Twice the Guardians stood on the brink of elimination, and twice they refused to blink.

On the road, Cleveland responded in front of a loud, hostile crowd at Rate Field by remembering what it most excels at: Guardsball. 

In a back-and-forth affair, the Guardians stayed gritty and passed the baton all night despite an unexpected short outing from their ace, needing a total of eight pitchers to force the American League Division Series back to Cleveland.

Now the series is tied at 2-2, and everything will come down to Game 5 on Saturday night at Progressive Field. The winner will play a well-rested and dominant Tampa Bay Rays team in the AL Championship Series. The loser will have a long winter ahead of them to ruminate over all that went wrong. 

It might not be Game 7, but Saturday’s Game 5 will be, no doubt, just as nerve-wracking.

Here are my takeaways from Game 4:

1.

The White Sox were reeling from a painful fifth inning that saw the Guardians hit two home runs to take a lead, one from pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey and the other, a two-run shot, from de facto team captain José Ramírez.

Even though Chicago took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth, the Guardians’ offense was just getting started.

Cleveland saw three Chicago relievers in the massive top of the sixth inning, which changed the outlook of the game and kept its season from ending. A total lack of command, which plagued both teams on Thursday, sparked the Guardians’ comeback when left-hander Anthony Kay hit Angel Martinez with a pitch. 

Smelling blood, Cleveland continued to tack on. Second baseman Travis Bazzana collected an RBI double to tie the game at 4-4. 

Then, White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor jogged in from the bullpen to relieve Kay. But Taylor, in his fourth relief appearance of this postseason, struggled to record outs. He gave up an RBI single to Bailey, a walk to shortstop Brayan Rocchio and center fielder Steven Kwan, and a pair of singles to Ramírez and right fielder Chase DeLauter to give the Guardians a 7-4 lead.

José Ramírez scored the Guardians’ sixth run of the sixth inning, which put them in control of Game 4. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) –>

With the bases loaded, Cleveland’s trade-deadline pickup and designated hitter Jo Adell put on the finishing touches with a bases-loaded, two-run single to right, ending Taylor’s night before he could record a single out.

By the time the inning was over, the Guardians had turned their 4-3 deficit into a 9-4 lead. It was exactly the type of steady, no-panic approach at the plate that Cleveland relied on all year to clinch the AL Central. 

Passing the baton is how the Guardians reached this point. They will need more of that in Saturday’s Game 5 in order to advance to the ALCS. 

2.

Guardians left-hander Parker Messick was the top rookie pitcher in baseball this year. But you wouldn’t know it from his erratic start against the White Sox on Thursday.

Messick lasted just 2 1/3 innings across 65 grueling pitches in Game 4 at a rocking Rate Field. He walked four of the 13 batters he faced, with his final free pass of the night coming with the bases loaded, which allowed the White Sox to get on the board and take the lead in the third inning. After giving up two earned runs in 4 ⅓ innings in Game 1 of the ALDS, Messick was on normal rest in Game 4, but he never looked as dangerous as he had been all year for the Guardians.

The 25-year-old southpaw had a cup of coffee in the majors last season, maintained his rookie eligibility, and followed it up with a 2.56 ERA in 186 innings and 32 starts this season. Messick established himself as a premier frontline starter and was one of the reasons this Guardians team entered October believing it has the talent to go all the way.

Messick was in the 81st percentile with his walk rate (6.6%) in his rookie season, ranking among the top 16 starters in the league at preventing free passes. He actually walked opposing batters less and less each month of the regular season, walking four hitters just once in a single game this year. So, it was highly unusual for Messick to lose his command the way he did in Game 4.

It’s fair to wonder how much the pressure, the crowd noise, his season-long workload, or all of the above played into his lopsided outing on Thursday. Backed into a corner, Messick simply was not the same pitcher the Guardians comfortably relied on all season, and that had an unfortunate ripple effect.

In total, the White Sox and Guardians combined for 15 walks on Thursday.

Miguel Vargas had three of the eight White Sox walks against the Guardians on Thursday night. (Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) –>

3.

White Sox relievers were taxed, and it showed. Chicago has used 14 pitchers over its last 18 innings, with no starter getting beyond the fourth inning in either of their last two games.

In Game 1, left-handed starter Hagen Smith lasted just 2 2/3 innings, though he kept a clean sheet. In Game 2, southpaw Anthony Kay recorded just one out as a starter before giving the ball to the bullpen. In Game 3, yet another left-handed starter, Sean Newcomb, pitched just two innings before the cavalry came out of the bullpen.

Finally, in Thursday’s Game 4, Smith recorded just two outs before he saw his manager, Will Venable, trotting out of the dugout to give the ball to the bullpen.

