The Pop-Tarts Bowl is going to extremes in Year 3.
Stephen A. Smith questions James Franklin’s decision to coach Virginia Tech football
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith questioned why former Penn State coach James Franklin took the open Virginia Tech job instead of taking a "breather."
Clippers injuries keep piling up: Derrick Jones Jr. out at least six weeks with MCL sprain
It looked bad when it happened: Jaylen Brown lost his dribble then reached out to get it back as he went to the floor, and in doing so his arm hit the Clippers' Derrick Jones Jr. in the knee and bent it sideways. Jones had to be helped off the court.
Following an MRI, the Clippers have announced that Jones has suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and is out, to be re-evaluated in six weeks. While not ideal, the concern around the Clippers was that this was something much worse, so there was some relief.
Jones joins Kawhi Leonard (ankle/foot sprain) and Bradley Beal (hip surgery, out for the season) as three planned starters in street clothes for Los Angeles. Tyronn Lue had to go to his seventh starting lineup through 14 games on Monday night against Philadelphia, starting two-way player Kobe Sanders in Jones' place.
Don't let the counting stats fool you — 10.9 points and 2.5 rebounds a game in 26 minutes a night — Jones was a key piece for the Clippers, one of their few real transition finishing options, plus one of their best man defenders.
The Clippers are 4-10 on the season but have no motivation to tank, they owe next June's first-round pick to Oklahoma City as the last part of the Paul George trade.
Mets' Brandon Nimmo can 'be had' in a trade this offseason: report
There’s no doubting that the Mets are looking to shake up their roster this offseason, with president of baseball operations David Stearns saying the club is “going to have to be open-minded on our position player grouping so that we can improve our run prevention.”
And while most fans and media members have pointed to the names involved in the Mets’ surplus of infielders when it comes to potential trades – players like Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuña, Jeff McNeil, and BrettBaty – perhaps a core member of the outfielder could be on the block as well.
While previewing what should be a highly entertaining MLB offseason, ESPN’s Jeff Passan mentioned Brandon Nimmo, along with McNeil, as Mets who "can also be had" in a trade.
After the Mets’ season came to an end, SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino also brought up the possibility of the Mets exploring the trade market for stars like Nimmo and Francisco Lindor.
As Passan points out, Nimmo has a full no-trade clause as part of the eight-year, $162 million contract he signed after the 2022 season, and he is still owed $20.5 million per season through 2030.
Nimmo had another consistent season in 2025, slashing .262/.324/.436 with 25 homers, 92 RBI and 81 runs scored. His average exit velocity (91.9 MPH) and hard-hit percentage (50.2 percent) both ranked in the 88th percentile, according to Baseball Savant.
His advanced defensive numbers tell a different story, though, as both his range (42nd percentile) and his arm strength (48th percentile) rank him below league average.
The left-handed-hitting Nimmo has seen his power numbers on the rise over the course of the past few years as well, hitting at least 23 big flies in each of the last three seasons, including his career-best of 25 this past year.
While trading Nimmo would certainly come as a bit of a surprise, it could perhaps open up a corner outfield spot for free agents like Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker.
Troubling Trend: Internet Reacts As Pressure On Oilers' Darnell Nurse Reaches Boiling Point
Darnell Nurse is taking a beating from both Edmonton Oilers fans and analysts as frustrations mount over his sluggish start to the season. By no means has he been the only problem on this roster, but his detractors are pointing to alarming defensive metrics, a lack of offensive impact, and costly penalties that have magnified Edmonton’s early struggles.
With three goals and seven points in 21 games, Nurse is a plus/minus of -8. He's playing over 20 minutes per night, and the Oilers need him to be better.
After Monday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, where Nurse was among the more problematic players in a very lacklustre group of Oilers, social media had a heyday discussing how his play has fallen well below expectations for a top-four defenceman — especially one carrying a massive contract ($9.25 million per season).
Trending Stories:
Sabres Win As Oilers Make Third-String Goalie Look Like A Seasoned Pro
Fans And Media React To Oilers Losing Troy Stecher on Waivers
Thanks to his contract and tendency to do too much on the ice, Nurse has often been polarizing. However, the vitriol has intensified as the numbers continue to look less favorable as the season rolls along. Nurse is being outplayed in nearly every situation, fueling debate about his role, usage, and future with the team.
Frankly, the pressure has reached a boiling point, and the reaction across Oilers Nation is nothing short of fierce.
Zach Hyman’s Return Gives Oilers Major Boost Against HurricanesZach Hyman returns from a five-month absence, expected to rejoin the top line and spark the Oilers' offense against the Carolina Hurricanes.Kevin McCurdy: "So being a guy that loves to torture myself with numbers, I was just doing some poking around NST. Darnell Nurse w/o 97 and 29: ZERO GOALS FOR AND ELEVEN AGAINST."
