Courtesy of the Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this afternoon that outfielder&nbsp;Nelson Velázquez&nbsp;and right-handed pitcher&nbsp;James McArthur&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for September/October. The awards are determined by a local media vote.

Velázquez recorded 20 hits in his 23 games from Sept. 1-30, and 12 of those hits (60.0%) went for extra bases, including 3 doubles and a team-high 9 home runs. His 9 home runs last month tied for the 3rd most by a Royal ever in the month of September, behind only&nbsp;Salvador Perez’s&nbsp;10 home runs in 2021 and&nbsp;Jorge Soler’s&nbsp;10 homers in 2019. His 9 home runs also tied for the American League lead and ranked tied for 5th in the Majors, trailing&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Matt Olson&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Kyle Schwarber&nbsp;(10) and&nbsp;Juan Soto&nbsp;(10). Velázquez posted a .932 OPS last month, which ranked 5th in the American League (min. 90 PA), trailing leader&nbsp;Yordan Alvarez&nbsp;(1.068). He homered in 3 straight games from Sept. 4-6 vs. the White Sox, becoming the first Royal to homer in 3 consecutive contests in two years, since Perez turned the trick from Sept. 14-16, 2021. On Sept. 24 in Houston, he hit a pair of solo home runs—including going back-to-back with Perez in the 3rd inning—to mark his 2nd career multi-homer game and his 1st as a Royal. Velázquez was acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on July 31, and this marks his first career monthly honor with the Royals.

McArthur pitched 16.1 scoreless innings from Sept. 1 through the season’s end, which is the 6th longest active scoreless streak in the Majors and the 3rd longest active streak in the American League, behind Houston’s&nbsp;Bryan Abreu&nbsp;(27.2 IP) and Boston’s&nbsp;Chris Martin&nbsp;(19.0 IP). He was the only pitcher in the Majors to record at least 16.0 innings without allowing a run from Sept. 1-Oct. 1, and his .096 opponents’ average (5-for-52) over that stretch led the Majors (min. 16.0 IP), ahead of Cy Young candidate&nbsp;Blake Snell&nbsp;(.123). McArthur hasn’t issued a walk since Aug. 12 vs. the Cardinals, and his 18.1 walkless innings since is the 2nd longest active streak in the Majors and is the 2nd longest by a Royal in the 2023 season, behind only&nbsp;Zack Greinke’s&nbsp;19.0-inning run from July 25-Aug. 28. He was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Aug. 17 and recalled on Sept. 1, after which he retired 48 of the 53 batters he faced, including 19 via strikeouts (10.5 K/9, 35.8 K%). His 35.8% strikeout rate in that stretch ranked 4th in the Majors (min. 16.0 IP), behind&nbsp;Tarik Skubal&nbsp;(39.4%),&nbsp;Emmet Sheehan&nbsp;(39.1%) and&nbsp;Aaron Civale&nbsp;(37.5%). He went a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities and was one of just four American League pitchers to record at least 4 saves without any blown opportunities, joining&nbsp;Jhoan Duran&nbsp;(4-for-4),&nbsp;Clay Holmes&nbsp;(8-for-8) and&nbsp;Trevor May&nbsp;(6-for-6). All 4 of McArthur’s saves came over the final two weeks of the season, which tied&nbsp;Josh Hader&nbsp;and&nbsp;Raisel Iglesias&nbsp;for the Major League lead over that span. He spun a 1-2-3 9th inning on Sept. 18 vs. the Guardians to earn his 1st career save, which came just two days after earning his 1st career win with 1.1 scoreless innings on Sept. 16 vs. Houston. This marks McArthur’s first career monthly honor, after making his Major League debut with the Royals on June 28 vs. Cleveland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695315090950.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy Kansas City Royals)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy Kansas City Royals)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of the Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced this afternoon that outfielder&nbsp;Nelson Velázquez&nbsp;and right-handed pitcher&nbsp;James McArthur&nbsp;have been named Royals Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for September/October. The awards are determined by a local media vote.Velázquez recorded 20 hits in his 23 games from Sept. 1-30, and 12 of those hits (60.0%) went for extra bases, including 3 doubles and a team-high 9 home runs. His 9 home runs last month tied for the 3rd most by a Royal ever in the month of September, behind only&nbsp;Salvador Perez’s&nbsp;10 home runs in 2021 and&nbsp;Jorge Soler’s&nbsp;10 homers in 2019. His 9 home runs also tied for the American League lead and ranked tied for 5th in the Majors, trailing&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Matt Olson&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Kyle Schwarber&nbsp;(10) and&nbsp;Juan Soto&nbsp;(10). Velázquez posted a .932 OPS last month, which ranked 5th in the American League (min. 90 PA), trailing leader&nbsp;Yordan Alvarez&nbsp;(1.068). He homered in 3 straight games from Sept. 4-6 vs. the White Sox, becoming the first Royal to homer in 3 consecutive contests in two years, since Perez turned the trick from Sept. 14-16, 2021. On Sept. 24 in Houston, he hit a pair of solo home runs—including going back-to-back with Perez in the 3rd inning—to mark his 2nd career multi-homer game and his 1st as a Royal. Velázquez was acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on July 31, and this marks his first career monthly honor with the Royals.McArthur pitched 16.1 scoreless innings from Sept. 1 through the season’s end, which is the 6th longest active scoreless streak in the Majors and the 3rd longest active streak in the American League, behind Houston’s&nbsp;Bryan Abreu&nbsp;(27.2 IP) and Boston’s&nbsp;Chris Martin&nbsp;(19.0 IP). He was the only pitcher in the Majors to record at least 16.0 innings without allowing a run from Sept. 1-Oct. 1, and his .096 opponents’ average (5-for-52) over that stretch led the Majors (min. 16.0 IP), ahead of Cy Young candidate&nbsp;Blake Snell&nbsp;(.123). McArthur hasn’t issued a walk since Aug. 12 vs. the Cardinals, and his 18.1 walkless innings since is the 2nd longest active streak in the Majors and is the 2nd longest by a Royal in the 2023 season, behind only&nbsp;Zack Greinke’s&nbsp;19.0-inning run from July 25-Aug. 28. He was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Aug. 17 and recalled on Sept. 1, after which he retired 48 of the 53 batters he faced, including 19 via strikeouts (10.5 K/9, 35.8 K%). His 35.8% strikeout rate in that stretch ranked 4th in the Majors (min. 16.0 IP), behind&nbsp;Tarik Skubal&nbsp;(39.4%),&nbsp;Emmet Sheehan&nbsp;(39.1%) and&nbsp;Aaron Civale&nbsp;(37.5%). He went a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities and was one of just four American League pitchers to record at least 4 saves without any blown opportunities, joining&nbsp;Jhoan Duran&nbsp;(4-for-4),&nbsp;Clay Holmes&nbsp;(8-for-8) and&nbsp;Trevor May&nbsp;(6-for-6). All 4 of McArthur’s saves came over the final two weeks of the season, which tied&nbsp;Josh Hader&nbsp;and&nbsp;Raisel Iglesias&nbsp;for the Major League lead over that span. He spun a 1-2-3 9th inning on Sept. 18 vs. the Guardians to earn his 1st career save, which came just two days after earning his 1st career win with 1.1 scoreless innings on Sept. 16 vs. Houston. This marks McArthur’s first career monthly honor, after making his Major League debut with the Royals on June 28 vs. Cleveland.