Using that many arms in a short series is typically not a recipe for success.

The Guardians have seen these same White Sox arms too many times in the same matchup to be pinned down from scoring runs. It’s one thing if all of those relievers came out of the bullpen firing away with sharp stuff. But their command was too much of a problem for Chicago’s strategy to work. Rest is too important for relievers, and the White Sox can’t find length from any of their starters. Friday’s off-day can’t come soon enough for the Sox.

Grant Taylor (left) struggled, which was part of the reason that White Sox manager Will Venable had to go so deep into his bullpen. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) –>

3 ½. What’s Next?

Since Cleveland’s Game 2 starter, right-hander Gavin Williams, ended up throwing 18 pitches and securing the final out of Game 4 on Thursday, he’s unlikely to start Saturday’s pivotal Game 5. 

Neither team has announced their Game 5 starters as of the final out on Thursday, but we can expect every single pitcher to be available in the winner-take-all finale in Cleveland on Saturday night.

]–>

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For the 49ers, Sunday’s game in Seattle is as big a Week 5 game as it can get. First place in the NFC West is on the line, and if the Niners can win it, they’ll have a multi-game lead in the division with tie-breaking wins over both the Rams and Seahawks. That’s a nice little cushion in the league’s most competitive divisional race.

San Francisco-Seattle games are always bitter, but the 49ers carry an extra layer of resentment into this tilt after how last season ended, with the Seahawks defense stuffing their offense in a locker twice in three weeks, including a 41-6 beatdown in the NFC Divisional Round.

It probably means a little more for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy, who have spent the last few years tearing through defenses but always seem to struggle against Seahawks coach Mike MacDonald.

In their first matchup, when MacDonald was calling plays for Baltimore’s defense, Purdy threw four interceptions in a 33-19 loss on Christmas night that ended his MVP campaign back in 2023. Shanahan and Purdy got some revenge against MacDonald in their first inter-division matchup, a 36-24 win for the 49ers in 2024, but the Niners haven’t scored more than 17 points in any of the four games since. Three of those were losses, and San Francisco hasn’t scored a touchdown in either of the last two.

Macdonald has been Shanahan and Purdy’s boogeyman over the past few years. With him coaching a division rival, they can’t escape him. 

For the 49ers to take control of the NFC West (and the conference at large), for Shanahan to prove he’s still the league’s best offensive mind, and for Purdy to firmly entrench himself in this year’s MVP race, they’ll have to get past Macdonald first.

So … can they do it?

Before we can even attempt to answer that, let’s look at why Macdonald’s defense has been an unsolvable riddle for Shanahan and Purdy. For a theory, let’s go straight to one of the primary sources:

“[It’s] how sound they are, yet [they’re] still aggressive,” Shanahan said this week. “When they’re aggressive, they’re rarely irresponsible. It’s tough to get big plays on them. I think they’ve been no. 1 in the league two years in a row in that, whether it’s run or pass game.”

Shanahan is correct. No defense has been better at limiting explosive plays over the last two seasons. And how they do it makes playing against the Seahawks defense such a miserable experience.

“They play out of a two-shell defense more than anyone in the league,” Shanahan said. “Even when you get past the front seven, it’s tough to get past those safeties. Those safeties back up everybody for big plays – yet they’re still very aggressive, so it doesn’t feel like you can dink and dunk them the whole game.”

Macdonald has built his defense in a way that allows it to enjoy all of the benefits of a bend-but-don’t-break approach without one key difference: this defense doesn’t provide its opponents any room to breathe.

The Seahawks’ zone-match coverage provides the best of both worlds. The sturdy two-high zone shell prevents throws over the top, but the “match” element lets defenders stick tight to routes. Even for a trained eye, it can be difficult to tell whether Seattle is in man or zone coverage. On any given pass snap, it looks like they’re playing both.

Seattle’s defensive approach is particularly effective for taking away the middle of the field and up the seams. That’s where the linebackers and safeties sit, looking to pick up receivers entering their assigned zones. Windows close rather quickly against Seattle.

One key to San Francisco’s consistent offensive success is Shanahan’s ability to pry open those windows with his play designs. Purdy’s been an awesome fit in the scheme because he’s willing and able to make those throws, which can be difficult for quarterbacks who lack top-end arm talent. Purdy may not have the 100 mph fastball, but he throws with anticipation – which buys him a few fractions of a second – and he can feather passes over defenders.

Shanahan makes good use of Purdy’s talents by calling a lot of high-low concepts over the middle. He’ll have a receiver run a short route about 5 yards deep, with another receiver running a deeper route that breaks or bends behind it 10 to 15 yards downfield.

