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  • Sulemana’s stunning goal helps Atalanta keep up its impressive record at Juventus, Inter wins

    Sulemana’s stunning goal helps Atalanta keep up its impressive record at Juventus, Inter wins


    MILAN (AP) — Kamaldeen Sulemana helped Atalanta keep up its impressive streak at Juventus by netting a solo goal in a 1-1 draw in Serie A on Saturday.

    Sulemana opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime after Juventus turned the ball over but Juan Cabal rescued a point for the host to ensure his team maintained its unbeaten start to the season.

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    Inter had already lost two of its opening four matches but made it two wins on the bounce with a 2-0 victory at Cagliari.

    Atalanta hadn’t lost at Juventus since 2018, with five victories and two draws since then.

    Juventus almost took the lead with less than two minutes on the clock, but Pierre Kalulu’s header came off the right post.

    Instead it was Atalanta that went in front in first-half stoppage time as Sulemana pounced on a mistake and then slalomed his way into the area, twisting and turning, before firing across into the bottom right corner.

    It was a second goal in as many matches for Sulemana — who joined from Southampton in the offseason — after his goal and assist in last week’s 3-0 win at Torino. The 23-year-old forward celebrated with some acrobatic backflips.

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    Juventus leveled in the 78th minute with a chaotic move. Odilon Kossounou failed to clear a ball into the box and it fell kindly to Cabal, who reacted quickly to control and fire in from close range for only his second career goal and the Colombian’s first since 2022.

    Atalanta soon went down to 10 men as Marten de Roon was sent off two minutes later after fouling Weston McKennie and receiving a second yellow card.

    It turned into a siege but Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi managed to keep Juventus at bay, notably saving from McKennie at point-blank range and Edon Zhegrova.

    Lautaro’s back

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    Lautaro Martínez showed he has fully recovered from a back problem as he set Inter on the way to victory.

    The Argentine World Cup winner missed the Champions League victory over Ajax and only played 26 minutes against Sassuolo last week.

    However, he returned to the starting lineup at Cagliari and headed in a cross from Alessandro Bastoni in the ninth minute.

    Cagliari came close to leveling in the 73rd minute but Michael Folorunsho’s header crashed off the base of the upright.

    Instead it was Inter which doubled its lead nine minutes later when Pio Esposito drilled Federico Dimarco’s low cross into the bottom right corner for his first ever Serie A goal.

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    The 20-year-old Esposito’s older brother, Sebastiano, plays for Cagliari.

    Inter also hit the woodwork twice.

    Unbeaten start

    Cremonese maintained its unbeaten start to the season as it rescued a 1-1 draw at Como.

    Visiting defender Federico Baschirotto headed in a corner in the 69th minute to cancel out Nico Paz’s first-half opener for the hosts.

    Como forward Jesús Rodríguez, who had set up his side’s goal, was shown a straight red card eight minutes from time for a needless, off-the-ball punch and kick at Cremonese midfielder Filippo Terracciano, that was spotted by the video assistant referee.

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    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer



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  • Jalen Carter fined $11,593 for taunting after blocked FG vs. Rams

    Jalen Carter fined $11,593 for taunting after blocked FG vs. Rams


    Eagles’ All-Pro DT Jalen Carter will see his wallet $11,593 lighter after he was fined for his second unsportsmanlike penalty this season

    Life is about lessons learned, and Eagles‘ All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter will see his wallet $11,593 lighter after he was fined for his second unsportsmanlike penalty this season.

    This time, the transgression came after Carter blocked a Rams field goal attempt late in Philadelphia’s comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. Carter can be seen wagging his finger while running off the field.

    Carter was previously fined a game check of $57,222 for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the season opener on September 4. Carter was ejected from the game, resulting in a one-game suspension served.





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  • PSG fans unveil stunning tifo for Dembélé and Luis Enrique 🤩


    This Saturday against Auxerre, PSG is playing its first match after the Ballon d’Or won by Ousmane Dembélé.

    For the occasion, the supporters of Parc des Princes have decided to pay tribute to the French striker, but also to Luis Enrique, crowned best coach of the year.

    A few moments before kick-off, a large tifo was therefore deployed in each corner. Magnificent, isn’t it?

