To say that expectations were high at USC heading into the 2026 college football season would be an understatement.

The Trojans, especially head coach Lincoln Riley, were adamant that this year would be different than the recent disappointments. SC finished 9-3 in 2025, brought in the number one recruiting class in the country, added some talent at key positions in the transfer portal, and returned starting quarterback Jayden Maiava after a strong 2025. They hired former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to run the defense. In theory, the elements had finally come together to return the program to prominence. And they said as much.

"The time is now," the marketing campaign went. Riley gave interviews in the spring, including one to On3, where he said the administration got "serious" about competing at the highest levels of college football.

LINCOLN RILEY’S USC TENURE COULD END WITH LOSS AGAINST OHIO STATE’S BACKUP QUARTERBACK, AND $70M BUYOUT

"USC had to get really serious about being great in the sport again," he explained. " I give the school administration — everybody — credit. They have.

"Taking this over, you knew you had to go fight like hell just to try to get this window opened," Riley said. "And we’re at a point right now where there’s a lot to be excited about and a lot in front of us. It’s been a lot of work for a lot of people, a lot of commitment from a lot of people to get there, and it should be a lot of fun these next few years."

"We came here to win championships," he continued. " A lot of us have been fortunate enough to be a part of a lot of championships. We certainly didn’t come here for anything less. We’ve got to go buckle down and improve and really come together, but there’s the makings of a championship-level football team in that building right now."

Fast-forward to late-October, and they're anything but. After an inexcusable loss to Wisconsin this past weekend, USC is now 6-2 and unranked in the AP Poll. While they had a nice win over Penn State in a hostile "White Out" environment in Happy Valley, the Trojans lost at home to a very mediocre Oregon Ducks team playing a backup quarterback.

The seven points they scored against the Badgers on the road, after a bye week no less, represented the lowest point total of any Lincoln Riley-coached team. With a senior quarterback in his third season in the program and a very highly-paid offensive line. Naturally, the defense wasn't good enough to keep the game close. It never is.

The performance, the record, the mediocrity, the consistent underachievement ... all of it has led to rampant, and growingly serious, speculation that Riley's job is contingent on a strong finish to the season. Perfect timing to host Ohio State and go on the road to face Indiana.

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Part of the speculation is the assumption, or the observation, that Riley doesn't seem fully connected to the USC program. That he's ready to move on as much as the SC fanbase is ready to move on from him.

He addressed those questions and opinions at a news conference this week, saying that he's fully committed to staying in LA and that SC is where he belongs.

LINCOLN RILEY HOT SEAT RUMORS GET LOUDER AFTER 'FIRE LINCOLN' CHANTS DURING USC-WASHINGTON

"Listen, if I didn't want to be at this place, I wouldn't have come here in the first place. I've had plenty of opportunities to leave," Riley explained Tuesday afternoon. "This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I'm the right person to be here. And that's as honest and transparent as I can be with you guys.

"I love it here. I mean like I told you guys a lot of times — there's not many people in college football history that gave up what I gave up to come here," Riley said. "I don't care if it's 15 years down the line, that never should be taken lightly. It's certainly not taken lightly by me. I came here because I believe in this place and none of that has changed whatsoever."

That's an interesting way to put it, because it's not exactly clear what Riley "gave up" to come to SC. He got a huge raise in salary. He locked in a massive buyout, ensuring generational wealth no matter how well he coached. He went from living in Norman, Oklahoma, to a palatial $35 million mansion on top of a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, acquired for him by USC. What was the big sacrifice he made? Theoretically losing favor with Oklahoma fans, but uh, you know, $100+ million can make up for some mean comments by anonymous message board accounts.

Riley said that he has a great relationship with USC's Athletic Director Jen Cohen, and said she's been a "huge part of the progress that we've made."

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Though again, it's not clear what progress he's referring to. USC went 11-1 in the regular season in his first year in LA, thanks in large part to Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. They haven't won 10 games since, and have to win while playing three top-10 teams to do so in 2026.

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As for his demeanor, which can sometimes give off the impression he doesn't care, Riley addressed that too.