Shanahan is a master at spamming the same concepts over and over, but from different formations and personnel groupings to keep defenses off his scent. Against the 30 other teams, Purdy can pepper that area all game. Since the start of the 2025 season, about a quarter of his attempts have targeted the small area between the numbers from five to 20 yards down the field. Here’s his passing map with that area of the field highlighted.

Courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

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In the three games he’s played against Seattle, only about 12% of his attempts have targeted that same area.

Courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

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And the difference in production is staggering. Per Pro Football Focus, Purdy’s averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and -0.88 expected points added per play against Seattle. He’s averaging 9.7 yards per attempt and 0.45 EPA per play. Even when those throws have been available, the Seahawks have rendered them ineffective.

In the three games against Seattle last season, Purdy averaged 5.8 yards per attempt on plays where he remained “in structure.” That’s nearly 3 yards lower than his average against every other opponent. With the structure of Shanahan’s offense failing him – and his team down on the scoreboard – Purdy went into scramble mode, which … didn’t work very well either. The 49ers aren’t a team built for a heavy dropback passing game. They can do it when necessary, but it’s not their offensive aim, and Seattle makes it hard to play that kind of game.

Brock Purdy and the 49ers were dominated in the NFC Divisional Round by the Seahawks earlier this year. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

–>

San Francisco didn’t score a touchdown over their final 120 minutes against the Macdonald’s defense last season, so Shanahan and Purdy will want to avoid falling into that trap once again. But the first game offers a viable path to success for the offense. 

The Niners won that game, and while they put only 17 on the board, the offense moved the ball. They punted only twice, but Purdy threw two passes (trying to force it over the middle), and Jake Moody missed two field goals (one was blocked). 

Despite the interceptions, Purdy finished with an 85.5 QBR. That was the third-highest mark of his season and his second-best performance against a Macdonald defense.

Shanahan’s running game wasn’t overly efficient, but it wasn’t entirely useless. The 49ers didn’t have to abandon the run at any point – the running backs logged 31 carries – allowing the offense to stay on script. San Francisco’s shotgun usage is a good health indicator for the offense. 

When San Francisco is using shotgun on more than 80% of plays, as was the case in the two losses to Seattle and Purdy’s three-pick game against Carolina, things aren’t going well. When it’s 75% or lower, the offense typically hums. Purdy was in the ‘gun for just 74% of his dropbacks in that Week 1 win. It was also at 74% in the 2024 win, when the 49ers dropped 30 on Macdonald’s defense, before it reached its final form.

Based on how the 49ers are operating in 2026, Shanahan will want that number even lower on Sunday. The veteran play-caller has added a few new tricks, and most of them feature Purdy under center. 

Shanahan has really spruced up his running game, with new motions and alignments. It’s a nice blend of old-school looks with modern features. On this play, fullback Kyle Juszczyk motions into an old split-back look right as the ball is snapped, and then the 49ers run an old counter concept that could have been ripped out of Bill Walsh’s playbook.

Younger coaches like Bears Ben Johnson, Liam Coen, and Klayton Adams have pushed run-game creativity forward, and Shanahan isn’t falling behind. He could have been content with his A Million Different Ways to Run Outside Zone run game, which had always worked for him, but he knows smart defensive coordinators like Macdonald are always adapting.

Macdonald’s run defense has evolved since his first season in Seattle. The loss to San Francisco may have been one of the moments that spurred the change. The 49ers rushed for 228 yards and exposed some holes in the Seahawks’ run front. Macdonald patched them up with run blitzes to close the gaps offenses were trying to attack. Here’s an example from the opener.

What looks like an inviting C-gap bubble before the snap…

… gets closed by a blitzing defensive back after it.

In 2024, Macdonald’s first season, Seattle called blitzes on 13% of run snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Last season, that number jumped to 23%, and it’s up to nearly 30% in 2026.

Sunday’s chess match between Shanahan and Macdonald will start in the trenches. The 49ers coach will look for soft spots up front to exploit with the run. Macdonald will try to hide those soft spots as best he can. It’s like a game of “Battleship” being played with 300-pound athletes instead of small plastic pieces.

If Shanahan can win that game within the game, Purdy should be at his best and primed for another monster game, solidifying his spot as the top candidate for MVP. More importantly, the 49ers would have carved out a two-game lead in the division and established themselves as the NFC’s best team.

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Washington will host Iowa on Friday in a Week 6 college football matchup on FOX.

Both the Huskies and Hawkeyes are coming off losses. Washington suffered a heartbreaking 25-21 defeat to USC, while Iowa was blown out at home by Ohio State.

