Sports

Landeskog eyes future after 1st game in 3 years

Published

5 months ago

April 12, 2025

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Associated Press

Apr 12, 2025, 01:37 AM ET

LOVELAND, Colo. — For the first time in 1,020 or so days, Gabriel Landeskog has some fresh game tape to examine. Game tape of him hitting players, taking hits, being called for a penalty and even putting someone in a headlock.

“A headlock,” he said with a grin Friday night, “wasn’t necessarily planned when I woke up this morning.”

His emotional journey back from a serious knee injury took center ice as he suited up in a professional game for the first time in nearly three years when he joined the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League.

The longtime Colorado Avalanche captain is on loan to the Eagles as part of a minor league conditioning assignment. He participated in the morning skate Friday at Blue Arena, and was given the green light to make his Eagles debut against the Henderson Silver Knights.

He went through pregame drills — without his helmet so his blond hair was easy to spot — to cheers and was serenaded with chants of “Landy, Landy, Landy” just before puck drop. The fans cheered when he left the ice after his first shift, which lasted about 46 seconds, and again after he went to the penalty box, with his image shown on the big screen (he waved to the crowd).

He soaked in every moment over the course of an evening filled with checks, spills, a hooking penalty called on him and all the applause.

“I’m excited about what the future looks like for me,” Landeskog said after the Eagles’ 2-0 win in which he played just under 15 minutes.

Landeskog received praise from several Silver Knights players, including one who told him before a faceoff, “It’s great to have you back.”

“It’s what makes this game so great — you go out and put somebody in a headlock, and then the next faceoff, somebody says something nice to you,” Landeskog said. “It’s pretty cool. The support, even from players around the league, and obviously here as well, it means a lot.”

This was a pricey ticket, too (around $200). His just-unveiled Eagles No. 92 sweater was coveted as well, with fans waiting in a long line that snaked around the concourse for a chance to purchase one. His Avalanche jersey was a popular sight all over the venue.

Landeskog has been sidelined since he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022 because of a knee injury and subsequent surgeries.

If all goes well with his Loveland stint, the 32-year-old gritty forward from Sweden could be activated for Game 1 of Colorado’s first-round playoff series. The Avalanche enter the postseason locked into the Central Division’s No. 3 seed and will open on the road.

“I have high expectations of myself. I’m also realistic in knowing what I’ve gone through, and how much time is missed,” said Landeskog, who has been nearly a point-a-game player in six playoff runs with the Avalanche. “I don’t want to look too far ahead. But I do know that I feel good today, hopefully I feel good tomorrow and we can keep working. I can keep practicing and we’ll see where it takes us.”

This was just another step along what’s been an arduous journey.

“I’m excited for him and his family,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Friday before the team left for its two-game trip to California to close out the regular season. “To finally get back on the ice in a game situation, I’m just thrilled for him.”

Some of his Avalanche teammates, such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, made the roughly 50-mile trek north to Loveland in order to catch a glimpse of No. 92 in an Eagles sweater. MacKinnon and Makar were among several players skipping Colorado’s final trip to get some rest before the playoffs.

“He put a lot of work in, a lot of time,” defenseman Erik Johnson, a longtime friend of Landeskog, recently said. “It’s something he didn’t have to put his body through but wanted to for the team. To have him get this far in his recovery is exciting for us.”

Landeskog’s injury dates back to the 2020 “bubble” season when he was accidentally sliced above the knee by the skate of Makar in a playoff game against Dallas. Landeskog eventually underwent a cartilage transplant procedure on May 10, 2023, and has been on long-term injured reserve.

The procedure was similar to the one performed on Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball in March 2023. Ball returned to the court for a preseason game in October, which hinted at a possible timeline for Landeskog’s return.

Landeskog’s comeback has been the subject of a documentary series called “A Clean Sheet: Gabe Landeskog” that’s airing on TNT and TruTV.

“It felt a little bit surreal driving up here for morning skate,” Landeskog said. “[The game] couldn’t come fast enough. I was really excited. It’s an odd feeling when you’ve been looking forward to something for so long, and then all of a sudden you get to do it.”

As for the plan moving forward, Landeskog’s not fully sure. He might play again Saturday — if his knee feels up to it.

For now, he’s just appreciative of all the support.

“I never thought this was going to get to this point and get this big and get this much attention,” Landeskog said. “I was just trying to fight my way back, and here we are.

“It was a fun night. Now, I’m tired. I’m looking forward to sleep.”

