Eric Collins had maybe the most memorable debut of the 2025 NFL season. 

For announcers, at least, there is no debate. 

He left it all out there during his call alongside Mark Schlereth for Fox as the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins traded fourth-quarter scores in an eventual 27-24 win for Carolina. 

His first moment came with the Panthers trailing 17-0 in the second quarter. Carolina quarterback Bryce Young found Xavier Legette for a touchdown and Collins reached for a healthy helping of enthusiasm with his call. That continued all the way through the fourth quarter, when Collins really went for it on a Rico Dowdle rush up the middle.

Tua Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle with 4:42 left in the game felt inspired by Gus Johnson.

And for the actual game-winner, when Young hit Mitchell Evans with 1:59 remaining, well see (and hear) for yourself: 

By the grace of the football gods, Collins was the one calling that game, which needed life – Collins properly obliged until it went bonkers-mode; Collins excelled then as well. 

Collins calls Charlotte Hornets games and calls college football and basketball for Fox Sports. He’s also an inaugural member of Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage. We’ll definitely be tuning in for those games.

Here are some more moments from the booth that caught our eye in Week 5. 

Kevin Harlan gets game of the week

Anytime CBS’ Kevin Harlan is on a back-and-forth points-fest, the viewer is the winner. During the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 38-35 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Harlan had many opportunities to go full throttle. Baker Mayfield and Emeka Egbuka supplied the setting once or twice, but it was Seahawks signal-caller Sam Darnold’s interception with less than a minute remaining that was Harlan’s highlight. 

The way he enunciates ‘Lavonte David’ after the interception is perfect.

Spero Dedes stays with Titans-Cardinals craziness

The assignment of calling the Arizona Cardinals’ chokejob against the Tennessee Titans fell to CBS’ Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta. 

Their first dose of lunacy came when Emari Demercado dropped the ball (allegedly) before crossing the goal line, thus negating what would have been a 72-yard touchdown and turning it into a touchback.

Then Dedes and Archuleta had to stiff through arguably the most ridiculous touchdown you’ll see this season. A Cam Ward pass was deflected, intercepted by the Cardinals, fumbled, knocked backward multiple times and recovered by Titans wideout Tyler Lockett to make it 21-19.

The duo delivered on the game-winning kick by Joey Slye, which snuck in closer than it looked and the booth made sure the viewers at home knew it without detracting from the magnitude of the moment. Quality stuff. 

Bills fan gets Mike Tirico moment

Early in the second quarter of ‘Sunday Night Football,’ Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen rolled right and looked for an open receiver in the end zone. Nothing materialized. So he threw it into the first row of Highmark Stadium in western New York.

That’s when Mike Tirico shined.

A fan wearing a Matt Milano No. 58 jersey caught Allen’s pass. ‘He’s in row 10, he’s in row 15, he might get a beer! Where are you going man? It’s your moment!

‘He’s going to take it the distance. Maybe it wasn’t his seat. Maybe he doesn’t want to be on TV.’

The Seattle Mariners coughed up a two-run lead in the eighth inning but recovered to notch a late 3-2 win in Game 2 over the Detroit Tigers to even the best-of-five American League Division Series.

Jorge Polanco’s two solo homers off Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal had been the game’s only scoring until the top of the eighth, when Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run double against Matt Brash to make it a 2-2 game.

The Mariners bounced right back in the bottom of the eighth with Julio Rodriguez hitting an RBI double to score Cal Raleigh and restore Seattle’s lead. Andrés Muñoz shut the door in the ninth to pick up the save.

Game 3 is at Comerica Park on Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Here’s how Sunday’s game unfolded:

Julio Rodriguez RBI double puts Mariners back in front

Having given up a two-run lead in the top of the eighth, the Mariners stormed back in the home half, with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez lacing back-to-back doubles, the latter bringing home the go-ahead run against Kyle Finnegan.

Spencer Torkelson ties it in the eighth

Spencer Torkelson delivered a two-run double with two outs in the top of the eighth to tie the game against Mariners reliever Matt Brash.

Jorge Polanco homers again in the sixth

In the bottom of the sixth, Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco took Tarik Skubal deep for the second time in three innings, another solo shot that extended Seattle’s lead to 2-0.

Jorge Polanco home run gives Mariners the lead

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Jorge Polanco hit a solo home run off Tarik Skubal to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. The reigning Cy Young winner bounced back to strike out Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor to end the frame.

Tigers and Mariners scoreless through three

Victor Robles reached on a walk to lead off the bottom of the third for the Mariners. Shortstop J.P. Crawford, who entered the game 4-for-5 against Skubal, then struck out for the first out of the inning. Randy Arozarena flew out to left field for the second out, and Cal Raleigh tried to jump a first-pitch changeup but lined out to shortstop Javier Báez to end the inning.

Tarik Skubal has four strikeouts on 44 pitches through three innings.

Tarik Skubal whiffs two in the first

Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena led off the bottom of the first inning with a single grounded up the middle. Skubal then struck out Cal Raleigh with a nasty 3-2 changeup and got Julio Rodríguez to strike out after a long-at bat.

His next batter faced got out on the first pitch, however, with Jorge Polanco popping out to third baseman Zach McKinstry to end the inning.

Tigers lineup for Game 2

1. Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
2. Kerry Carpenter (L) RF
3. Riley Greene (L) LF
4. Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
5. Colt Keith (L) DH
6. Dillon Dingler (R) C
7. Zach McKinstry (L) 3B
8. Javier Báez (R) SS
9. Parker Meadows (L) CF

Mariners lineup for Game 2

1. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
2. Cal Raleigh (S) C
3. Julio Rodríguez (R) CF
4. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
5. Eugenio Suárez (R) 3B
6. Josh Naylor (L) 1B
7. Mitch Garver (R) DH
8. Victor Robles (R) RF
9. J.P. Crawford (L) SS

Tarik Skubal has run out of clothes on this road trip

SEATTLE — Tarik Skubal is just a regular guy who faces regular-guy problems. While the Tigers have been on the road for seemingly forever – traveling from Cleveland to Boston to Cleveland to Seattle – Skubal has run out of clothes.