No. 20 Iowa enters Friday’s matchup at 4-1, with wins over Michigan and Iowa State. Meanwhile, Washington is 3-2 after back-to-back losses. Friday night’s matchup could help shape the rest of the season for both teams.

Let’s take a look at the odds for Washington vs. Iowa at FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 9.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

   No. 20 Iowa @ Washington Odds

Moneyline 

[–>
• Washington: -166 (bet $10 to win $16.02 total)
• Iowa: +140 (bet $10 to win $24 total)

Spread 

• Washington -3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Iowa +3: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 41.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 41.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

   No. 20 Iowa @ Washington Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

Washington came into this season with high expectations but has underachieved thus far. Still, this is a prime spot to get back on track at home.

Under head coach Jedd Fisch, Washington is 14-3 at home, and the crowd should be raucous under the Friday night lights.

Iowa also may not be as good as we thought a few weeks ago. Its wins over Iowa State and Michigan look less impressive now, and Ohio State outgained the Hawkeyes by nearly 250 yards last week. The Buckeyes finished with 484 total yards (324 passing, 160 rushing), while Iowa managed just 238.

Take Washington to win and cover at home.

   The Pick: Washington -3

How to Watch Washington vs. Iowa 

• Date: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA

–> Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more [–>

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There is a big-time showdown looming in the NFC West this weekend, when the undefeated 49ers travel to the Pacific Northwest to see the defending champion Seahawks on their home turf.

I, like all football fans, will have my eyes on that game, but there is one more lower-profile tilt that has piqued my interest as well. 

Let’s dive into how I’m wagering on the weekend.

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Whenever the 49ers play against a good-to-great defense, I tend to lean toward Christian McCaffrey props. 

While Brock Purdy is playing fantastic this season, the engine and core of this offense is McCaffrey. Defenses know this as well, but it’s still difficult for opposing teams to stop the production. 

One prop I target is McCaffrey as a receiver. With the Niners’ limited weapons on the edge, they tend to turn toward CMC to help in the passing game. He had nine and six catches last season against the Seahawks. You can even look at games against the Rams in which CMC had eight targets this year, then 10 and nine last season.

Schwartz’s Pick: Christian McCaffrey Over 4.5 Receptions

The Detroit defense is putrid this season. 

It is near the bottom of the NFL in nearly every statistical category and there’s no end in sight to its woes. There’s no magic pill to make it better and even if/when it does get some starters back in the secondary, I don’t think it’s going to change things. 

We know it won’t be any different this Sunday at Arizona. The Lions have allowed 30 to the Saints, 41 to Buffalo, 24 to the lowly Jets and then 32 this past weekend to the Panthers. 

The Cardinals might not be great on offense, but they are feisty enough. They scored 30 against the 49ers and just put up 24 against the Giants with the chance to get to 31 if they were able to score late. A pick-six on the final play of the game made it a double-digit Giants win. 

I don’t see a path to the Lions stopping the Cardinals enough in this game to be a 5.5-point favorite.

Schwartz’s Pick: Cardinals +5.5

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This year’s version of the Red River Rivalry has arrived. That, and Matt Rhule gets another crack at beating a ranked foe. 

Here’s what I’m wagering for college football Week 6.

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An undefeated Big Ten catchup, featuring the defending champs against a Nebraska team hoping to finally break through. 

Matt Rhule’s Nebraska team has yet to beat a ranked opponent and the program’s losing streak against AP Top 25 teams dates back to September 2016. 

Sadly, that losing streak against ranked teams won’t end this weekend.

Indiana’s program has plenty of qualities that make it a winner, but No. 1 is that it doesn’t beat itself. The Hoosiers do not turn the ball over and don’t commit penalties. 

That’s important when it comes to winning a road game. 

The Indiana offense continues to control the line of scrimmage. It is 36th in successful rush rate and 15th in yards before contact. The offensive line is first in the country in pressure rate, although to be fair, it has played one of the easiest schedules in the country. 

Matt Rhule has yet to earn a ranked win during his Nebraska tenure (Getty Images).

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Quarterback Josh Hoover is not Fernando Mendoza and this is his first road start for the Hoosiers, but the coaching staff appears to have fixed his biggest issue — turnovers. He has no interceptions this season. 

I worry about a few matchups for the Cornhuskers’ defense vs. the Indiana offense. Nebraska’s defense doesn’t stop the runner behind the line of scrimmage all that often. It is ranked 74th in tackle success rate and allows a ton of completions that end up in a first down. The raw numbers are great though. First on third down and 15th in yards per play. 

However, Nebraska has faced zero good offenses in five games. 