    📸 FRANCK FIFE – AFP or licensors



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  • Penske cars suffer tire issues in Kansas NASCAR Cup practice

    Penske cars suffer tire issues in Kansas NASCAR Cup practice


    The good news for Ryan Blaney? He is already locked into the Round  of 8 after an impressive for New Hampshire.

    That will allow the team to breathe easy despite an unfortunate crash during NASCAR Cup practice at Kansas Speedway. After completing just four laps, the No. 12 Team Penske Ford cut a tire and slammed the outside wall at the exit of Turn 2.

    The contact will force Blaney into a backup car and he will be starting from the rear of the field.

     

    “Blew a tire,” Blaney told USA Network after being released from the infield care center. “We’ll have to look at it and kind of see why that was. I hate that we crashed a race car, but we’ll take a peek at what we need to do differently, and hopefully come from the back tomorrow.”

    He went on to say that nothing felt wrong before the tire cut down, which was likely the result of aggressively low air pressures. This was a common issue in the first race at Kansas earlier this year.

    “It had that normal feeling to it before it blew,” continued Blaney. “That’s kind of the hard thing about it. When you blow tires like that, they don’t feel off and then they just give out the next moment … just unfortunate. Hate that we got to get a backup out and do all that deal. We’ll fight through it though, and I’m just looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and seeing what we got.”

    Another Penske driver suffered a flat right-rear tire later in the same practice session, as three-time and defending champion Joey Logano slowed. Thankfully, he slowed down the front stretch and avoided a crash.

    “I felt it starting to feel funky through (Turns) 3 and 4 there,” explained Logano. “Just didn’t feel right, so I lifted off the corner. Glad I caught it there. Overall, we should be okay. We’ll put on four tires, make some adjustments, cross our fingers and hope she runs good (laughs).”

    As a precaution, Austin Cindric in the third Penske car took no further part in the practice session. He is 19 points below the cut line, while Logano is 24 points up.

    “Bit of a concerning session in a lot of ways as a team, but this place is pretty crazy for that,” said Cindric after practice.

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  • 🏆 New title on the cards: CBF set to recognise more national champions


    The CBF is close to recognizing four more teams as national champions.

    According to information from ge, the entity should endorse the 1986 Parallel Tournament as equivalent to the B Series.

    Central, Treze, Criciúma and Inter de Limeira would share the title and would be the clubs benefited.

    The legal department of the CBF has already given the go-ahead for the decision and only bureaucratic procedures remain until it is ratified by President Samir Xaud.

    Also according to ge, the request for recognition was made by the clubs in 2023.

    “The Silver Cup, the Brazilian Championship of the B Series and the Parallel Tournament share rigorously the same purpose, the same until today: to qualify clubs for the elite of national football,” says the document sent to the CBF two years ago.

    Recognition as the B Series champion in 1986 would represent the first national title for Treze and Central.

    Inter de Limeira already has in its gallery the B Series trophy from 1988.

    Criciúma already has the B Series from 2002 and 2006, in addition to the Brazil Cup from 1991.

    The competition had the participation of 36 teams, which were divided into four groups of nine.

    The winner of each key qualified for the second phase of the first division of the Brazilian Championship of the same year.

    Central, Treze, Criciúma and Inter de Limeira were champions of their groups and achieved promotion.

    Competing in the first division, the four teams did not advance much.

    Criciúma finished in 15th position, Inter de Limeira in 16th, Treze in 35th and Central in 36th in the final classification.



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  • Two-time Stanley Cup champion Conor Sheary taking advantage of PTO with Rangers

    Two-time Stanley Cup champion Conor Sheary taking advantage of PTO with Rangers


    Conor Sheary’s time in Tampa was certainly frustrating. 

    The veteran had established himself as a valuable winger throughout his career when he signed with the club on three-year deal back in July 2023. 

    But during his first year with the Lightning he missed significant time due to a broken hand and then served as a healthy scratch throughout their playoff run. 

    Then last season, Sheary was placed on waivers and ended up being sent to AHL Syracuse, appearing in just five games at the pro level. 

    So before free agency opened this offseason, the 33-year-old and his agent approached the front office about a potential exit, and the two sides mutually agreed to terminate the final year of his contract. 

    Sheary left a guaranteed $1.5 million on the table to reach the open market again. 