“I’ve already worn all the underwear once,” he said, smiling. “I had to take those in and have the clubbies do some stuff. I’m wearing the same shirt I wore in Cleveland already because I had to run it through and get it washed. That’s fun, though. Socks. Ran out of socks too. … But I don’t think anyone’s complaining about being on the road for however many days it’s going to be.” — Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press

Tigers vs. Mariners schedule for ALDS

Tigers lead series 1-0

• Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4 – Tigers 3, Mariners 2 (11 inn.)
• Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 5 – Tigers at Mariners, 8:03 p.m. ET
• Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7 – Mariners at Tigers, Time TBA
• Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 8 (if necessary) – Mariners at Tigers, Time TBA
• Game 5: Friday, Oct. 10 (if necessary) – Tigers at Mariners, Time TBA

Tigers vs Mariners TV channel, how to watch

Game 2 of the American League Division Series is being televised on FS1. Adam Amin will handle play-by-play duties with A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright as analysts and Tom Verducci reporting from the field.

• TV: Fox Sports 1
• Streaming: Fox Sports app, Fubo (free trial)

Watch Tigers vs Mariners on Fubo

What time is Tigers vs. Mariners game today?

First pitch is scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET (5:03 p.m. PT) in Seattle.

The New England Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 5, knocking off the last of the NFL’s unbeaten teams in a 23-20 victory on the road in Orchard Park.

The victory wasn’t easy. The Patriots nearly squandered a 10-point fourth-quarter lead after allowing back-to-back scoring drives to the Bills.

However, Drake Maye orchestrated an excellent final drive for the Patriots. He capably led the Patriots 37 yards over seven plays and set up rookie kicker Andy Borregales for a 52-yard field goal attempt. Borregales’ kick split the uprights with 15 seconds left, leaving no time for Josh Allen and Co. to make a comeback.

Maye showed during Sunday’s contest that he could hold his own against Allen, as the second-year quarterback completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and a 101.1 passer rating. He showed a strong connection throughout the contest with Stefon Diggs (10 catches, 146 yards) as the two carried a Patriots offense that averaged a disappointing 3.2 yards per carry against a porous Bills run defense.

Meanwhile, Allen had a solid showing for the Bills. The reigning NFL MVP completed 22 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing yards (53).

However, Allen was also responsible for two turnovers, an interception and a lost fumble, a microcosm of an uncharacteristically sloppy game for the Bills. Buffalo turned the ball over three times in total after doing so just once over its first four games.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates, highlights and more from the Bills vs Patriots on Sunday night below.

Bills vs. Patriots instant takeaways

• Drake Maye is continuing to make strides in his second season: The 23-year-old still has room for improvement but was impressive Sunday, going toe-to-toe with Josh Allen in a hostile road environment. His steady performance on New England’s game-winning drive should inspire hope among the Patriots faithful that the UNC product can continue to develop into a star under Josh McDaniels’ tutelage.
• Stefon Diggs is healthy and balling: The veteran is looking fully healthy after posting 10 catches for 146 yards against his former team, the Bills. The 31-year-old has now posted back-to-back 100-yard outings and is building chemistry with Maye. Expect him to continue to make strides as he gets further removed from the ACL tear he suffered in October of last year.
• No panic in Buffalo: The Bills’ loss is more of a bump in the road than a reason for panic. Buffalo endured its sloppiest game to date, losing the turnover battle 3-1 and committing 10 penalties for 90 yards, so the Bills should bounce back quickly if they can avoid mistakes in a Week 6 ‘Monday Night Football’ battle with the Atlanta Falcons.

Stefon Diggs stats vs. Bills

• 10 receptions
• 12 targets
• 146 receiving yards
• 0 touchdowns

Drake Maye stats vs. Bills

• 22-of-30 (73.3% completion rate)
• 273 yards
• 0 passing touchdowns
• 0 interceptions
• 101.1 passer rating
• 3 rush attempts for 12 yards and 0 rushing touchdowns

Josh Allen stats vs Patriots

• 22-of-31 (70.9% completion rate)
• 253 yards
• 2 passing touchdowns
• 1 interception
• 103.3 passer rating
• 9 rush attempts for 53 yards and 0 rushing touchdowns

James Cook stats vs. Patriots

• 15 rush attempts
• 49 rushing yards
• 0 touchdowns
• 0 receptions
• 1 target

Dalton Kincaid stats vs. Patriots

• 6 receptions
• 6 targets
• 108 receiving yards
• 0 touchdowns

TreVeyon Henderson stats vs. Bills

• 6 carries
• 24 rushing yards
• 2 receptions
• 3 receiving yards
• 0 touchdowns

Rhamondre Stevenson stats vs. Bills

• 7 carries
• 14 rushing yards
• 2 receptions
• 13 receiving yards
• 2 total touchdowns (both rushing)

Bills vs. Patriots highlights

Bills vs. Patriots final score: Patriots 23, Bills 20

Bills vs Patriots score: Andy Borregales 52-yard field goal to take the lead

The Patriots drive 37 yards, resulting in a 52-yard game-winning field goal by Andy Borregales.

Patriots 23, Bills 20

Matt Prater ties game with 45-yard field goal

The Bills have overcome a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the Patriots. Prater’s 45-yard attempt snuck inside the right upright, so with 2:17 left in regulation, Buffalo and New England are tied at 20.

Bills 20, Patriots 20

Patriots go 3-and-out after key false start, sack

The Patriots had a third-and-inches on the drive following Buffalo’s touchdown, but backup offensive lineman Vederian Lowe was whistled for a false start before a QB sneak to back New England up. Then, on third-and-5, Drake Maye was flushed from the pocket and forced out of bounds for a short loss.

That forced the Patriots to punt the ball back to the Bills, who are trailing 20-17. Bryce Baringer’s kick went into the end-zone, so Buffalo will need to go 80 yards to take the lead with 5:52 left in regulation.

Bills vs. Patriots score: Bills respond quickly with Keon Coleman TD

The Bills respond quickly down two scores and make it a three-point game yet again. Keon Coleman hauls in a two-yard score in the back of the end zone. Buffalo drives down the field 74 yards on just eight plays thanks to two 15-yard penalties against New England. First a roughing the passer penalty on Cory Durden followed by an unnecessary roughness penalty on the next play on rookie Joshua Farmer.

New England will aim to answer with 7:37 to go.

Patriots 20, Bills 17

Bills vs. Patriots score: Rhamondre Stevenson scores second TD, Patriots extend lead

The Patriots dive 90 yards on 11 plays that resulted in Rhamondre Stevenson’s second touchdown of the night on a seven-yard scamper. Stefon Diggs has exploded in the second half and accounted for 53 yards on four catches throughout the 5:43 scoring drive.