Nebraska’s offense has taken one of the biggest positive jumps from last year to this year. It is eighth in points per drive and has top-25 success rates in both the pass and the run. However, I worry the Huskers are not dynamic enough to overcome this Indiana defense. Nebraska runs the ball and throws it short. It is 122nd in the country with 5.5 air yards per target. A majority of its pass attempts go to the slot or the running back. 

Indiana’s defense is not as sharp as last season, but like any elite unit, if it has an idea of what you’re doing, success follows. I worry Indiana’s defense will have a beat on what Nebraska is trying to do.

Lastly — back to the top. Beating yourself. 

Nebraska is 123rd in penalties per game and its offensive line is averaging over three a game. You’re just not winning many games against a team like Indiana committing a ton of penalties. 

Schwartz’s Pick: Indiana -7.5

I have two bets for this game. 

First — how is Oklahoma going to score in this game? The answer is it won’t. 

Oklahoma’s offense is the most disappointing unit in the country this season. It is 112th in yards per play and points per drive on offense. It is 127th in rushing success rate and isn’t much better at passing the football. 

Quarterback John Mateer has been awful and even worse against any bit of resistance from an opposing defense. The Sooners have played three teams with a defensive efficiency of 21 or better, including New Mexico (which has been good on defense this season). They’ve scored 10 against Michigan, 14 against New Mexico and just 13 against Georgia. 

On top of all of this is Oklahoma’s offensive line injury concerns, as multiple guys might be out. 

Texas has an outstanding defense, with one of the best pass rush groups in the sport. Unless the Longhorns forget how to play defense or get fooled by multiple Oklahoma trick plays, I don’t see the Sooners scoring much. 

I’m taking the Under on the Oklahoma team total.

Back John Mateer to use his legs against Texas on Saturday (Getty Images).

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My second wager for this game is on Mateer’s rushing attempts. My only hesitation is Oklahoma deciding to bench him at some point in this game. 

He had 13 rushing attempts against Michigan and 15 against Georgia. He had 14 against Texas last season. Every big game the Sooners play, against a good opponent, he rushes the ball more often. Makes sense as Oklahoma tries to use his legs to create some explosive plays. Also, sacks count as rush attempts.

Schwartz’s Picks: Oklahoma Under 14.5, John Mateer Over 12.5 Rushing Attempts

Source

The No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes visit the Washington Huskies on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET from Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium in Seattle. 

Iowa is 4-1 after a 31-14 loss to No. 5 Ohio State on Saturday, and Washington is 3-2 after a 25-21 loss at No. 18 USC.

The Hawkeyes had won four straight, including a 20-19 road win at No. 18 Michigan, before Ohio State handed them their first loss. The Huskies have dropped two in a row by a combined seven points, also falling 27-24 to Minnesota the week before.

The Huskies are 2.5-point favorites over the Hawkeyes, with a total of 41.5.

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

How to Watch Iowa vs. Washington

• When: Friday, October 9, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where: Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One

Players To Watch

Brown completed 12 of 27 passes for 132 yards with an interception in the 31-14 loss to Ohio State. He has 832 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception through five games, including 227 yards and two touchdowns in the 20-19 win at Michigan and 153 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-12 passing against Northern Iowa.

Washington has allowed 92 points through five games, 18.4 per game, and has lost two straight, 27-24 to Minnesota and 25-21 at USC. The Huskies are plus-5 in turnover margin, tied for 15th nationally. Brown has thrown one interception on 124 attempts.

Moulton ran 11 times for 27 yards against Ohio State. He leads Iowa with 311 rushing yards and 344 all-purpose yards, and ran for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, with a 50-yard long, in the opener against Northern Illinois. Since then he has 128 yards on 39 carries across games against Iowa State, Michigan and Ohio State.

Washington allows 111.4 rushing yards per game and has 10.0 sacks, tied for 61st nationally. Iowa runs for 180.2 yards per game, 47th nationally, compared with 210.6 through the air.

Williams completed 15 of 26 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown in the 25-21 loss at USC. He has 1,327 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions through five games, including 373 yards and four touchdowns against Eastern Washington. He is also tied with Ansu Sanoe for the Washington lead with two rushing touchdowns and has 191 rushing yards.

No. 20 Iowa has allowed 63 points through five games, 12.6 per game, including shutouts of Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa. Washington converts 29.0 percent of its third downs, 130th nationally. Deshaun Lee has two interceptions for Iowa.

Roebuck caught five passes for 30 yards at USC. He leads Washington with 338 receiving yards on 35 catches, including nine catches for 121 yards against Eastern Washington and seven for 87 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota. He has caught at least five passes in all five games for an offense that throws for 271.4 yards per game, tied for 34th nationally.