⚾ Velázquez, McArthur named Royals Player/Pitcher of the Month for Sept./Oct.

Courtesy of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference

Player: Katharina Marx (Hutchinson)

Hutchinson Community College freshman forward Katharina Marx had an eight-point week to lift the No. 13 Blue Dragons to a pair of Jayhawk Conference victories last week. In a 4-1 win over Garden City, Marx had two goals and an assist for a five-point game against the Broncbusters. At Seward County on Saturday, she had a goal and an assist. Marx for the season has 10 goals and eight assists. Marx is fifth in the KJCCC in goals scored and leads the league in assists.

Others Nominated:&nbsp;Nina Norshie (Barton) and&nbsp;Mariam El Mir Tartouri (Dodge City)

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696348101745.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College ConferencePlayer: Katharina Marx (Hutchinson)Hutchinson Community College freshman forward Katharina Marx had an eight-point week to lift the No. 13 Blue Dragons to a pair of Jayhawk Conference victories last week. In a 4-1 win over Garden City, Marx had two goals and an assist for a five-point game against the Broncbusters. At Seward County on Saturday, she had a goal and an assist. Marx for the season has 10 goals and eight assists. Marx is fifth in the KJCCC in goals scored and leads the league in assists.Others Nominated:&nbsp;Nina Norshie (Barton) and&nbsp;Mariam El Mir Tartouri (Dodge City)<div><div class="scorestream-widget-container" data-ss_widget_type="vertScoreboard" style="height:600px;" data-user-widget-id="57228"></div><script async="async" type="text/javascript" src="https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js"></script></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

⚽ WSOC: HutchCC's Marx named KJCCC DI Player of the Week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs proved with Sunday night's win over the New York Jets that they still have some championship attributes, even if they have a whole lot of problems to fix. Patrick Mahomes was far from his best, throwing two ugly interceptions. His wide receivers rarely got open, penalties continued to be a problem and the Kansas City defense struggled against embattled Jets QB Zach Wilson. Yet the Chiefs found a way to squeak out a 23-20 victory, just as they did so often in last season's Super Bowl-winning run. Half of their 14 regular-season wins were by six points or fewer, and they had to rally from a 10-point halftime deficit against Philadelphia in the big game.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon scored on a 97-yard interception return late in the third quarter and the Seattle Seahawks tied a team record with 11 sacks in a 24-3 victory over the struggling and offensively inept New York Giants. Geno Smith threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf late in the first quarter after a strip-sack by defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. set up a short drive. Kenneth Walker III added 1-yard TD run as the Seahawks (3-1) won their third straight. Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Witherspoon and Uchenna Nwosu each had two sacks. Wagner also had 17 tackles. The Giants are 1-3.

UNDATED (AP) — Perfect starts by Texas and Oklahoma have set up the 43rd meeting between the Red River Rivals where both teams will be ranked. The Longhorns were No. 3 in Sunday’s AP Top 25 and the Sooners moved up a couple of spots to a season-high No. 12. The Texas-Oklahoma rivalry has the second-most ranked matchups of any series in major college football. Michigan-Ohio State is No. 1. The Wolverines and Buckeyes have played 48 times when both teams were ranked, including last year.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to reach the World Series for the second straight season. The National League champions feel they have unfinished business after falling short of a championship last season. The Marlins are in Philly for a best-of-three Wild Card Series to spoil those plans. The Phillies will send Zack Wheeler to the mound in Game 1 and Aaron Nola in Game 2. The Marlins have Jesús Luzardo scheduled for the opener and Braxton Garrett in Game 2. The Marlins went 7-6 against the Phillies this season and 4-2 at Citizens Bank Park.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Phil Nevin will not return as the Los Angeles Angels’ manager next season. The Angels announced Monday that they have declined their option on Nevin’s contract for the 2024 season. Los Angeles will have its fourth manager in six years since the departure of Mike Scioscia, who held the job for 19 years. Nevin went 119-149 in his first major league managerial job while both of his teams missed the playoffs. He was promoted to the Angels’ top job in June 2022 when Joe Maddon was fired in the middle of a 14-game losing streak.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa State football player accused of illegal sports wagering has had his case dismissed and faces no more legal action. A Story County judge granted the prosecution’s motion on Monday to dismiss a misdemeanor tampering with records charge against tight end DeShawn Hanika because the state waited too long to indict him. Hanika’s attorneys originally asked for the dismissal and prosecutors agreed because Hanika was not indicted within 45 days after he waived a preliminary trial, as state law requires. The deadline was Sept. 24. He was not indicted until Sept. 28.