    “I just knew I needed to get out of there,” he said.

    “I’ve had a good long career, made more money than I ever thought I was going to make — the experiences you have and the chances you have to win and play in these games in the NHL, they’re probably numbered, so I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to get back there.”

    Sheary felt that chance was with the Rangers. 

    He said that he turned down a guaranteed offer from another NHL club this summer to have the chance to reunite with head coach Mike Sullivan, who he won a pair of Stanley Cups with as a member of the Penguins. 

    Through just two preseason games, Sheary has made the most of that opportunity. 

    After finding the back of the net in the second period of last weekend’s opener in New Jersey, he added a pair of assists and four more shots on goal during Thursday night’s exhibition loss to the Islanders.

    The winger has looked rejuvenated, providing a solid all-around veteran presence on New York’s third line.

    If he’s able to keep this up, he could very well earn himself a deal with the Blueshirts to open the regular season. 

    “I just want to prove myself, I kind of have nothing to lose,” Sheary said. “I’d love to get a contract out of this. I’m coming into a place that I have familiarity with the coaching staff and I’ve played against them for a long time, so hopefully some of the management has seen me play.

    “I just want to prove to myself that I can still play and I can help this team win.” 



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  • McIlroy gets colorful in telling the Ryder Cup crowd to shut up, then goes about doing it himself

    McIlroy gets colorful in telling the Ryder Cup crowd to shut up, then goes about doing it himself


    FARMINGDALE, N. Y. (AP) — With the match tightening and the crowd taunting him, Rory McIlroy backed off his approach shot from the rough on the 16th hole at Bethpage Black and shouted “Shut the (expletive) up!” — an outburst picked up by a TV microphone positioned right next to him at the Ryder Cup.

    Then he stepped in, hit that approach to 3 feet and his teammate, Tommy Fleetwood, made the putt to cap Europe’s 3-and-2 victory Saturday over Collin Morikawa and Harris English.

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    It was the second foursomes victory for the team called “Fleetwood Mac” over the American pairing of Morikawa and English. It came after the Americans had won two straight holes to turn a blowout into something a bit different.

    McIlroy said in a radio interview afterward that he didn’t mind fans “having a go at us,” but he said it’s disrespectful for the taunts to continue once a player is over his ball.

    The victory helped give Europe a lead of 7 1/2-3 1/2 with one match left on the course in the morning. The Europeans were guaranteed to head into the afternoon fourball matches with the lead.

    In a brief TV interview after the win, McIlroy was asked about the need to stay focused when playing in front of a hostile crowd.

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    “You do,” he said. “You’ve got to really have focus on the task at hand. In the team format, foursomes or fourballs, you can stick together with your partner and it makes it a little bit easier.”

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    AP Ryder Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/ryder-cup



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  • How to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama NCAA college football game tonight: Kickoff time, channel, where to stream and more

    How to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama NCAA college football game tonight: Kickoff time, channel, where to stream and more


    The Georgia Bulldogs are currently in the midst of a 33-game home winning streak, which doesn’t bode well for the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are headed to Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA for Saturday night’s SEC game. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson will be making his first SEC start in this weekend’s game, facing off against Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton. Can the Crimson Tide break the Bulldogs’ streak? We’ll find out when the two teams meet; kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and the game airs on ABC and will stream on ESPN unlimited.

    Here’s how to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama game and what to know about how to watch the entire NCAA football season.

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    How to watch the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide:

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    Date: Saturday, September 27

    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

    TV Channel: ABC, ESPN3

    Streaming: ESPN unlimited, DirecTV, Fubo, and more

    Where to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama game on TV:

    You can watch coverage of this week’s Georgia vs. Alabama game starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

    Where to watch the Georgia vs. Alabama game without cable:

    You can tune into the Georgia vs. Alabama game on ABC as part of ESPN on ABC, and on ESPN3. ABC and ESPN3 are available on streaming platforms including DirecTV, Fubo, and YouTubeTV, but for the most comprehensive college football coverage, you can also watch this game and hundreds more this season on the ESPN App with an ESPN unlimited subscription.

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    ESPN’s new streaming service is divided into two tiers: the ESPN unlimited package and the ESPN select package.

