Week 5 of the 2022 college football season gave us a close call (Georgia), a stunning upset (TCU), a backup quarterback stepping in for a Heisman winner to lead ranked Alabama to victory (Jalen Milroe), and no shortage of moments that make us love the sport.
Best catch
Javaian Lofton. That’s it. Watch it. Then watch it again.
It’s easily one of the better catches of the season from the Liberty wide receiver.
Best celebration
The sold-out Vaught-Hemingway Stadium crowd wasn’t the only group celebrating Ole Miss‘ thrilling 22-19 win over Kentucky on Saturday in Hotty Toddy fashion.
So were the Ole Miss defensive coaches in a raucous coaches’ booth after Jared Ivey jarred the ball loose from Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in the final minute, preserving the Rebels’ 13th straight home win.
The Ole Miss coaching staff reacting to the game-winning fumble is INCREDIBLE.
It was that kind of game, back and forth, with both teams making big plays and big mistakes. But the Rebels’ defense, as coach Lane Kiffin said, had a “big-time defensive day” when it had to. Not just once, either, but twice. The Rebels forced Levis fumbles on Kentucky’s last two possessions of the game.
“It came down to the last play, and our guys showed up,” Kiffin said.
Ole Miss (5-0) won 10 games in the regular season a year ago for the first time in school history. The Rebels could very easily start out 7-0 this season with their next two games against Vanderbilt on the road and Auburn at home.
The Ole Miss sideline (and not just the coaches’ booth) was equally wild after holding on there at the end over a Kentucky team that entered the game ranked No. 7 nationally.
“It was so crazy,” Ole Miss receiver Malik Heath said. “We were like, ‘Ain’t no way we just did this.’ We believed in our defense. We believe our defense is the best defense in the country. … We weren’t worried. They held them one time, so we thought they would do it again.”
They did, and the party was on.
— Chris Low
Best quote
If Mike Leach had to manufacture a game plan for a wedding, the Mississippi State head coach would keep it simple and keep reiterating one point over and over:
Elope. Elope. Elope.
Whether speaking from experience or otherwise, that was Leach’s wedding advice to SEC Network reporter Alyssa Lang on Saturday.
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2:27
After a win vs. the No. 17 Aggies, Mike Leach credits the Bulldogs for being strong on both sides of the ball and gives his two cents on proper wedding arrangements.
“As soon as the season is over or even an off week, go elope,” Leach said. “Trust me on that, go elope. ‘Cause basically every female in the family is going to terrorize you guys until it’s over. Once it’s over, I mean, they’ll be upset for a few days, but it’ll be over and then you’ll cruise along and have a happy marriage, have a happy life.”
Leach even added that he has told all his children he’d give them an extra $10,000 if they did elope.
“So far they haven’t done it,” Leach said. “But I would too.”
— Paolo Uggetti
Small-school moment of the week
North Dakota State has become the FCS’ premier program by figuring how to combine the modernity required to produce two top-five picks at quarterback in the past decade with loads of hilariously old-school physicality. While the typical college football offense doesn’t see much use for fullbacks, NDSU lists five of them on its roster, including the 236-pound Hunter Luepke, last year’s national title game MVP and a Walter Payton Award Watch List nominee.
Luepke gained 106 combined rushing and receiving yards and scored his seventh and eighth touchdowns of the season in Saturday’s 27-14 win over Youngstown State; the second one went viral, not necessarily because of his exploits but because of those around him.
Luepke and three other fullbacks shared the field for his 12-yard score late in the first quarter. It’s fun when you can double down on your brand and score a touchdown at the same time, huh? (Also on brand: The Bison’s win was over in under three hours. The clock rarely stops running when NDSU has the ball.)
— Bill Connelly
Best mascot moment
BYU knocked off Utah State38-26 on Thursday in Provo to hang on to the Old Wagon Wheel in the last scheduled meeting between the two schools before the Cougars’ move to the Big 12.
Quarterback Jaren Hall led BYU by completing 17 of 37 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Christopher Brooks added 90 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Though, depending on whom you ask, the most impressive BYU performance of the evening might have come from Cosmo the Cougar, who did the following:
The table stunt is just the latest in an already impressive arsenal of talents by Cosmo.