UNDATED (AP) — Two injured West Virginia football players who were taken to a hospital during a game in Texas are set to return to campus. Coach Neal Brown says linebacker Trey Lathan and safety Aubrey Burks are scheduled to fly back on Tuesday. Both were carted off the field during a 24-21 win at TCU on Saturday. Lathan underwent surgery on a lower-leg injury and will miss the rest of the season. Brown says tests were negative on Burks, who was injured making a tackle. Brown didn’t specify Burks’ injury and didn't know when he’ll be available to play again. The Mountaineers are off this week and play at Houston on Oct. 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683366121627.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Tuesday Morning, October 3rd, 2023." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Tuesday Morning, October 3rd, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="October 3rd, 2023 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ybycz-14bf258-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs proved with Sunday night's win over the New York Jets that they still have some championship attributes, even if they have a whole lot of problems to fix. Patrick Mahomes was far from his best, throwing two ugly interceptions. His wide receivers rarely got open, penalties continued to be a problem and the Kansas City defense struggled against embattled Jets QB Zach Wilson. Yet the Chiefs found a way to squeak out a 23-20 victory, just as they did so often in last season's Super Bowl-winning run. Half of their 14 regular-season wins were by six points or fewer, and they had to rally from a 10-point halftime deficit against Philadelphia in the big game.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon scored on a 97-yard interception return late in the third quarter and the Seattle Seahawks tied a team record with 11 sacks in a 24-3 victory over the struggling and offensively inept New York Giants. Geno Smith threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf late in the first quarter after a strip-sack by defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. set up a short drive. Kenneth Walker III added 1-yard TD run as the Seahawks (3-1) won their third straight. Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Witherspoon and Uchenna Nwosu each had two sacks. Wagner also had 17 tackles. The Giants are 1-3.UNDATED (AP) — Perfect starts by Texas and Oklahoma have set up the 43rd meeting between the Red River Rivals where both teams will be ranked. The Longhorns were No. 3 in Sunday’s AP Top 25 and the Sooners moved up a couple of spots to a season-high No. 12. The Texas-Oklahoma rivalry has the second-most ranked matchups of any series in major college football. Michigan-Ohio State is No. 1. The Wolverines and Buckeyes have played 48 times when both teams were ranked, including last year.PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to reach the World Series for the second straight season. The National League champions feel they have unfinished business after falling short of a championship last season. The Marlins are in Philly for a best-of-three Wild Card Series to spoil those plans. The Phillies will send Zack Wheeler to the mound in Game 1 and Aaron Nola in Game 2. The Marlins have Jesús Luzardo scheduled for the opener and Braxton Garrett in Game 2. The Marlins went 7-6 against the Phillies this season and 4-2 at Citizens Bank Park.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Phil Nevin will not return as the Los Angeles Angels’ manager next season. The Angels announced Monday that they have declined their option on Nevin’s contract for the 2024 season. Los Angeles will have its fourth manager in six years since the departure of Mike Scioscia, who held the job for 19 years. Nevin went 119-149 in his first major league managerial job while both of his teams missed the playoffs. He was promoted to the Angels’ top job in June 2022 when Joe Maddon was fired in the middle of a 14-game losing streak.AMES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa State football player accused of illegal sports wagering has had his case dismissed and faces no more legal action. A Story County judge granted the prosecution’s motion on Monday to dismiss a misdemeanor tampering with records charge against tight end DeShawn Hanika because the state waited too long to indict him. Hanika’s attorneys originally asked for the dismissal and prosecutors agreed because Hanika was not indicted within 45 days after he waived a preliminary trial, as state law requires. The deadline was Sept. 24. He was not indicted until Sept. 28.UNDATED (AP) — Two injured West Virginia football players who were taken to a hospital during a game in Texas are set to return to campus. Coach Neal Brown says linebacker Trey Lathan and safety Aubrey Burks are scheduled to fly back on Tuesday. Both were carted off the field during a 24-21 win at TCU on Saturday. Lathan underwent surgery on a lower-leg injury and will miss the rest of the season. Brown says tests were negative on Burks, who was injured making a tackle. Brown didn’t specify Burks’ injury and didn't know when he’ll be available to play again. The Mountaineers are off this week and play at Houston on Oct. 12.MONDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal Seattle 24 N-Y Giants 3TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULEAMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFSTexas at Tampa Bay 3:08 p.m.Toronto at Minnesota 4:38 p.m.NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFSArizona at Milwaukee 7:08 p.m.

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Tuesday

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686627047967.jpeg" alt="Eagle Media Sports for Tuesday Morning, October 3rd, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Eagle Media Sports for Tuesday Morning, October 3rd, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="October 3rd, 2023 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ybycz-14bf258-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: Morning Sports for Tuesday, Oct. 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Jets in spite of themselves on Sunday night in New York.

Patrick Mahomes was at his worst (until he was at his best). Penalties continued to be a problem, including one that resulted in a momentum-swinging safety.

Wide receivers were incapable of getting open, a persistent problem through the first four weeks of the season. And what had been their strength — their defense, of all things — struggled against, of all people, Zach Wilson, the Jets quarterback whom many fans wanted to see benched a week ago.

Perhaps that is the mark of a championship team, though: The Chiefs overcame all that for a 23-20 victory.

Or perhaps it is a sign of a championship team that has a whole lot to fix.

“It's football. It's the NFL. Not everything is going to be easy,” said Mahomes, who threw for just 203 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. “You have to find a way to win different ways and I've learned that over my career.”

The Chiefs (3-1) certainly proved that last season.

You see, the perception is the Chiefs have won seven consecutive AFC West titles, hosted five straight AFC title games and been to three Super Bowls in the past four years because they are a high-scoring juggernaut that simply mows over the opposition.

The reality is Andy Reid's group simply finds ways to win. They went 14-3 last season by winning half those games by six points or fewer, and they trailed the Eagles 24-14 at halftime of the Super Bowl before rallying for a 35-31 victory.

"I think to be a world champion you have to be able to win a lot of different styles, and every game is going to be different," said Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, who watched Kansas City from the opposite side as a member of the Chargers last season.

“Last week, we jumped out to a big lead against Chicago and we were able to hold onto that," Tranquill continued, "and kind of make them one-dimensional on offense. This week, we jump out to a big lead, suddenly their defense blows up, gets a safety. We’re on our heels. Pat throws a couple interceptions. They get a couple turnovers playing good ball on defense and now we’re forced in a tough game, close game there in the fourth quarter.”

Sounds as if Tranquill believes both things are true: The Chiefs are a championship team because of their ability to win ugly, yet they have a whole lot of issues to work out if they want to defend that Super Bowl title.

“I’ve learned in my six or seven years, you can win pretty, but you have to win ugly, too, in order to win Super Bowls,” Mahomes said. “For me, even though I hate it while it’s happening, I felt like it makes you better in the end if you win games like this, where not everything’s going perfect. So, we did that last year and we’re going to try to do that again this year, and then try to keep getting better so we’re playing our best football at the end of the season.”

Isiah Pacheco ran 20 times for 115 yards, and while a big chunk came on a 48-yard touchdown run, many were the tough, got-to-have-them variety in crucial situations. He has proven to be the ideal running back for Reid's offense.

The Chiefs did not get enough pass rush from their front seven against New York. They rarely pressured Wilson, who threw for 245 yards and two scores, and one of their two sacks came from Mike Edwards on a safety blitz.

Trent McDuffie continues to develop into one of the league's top cornerbacks. He was frequently tasked with Jets star Garrett Wilson, who hauled in nine passes on 14 targets but was limited to just 60 yards.

The entire Kansas City wide receiver group has been an abject disappointment. Their inability to get open, let along produce big plays, has repeatedly hamstrung drives. Kadarius Toney had the only two catches by any wideouts in the first 40-plus minutes in New York, and the group finished with seven catches for 65 yards in all.

Nick Bolton missed his second game with a sprained ankle. The linebacker's ability to get the defense into the proper alignment was sorely missing Sunday night, along with his uncanny ability to fill gaps and track down pass plays in the flat.

200 — The Chiefs had 200 yards in the first quarter Sunday night, their fourth-best offensive output in a first quarter since 1991. Problem was they managed just 201 yards the entire rest of the game.