    For $29.99, the ESPN unlimited package includes access to all of ESPN’s linear networks: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes, plus access to programming on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+ and ACCNX. That means fans will get coverage of more than 47,000 live events each year, on-demand replays, original programming and more.

    Right now, for a limited time, you can bundle ESPN unlimited with Disney+ and Hulu and pay $29.99/month for 12 months — that’s like getting those other services free for a year! Even if you’re a current subscriber to Disney+, Hulu or even the bundle, you can still upgrade to this great deal.

    Not interested in a bundle? ESPN select (also referred to as ESPN+) is still also an option. For $11.99/month, you can tune in and get exclusive access to events like select NCAA football games, F1 driver cams, simulcasts of certain sports that air on other channels and PPV access to UFC fights.

    $29.99/month at ESPN

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    DirecTV Stream is currently offering its Choice tier (typically $108+/month with fees) for just $72.98 (after fees) for your first month.

    DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier gets you access to all the usual football suspects: NBC, NFL Network, ESPN, The CW, ABC, CBS and Fox, plus ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty more local Regional Sports Networks. (If you want to avoid paying the RSN fees, the Entertainment Tier has plenty of channels you can catch NFL games on too.)

    Whichever package you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN unlimited.

    The best part is, currently, you can try all this out free for 5 days. So if you’re interested in trying out a live TV streaming service for football season, but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream.

    Try free at DirecTV

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    Fubo’s new skinny sports bundle, Fubo Sports, includes local broadcast stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS and FOX, plus additional affiliates in select markets, as well as ACC Network, Big 10 Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, ION, NFL Network, SEC Network and Tennis Channel. It also includes free access to ESPN’s new ESPN+ unlimited plan. Fubo subscribers get unlimited cloud DVR storage, too.

    You can get $10 off your first month, which brings the cost to $45.99; after that, it goes up to $55.99/month.

    This new Fubo package has you covered for most nationally broadcast or in-market NFL games, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package.

    The platform offers a free trial period, so you can check it out for a few days of the 2025 NFL season and decide if it’s right for you this year.

    $45.99 for your first month at Fubo

    NCAAF Week 5 schedule:

    Thursday, Sept. 25

    7:30 p.m. | Army at East Carolina | ESPN

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    Friday, Sept. 26

    7 p.m. | No. 8 Florida State at Virginia | ESPN
    9 p.m. | No. 24 TCU at Arizona State | FOX
    10:30 p.m. | Houston at Oregon State | ESPN

