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Week 9 in college football is here as we embark on another weekend of exciting matchups that you won’t want to miss.

Friday night will feature a showdown between one-loss Mountain West teams No. 17 Boise State and UNLV. Most college football fans know the name of Boise State’s star running back, Heisman Trophy favorite Ashton Jeanty, but do you know about the Broncos’ quarterback?

No. 8 LSU and No. 14 Texas A&M meet in a big conference matchup Saturday evening. They’re both undefeated as the top two teams in the SEC standings entering Week 9, but only one team can leave Kyle Field with a win. Can Texas A&M’s defense keep LSU’s offense off the field?

Our college football experts preview big games and storylines to know, and share quotes of the week ahead Week 9’s slate.

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Top SEC matchup | Missouri-Alabama | Boise State QB
Quotes of the Week

What are the top two SEC teams doing right ahead of their matchup Saturday?

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said the similarities between LSU and his team this season have been “eerily similar.” Both started with big Week 1 games, and both lost, A&M to Notre Dame and LSU to USC. But they both have steadily improved all season and meet at 6-1, with A&M 4-0 in the SEC and LSU 3-0. They’ve done it in different ways, though. LSU has gotten better on defense, holding Ole Miss to 26 in an overtime win, then giving up just 10 at Arkansas last week. Blake Baker’s defense now ranks third in pressure rate and seventh in sacks, despite losing Harold Perkins for the season in Week 4. Offensively, Garrett Nussmeier has five 300-yard games, as the Tigers rank eighth nationally in passing offense at 322.4 yards per game. Nussmeier leads the SEC with 18 passing touchdowns and an 82.5 QBR.

Texas A&M, meanwhile, has a stingy defense that has been complemented by a strong running game that slows down games and keeps opposing offenses off the field. The Aggies have been able to stop opponents without bringing pressure, blitzing just 16% of the time, eight lowest in the FBS, according to ESPN research. Opponents complete just 54% of passes against the Aggies, 10th best in the FBS, and they’ve made key stops, ranking 16th nationally in third-down defense. On offense, Texas A&M ranks 12th in rushing, at 218 yards per game, a stabilizing force as the Aggies navigated Conner Weigman‘s shoulder injury in Week 2. Marcel Reed starting until Weigman returned to dominate Missouri, going 18-of-22 for 276 yards. Le’Veon Moss, who has shouldered the load at running back, has five TDs in the past two games and is looking to become the third Aggie to have multiple rushing touchdowns in three straight games since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012. — Dave Wilson


What Missouri and Alabama need to do to win their matchup in Week 9

Alabama: It sounds simple, but Alabama needs to play a complete game and, probably even more importantly, a clean game. Starting with the second half in the 41-34 win over Georgia in Week 4, in which the Bulldogs piled up 381 yards after halftime and erased a 28-0 deficit, it has been hit or miss with the Crimson Tide. The defense again struggled the next week in a shocking 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt followed by a shaky 27-25 escape against South Carolina at home in a game Alabama led 14-0, only to see South Carolina recover an onside kick late and have a chance to win. Then a week ago, the offense was a no-show in a 24-17 loss to Tennessee.

Quarterback Jalen Milroe was sensational in the win over Georgia, but he has thrown five interceptions in his past three games. Tennessee sacked him three times, and he was held to 11 rushing yards on 14 carries. Penalties have plagued the Crimson Tide. They have 62 on the season. Only four FBS teams have been penalized more. They were penalized a season-high 15 times against Tennessee, including a 15-yard personal foul on receiver Kendrick Law during Alabama’s next-to-last drive. — Chris Low

Missouri: There’s no simple path to winning as a road team inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, where the Crimson Tide have lost only six times since the end of the 2007 season. And Missouri’s path to a historic win in Tuscaloosa won’t be helped by the expected absences of quarterback Brady Cook (ankle) and leading rusher Nate Noel (foot). Down the pair of star offensive talents, the Tigers must find a way to slow Jalen Milroe and Alabama the same way Tennessee did a week ago.

The Volunteers limited the Crimson Tide to 75 rushing yards and pressured Milroe 24 times as the junior passer threw a pair of interceptions and completed a season-low 55.6% of his throws in the 24-17 defeat. Missouri enters Saturday ranked 24th in defensive red zone efficiency, and if the Tigers can stay close early, perhaps they hang around with an Alabama team that has been outscored 81-55 after halftime in four league games. No SEC team has more comebacks down seven or more points this fall than Missouri, and the Tigers enter Week 9 with a record of 7-0 in one score games since the start of last season. — Eli Lederman


Maddux Madsen is much more than the other guy in Boise State’s backfield

Boise State’s Maddux Madsen might be the ideal person to share a backfield with the Heisman Trophy favorite.

Madsen’s path to being Boise State’s starting quarterback, where he lines up beside star running back Ashton Jeanty, hasn’t been a straight shot. He’s a 5-foot-10 QB who didn’t receive scholarship offers from the two Power 4 schools in his home state of Utah, and came to Boise State only after a highly touted QB recruit, Katin Houser, flipped his commitment to Michigan State.

Madsen, a third-year sophomore, doesn’t need tutorials about roles or teamwork, what competition requires, how opportunities are earned and how to navigate adversity. He grew up around baseball fields, as his dad, Eric, coached at Utah Valley. Maddux and his four siblings are all named after baseball standouts — Maddux after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, and brothers Mays (Willie), McGwire (Mark) and Mick (Mantle), and sister Macee Jo (DiMaggio).