The Chiefs complete a two-game road swing next Sunday against the Vikings, whom they've beaten three of the past four times they have played. Minnesota (1-3) defeated winless Carolina on Sunday for its first win of the season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694089189212.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL preseason football game (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL preseason football game (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Jets in spite of themselves on Sunday night in New York.Patrick Mahomes was at his worst (until he was at his best). Penalties continued to be a problem, including one that resulted in a momentum-swinging safety.Wide receivers were incapable of getting open, a persistent problem through the first four weeks of the season. And what had been their strength — their defense, of all things — struggled against, of all people, Zach Wilson, the Jets quarterback whom many fans wanted to see benched a week ago.Perhaps that is the mark of a championship team, though: The Chiefs overcame all that for a 23-20 victory.Or perhaps it is a sign of a championship team that has a whole lot to fix.“It's football. It's the NFL. Not everything is going to be easy,” said Mahomes, who threw for just 203 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. “You have to find a way to win different ways and I've learned that over my career.”The Chiefs (3-1) certainly proved that last season.You see, the perception is the Chiefs have won seven consecutive AFC West titles, hosted five straight AFC title games and been to three Super Bowls in the past four years because they are a high-scoring juggernaut that simply mows over the opposition.The reality is Andy Reid's group simply finds ways to win. They went 14-3 last season by winning half those games by six points or fewer, and they trailed the Eagles 24-14 at halftime of the Super Bowl before rallying for a 35-31 victory."I think to be a world champion you have to be able to win a lot of different styles, and every game is going to be different," said Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, who watched Kansas City from the opposite side as a member of the Chargers last season.“Last week, we jumped out to a big lead against Chicago and we were able to hold onto that," Tranquill continued, "and kind of make them one-dimensional on offense. This week, we jump out to a big lead, suddenly their defense blows up, gets a safety. We’re on our heels. Pat throws a couple interceptions. They get a couple turnovers playing good ball on defense and now we’re forced in a tough game, close game there in the fourth quarter.”Sounds as if Tranquill believes both things are true: The Chiefs are a championship team because of their ability to win ugly, yet they have a whole lot of issues to work out if they want to defend that Super Bowl title.“I’ve learned in my six or seven years, you can win pretty, but you have to win ugly, too, in order to win Super Bowls,” Mahomes said. “For me, even though I hate it while it’s happening, I felt like it makes you better in the end if you win games like this, where not everything’s going perfect. So, we did that last year and we’re going to try to do that again this year, and then try to keep getting better so we’re playing our best football at the end of the season.”WHAT’S WORKINGIsiah Pacheco ran 20 times for 115 yards, and while a big chunk came on a 48-yard touchdown run, many were the tough, got-to-have-them variety in crucial situations. He has proven to be the ideal running back for Reid's offense.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Chiefs did not get enough pass rush from their front seven against New York. They rarely pressured Wilson, who threw for 245 yards and two scores, and one of their two sacks came from Mike Edwards on a safety blitz.STOCK UPTrent McDuffie continues to develop into one of the league's top cornerbacks. He was frequently tasked with Jets star Garrett Wilson, who hauled in nine passes on 14 targets but was limited to just 60 yards.STOCK DOWNThe entire Kansas City wide receiver group has been an abject disappointment. Their inability to get open, let along produce big plays, has repeatedly hamstrung drives. Kadarius Toney had the only two catches by any wideouts in the first 40-plus minutes in New York, and the group finished with seven catches for 65 yards in all.INJURIESNick Bolton missed his second game with a sprained ankle. The linebacker's ability to get the defense into the proper alignment was sorely missing Sunday night, along with his uncanny ability to fill gaps and track down pass plays in the flat.KEY NUMBER200 — The Chiefs had 200 yards in the first quarter Sunday night, their fourth-best offensive output in a first quarter since 1991. Problem was they managed just 201 yards the entire rest of the game.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs complete a two-game road swing next Sunday against the Vikings, whom they've beaten three of the past four times they have played. Minnesota (1-3) defeated winless Carolina on Sunday for its first win of the season.

🏈 Chiefs prove they have championship mettle, yet also have plenty of issues

🎧 LISTEN: Chiefs Kingdom Show for Oct. 2

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693268716902.png" alt="" />
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 </figure><div><iframe title="Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas - Oct. 2, 2023" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=qa4yg-14be4a2-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><div><div class="scorestream-widget-container" data-ss_widget_type="vertScoreboard" style="height:600px;" data-user-widget-id="57228"></div><script async="async" type="text/javascript" src="https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js"></script></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🎧 LISTEN: Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas - Oct. 2, 2023

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686627047967.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><div><iframe title="Evening sports for Monday, Oct. 2" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=bm9ed-14be490-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><div><div class="scorestream-widget-container" data-ss_widget_type="vertScoreboard" style="height:600px;" data-user-widget-id="57228"></div><script async="async" type="text/javascript" src="https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js"></script></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🎧 LISTEN: Evening sports for Monday, Oct. 2

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas will face Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT, with the game being televised on FS1, the Big 12 Conference announced Monday.

Kansas and Oklahoma State have faced off 73 times in series history, which dates back to 1923. The two teams have&nbsp;met in each season since 2010. Last season, the Jayhawks defeated OSU for the first time since 2007 with a 37-16 win over the then-No. 18 Cowboys at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The victory was the sixth win of the season for Kansas and secured KU its first bowl berth since 2009.

This will mark KU’s first appearance on FS1 during the 2023 season and ninth overall during head coach Lance Leipold’s tenure. The Jayhawks were 2-2 in games televised on FS1 last season, including the victory over OSU in Lawrence.

The Jayhawks are 4-1 on the year and 1-1 in Big 12 play following a 40-14 defeat at No. 3 Texas on Saturday. Kansas started the season 4-0 for the second consecutive season and reached No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll prior to the setback.

Oklahoma State is 2-2 (0-1 Big 12) and coming off its&nbsp;open&nbsp;week as the Cowboys defeated Central Arkansas and Arizona State to open the season before falling to South Alabama and Iowa State. OSU hosts Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 6 prior the matchup with the Jayhawks.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696264558143.png" alt="Devin Neal (Courtesy of Kansas Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Devin Neal (Courtesy of Kansas Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas will face Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT, with the game being televised on FS1, the Big 12 Conference announced Monday.Kansas and Oklahoma State have faced off 73 times in series history, which dates back to 1923. The two teams have&nbsp;met in each season since 2010. Last season, the Jayhawks defeated OSU for the first time since 2007 with a 37-16 win over the then-No. 18 Cowboys at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The victory was the sixth win of the season for Kansas and secured KU its first bowl berth since 2009.This will mark KU’s first appearance on FS1 during the 2023 season and ninth overall during head coach Lance Leipold’s tenure. The Jayhawks were 2-2 in games televised on FS1 last season, including the victory over OSU in Lawrence.The Jayhawks are 4-1 on the year and 1-1 in Big 12 play following a 40-14 defeat at No. 3 Texas on Saturday. Kansas started the season 4-0 for the second consecutive season and reached No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll prior to the setback.Oklahoma State is 2-2 (0-1 Big 12) and coming off its&nbsp;open&nbsp;week as the Cowboys defeated Central Arkansas and Arizona State to open the season before falling to South Alabama and Iowa State. OSU hosts Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 6 prior the matchup with the Jayhawks.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 KU and Oklahoma St. to kickoff at 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 14

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced Monday that Kansas State’s October 14 contest at Texas Tech will kick at 6 p.m., and be televised by FS1.

K-State will be in search of its eighth-straight win over the Red Raiders and fourth-straight victory in Lubbock. The Wildcats hold the longest winning streak by either team in the 23-game series, while they have won 11 of the last 12 matchups dating back to 2011.

