Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh vowed to look at every aspect of his operation — including new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel — after a 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday that sent Los Angeles winless into its bye.

The only other team without a victory this season is Miami, which was on its own bye this week.

“We’re in a position of needing to look forward and evaluate every part of what we’re doing,” Harbaugh said. “The job I’m doing, the job the coaches are doing, the way we’re playing, the way we’re executing on offense. I mean, all those things we need to evaluate.”

None of them have been very good.

The Chargers couldn’t stop the Chiefs, but Kansas City had no such struggle against Los Angeles. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

After back-to-back 11-win seasons, the Chargers (0-6) are off to their worst start since 2000, when they matched the 1975 team by dropping their first 11 games. Three of their losses have been by more than one possession, and only once have they eclipsed 17 points: a 30-23 loss to Seattle in which the Chargers trailed 30-13 in the fourth quarter.

Much of the criticism has landed at the feet of McDaniel, the former Dolphins coach, who many considered an upgrade over former offensive coordinator Greg Roman. But the Chargers continued to struggle in Kansas City on Sunday, with Justin Herbert throwing his league-leading eighth interception and the offense managing 259 yards of total offense.

“We’re going to look at everything,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, the job I’m doing — it starts with me. The plan is to watch this again with our offensive coaches. I see the effort. I see the work being put into the meetings, on the practice field, and you know, to get that to translate to the field is what’s necessary.”

Harbaugh refused to use injuries as an excuse, though nobody would think any less of him if he did.

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The Chargers already have offensive linemen Rashawn Slater, Tyler Biadasz and Trey Pipkins on injured reserve, along with tight end David Njoku and linebacker Denzel Perryman. Right tackle Joe Alt (neck) and left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula), wide receiver Tre’ Harris (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring) and safety Derwin James (hamstring) also were inactive Sunday.

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who had just returned from a foot injury, was lost in the first half to a concussion. Backup defensive back Deane Leonard joined him in the concussion protocol during the second half.

“That’s a tough thing they’re going through,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “That injury list is about as long of a list as I’ve seen.”

“There’s no justification. There’s nothing I would say that wouldn’t sound like an excuse. I’m opposed to that to the core, and pointing fingers,” Harbaugh said. “But I believe this is a team game. … We need to look at it all. Everything we’re doing, how we’re doing it.”

Herbert was just 22 of 37 for 204 yards with an inexplicable interception thrown directly into the hands of Chiefs linebacker Jack Cochrane, who nearly returned it for a touchdown. But in a stat that just might underscore the wide-ranging nature of the Chargers’ offensive woes, their quarterback also was their leading rusher, scrambling five times for 26 yards.

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Kimani Vidal ran seven times for 21 yards. Omarion Hampton carried seven times for 18.

Asked whether he could have foreseen such a dismal start, Herbert replied: “I’m not much for hypotheticals.”

“The situation is what it is now, and we have to move forward and understand where we are, what we have to do, and do our best to get out of it,” he said. “We’ve got a bye week next week, and do everything we can, like I said earlier, and then whoever we play next after that, we’ll focus on them and do our best to to win that game. That’s all you can ask for.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The NFL undoubtedly drives the American sports betting bus, but after an outlandish weekend on campus, people are still buzzing about college football Week 7 odds.

No. 1 Georgia lost at home as a huge favorite. No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 7 Texas were also laying double digits and tumbled. And No. 6 Alabama was an upset victim, as well.

“A lot of parlays died with Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and BYU all winning outright,” BetMGM trading manager Seamus Magee said.

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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  On-Campus Calamity

Saturday’s carnage started in Austin, where Texas was a 13.5-point favorite vs. Florida, which was coming off two blowout losses. And the Longhorns put the Gators into a 17-3 hole just a few minutes into the second quarter.

But Florida scored the next 24 points and held off Texas 27-24.

That was followed by No. 14 Tennessee — a 7.5-point home underdog — never trailing while pushing Alabama around in a 26-10 upset.

Georgia was a 19.5-point home favorite vs. Auburn and darted to a 14-0 lead barely seven minutes into the game. But the Tigers ran off the next 24 points and won 27-24 on a final-second field goal.