    Saturday, Sept. 27

    12 p.m. | No. 16 Georgia Tech at Wake Forest | ESPN
    12 p.m. | No. 21 USC at No. 23 Illinois | FOX
    12 p.m. | No. 22 Notre Dame at Arkansas | ABC
    12 p.m. | Rutgers at Minnesota | Big Ten Network
    12 p.m. | Duke at Syracuse | ACC Network
    12 p.m. | Louisville at Pitt | ESPN2
    12 p.m. | Cincinnati at Kansas | TNT
    12 p.m. | UCF at Kansas State | FS1
    12 p.m. | South Alabama at North Texas | ESPNU
    12 p.m. | Bowling Green at Ohio | CBSSN
    12 p.m. | Stetson at Dayton | YouTube
    12 p.m. | New Haven at Duquesne | NEC Front Row
    12 p.m. | Delaware State at Sacred Heart | ESPN+
    12 p.m. | Cornell at Yale | ESPN+
    12 p.m. | Norfolk State at Wagner | NEC Front Row
    12 p.m. | Dartmouth at Central Connecticut State | NEC Front Row
    12 p.m. | Penn at Lehigh | ESPN+
    12 p.m. | Georgetown at Columbia | ESPN+
    12:45 p.m. | Utah State at No. 18 Vanderbilt | SEC Network
    1 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan | ESPN+
    1 p.m. | Marist at Butler | FloCollege
    1 p.m. | LIU at Stonehill | NEC Front Row
    1 p.m. | Holy Cross at Fordham | ESPN+
    1 p.m. | UAlbany at New Hampshire | FloCollege
    1 p.m. | Towson at Bryant | FloCollege
    1 p.m. | Morehead State at Presbyterian | ESPN+
    1:30 p.m. | Georgia Southern at James Madison | ESPN+
    2 p.m. | Utah Tech at Austin Peay | ESPN+
    2 p.m. | South Dakota at North Dakota State | ESPN+
    2 p.m. | Hampton at Elon | FloCollege
    2 p.m. | Howard at Richmond | ESPN+
    3 p.m. | Arkansas State at UL Monroe | ESPN+
    3 p.m. | Alabama A&M at Bethune-Cookman | SWAC TV
    3 p.m. | Alabama State at Florida A&M | HBCU Go
    3 p.m. | Idaho State at Northern Colorado | ESPN+
    3 p.m. | Mercyhurst at South Dakota State | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | No. 1 Ohio State at Washington | CBS/Paramount+
    3:30 p.m. | No. 4 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss | ABC
    3:30 p.m. | Auburn at No. 9 Texas A&M | ESPN
    3:30 p.m. | No. 11 Indiana at Iowa | Peacock
    3:30 p.m. | Utah at West Virginia | FOX
    3:30 p.m. | UCLA at Northwestern | Big Ten Network
    3:30 p.m. | Cal at Boston College | ACC Network
    3:30 p.m. | Baylor at Oklahoma State | ESPN2
    3:30 p.m. | UConn at Buffalo | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | San Diego State at Northern Illinois | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | Rice at Navy | CBSSN
    3:30 p.m. | Akron at Toledo | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | Western Carolina at Campbell | FloCollege
    3:30 p.m. | Princeton at Lafayette | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | Furman at Samford | ESPN+
    3:30 p.m. | Merrimack at Stony Brook | FloCollege
    3:30 p.m. | William & Mary at Villanova | FloCollege
    3:30 p.m. | North Carolina A&T at Maine | FloCollege
    3:30 p.m. | Lindenwood at Miami (Ohio) | ESPN+
    4 p.m. | New Mexico State at New Mexico | Mountain West Network
    4 p.m. | Tulane at Tulsa | ESPNU
    4 p.m. | St. Thomas (Minn.) at San Diego | ESPN+
    4 p.m. | Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois | ESPN+
    4 p.m. | Eastern Washington at Montana State | ESPN+
    4:10 p.m. | Hawai‘i at Air Force | FS1
    4:15 p.m. | No. 15 Tennessee at Mississippi State | SEC Network
    4:30 p.m. | Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State | ESPN+
    5 p.m. | Northern Arizona at Portland State | ESPN+
    5 p.m. | Texas Southern at Mississippi Valley State | SWAC TV
    5:30 p.m. | Mercer at East Tennessee State | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | Middle Tennessee at Kennesaw State | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | Liberty at Old Dominion | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | South Carolina State at Charleston Southern | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | Saint Francis (PA) at Bucknell | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | Brown at Harvard | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | Nicholls at Eastern Kentucky | ESPN+
    6 p.m. | The Citadel at Chattanooga | ESPN+
    6:30 p.m. | Rhode Island at Western Michigan | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Arizona at No. 14 Iowa State | ESPN
    7 p.m. | Virginia Tech at NC State | The CW Network
    7 p.m. | Southeast Missouri State at UT Martin | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Jacksonville State at Southern Miss | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Western Kentucky at Missouri State | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Memphis at Florida Atlantic | ESPN2
    7 p.m. | UTRGV at Southeastern Louisiana | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Abilene Christian at UIW | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | North Carolina Central at East Texas A&M | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Central Arkansas at Lamar | ESPN+
    7 p.m. | Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling (Cotton Bowl in Dallas) | SWAC TV
    7 p.m. | Alcorn State at Arkansas–Pine Bluff | HBCU Go
    7 p.m. | Jackson State at Southern | ESPN+
    7:30 p.m. | No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State | NBC/Peacock
    7:30 p.m. | No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia | ABC
    7:30 p.m. | UMass at No. 20 Missouri | ESPNU
    7:30 p.m. | Washington State at Colorado State | CBSSN
    7:30 p.m. | San Jose State at Stanford | ACC Network
    7:30 p.m. | Appalachian State at Boise State | FS1
    7:45 p.m. | Kentucky at South Carolina | SEC Network
    8 p.m. | Marshall at Louisiana | ESPN+
    8 p.m. | McNeese at Stephen F. Austin | ESPN+
    8:30 p.m. | West Georgia at Southern Utah | ESPN+
    9 p.m. | Louisiana Tech at UTEP | ESPN+
    9 p.m. | Cal Poly at Sacramento State | ESPN+
    10 p.m. | Weber State at UC Davis | ESPN+
    10:15 p.m. | No. 25 BYU at Colorado | ESPN
    10:15 p.m. | Idaho at Montana | ESPN2

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    How to watch NCAAF games in 2025:

    NCAA football games will air across ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and the college conference networks. If you don’t have cable, it can be tricky to keep up with your favorite team. Here’s what we recommend to stream NCAA football in 2025.

