Month: September 2025

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Colorado coach Deion Sanders wants to see more fire at TCU

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Colorado and TCU are both looking to bounce back from three-point losses when they meet in Big 12 action Saturday night in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Buffaloes (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) jumped out to a 14-0 lead last weekend against then-No. 25 BYU before fading in a 24-21 setback.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders has alternated between Ryan Staub and Kaidon Salter under center, with Salter starting and playing the entirety of the last two games.

Salter threw three touchdown passes in a win over Wyoming on Sept. 20 but was held to 119 passing yards with one TD and an interception against the Cougars.

Sanders acknowledged his team’s offensive struggles and said there has to be more urgency on that side of the football.

“I want them to play like their life is on the line, like their careers are on the line,” Sanders said. “I just want them to play with full intensity and passion.”

TCU (3-1, 0-1) grabbed a 17-0 lead at Arizona State in its Big 12 opener last weekend and was ahead by seven in the fourth quarter before letting it all slip away in a 27-24 defeat.

The Horned Frogs got some good news when running back Kevorian Barnes returned to practice this week.

Barnes leads the team in rushing with 156 yards despite missing the last two games. He was in a non-contact jersey Tuesday and is trending toward playing Saturday but his return isn’t certain.

TCU isn’t as fortunate with its top wide receiver, Eric McAlister, who tried to play through a hamstring injury against the Sun Devils.

McAlister was injured in practice the day before the game and was not at 100 percent in the loss. He leads the Frogs in receiving yards (320) and touchdowns (three) but is questionable for the game against the Buffs.

“Right now if we had a game today, neither one would play,” head coach Sonny Dykes said after Tuesday’s practice of Barnes and McAlister. “I’m hopeful we’re saying something different by the time we get to Saturday. I’m hopeful for both of them.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina hosts reeling Clemson in Bill Belichick’s ACC opener

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The misery will subside somewhat for either Clemson or North Carolina this weekend.

Two teams that have suffered much-discussed defeats across the first month of the season meet in a Saturday afternoon Atlantic Coast Conference game at Chapel Hill, N.C.

“We’ve got eight games left. We got a long way to go. Why can’t we be the hottest team in America?” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said this week. “… There’s a lot of opportunity ahead for everyone.”

Both teams had last week off, so they’ve had extra time to prepare — or stew — since their most recent setbacks.

Clemson (1-3, 0-2 ACC) is on a two-game skid. North Carolina (2-2, 0-0) has lost both of its games against Power Four conference competition, including two weeks ago at UCF.

Swinney called the season a coaching failure so far, but he hasn’t given up.

“I can fix it,” he said. “I will fix it. We’ve always fixed things in this program.”

Clemson’s status as the ACC preseason favorite was derailed by losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse. The Tigers, who also lost their opener to LSU, were even in the conversation as preseason contenders for the national title.

North Carolina, meanwhile, was looking for a turnaround in legendary coach Bill Belichick’s first go-around on the college level. It has been far from that heading into his first ACC contest.

“We need a win a lot worse than he does,” Swinney said.

Belichick said he has tremendous respect for Swinney and the Clemson program.

“Those guys are tough,” Belichick said. “They love football. … They definitely know what they’re doing. Turnovers have hurt them in a couple of those losses, probably all of them.”

North Carolina’s quarterback situation might be in flux. Gio Lopez exited the last game with an injured right leg, leaving the duties to Max Johnson.

“We’ll see what he’s able to do (in practice),” Belichick said of Lopez.

Whoever starts at QB, they’ll be looking to boost a Tar Heels offense that has managed just 23 points in two games against Power Four teams this season.

Swinney said he’s sticking with the players in the roles they’ve had across the first few games of the season and isn’t making changes to the depth chart. He said the Tigers are in a good position in terms of limited injuries.

Clemson’s Cade Klubnik has been inconsistent, throwing for six touchdowns and four interceptions.

Swinney said the Tar Heels are bound to be looking to make a statement because Clemson has traditionally been a top team.

“People don’t forget that just (because) we’re off to a bad start this year,” he said. “You know you’re going to get everybody’s best shot.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) warms up before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt riding with QB Eli Holstein against Boston College

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It appears that Eli Holstein will remain Pitt’s starting quarterback Saturday when the Panthers host Boston College in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.

Holstein was benched for Cole Gonzales in the fourth quarter of last week’s 34-27 loss to Louisville. Holstein completed 14 of 26 passes for 228 yards with two touchdowns and two second-half interceptions.

Holstein has been intercepted five times in four games this season. Two of those picks were in the end zone.

“We’re going to watch practice, get better and see where it goes,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said Monday. ” … Right now, Eli is our starting quarterback.”

Pitt (2-2, 0-1 ACC) held leads of 17-0 and 27-17 against the Cardinals but failed to score in the second half. Gonzales, a transfer from Western Carolina who spent the spring at Oklahoma before quickly leaving, completed 3 of 6 passes for 31 yards and was intercepted on Pitt’s final drive.

“He did a good job like we thought he would,” Narduzzi said. “Obviously, he didn’t create a comeback. That’s what we were looking for a spark and we didn’t get that. But Cole did a nice job.”

Boston College (1-3, 0-2) is coming off a 28-24 loss to Cal and will be trying to end a three-game losing streak.

The Eagles received a career-high 171 rushing yards from Turbo Richard in the loss to Cal. Richard is averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 58 rushing attempts this season and has scored six touchdowns (four rushing, two receiving).

“We’ve been competitive,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said after Tuesday’s practice. ” … It really comes down to five or six plays in each phase of the game. You either make those plays or the other team makes them.

” … So we have to be more consistent. Right now it’s a little bit too inconsistent and that’s where it has to change.”

Pitt linebacker Rasheem Biles leads the ACC in tackles per game (10.5) and tackles for loss per game (1.8).

The Panthers hold a narrow 18-16 lead in the all-time series. The Eagles won 34-23 last season in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

–Field Level Media

Iowa State Cyclones football head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with team after scoring a touchdown against Arizona during the third quarter in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

Cincinnati out to prove its Big 12 candidacy vs. unbeaten No. 14 Iowa State

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Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield didn’t mince words following the team’s 37-34 victory Saturday at Kansas, telling sideline reporter Lauren Jbara that the Bearcats are here for the Big 12.

Saturday’s win was the type that largely eluded the Bearcats in their first two seasons as a member of the Big 12, during which they posted a 2-7 road record in league games. Finding a way to win that kind of game — the Bearcats drove 75 yards in 1:16 to score the winning touchdown with 29 seconds left — could be what springboards them to reach their lofty goals.

Satterfield and the players haven’t been shy about their aspirations of playing in the Big 12 championship game this season. In a conference that is wide open heading into October, Cincinnati can make an even bigger statement during Saturday’s showdown with visiting No. 14 Iowa State.

If the Bearcats (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) are going to contend this season, it will be because of ascending quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The Bearcats’ junior is coming off his second Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week of the season — earned because he threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 52 yards on the ground, in Cincinnati’s win at Kansas.

Sorsby led the Bearcats on the game-winning touchdown drive that included an 18-yard pass to convert a fourth-and-10.

“That drive was awesome, and there was a little bit of adversity there like the rest of the game, but we found a way to persevere and come out on top,” Sorsby said. “We’ve been in so many close games since I’ve been here and it felt good to win one of them.”

Iowa State (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) has been where Cincinnati aims to go. Head coach Matt Campbell has led the Cyclones to two title games (2020, 2024) while building them into one of the Big 12’s most consistent programs now that Texas and Oklahoma are in the SEC — and Iowa State has the makings of a team that could make a return trip to Dallas in December.

Leading the Cyclones is quarterback Rocco Becht, who has 1,103 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He threw for 240 yards in the Cyclones’ 39-14 win over Arizona last week.

While Becht lost two standout receivers off last year’s team to the NFL, Iowa State has replaced that production admirably with myriad weapons in the passing game. Most recently, East Carolina transfer Chase Sowell went off for a career-high 146 receiving yards in the Arizona game.

“I thought we played really good, complementary football,” Campbell said. “We played the game in the rhythm that we would want to play in for the majority of the night.”