The Bills find themselves down two scores with just over 12 minutes remaining.

Patriots 20, Bills 10

End of third quarter: Patriots driving into Bills territory

New England holds a 13-10 lead after forcing a turnover deep in its own territory on the Bills’ last drive. Now, the Patriots are driving into Bills territory at the start of the fourth quarter looking to extend their lead.

Stefon Diggs drags toes on sideline catch for third down conversion

The former Bill, continues to make a mark on tonight’s game against his former team. This time, he shows us some toe-drag swag on a 10-yard catch on third down, which resulted in a new set of downs for the Patriots.

Bills penalties today

The Bills have struggled with penalties in their Week 5 game against the Patriots. Buffalo has been penalized for 10 accepted infractions, which have resulted in a total of 80 yards in penalties.

By comparison, the Patriots have committed four penalties for 40 yards.

Marcus Jones intercepts Josh Allen, marking third Bills turnover

The Bills continue to struggle with turnovers after committing just one in their first four games. Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones undercut an Allen throw intended for Khalil Shakir and brought it in before being tackled at the 10-yard line.

Buffalo was in scoring range before the interception. Now, New England will have a chance to extend its lead, though it is backed up deep in its own zone.

Stefon Diggs stats today

Thus far, Diggs’ return to Buffalo has been a good one. The veteran is leading the Patriots with five catches for 81 yards and has seen a team-high seven targets during the contest.

With 6:34 left in the third quarter, Diggs may be on his way to his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game.

Bills vs. Patriots score: Patriots answer with Rhamondre Stevenson TD run

After Buffalo opened the second half with its first touchdown, Drake Maye and the Patriots answered. The second-year quarterback went 3 of 3 passing for 64 yards, including two completions for 48 yards to Stefon Diggs, before Stevenson turned his lone touch into a 4-yard touchdown run.

Andy Borregales makes the extra point, and the Patriots are back on top, leading 13-10.

Patriots 13, Bills 10

Bills vs Patriots score: Josh Allen tosses first TD of game to Curtis Samuel

Sean McDermott and Joe Brady dialed up a unique motion for Samuel, who bluffed an orbit-type motion before changing directions. The result? He ended up wide open for an easy check-down and waltzed into the end-zone for the score.

Matt Prater’s extra point is good, and Buffalo has its first lead of the day, 10-6.

Bills 10, Patriots 6

What number is TreVeyon Henderson?

Henderson is No. 32, for those having trouble locating him on the field. For some reason, the font on the second-round rookie’s jersey is smaller than that of his counterpart’s, making it harder for fans and NFL analysts, like Ryan Fitzpatrick, to read. https://x.com/FitzMagic_14/status/1975009599540584949 It isn’t clear why the nameplate font on Henderson’s jersey is smaller, but just know the Ohio State product is wearing the number 32.

Drake Maye stats at halftime

Maye has completed 9 of 16 passes for 89 yards in the first half, good for a passer rating of 72.1. He showed good rhythm on the Patriots’ final drive of the half but has found himself under pressure from Buffalo’s strong defensive front, taking two sacks in the first half.

Maye has also added 12 yards on three carries and could be asked to run more in the second half with Antonio Gibson (knee) ruled out for the game.

Josh Allen stats at halftime

Allen was efficient in the first half, completing 9 of 11 passes for 100 yards, good for a 104.5 passer rating. The reigning MVP is also tied for his team’s lead in rushing yards, racking up 32 on four carries in the first half.

That said, Allen has also made a couple of mistakes, taking an 8-yard sack and losing a fumble. He will look to clean up those errors in the second half.

Bills vs. Patriots score: Patriots settle for field goal, take 6-3 lead into halftime

Drake Maye got the Patriots to the 1-yard line, but Hunter Henry couldn’t catch a quick pass to the flat with 1 second left in the half. Mike Vrabel settled for a 19-yard Andy Borregales field goal, and the rookie was able to kick it through with ease.

Despite the score, the Bills have actually outgained the Patriots 159-135 in the first half. However, the Bills have committed eight penalties for 65 yards, compared to two for 20 yards by the Patriots, while New England is winning the turnover battle 2-1.

The Bills will get the second-half kickoff and will get the next crack at notching the game’s first touchdown.

Patriots 6, Bills 3

Milton Williams helps sack Josh Allen, force Bills punt

Allen was sacked just seven times across the first four games of the 2025 NFL season. The Patriots got to him late in the second quarter, when Milton Williams and Jaylinn Hawkins pressured him and slung him to the ground.

The Bills were forced to punt, and the Patriots regained possession on their own 30-yard line. New England will look to score in the 2:22 remaining before halftime in the 3-3 tie.

Patriots rule out Antonio Gibson with knee injury

The Patriots will play the remainder of their game without Gibson. The running back suffered a knee injury on a kick return and was quickly ruled out by the team.

New England now has just two healthy running backs remaining on its roster: starter Rhamondre Stevenson and second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson.

Bryce Baringer pins Bills at 10-yard line after another Patriots punt

The bad news for Patriots fans? Baringer has had to punt three times. The good news? He has pinned the Bills inside their own 15-yard line with each kick.

This time, Khalil Shakir opted not to field Baringer’s kick and the Patriots downed it at the 10-yard line. Josh Allen and the Bills will have a long field to cover with 6:24 left in the second quarter.

Antonio Gibson injury update

Gibson, a running back for the Patriots, was injured on a kick return following Buffalo’s field goal. The veteran was upended after being hit hard in the leg by Bills defensive back Cam Lewis, and he fumbled the ball.

Gibson remained down on the field for a couple of minutes before leaving the field gingerly but under his own power. He went to the blue medical tent for further evaluation.

How old is Matt Prater?

Prater is 41 years old, making him the second-oldest active player in the NFL behind only Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 

Prater is in his 19th season and has played for five different teams during his NFL career.

Bills vs Patriots score: Matt Prater makes 31-yard field goal to tie game

The Bills have answered the Patriots’ game-opening score. Josh Allen marched the Bills down the field with some big passing plays, including a 23-yarder to Joshua Palmer, but the Patriots got a key stop on third down in the red-zone.

Prater’s 31-yard attempt was true, and the Bills and Patriots are tied at 3 with 9:34 left in the second quarter.

Bills 3, Patriots 3

How many fumbles does Rhamondre Stevenson have?