"When you're a head coach of a blue-blood school, you have to be ready to weather the storms, the overly positive or the overly negative," he said. "Typically, what I've learned from doing this for a few years, I haven't learned it all, but the truth typically lies somewhere in the middle. And that's typically where it's at even if you know that it's going to sensationalize. And so my job is to stay steady."

Well, that's all true. And all well and good. But when your team comes out lifeless for road game after road game, loses games it should win to programs like Minnesota, Maryland and Wisconsin, and struggles against Oregon or Notre Dame, it's reasonable to question. Watching what Curt Cignetti has done at Indiana, or even Bob Chesney in his first year at UCLA, it's easy to see why there's such disappointment in Riley's work at SC. There's little toughness, discipline, or consistency on the roster. And always another special teams mistake.

Riley might be committed to USC, but that's a two-way street. And Saturday's game, Ohio State playing with potentially a true freshman backup quarterback on the road, might be enough to end the Trojans' commitment to him. Baylor anyone?

The Green Bay Packers opened Week 8 with a crucial win, keeping pace in a tightly contested NFC North race.

Jordan Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns as Green Bay defeated the Carolina Panthers 27-19 at Lambeau Field Thursday night.

Bryce Young was sacked six times and threw an interception as Carolina lost its second straight game. Despite the setback, the Panthers remain atop the NFC South and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after defeating division rival Atlanta in Week 2.

BREWERS CONTINUE WORLD SERIES CELEBRATION, RAISE COMMISSIONER’S TROPHY AT LAMBEAU FIELD DURING PACKERS GAME

Packers wide receiver Christian Watson got taken to the hospital after injuring his chest in the second quarter, only to return to the game in the second half.

Watson’s injury occurred as he made a 53-yard catch, with Panthers cornerback Will Lee also getting hurt on the play while making a diving stop. Lee was carted into the locker room with a hamstring injury and didn’t return to the game.

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After getting sent to the hospital for examination, Watson returned to Lambeau Field and received a huge ovation as he headed back to the field after the Packers had extended their lead to 27-10 in the third quarter. Watson returned to the game later in the third, after Ryan Fitzgerald’s 50-yard field goal made it 27-13.

Brewers take victory lap at Lambeau Field

Less than 24 hours after the Milwaukee Brewers captured the franchise’s first World Series title, the team’s celebration continued roughly 120 miles north at Lambeau Field.

Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff brought the Commissioner’s Trophy onto the field Thursday night at the end of the first quarter. Teammates Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick also joined the celebration.

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Watson had six catches for 100 yards before leaving the game.

The Packers will face New England on Nov. 8, while the Panthers will host the Denver Broncos in Charlotte in Week 9.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Seemingly every other game in the NFL these days, there's a scary injury that requires transportation and tests at the hospital. Just in the past few weeks, Jalen Hurts' blood clots and Terry McLaurin's awful leg injury were major stories around the league.

During Thursday night's game, that injury went to Green Bay Packers star wide receiver Christian Watson. On a play that also hurt a defensive back.

Watson was in the middle of a huge night against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field, racking up six catches for 100 receiving yards in the first half. His big play came when he brought in a 53-yard catch on a deep ball from Jordan Love about midway through the second quarter, setting the Packers up in great field position as they drove down for another score.

But he hit the ground hard while colliding with Panthers cornerback Will Lee III, and was slow to get up. Lee himself also had to be helped to his feet thanks to a hamstring injury, eventually needing the cart to leave the field.

TERRY MCLAURIN CARTED OFF, MIKE EVANS HURT AS 49ERS HOLD OFF COMMANDERS 23-17 ON BRUTAL MNF

But Watson's injury, at first glance, seemed more serious. The 27-year-old was transported in an ambulance to a hospital near Lambeau Field, undergoing precautionary checks for a chest injury, while Lee was deemed doubtful to return to the game himself. But that's where the story gets crazier, and so much better.

