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As well as the football being played, you may have noticed that Euro 2020 is also host to a secondary, but nonetheless entertaining tactical contest in the media room.

It began a few days ago when Cristiano Ronaldo took umbrage at sharing his news conference with two bottles of Coca-Cola. The Portugal captain removed the soft drinks from the desk in front of him and replaced them with a bottle of water.

He may have publicly slighted one of Euro 2020’s main corporate sponsors, but Ronaldo’s act of defiance soon inspired a group of copycats.

France‘s Paul Pogba upset another tournament benefactor by removing a bottle of Heineken that had been placed in front of him.

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Paul Pogba mirrors Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola snub by removing a Heineken bottle from his Euro 2020 press conference.

It’s thought that the midfielder may have removed the bottle due to his Muslim faith, unaware that it was actually a non-alcoholic version of the beer.

Andriy Yarmolenko was next up, with the Ukraine winger swapping bottles around while cheekily attempting to forge a few new sponsorship deals of his own.

On the back of his two-goal heroics against Switzerland the previous day, Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli took a leaf directly out of Ronaldo’s book by exchanging Cokes for mineral water. Even Russia‘s head coach Stanislav Cherchesov had a little fun during his media conference by helping himself to a complimentary swig of Coke.

The ongoing “bottle battle” at Euro 2020 hasn’t done Coca-Cola many favours either, with a dramatic $4 billion fall in share price ensuing in the aftermath of Ronaldo’s high-profile snub.

It’s certainly not the first time a partnership deal has backfired, with football witnessing more than its fair share of corporate hiccups over the years. Here’s a few:

1. Chevrolet’s Man United and Liverpool mashup

Chevrolet made a hash of things in 2013 when they attempted to bring fans of Manchester United and Liverpool together in the name of brand unity.

The company had multi-million pound deals with both clubs at the time and thus created an advert that spliced together players from either side of the divide, all reciting a message about how special their respective teams are.

As you might expect, the advert was immediately denounced by both sets of rival fans, with Chevy forced to beat a rather hasty retreat to the drawing board.

2. The wrong Wonga logo for Newcastle

Newcastle United made a similar mess of their kit launch in 2015 when they somehow managed to unveil their latest shirt with the wrong brand logo on the front.

The problem stemmed from the fact that sponsors Wonga had rebranded mere hours before the kit was launched, leaving Newcastle with a shirt that was out-of-date right from the off.

3. Dulux paint Tottenham in a bad light

Tottenham were at their Spursy best when they broke news of a major new commercial development toward the tail end of the 2020-21 season.

Spurs revealed Dulux had become their official paint supplier only for the company to kick off their new partnership by openly mocking them on Twitter.

First Dulux began by sharing a meme of Spurs’ empty trophy room, then followed up by suggesting their famous dog mascot could do a better job in defense than any of the current back-four.

Unsurprisingly, a contrite apology followed soon thereafter as they tweeted: “We’re deeply sorry for the posts from Dulux this morning in response to the announcement of our relationship with @SpursOfficial .These do not reflect how proud we are to be the Official paint Supplier of the Club. We’re investigating what happened and apologise to all Spurs fans.”

4. Ansu Fati can’t drive yet

Barcelona starlet Ansu Fati made a stuttering start to his commercial endeavours after signing up to become an ambassador for Cupra, the Spanish motor company.

The deal saw Fati presented with his very own top-of-the-line sports car, with the only hitch being that the 18-year-old winger didn’t have a driving license after injury issues prevented him from taking his test.

5. A ‘Boiler Man’ mascot

West Brom fans were faced with a stark reminder of their plight after starting the 2018-19 season in the Championship following their relegation from the top flight the previous campaign.

As if to really ram it home, the Baggies introduced their new mascot to fans before the first game of the season — a man dressed as a boiler, named “Boiler Man.”

Colin the Combi (to give him his official name) received a vociferous reception at the Hawthorns, which was not very cordial.