After his latest fumble, Stevenson has put the ball on the turf three times this season. His third fumble came on his 44th touch, meaning he has fumbled roughly every 14.7 touches thus far in 2025.

Stevenson had seven fumbles on 240 touches last season, good for one fumble every 34.3 touches.

Patriots leading Bills 3-0 after sloppy first quarter

Both the Patriots and Bills have gotten off to a slow start in their ‘Sunday Night Football’ battle, but New England is leading thanks to a couple of Buffalo turnovers.

The Bills had just one turnover across their first four games. In one quarter Sunday, they fumbled twice, losing both and setting the Patriots up for their chip-shot field goal near the end of the first quarter.

The Patriots had a turnover of their own after the fumble-prone Rhamondre Stevenson lost his third of the 2025 NFL season. However, New England’s defense has done a good job limiting Josh Allen and James Cook, who have just 15 combined rushing yards on five carries.

Allen has performed well as a passer, completing 5 of 7 passes for 61 yards, but the Bills have often been behind the chains. Buffalo has been called for five penalties and lost 29 total yards because of them.

The Bills will need to clean up their operation to get on the board, but they have plenty of time to figure things out in this divisional rivalry.

Bills vs Patriots score: Andy Borregales makes 30-yard field goal to put Patriots ahead

The Patriots get on the board first on ‘Sunday Night Football.’ They weren’t able to gain any yardage after recovering Keon Coleman’s fumble, but Borregales was able to make a chip-shot 30-yarder with ease.

Keon Coleman loses fumble, giving Patriots ball in red-zone

The Bills entered their Sunday night game against the Patriots having committed just one turnover on the season. They now have two turnovers in the first quarter after Keon Coleman fumbled after a short catch.

The Patriots jumped on the ball at Buffalo’s 11-yard line. That puts New England well within scoring range as the first quarter winds down.

Stefon Diggs drops potential first-down catch, forcing Patriots punt

Diggs caught his first target of the day, but he couldn’t do the same on his second. Drake Maye’s throw was placed on Diggs’ back shoulder slightly behind the veteran, but Diggs couldn’t reel it in.

Rather than go for it on fourth-and-3, the Patriots decided to punt. The Bills will once again start from inside their own 15-yard line in a 0-0 tie.

Why Josh Allen says ‘Go Pokes’ in SNF intro

Allen’s ‘Go Pokes’ message is a nod to his alma mater, Wyoming. The Cowboys use ‘Go Pokes’ as their rallying cry – much like Alabama fans say ‘Roll Tide!’ to honor the Crimson Tide – so consider the message Allen’s way of honoring his roots.

Bills stall out, punt for first time

Thus far, the Bills and Patriots have traded punts and fumbles across their ‘Sunday Night Football’ game’s first four possessions.

Buffalo has been able to move the ball a bit better than New England, with Josh Allen completing 4 of 6 passes for 59 yards, but his last two passes have fallen incomplete.

Rhamondre Stevenson fumbles ball right back to Bills

One play after recovering a fumble, the Patriots fumbled it right back to the Bills. Stevenson caught a dump-off from Drake Maye before having the ball punched out of his hands by Shaq Thompson.

Stevenson has now fumbled three times on 44 touches across five games for the Patriots in 2025.

Patriots recover fumble after Dawson Knox knocks ball out of Josh Allen’s hands

The Bills got the ball near midfield on their first drive before giving the ball back to the Patriots. Josh Allen was under center when he took the snap with tight end Dawson Knox coming across on jet motion.

Knox bumped into Allen, jarring the ball out of his hands and allowing Patriots defensive tackle Joshua Farmer to pounce on it with ease.

Bills force punt on first possession

The Patriots got off to a good start, as Drake Maye completed his first pass to Stefon Diggs for 15 yards. However, New England couldn’t get another first down after that and were forced to punt the ball to Buffalo.

Josh Allen and the Bills will begin their first offensive possession of the night from their own 14-yard line after a Khalil Shakir fair catch.

Stefon Diggs catches pass on first play from scrimmage

In the veteran’s first game back in Buffalo, he reeled in a 15-yard pass from Drake Maye on the first play of the game.

What time does Bills vs Patriots game start?

• Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Bills and Patriots game will start at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5.

What TV channel is Bills vs Patriots on?

• TV channel: NBC

NBC will broadcast the Bills vs Patriots ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline.

Stefon Diggs takes the field in Buffalo wearing Patriots uniform

Bills uniforms tonight vs Patriots

The Buffalo Bills are unveiling their ‘Cold Front’ uniforms tonight against the Patriots. It marks the debut of the all-white alternates, and Buffalo is hosting a white-out event at Highmark Stadium to commemorate the occasion.

Bills inactives vs. Patriots

Patriots inactives vs. Bills

Josh Allen arrives for Week 5 vs. Patriots

The reigning NFL MVP arrives for the Bills’ Week 5 matchup and is wearing the fourth of nine custom hats designed by patients at Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital. After each home game, his hat will be auctioned off to support the Patricia Allen Fund.

Bills 2025 schedule

Patriots 2025 schedule

Bills vs Patriots live stream

• Live stream:Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC’s proprietary streaming service, will carry the ‘SNF’ game.

Fubo will also carry Bills vs. Patriots. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch 2025 NFL action with Fubo (free trial)

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Who are the announcers for Bills vs. Patriots on NBC? 

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC’s weekly ‘Football Night in America’ pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more. 

Bills vs. Patriots odds

Bills vs Patriots injury report

How tall is Josh Allen?

Josh Allen is listed at 6-5, 237 pounds on the Bills’ official website. 

Among NFL quarterbacks, only Joe Flacco, Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence are taller than Allen. All are listed at 6-6.

• Teoscar Hernández’s three-run home run helped the Dodgers win Game 1 over the Phillies.
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. helped the Blue Jays batter the Yankees in Game 1.
• The Brewers scored six runs in the first inning to sprint past the rival Cubs in Milwaukee.

You can’t win a best-of-five Division Series in Game 1 – but it’s possible you can lose it.

All four NL and AL division series jumped off with a bang Oct. 4 and while momentum may or may not be a real thing, the joy of getting 33% of the way to moving on cannot be underestimated.

And though there’s time for redemption and also an untimely downfall, going 1-0 on this day can be so important.