Iowa is 4-1, with its only loss 31-14 to Ohio State, and has 13.0 sacks, tied for 31st nationally, and a turnover margin of plus-2. Joseph Anderson leads the Hawkeyes with 3.0 sacks.

Iowa vs. Washington Odds

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Rematches are always a good time. 

The Brewers and Dodgers were the only 100-win teams during the 2026 MLB season, and now the two juggernauts will meet in the NLCS for a second consecutive season. 

Last year, L.A. won in a sweep. 

Let’s check out the odds for this year’s matchup at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 10.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

  Series Winner

Dodgers: -160 (bet $10 to win $16.25 total)
Brewers: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)

  Correct Score

Dodgers win 4-2: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Dodgers win 4-3: +425 (bet $10 to win $52.50 total)
Dodgers win 4-1: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Brewers win 4-3: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Brewers win 4-2: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Dodgers win 4-0: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Brewers win 4-1: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Brewers win 4-0: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)

  Game 1 — LAD @ MIL (Oct. 11)

Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Moneyline: Brewers -113, Dodgers -107
O/U: 6

 Matchup: Tarik Skubal (LAD) vs. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)

Here’s what to know about the Dodgers-Brewers series odds:

Season Series: The Brewers won the regular-season series over the Dodgers 4-3.

Playoff History: Since2018, the Brewers have made the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons with the only exception being 2022. In that span, they reached the NLCS three times (2018, 2025 and 2026). The last time Milwaukee made the World Series was in 1982, when it lost in seven games to the Cardinals. It has never won the World Series. Meanwhile, L.A. has won three of the last six World Series, including the last two. Since 2013, the Dodgers have made it to at least the NLCS nine times (including this season) and have gone to the World Series five times. Is this the year L.A. is knocked off the mountaintop?

NLCS Rematch: These two teams faced off in the NLCS last season and it wasn’t competitive. The Dodgers swept the Brewers, outscoring them 15-4 across four games. The most memorable aspect of that series? Game 4, when Shohei Ohtani starred on the mound and at the plate. The Dodgers’ superstar struck out 10 and allowed two hits in six innings, and also hit three home runs. 

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Enzo Maresca came out in defense of Manchester City’s ownership on Friday, despite the club being found guilty of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules in the biggest scandal in the competition’s history.

The manager Maresca said he had complete trust in City’s hierarchy, and dismissed suggestions the club’s unprecedented dominance of English soccer had been tainted by the bombshell verdict that it had artificially inflated its revenue by more than $1 billion to help sign some of soccer’s biggest stars.

“I completely trust the club in this moment, in the future, always,” Maresca said in his first news conference since the findings of an independent panel were published last week.

“The reason why I joined this club is because I completely trust 100% the owner, the CEO, the sports director, all the organization, so I don’t have any doubt about that.”

Enzo Maresca, manager of Manchester City, spoke publicly about Man City’s guilty verdict on Friday. (Photo by Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)

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Maresca was speaking ahead of City’s Premier League match with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly the focus was on the verdict, which found the United Arab Emirates-backed team committed almost all of the 115-plus violations it was accused of during a period in which City changed the landscape of the world’s most popular soccer league.

City has always denied the charges and has lodged an appeal.

“I would like to speak about this situation when we’re going to win the appeal,” Maresca said.

Asked if the verdict tarnished City’s success over more than a decade of dominance, Maresca replied, “Absolutely not.”

Maresca was hired at the end of last season when former manager Pep Guardiola stepped down after a trophy-laden 10-year tenure.

He had previously worked as Guardiola’s assistant during the 2023 treble-winning season.

Manchester City Related Stories

Asked if he still would have taken the job had the verdict come out before he became manager, Maresca replied, “100%.”

“I know the organization from years ago and I know how serious they are. I know that they do the right things,” he said.

“I trust the club because I trust the people, and this is also the reason why I joined the club. And then there is not another club in the world where I would like to be, so I’m very happy to be here.”

Maresca’s immediate job is to focus the players’ minds ahead of the trip to Anfield.

“We completely understand the seriousness of the situation. I’m not saying that we don’t understand that. We understand, the players understand. But it’s our duty, our job, to try to control the noise,” he said. “

“For me and for the players, we can control just the pitch side, the field side. So we are focused on that, and this is what we can do and we can control.”

Kompany Not Dwelling On Man City’s Alleged Indiscretions

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany, who played for City from 2012-19, has offered guarded support for the club’s achievements at the time while also distancing himself from the controversy.

Kompany said Friday he was “100% focused” on Bayern and that didn’t leave him time “to dwell on other things.”