6. Don’t bet on Antonio

West Ham forward Michail Antonio bore the brunt when the club’s shirt sponsors got ideas above their station back in 2016.

After losing against Chelsea, the Hammers’ partners at Betway decided to criticise Antonio’s performance, singling out the utility man as “an accident waiting to happen” on social media.

Betway formally apologised to Antonio after the game for their “inappropriate” comment but the tweet in question is still up on their official account.

7. Man United get tapped up

Manchester United command a vast, bulging portfolio of corporate affiliations all around the world, boasting everything from snack noodle partners to official club tractors.

However, it was United’s collaboration with Kohler that raised eyebrows in 2019 when the American plumbing supply company decided to pay homage on the anniversary of the 1999 treble in the only way they knew how.

As a historic mark of respect for one of United’s greatest-ever triumphs, Kohler released a special set of taps, engraved with various references to that balmy night in Barcelona against Bayern Munich.

Sales must have been through the roof, or down the sink — as the case may be.

8. Delays on the line

Preston North End marked their progression to the 2014-15 League One playoff final at Wembley by allowing Virgin Trains to sponsor their shirts.

Sadly, due to planned maintenance work on the line, Virgin were not able to operate any trains from Preston to London ahead of the game. This left thousands of North End fans having to traipse to the national stadium by coach to watch what was ironically dubbed “The Replacement Bus Final” by those in attendance.

Preston ended up beating Swindon 4-0 on the day to seal promotion in style, so at least it wasn’t a total wash-out.

9. Oh Lord…

When it comes to naming rights, one of the most amusing side effects of such a deal came at Burnley in 2015.

One of the stands at Turf Moor is named after the Clarets’ greatest-ever chairman, Bob Lord — a revered character who oversaw the most successful period in the club’s history, winning the First Division championship in 1960 and reaching the FA Cup final the year after.

However, a partnership with an unfortunately upbeat e-cigarette brand somewhat served to undermine the reverence with which Lord’s name is spoken around the place.

Lord was many things, but “Totally Wicked” almost definitely isn’t one of them.

10. Nicklas Bendtner’s pants

Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner revealed a pair of bookmaker-branded underpants when he scored in a 3-2 defeat to Portugal at Euro 2012.

Bendtner, who got both goals as Denmark came from 2-0 down to level the match before conceding a late winner, revealed branding from Irish bookmaker Paddy Power during celebrations of the equaliser.

UEFA didn’t see the funny side and the 24-year-old Arsenal forward was banned for one match and fined €100,000.

“It is just a pair of lucky boxer shorts that I used in the first game as well and have used before the tournament,” he said, possibly with tongue firmly in cheek. “I didn’t know I was breaking any rules but I am aware of that now.”

11. The wrong drink can cost you…

Euro 2020 players, beware. Coca-Cola has history here. Ronaldinho once forfeited a huge sponsorship deal with the brand after he conducted his introductory unveiling news conference at Atletico Mineiro in 2012 from behind two cans of rival drink Pepsi.

Coke pulled the plug on a deal worth around $750,000-a-year after watching Ronaldinho sip a Pepsi (who sponsored Mineiro) in front of the watching world.

Coca-Cola said in a statement: “Coca-Cola recognises the career and value of Ronaldinho. However due to recent developments it has become impossible to continue the partnership.”

Marcelo Pontes, Coca-Cola marketing chief, told Brazilian newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo: “The fact that the player has appeared with a can of Pepsi was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The sponsorship had become embarrassing.”

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CFP Bubble Watch: Who’s in, who’s out, who has work to do at midseason

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October 15, 2025

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CFP Bubble Watch: Who's in, who's out, who has work to do at midseason

Week 7 shook up the College Football Playoff picture. No team earned a more impactful result than Indiana, whose win at Oregon is now the best in the country during the first half of the season. Indiana’s playoff chances jumped 21%, climbing to a 93% chance to make the playoff, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor.

Not only are the Hoosiers off the bubble, but Indiana also is chasing a first-round bye as one of the top four seeds, having cemented its place alongside Ohio State and Miami as one of the nation’s best teams.