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Not long after leaving for the hospital, Watson, miraculously, returned to Lambeau Field. Quite literally driven back to the stadium in the ambulance, cameras caught him running out of the tunnel back in full pads to, unsurprisingly, a raucous reception from the home crowd.

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Seems like Watson either never got out of pads while going to the hospital, going through medical tests while in full uniform, or did an extremely fast quick change. Then he was driven back to the stadium in an ambulance, running directly from the tunnel out to the field. Less than an hour after sustaining what looked to be a scary, and painful, injury.

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And sure enough, Watson returned to the game not long afterward. Even pulling in another reception, as Love found him for a six-yard completion in Carolina territory right at the start of the fourth quarter. Incredible.

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That drive wound up in a Love interception, but the Packers still took a 27-13 lead into the middle part of the fourth quarter. And they have their star wide receiver back, somehow, after a brief detour to a local hospital. Not that most fans doubt NFL players are tough, but absolutely nobody will be questioning Christian Watson's toughness and commitment to his team anytime soon.

Less than 24 hours after the Milwaukee Brewers captured the franchise’s first World Series title, the team’s celebration continued roughly 120 miles north at Lambeau Field.

Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff brought the Commissioner’s Trophy onto the field Thursday night at the end of the first quarter of the Green Bay Packers’ game against the Carolina Panthers. Teammates Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick also joined the celebration.

Frelick embraced the moment by attempting a Lambeau Leap of his own, drawing a warm reaction from the Packers faithful.

BREWERS STAR CHRISTIAN YELICH PAYS TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO LATE, BELOVED BROADCASTER AFTER WORLD SERIES WIN

Milwaukee could come to a standstill Friday, with thousands of fans expected to line the streets for a victory parade celebrating the Brewers’ long-awaited championship.

Wisconsin’s largest school district, Milwaukee Public Schools, announced it would close Friday, citing operational and safety concerns. However, the closure will also give faculty and students the opportunity to enjoy the parade.

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The parade route will run through downtown Milwaukee before ending with a fan fest at Henry Maier Festival Park.

The Packers are likely hoping to build on the Brewers’ success, despite not having won or reached a Super Bowl since the 2010 season.

The Brewers’ Game 5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch the World Series title and the Bucks' 2021 NBA Finals victory means the Packers now own the longest championship drought among Wisconsin’s major men’s professional sports teams.

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Green Bay entered Thursday night’s game coming off a Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 first-quarter lead. The Packers responded by taking a 20-10 halftime lead and extending the advantage to 27-10 in the third quarter.

The Milwaukee Brewers' first World Series title meant the world to their loyal fans, and would have meant the world to the late, beloved broadcaster Bob Uecker.

Uecker was the Brewers’ radio broadcaster for 54 seasons, from 1971 to 2024, and became a Brewers legend. He died at age 90 in January 2025. Brewers captain Christian Yelich was particularly close to Uecker and offered a touching tribute after the team’s World Series victory.

"He’s smiling, man. I really wish he could have been here to see this," Yelich said. "It would have meant everything to him, but like we said a bunch, he’s been with us a lot. We keep him close to our hearts."

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"This one’s still for Bob, still for Ueck. Uecky, I love you, man, and we did it."

Brewers manager Pat Murphy referenced Uecker in his postgame locker room speech before the team popped open bottles of champagne.

"So Ueck sent me a text today," Murphy said, drawing laughter from the clubhouse.

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"He said, ‘Look, I helped you against the Padres and I messed with the Dodgers a little bit and then you came here and you’re on your own because we had a doubleheader and they actually let me catch the last three innings of the game.’"

Murphy was referring to the broadcaster’s time as a player, when Uecker was a catcher in the big leagues for six seasons, from 1962 to 1967.

"But you did it for the city, you did it for the state, and you boys ought to be awfully proud to know that you’re the first ever Milwaukee Brewer team to be World Champions."

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Following Murphy’s speech, the clubhouse erupted into pandemonium as the champagne started flying.

The only thing missing from the unforgettable scene was Uecker.

Victor Wembanyama is unquestionably one of basketball's brightest young stars. In his third NBA season, he led the San Antonio Spurs to the Finals.