Jesse Corville Lynch, "Trading Darnell Nurse solves every issue the Edmonton Oilers have. #LetsGoOilers" His post led to several comments in the thread about how Nurse's contract is untradable and that the Oilers are stuck with one of the worst deals in the NHL.
Paul Almeida writes, "Nurse should be sitting right now. July 1. 2027 can’t come fast enough when Nurse's contract goes from a full NMC to a modified NMC with a 10-team no-trade clause."
PuckMarks writes, "Darnell Nurse has been absolutely brutal so far this season. He’s not generating his usual offence, getting caved in defensively and taking way too many penalties. This contract is truly disastrous and keeps having worse and worse consequences."
Author of Connor McDavid: Hockey's Next Great One, Rob Soria: "The most troubling part with this Oilers lineup, no matter who Nurse plays with...he looks terrible. The blue line as a collective has been poor to start the season, but Darnell is hitting new lows."
Jonathan Willis: "From 2022-25, 153 NHL defencemen played at least three hours in 4v5 situations. Seven of them were on the ice for more goals against/hour than Darnell Nurse. 145 of them were on for fewer."From Mr. Bandana: "At some point, maybe someone with a microphone will talk about the fact that Darnell Nurse has been on the ice for 188 scoring chances against so far this year That is the second most in the entire NHL. No other Oiler is in the top 20."
Jonathan Willis: "From 2022-25, 153 NHL defencemen played at least three hours in 4v5 situations. Seven of them were on the ice for more goals against/hour than Darnell Nurse. 145 of them were on for fewer."
From Mr. Bandana: "At some point, maybe someone with a microphone will talk about the fact that Darnell Nurse has been on the ice for 188 scoring chances against so far this year. That is the second most in the entire NHL. No other Oiler is in the top 20."
Add it all up, and it’s clear the heat on Nurse is real, intense, and growing. Fans used to suggest his lack of a true top-four playing partner might explain his inconsistencies. The narrative has flipped, and now Nurse is being blamed for the shortcomings of the pairings he's on.
Whether he rebounds — or becomes a bigger storyline this season — is now one of Edmonton’s biggest questions. As Edmonton stumbles through another uneven stretch, the veteran defenceman has become a focal point of frustration — and the numbers behind his play aren’t helping his case.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.
Champions Classic: No. 17 Michigan State vs. No. 12 Kentucky, No. 5 Duke vs. No. 24 Kansas
It has been nearly 15 years since Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke and Kansas first played in the Champions Classic.
Kyle Hendricks, who helped Chicago Cubs win 2016 World Series, is retiring
CHICAGO — Kyle Hendricks, the right-hander who helped the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series and end a 108-year championship drought, is retiring, the team announced.
The 35-year-old went 105-91 with a 3.79 ERA over 11 seasons with the Cubs and one with the Los Angeles Angels. He was an All-Star in 2016, going 16-8 with a major league-best 2.13 ERA. He pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings as the Cubs lost World Series Game 3 to Cleveland 1-0 and 4 2/3 innings in Chicago’s 8-7, 10-inning win in Game 7.
“He was one of the best all-time Cubs pitchers,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “We would not have won the World Series without his incredible 2016 season where he won the major league ERA title and started Game 7 of the World Series. The Professor was always calm, cool and collected on the mound but his great performances excited millions of Cubs fans. From his outstanding playoff starts in 2016 to his memorable final appearance at Wrigley Field in 2024, he gave our fans sweet emotions.”
Hendricks attended Dartmouth and was nicknamed “The Professor” because of his college background and reliance on hitting spots with a changeup and sinker in an era dominated by hard throwers.
The Cubs acquired Hendricks from Texas for Ryan Dempster at the 2012 trade deadline. He made his major league debut two years later and went 97-81 with a 3.68 ERA in 270 starts and six relief appearances for Chicago with 2014-24.
He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Angels last November and was 8-10 with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts, including a loss to the Cubs at home in August.
Big Ten’s 24-team playoff plan becomes enemy of CFP expansion
The solution to CFP expansion question sits within reach. And instead of seizing it, Tony Petitti and the Big Ten are firing shots into the moon.
USC coach Lincoln Riley on ‘College GameDay’ at his team’s game vs. Oregon: ‘These are all the same people that thought we were going to suck’
Riley does not seem concerned with what will be said about his program before the game.
UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava day-to-day with concussion ahead of Washington game
There’s a chance Nico Iamaleava could practice, but his status depends on how his treatment and testing goes, interim coach Tim Skipper said.
Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Daniss Jenkins seizing opportunity with Pistons
We’ve made it through Week 4 and are rapidly approaching the one-month mark of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Injuries have remained a topic of conversation, but they’ve led to some more opportunities for other players to navigate bigger roles. Some have led to fantasy basketball success, and others have not. Nonetheless, there is stuff to analyze. Let’s dig in.
The Spurs will be without Wemby for at least 2-3 weeks after he strained his left calf.