Indiana wasn’t the only winner, though, as South Florida and Texas Tech both saw their playoff chances jump by at least 15%.

Below you’ll find one team in the spotlight for each of the Power 4 leagues and another identified as an enigma. We’ve also tiered schools into three groups. Teams with Would be in status are featured in this week’s top 12 projection, a snapshot of what the selection committee’s ranking would look like if it were released today. Teams listed as On the cusp are the true bubble teams and the first ones outside the bracket. A team with Work to do is passing the eye test (for the most part) and has a chance at winning its conference, which means a guaranteed spot in the playoff. And a team that Would be out is playing in the shadows of the playoff — for now.

The 13-member selection committee doesn’t always agree with the Allstate Playoff Predictor, so the following categories are based on historical knowledge of the group’s tendencies plus what each team has done to date.

Reminder: This will change from week to week as each team builds — or busts — its résumé.

Jump to a conference:
ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten
SEC | Independent | Group of 5
Bracket

SEC

Spotlight: Tennessee. The Vols have looked like a borderline playoff team against unranked opponents in recent weeks, beating Mississippi State and Arkansas by a combined 10 points with one overtime. Offensively they’ve been elite, averaging 300 yards passing and 200 rushing per game. Defensively, they need to stop the run to make to challenge in the SEC. They’ll have a chance against Alabama on Saturday to further legitimize their hopes. With a win, Tennessee’s chances of reaching the playoff would jump to 52%, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor. Tennessee ranks No. 10 in ESPN’s game control metric and No. 19 in strength of record. The Vols are projected in the committee’s No. 12 spot this week, which means they would get knocked out of the actual field during the seeding process to make room for the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion. The five highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed spots in the playoff, so if the fifth team is ranked outside of the committee’s top 12, its No. 12 team gets the boot.

Enigma: Texas. The Longhorns took a baby step toward a return to CFP relevance with a big win against Oklahoma, but it was their first win against a Power 4 opponent and their first against a ranked team. Texas has the 15th-most-difficult remaining schedule, and with two losses is already in a precarious position. The Longhorns will play three of their next four opponents on the road (at Kentucky, Mississippi State and Georgia). There were encouraging signs from the win against the rival Sooners, from the stingy defense that flustered quarterback John Mateer all game to what looked like an improved offensive line that gave quarterback Arch Manning some time to throw. He completed 16 of 17 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown when under no duress. If Texas can continue to put it all together against the heart of its SEC schedule, it could make a run to be one of the committee’s top two-loss teams.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas A&M

On the cusp: Tennessee

Work to do: Missouri, Texas, Vanderbilt

Would be out: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, South Carolina

Big Ten

Spotlight: USC. The Trojans have looked like a CFP top 25 team through the first half of the season, with their only loss a close one on the road to a ranked Illinois team. In Week 7, USC’s convincing 31-13 win against Michigan pushed it into more serious Big Ten contention. Ohio State and Indiana are the leaders, followed by Oregon, but USC has the fourth-best chance (7.1%) to reach the Big Ten title game, according to ESPN Analytics. That will change when the Trojans go to Oregon on Nov. 22, but they don’t play Ohio State or Indiana during the regular season. A win at Notre Dame on Saturday would be a significant boost to USC’s playoff résumé, while simultaneously knocking the Irish out of playoff contention. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, USC’s chances of reaching the playoff would adjust to 58% with a win against Notre Dame. According to ESPN Analytics, USC has less than a 50% chance to win its games against Notre Dame and Oregon.