With that, USA TODAY Sports breaks down the winners and losers from all the Game 1s of the division series:

WINNERS

Teoscar Hernández

The Life of Teo is simply a never-ending roller-coaster ride – and thankfully for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it crested at just the right time to steal Game 1 of their NL Division Series at Philadelphia.

Hernández’s three-run, go-ahead home run in the seventh inning flipped the game in L.A.’s favor, turning a one-run deficit into a 5-3 lead and eventual winning margin.

And it continued a season in which the beloved Hernández has been far more an enigma than the Dodgers preferred.

Consider the last week:

➤ Game 1, NL wild-card series: A two-homer game to knock the Reds to the canvas before they could get in the fight.

➤ Game 2, NL wild-card series: A dropped fly ball that led to two runs scoring, making their elimination of Cincinnati far more difficult.

➤ Third inning, NLDS Game 1: Hernández simply stopped running his hardest when J.T. Realmuto’s liner rolled up the gap in right center.

Oh, two runs probably would’ve scored eventually anyway, but Hernández’s reticence in cutting the ball off almost certainly resulted in Realmuto reaching third and eventually scoring. And suddenly the Phillies had a 3-0 lead, one that looked insurmountable until … Hernández homered yet again.

And then, an opposite-field blast off Matt Strahm to bring the Dodgers all the way back. Unbelievable.

All this came after a regular season in which Hernández fell into an 81-game funk from late May to early September in which he posted a .207/.250/.361 line and struck out nearly 30% of the time. A .916 OPS over his final 16 games and four hits in 10 at-bats – including two homers – in the wild-card series had the sunflower seeds flying again.

What’s next? Hold on tight.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

You’re forgiven if you can’t recall seeing Guerrero play in the postseason – because he and the Toronto Blue Jays were virtually invisible.

They went 0-6 in wild-card series in 2020, 2022 and ’23, all as Vladdy went 3 for 22 with no home runs. So it was no small thing when Guerrero’s first at-bat of the AL Division Series against the Yankees ended with his moonshot framed against the gorgeous, open-roof sky at Rogers Centre before landing in the left field seats.

The Blue Jays led 1-0 and won 10-1, a game that was still 2-1 in the seventh. Guerrero had three hits and a sac fly – far from invisible, and just getting started.

John Schneider

He was the skipper for the latter two Blue Jays playoff pratfalls and endured both types of managerial nightmares: Leaving a starting pitcher in too long and then yanking another one too early.

Toronto held an 8-1 lead over Seattle in the sixth inning in 2022 Game 2, yet starter Kevin Gausman was allowed to wobble and give up three runs in the inning to get the Mariners back in it. The momentum never left – and Seattle eliminated Toronto in a 10-9 triumph.

A year later, in another Game 2 elimination battle, José Berríos had given up just three hits in three innings and just struck out the side against Minnesota. Yet after a leadoff walk in the fourth, he was yanked after just 32 pitches.

Yusei Kikuchi allowed his inherited runner to score, gave up another run of his own for good measure and Toronto was eliminated, 2-0.

So imagine Schneider’s emotions when Gausman nursed a 2-0 lead in the sixth and loaded the bases – with Aaron Judge coming to the plate.

Schneider stuck with his ace – and Gausman struck out Judge. Even as he walked in a run, Schneider did not waver – and Gausman got Ben Rice to pop up for the second out.

Finally, he lifted Gausman – and reliever Louis Varland struck out Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases.

Just about every button pushed was perfect. And Schneider finally got his first postseason win – and the Jays’ first since 2016.

Extra innings with no Manfred Runner

For those averting their eyes – or turning off the television or computer or radio – during the regular season when games go to the 10^th inning and ersatz baseball is staged, the playoffs are a safe space.

And the Tigers and Mariners taking a 2-2 tie into extra innings of a playoff game was delicious theater.

No bogus runner placed on second. No awkwardness of a three-true-outcomes trying to get a bunt down to get the Fake Guy to third. Just a clash of wills and thrills, capped in the 11^th inning when Zach McKinstry coaxed a single through the Mariners’ infield to break the tie and send the upset-minded Tigers up 1-0 – with Tarik Skubal lurking in Game 2 on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The Brewers’ viability

It can’t be easy cruising through the final few weeks of the season knowing you’ve wrapped up the division while pundits obsess over the fact you typically turn tail come playoff time.

But the Milwaukee Brewers roared out of the postseason gate as if they were fueled by the naysayers.

They won Game 1 for just the second time in their last six playoff series – which can take a lot of the sting out of hearing their home ballpark is ‘Wrigley North.’

Shohei Ohtani

It looked like the legend of Ohtani would take a hit when he yielded three second-inning runs to Philadelphia, thanks in part to suboptimal defense (see: Hernandez item). But Ohtani, in his first career postseason pitching appearance, simply kept climbing up the mound and dominating the Phillies.

He struck out nine and gave up just three hits over six innings while flashing that little bit of extra exuberance he gets when he’s on the mound (That scream and fist pump after striking out Kyle Schwarber was different, to say the least.)

Oh, he couldn’t quite pull off the dominant daily double, his hitting version getting stymied by Phillies lefties Cristopher Sanchez and Matt Strahm, who struck him out four times. But this playoff pitching thing was something new for the player who’s seemingly done it all – and Ohtani passed that test and enabled the Dodgers to snag Game 1.

Starters in relief

When you spend $72 million on Tanner Scott and pay Kirby Yates $13 million for one season and both turn out to be unviable for the playoffs, what’s a manager to do?

Simply turn two members of your nine-ish man rotation into firemen.

Sure, all bets are off in the postseason, and Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora fully ushered in this era of starting pitchers going in relief back in 2018. Yet what Dave Roberts did in unleashing Tyler Glasnow and Rōki Sasaki for the final three innings of the Dodgers’ Game 1 stunner was on another level.

Glasnow did not pitch during the Dodgers’ World Series-winning run a year ago because he was injured, which unfortunately for Glasnow is a frequent occurrence. But he was upright for this postseason, and with Yoshinobu Yamamoto ensconced as the ace and Blake Snell healthy and Ohtani capable of going six, seven, however many innings the Dodgers need, what’s a guy to do with a 6-8 fireballer?

Throw him in the bullpen – even if he hadn’t thrown a pitch in relief since 2018 in Pittsburgh, two teams and a lifetime ago.