Sports

AP Week 3 poll reaction: What’s next for each Top 25 team

Published

4 hours ago

September 14, 2025

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AP Week 3 poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

Sep 14, 2025, 02:26 PM ET

The latest AP poll is out.

With a trio of ranked matchups around the sport, there was bound to be some movement after Week 3.

The Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets got the biggest wins of the weekend. UGA took down the rival Tennessee Volunteers in a wild, back-and-forth game. The Jackets, meanwhile, got the week started with an upset of the then-No. 12 Clemson Tigers.

In one of the three ranked matchups Saturday, the Miami Hurricanes ended the South Florida Bulls‘ early-season run. USF had beaten ranked opponents (Boise State, Florida) in each of the first two weeks. The Canes, however, overpowered the Bulls to stay undefeated.

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.

All times Eastern

Previous ranking: 1

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Ohio 37-9

Stat to know: Ohio State has allowed just 16 points this season, its fewest through three games since 1975.

What’s next: Sept. 27 at Washington

Previous ranking: 2

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Villanova 52-6

Stat to know: Penn State allowed a passing touchdown on the final play of the game to prevent consecutive shutout wins for the first time since 1996.

What’s next: Sept. 27 at Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: 3

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Florida 20-10

Stat to know: LSU has held each of its first three opponents to 10 or fewer points for the first time since 2007.

What’s next: Saturday vs. SE Louisiana, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 5

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated USF 49-12

Stat to know: Miami won by 37 points, its largest win against an AP-ranked opponent since 2001, when the Canes beat No. 12 Washington by 58 points.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 6

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Tennessee 44-41 (OT)

Stat to know: Georgia has won the past nine meetings in this series and is 14-2 since 2010 (Tennessee won in 2015 & ’16). This nine-game winning streak is tied for the longest by either team in this series, matching a nine-game streak by Tennessee from 1989 to 1999.

What’s next: Sept. 27 vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 4

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Northwestern 34-14

Stat to know: With a 20-point win, Oregon has outscored its opponents by 132 points this season. That’s the fifth-largest point differential through three games in a season in program history, trailing 2010 (+176), 2013 (+157), 1910 (+154), and 1916 (+150).

What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon State, 3 p.m.

Previous ranking: 10

2025 record: 2-0

Week 3 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Kent State, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network

Previous ranking: 7

2025 record: 2-1

Week 3 result: Defeated UTEP 27-10

Stat to know: Arch Manning threw 10 straight incompletions (including his interception) at one point during the second quarter. That’s the longest streak of incompletions by a Texas player in at least 20 years.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Sam Houston, 8 p.m., ESPN+

Previous ranking: 9

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Western Michigan 38-0

Stat to know: This was Illinois’ first shutout win against an FBS opponent since 2000 (Iowa).

What’s next: Saturday at Indiana, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: 16

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Notre Dame 41-40

Stat to know: The win over Notre Dame was A&M’s first nonconference road win against an AP top-10 team since 1979.

What’s next: Sept. 27 vs. Auburn

Previous ranking: 13

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Temple 42-3

Stat to know: Oklahoma has allowed 19 points this season, the second fewest through its first three games since 1990.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Auburn, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 14

2025 record: 4-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Arkansas State 24-16

Stat to know: Rocco Becht had his 11th career game with a passing and rushing score, the most among Big 12 quarterbacks over the past three seasons.

What’s next: Sept. 27 vs. Arizona

Previous ranking: 17

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Arkansas 41-35

Stat to know: Ole Miss has won three straight games against Arkansas for the first time since 1990-93.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Tulane, 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Previous ranking: 19

2025 record: 2-1

Week 3 result: Defeated Wisconsin 38-14

Stat to know: Kalen DeBoer is 9-0 at home as Alabama coach, the longest win streak by a Tide coach to begin their tenure since Xen Scott from 1919 to 1921 (17 straight).

What’s next: Sept. 27 at Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 15

2025 record: 2-1

Week 3 result: Lost to Georgia 44-41 (OT)

Stat to know: Joey Aguilar is the first SEC player with at least four passing scores and a rushing TD in his conference debut in the past 20 seasons.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UAB, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 20

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Wyoming 31-6

Stat to know: Utah has now started its season 3-0 in three consecutive years.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas Tech, noon, Fox

Previous ranking: 21

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Oregon State 45-14

Stat to know: This is the first time the team has scored at least 45 points in each of its first three games since 2016.