<a>Coming off its bye week, Kansas State travels to face Oklahoma State this Friday night in a 6:30 p.m., contest. The game from Boone Pickens Stadium will be broadcast by ESPN.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696264325255.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports announced Monday that Kansas State’s October 14 contest at Texas Tech will kick at 6 p.m., and be televised by FS1.K-State will be in search of its eighth-straight win over the Red Raiders and fourth-straight victory in Lubbock. The Wildcats hold the longest winning streak by either team in the 23-game series, while they have won 11 of the last 12 matchups dating back to 2011.<a>Coming off its bye week, Kansas State travels to face Oklahoma State this Friday night in a 6:30 p.m., contest. The game from Boone Pickens Stadium will be broadcast by ESPN.</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/eagle-media-broadcast-calendar">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 K-State and Texas Tech to kickoff at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14

Kpreps.com released its week 6 high school football rankings on Monday morning. There were only three ranked teams that fell in week 5.

CLASS 6A 1) Gardner-Edgerton (5-0) 2) Olathe North (4-1) 3) Washburn Rural (5-0) 4) Wichita Northwest (4-1) 5) Manhattan (4-1)

CLASS 5A 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel (4-1) 2) Mill Valley (4-1) 3) Blue Valley Southwest (4-1) 4) Goddard Eisenhower (5-0) 5) De Soto (4-1)

CLASS 4A 1) Bishop Miege (4-1) 2) St. Thomas Aquinas (4-1) 3) Louisburg (5-0) 4) Tonganoxie (4-1) 5) Wamego (4-1)

CLASS 3A 1) Andale (5-0) 2) Cheney (5-0) 3) Topeka Hayden (5-0) 4) Wichita Collegiate (5-0) 5) Clay Center (4-1)

CLASS 2A 1) Nemaha Central (5-0) 2) Sabetha (5-0) 3) Hoisington (5-0) 4) Southeast of Saline (5-0) 5) Ellsworth (5-0)

CLASS 1A 1) St. Mary's Colgan (5-0) 2) Centralia (5-0) 3) Jefferson County North (5-0) 4) Marion (5-0) 5) Smith Center (4-1)

8-MAN DIVISION I 1) Leoti-Wichita County (5-0) 2) Lyndon (5-0) 3) Meade (5-0) 4) Moundridge (5-0) 5) Central Burden (5-0)

8-MAN DIVISION II 1) Axtell (5-0) 2) Kinsley (5-0) 3) Victoria (3-1) 4) Canton-Galva (4-1) 5) Minneola (5-0)

6-MAN 1) Cheylin (5-0) 2) Ashland (4-1) 3) Cunningham (4-1) 4) Waverly (5-0) 5) Northern Valley (4-1)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693413418452.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kpreps.com released its week 6 high school football rankings on Monday morning. There were only three ranked teams that fell in week 5.CLASS 6A 1) Gardner-Edgerton (5-0) 2) Olathe North (4-1) 3) Washburn Rural (5-0) 4) Wichita Northwest (4-1) 5) Manhattan (4-1)CLASS 5A 1) Kapaun Mt. Carmel (4-1) 2) Mill Valley (4-1) 3) Blue Valley Southwest (4-1) 4) Goddard Eisenhower (5-0) 5) De Soto (4-1)CLASS 4A 1) Bishop Miege (4-1) 2) St. Thomas Aquinas (4-1) 3) Louisburg (5-0) 4) Tonganoxie (4-1) 5) Wamego (4-1)CLASS 3A 1) Andale (5-0) 2) Cheney (5-0) 3) Topeka Hayden (5-0) 4) Wichita Collegiate (5-0) 5) Clay Center (4-1)CLASS 2A 1) Nemaha Central (5-0) 2) Sabetha (5-0) 3) Hoisington (5-0) 4) Southeast of Saline (5-0) 5) Ellsworth (5-0)CLASS 1A 1) St. Mary's Colgan (5-0) 2) Centralia (5-0) 3) Jefferson County North (5-0) 4) Marion (5-0) 5) Smith Center (4-1)8-MAN DIVISION I 1) Leoti-Wichita County (5-0) 2) Lyndon (5-0) 3) Meade (5-0) 4) Moundridge (5-0) 5) Central Burden (5-0)8-MAN DIVISION II 1) Axtell (5-0) 2) Kinsley (5-0) 3) Victoria (3-1) 4) Canton-Galva (4-1) 5) Minneola (5-0)6-MAN 1) Cheylin (5-0) 2) Ashland (4-1) 3) Cunningham (4-1) 4) Waverly (5-0) 5) Northern Valley (4-1)

🏈 Week 6 Kpreps high school rankings

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686627047967.jpeg" alt="Eagle Media Sports for Monday Morning, October 2nd" />
 <figcaption>Eagle Media Sports for Monday Morning, October 2nd</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="October 2nd, 2023 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5pkvc-14bd4fc-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: Morning Sports for Monday, October 2

UNDATED (AP) — Georgia’s hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll loosened as the Bulldogs received a season-low 35 first-place votes out of possible 62. The Bulldogs needed a late touchdown to escape with a win at Auburn and still extended their streak to 16 appearances at No. 1 in the AP Top 25. No. 2 Michigan got 12 first-place votes and 1,436 points but nearly was passed by No. 3 Texas, which received 10 first-place votes and 1,426 points. No. 4 Ohio State got one first-place vote and No. 5 Florida State received four. The top seven teams were unchanged while Kentucky and Louisville entered the AP Top 25 and Florida and Kansas dropped out.

Others receiving votes: Maryland 81,&nbsp;Kansas St. 44, Texas A&amp;M 31, UCLA 19, Tulane 8, Air Force 7, Wisconsin 6, Clemson 5,&nbsp;West Virginia 5,&nbsp;Kansas 3, James Madison 3, Colorado 1.

UNDATED (AP) — Georgia’s hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll loosened as the Bulldogs received a season-low 35 first-place votes out of possible 62. The Bulldogs needed a late touchdown to escape with a win at Auburn and still extended their streak to 16 appearances at No. 1 in the AP Top 25. No. 2 Michigan got 12 first-place votes and 1,436 points but nearly was passed by No. 3 Texas, which received 10 first-place votes and 1,426 points. No. 4 Ohio State got one first-place vote and No. 5 Florida State received four. The top seven teams were unchanged while Kentucky and Louisville entered the AP Top 25 and Florida and Kansas dropped out.Record Pts Prv1. Georgia (35) 5-0 1501 12. Michigan (12) 5-0 1436 23. Texas (10) 5-0 1426 34. Ohio St. (1) 4-0 1357 45. Florida St. (4) 4-0 1336 56. Penn St. 5-0 1227 67. Washington 5-0 1213 78. Oregon 5-0 1113 99. Southern Cal 5-0 1077 810. Notre Dame 5-1 975 1111. Alabama 4-1 921 1212. Oklahoma 5-0 840 1413. Washington St. 4-0 765 1614. North Carolina 4-0 726 1515. Oregon St. 4-1 633 1916. Mississippi 4-1 616 2017. Miami 4-0 589 1818. Utah 4-1 454 1019. Duke 4-1 384 1720. Kentucky 5-0 344 -21. Missouri 5-0 329 2322. Tennessee 4-1 306 2123. LSU 3-2 149 1324. Fresno St. 5-0 130 2525. Louisville 5-0 90 -Others receiving votes: Maryland 81,&nbsp;Kansas St. 44, Texas A&amp;M 31, UCLA 19, Tulane 8, Air Force 7, Wisconsin 6, Clemson 5,&nbsp;West Virginia 5,&nbsp;Kansas 3, James Madison 3, Colorado 1.