Iowa State’s secondary, on the other hand, has been dealt blows in back-to-back games. The Cyclones lost cornerback Jeremiah Cooper to a season-ending knee injury last week and Campbell announced Tuesday that cornerback Jontez Williams also will miss the rest of the year due to a knee injury suffered against Arizona. Both were preseason All-Big 12 selections.

This could be an opportunity for Cincinnati’s receivers to continue the strides they’ve made since their season opener.

Cincinnati’s leading receiver is Cyrus Allen, who has 23 receptions for 273 yards and five touchdowns. The Bearcats have three more receivers with at least 10 catches and 150 receiving yards through four games.

This is the third straight season the Bearcats and Cyclones have played. Iowa State has won the previous two meetings by an average of 18.5 points per game — the only games between the two schools.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) signals to the sideline during the first quarter of the game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

11 Texas Tech visits rival Houston for clash of 4-0 teams

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No. 11 Texas Tech returns from its bye week with a quarterback quandary heading into Saturday night’s game at Houston in a showdown of unbeaten Big 12 Conference rivals.

Behren Morton was knocked out in the third quarter of the Red Raiders’ 34-10 win at then-No. 16 Utah on Sept. 20 when he slid on a scramble and took a shot to the head. Backup Will Hammond took over and hit 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns to blow open a tight game.

But Morton cleared concussion protocol over the weekend and coach Joey McGuire said he would start for the Red Raiders (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) against the Cougars (4-0, 1-0). However, McGuire also raised the possibility of Hammond getting into the game as well.

“A lot of people wish they had a Will Hammond as their No. 2,” McGuire said. “We’re really fortunate that we have the two guys that we have. We’ve been fortunate that we have a lot of different things that we can do with a lot of different personnel that we haven’t had to use yet.

“At some points, we’re going to have to. And that could be one of them.”

Either way, McGuire has a quality quarterback. Morton is 69 of 100 for 1,065 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Hammond is 31 of 41 for 369 yards and four scores. Five receivers have amassed at least 200 yard, led by Coy Eakin with 260.

Equally impressive has been the defense. Texas Tech has allowed only 45 points in four games, limiting Utah to 263 total yards and forcing four turnovers.

Houston hasn’t been heavily tested by any means but has perhaps surprised some experts by getting off to such a good start. It’s coming off a 27-24 overtime win last week at Oregon State, rallying from a 24-10 fourth-quarter deficit and prevailing on Ethan Sanchez’s 24-yard field goal.

This is the first time the Cougars have started 4-0 since 2016, when Tom Herman’s star was rising fast in the coaching ranks and nose guard Ed Oliver was dominating. Houston also has wins over Colorado, Rice and Stephen F. Austin.

Second-year coach Willie Fritz mined the transfer portal to build the offense. Quarterback Conner Weigman (Texas A&M), leading rusher Dean Connors (Rice) and top receiver Tanner Koziol (Ball State) all had big contributions to the comeback at Oregon State.

Koziol, who caught 94 passes last year, scored the tying touchdown on a 50-yard reception late in the fourth quarter.

“He’s got great hands,” Fritz said of Koziol. “He catches the ball away from his body. I think he’s got great speed.”

Fritz said a key to slowing down the Red Raiders’ attack will be stopping the ground game.

“That’s a big deal for us is trying to make them one-dimensional,” he said. “We always want to try to do good against the run.”

The Cougars own an 18-16-1 advantage in the series between former Southwest Conference rivals, including a 10-4-1 mark at home.

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr (3) rushes against the Temple Owls in the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

No. 5 Oklahoma hands keys to QB Michael Hawkins Jr. vs Kent State

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Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle sees flashes of the way John Mateer interacted with Cam Ward at Washington State in the way Michael Hawkins Jr. has interacted with Mateer so far this season at Oklahoma.

Hawkins will make his first start of the season Saturday when the No. 5 Sooners (4-0) take on nonconference opponent Kent State (1-3) in Norman, Okla.

Mateer is out after sustaining a broken hand in the first quarter of a Sept. 20 win over then-No. 22 Auburn. While serving as Ward’s backup with the Cougars in 2023, Mateer learned the importance of having a well-prepared replacement ready to roll.

“I think that stuck with John,” said Arbuckle, the OC at Washington State from 2023-24. “I think John knows, ‘it’s not all about me, you know. I’ve got to make sure that I’m making everyone better.’”

Hawkins started four games last season as the Sooners bounced between him and Jackson Arnold at the spot.

That was an Oklahoma team that was depleted at wide receiver. This season, the Sooners have been much better out wide.

This Oklahoma team has four players averaging at least 50 receiving yards per game, led by tight end Jaren Kanak’s 76.8. Isaiah Sategna III, Deion Burks and Keontez Lewis have combined for five touchdown catches.

“I feel like it’s a great situation to be in right now,” Hawkins said. ” … Being in the fire last year helped me a lot just with my process and knowing the game and being able to command a huddle. That helped me a lot last year.”

The Sooners also figure to add another piece to the receiver group Saturday with the season debut of Javonnie Gibson. Gibson, a transfer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, suffered a broken leg during spring practice.

“I’m excited for him to get reacclimated into the game of football, get reacclimated into this offense and really find his spot,” Arbuckle said. “I think he’s a big-time playmaker, I really do.”

Gibson isn’t the only Oklahoma player making his season debut. Cornerback Eli Bowen is expected to return from injury as well.

With Texas looming on the horizon next week, it figures to be important for the Sooners to get both players back in the swing of things quickly.

Oklahoma’s defense comes into the game ranked second nationally in total defense, allowing just 207.5 yards per game, and third in points allowed (9.0).

One thing the Sooners haven’t done defensively yet is force turnovers. Oklahoma is the lone remaining FBS team without a takeaway.

Sooners coach Brent Venables said that while creating turnovers was important, the Sooners couldn’t put too much emphasis on it.

“I don’t want to be that team that’s over there trying to rip at the ball and nobody’s tackling the ball-carrier, either,” Venables said. “That’s bad football. But at the same time, man, we need to create turnovers.”

Kent State is on a three-game losing streak, having been outscored 159-52 during that stretch.

The Golden Flashes have not beaten an FBS opponent since 2022, dropping 25 consecutive games to such opponents.

Kent State has been idle since its 66-10 loss to then-No. 7 Florida State on Sept. 20.

The game will be a homecoming of sorts for Golden Flashes offensive coordinator Clay Patterson, an Oklahoma native.

“We’ve got to match their physically,” Patterson said. “We know that going in. We can’t beat ourselves. That’s the big thing.”

Oklahoma won the only prior meeting between the teams, beating Kent State 33-3 in 2022 in Norman.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Colin Simmons (1) reacts after making a tackle during the first half against the San Jose Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

No. 9 Texas puts elite defense against Florida’s anemic offense

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No. 9 Texas pits one of the nation’s top defenses against stumbling Florida on Saturday afternoon in a Southeastern Conference clash in Gainesville, Fla.

The teams, both idle last weekend, meet for the first time in Gainesville since 1940 and for just the fifth time ever. The Longhorns have never lost to the Gators, owning a 3-0-1 mark that includes a 49-17 win last year in Austin.

It’s the SEC opener for Texas (3-1, 0-0 SEC), who climbed one spot in the poll during their bye week. Since losing at Ohio State in its season opener, Texas has feasted on three mid-major teams to prepare for the league gauntlet.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian dispelled the notion that he’s been playing things close to the vest.

“I don’t know necessarily that we’ve held back,” Sarkisian explained. “We have laid a solid foundation in all three phases (of the game) to build upon for SEC play.”

Texas’ most recent contest was a 55-0 walloping of hapless Sam Houston at home on Sept. 20 in which quarterback Arch Manning passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores in a little more than a half of action.

“(Manning’s) got his swagger back,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “We’ve all known all the swagger that he’s got, and he’s just got to go play with it. Everybody knew that it was in there, and he just had to stay the course.”

The Longhorns outgained Sam Houston 607-113 and amassed 10 tackles for loss, including five sacks. Ryan Wingo hauled in two TD passes and racked up 125 total yards (93 receiving, 32 rushing).

Playing against Florida on the road to begin the SEC campaign will be a challenge for Texas, Sarkisian insisted.

“Obviously (Gainesville) has been known around the country as one of the more difficult places to play,” he said Monday. “(Florida has) been playing great defensive football all year and they’ve got explosive playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve been off the mark just a little bit offensively, but it’s not for lack of players and it’s not for lack of scheme.”

Texas has allowed just 31 total points over its first four outings and is ranked second in scoring defense (7.75 points per game) and fourth in FBS to total defense at 211.0 yards per game.

The Gators (1-3, 0-1) have dropped three straight games, most recently a 26-7 loss to then-No. 4 Miami on Sept. 20. Jadan Baugh rushed for a touchdown for Florida in the setback while DJ Lagway was 12-of-23 passing for just 61 yards with a long gain of 12 yards.

In the loss to Miami, the Gators did not convert any of their 13 third-down opportunities and finished with just 141 yards of offense. Florida’s offense ranks 15th out of 16 SEC teams at 328.3 yards per game, with only three touchdowns over its past three games.

“Each team has its own set of problems,” Florida coach Billy Napier said Monday. “I think it’s important that as the season goes, it’s about coming up with solutions. Your team has to improve as you go. Open dates present that opportunity and we certainly got a lot of good work done.”

Lagway said his team’s lack of execution has kept the offense in neutral.

“I love this system, man,” Lagway said. “Player-wise, we just gotta execute what Coach calls. I feel like that starts with me. That starts with, you know, the whole offensive unit.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with with side judge Boris Cheek (41) and line judge Mark Steinkerchner (84) in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Broncos’ Sean Payton calls B.S. on ‘tush push’ critics

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If the Philadelphia Eagles successfully execute the “tush push” against Denver on Sunday, Broncos coach Sean Payton will tip his cap to what he considers a well conceived play.

A long-time supporter of the controversial play despite not implementing it in Denver’s offensive scheme, Payton said he questions the motives behind those around the league who have attempted to ban the short-yardage play popularized and oft-executed by the Eagles.

Philadelphia converted 28-of-34 tush push attempts last season.

A proposal to ban the tush push fell short of the required 24 votes at the NFL owners meetings in May, with ESPN reporting the final vote was 22-10. While the Broncos were reportedly one of those 22 teams, Payton has long been in favor of it.

Critics have cited several issues with the rugby-style play, from aesthetics to competitive reasons. But Payton’s skeptic alarm rang when detractors began citing healthy and safety concerns minus any conclusive supporting data.

“I was one that stood up in favor of (the tush push). The reason I stood up in favor of is pretty simple. If the powers to be don’t want it for aesthetic reasons, or competitive reasons, or it’s hard to officiate, etc.,” Payton said on Tuesday. “I’ve been involved in those meetings for a long time, and when all of the sudden health and safety was pulled into that which might be the safest play in football, my (bulls–t) nose kind of went up.”

Also nicknamed the “Brotherly Shove,” the play typically features Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts taking the snap in short-yards situations and driving his legs forward while being pushed from behind.

Philadelphia introduced new wrinkles into the play in last week’s win at Tampa Bay. There was a fake tush push that resulted in a touchdown by running back Saquon Barkley, while Hurts threw for another score on another variation of the play.

“I think credit Philadelphia. Take a peek at this past week’s touchdown off the tush push look, and it was a sweep to the left,” Payton said in a video conference Tuesday. “I’m one that looks at it as long as the line of scrimmage is clean, that it’s a well-run quarterback sneak. When you really evaluate it, it’s more the technique of the sneak than the push.

“You go all the way back to (1967), Green Bay against Dallas in the ‘Ice Bowl’ and (Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback) Bart Starr crosses the goal line with someone pushing a little bit behind him. So I was one that was in favor of leaving it alone on Philly’s side.”

Green Bay was the team that drafted the proposal, reportedly at the suggestion of the NFL, citing player safety concerns. There have been additional concerns raised this season, with officials reportedly having been instructed to place more emphasis on ensuring the offensive line doesn’t move until the ball is snapped.

“I am done with the tush push guys. It’s a hard play to officiate,” FOX NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino said earlier this month.

The Packers play the Eagles on Nov. 10 in a “Monday Night Football” game at Lambeau Field.

The Eagles defeated the Packers twice last season — in the season opener at Brazil and in a postseason rematch at Philadelphia — and are 3-0 in the matchup since coach Nick Sirianni was hired in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) against the Utah State Aggies at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

No. 16 Vanderbilt confident, hoping for ‘fun time’ at No. 10 Alabama

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Diego Pavia delivered Vanderbilt’s biggest victory ever when he guided the Commodores past then-No. 1 Alabama last season in a monumental upset.

Pavia’s next task is producing another mammoth triumph in the rematch to continue the program’s best start since 2008.

Pavia looks to excel once again when No. 16 Vanderbilt faces the No. 10 Crimson Tide in a highly anticipated Southeastern Conference contest on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Last season, Pavia completed 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns as the Commodores earned a 40-35 win in Nashville for the program’s first-ever win against a top-five program. It also was Vanderbilt’s first win against Alabama since 1984 to end a 23-game skid against the Crimson Tide.

So when the Commodores (5-0, 1-0 SEC) appear in town this weekend, they are no longer viewed as the pushover team that the Crimson Tide typically clobber.

Pavia is looking forward to experiencing the environment.

“Tuscaloosa will be a good, fun time,” Pavia said. “I’ve never played there. I think a few of the guys have been there. This is what you come into the SEC for, big games like this. We’ll be real excited to go down there and check them out.”

Last season, Alabama (3-1, 1-0) couldn’t prevent Vanderbilt from hogging the ball.

The Commodores converted 12 of 18 third-down opportunities and controlled the ball for 42 minutes and eight seconds.

Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t forgotten the details and knows Vanderbilt is an even better team this year in Clark Lea’s fifth season at the helm.

“We’re going to need everything (we’ve) got against a very good Vanderbilt team coming up here on Saturday,” DeBoer said. “Coach Lea, a ton of respect for him. I’ve known him for a long time. I knew a year ago, you could see and feel the positive movement that they had inside the program. You could see the style of play, it being team football.

“They continue to do that — 5-0, a ranked opponent coming into our house. Just got to continue to keep the focus on us.”

Alabama has won three straight games after producing a 24-21 victory at then-No. 5 Georgia last weekend.

Ty Simpson passed for 276 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a score as he continued his fine season. Simpson hasn’t been intercepted and is completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Simpson said his squad is taking a “Crimson Tide against the world” approach.

“That’s the kind of mentality that we have to have throughout the season,” Simpson said. “It’s Alabama against everybody.”

Vanderbilt is coming off a 55-35 home win over Utah State. Pavia tied the school record of five touchdown passes and topped 300 yards — he had 321 — for the first time in his two seasons at the school.

Pavia is completing 74.6 percent of his passes for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns against three interceptions. He also has rushed for 294 yards and two scores.

Pavia will long be remembered at Vanderbilt for the epic victory over Alabama in 2024. Now the Commodores are itching for another chance to beat the Crimson Tide.

“We know the task at hand, but we’re excited for it,” said Lea, “and this group has positioned us to be undefeated heading down there, and that means a lot.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reportedly out Week 5

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Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play in Week 5 and could be facing a longer absence because of a hamstring injury, the Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday.

Jackson left the Ravens’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter on Sunday. The Ravens (1-3) play the Houston Texans (1-3) this week with a roster besieged by injuries.

Head coach John Harbaugh would not confirm the status of Jackson, but bit back at suggestions Jackson could have finished the loss to the Chiefs.

“There was no way he was going to go back into the game,” Harbaugh said. “The injury precluded it. The way I know Lamar, if he could’ve gone in the game, he would’ve been in the game. That’s how he is.”

Without Jackson against the Texans, the Ravens are expected to turn to Cooper Rush. The former Cowboys backup was signed in the offseason to bring an experienced hand if Jackson was unavailable.

“If he’s out there, it will be geared toward him,” Harbaugh said of Rush. “We’ve got a good group around him. We have a lot of playmakers around him if he’s playing. Same thing for Tyler Huntley if he’s playing.”

Already hurting at multiple key positions, the Ravens had other players leave Kansas City with ailments that could require multiple-game absences.

Linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (calf) and Nate Wiggins (elbow), and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) are all uncertain for Week 5. NFL Network reported Smith and Humphrey might miss 2-3 weeks.

–Field Level Media