San Antonio ultimately lost the series to the New York Knicks in five games. Wembanyama earned several individual honors, including his first Defensive Player of the Year award and All-NBA selection.

The French-born Spurs forward opened the 2026-27 season under enormous expectations. The 7-foot-4 star was a preseason favorite to win the NBA MVP award, while San Antonio entered the season as an odds-on favorite to win the championship.

The postseason also marked a notable shift in how the public viewed Wembanyama. Once a widely beloved sports figure, he was increasingly cast by some as a villain.

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A series of on-court incidents fueled claims that Wembanyama had become a "dirty" player. One of those situations surfaced in the Western Conference semifinals, when his elbow made contact with then-Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid.

During the Finals, many Knicks fans grew furious at times over Wembanyama’s defense against Jalen Brunson.

Once viewed as a conquering hero, Wembanyama was quickly cast as a New York sports villain. But he insisted the criticism does not faze him.

"No, it didn't because I'm not paying attention to this ... during the Finals. I don't think any player on either team really is," Wembanyama told "60 Minutes" when asked about his portrayal as a villain in a clip released Thursday ahead of Sunday’s full sit-down interview.

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Although Wembanyama said he tunes out much of the noise, he does not appear eager to let the villain label stick. He added that last season’s playoff run taught him where to draw the line between playing with a competitive edge and going a step farther than he should, acknowledging that he crossed it at times.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA ADMITS TO HARSH TRUTHS AFTER COSTLY MISTAKE AT END OF NBA FINALS GAME

"It showed my limits more than anything else. Going out there, you need to play basketball. You don't need to beat the s--- out of people. [laughs] If you wanna win, at least," Wembanyama said while reflecting on the lessons he learned from last season’s playoff run.

Wembanyama also drew public attention before some Finals games began. He was seen standing with his arms crossed during the U.S. national anthem before Game 1, but reportedly was not on the court for the anthems before Games 3 and 4.

He has not publicly explained why he stood with his arms crossed before Game 1 on June 3. Wembanyama has played in all five of San Antonio’s regular-season games this season, averaging 25 points per game.

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The Spurs return to action Saturday, when they host the Timberwolves.

The Milwaukee Brewers are 2026 World Series champions, bringing home the organization's first ever title. For the franchise and their fans, it was the culmination of years of quality scouting, drafting, international signings, player development, and remarkably successful trades.

It was also a near-perfect example of what it takes to win a championship in baseball.

While William Contreras won World Series MVP, voters had plenty of options to choose from on the Milwaukee roster. Jackson Chourio became the first player since Babe Ruth, yes, literally Babe Ruth, to have 10 hits in the first four games of a World Series. Cooper Pratt, a light-hitting, defense-first shortstop, set a rookie record with hits in six straight at bats from game four to game five.

BREWERS RIDE RIDICULOUS, RECORD-SETTING EIGHT-RUN INNING TO DOMINANT 3-0 WORLD SERIES LEAD OVER RAYS

Brice Turang hit .316, below average hitter David Hamilton crushed what looked like a huge home run in game four. Aaron Ashby went 5.2 innings with no runs, just one hit allowed and nine strikeouts. Abner Uribe allowed just two hits in 5 innings. Jacob Misiorowski allowed only one run in 10.2 innings, winning game one and the clinching game five. Robert Gasser was equally unhittable, with just one run allowed in his game three start. A start so incredible that it was the first of its type by a left-handed pitcher since legendary Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.

The whole team was World Series MVP. The whole team was NLCS MVP, and NLDS MVP too. Milwaukee went 11-2 in the postseason against the San Diego Padres, the hottest team in baseball in the second half, the star-studded 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers, and the 98-win Tampa Bay Rays, who tore through the American League. They won eight straight games in the playoffs. Their two losses came by a combined two runs, and their one World Series loss was on a walk-off in the 12th inning after they blew a 3-2 lead.