And Glasnow pulled it off, recording five outs to nearly bridge the gap from Ohtani to the new closer. Hey, he gave up a hit and two walks and L.A. had to close its collective eyes when the recently sketchy Alex Vesia needed – and got – one out.

But Glasnow got it done, leaving the ninth to Sasaki, who’s been a relief stalwart for, well, almost two whole weeks now.

The Dodgers barely had time to workshop Sasaki in the bullpen at the end of the year when he returned from myriad health woes, swallowed his pride and forgot that he was supposed to be the runaway Rookie of the Year – as a starting pitcher.

Instead, he went to the ‘pen and emerged onto the Citizens Bank Park mound for the ninth inning – and recorded his first career save to finish an epic postseason tilt.

That’s the third of 13 wins the Dodgers will need to defend their championship. If they do get the chance at a 13^th W this year, who knows what Roberts and the brainiacs in the front office might concoct.

LOSERS

‘Rest vs. rust’

Remember when a pair of wild-card teams made nice postseason runs in the first two iterations of this modern playoff format, sparking discourse that perhaps it was preferable to play an extra round rather than enjoy a few days off?

Yeah, about that.

Teams that earned byes to the Division Series have gone 2-1 in 2025 Game 1s, puncturing the notion raised by the 2022 Phillies and 2023 Diamondbacks’ World Series appearances that it’s better to jump in the fire than chill on the couch.

Nope, it was just an extremely small sample (who could’ve imagined?) that would eventually even out over time. And the advantages of avoiding the wild card were abundant in Game 1s.

Just look at the Yankees, who saw a significant dropoff from starters Nos. 1-2-3 (Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Cam Schlittler) to No. 4 Luis Gil, who couldn’t get out of the third inning at Toronto. Or the Cubs, whose foolhardy decision to start Matthew Boyd on three days’ rest speaks to the fact their pitching depth isn’t sufficient to cover three wild-card games and an NLDS opener.

The Phillies were poised to make it three in a row, until …

Rob Thomson

He’d been on the mildly hot seat after the Phillies’ regression from surprise World Series participants in 2022 to NLCS losers in 2023 to NLDS upset victims in 2024. Now, after a 96-win season put Philly in the driver’s seat once again to reach the World Series, two bad innings undid six months of toil.

Sitting on a 3-0 lead thanks to Cristopher Sanchez’s brilliance, Thomson had David Robertson warming in the sixth as two men reached base and Sanchez’s pitch count reached the 90s. Yet Thomson sent pitching coach Caleb Cotham to the mound rather than coming out with the hook.

Sure, the Dodgers had Max Muncy ready to pinch hit for Kiké Hernández, and it was admittedly a tough call: A tiring Sanchez vs. Kiké or Robertson vs. Muncy?

Well, he stuck with Sanchez and the Dodgers’ clutchest postseason player ever ripped a two-run double cutting the lead to 3-2. Finally, Sanchez was lifted – and Robertson faced Muncy, anyway.

Robertson was signed off the couch in August, and he’d never had a “two-up” – or, sat down and then got up to start another inning – all year. Yet Thomson stuck with Robertson into the seventh and the 40-year-old gave up a single and hit a batter.

That forced lefty Matt Strahm – who performed his primary duty by striking out Ohtani – to face Teoscar Hernandez. And we saw how that worked out.

Now, the Phillies must win three of four against the defending champions – or Thomson faces a very uncertain future.

Luke Weaver

He was the quirky answer to the Yankees’ bullpen prayers a year ago, posting a 0.65 WHIP and going unscored upon in his first five and last five playoff outings as New York reached the World Series.

This year? He’s yet to record an out while allowing all six batters he’s faced to reach base.

The latest debacle came against the Blue Jays, when he entered in the seventh inning of a 2-1 game, promptly went walk-single-RBI single and was yanked, his three-batter minimum satisfied.

Weaver also soiled Max Fried’s gem in Game 1 of the wild-card series, enabling the Red Sox to steal a late lead in the seventh and force New York to burn its top three starters simply to advance.

Now, Weaver will slide further down manager Aaron Boone’s circle of trust – and it’s a lot likelier we’ll see Fried try to complete seven innings if given the chance in Game 2.

The Detroit Tigers outlasted the Seattle Mariners in 11 innings to take Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series.

Zach McKinstry’s RBI single against Carlos Vargas in the top of the 11th was the difference in Detroit’s 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

The Mariners got on the board first with Julio Rodriguez’s solo home run in the fourth inning, but the Tigers went in front on Kerry Carpenter’s two-run homer off George Kirby in the top of the fifth. Seattle tied the game 2-2 in the sixth on Rodriguez’s RBI single and neither team could score in the final three innings, becoming the first extra-inning game of the 2025 postseason.

Game 2 is set for 8:03 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 with the series heading to Detroit for Games 3 and 4 (if necessary).

Here’s how Saturday’s game unfolded:

Zach McKinstry puts Tigers in front in extra innings

Carlos Vargas came in to pitch the 11th for the Mariners, issuing a leadoff walk to Spencer Torkelson and then followed with a wild pitch to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Vargas struck out Winceel Perez and Dillon Dinger, but Zach McKinstry hit a two-out RBI single to plate Torkelson and give Detroit the lead.

MLB playoff extra innings rules

The Mariners and Tigers remain after nine and will be the first game in the 2025 postseason to extra innings.

Major League Baseball’s extra innings format is different in the playoffs from the regular season, getting rid of the ‘ghost runner’ starting on second base once a game goes beyond nine innings.

Unlike the previous six months of baseball, extra innings in the postseason will not feature the free runner.

Mariners tie it up in the sixth

Clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the seventh, Detroit reliever Rafael Montero issued a leadoff walk to Randy Arozarena then back-to-back singles by Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, the latter driving in the tying run. Montero was replaced after failing to retire a batter and Tyler Holton got Josh Naylor to ground into a double play then Jorge Polanco to line out to keep the game tied.

Kerry Carpenter home run gives Tigers the lead

Detroit finally got on the board with Kerry Carpenter’s two-run homer off George Kirby in the top of the fifth, taking a 2-1 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

Carpenter set a career high with 26 home runs in the regular season.

Julio Rodriguez home run puts Mariners in front

Julio Rodriguez hit a solo homer off Troy Melton in the bottom of the fourth to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Rodriguez had 32 home runs, 95 RBIs and 30 steals in the regular season, the second 30-30 campaign of his four-year career.