Later that evening, across the country, 10.5-point home underdog BYU — ranked No. 8 — held off Notre Dame 28-24, albeit not without controversy. It appeared pass interference could’ve been called on the Irish’s final play, a first-and-goal pass. And even if not, it looked as if there should’ve been one second left, time for another play.

The last two upsets proved the biggest for BetMGM.

“It was a good day for the book, and, interestingly, a great day for our live betting,” Magee said. “Auburn and BYU specifically were huge on the in-play side. It was one-way traffic on the Irish and Georgia, especially when both got behind.”

Tom Gable, sportsbook director at Borgata Sports in Atlantic City, echoed Magee’s sentiments.

“It was a great day if you were an underdog backer,” Gable said. “The best result of the day for us was BYU. Georgia going down was good, but not quite as good as the Irish.”

BYU’s upset win over Notre Dame was gold for sportsbooks (Getty Images).

Magee and Joey Feazel, head of football trading for Caesars Sports, both noted that the public betting masses did well with Ohio State beating Indiana 19-15 to cover as a 2.5-point road favorite, in the FOX Big Noon Kickoff.

But the public took a bath from there.

“Tennessee, Auburn and BYU were big decisions, with BYU surprisingly the biggest decision of the day for the book,” Feazel said.

Also worth noting: No. 4 Miami was a hefty 20.5-point home favorite vs. Florida State and barely escaped with a 43-35 double-overtime victory.

More Public Punishment

Unfortunately, Sunday wasn’t much better for the public masses. Big upsets tend to put a dent in the public’s bankroll, and NFL Week 7 odds featured the biggest underdog winner of the season.

The Cardinals were 12.5-point road ‘dogs vs. the Rams and somehow made six field goals stand up to pull the upset. Chad Ryland made the last of his six kicks as time expired, giving Arizona an improbable 18-16 victory.

“Unfortunately, it was a tough day for bettors,” BetMGM trading manager Adair Horne said. “There were some big upsets, led by the Cardinals, and the Titans beating the Colts.”

Tennessee was a 6.5-point underdog at Indianapolis and got its first victory of the season, 26-20.

But Horne said the bigger result came Sunday night, with the public backing the 1-point road favorite Cowboys vs. the Packers. Green Bay notched a 23-13 victory.

Another key result: The Browns (+3) beating the shorthanded Ravens 13-10 on a final-second field goal.

“The Browns’ upset was the book’s bright spot,” Caesars’ Feazel said. “The book is the Browns’ No. 1 supporter every week, and they barked at exactly the right time. Without that result, bettors would have enjoyed a big [early slate] on moneyline parlays and Overs.”

Indeed, between the Texans-Jags early game in London and the 1 p.m. ET kickoffs, the Over went 6-2.

Pittsburgh Pays Off

Along with modest success betting the Over in the early games, the masses also found their way to the pay window on a big comeback.

The Steelers erased a 16-3 fourth-quarter deficit to tie the Bucs at 19 and force overtime. Pittsburgh then won 26-19 as a 2.5-point road favorite.

“The Steelers’ comeback in OT, covering the spread, was the biggest win for the bettors in the [early] slate of games, turning what looked like a stone-cold Under for the book into another Over in favor of the bettors,” Feazel said, alluding to a total that closed at a tidy 37.5.

Added Horne: “The best result for bettors was the Steelers, who were lucky to cover. And that was pretty much it.”

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The Philadelphia Eagles will be without quarterback Jalen Hurts for the rest of the 2026 season, per ESPN. Hurts, who was already on Injured Reserve due to a blood clot in his leg, has multiple blood clots in his lungs that required immediate intervention.

The Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, released a joint statement on Monday updating the QB’s status. “Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis,” the statement reads. “After further testing and monitoring, the current diagnosis is a deep vein thrombosis, as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli.”

The statement explained that Hurts’ prognosis is “very good” and that he is “clinically stable,” with the treatment involving a prescription of blood thinners as well as being restricted from any contact activities, including but not limited to football. Hurts will remain with the team throughout the rest of the campaign, and the Eagles “anticipate that he will have no long-term effects,” but his 2026 season has come to an end as he recovers from the blood clots.

