything that he does, he’s earned it and he’s only going to continue to keep getting better.”

The scores gave him 64 rushing touchdowns and 36 receiving in 114 regular-season games for Carolina and San Francisco. Only LaDainian Tomlinson (89 games), Emmitt Smith (93) and Shaun Alexander (96) got to 100 TDs faster in the Super Bowl era.

McCaffrey, who has 50 touchdowns with both Carolina and San Francisco, joined Marshall Faulk and Randy Moss as the only players to score at least 50 TDs with two franchises.

“It’s kind of crazy to hear that,” McCaffrey said. “I watched all those guys growing up. Marshall Faulk was somebody that I’ve probably seen every single snap he’s played. I don’t take it for granted. Randy Moss I played with a ton of times with Madden growing up. Those are huge, huge honors.”

McCaffrey’s career is full of noteworthy accomplishments already. He became the third player ever with at least 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season in 2019 with Carolina, has earned first-team All-Pro honors in three seasons, and won the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 and Comeback Player of the Year in 2025.

“It’s crazy. I grew up watching him in high school and stuff when he was at Stanford and then the Panthers and then to be a teammate with him and be there when he scored his 100th touchdown was insane,” Purdy said. “It’s really cool to think about that. To be on his team and be a teammate with him and go and help him do what he wants to do with his career and just be there and feed him the ball and stuff, it’s an honor for me.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Posted on September 21, 2026 by Eternity Lab

2026 NFL Odds Week 3: Lines, Spreads For All 16

Week 2 delivered, and we still have one game to go. Now, it’s nearly Week 3’s turn.

Here are the lines for every Week 3 matchup at bet365 Sportsbook as of Sept. 21.

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