🏈 AP Top 25 College Football Poll

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs shook off a subpar performance during which they blew a 17-point lead, but held on to defeat the New York Jets 23-20. Mahomes was intercepted twice and struggled to get much going after a quick start with pop superstar Taylor Swift watching Travis Kelce and the Chiefs for the second straight game, this time from a suite at MetLife Stadium. Michael Carter II intercepted Mahomes on third-and-20 but it was negated by a holding call on Sauce Gardner. Mahomes ran for 9 yards on third down to the Jets 2 to seal the victory.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A livid Robert Saleh stormed down the sideline and shouted at an official as several New York Jets players jumped around on the field in disbelief. Frustrated fans booed in disgust, knowing the game just turned on a questionable call. With the Kansas City Chiefs up by three points and looking to put away a win Sunday night, Michael Carter II intercepted Patrick Mahomes’ deep pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling. But Sauce Gardner was called for defensive holding on the play, giving the ball back to Mahomes and the Chiefs and they worked the clock the rest of the way to hold on for a 23-20 victory.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Denver Broncos came in reeling from a 50-point blowout and looked like they were headed toward another lopsided loss. Wilson threw for three touchdowns, Wil Lutz kicked a tiebreaking field goal with just under two minutes remaining and the Broncos bounced back from one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history by rallying to beat the Chicago Bears 31-28 on Sunday. Denver (1-3) was coming off a 70-20 blowout by Miami that was the franchise’s second-worst loss of the Super Bowl era, behind only a 51-0 pounding by the Raiders in 1967. Lutz’s 51-yarder capped a comeback from a 28-7, third-quarter deficit. Kareem Jackson then intercepted Justin Fields with the Bears (0-4) near midfield, and coach Sean Payton picked up his first win with Denver.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — DaRon Bland returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown, Leighton Vander Esch scooped up a fumble for a score and the Dallas Cowboys blew out the New England Patriots 38-3. Mac Jones was responsible for all three turnovers and was pulled in the second half of Bill Belichick's worst loss in 29 seasons as a head coach. The Cowboys spoiled former star running back Ezekiel Elliott’s Dallas homecoming with their 10th consecutive home victory.

PHOENIX (AP) — MLB’s postseason bracket is set, with the American League and National League wild-card matchups beginning Tuesday. It’s the second year for the new October format, which includes an opening round, best-of-three series with all of the games at the higher seed’s ballpark. In the AL, the No. 6 seed Toronto Blue Jays will face the No. 3 Minnesota Twins and the No. 5 Texas Rangers travel to the No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays. The NL features the No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks against the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers and the No. 5 Miami Marlins at the No. 4 Philadelphia Phillies.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke threw four-hit ball into the sixth inning and, backed by a trio of home runs, helped the Royals beat the Yankees 5-2 on Sunday. It was quite possibly the end of the six-time All-Star's career and Greinke left to a standing ovation. He earned only his second win of the season after beating Baltimore in May. Michael King took the loss for New York, allowing a trio of homers among eight hits that yielded four runs in four innings. The Royals went 56-106, matching the franchise record for losses in a season. The Yankees finished 82-80, their worst record since going 76-86 in 1992.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright made one final appearance in his 18-year big league career, striking out as a pinch hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 season-ending win over the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, playing perhaps his final game with the Reds, struck out in the first inning, then was ejected before the top of the second by plate umpire Shane Livensparger. Wainwright, a 42-year-old right-hander, went 200-128 with a 3.53 ERA in 18 major league seasons, all with the Cardinals. He got his 200th win in in his final pitching appearance against Milwaukee on Sept. 18.

DENVER (AP) — The Minnesota Twins were so ready to turn the page to playoff baseball. Hence, the decision to send an outfielder to the mound in an extra-inning game. Brenton Doyle scored from second base on a wild pitch in the 11th inning by outfielder-turned-pitcher Jordan Luplow, and the Colorado Rockies rallied for a 3-2 win over the playoff-bound Twins on Sunday in the regular-season finale. On deck for the the AL Central champion Twins: a best-of-three playoff series against Toronto starting Tuesday at Target Field.

