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Two of the World Series champion Texas Rangers are finalists for the American League Most Valuable Player award alongside Shohei Ohtani, and a pair of Los Angeles Dodgers will vie with Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. for the National League MVP, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Monday in a show televised on MLB Network.

Ohtani, World Series MVP Corey Seager and Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien were the top three in AL MVP voting by the BBWAA, which receives ballots for two writers in each of the 15 cities in each league that are submitted at the end of the regular season. Acuna will face his former teammate, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, and Freeman’s current teammate, outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts.

The AL Cy Young Award will come down to three right-handers vying for their first plaque: the New York YankeesGerrit Cole, Toronto Blue JaysKevin Gausman and Minnesota TwinsSonny Gray, who officially hit free agency at 5 p.m. ET on Monday. In the NL, left-hander Blake Snell — also a free agent — is the favorite to win his second Cy Young, while San Francisco’s Logan Webb and Zac Gallen of NL champion Arizona are seeking their first.

Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is the distinct favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year and is a finalist alongside New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga and Dodgers outfielder James Outman. AL Rookie of the Year finalists include Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee and Boston first baseman Triston Casas.

The final BBWAA award, Manager of the Year, is headlined in the NL by Craig Counsell, who was hired away Monday from Milwaukee by the Chicago Cubs. He’s opposed by Atlanta’s Brian Snitker and the favorite, Miami manager Skip Schumaker, who led the Marlins to the postseason despite a -57 run differential. The AL slate is led by Rangers manager Bruce Bochy — who last won the award in 1996 — along with two-time winner Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay and Baltimore’s Brandon Hyde, who led the Orioles to a 101-win season and the AL East title.

Rookie of the Year results will be announced a week from today, with Manager of the Year on Nov. 14, Cy Young on Nov. 15 and MVP on Nov. 16.

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No. 7 Georgia Tech down 3 starters vs. Syracuse

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No. 7 Georgia Tech down 3 starters vs. Syracuse

No. 7 Georgia Tech will be without three starters — wide receiver Malik Rutherford, center Harrison Moore and nickelback Jy Gilmore — against Syracuse on Saturday.

All three were ruled out on the ACC availability report after suffering injuries during last week’s win over Duke.

Rutherford is tied for the Yellow Jackets’ lead with 23 receptions and two receiving touchdowns this season and ranks third on the team with 202 receiving yards.

With cornerback Ahmari Harvey out for the second straight week, Georgia Tech will be down two key secondary members against an Orange passing game that is averaging 294.3 yards per game (15th in the NCAA).

The Yellow Jackets are 7-0 for the first time since 1966, while their No. 7 ranking is the school’s highest since 2009.

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UNT QB Mestemaker has record 608 yards in win

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UNT QB Mestemaker has record 608 yards in win

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker passed for a school-record 608 yards with four touchdowns as North Texas scored 37 unanswered points to beat Charlotte 54-20 on Friday night.

Mestemaker completed 37 of 49 passes with one interception in breaking the record.

He covered 80 yards with three passes — the final one a 41-yard scoring strike to Cameron Dorner — on the game’s first possession to put North Texas (7-1, 3-1 American) up 7-0.

Charlotte (1-7, 0-5) answered with Liam Boyd‘s 24-yard field goal and Grayson Loftis‘ 33-yard touchdown pass to Javen Nicholas to take a 10-7 lead into the second quarter. Loftis and Nicholas then teamed up for a 64-yard score in a one-play drive and Charlotte led 17-7.

Kali Nguma followed with a 29-yard field goal and Mestemaker hit Caleb Hawkins for a 6-yard score to tie it 17-all at halftime.

Charlotte had a drive stall at the North Texas 3-yard line to begin the third quarter and settled for Boyd’s field goal and a 20-17 lead. It was all Mean Green from there.

Mestemaker passed to Tre Williams III for a 30-yard gain to the Charlotte 1 and Kiefer Sibley ran it in on the next play to put North Texas ahead. Nguma added a 41-yard field goal for a 27-20 advantage after three quarters.

Mestemaker connected with Hawkins for a 7-yard touchdown, and Wyatt Young turned a short pass into a 70-yard score and a 20-point lead after the 2-point run failed. Sibley added a 45-yard touchdown run, and Ashton Gray scored on a 32-yard run to polish off the rout.

Young finished with nine receptions for 190 yards. Dorner caught seven passes for 117 yards, and Landon Sides hauled in five for 114.

Loftis totaled 295 yards on 20-for-36 passing for the 49ers. Nicholas had seven catches for 187 yards.

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Utah QB Dampier now probable to face Colorado

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Utah QB Dampier now probable to face Colorado

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been upgraded to probable for the Utes’ game against Colorado, according to the updated Big 12 availability report released Friday night.

The junior quarterback has dealt with a lower leg injury this season, and coach Kyle Whittingham said Dampier “got beat up in this game pretty good” after the Utes’ 24-21 loss to rival BYU last weekend.

Dampier was initially listed as questionable Wednesday but progressed throughout the week and took reps in practice, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, a transfer out of New Mexico, has started every game despite the injury and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in total offense with 1,375 passing yards, 442 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.

True freshman backup Byrd Ficklin played four snaps against BYU and would be in line to start if Dampier is unavailable Saturday against the Buffaloes (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Utah wide receiver Tobias Merriweather and defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi were downgraded from doubtful to out against Colorado. Merriweather ranks second among Utes wideouts with 130 receiving yards on eight receptions this season.

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