Tigers waste leadoff double in third

Gleyber Torres began the top of the third with a double off George Kirby, but the right-hander got Kerry Carpenter to line out to center and struck out Riley Greene before Spencer Torkelson flew out to left to end the inning. The Tigers are already 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

George Kirby escapes in second inning

Colt Keith singled and Dillon Dingler walked to start the top of the second against George Kirby, but the right-hander struck out Zack McKinstry, induced a Javier Baez groundout and whiffed Parker Meadows to end the threat with runners on second and third.

Tigers ALDS roster

• Catchers (2): Dillon Dingler, Jake Rogers.
• Infielders (7): Javier Báez, Andy Ibáñez, Colt Keith, Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson, Gleyber Torres.
• Outfielders (5): Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Jahmai Jones, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez.
• Right-handed pitchers (9): Kyle Finnegan, Jack Flaherty, Brenan Hanifee, Tommy Kahnle, Troy Melton, Casey Mize, Keider Montero, Rafael Montero, Will Vest.
• Left-handed pitchers (3): Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, Tarik Skubal

Mariners playoff roster

• Catchers: Harry Ford, Mitch Garver, Cal Raleigh
• Infielders: J.P. Crawford, Josh Naylor, Jorge Polanco, Leo Rivas, Eugenio Suarez, Ben Williamson
• Outfielders: Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone, Victor Robles, Julio Rodriguez
• Utility: Luke Raley
• Left-handed pitchers: Caleb Ferguson, Gabe Speier
• Right-handed pitchers: Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash, Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, Luke Jackson, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Andres Munoz, Carlos Vargas

Tigers lineup

1. Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
2. Kerry Carpenter (L) RF
3. Riley Greene (L) LF
4. Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
5. Colt Keith (L) DH
6. Dillon Dingler (R) C
7. Zach McKinstry (L) 3B
8. Javier Báez (R) SS
9. Parker Meadows (L) CF

Mariners lineup

1. Randy Arozarena (R) LF
2. Cal Raleigh (S) C
3. Julio Rodríguez (R) CF
4. Josh Naylor (L) 1B
5. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
6. Eugenio Suárez (R) 3B
7. Dominic Canzone (L) DH
8. Victor Robles (R) RF
9. J.P. Crawford (L) SS

On Sunday morning the NFL goes international for the third time this 2025 season.

NFL Week 5 Sunday kicks off in London as the Cleveland Browns (1-3) and Minnesota Vikings (2-2) clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings are eyeing a bounce-back after falling short against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first-ever Dublin game. Minnesota’s starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss his third straight game and veteran Carson Wentz will get the start again. The Vikings backup has stepped up with McCarthy nursing a high ankle sprain.

Minnesota will try to get back in the win column against a reeling Browns team. Though it could be a tough task for Wentz behind an offensive line that will be missing three starters against a terrific Browns defense spearheaded by Myles Garrett.

Cleveland is turning to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel as the former Oregon Duck was named the Browns starter ahead of Week 5.

Joe Flacco has struggled to stay consistent, leading the Browns to just 14 points per game through the first month. Gabriel will be the 41st starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999. Kevin Stefanski could look to alleviate some of the pressure on Gabriel by leaning on the run game and fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins, who is averaging a robust 4.8 yards per carry.

Minnesota is 4-0 all-time in London games, but can Cleveland hand them their first loss in England’s capital city? Both teams are on a collision course across the pond for the third of seven NFL international games this season.

USA TODAY Sports will provide updates, highlights and more from the NFL London game below.

What time does Browns vs Vikings NFL London game start?

• Kickoff: 9:30 a.m. ET

The Browns and Vikings game will start at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5.

What channel is Browns vs Vikings NFL London game today?

It’s another NFL Network exclusive game for the national audience hoping to find the Browns and Vikings action on their television screens.

For fans in the Minnesota and Cleveland markets, you can catch the contest on your local broadcast networks:

• TV channel: NFL Network
• Local: (Minnesota market): KMSP – Fox 9
• Local: (Cleveland market): WEWS – ABC 5

The NFL on Fox broadcasters will handle the game in London with Kenny Albert on the play-by-play duties. Jonathan Vilma joins him in the booth to provide analysis and NFL Network’s Sara Walsh reports from the sidelines. Mike Pereira serves as the rules analyst.

Is Shedeur Sanders playing today?

Sanders is set to be the Browns’ emergency third quarterback for a fifth straight week. With Gabriel taking over the starting duties, Flacco has been relegated to the backup role behind him.

Vikings record

The Vikings enter their Week 5 matchup vs. the Browns with a 2-2 record. They have wins over the Bengals and Bears with losses to the Steelers and Falcons.

Cleveland Browns schedule 2025

Vikings inactives vs. Browns

Minnesota will be without tackle Brian O’Neill, who was injured in Week 4 vs. the Steelers in Dublin. J.J. McCarthy continues to work back from an ankle injury.

Browns inactives vs. Vikings

No real surprises for the Browns inactive list vs. the Vikings in London, with Shedeur Sanders operating as the emergency third QB.

Browns vs. Vikings prediction

The Vikings are on upset alert this week. Backup quarterback Carson Wentz has played OK in relief of J.J. McCarthy, but diminishing returns last week vs. the Steelers means he may be in for a tough day at the office again. The Browns may get a spark in rookie Dillon Gabriel taking snaps, and leaning on the running game may be a recipe for success.

Prediction: Browns 21, Vikings 14

Where to stream Browns vs Vikings NFL London game

• Live stream:Fubo

Fans who prefer to stream the game can find it on NFL+ or Fubo, which comes with a free trial. Fubo carries NFL Network, as well as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you’ll be able to catch NFL games all season long.

Watch 2025 NFL action with Fubo (free trial)

• Nico Iamaleava plays heroically in UCLA upset of Penn State.
• An upset? Yes. But also, a humiliation for Penn State and James Franklin.
• UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper coaches fearlessly.

“Mr. April” just became “Mr. Upset.”

Take a bow, Nico Iamaleava. You deserve it.

UCLA’s previously beleaguered quarterback just unmasked Penn State as frauds.

This wasn’t just an upset. This was a thunderclap. A jaw-dropper. For No. 6 Penn State, a humiliation, this 42-37 Bruins triumph that turned all that preseason hype for the Nittany Lions into dust.

Anyone have this on their bingo card?

‘I’m just so proud,’ UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper told CBS amid a postgame moment of euphoria.