“In baseball, you almost set yourself up to fail,” Maddux said. “If you’re hitting .300, that’s pretty elite. So I learned not to let myself get beat up about certain things. Obviously, football’s a little bit different, but there’s going to be things that go wrong, and handling adversity is something I learned from baseball and translated to football.”

He has spent much of his Broncos career competing. Last season, he shared time with Taylen Green in a two-quarterback system that ended when Madsen sustained a knee injury in November. When Boise State added USC transfer Malachi Nelson in January, many assumed the starting job would go to the former ESPN No. 1 overall recruit.

But Madsen beat out Nelson in camp and has completed 63.8% of his passes for 1,273 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions through six games.

“He doesn’t want anything given to him,” said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson, who informed Madsen after the 2023 season that the team would be seeking a transfer quarterback. “He wants to be challenged, he wants the opportunity to compete, and the stage is never too big for him. He’s always been a guy that has the mentality of a hunter. He’s going to go win. Maddux is an unwavering young man.”

Danielson saw Madsen’s approach from the start. After a pass was tipped and intercepted at Georgia Southern in the season opener, Madsen began the next possession with completions of 53 and 36 yards, and Jeanty capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. The following week, Madsen completed only 17 of 40 passes in a 37-34 loss at Oregon, as the Ducks’ defense smothered Broncos receivers and quickly closed passing windows.

Since then, Madsen has completed 70.8% of his attempts.

“I understand that there’s going to be loud stadiums, there’s going to be things said, so how can I control the game with a neutral mindset?” Madsen said. “I’ve learned that the seriousness I have to approach the game with is definitely different than I have in the past. We’re in a no-joke situation right now, and we’ve got to attack every day with complete intent and focus.”

Madsen also recognizes that Boise State’s offense largely will run through Jeanty, who leads the nation in rushing yards and ranks sixth in attempts.

“It’s the best thing ever,” Madsen said of playing with Jeanty. “I tell people, I’ve got the best seat in the house, watching him do what he does.”

Jeanty will continue to dominate the spotlight, and rightfully so, but Madsen will also be a significant factor if Boise State surges to its first College Football Playoff appearance.

“Nobody wanted to hear about Maddux Madsen, because he was the 5-10 kid from Utah that wasn’t recruited,” Danielson said. “He’s really been the embodiment of what we are here at Boise State, one those guys that are counted out, got a chip on their shoulder, and all he’s done is earn everything he’s got.” — Adam Rittenberg


Quotes of the week

“I’ve always respected those coaches because that’s where I’ve come from. I started as a Division II head coach, he’s worked his way up. And any time you can hire an Ivy League grad, it makes me smarter. So that worked out well for me.” — LSU coach Brian Kelly, on hiring now-Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, a Penn alum, as his defensive coordinator in 2017 after Elko had stops at Penn, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Richmond and Hofstra, among others.

“Define ‘at,'” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said when asked if quarterback Brady Cook (ankle) would be at practice Tuesday (Cook has since been ruled doubtful for Saturday’s game). “I don’t know if I’d say participate. I anticipate that he will be out at practice. But that’s why I’m not letting the media at practice so that y’all can’t worry about what he’s doing or not doing in practice.”

“It’s an excellent opportunity for us on a big stage. When we recruit, we talk about big-time college football and one of the things is, you get to play Notre Dame every year,” Navy defensive coordinator P.J. Volker said ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the Fighting Irish and Midshipmen. “Obviously they’re the cream of the crop in college football. To have this opportunity is something that we all relish.”

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Nats seek ‘fresh approach,’ fire Martinez, Rizzo

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Nats seek 'fresh approach,' fire Martinez, Rizzo

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.

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Kershaw gets special ASG invite; no Soto, Betts

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Kershaw gets special ASG invite; no Soto, Betts

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.

Among the first-time All-Stars announced Sunday: Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood and left-hander MacKenzie Gore; Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown and shortstop Jeremy Pena; and Chicago Cubs 34-year-old left-hander Matthew Boyd.

“It’ll just be cool being around some of the best players in the game,” Wood said.

First-time All-Stars previously elected to start by the fans include Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

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.

The players vote for the reserves at each position and selected Wood, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres as the backup outfielders. Kyle Stowers also made it as a backup outfielder as the representative for the Miami Marlins.

Unless Soto later is added as an injury replacement, he’ll miss his first All-Star Game since his first full season in 2019.

The Dodgers lead all teams with five representatives: Kershaw, Yamamoto and starters Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. The AL-leading Detroit Tigers (57-34) and Mariners have four each.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will join AL starters Riley Greene, Gleyber Torres and Javier Baez, while Raleigh, the AL’s starting catcher, will be joined by Seattle teammates Bryan Woo, Andres Munoz and Julio Rodriguez.

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.

The hometown Braves will have three All-Stars in Acuna, pitcher Chris Sale (his ninth selection, tied with Freeman for the second most behind Kershaw) and first baseman Matt Olson. The San Francisco Giants had three pitchers selected: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and reliever Randy Rodriguez.

The slumping New York Yankees ended up with three All-Stars: Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Max Fried. The Mets also earned three All-Star selections: Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz.

“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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bellinger rescues Yankees to avoid Subway sweep

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Bellinger rescues Yankees to avoid Subway sweep

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.”

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