Raphielle Johnson→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock: The Grizzlies take on the Spurs at 8pm ET, followed by the Suns at the Trail Blazers at 11 pm ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.
STOCK UP
Daniss Jenkins — PG, Pistons
Everything is going right for the Pistons these days. Even with some recent injuries to key players, they’ve reeled off 10 straight wins and gotten production from players who many would least expect. Case in point: Daniss Jenkins. The second-year player out of St. John’s entered his sophomore season with all of seven career regular-season points and 23 minutes to his name. He doubled those scoring totals through the first four games of this season before abruptly posting averages of 21.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.5 three-pointers over the most recent four games. He’s started in place of the injured Cade Cunningham, but even when the superstar guard returns, it could be difficult to cut too much into Jenkins’ playing time.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker — PG/SG/SF/PF, Hawks
Here’s another player whose stock is on the rise; although this one is a bit less surprising, given what the Hawks offered to get him in the door this recent offseason. Enjoying a career-best season in a newer role, Alexander-Walker has hit the 20-point mark in three of the past five games and continues to post career-highs in assists. More opportunities have presented themselves in Trae Young’s extended absence (knee). Still, NAW has averaged 17.0 points per game in his five appearances this season alongside Young. If Alexander-Walker’s three-point shooting can start to come around, the breakout season will only get better for the two-way guard.
Moussa Diabate — C, Hornets
Diabate has found a home in Charlotte after a couple of forgettable seasons with the Clippers to begin his career. Now part of a young Hornets nucleus, he’s proven to be an important member of the nightly frontcourt rotation. Diabate has mostly come off the bench and attacked the glass hard — he’s recorded at least 10 boards in five of the last eight games while scoring in double figures in four of those five, consistently placing him on double-double alert. Diabate leads the Hornets in rebounding, and with his activity on defense, he could be a reliable streaming option or potentially a roster-worthy player in fantasy leagues if he can grow into an even larger role.
2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Wemby injured, Jalen Johnson providing value in Atlanta
The Hawks forward has exceeded the expectations of many fantasy managers this season, especially after Trae Young went down.
STOCK DOWN
John Collins — PF/C, Clippers
Not a lot has gone according to plan for the Clippers early in this season. Injuries to Kawhi Leonard (foot), Bradley Beal (hip), and, more recently, Derrick Jones (knee) have hurt them, but opened the door for guys like Collins to step into greater roles and potentially provide more production. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for Collins. Since moving into the starting lineup, he’s averaging 9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.0 assists on 39.1 percent shooting. Perhaps his fit will be better once Leonard makes his way back to the floor. But until then, Collins is trending in the wrong direction at a time when all of his talent is needed in Los Angeles.
Zach LaVine — PG/SG/SF, Kings
After a strong start to the season in which LaVine had averaged 29.2 points and scored at least 30 points in four of the five games, he’s suddenly become a player whose production is difficult to predict, which isn’t dissimilar to the Kings’ other big-name players. LaVine has failed to make it out of single figures in scoring in two of the last five games and has only averaged 18.0 points per game in November. The interesting part here is that his shooting efficiency has remained high, but he has seen a big decrease in his attempts. It’s hard to get a feel for what exactly Sacramento is trying to do, as the team struggles to find solutions to end this current six-game losing streak. Regardless, this isn’t an ideal situation for those fantasy managers who have LaVine rostered.
Nikola Vučević — C, Bulls
The Bulls’ hot start was a fun early-season story. As they’ve cooled off, so too has Vucevic, whose numbers have dropped from 19.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in October to a 13.4/8.8/3.3 line across November's eight contests. His 50.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc was always going to be unsustainable, but his 25.0 percent over the last three has led to some rough scoring outings. Can he regain his early-season form? There aren’t many backup center options behind him in the rotation that would eat away at his minutes. Still, it's fair to wonder what level of production the veteran can sustain. Stock down.
AP player of the week is No. 1 Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn, who shined in true road win over Alabama
The senior forward had 19 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in his season debut, an 87-80 victory at then-No. 8 Alabama that catapulted the Boilermakers back to No. 1 in the AP Top 25. The senior from Sellersburg, Indiana, was just the third player in at least the last 30 years with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a top-10 matchup. Kaufman-Renn followed up with 17 points and 15 rebounds in a 97-79 victory over Akron on Sunday.
Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome Digital Series to be Released November 19
The 2026 Navy All-American Bowl will continue the Road to the Dome tour on Wednesday, November 19th at 8 p.m.
SEC football must eliminate November cupcake games before it impacts CFP race
It's the third week of November, and the SEC is still feasting on cupcake games. Only now it could impact CFP race.
Auburn to sit QB Ashton Daniels against Mercer to preserve a year of eligibility
Interim coach D.J. Durkin said Jackson Arnold and freshman Deuce Knight will play against the Bears, but he did not name a starter.