It's not a stretch to say it's one of the most dominant stretches of playoff baseball in the history of the sport. And it's why we can make the argument that the Milwaukee Brewers broke Major League Baseball. It's not supposed to be this easy, and it rarely is, even for some of the most expensive, talented rosters we've ever seen.

The 2024 Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani coming off the first 50-50 season in history and a long list of other stars, were down 2-1 in the NLDS to the Padres before coming back to win. It took them six games to beat the Mets in the NLCS. They very nearly lost the clinching game five of the World Series, falling behind 5-0 to the Yankees before the New York defense went on a comical run of errors and mental mistakes. In 2025, they were down to their final two outs in game seven of the series against Toronto, until Miguel Rojas hit a miraculous game-tying homer.

Milwaukee? They never trailed in a series, or even came close. They had a 2-0 lead in the NLDS, a 4-0 lead in the NLCS, and a 3-0 lead in the World Series. It's remarkable.

Which raises the question, how did they do it? What was their philosophy and approach in October? The real answer, boring as it might be, they didn't do anything. Baseball happened.

That's not to say that the Brewers don't have good players or didn't have good results. Misiorowski is going to win the Cy Young Award at 24-years-old, and looks set to dominate the league for years to come. Christian Yelich is a former MVP, multiple-time Silver Slugger Award winner and borderline candidate for the Hall of Fame. William Contreras has been a top-three catcher in baseball for several years. Garrett Mitchell is a former first round pick and top prospect, as is Brice Turang. Jackson Chourio is already a star at 22.

The big secret the Brewers discovered? Have your players get hot at the right time, have a few bounces go your way, rely on some of your less talented players to hit perfectly timed home runs, and sit back and watch as your bullpen goes from very good to almost literally untouchable.

Every year, the greater baseball world looks to find some sort of meaning or blueprint from the team that wins the World Series. In 2024 and 2025, the Dodgers "proved" that you can just guarantee a title by spending money, even though the Mets and Yankees haven't won in decades. In 2023, the Rangers showed you need a veteran manager like Bruce Bochy, and that home runs, Texas hit eight in five games, are how you win in October. Very smart analysts have pointed to quality bullpens, big midseason trades, drafting and development, free agency, dominant starting rotations, home runs, or making contact and putting the ball in play. The reality? You need all of those, and you can't predict which ones you'll actually get when it matters.

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Not once in these discussions does anyone acknowledge that the different paths taken by different teams demonstrate that there is no one way to win a championship. And that the disparate approaches to roster construction show that what actually matters is a combination of timing, randomness, luck, and talent. Because there has to be meaning and lessons and broad conclusions to draw from every outcome, the baseball world picks a reason and explanation, then quietly discards it when next year's team does the opposite.

Here are a few examples of why looking for meaning in playoff baseball is pointless. "Clutch" hitting is frequently praised as meaningful and predictive. Some players just have the "clutch" gene, the received baseball wisdom goes. So let's look at superstar shorstop Corey Seager as an example. Seager had an astonishing run in the 2020 playoffs, hitting. 328 with eight home runs and 20 runs batted in, winning NLCS and World Series MVP. One of the best postseasons ever. Clutch hitter, right?

In 2016 and 2017, he went a combined 18 for 82. Then in the 2019 postseason went 3-20 with two singles and no homers. In 2021, Seager was 9-48, a .188 batting average. In 2023, he was once again a force of nature for Texas, hitting .318 with six homers. So is Seager the clutch playoff force from 2020 and 2023, or the hopeless, unclutch, "moment is too big" failure from 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021?

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Therein lies the problem. Corey Seager is an elite hitter, but even the best hitters go through hot and cold streaks. Pitchers go through hot and cold streaks. They can't pick and choose when those streaks happen, because if they could, they'd all pick to be hot in October. Derek Jeter hit .235 in the 1998 playoffs, .226 in the 2001 playoffs, .245 in 2004, .176 in 2007, and .250 in 2010 and 2011. He also had plenty of very good results in other years. That's baseball.