NEW YORK (AP) — Buck Showalter was fired as New York Mets manager after a disappointing season in which baseball’s highest-spending team tumbled from contention by midsummer. The 67-year-old Showalter said before Sunday’s game against Philadelphia that he will not return next year, and a few minutes later the fourth-place Mets said the team had decided on the change. New York entered 74-86 and 29 1/2 games behind NL East champion Atlanta. The Mets are expected to hire David Stearns as president of baseball operations above general manager Billy Eppler, and Showalter’s departure with a year remaining on his three-year contract clears the way for Stearns to pick the next manager. Showalter’s exit leaves the Mets searching for a new manager for the fifth time in six years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688383699667.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Monday Morning, October 2nd, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Monday Morning, October 2nd, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="October 2nd, 2023 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=5pkvc-14bd4fc-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs shook off a subpar performance during which they blew a 17-point lead, but held on to defeat the New York Jets 23-20. Mahomes was intercepted twice and struggled to get much going after a quick start with pop superstar Taylor Swift watching Travis Kelce and the Chiefs for the second straight game, this time from a suite at MetLife Stadium. Michael Carter II intercepted Mahomes on third-and-20 but it was negated by a holding call on Sauce Gardner. Mahomes ran for 9 yards on third down to the Jets 2 to seal the victory.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A livid Robert Saleh stormed down the sideline and shouted at an official as several New York Jets players jumped around on the field in disbelief. Frustrated fans booed in disgust, knowing the game just turned on a questionable call. With the Kansas City Chiefs up by three points and looking to put away a win Sunday night, Michael Carter II intercepted Patrick Mahomes’ deep pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling. But Sauce Gardner was called for defensive holding on the play, giving the ball back to Mahomes and the Chiefs and they worked the clock the rest of the way to hold on for a 23-20 victory.CHICAGO (AP) — The Denver Broncos came in reeling from a 50-point blowout and looked like they were headed toward another lopsided loss. Wilson threw for three touchdowns, Wil Lutz kicked a tiebreaking field goal with just under two minutes remaining and the Broncos bounced back from one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history by rallying to beat the Chicago Bears 31-28 on Sunday. Denver (1-3) was coming off a 70-20 blowout by Miami that was the franchise’s second-worst loss of the Super Bowl era, behind only a 51-0 pounding by the Raiders in 1967. Lutz’s 51-yarder capped a comeback from a 28-7, third-quarter deficit. Kareem Jackson then intercepted Justin Fields with the Bears (0-4) near midfield, and coach Sean Payton picked up his first win with Denver.ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — DaRon Bland returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown, Leighton Vander Esch scooped up a fumble for a score and the Dallas Cowboys blew out the New England Patriots 38-3. Mac Jones was responsible for all three turnovers and was pulled in the second half of Bill Belichick's worst loss in 29 seasons as a head coach. The Cowboys spoiled former star running back Ezekiel Elliott’s Dallas homecoming with their 10th consecutive home victory.UNDATED (AP) — Georgia’s hold on No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll loosened as the Bulldogs received a season-low 35 first-place votes out of possible 62. The Bulldogs needed a late touchdown to escape with a win at Auburn and still extended their streak to 16 appearances at No. 1 in the AP Top 25. No. 2 Michigan got 12 first-place votes and 1,436 points but nearly was passed by No. 3 Texas, which received 10 first-place votes and 1,426 points. No. 4 Ohio State got one first-place vote and No. 5 Florida State received four. The top seven teams were unchanged while Kentucky and Louisville entered the AP Top 25 and Florida and Kansas dropped out.PHOENIX (AP) — MLB’s postseason bracket is set, with the American League and National League wild-card matchups beginning Tuesday. It’s the second year for the new October format, which includes an opening round, best-of-three series with all of the games at the higher seed’s ballpark. In the AL, the No. 6 seed Toronto Blue Jays will face the No. 3 Minnesota Twins and the No. 5 Texas Rangers travel to the No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays. The NL features the No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks against the No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers and the No. 5 Miami Marlins at the No. 4 Philadelphia Phillies.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke threw four-hit ball into the sixth inning and, backed by a trio of home runs, helped the Royals beat the Yankees 5-2 on Sunday. It was quite possibly the end of the six-time All-Star's career and Greinke left to a standing ovation. He earned only his second win of the season after beating Baltimore in May. Michael King took the loss for New York, allowing a trio of homers among eight hits that yielded four runs in four innings. The Royals went 56-106, matching the franchise record for losses in a season. The Yankees finished 82-80, their worst record since going 76-86 in 1992.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright made one final appearance in his 18-year big league career, striking out as a pinch hitter in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 season-ending win over the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, playing perhaps his final game with the Reds, struck out in the first inning, then was ejected before the top of the second by plate umpire Shane Livensparger. Wainwright, a 42-year-old right-hander, went 200-128 with a 3.53 ERA in 18 major league seasons, all with the Cardinals. He got his 200th win in in his final pitching appearance against Milwaukee on Sept. 18.DENVER (AP) — The Minnesota Twins were so ready to turn the page to playoff baseball. Hence, the decision to send an outfielder to the mound in an extra-inning game. Brenton Doyle scored from second base on a wild pitch in the 11th inning by outfielder-turned-pitcher Jordan Luplow, and the Colorado Rockies rallied for a 3-2 win over the playoff-bound Twins on Sunday in the regular-season finale. On deck for the the AL Central champion Twins: a best-of-three playoff series against Toronto starting Tuesday at Target Field.NEW YORK (AP) — Buck Showalter was fired as New York Mets manager after a disappointing season in which baseball’s highest-spending team tumbled from contention by midsummer. The 67-year-old Showalter said before Sunday’s game against Philadelphia that he will not return next year, and a few minutes later the fourth-place Mets said the team had decided on the change. New York entered 74-86 and 29 1/2 games behind NL East champion Atlanta. The Mets are expected to hire David Stearns as president of baseball operations above general manager Billy Eppler, and Showalter’s departure with a year remaining on his three-year contract clears the way for Stearns to pick the next manager. Showalter’s exit leaves the Mets searching for a new manager for the fifth time in six years.SUNDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal Jacksonville 23 Atlanta 7Final Baltimore 28 Cleveland 3Final Buffalo 48 Miami 20Final Denver 31 Chicago 28Final Houston 30 Pittsburgh 6Final OT L.A. Rams 29 Indianapolis 23Final Minnesota 21 Carolina 13Final OT Philadelphia 34 Washington 31Final Tampa Bay 26 New Orleans 9Final Tennessee 27 Cincinnati 3Final L.A. Chargers 24 Las Vegas 17Final Dallas 38 New England 3Final San Francisco 35 Arizona 16Final Kansas City 23 N-Y Jets 20Mon. Seattle @ New York GiantsINTERLEAGUEFinal Houston 8 Arizona 1Final Colorado 3 Minnesota 2Final San Diego 2 Chicago White Sox 1AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Seattle 1 Texas 0Final Kansas City 5 N.Y. Yankees 2Final Detroit 5 Cleveland 2Final L.A. Angels 7 Oakland 3Final Boston 6 Baltimore 1Final Tampa Bay 12 Toronto 8NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Pittsburgh 3 Miami 0Final St. Louis 4 Cincinnati 3Final Milwaukee 4 Chicago Cubs 0Final Philadelphia 9 N.Y. Mets 1Final L.A. Dodgers 5 San Francisco 2

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Monday

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs appeared on their way to a blowout against the struggling New York Jets.

A few mistakes by the star quarterback made it uncomfortably close, but he and the Chiefs shook off a subpar performance during which they blew a 17-point lead and then held on for a 23-20 victory Sunday night.

“I knew I put us in two bad positions,” said Mahomes, who was intercepted twice. “No one points fingers in that locker room. We all play together. Not everything is going to be pretty, but the guys responded and we found a way to win.”

With pop superstar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-jets-1b1b3ba43139acefcbdf52072b018154">Taylor Swift watching Travis Kelce and the Chiefs</a>&nbsp;for the second straight game, this time from a suite at MetLife Stadium, Kansas City was able to bounce back.

After the Chiefs (3-1) regained the lead on Harrison Butker’s 26-yard field goal with 10:51 remaining, Zach Wilson made his first big mistake for the Jets when he lost a snap. Tershawn Wharton recovered and Mahomes and the Chiefs got the ball at the Jets 47.

Michael Carter II intercepted Mahomes on third-and-20 from the Jets 40 — but it was negated by a holding call on Sauce Gardner. Replays showed it was a questionable call and an irate Jets coach Robert Saleh stormed down the sideline to shout at an official.

“Fourth quarter, crunch time," Gardner said. "I don’t even know what to say.”

Mahomes, who had a 25-yard run on third-and-23 to extend the drive, ran for 9 yards on another third down to the Jets 2, sealing the victory.

“Listen, I thought it was a hold,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who tied Tom Landry for fourth on the career list with his 250th regular-season victory. “I've got to go back and look at the tape on it. He was on the other side of the field. They’re aggressive, so they’re going to get a couple of those during the game. Sauce is as good as there is in the league, but he might have had a little bit of fabric there.”

Moments later, a still-angry Saleh was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — and the clock hit zero on a bitter loss for the Jets (1-3).

“Just that whole drive after the fumble was unfortunate,” Saleh said. “That’s extremely unfortunate, especially for a prime-time football game.”

Mahomes, who became the fastest to 200 NFL touchdown passes, was 18 of 30 for 203 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 51 yards to set the franchise's career rushing mark for a quarterback. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, and Kelce had six catches for 60 yards.

"It was a lot of hard grinding tonight," Pacheco said.

Wilson had his best game since taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers, going 28 of 39 for 245 yards and two touchdowns. But he blamed himself for the loss because of the lost fumble.

"To be driving right there, to drop a snap, I can not do that,” Wilson said.