Enigma: Washington. The Huskies have improved significantly and quickly under coach Jedd Fisch, who’s in his second season. Their only loss was to Ohio State, 24-6, on Sept. 27, but they lack a statement win that gives them real postseason credibility. Wins at Washington State and Maryland are certainly respectable, but bigger opportunities loom starting on Saturday at Michigan. This game has significant implications, because if the Huskies can win, they stand a strong chance of hosting Oregon as a one-loss team in the regular-season finale. According to ESPN Analytics, Michigan has a 67.6% chance to win on Saturday, and Oregon has a 70% chance to beat Washington on Nov. 29. The Huskies are projected to win every other game, though. A win against Michigan could increase their playoff hopes significantly.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon

On the cusp: USC

Work to do: Nebraska, Washington

Would be out: Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin

ACC

Spotlight: Georgia Tech. Raise your hand if you had Georgia Tech at Duke on Saturday circled as a game that would impact the College Football Playoff. The Yellow Jackets would have been the next team to crack the latest CFP projection this week, and their chances of reaching the ACC championship game will skyrocket if they can win at Duke. Georgia Tech currently has the fourth-best chance to reach the ACC title game behind Miami, Duke and Virginia. ESPN Analytics gives the Blue Devils a 61.8% chance to win. The only other projected loss on the Jackets’ schedule is the regular-season finale against Georgia. Even if Georgia Tech reaches the ACC title game and loses, it could get in as a second ACC team with a win over Georgia.

Enigma: Virginia. The Hoos have won back-to-back overtime games against Florida State and Louisville, putting themselves in contention for a spot in the ACC championship. They host a tricky Washington State team on Saturday that just gave Ole Miss a few headaches, though, and need to avoid a second loss to an unranked team. The toughest game left on their schedule is Nov. 15 at Duke. Without an ACC title, Virginia is going to have a tough time impressing the committee with a schedule that includes a loss to unranked NC State and possibly no wins against ranked opponents. It didn’t help the Hoos that Florida State lost to an unranked Pitt, as the win against the Noles was the highlight of their season so far.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Miami

On the cusp: Georgia Tech

Work to do: Virginia

Would be out: Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Big 12

Spotlight: BYU. The Cougars needed a late-night double-overtime win at Arizona to stay undefeated and are on the path to face Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship game. The question is if they can stay undefeated until the Nov. 8 regular-season matchup against the Red Raiders. BYU has its second-most difficult remaining game on Saturday against rival Utah, which is also in contention for the Big 12 title. BYU has a slim edge with a 51% chance to win, which would be a critical cushion considering back-to-back road trips to Iowa State and Texas Tech await. The Big 12 has also gotten a boost from Cincinnati, which has a favorable remaining schedule and could be a surprise CFP top 25 team. If BYU stumbles over the next three weeks, a road win at a ranked Cincinnati team would help its résumé. Speaking of the Bearcats …

Enigma: Cincinnati. Is this team for real? The Bearcats have won five straight since their 20-17 season-opening loss to Nebraska, including three straight against Big 12 opponents Kansas, Iowa State and UCF. All three of those teams are .500 or better, and the selection committee will respect that as long as it holds. Cincinnati also has November opportunities against Utah and BYU, which could change the playoff picture in the Big 12. ESPN Analytics gives the Bearcats less than a 50% chance to beat Utah, BYU and TCU.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Texas Tech

On the cusp: BYU

Work to do: Cincinnati, Houston, Utah

Would be out: Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF, West Virginia

Independent

Would be out: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have the best chance to win out of any team in the FBS, with a 49% chance to finish 10-2. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, Notre Dame would have a 50% chance to reach the CFP if it runs the table. That seems accurate, given the selection committee would compare Notre Dame against the other 10-2 contenders, and it’s a coin toss as to whether the room would agree that the Irish’s résumé and film make them worthy of an at-large bid. How Miami and Texas A&M fare will impact this — as will the head-to-head results if those teams don’t win their respective leagues and are also competing with the Irish for one of those at-large spots. It helps Notre Dame that opponents USC and Navy could finish as CFP top 25 teams if they continue to win. Undefeated Navy could also make a run at the Group of 5 playoff spot.