The Bruins (1-4) played with more spirit and physicality. To be sure, they played with the better quarterback.

Five touchdowns, Iamaleava supplied. Countless tackles, he broke.

Iamaleava absorbed months’ worth of mockery after he took a pay cut to transfer from Tennessee, a playoff contender, in favor of moribund UCLA. The wisecracks reached a fever pitch after UCLA went winless in September, and its coach got fired.

Iamaleava didn’t play terribly in the season’s first month, but he also didn’t play like a five-star talent worthy of big NIL bucks. Maybe, he was just saving all his highlights for this game.

‘We got a great win,’ Iamaleava told CBS afterward. ‘Finally.’

Iamaleava shredded Penn State with his arm and his legs. He threw dimes and broke ankles. Some vindication, finally, for a quarterback who, in April, became the poster child of college football’s free agency era. Iamaleava bailed on Tennessee a day before its spring game, but he didn’t quit on UCLA or on Skipper.

Skipper coached with the requisite fearlessness of an interim coach. UCLA made the easiest recovery of an onside kick in the history of the sport when Skipper’s call caught Penn State fast asleep in the first quarter.

Skipper managed the clock beautifully, too.

Penn State preseason hype goes poof

Pity the fool who bet Penn State to win the national championship. There’s degenerate gambling, and then there’s stupidity, and if you purchased a betting slip with Penn State’s name listed as national champion, I’m afraid you suffer from the latter.

James Franklin cannot win a big game, a fact he reiterated in last week’s home loss to Oregon, but never mind that, because on this day, he got outwitted by an interim man.

When time extinguished, Franklin stood on the field and watched blue and gold confetti fall.

Penn State’s record says it’s 3-2, but it might as well say 0-2, because the Nittany Lions’ first three games amounted to glorified exhibitions after they assembled one of the nation’s most pitiful nonconference schedules.

And you can call this a hangover result for Penn State after last week’s clash with Oregon, or the byproduct of a cross-country flight, but there’s no justifiable excuse for losing to an opponent with losses to the likes of UNLV, New Mexico and Northwestern.

UCLA scored on all five first-half possessions while establishing a 20-point halftime lead, but surely a 24½-point underdog couldn’t keep that up, right? Right.

Penn State mounted the rally you just knew was coming, but Iamaleava kept playing like a trophy was on the line.

Iamaleava needed just an ounce of help to secure this stunner. UCLA’s defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed for most of the second half, until supplying a crucial fourth-down stop in the red zone that gave Iamaleava the hero’s victory he earned.

‘Ballers always ball out,’ Skipper said of Iamaleava. ‘I’m glad he’s on my team.’

UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava enjoys his finest hour

Frankly, what a waste of Iamaleava’s talents that he’s on a team as bad as UCLA’s. Think maybe Steve Sarkisian and Texas would benefit from Iamaleava? Arch Manning is no Nico. Seriously.

Iamaleava ran like Tecmo Super Bowl’s version of Bo Jackson on a 52-yard run in which he evaded a series of tacklers. A few plays later, the lithe Iamaleava bulldozed across the goal line.

Apparently, nobody told Iamaleava he’s playing on a belly-up team. He was a maestro on third downs. He drew Penn State offsides on a critical fourth down in the fourth quarter.

He was, in a word, brilliant.

Every time the Bruins’ lead slipped into danger, Iamaleava would take off on some daring run that moved the chains. With the quarterback leading the charge, the Bruins rushed for 280 yards against what’s supposed to be one of the Big Ten’s saltiest defenses.

On a beautiful day in SoCal, most Angelenos avoided the Rose Bowl. The smattering of fans in attendance witnessed the most shocking result of the season.

They saw a quarterback remake himself as “Mr. Upset’ and the Bruins defrock the Nittany Lions.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Another week, another ticket punched to the NASCAR Cup Series’ Round of 8.

Chase Elliott needed two overtimes to make it to victory lane in the Cup Series playoff race at Kansas last weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports driver took the top spot over Denny Hamlin, who had dominated much of the race, thanks to a late surge on the final lap.

This marked Elliott’s second win of the season and came three months after his win at Atlanta in the Quaker State 400.

His Hollywood Casino 400 win makes him the second driver to secure a spot in the next round alongside 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney.

Elliott was eighth on the final restart but managed to take the win by just 0.069 seconds over Hamlin thanks to his final-lap heroics. He’ll breathe a little bit easier in Charlotte this week knowing he’s safely on to the next round in pursuit of a second Cup Series title.

Come the checkered flag Sunday evening in Charlotte, four drivers will be eliminated from playoff contention. Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for the Bank of America Roval 400 on Sunday, Oct. 5:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte start?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on?

The Bank of America Roval 400 will be broadcast on USA Network, the home for the Round of 12 part of the Cup Series playoffs. Pre-race coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

Yes, the Bank of America Roval 400 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is 109 laps around the 2.32-mile track for a total of 252.9 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 25 laps; Stage 2: 25 laps; Stage 3: 59 laps.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Here’s how things look after the playoff round in Kansas with the gap to the leader in parentheses. The bottom four drivers will be eliminated after Charlotte as the playoffs move on to the Round of 8.

1. Kyle Larson
2. Denny Hamlin (+6)
3. Christopher Bell (+10)
4. William Byron (+14)
5. Chase Elliott (+20)
6. Ryan Blaney (+25)
7. Chase Briscoe (+33)
8. Joey Logano (+41)
9. Ross Chastain (+54)
10. Bubba Wallace (+67)
11. Tyler Reddick (+70)
12. Austin Cindric (+89)

Who won the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte last year?

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson took his second playoff win of 2024 with a comfortable victory over Christopher Bell in last year’s playoff race at Charlotte. Larson led the most laps – including most of the Stage 3 running – to take the win at the final road course event of the season. Bell, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five runners. One of the biggest stories from the race was Alex Bowman’s disqualification after he failed post-race weight inspection.

NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte starting lineup

1. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
2. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
3. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
4. Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
5. Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
6. Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
7. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
8. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
9. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
10. Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
11. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
12. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
13. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
14. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
15. Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
16. Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
17. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
18. Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
19. Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
20. Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
21. Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
22. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
23. Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
24. Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
25. Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
26. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
27. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
28. Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
29. Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
30. Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
31. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
32. Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
33. Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
34. Josh Bilicki, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford
35. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
36. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
37. Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota