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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is set to play in Saturday's key Big Ten matchup against No. 4 Ohio State. Allar missed the second half of last week's win over Wisconsin after suffering a left knee injury, but he was not listed on the injury report for the No. 3 Nittany Lions on Saturday morning. Penn State coach James Franklin said earlier this week that Allar could be a game-time decision and that backup Beau Pribula would take snaps with Allar in practice. Allar ranks 10th nationally with a QBR of 83.6. He has completed 71.3% of his passes for 1,640 yards and totaled 15 touchdowns with four interceptions. Penn State starting defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton will be a game-time decision, a source told ESPN's Pete Thamel. Dennis-Sutton, who is listed as questionable, is expected to warm up and try to play. Information from ESPN's Jake Trotter was used in this report.

Staging the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia can help to bring change on behalf of gender equality and LGBTQ rights in the kingdom, Coco Gauff said, although the former US Open champion added that she still had some reservations. Riyadh will host the season finale, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams, from 2024 to 2026, replacing last year's host Cancun, Mexico. This year's WTA Finals will run from Nov. 2-9. The WTA has received criticism for the move, with greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova voicing their opposition. "I'm obviously very aware of the situation here in Saudi. My view on it is that I do think sport can have a way to open doors to people," Gauff told reporters Friday. "This is the first professional women's tennis event held here. The WTA pledged for the next three years to help the Future Stars program here in Saudi and introduce more Saudi women especially into the sport. "I think their goal is to have a million people playing...

Staging the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia can help to bring change on behalf of gender equality and LGBTQ rights in the kingdom, Coco Gauff said, although the former US Open champion added that she still had some reservations. Riyadh will host the season finale -- which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams -- from 2024-2026, replacing last year's host Cancun, Mexico. This year's WTA Finals will run from Nov. 2-9. The WTA has received criticism for the move, with greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova voicing their opposition. "I'm obviously very aware of the situation here in Saudi. My view on it is that I do think sport can have a way to open doors to people," Gauff told reporters on Friday. "This is the first professional women's tennis event held here. The WTA pledged for the next three years to help the Future Stars program here in Saudi and introduce more Saudi women especially into the sport. "I think their goal is to have a million...

MINNEAPOLIS -- Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun threw down a spectacular poster dunk over a four-time Defensive Player of the Year but felt regrets about the play as he left the Target Center on Friday night. Braun blamed himself for a celebration that caused a confrontation with Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, saying the double technical fouls halted Denver's momentum. "I got to be more responsible," Braun said after the Timberwolves rallied from a 10-point deficit to hand the Nuggets a 119-116 loss. "It's two points. Obviously, those are the plays you want to make and those are the momentum plays I want to make, but getting a tech throws the momentum their way, so I got to do a better job of controlling myself." Braun drove down the middle of the lane, launched just inside the dotted line and slammed the ball in with two hands despite Gobert contesting it with 5:14 remaining. After he landed, Braun flexed his shoulders and...

MINNEAPOLIS -- Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol after exiting Friday's 119-116 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter. Murray was cutting through the lane with Anthony Edwards guarding him, when Julius Randle backed up to chase Aaron Gordon and inadvertently banged his shoulder into Murray's nose. Murray's head jerked back into Edwards from the impact, and he doubled over in pain while the play continued before subbing out four possessions later during a timeout and heading to the locker room for further examination. Murray had six points on 2-of-7 shooting in 22 minutes. That continued a relatively slow start to the season for Murray, who signed a four-year, $208 million maximum contract extension in September. He averaged 18.8 points on 37.9% shooting in the Nuggets' first four games entering Friday night. The Associated Press contributed to this report.  ...

Jaylen Brown had 25 points in the Boston Celtics' 124-109 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, but he saved his biggest shots for after the game. The star guard took issue with former teammate Grant Williams, who plowed into Jayson Tatum from the side as Tatum was dribbling near half court late in the fourth quarter. Tatum spilled to the ground. Brown then came in and jawed at Williams and the Hornets bench. Tatum appeared upset as he got to his feet but simply walked toward the foul line as officials reviewed the play. Williams was ejected for a flagrant foul 2 and could face a league suspension.  Asked if he thought Williams' foul was unintentional, Brown didn't hesitate with an answer. "Like, what are we talking about? Y'all see the same play that I was seeing?" Brown told reporters in Charlotte. "He hit him like it was a football play. Like, Ray Lewis coming across the middle or something. It is what it is. Grant know...

All-American Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is out against No. 1 Oregon on Saturday, sources confirmed to ESPN, leaving the Wolverines without their top defensive player. Johnson left the Illinois game on Oct. 19 with a lower-body injury and missed the Michigan State game last week. He is still recovering from that lower-body injury, and his timeline to return is uncertain. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said this week that Johnson is expected back at some point this season "for sure" but didn't specify when. Johnson is considered the top cornerback prospect for the upcoming NFL draft. He has two pick-sixes this year for the Wolverines, returning interceptions 86 yards against Fresno State and 42 yards against USC. Last season, he snagged four interceptions and earned defensive MVP honors for the 2023 national championship game. 247 Sports first reported Johnson's expected absence.

Top-ranked shooting guard Darryn Peterson announced his commitment to  Kansas on Friday, giving coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks their highest-ranked recruit since 2016. Peterson picked Kansas over a final four that included  Ohio State,  Kansas State and  USC. The Jayhawks have been the presumed favorite for months, but he took official visits to each of his other finalists. "This was a very hard decision," Peterson told ESPN. "Ultimately, it was the coaching of Bill Self and the culture of their program. My heart and gut were with Kansas. "I will have the opportunity to play right away as a freshman, prepare for the draft and be dialed into winning. I won't look back or ahead. I will be dialed in when I am there." A 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Ohio who attends Prolific Prep (California), Peterson is ranked No. 3 overall in the ESPN 100 for 2025. He is the No. 1-ranked shooting guard in the country. Peterson becomes Kansas'...

Rúben Amorim has said he wanted to delay his move to Manchester United from Sporting CP until the end of the season but was told by the Premier League club that it was "now or never." Man United confirmed the appointment of Amorim as their new manager on Friday, with Sporting announcing in a statement to Portugal's financial regulator, the CMVM, that the Red Devils had paid a fee of €11 million for his transfer. Amorim, 39, will work a notice period with Sporting before officially starting work at United on Nov. 11. "I had three days to decide one option that radically changes my life," Amorim told reporters after Sporting's 5-1 win against Estrela Amadora on Friday. "The only request I made was for it [transfer] to be at the end of the season, and they [United] told me that it wasn't possible; that it was now or never. I knew if I rejected it that in six months I wouldn't have it. And I knew that in six months I would know that I wouldn't be at...

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw approached the podium on a blue, circular stage set up in center field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, after the downtown parade he'd always wanted, with his teammates bowing from behind, and the emotions hit him. "I'm at a loss for words," Kershaw, his voice cracking, told a crowd of 42,448 people who showed up to celebrate the  Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series title. "I didn't have anything to do with this championship, but it feels like I have the best feeling in the world -- that I get to celebrate with you guys!" When the Dodgers last won it all, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from enjoying most of the pageantry presented to Major League Baseball's champion, most notably a parade. Kershaw, who had spent his prolonged career chasing a title, never got to fully enjoy a moment that admittedly lifted a massive burden off his shoulders. When the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the World...

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sent a memo Friday to league athletic directors and head football coaches outlining the punishment if players continue to fake injuries in games. "As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs," Sankey wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN.  He ended the memo by writing: "Play football and stop the feigned injury nonsense." Increasingly over the past few years, coaches have accused opposing teams and coaches of faking injuries to disrupt the rhythm and flow of offenses, especially those that are up-tempo and rarely huddle. Broadcasters have pointed out several obvious cases this season when players flopped to the ground near the sideline claiming to be injured just as the opposing offense was about to snap the ball. Each play where a fake injury might have occurred must be submitted to the SEC for review. Steve Shaw, the national coordinator of football officiating, will...

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani and his dog, celebrated their eighth World Series championship with a downtown parade and a raucous on-field party on Friday. "This is so special," said Ohtani, who usually only speaks in his native Japanese but addressed a crowd of 42,458 at Dodger Stadium in English. "I'm so honored to be here. Congratulations, Los Angeles. Thank you, guys." Fellow Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto added in English, "Thank you, Dodger fans." Rapper Ice Cube kicked off the bash by performing "It Was a Good Day," with manager Dave Roberts dancing and joining in on the lyrics from a blue circular stage in the middle of the field. "You guys wanted a parade. We got a parade," Roberts said. "Guys, let's get ready to run this back next year, too." Players exchanged hugs and back slaps on the stage as blue-and-white confetti drifted in the air and the team's signature song, "I Love L.A.," blared. Their children played on the...

RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks ruled out star receiver DK Metcalf for their NFC West showdown with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Lumen Field. The Seahawks will also be without another offensive weapon in tight end Noah Fant, who was ruled out with a groin injury, but they might get right tackle George Fant (knee) back from his stint on injured reserve. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV (neck) is listed as questionable. Metcalf will miss a second straight game because of the Grade 1 MCL sprain he suffered in Week 7. Coach Mike Macdonald said Monday that he was optimistic Metcalf would return this week, but the receiver has still not practiced since suffering the injury. Macdonald said Friday that Metcalf didn't have a setback. "He just needs more time," Macdonald said. "It's nothing that he could have done differently. We just need more time for him. That's what's best for him and the team." Metcalf had missed only one game...

LOS ANGELES -- Puka Nacua will not practice on Friday after banging his right knee during practice on Thursday, but head coach Sean McVay said he "wouldn't bet against" the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver playing on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Nacua left practice early on Thursday after he "banged his knee [on the ground] just a little bit," McVay said. "Fortunately there's nothing structurally [wrong]," McVay said. He'll be listed as questionable, but I wouldn't bet against this guy. My expectation is he's going to do everything in his power to be ready to roll and that's the mindset that we have." Nacua first injured his right knee during a joint practice on Aug. 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed three weeks of practice with the injury. He then aggravated the injury in the Rams' season opener and spent the next five weeks on injured reserve. Nacua was activated from IR for Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings and had...

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals could be without three key offensive starters for a game that will be crucial for their playoff hopes. Wide receiver Tee Higgins and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. were both be listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders, while running back Zack Moss did not practice Friday with a neck injury, according to the game status report, and is also listed as doubtful. Moss, who signed with the Bengals in the offseason, has split the bulk of the backfield snaps with Chase Brown, totaling 242 yards and two touchdowns. Neither Higgins nor Brown practiced all week. Higgins has been out since he injured his quadriceps last Friday and missed the Bengals' Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Brown aggravated a right knee injury that knocked him out of Week 7's win over the Cleveland Browns. If Brown can't start, it will be only the second game in his seven-year career that he will...

Grand Canyon will join the Mountain West Conference by at least 2026, the school and conference announced Friday. The decision comes six months after GCU announced it would join the West Coast Conference in 2025. "We want to best position ourselves to be nationally competitive, and we are excited about the vision and future of the Mountain West," GU athletic director Jamie Boggs said in a statement. "We are joining a conference that has enjoyed national success, has developed a rich tradition in its 26 years and has financially positioned us for competitive success in this changing collegiate landscape. We are eager to compete for championships with our future peers in the Mountain West." GCU will compete in 17 conference-sponsored sports, most notably men's basketball. The Antelopes have qualified for the past three NCAA men's basketball tournaments, the most recent of which included a first-round upset of fifth-seeded Saint Mary's. "Grand Canyon is a tremendous addition to the...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson declared he will "100 percent" play Sunday against the Denver Broncos after missing two practices this week with back and knee injuries. "That wasn't in doubt," Jackson said after Friday's practice. "Just resting my body. It's a long season." This marked the first time this year that Jackson had missed a regular-season practice. The reigning NFL MVP returned Friday and moved around well. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is not worried about how Jackson will play after missing multiple practices in a week, which hasn't happened since the end of the 2022 season. "He'll be ready," Harbaugh said. "He studied all week. He was involved in all the preparation. He knows the game plan. He knows the opponent." Jackson is quarterbacking an offense that ranks No. 1 in total yards (452.1) and second in scoring (30.3 points per game). His 2,099 yards passing is fifth in the NFL, and his 501 yards rushing leads...

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum will miss two to three weeks while forward Herb Jones is out two to four weeks because of injuries, the team announced Friday. McCollum has been diagnosed with a right adductor strain while Jones sustained a right shoulder strain and rotator cuff tear. McCollum, in his fourth season with the Pelicans, is averaging 18.8 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Jones, in his fourth season, is averaging 6.8 points per game.

The University of Washington announced Friday that former Huskies guard Kelsey Plum will have her No. 10 jersey retired when the team hosts Purdue on Jan. 18. Plum, who played at Washington from 2013 to 2017, will become the first Huskies women's basketball player to have her jersey retired. She was the consensus national player of the year as a senior, when she passed Jackie Stiles to become the leading scorer in Division I women's basketball history with a school-record 57 points on senior day against Utah. Caitlin Clark passed Plum for that record earlier this year. Plum also led Washington to the first Final Four appearance in program history in 2016, when she was chosen for the AP All-America third team. After being drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2017 by the WNBA's San Antonio Stars, Plum moved with the team to Las Vegas, and she has been a key starter on Aces teams that won back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. A three-time...

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino has addressed the rumors linking Neymar to the club and insisted a deal would be impossible to negotiate at the moment given MLS roster and salary restrictions. "With [ Lionel Messi] and the boys already here, anything that can happen. What I can't imagine is if the league doesn't make the salary issue more flexible, how it would be carried out," Martino said on Friday. "After writing it or saying it in the media it's all good, nothing happens, it doesn't have any consequences, but what would the implementation be like? And the reality is that if there is something that the MLS has, it is that the rules are strict and can be broken, unless the MLS decides to change." Rumors arose after Neymar bought a waterfront property in Miami, Florida, but Martino emphasized the ridiculous nature of linking a player to a team through real estate. "Everyone that buys at home here is going to come to play? Ha! I arrived in...

FRISCO, Texas -- Despite the free agent losses, the lack of free agent additions and the reliance on in-house improvement, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones never anticipated his team would be 3-4 after seven games. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday, Jones was asked about the play of right guard Zack Martin and right tackle Terence Steele but took a broader view of the roster. "I think we're having a rougher go than I anticipated. Let's put it like that. Let's don't couple that with just those two," Jones said. "But having me in the loop has to be there. It is rougher and I did not anticipate the challenges that we're having with this team, but I am reminded of teams that I've seen that have had a lot of success and put themselves in position to take a shot and they were 3-4." The Cowboys take on the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons (5-3) on Sunday to start a four-week stretch against teams that are a combined 22-10...

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino has addressed the rumors linking Neymar to the club and insisted a deal would currently be impossible to negotiate given MLS roster and salary restrictions. Neymar, who has a contract with Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal through the summer of 2025, has been linked with Miami ever since the club signed his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets last year. "With [Messi] and the boys already here, anything that can happen. What I can't imagine is if the league doesn't make the salary issue more flexible, how it would be carried out," Martino, who previously coached Neymar at Barcelona, told reporters Friday. "After writing it or saying it in the media it's all good, nothing happens, it doesn't have any consequences, but what would the implementation be like? And the reality is that if there is something that the MLS has, it is...

The Indiana Fever have hired Stephanie White as their new head coach, the team announced Friday. White, who spent the past two seasons as head coach of the Connecticut Sun, takes over a franchise led by WNBA star  Caitlin Clark. "As we enter this new era of Fever basketball, I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie back to the franchise," president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. "Stephanie is a part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a former player and as a member of our championship coaching staff, so I'm quite familiar with her elite basketball IQ and leadership style. I am confident there is no one who better understands our culture or is more equipped to lead our group of players to the next level." Building around a promising young core in Clark and Aliyah Boston, the past two No. 1 draft picks, White will look to propel Indiana to the organization's first championship since 2012. White -- an Indiana...

New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal has left the team's road trip because of an upper-body injury. The team announced Friday that Barzal, 27, had returned to Long Island to see team physicians and that a time frame for his recovery will be announced after that evaluation. Barzal played 22:46 in the Islanders' 2-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, registering two shots on goal. He has two goals and five points in 10 games this season, skating to a minus-3. The loss of Barzal comes as the Islanders have had the NHL's worst offense through the first month of the season. The Islanders are averaging 2.10 goals per game, ranking 32nd in the league. That's despite ranking 11th in the NHL in expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. Barzal has yet to tally a point in 5-on-5 play this season. Barzal is the team's leader in power-play ice time (3:42) for a unit that ranks 28th in the NHL. The Islanders (3-5-2) are in Buffalo on...

The Indiana Fever have hired Stephanie White as their new head coach, league sources told ESPN on Friday. White, who spent the past two seasons as head coach of the Connecticut Sun, takes over a franchise led by WNBA star  Caitlin Clark. Building around a promising young core in Clark and Aliyah Boston, the past two No. 1 draft picks, White will look to propel Indiana to the organization's first championship since 2012. White -- an Indiana native and former star at Purdue -- is plenty familiar with the Fever, serving on their coaching staff from 2011 to 2016, including as head coach for the last two years of that span. She was a member of the franchise's inaugural roster in 2000 and played for the team for four seasons. White went 55-25 with consecutive semifinals appearances with the Sun, winning WNBA Coach of the Year in 2023. Prior to her return to the WNBA, she coached at Vanderbilt for five seasons, and she has worked for...

Getting into the ring with Mike Tyson is likely too intimidating for most boxing fans, but high rollers looking to get closer to the action than ever before can do so by spending $2 million for ringside apron seats to his Nov. 15 fight with Jake Paul. On Friday, consulting firm Elevate unveiled renderings of its premium hospitality package for the fight, a 10-ticket "MVP Owner's Experience" that will seat two people in a private suite less than 6 feet from the action at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The ringside apron suite at Tyson's first professional fight in 19 years is the closest to the ring that patron seating has ever been approved by Texas boxing regulators, according to Elevate, and features premium leather chairs. Among the other perks are a prefight locker room visit with Tyson and Paul, a chance to be onstage during the weigh-in, autographed gloves from both boxers, and a personal concierge and security detail during the week. In terms of admission, in addition...

LOS ANGELES -- Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua left practice Thursday because of a knee injury, but sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that it was not believed to be serious. Nacua's status for the Rams' Week 9 game against the Seattle Seahawks is still to be determined, according to a source, who said he "should be fine." The injury was to the same knee Nacua injured during training camp and then aggravated in the Rams' season opener, a team spokesperson said. Nacua was listed as a limited participant in practice Thursday after he left early because of the injury. Along with sitting out during training camp because of the knee injury, Nacua missed Weeks 2 through 7 on injured reserve. He was activated from IR for Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings. In his first game back from the injury, Nacua had seven catches for 106 yards, giving him his eighth game with 100 receiving yards in 19 career games, according to ESPN Research. In two games this...

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has been medically cleared for the top-20 clash with Pittsburgh this weekend and will start for the Mustangs on Saturday night, coach Rhett Lashlee told ESPN. Jennings has been described as being among a "bunch of beat-up guys" by Lashlee and was listed as questionable heading into the game. His injury has not been disclosed. He required medical clearance to play Saturday night, sources had told ESPN earlier in the week. That clearance came late this week, Lashlee said. Jennings is 5-0 as a starter this season for No. 20 SMU, which hosts a key matchup against No. 18 Pitt. Jennings is 6-1 in his career as a starter and has emerged as the engineer of one of the ACC's most dangerous offenses. He has thrown for 1,594 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He completed 21 of 27 passes in a road win at Louisville and threw for 322 yards in a win at Stanford. Jennings has also run for 321 yards and three...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Trailing in the fourth quarter, his team's season teetering on the brink, wide receiver Garrett Wilson delivered OBJ 2.0 -- a spectacular, one-handed catch in the end zone that propelled the New York Jets to a 21-13 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium. Wilson's 26-yard touchdown, his second of the game, was the talk of a jubilant postgame locker room. Some players said it reminded them of Odell Beckham Jr.'s iconic catch for the New York Giants 10 years ago in the same stadium (same end zone, different side). Others described it as Michael Jordan-esque. In fact, Wilson -- in midair -- resembled the Jumpman logo, with his legs split and right hand high in the air as he snatched  Aaron Rodgers' third-and-21 pass in front of Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter. "He looked like he was Jordan," defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw said. "Unbelievable." Initially...

Victor Wembanyama had the second 5x5 game of his career while leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 106-88 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Wembanyama had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks, giving him at least five in five categories. He also had a 5x5 game in a loss to the  Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 23. His performance Thursday night made him the third player with multiple 5x5 games all time, joining Hakeem Olajuwon (six) and Andrei Kirilenko (three). Wembanyama wasn't satisfied by the showing. "It tells me I need to get my standards up when I don't get 5x5s because I am able to help my team in all those areas. It should be a consistent thing," he said, according to the San Antonio Express-News. "As I have said before, it is something we must have, something I must have more often to help my team." Chris Paul added 19 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds for the Spurs. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 16 points, and...

Orlando Magic superstar Paolo Banchero has been diagnosed with a torn right oblique and is sidelined indefinitely, the team announced Thursday. He will be reevaluated in four to six weeks, the team said, and his return to play will be based on how he responds to treatment. Banchero suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 102-99 loss to the  Chicago Bulls. Through five games, Banchero leads the Magic in scoring (29), assists (5.6) and minutes (36.4) per game. Banchero scored a career-high 50 points in Monday's win over the Indiana Pacers, when he became the second-youngest player to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game in NBA history behind LeBron James, who accomplished the feat in 2005 against the Toronto Raptors. Banchero followed that up with a 31-point effort in Wednesday's loss to the Bulls, making him just the third player to average 40 points over a two-game span in...

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua left practice Thursday because of a knee injury, but sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter it was not believed to be serious. Nacua's status for the Rams' Week 9 game against the Seattle Seahawks is still to be determined, according to a source, who said he "should be fine." The injury was to the same knee Nacua injured during training camp and then aggravated in the Rams' season opener, a team spokesperson said. Nacua was listed as a limited participant in practice Thursday after he left early because of the injury. Along with sitting out during training camp because of the knee injury, Nacua sat out Week 2 through 7 on injured reserve. He was activated from IR for Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings. In his first game back from the injury, Nacua had seven catches for 106 yards, giving him his eighth game with 100 receiving yards in 19 career games, according to ESPN Research. In two games...

Super Bowl-winning head coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and George Seifert are among the nine semifinalists from the coach category nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one from the group can be named a finalist to be considered by the full Hall of Fame selection committee for possible election in 2025. The Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed a list of 14 candidates to these semifinalists: Bill Arnsparger, Coughlin, Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy. All but Arnsparger, Knox and Seifert reached the semifinalist stage in 2023. The same committee is scheduled for a virtual meeting on Nov. 19 to nominate one finalist to be considered for enshrinement. Earlier this week, the Hall of Fame semifinalists from the contributor category, from which one finalist will be up for consideration with the next Hall of Fame class, were released: K.S. "Bud" Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank "Bucko" Kilroy,...

Unrivaled, the upcoming 3-on-3 women's basketball league, added its 30th player for its inaugural season Thursday, but she won't be the last. The league will have 36 players -- six teams of six -- for its first season, co-founder Napheesa Collier announced, with Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston later revealed as the league's 30th signing. "We're able to do this because we outperformed our financial projections, and so now we get to do something that we wanted to do in the future, which is give more people spots in Unrivaled," Collier, of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, said in a social media video. "This is such an amazing time in women's sports, and we're so thankful to all the positive people who have come out and supported us." Collier and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart founded the league to provide players an alternative to earning money overseas during the WNBA offseason. The season will be eight weeks long, and...

METAIRIE, La. --  New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave said he's considering wearing a Guardian Cap in this weekend's game against the Carolina Panthers after sustaining a concussion in Week 6. A Guardian Cap is a type of padding worn over the helmet with the intention of reducing the risk of concussions and head injuries during play. At the annual league meeting in March, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the use of the caps has reduced concussions by 52%. Most players are required to wear them in practice and have the option of wearing them in a game if they choose. "I'm still considering it. I was considering last game, ended up going with the regular helmet," Olave said Thursday. Olave was wearing the Saints' logo on his Guardian Cap in practice Wednesday, which was an indication he was considering wearing it in a game, but he did not have the logo on the cap during Thursday's practice. Olave has missed two games in his NFL career because of...

Super Bowl-winning head coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and George Seifert are among the nine semifinalists from the coach category nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one from the group can be named a finalist to be considered by the full Hall of Fame selection committee for possible election in 2025. The Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed a list of 14 candidates to these semifinalists: Bill Arnsparger, Coughlin, Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy. All but Arnsparger, Knox and Seifert reached the semifinalist stage in 2023. The same committee is scheduled for a virtual meeting on Nov. 19 to nominate one finalist to be considered for enshrinement. Earlier this week, the Hall of Fame semifinalists from the contributor category, from which one finalist will be up for consideration with the next Hall of Fame class, were released: K.S. "Bud" Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank "Bucko" Kilroy,...

Outfielder Juan Soto, pitchers Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler and Max Fried, and first baseman Pete Alonso were among 136 players who became free agents Thursday morning. Third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Anthony Santander and shortstop Willy Adames also went free. There were 64 more players with pending option decisions who could become free agents by Monday, the fifth day after the World Series. Teams and players can start discussing contract terms at 5:01 p.m. ET Monday, after the deadline for teams to make $21.05 million qualifying offers to eligible free agents. Pitcher Justin Verlander became a free agent after he failed to pitch 140 innings this year, the amount that would have triggered his ability to exercise a $35 million conditional player option. If he had exercised the option, the New York Mets would have been obligated to give an additional $17.5 million to Houston as part of last...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he sees the effort to bring a WNBA franchise to Kansas City as the next logical step for the ownership group of the NWSL's Kansas City Current. "We want to get basketball to Kansas City in general and then WNBA. The success that they've had this last season and these last few seasons, it's kind of a no-brainer,'' said Mahomes, who along with his wife, Brittany, is an investor in the Current. "To try to get a WNBA team in Kansas City to this fan base -- you see it if you talk about University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs or whatever it is -- the city of Kansas City is going to come out and they're going to fill the stadium. "It was cool that we were able to get this soccer team, this women's soccer team here in the Current and they're going into the playoffs now and you see the support that they have. So let's try to get a WNBA team in here as well [with] that same ownership group. They've done...

The Atlanta Braves traded outfielder Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Griffin Canning on Thursday, kicking off the hot stove season with a deal that sends a power bat to Los Angeles and adds pitching depth to Atlanta's rotation, the teams announced. This marks the second time Soler has been traded in the past three months. After he signed a three-year, $42 million free agent contract with San Francisco last winter, the Giants dealt him to Atlanta, where he had won a championship in 2021. Soler, whose mammoth home run in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series remains a hallmark for that Braves team, hit .241/.338/.442 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs in 142 games last season. He is owed $32 million over the final two years of his contract. "I was working out, and I got a call from the GM telling me I was getting traded," Soler said through an interpreter. "It's amazing how fast everything happened, but I'm grateful for the Angels...

The Big 12 determined Thursday that none of its games were compromised by unencrypted frequencies used with coach-to-player in-game communications this season. Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that the coach-to-player communications for all Power 4 college football games this season have been on unencrypted frequencies, and Texas Tech requested a report from the Big 12 on its recent games against TCU and Baylor -- both losses -- to ensure the integrity of the games were not compromised. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he raised the issue during a call with Big 12 athletic directors Tuesday, after learning that anyone with a scanner and knowledge of how to locate the frequencies had access to those in-game communications. "Following the industry-wide concerns surrounding helmet communications, the Big 12 conducted a review of conference games and helmet communications processes to address any issues member institutions raised regarding this matter," the...

The Big 12 determined Thursday that none of its games were compromised by unencrypted frequencies used with coach-to-player in-game communications this season. Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that the coach-to-player communications for all Power 4 college football games this season have been on unencrypted frequencies, and Texas Tech requested a report from the Big 12 on its recent games against TCU and Baylor -- both losses -- to ensure the integrity of the games were not compromised. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he raised the issue during a call with Big 12 athletic directors Tuesday, after learning that anyone with a scanner and knowledge of how to locate the frequencies had access to those in-game communications. "Following the industry-wide concerns surrounding helmet communications, the Big 12 conducted a review of conference games and helmet communications processes to address any issues member institutions raised regarding this matter," the...

Belal Muhammad has been forced out of a welterweight title defense against Shavkhat Rakhmonov in December, the UFC champion revealed Thursday. Muhammad (24-3) was set to defend his title for the first time against the undefeated Rakhmonov (18-0) in the main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. In a post on social media, Muhammad said he developed a bone infection in his foot, which will keep him out of physical activity for at least six weeks. The UFC has not announced whether Rakhmonov will remain on the card against a different opponent. "I'm sorry to everyone that were coming to see me, I'll be back soon," Muhammad wrote on social media. Muhammad won the title earlier this year in a dominant decision over Leon Edwards. Rakhmonov has long been considered a potential title contender in the 170-pound division. All 18 of his professional wins have come via finish. The UFC will likely need some kind of addition to the pay-per-view event inside...

Belal Muhammad has been forced out of a welterweight title defense against Shavkhat Rakhmonov in December, the UFC champion revealed Thursday. Muhammad (24-3) was set to defend his title for the first time against the undefeated Rakhmonov (18-0) in the main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. In a post on social media, Muhammad said he developed a bone infection in his foot, which will keep him out of physical activity for at least six weeks. The UFC has not announced whether Rakhmonov will remain on the card against a different opponent. "I'm sorry to everyone that were coming to see me, I'll be back soon," Muhammad wrote on social media. Muhammad won the title earlier this year in a dominant decision over Leon Edwards. Rakhmonov has long been considered a potential title contender in the 170-pound division. All 18 of his professional wins have come via finish. The UFC will likely need some kind of addition to the pay-per-view event inside...

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has completed multiple 5-on-5 scrimmages in recent days as he progresses toward a season debut, sources told ESPN. Embiid, who has not played this season due to what the team has called left knee management, is expected to work out Thursday and Friday before the team determines his status for Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies and beyond. The 76ers (1-3) play the Grizzlies at home on Saturday before a three-game road trip out West next week in Phoenix on Monday, against the LA Clippers on Wednesday and versus the Lakers on Friday. The NBA fined the 76ers $100,000 for public statements around Embiid's health status Tuesday. Their investigation showed that the Sixers did not violate player participation policy with Embiid's missed games but did so with the public comments that did not properly reflect his health issues with his knee. In its statement, the league cited comments made by president of...

A dozen arrests were reported by Los Angeles police early Thursday after crowds took to the streets following the Dodgers' World Series win, as officials emphasized that most fans celebrated peacefully. Video showed some people throwing objects at police in Los Angeles as sirens blared and officers told them to leave the area after the Dodgers defeated the  Yankees in Game 5 in New York. A bus was set on fire, and some in the crowd were seen breaking into stores. There were some "unruly, and at times violent and hostile celebrations," with several acts of vandalism, including the burning of a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus, Los Angeles police spokesperson Officer Drake Madison said in an email. "Metro is disappointed and angered by the senseless act of vandalism on one of our buses following the Dodgers World Series Win earlier this evening," the transportation agency said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Arrests were on charges such as failure...

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu suffered a high-grade UCL tear on her right, shooting hand during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN on Thursday. Ionescu, who helped guide the Liberty to their first WNBA championship earlier this month, will be reevaluated in four weeks and is expected to make a full recovery. The UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) is located on the inside edge of the thumb near where the thumb meets the palm. No surgery is required at the moment. Ionescu had been spotted recently with her hand wrapped and sporting a splint on her thumb. Ionescu, whose game-winning 28-foot 3-pointer in Game 3 became one of the most iconic shots in WNBA playoff history, struggled with her shot down the stretch of the Finals, particularly in the winner-take-all Game 5, with a 1-for-19 outing that included a 1-for-10 clip from the 3-point arc. New York ultimately won 67-62 in overtime. The Liberty's second-leading scorer in...

Rúben Amorim is set to take charge of Manchester United during the November international break, sources confirmed to ESPN. United and the Portuguese champions  Sporting CP have made significant progress on an agreement for the departure of their head coach to the  Premier League club. Amorim is set to succeed Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday, as head coach at Old Trafford and would be the sixth permanent appointment in the role since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Sources told ESPN that United have triggered the former Braga coach's €10 million ($10.87m) release clause at Sporting, and the English club will also pay compensation to enable a number of Amorim's backroom staff to join him at Old Trafford. But with the terms of Amorim's contract at Sporting including a 30-day notice period, sources have told ESPN that United will be forced to wait until mid-November for Amorim to formally take charge of the team following...

Rúben Amorim is set to take charge of Manchester United during the November international break, sources confirmed to ESPN. United and the Portuguese champions  Sporting CP have made significant progress on an agreement for the departure of their head coach to the  Premier League club. Amorim is set to succeed Erik ten Hag, who was sacked on Monday, as head coach at Old Trafford and would be the sixth permanent appointment in the role since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Sources told ESPN that United have triggered the former Braga coach's €10 million ($10.87m) release clause at Sporting, and the English club will also pay compensation to enable a number of Amorim's backroom staff to join him at Old Trafford. But with the terms of Amorim's contract at Sporting including a 30-day notice period, sources have told ESPN that United will be forced to wait until mid-November for Amorim to formally take charge of the team following...

NEW YORK -- All year, right through the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees overcame a tendency to play sloppy baseball by vanquishing opponents with overwhelming talent. The metrics calculated -- and the eyes figured -- that they were the worst baserunning team in the majors during the regular season. They regularly committed head-scratching defensive miscues. They were not nearly as fundamentally sound as one would expect from a 94-win AL champion. But the Yankees flaunted superstars. They had Aaron Judge and Juan Soto fueling an offense that banged home runs. They had Gerrit Cole fronting a top-line starting rotation. They discovered an effective bullpen formula in time for October. Ultimately, they out-talented teams -- until they couldn't. Their shortcomings finally caught up with them in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night. A total defensive meltdown in the fifth inning, one that will be remembered as one of the...

NEW YORK -- Just days after losing in the World Series, New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto will hit the open market as one of the most sought-after players in recent history. Soto's talent and age -- he turned 26 last week -- make him attractive to just about any team. "It's going to be exciting," Soto said not long after the Yankees' Game 5 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday. "It's going to be a good experience. I think every player in the big league wants to experience this. So it's exciting to see how it's going to be." Soto is coming off a monster regular season. He posted a .288 batting average, 41 home runs and 129 walks and a .989 OPS. He ranked fourth in fWAR and is a Gold Glove finalist in right field. He also hit .327 with four home runs this postseason, helping the Yankees earn a spot in the Fall Classic. "I'm proud of the year that Juan had," teammate Aaron Judge said. "It was fun to come to work with him every single day. Even when the guy was...