“But for me, it’s actually quite simple – I played there for 11 years, and I stand fully behind what we achieved on the field and the feeling we shared as a group of players during that time.” he said. “Everything else, I have to be honest, it feels a bit far removed from my reality at the moment.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Coming off a thrilling road win over the Houston Texans, the Dallas Cowboys had a prime-time game at home against the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were starting an undrafted rookie free agent at quarterback with starter Baker Mayfield on the mend. What could go wrong for the Cowboys?

Well, everything, actually.

After slumping into a 10-7 halftime lead, Dallas was outscored by Tampa Bay in the second half, 17-6, losing 24-16. The Cowboys trailed by as many as 14 points with 8:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, and were on the verge of going down three scores at said point before making a fourth down stand at the 1-yard line, and quarterback Dak Prescott threw two interceptions.

All the main characters were going through it after the loss, which dropped Dallas to 2-3.

What Jerry Jones Said

“Extraordinarily disappointed,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a postgame press conference on Thursday night, per 105.3 The FAN. “They [the Buccaneers] were very physical. I thought both their fronts [were good]. I was really surprised at how hell they ran the ball and how they ran it between the tackles. That was surprising. We thought if they were going to run it, they’d do it outside. We thought we’d put it on the quarterback’s shoulders. Their staff, their quarterback and all their players got a great victory here tonight, and it was a tough loss for us.”

Jones expressed that the Cowboys “missed a great opportunity to build something.”

Tampa Bay possessed the ball for a whopping 39:21 and had two possessions that extended beyond eight minutes, including a 10:58 touchdown drive the first time it touched the ball. Running back Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards and one touchdown on 7.9 yards per carry, with the Buccaneers collectively rushing for 241 yards and two scores on 6.2 yards per carry. In what was just his second NFL start, quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 189 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, while posting a 110.3 passer rating and completing 76.0% of his passes (19 of 25).

Under new and first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the Cowboys’ defense remains among the worst in the sport. Dallas is surrendering the most rushing yards in the NFL (168.4 per game), while being 31st in opponent total yards (395.4 per game), 26th in opponent points (27.2 per game), tied for 24th in sacks (six) and 20th outright in opponent passing yards (227.0 per game).

What Dak Prescott Said

“It’s a loss we’re definitely supposed to have [are supposed to win],” Prescott said in his postgame press conference. “To use the word ‘embarrassing,’ though, is tough. I feel like I’m discrediting the NFL if I use that word, and particularly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a great Todd Bowles coach and defensive coached team. He’s been a winning coach for a long time, whether he’s been a head coach or a defensive coordinator. The plan and what they did tonight is the reason for that. To say ‘embarrassing,’ I think that would be discrediting them, but we’re definitely supposed to win this game. This is a game that we were supposed to have on paper or whichever way you want to look at it.

“And I think Schotty [Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer] said it best in the locker room, in this league you’ve got to win the games you’re supposed to win, and when a winless team comes into your home stadium on a Thursday night prime-time game, yeah, we’re supposed to win that. It sucks and right up there close to embarrassing, but I don’t know if I would say that.”

Prescott finished the night with 316 passing yards, one passing touchdown, two interceptions and a 69.1 passer rating, while completing 57.1% of his passes (24 of 42). Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had two catches for nine yards. Meanwhile, Dallas rushed for just 50 yards and a score on 3.8 yards per carry.

Through five games, Prescott, a four-time Pro Bowler, has totaled 1,381 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, three interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating, while completing 67.2% of his passes.

Prescott was actually pressed before he even got to the podium, as a video got public of somebody in the tunnel saying “embarrassing” to the Cowboys quarterback, who looked back at the person who made the remark.

Brian Schottenheimer Message

“We believe in what we’re doing,” Schottenheimer said after the game. “We believe that we have good players and coaches. We believe the solution is in this room, and we’re going to get back to work.”

The head coach also expressed that the video of Prescott being told his play was “embarrassing” by somebody in the Cowboys’ own building is “motivating.”

Next up for the Cowboys is a road matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18.

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Mike Ditka, who won NFL titles as a player and coach with the Chicago Bears, has died. He was 86.

Ditka’s family announced the death on Friday in a statement.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” the family said. “While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.”

Nicknamed “Iron Mike” as a player, Ditka helped revolutionize the tight-end position, then moved to the sidelines and took over as Chicago’s coach. His 1985 team featured one of the game’s most dominant defenses ever. It also had enough outsized personalities to record a rap video, “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” and back up their boasting in the championship game three months later.

After retiring as a coach, Ditka became a restaurateur, pitchman and TV personality, as well as a forceful advocate for improved medical and retirement benefits for former players.

Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 10, 2017. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Ditka was tough and gruff, the quintessential Chicago Bear. He did everything from order off the menu to knock defensive backs on their butts with a growl. His adopted hometown reveled in every minute.

Still revered as “Da Coach” and ringmaster of the 1985 Bears, one of the most dominant and perhaps the zaniest Super Bowl-winning team in league history. Ditka was enshrined in the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and the Bears said during a ceremony in 2013 that his “No. 89” jersey will be the last one retired by the team.

He was born in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the son of a welder who changed the family name from Dyczko. He grew up in nearby Aliquippa, close to the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing plants that dotted the western part of the state, a big, talented, three-sport athlete and All-American at Pitt whose bruising style made his first nickname, “Iron Mike,” a good fit.

Selected fifth overall by flinty Chicago owner George Halas in the 1961 draft, Ditka went on to Rookie of the Year honors, multiple Pro Bowl trips and the 1963 NFL Championship. In the bargain, he and Baltimore’s John Mackey changed the tight end position and offensive schemes forever. He was a battering ram of a blocker, but Ditka was just as likely to catch a short pass and pinball through an entire secondary or outrace a lone safety on a deep touchdown throw.

He left Chicago in 1966, playing briefly for Philadelphia and Dallas. He moved to the sideline in 1973 as an assistant to the revered Tom Landry and stayed with the Cowboys for eight seasons, before returning to a hero’s welcome in Chicago as head coach in 1982.

Ditka’s return to the Bears lasted 10 tumultuous years, including five straight NFC Central titles, the Super Bowl win, a DUI conviction, a heart attack, a long-running feud with defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan and, finally, a new nickname — “Da Coach.”

To Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, the seeds of what was to come were planted in Ditka’s first meeting with the team. He laid out his vision, saying Chicago would be in the Super Bowl in three years — and many of the players in the room would not be around for it.

“When I first heard him, when he walked in the room, to me, Coach Ditka had the opportunity to be the greatest coach of all time because he had the fire,” Singletary said at the Bears’ 100th anniversary celebration in June 2019. “I don’t know George Halas coached. But I can imagine that the fire and intensity and passion that Coach Ditka exuded that first day set the tone for exactly what he said: ‘Three years from now, we’re going to be in the Super Bowl.’ And that was 1982. In ’85, we were there and it was because of that vision.”

The public beefs with Ryan mirrored the behind-the-scenes battles that Ditka waged trying to contain a team bristling with outsized personalities.

“It was more than a team,” Ditka once said. “It was a team of characters that had a character that played for a crazy man, who let him be crazy and had fun doing it and don’t apologize for it ever. I wouldn’t want to be one of these suits walking around on the sideline today.

“I have no desire to be that. I was what I was, and they were what they were and, damn, it was fun.”

It wasn’t until two dozen players recorded “The Super Bowl Shuffle” — an audacious rap-styled video released three months ahead of the 1986 title game — that the rest of the football world wondered whether Ditka was losing his grip.

His players never did.

Mike Ditka led the Chicago Bears to a 46-10 Super Bowl XX win over the New England Patriots on January 26, 1986. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

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“We call him ‘Sybil’ after that girl in the movie,” quarterback Jim McMahon once explained. “You know, the one that had all those personalities. Mike will be calm one minute, then throw a clipboard the next. People don’t understand that, but we do.”

The Bears demolished the New England Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl, but Ditka often said he regretted having McMahon and defensive tackle William “The Refrigerator” Perry run for touchdowns instead of Walter Payton, Chicago’s loyal and long-suffering running back.

Ryan departed for a head coaching job in Philadelphia soon after. While the Bears continued to be a contender for most of the next five years, a 5-11 season prompted Ditka’s departure in 1992.

After a five-year absence, he returned to coaching with the New Orleans Saints, but failed to revive the franchise. After a miserable 1999 season ended with a 3-13 record — Ditka’s worst as either a player or coach — he left the sidelines for good.

His face and demeanor were so familiar by then that a second act became an easy segue. Ditka began building a stable of restaurants and appeared as himself in TV sitcoms from “Cheers” to “Third Rock from the Sun,” as well as shows such as “L.A. Law” and “Saturday Night Live.”

He also stayed close to the game as an NFL analyst and game-day show personality at ESPN. Ditka’s high-profile status also made him an effective advocate to secure improved health and retirement benefits for former players.

His name also circulated for years in Illinois political circles. Though he never ran for office, Ditka described himself as a staunch conservative and was mentioned several times as a possible Republican candidate, including a congressional race against then-state Rep. Barack Obama for the U.S. Senate.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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