The Eagles said Hurts was injured when he took a cleat to his calf area on Oct. 4 in a game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Hurts informed the medical staff of the injury after practice on Oct. 8. The Super Bowl 59 MVP was back at practice the next day before the team left for London to play Jacksonville. Hurts was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis.

Hurts hadn’t missed more than two games in a season since becoming the full-time starter in 2021. He has led the Eagles to five straight playoff appearances, three NFC East titles and two Super Bowl appearances, beating the Chiefs 40-22 two years ago.

According to NFL Network, Hurts did not sleep prior to the Eagles’ game in London against the Jaguars on Oct. 11, as “sleep was a risk” in his condition. The Eagles reportedly attempted to reunite with former quarterback Andy Dalton with Hurts on the IR, but the veteran declined and instead has signed with the Falcons, per ESPN.

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The Eagles have lost four-straight games since opening up the season 2-0, including a 25-14 defeat against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Tanner McKee, 26, started on Sunday in Hurts’ absence, going 26-for-45 with a touchdown and no interceptions while throwing for 215 yards against the Panthers.

Hurts was one of many Eagles listed on the injury report in Week 6, with running backs Saquon Barkley and Will Shipley both out with hamstring and foot injuries, respectively, three other players out and missing practice all week and five players listed as questionable with two of those – lineman Landon Dickerson center Drew Kendall – limited in practice. Hurts is the seventh Eagles’ player to be listed on the IR this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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The Indianapolis Colts missed the playoffs five straight years and selected the wrong guy to be their next franchise quarterback.

On Monday, Chris Ballard paid the price for it.

Team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon announced she had fired the general manager who had run the team since 2017. The move comes one day after the hometown fans booed resoundingly during the second half of Sunday’s game, chanted “Fire Ballard” and left early as the Colts lost 26-20 to previously winless Tennessee.

She said the decision could not wait until the offseason.

“Our standard is to compete for championships, and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to meet that standard,” she said. “Making this change during the season was a deliberate decision. Waiting would only delay the important work that needs to begin now.”

She said a “thorough search” for Ballard’s successor will begin immediately.

Irsay-Gordon made her position clear in January when she thwarted fan requests to fire Ballard and coach Shane Steichen. Instead, she said she agreed with the fans’ desire to field a championship-caliber team and that she was bringing both back with the understanding the urgency to make the playoffs could not be higher.

Ballard’s revamped defense yielded 1,029 yards, the second-highest two-game total in league history, as Indy lost its opening two games. Victories over the then-winless Houston Texans and a Washington Commanders squad playing with a backup quarterback briefly quieted the calls for changes.

But another poor defensive performance in a loss at Pittsburgh was followed by Sunday’s debacle — blowing a 13-0 halftime lead with the Titans defense holding Indy to only one second-half score. A 58-yard punt return in the fourth quarter set up Tennessee’s tying score and a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown less than three minutes later gave Tennessee the lead.

“We’ve got to give them something to cheer about,” a feistier than usual Steichen said. “I don’t blame them for booing one freaking bit.”

Steichen was asked Sunday about whether turnover-prone quarterback Daniel Jones would keep his job and whether he would make any changes on his staff. While Steichen said the Colts need to find a solution to the giveaways, he did not promise any personnel changes.

Ballard’s decade-long tenure included some unusual twists and turns — the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck in August 2019, seven straight years with a different opening day starting quarterback, the firing of coach Frank Reich and subsequent hiring of Jeff Saturday, and last year’s decision to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement while he was on the Hall of Fame ballot.

And while the Colts routinely hovered near the .500 mark, they never could quite get over the hump. They’ve won only one playoff game since reaching the 2014 AFC championship, a wild-card round victory at Houston in 2018. Indy lost the next week at Kansas City, where Ballard previously worked.

They returned to the playoffs in 2020 with Rivers but lost 27-24 and haven’t been back since.

Indy also has the longest title drought in its division. They haven’t won the AFC South since 2014 — every other team has won it at least twice since then.

But it was the decision to draft quarterback Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023 that ultimately undid Ballard’s tenure. Richardson’s inconsistent play and recurring injuries through his first two seasons prompted Ballard to sign Jones last season.

Jones then beat out Richardson for the starting job and led the Colts offense to a historic start as they went 8-2. But a broken bone in Jones’ left leg derailed the season, and his season ended in December with a torn right Achilles tendon.

Indy finished the season by losing its final seven games and missing the playoffs. This season’s poor start, apparently, was the final straw for Irsay-Gordon.

“I also want to be clear: this decision does not change our goals for the season,” Irsay-Gordon said. “We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect us to compete, improve, and win football games.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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This NBA rookie class is being hyped as one of the best in years — and the oddsboard backs it up.

No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa has just the fourth-best odds to win Rookie of the Year. That should tell you all you need to know about this class’s depth and upside.

So, which rookie will deliver a breakout debut season?

Let’s check out the odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 19.

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.

NBA Rookie of the Year Odds

Cameron Boozer: +270
Caleb Wilson: +340
Darryn Peterson: +360
AJ Dybantsa: +475
Darius Acuff Jr.: +1000
Yaxel Lendeborg: +1400
Mikel Brown Jr.: +4000
Keaton Wagler: +4000
Aday Mara: +8000
Nate Ament: +10000
Kingston Flemings: +10000
Brayden Burries: +10000
Morez Johnson Jr.: +10000
Cameron Carr: +10000

Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer are the two favorites on the NBA Rookie of the Year oddsboard (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images).

Here’s what to know about this oddsboard: 

The Favorite: No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer is the preseason favorite to win Rookie of the Year at +270. He could immediately be the best player on what is projected to be a below-average Grizzlies team. He will have his opportunities, that’s for sure. At Duke last season, Boozer started all 38 games and averaged a double-double, posting 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 55.6% from the field. He led the ACC in double-doubles (22) and rebounds per game while finishing second in scoring.

Biggest Riser: When the opening odds came out after the NBA Draft back in June, Caleb Wilson was at +1000. Now, after a great summer league and preseason, the Bulls rookie has surged to the second-choice at +340. According to BetMGM betting insights, 43% of money (most) is on Wilson to win the award. In 24 games last year at North Carolina as a freshman, Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game. He shot 57.8% from the field, including 61% on 2-pointers, and 71.3% from the free-throw line, posting a 63.7% true shooting percentage and a 59.0% effective field-goal percentage. He ranked second in the ACC in rebounds per game, third in double-doubles (11) and fourth in scoring. Wilson also finished sixth in blocks and 10th in steals, showing his impact on both ends of the floor. The Bulls may have gotten the best player in the draft at pick No. 4. 

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Florida will start the men’s college basketball season where it ended it two seasons ago: No. 1.

The Gators were the overwhelming pick to top the preseason AP Top 25 on Monday, receiving 47 of the 59 first-place votes from a panel of national media. It is the first time that coach Todd Golden’s bunch has resided on top since the final poll in 2025, after they had beaten Houston to deliver the school its third national championship.

“It’s cool,” Golden said of the ranking, “but like, we’ve been No. 1 before. We won a national championship before. That’s what I want our program to expect. That’s what we want to kind of go into every season at.”

Duke received 10 first-place votes and was second in the preseason poll. Illinois received the other two and was third.

Florida had a tough start on a difficult schedule to begin the 2025-2026 season as defending champions, but is primed for success again this year. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

The Gators started last season at No. 3 but crashed out of the poll entirely by early January. They rallied to win the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship, only to get stunned by Iowa as a No. 1 seed in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“I think we’re more prepared this year for early-season expectations than we were last year,” Golden said. “We were kind of gathering ourselves, figuring (things) out for the first time, where this year we can use last year’s experience to learn from.”

In an era of roster upheaval — some teams still don’t know who will be eligible as court cases play out — the Gators have the benefit of experience on their side. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Denzel Aberdeen all played on their national title team.

Aberdeen, back after a year at Kentucky, is among the players who’ve been granted another season of eligibility by the courts.

“We didn’t finish the way that we wanted to last year, so everyone’s kind of got that in the back of their head as motivation,” Condon said. “Times where we’re struggling in conditioning at 6 a.m., we just went back to that, and I feel like we’ve talked about it a few times with the core group, how motivating it is the fact that we fell short.”

The Head Of The Class

The Blue Devils matched their highest preseason ranking since they were No. 1 in 2017, though coach Jon Scheyer is well aware that where they end up is what matters. Duke has won 70 games over the past two seasons, a school record for such a stretch, but losses to UConn in the Elite Eight and Houston in the Final Four have left a sting on Tobacco Road.

“I feel like any time I step on the court, I believe me and my teammates are going to win,” said Dame Sarr, who along with Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba II and Cayden Boozer give Duke a talented returning nucleus to go with its top-tier recruiting class.

“I feel like we have a chance to win a national championship,” Sarr said. “It’s just doing a better job this year.”

Illinois matched its best preseason ranking since 2001, and returns five of its top eight scorers — headlined by Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic — from a team that made its first Final Four appearance in two decades last season.

UConn and Arizona, each coming off a Final Four trip of their own, rounded out the top five of the preseason poll.

The Rest Of The Rankings

Michigan State, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Houston finished out the first 10, while Louisville, Arkansas, St. John’s, Miami and Gonzaga were next. Michigan, Kansas, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Alabama rounded out the top 20, while the final five in the Top 25 were USC, UCLA, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and BYU.

The Jayhawks feature the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Tyran Stokes, a year after Darryn Peterson brought the same billing to Lawrence for a frustrating season that ended with another first-weekend NCAA tourney exit. The late addition of all-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, a transfer from Purdue, coupled with the return of Tre White and Melvin Council III thanks to court decisions, could change those fortunes come March.

Kentucky is making its 998th appearance in the poll. Two more weeks and it will be the first to reach 1,000.

Vanderbilt, which finished 19th last year, is ranked in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2015, while BYU is back in the poll despite losing one-and-done phenom A.J. Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.

Here are the full rankings:

Record: 23-12 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 22-14 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-12 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 18-14 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 25-10 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 23-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 29-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 37-3 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 31-4 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 26-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 30-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 28-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 24-11 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 30-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 30-7 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 25-12 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 21-15 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 36-3 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 34-6 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 28-9 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 35-3 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

Record: 27-8 (2025-2026)

Previous ranking: N/A

The Best Of The Rest

Missouri is the top team outside the Top 25, though the Tigers could break in soon. All-SEC forward Mark Mitchell was granted an injunction last week to play another season, and he joins a roster loaded with veterans (Trent Pierce), elite transfers (Jamier Jones, Bryson Tiller, Jaylen Carey and Kennard Davis Jr.) and five-star freshmen (Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant).

Nebraska was next-best of the rest, while Purdue was among those receiving plenty of votes, though not enough to avoid ending the Boilermakers’ streak of 79 consecutive weeks in the poll. That was second-longest to Houston, which is at 127 and counting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Mum’s the word in Ann Arbor.

Kyle Whittingham said he has decided whether Bryce Underwood or Tommy Carr is the Michigan Wolverines’ starting quarterback against the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers, but the veteran coach doesn’t want to let the Hoosiers know before their matchup at the Big House this weekend.

“We’re not going to tip our hand,” Whittingham said Monday.

Underwood was benched and Carr was given a chance on Saturday — with Michigan trailing the Penn State Nittany Lions 3-0 at halftime — and the grandson of two College Football Hall of Famers and the brother of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s quarterback made the most of his opportunity.

Underwood threw two interceptions in the second quarter against the Nittany Lions. The sophomore, who was the nation’s No. 1 recruit last year, has thrown six interceptions and five touchdowns this season.

Carr led two touchdown drives in the third quarter, and his 12-yard touchdown run on third-and-9 late in the game gave Michigan a two-score lead it needed for a win to avoid starting 0-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967.

College Football Related Stories

His grandfathers are Lloyd Carr, who led the Wolverines to the 1997 national title, and Tom Curtis, who was an All-America defensive back and holds the school’s career interceptions record. His brother, CJ Carr, is starting at quarterback for the fourth-ranked Fighting Irish.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Baltimore Orioles have hired Jared Banner as general manager to work alongside team president Mike Elias.