Group of 5

Spotlight: South Florida. South Florida. The Bulls are back on top after their convincing 63-36 win at previously undefeated North Texas, which just a week ago was listed here as a potential Group of 5 contender. Following the win, the Bulls’ chances of reaching the CFP increased by 20%, according to ESPN Analytics. South Florida’s lone loss was Sept. 13 at Miami, 49-12, which was a significant defeat against what could be the committee’s No. 1 team. Although that result showed the gap between the Bulls and one of the nation’s top teams, it certainly didn’t eliminate South Florida, which has one of the best overall résumés of the other contenders. With wins against Boise State, Florida and now at North Texas, this is a team that earned the edge in this week’s latest projection. Still, South Florida has the second-best chance of any Group of 5 school to reach the playoff (30%) behind Memphis (42%), according to ESPN Analytics.

Enigma: UNLV. Undefeated UNLV survived a scare from 1-5 Air Force on Saturday to stay undefeated and in contention for a playoff spot. UNLV and Boise State, both of the Mountain West Conference, are the only teams outside of the American Conference with at least a 5% chance to reach the playoff, and they play each other in a critical game on Saturday. UNLV has scored at least 30 points in each of its six games this season and is 6-0 for the first time since 1974, but it hasn’t always been pretty. UNLV scored the winning touchdown against Air Force with 36 seconds left and allowed the Falcons 603 total yards. The Rebels have the fourth-best chance to reach the playoff at 9% behind the American’s Memphis, South Florida and Tulane.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: South Florida

Work to do: Memphis, Navy, Tulane, UNLV

Bracket

Based on our weekly projection, the seeding would be:

First-round byes

No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 3 Indiana
No. 4 Texas A&M (SEC champ)

First-round games

On campus, Dec. 19 and 20

No. 12 South Florida (American champ) at No. 5 Alabama
No. 11 LSU at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Georgia
No. 9 Texas Tech (Big 12 champ) at No. 8 Oregon

Quarterfinal games

At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

No. 12 South Florida/No. 5 Alabama winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 LSU/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Indiana
No. 10 Oklahoma/No. 7 Georgia winner vs. No. 2 Miami
No. 9 Texas Tech/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State

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2025 NLCS: Live updates and analysis from Game 2

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4 hours ago

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October 15, 2025

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2025 NLCS: Live updates and analysis from Game 2

  • ESPN

Oct 14, 2025, 10:25 PM ET

The opener of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers had a little bit of everything.

So what can we expect in Game 2? We’ve got you covered with the top moments from today’s game, as well as takeaways after the final out.

Key links: How this NLCS could decide if baseball is played in 2027 | Bracket

Top moments

Follow pitch-by-pitch on Gamecast

Ohtani gets in on the fun with RBI single

Muncy’s drive adds to L.A.’s lead

Dodgers take their first lead of Game 2

Teoscar answers with a blast of his own

Chourio gets Brewers on board first

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Scherzer to start Game 4 of ALCS for Blue Jays

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October 15, 2025

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Scherzer to start Game 4 of ALCS for Blue Jays

  • Associated Press

Oct 14, 2025, 07:09 PM ET

SEATTLE — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will start Game 4 of the American League Championship Series for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Seattle Mariners.

Scherzer was activated after being left off the roster for the division series against the New York Yankees and is slated to make his 26th postseason start and 31st appearance. The 41-year-old right-hander is 0-3 over his past eight postseason starts since the 2019 World Series opener, and went 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his final six starts of the 2025 season.

Manager John Schneider said Sunday that neck pain limited Scherzer at the end of the season and that he is in a better spot physically than a month ago. Opting to use the eight-time All-Star as a starter stemmed from wanting to keep Scherzer’s routine consistent.

“I’ve talked about him preparing all year,” Schneider said Tuesday, a day before the matchup resumes with Toronto trying to overcome a 2-0 series deficit. “So I think keeping things normal for him. Going back to you want to see normalcy. So you trust that he’s going to be prepared and go out and give everything he has and hopefully rise to the occasion of a big moment. He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason. So you feel good about handing him the ball and watching him go to work.”

An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer was 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts after agreeing to a $15.5 million, one-year contract. He didn’t pitch between March 29 and June 25 because of right thumb inflammation.

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