— Harry Lyles Jr.
Takeaways
TCU makes a statement
Sonny Dykes grew up in the footprint of what is now the Big 12 while his dad, Spike, was coaching as an assistant at Texas and as head coach at Texas Tech. After his father retired, Dykes returned to coach wide receivers for Mike Leach at Tech from 2000 to 2006. Dykes made a triumphant return to the league in his first Big 12 game as a head coach on Saturday, throttling first-year head coach Brent Venables and Oklahoma 55-24. There’s no doubt it meant something to him to get his first win against the Sooners.
“This was a good one,” Dykes said after the game. “I’ve coached against Oklahoma for a long time and hadn’t had a whole lot of success against these guys. They’re one of the blue bloods of college football, and anytime you have a chance to play against those guys, you’re going to be excited about it. You’re gonna see it as an opportunity to make a name for yourself and as a program to take a step. And I certainly think we did that today. We weren’t outclassed. We didn’t look that way.”
That would be an understatement. The Frogs moved the ball however they wanted, rushing for 361 yards and passing for 307, with no turnovers. A week ago, the TCU student section chanted Dykes’ name at SMU, where he previously coached, which he said was a little embarrassing. This week, though, Dykes looked like he felt at home again.
— Dave Wilson
DTR and UCLA put on a show
On a night when his competition on the other side was a quarterback who was starting to get Heisman buzz, UCLA‘s fifth-year senior quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, transformed the Rose Bowl into his own personal playground. DTR, as he’s known, hurdled and juked Washington defenders on his way to an upset victory, but no play looked more smooth than this pirouette near the goal line.
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) October 1, 2022
As Thompson-Robinson reached the end zone on a short run, he deftly slid to the right of a diving defender, causing him to crash into a teammate. It looked like something out of a choreographed dance routine, and it allowed DTR to walk into the end zone untouched.
The play put the Bruins up by 23 and embodied the kind of statement they produced Friday night. After being ignored for beating four lesser teams to start the season, Chip Kelly’s team announced its presence in the Pac-12 with a signature win, one the Bruins have been lacking in seasons past.
Thanks to some continuity led by DTR and the additions of transfers such as wide receiver Jake Bobo, UCLA suddenly looks like a conference contender that will, at the very least, present tough matchups for the Pac-12’s upper echelon of Utah, Oregon and USC. Who knows, in a few weeks we might be considering the Bruins a part of that bunch too.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
The last-place Washington Nationals fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.
Rizzo, 64, and Martinez, 60, won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but the team has floundered in recent years. This season, the Nationals are 37-53 and stuck at the bottom of the National League East after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox this weekend at home. Washington hasn’t finished higher than fourth in the division since winning the World Series.
“On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city,” principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C.
“While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. This is a pivotal time for our club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.”
Mike DeBartolo, the club’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, was named interim GM on Sunday night. DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the MLB draft. An announcement will be made on the interim manager Monday, a day before the club begins a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rizzo has been the top decision-maker in Washington since 2013, and Martinez has been on board since 2018. Under Rizzo’s leadership, the team made the postseason four times: in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The latter season was Martinez’s lone playoff appearance.
“When our family assumed control of the team, nearly 20 years ago, Mike was the first hire we made,” Lerner said. “Over two decades, he was with us as we went from a fledging team in a new city to World Series champion. Mike helped make us who we are as an organization, and we’re so thankful to him for his hard work and dedication — not just on the field and in the front office, but in the community as well.”
The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild that has moved slower than expected, though the team didn’t augment its young core much during the winter. Led by All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, Washington has the second-youngest group of hitters in MLB and the sixth-youngest pitching staff.
The team lost 11 straight games in a forgettable stretch last month. And during a 2-10 run in June, Washington averaged just 2.5 runs. Since June 1, the Nationals have scored one run or been shut out seven times. In Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Boston, they left 15 runners on base.