What’s next: Saturday at Utah, noon, Fox

Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Clemson 24-21

Stat to know: Aidan Birr‘s 55-yard, winning field goal is the longest winning field goal in program history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Temple, 4:30 p.m., The CW

Previous ranking: 22

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Indiana State 73-0

Stat to know: Indiana’s 73-0 win was the third-largest victory and second-largest shutout in program history. Two of the Hoosiers’ three biggest wins have come under Curt Cignetti.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Illinois, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated South Carolina 31-7

Stat to know: This is Vanderbilt’s first 3-0 start to the season since 2017

What’s next: Saturday vs. Georgia State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU

Previous ranking: 23

2025 record: 2-1

Week 3 result: Defeated Central Michigan 63-3

Stat to know: The 60-point victory over CMU is the largest by the program against an in-state opponent since 1922, when the Wolverines beat Michigan State 63-0.

What’s next: Saturday at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Previous ranking: 24

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated South Alabama 31-15

Stat to know: Auburn is off to its second 3-0 start in three seasons under coach Hugh Freeze (2023). The Tigers finished that season 6-7.

What’s next: Saturday at Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 25

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Louisiana 52-10

Stat to know: Ahmad Hardy is the first FBS player with a 200-yard rushing game this season. It’s his fifth-straight 100-yard rushing game dating to last season (played for UL Monroe last season).

What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:00 p.m., ESPN

Previous ranking: 8

2025 record: 0-2

Week 3 result: Lost to Texas A&M 41-40

Stat to know: Notre Dame is starting the season 0-2 for the third time in the past 15 years.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 3-0

Week 3 result: Defeated Purdue 33-17

Stat to know: USC has won its last four games against Purdue.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 11 p.m., Fox

Sports

Sources: Hokies fire Pry after 0-3 start, ODU loss

Published

6 hours ago

September 14, 2025

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Sources: Hokies fire Pry after 0-3 start, ODU loss

Sep 14, 2025, 01:16 PM ET

Virginia Tech has fired coach Brent Pry, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Sunday. Pry is set to be owed more than $6 million in his buyout.

The move comes a day after a 45-26 home loss to Old Dominion in which the Hokies were booed loudly while heading to the locker room for halftime.

Saturday’s loss dropped Virginia Tech to 0-3 on the season and 16-24 through four seasons under Pry.

The hot-seat talk bubbled up around Pry in November last season, and if the Hokies had lost to Virginia to end the season, a change may have been made at that point. But Virginia Tech defeated Virginia, and Pry’s second consecutive 6-6 regular season landed him in a bowl game.

But as the offseason included personnel changes, the talk around Pry’s status didn’t fade. He entered Year 4 with a new defensive coordinator — Sam Siefkes, a former linebackers coach with the Arizona Cardinals — and a staff that included former longtime Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster as an adviser/analyst.

It did not work in the early going. Though the Hokies played hard in a season-opening loss to South Carolina, they were pushed around by another SEC team, Vanderbilt, in Virginia Tech’s home opener a week later. The Commodores scored 34 consecutive points to close out a 44-20 win in which they trailed by 10 points at halftime.

That loss, however, proved to be just an opening act to Saturday’s stunning loss to in-state foe Old Dominion.

“Clearly, it starts with me,” Pry said after the loss to the Monarchs. “Coaches, players, everybody is accountable here. We’ve got to get back to the basics and find a way to be closer to the team we can be.”

Virginia Tech will host Wofford on Saturday before beginning ACC play the following week at NC State.

Sports

UCLA fires coach Foster after Bruins start 0-3

Published

6 hours ago

September 14, 2025

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UCLA fires coach Foster after Bruins start 0-3

Sep 14, 2025, 01:06 PM ET

UCLA fired football coach DeShaun Foster after he started his second season at the helm 0-3, the school announced Sunday.

An impressive class in the transfer portal, including the addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, seemed like a solid foundation for Year 2 under Foster, who rallied the Bruins to win four of their last six games to end the 2024 season.

But this season couldn’t have started off any worse. In the Rose Bowl on opening night, the Bruins fell to Utah 43-10. A week later at UNLV, they stumbled again, dropping a 30-23 decision. But those losses were just lead-ins to a puzzling 35-10 defeat at the hands of New Mexico in Week 3 at the Rose Bowl.

The Bruins, through three weeks, did not top 23 points in any game, and had allowed at least 30 in all three losses.

Foster had a 5-10 record in the 15 games he coached for the Bruins.