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    More ways to watch NCAAF games this season:

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  • Alabama high school football team scores 100 points in win

    Alabama high school football team scores 100 points in win


    In what was a wild night of Alabama high school football action across the state, one final score stuck out among them all.

    On Friday night, the undefeated Williamson Lions (5-0) crushed the winless Murphy Panthers (0-6), 100-0. The Panthers entered the game having only scored 12 points through five games and already been out-scored 208-12.

    The last time the two teams met in 2024, Williamson won the contest 47-0.

    This season for Williamson has been one of pure domination for the Lions as they have recorded three shutout victories and defeated teams by a combined score of 311-14 through five games.

    Next time Williamson takes the field is next week when they take on Faith Academy on the road.

    For Alabama high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Golden State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Yellowhammer State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Alabama high school football excitement across the state.



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  • Former Barcelona star believes Real Madrid ace deserved to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or


    Among all the transfer in La Liga this past summer, Inigo Martinez’s move to Al Nassr was one of the most shocking ones, as the veteran defender abruptly left Barcelona.

    Now plying his trade alongside former Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, Martinez recently sat down with MARCA to talk about the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony.

    He notably discussed last year’s Ballon d’Or award as well as facing Real Madrid last season.

    Martinez believes Vini deserved the Ballon d’Or

    When asked about last year’s Ballon d’Or, Martinez admitted he expected Vinicius Junior to win the award.

    “Of course I expected it, like many others. For me, the best was Vinicius, and in the end, votes are what they are – fair or unfair.

    “Let everyone judge and express their opinion. Last year it was for Vinicius, and this year it’s for Dembele,” he said.

    Martinez is certainly not the only one to expect Vinicius Jr. to win the Ballon d’Or last year. But to everyone’s surprise, who was Rodri who clinched the top prize, prompting Real Madrid to boycott the event this year as well.

    Martinez on facing Real Madrid last season

    Barcelona were undoubtedly the most dominant team in Spain last season, notably beating Real Madrid four times in all competitions.

    When asked if Barcelona were superior to Real Madrid last season, the veteran defender said, “I think so. I’m clear about it. They were games where you felt superior or the opponent was overwhelmed at certain moments. I didn’t have that feeling two years ago.

    Article image:Former Barcelona star believes Real Madrid ace deserved to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or

    Inigo Martinez has already scored once in eight matches for Al Nassr so far. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)

    “I saw a Real Madrid that stood up to us and knew they were going to have their chances and cause us problems.

    “Last season, it wasn’t like that. We knew that Real Madrid always have one or two clear chances per game, but we knew we were going to have many more than them. Tactically, we were superior, with the ball, too. We created a lot,” he added.

    Martinez talked about the Copa del Rey final, where he also admitted to never being fearful about facing them.

    “They came back, but I never had the feeling that this match was going to slip away from us. I didn’t have the feeling of, forget it because no one beats Real Madrid anymore, especially in a final,” he said.

    “It’s strange to play against Real Madrid and not feel that way, because you can’t play against them. It wasn’t like that.

    “Our dynamic was very good, we had beaten them in La Liga, the Super Cup, which were big upsets, and that weighs heavily on you. When you face a team you’ve beaten like that again, subconsciously you’re afraid,” he added.

    Real Madrid, though, have come roaring back since last season and are currently the only team in Spain to retain a hundred percent winning record.

    Martinez acknowledged the same, praising new coach Xabi Alonso in the process while admitting that Barcelona may find it more difficult to dominate Los Blancos this time.

    “This year I’m seeing Real Madrid doing very well, with a lot of changes and with such a great coach, Xabi Alonso, with whom I was able to share matches. I have no doubt that it will be much more difficult this time,” he concluded.

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