There was industry speculation over the winter that the Nationals would spend money on free agents for the first time in several years, but that never materialized. Instead, the team made minor moves, signing free agents Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and re-signing closer Kyle Finnegan. Now, the hope is a new management team, both on and off the field, can help change the franchise’s fortunes.
The rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game will feature 19 first-timers — and one legend — as the pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday for the July 15 contest at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who made his first All-Star team in 2011, was named to his 11th National League roster as a special commissioner’s selection.
Kershaw, who became only the fourth left-hander to amass 3,000 career strikeouts, is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts after beginning the season on the injured list. He joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as a legend choice, after the pair of sluggers were selected in 2022.
Kershaw said he didn’t want to discuss the selection Sunday.
Overall, the 19 first-time All-Stars is a drop from the 32 first-time selections on the initial rosters in 2024.
Kershaw would be the sentimental choice to start for the National League, although Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who leads NL pitchers in ERA and WAR, might be in line to start his second straight contest. Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, is 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA after Sunday’s complete-game victory and also would be a strong candidate to start.
“I think it would be stupid to say no to that. It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Skenes said about the possibility of being asked to start by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I didn’t make plans over the All-Star break or anything. So, yeah, I’m super stoked.”
Kershaw has made one All-Star start in his career, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.
Among standout players not selected were New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a $765 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who had made eight consecutive All-Star rosters since 2016.
Soto got off to a slow start but was the National League Player of the Month in June and entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NL in WAR among position players while ranking second in OBP, eighth in OPS and third in runs scored.
Earning his fifth career selection but first since 2021 is Texas Rangers righty Jacob deGrom, who is finally healthy after making only nine starts in his first two seasons with the Rangers and is 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has never started an All-Star Game, although Skubal or Brown would be the favorite to start for the AL.
“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ‘fit in mind.”
Rosters are expanded from 26 to 32 for the All-Star Game. They include starters elected by fans, 17 players (five starting pitchers, three relievers and a backup for each position) chosen in a player vote and six players (four pitchers and two position players) selected by league officials. Every club must be represented.
Acuna, Wood and Raleigh are the three All-Stars who have so far committed to participating in the Home Run Derby.
ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees were seemingly in deep trouble Sunday when Juan Soto cracked a pitch to left field in the seventh inning.
The New York Mets, down two runs, were cooking up a rally with no outs. Francisco Lindor stood at first base, Pete Alonso loomed on deck, and Brandon Nimmo was in the hole. This was the heart of the Mets’ potent lineup. Given the Yankees’ recent woes, fumbling their two-run lead and suffering a Subway Series sweep at the hands of their neighbors — and a seventh straight loss — seemed almost fated.
Then Cody Bellinger charged Soto’s sinking 105 mph line drive, made a shoestring catch and fired a strike to first base for an improbable double play to secure a skid-snapping 6-4 win — and perhaps rescue the Yankees from another dreadful outcome.
“Considering the context of this week and everything,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “that’s probably our play of the year so far.”
Soto’s line drive off Mark Leiter Jr. had a 10% catch probability, according to Statcast, but Bellinger, a plus defender at multiple positions who started at first base Saturday, was just able to snatch it before it touched the grass. Certain that he caught it clean, he made an 89.9 mph toss that reached first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a line, over Lindor, who didn’t slide into the bag.
“I saw it in the air and had a really good beat on it,” said Bellinger, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.
The Mets challenged the catch, but the call stood.
“That was incredible,” said Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who swatted his 33rd home run of the season in the fifth inning. “I’ve never seen something like that on the field.”
For the past week, a stretch Boone described as “terrible” for his ballclub, poor defense has been an issue for the Yankees. Physical errors. Mental lapses. Near disasters. The sloppiness helped sink a depleted pitching staff, more than offsetting the offense’s strong production.
That combination produced the team’s second six-game losing streak in three weeks and a three-game deficit in the American League East standings behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.
The surging Blue Jays won again Sunday to extend their winning streak to seven games and keep their division lead at three games, but Bellinger’s glove and arm ensured it didn’t grow to four.
“That was an unbelievable play,” Goldschmidt said. “Amazing catch and absolute cannon to me at first. To make that play was a game-changing play and potentially game-winning play for us today. And we needed it.”