Aaron Ashby quite literally had the greatest October by a relief pitcher in baseball history. Next year, he could be the worst pitcher on the team in the NLDS. That's baseball. Robert Gasser could be horrible next season after his dominance in this year's playoffs. That's baseball. Look at last year's Toronto Blue Jays.

Ernie Clement, literally Ernie Clement, set the record for most hits in a single postseason with an incredible 30 in 73 at bats. In 2026, he was 20% worse than league average offensively, cost his team 14 runs compared to an average hitter, and had a .285 on base percentage. In the 2025 playoffs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a .356 batting average on balls in play. Addison Barger was .422, Ernie Clement was .420, and George Springer .319. Predictably, the Blue Jays scored a lot of runs in October.

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In 2026, Guerrero had a .288 BABIP, Springer was .282, Clement .272, and Barger was .063 in his few games before he got hurt. Toronto finished in last place and missed the playoffs. That is also baseball. There's no predictive value from the tournament, because players do not magically become different in October. There's just a typical distribution of outcomes, particularly among good teams, that sometimes goes your way and sometimes doesn't.

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None of this means the Brewers didn't deserve to win, or weren't a good team. They absolutely did, and they absolutely are. They deserve an immense amount of credit for identifying players in the draft or international markets, as well as in trades and free agency, that they thought they could improve or would fit specific needs. But looking for some sort of explanation or path for your favorite team to follow is insane. Because while you need good players to win, you can't predict how they'll perform over a few weeks of small sample sizes. It's just...baseball. Enjoy it when your team wins, celebrate it, and understand that the inherent variability of it ensures it can't ever be broken.

With the Indianapolis Colts already beginning their fire sale, NFL trade deadline speculation swirls around running back Jonathan Taylor.

Will the Colts let their biggest offensive weapon go to accumulate my draft stock?

Taylor was asked about the rumors, and for one, he has not requested a trade. He has reaffirmed his desire to stay, but also understands that’s not his call at the end of the day.

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Business is business in the NFL, and he understands that.

"I haven’t heard anything," he said on Thursday, per FOX59’s Mike Chappell. "I can’t control that, obviously. Like you guys know, I’m proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here. Similar to Quenton [Nelson] and [DeForest Buckner], they were proud to wear the horseshoe, they were proud to be here. But obviously, circumstances may cause otherwise. Hopefully that day may not come, but I can’t control that."

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The Colts initiated a blockbuster to kick off the trade deadline period, sending Nelson, an All-Pro guard, to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round pick on Tuesday.

Then, fellow All-Pro DeForest Buckner, who is also a three-time Pro Bowler, reunited with the San Francisco 49ers, the team that took him seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, after the Colts traded him for a 2027 fourth-round pick later on Tuesday.

Since then, wide receiver Josh Downs has reportedly requested a trade from Indianapolis. And this all comes after owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired GM Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 following a 10-year stint with the team that went 72-82-1 under his roster construction.

So, it’s hard to focus on the weekly grind when those trade rumors are flying around with other players, but Taylor, despite him being atop team’s list if available, is trying his best to block it out.

"The only thing that I can control is rallying these guys in the locker room, helping us put together a great plan and executing a great plan for Jacksonville because it's a division game and they're licking their chops right now. They think they're going to kick us while we're down and that has to be the point of emphasis," he added.

Irsay-Gordon reportedly does not want to move Taylor, who signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension in August. But we’ve already seen players, who signed extensions get dealt, with the Tennessee Titans reaching a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears on Thursday despite inking a three-year, $105.8 million deal that made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league back in June.

The Colts also landed New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner this time last year after he signed an extension. So, anything is in the cards, especially when there’s a lot of time left for teams to consider trades before the deadline on Nov. 10.

Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen will continue to prepare his club. He was asked if Taylor had asked for a trade.

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"Those are hypothetical things right now," he responded. "I know there’s stuff floating around there, but JT’s on our football team."

If the Colts are indeed willing to trade Taylor for the right package, a team would be getting one of the best at his position in the NFL. The 27-year-old has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in four of his six NFL campaigns, and he’s on pace for another after rushing for 587 yards with eight touchdowns through seven games.

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