The Orioles announced the move Monday. Banner was the assistant GM of the Chicago Cubs, taking on that role in 2024. He’s also been a vice president of special projects and vice president of player development for the Cubs.

“When I first heard Mike’s vision, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Banner said in a statement. “The Orioles are a storied franchise with a passionate fanbase, a historic ballpark, and an organization full of talent.”

Banner’s arrival comes with Baltimore’s front office under increasing pressure to reverse the team’s decline the past couple seasons. Elias appeared to have built the Orioles into a force when the team won 192 games in two seasons from 2023-24. Since then, Baltimore has managed only 75 wins in 2025 and 79 this year.

“Jared has been one of the rising talents in our league for some time, now,” Elias said. “He has demonstrated success running multiple different departments and has worked alongside some of the best people and front office talent in the league across multiple stops. He is a perfect fit to grow, evolve and improve the Orioles’ baseball operations.”

MLB Related Stories

Banner is a Brooklyn, New York, native. He played baseball at Amherst College and was a fellow in the baseball operations department of the Boston Red Sox in 2007. He spent 11 years with the Red Sox, working in player development and amateur scouting before becoming assistant director of player personnel in 2013.

He was Boston’s vice president of player personnel in 2017-18 before becoming executive director of player development of the New York Mets. Then he joined the Cubs in late 2020.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Chase field certainly tightened up after Phoenix. And now there are more drivers who can feel better about their chances at winning the title.

Here’s a look at how I view their chances, as six drivers sit within 56 points of leader Kyle Larson heading into the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.

This is the eighth race of the 10-race Chase, which will finish with trips at Martinsville and Homestead.

On The Verge (Alphabetical Order):

Chris Buescher (RFK Racing No. 17 Ford, -204 points behind leader): Buescher finished 22nd at Phoenix and probably just wants this Chase to end. He’ll have to fight at Talladega to avoid elimination, as any driver 153 or more points behind will mathematically be out of the hunt.

William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet, -190): Byron finished sixth in the opening stage but wound up 21st at Phoenix. He still seeks his first Cup win of the year.

Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet, -149): Elliott stayed out on old tires instead of pitting late, a decision that resulted in a third-place finish at Phoenix. It was his best finish since his win in May at Texas.

Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet, -158): Hocevar placed 12th at Phoenix and now heads back to the track where he earned his only career Cup win.

Ryan Preece (RFK Racing No. 60 Ford, -211): Preece placed 18th at Phoenix and will try to avoid elimination at Talladega.

Daniel Suárez (Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet, -188): Suárez finished seventh at Phoenix, his first top 10 of The Chase.

Contender Rankings

10.

Cindric finished 19th at Phoenix, missing out on an opportunity to get closer to 100 points behind Larson. He won the spring 2025 race at Talladega and was eighth in April. He has one career top five at Martinsville and no career top 10s at Homestead.

9.

Gibbs had to start at the rear at Phoenix because of an alternator change. He stayed out late on old tires and ended up 10th. He has one top five at Talladega (he crashed out in the spring), one top five at Martinsville and no top fives at Homestead. He would need a career-defining run to win the title. 

8.

Wallace appeared to be the car to beat late in the race at Phoenix, but a speeding penalty on his final pit stop ruined any chances he had for the victory. He finished 17th. Wallace earned his first career victory in 2021 at Talladega and had a string of three top 10s there snapped in April when he crashed out of the event. He has two career top fives at Martinsville and one at Homestead.

7.

Reddick snapped a 23-race winless streak at Phoenix, where he cut 58 points off his deficit to Larson. He’s suddenly back in the championship mix, and next week at Talladega will be key. Reddick sat on the pole there in the spring but finished 14th at the track where he won in 2024. He doesn’t have a top five at Martinsville but won at Homestead in 2024.

6.

Logano swept the stages and finished sixth at Phoenix to cut 48 points into Larson’s lead. He can win at Talladega or Martinsville, and if he does, he’ll have a shot at Homestead. Logano has three career wins at Talladega, one at Martinsville and one at Homestead. He has not finished in the top 10 at Talladega, though, since a third-place finish there in 2021.

5.

It doesn’t seem like this will be the year for Hamlin, as he keeps failing to capitalize on potentially good days in The Chase. A flat tire and speeding penalty resulted in a 28th-place finish at Phoenix, where he still cut 18 points into Larson’s lead ahead of him. Hamlin has two career wins at Talladega (in 2014 and 2020) but has just one top 10 there in his last five starts. He has six career wins at Martinsville (he sat on the pole and finished second there in the spring) and three at Homestead.

4.

Blaney knows how to win at Talladega and Martinsville, and he enters those next two races coming off a second-place finish at Phoenix — a place where he had won the last two Cup races. He cut 45 points into Larson’s lead on him and now can at least taste having a shot. He has thrived at Talladega with three career wins and six top-fives (but has crashed out in three of the last four races there). He also has won twice at Martinsville (the elimination races in 2023 and 2024).

3.

Briscoe couldn’t make it three wins in a row, but his eighth-place finish helped him cut 41 points into Larson’s (what was safe) cushion on him. He won at Talladega a year ago, and a repeat of that would be a huge boost (he was 29th in April). He has no wins at Martinsville and Homestead, with three career top fives at those tracks.

2.

Bell doesn’t love speedway racing, but he doesn’t have to love it to have a shot of taking over the points lead at Talladega. He cut 46 points into Larson’s lead on him, thanks to a fourth-place finish at Phoenix. He hasn’t had a top five at Talladega since 2021. He has one career win at Martinsville and one at Homestead.

1.

Larson needed all the cushion he built early in The Chase as he struggled at Phoenix, running 20-25th for much of the race before a blown tire relegated him to 34th place. It was a three-point day for the reigning champion. He is expected to be the favorite at Homestead, but now he needs to get there (preferably with the points lead) to be in control of his destiny in trying to win a third title. He crashed at Talladega in April, but he has a second and a fourth there in his last four starts. He has one career win at Martinsville and two at Homestead.

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Tyler Reddick snapped his winless streak by getting into Victory Lane at Phoenix, while Kyle Larson’s miserable day put a damper on his Chase hopes.

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The Arch Manning experience hasn’t gone as expected for the Texas Longhorns. Following back-to-back losses to unranked Oklahoma and Florida, the Longhorns tumbled 12 spots in the latest AP Poll rankings to No. 19. 

For a program featuring one of the sport’s highest-paid rosters, preseason national championship expectations have quickly given way to damage control. Now, head coach Steve Sarkisian may be laying the groundwork for a quarterback change to spark the offense.

According to ESPN, redshirt freshman quarterback KJ Lacey Jr. is expected to see an uptick in first-team reps during practice this week. For now, however, Manning is expected to start against No. 7 Ole Miss.

All signs point toward Lacey eventually seeing the field if Manning continues to struggle in SEC play. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier, with the Rebels coming to Austin this week before the Longhorns gear up for the rest of their conference slate.

A four-star recruit in the 2025 class, Lacey was ranked as the No. 19 quarterback in the nation by 247Sports. While his action in Austin has been limited so far, he’s been efficient when called upon, completing 7 of 8 passes for 63 yards in two appearances this season.

The pressure on Manning has never been higher, as inconsistent play has raised serious questions about his hold on the starting job. He delivered a strong performance in a win over Ohio State earlier this season, but his recent struggles have left the door open for a potential benching. 

Despite an upgraded supporting cast that includes receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, Manning has taken a step back. Through six games, he’s completing 63.9% of his passes with 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. In Saturday’s loss against Florida, Manning threw for just 173 yards and one touchdown, despite the Gators ranking 121st of 138 teams in the FBS in passing yards allowed per game.

With no margin for error left on their schedule, the Longhorns likely need to run the table to stay in the College Football Playoff picture. Sarkisian faces immense pressure not only to keep winning, but also to evaluate whether a decision at quarterback is necessary.

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FOX Sports’ RJ Young shares his latest college football rankings after an upset-heavy Week 7.

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