Trailing 20-12, Wilson and the Jets opened the second half with the ball and marched down the field. Wilson found Allen Lazard in the middle of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The quarterback then avoided a tackle attempt, rolled out and zipped forward for a 2-point conversion that tied the game at 20.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-jets-aaron-rodgers-2a0de7afa073497aced5047853ce4a87">Rodgers, who rejoined his teammates Saturday</a>&nbsp;after tearing his left Achilles tendon in his debut on Sept. 11, was shown on the stadium video screens clapping and cheering after the score, sitting in a suite with Jets owner Woody Johnson — and that got the New York fans even more fired up.

It appeared it would be a blowout early when Pacheco slipped a tackle attempt by Micheal Clemons in the backfield on third-and-1, made a move downfield and then zipped into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown that made it 10-0.

Mahomes threw the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-patrick-mahomes-200-touchdown-passes-19a81d6761a2b0919b5e5fd141186c77">200th touchdown pass</a>&nbsp;of his career, reaching the milestone in his 84th game to break Dan Marino’s NFL record when he connected with Noah Gray on a 34-yard score with 3:24 left in the first quarter. Marino threw his 200th TD pass in his 89th NFL game with Miami in 1989.

The Jets got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor was called for a facemask penalty on Bryce Huff in the end zone, resulting in a safety.

The play seemed to breathe some life into New York's offense and Greg Zuerlein's 31-yard field goal made it 17-5.

Ashtyn Davis intercepted Mahomes' throw to Gray to open the Chiefs' next possession, and New York took advantage.

After Randall Cobb extended the drive by reaching out for a first down on third-and-5 to the 19, wide receiver Xavier Gipson gained 14 yards on an end-around to put the ball at the 5. Two plays later, Wilson found C.J. Uzomah for a 1-yard TD to cut the Jets' deficit to 17-12 with 6:26 left in the half.

Butker's 37-yarder made it 20-12 with 2:15 remaining in the second quarter.

The Jets chose to try a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chiefs 34 in the waning seconds of the first half, but Zuerlein hit the right upright from 52 yards.

Former Jets star defensive lineman Joe Klecko received his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence during a halftime ceremony.

Klecko, who also served as the Jets’ honorary captain for the pregame coin toss, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in August. He played for the Jets from 1977-87 and was the heart of the team's “New York Sack Exchange.”

Chiefs: LB Cole Christiansen left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and didn't return.

Jets: CB Brandin Echols injured a hamstring in the second quarter and was ruled out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696218723280.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is tripped up by New York Jets linebacker Bryce Huff (47) as he throws during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is tripped up by New York Jets linebacker Bryce Huff (47) as he throws during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football WriterEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs appeared on their way to a blowout against the struggling New York Jets.A few mistakes by the star quarterback made it uncomfortably close, but he and the Chiefs shook off a subpar performance during which they blew a 17-point lead and then held on for a 23-20 victory Sunday night.“I knew I put us in two bad positions,” said Mahomes, who was intercepted twice. “No one points fingers in that locker room. We all play together. Not everything is going to be pretty, but the guys responded and we found a way to win.”With pop superstar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-jets-1b1b3ba43139acefcbdf52072b018154">Taylor Swift watching Travis Kelce and the Chiefs</a>&nbsp;for the second straight game, this time from a suite at MetLife Stadium, Kansas City was able to bounce back.After the Chiefs (3-1) regained the lead on Harrison Butker’s 26-yard field goal with 10:51 remaining, Zach Wilson made his first big mistake for the Jets when he lost a snap. Tershawn Wharton recovered and Mahomes and the Chiefs got the ball at the Jets 47.Michael Carter II intercepted Mahomes on third-and-20 from the Jets 40 — but it was negated by a holding call on Sauce Gardner. Replays showed it was a questionable call and an irate Jets coach Robert Saleh stormed down the sideline to shout at an official.“Fourth quarter, crunch time," Gardner said. "I don’t even know what to say.”Mahomes, who had a 25-yard run on third-and-23 to extend the drive, ran for 9 yards on another third down to the Jets 2, sealing the victory.“Listen, I thought it was a hold,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who tied Tom Landry for fourth on the career list with his 250th regular-season victory. “I've got to go back and look at the tape on it. He was on the other side of the field. They’re aggressive, so they’re going to get a couple of those during the game. Sauce is as good as there is in the league, but he might have had a little bit of fabric there.”Moments later, a still-angry Saleh was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — and the clock hit zero on a bitter loss for the Jets (1-3).“Just that whole drive after the fumble was unfortunate,” Saleh said. “That’s extremely unfortunate, especially for a prime-time football game.”Mahomes, who became the fastest to 200 NFL touchdown passes, was 18 of 30 for 203 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 51 yards to set the franchise's career rushing mark for a quarterback. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, and Kelce had six catches for 60 yards."It was a lot of hard grinding tonight," Pacheco said.Wilson had his best game since taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers, going 28 of 39 for 245 yards and two touchdowns. But he blamed himself for the loss because of the lost fumble."To be driving right there, to drop a snap, I can not do that,” Wilson said.Trailing 20-12, Wilson and the Jets opened the second half with the ball and marched down the field. Wilson found Allen Lazard in the middle of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The quarterback then avoided a tackle attempt, rolled out and zipped forward for a 2-point conversion that tied the game at 20.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-jets-aaron-rodgers-2a0de7afa073497aced5047853ce4a87">Rodgers, who rejoined his teammates Saturday</a>&nbsp;after tearing his left Achilles tendon in his debut on Sept. 11, was shown on the stadium video screens clapping and cheering after the score, sitting in a suite with Jets owner Woody Johnson — and that got the New York fans even more fired up.It appeared it would be a blowout early when Pacheco slipped a tackle attempt by Micheal Clemons in the backfield on third-and-1, made a move downfield and then zipped into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown that made it 10-0.Mahomes threw the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-patrick-mahomes-200-touchdown-passes-19a81d6761a2b0919b5e5fd141186c77">200th touchdown pass</a>&nbsp;of his career, reaching the milestone in his 84th game to break Dan Marino’s NFL record when he connected with Noah Gray on a 34-yard score with 3:24 left in the first quarter. Marino threw his 200th TD pass in his 89th NFL game with Miami in 1989.The Jets got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter when Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor was called for a facemask penalty on Bryce Huff in the end zone, resulting in a safety.The play seemed to breathe some life into New York's offense and Greg Zuerlein's 31-yard field goal made it 17-5.Ashtyn Davis intercepted Mahomes' throw to Gray to open the Chiefs' next possession, and New York took advantage.After Randall Cobb extended the drive by reaching out for a first down on third-and-5 to the 19, wide receiver Xavier Gipson gained 14 yards on an end-around to put the ball at the 5. Two plays later, Wilson found C.J. Uzomah for a 1-yard TD to cut the Jets' deficit to 17-12 with 6:26 left in the half.Butker's 37-yarder made it 20-12 with 2:15 remaining in the second quarter.The Jets chose to try a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chiefs 34 in the waning seconds of the first half, but Zuerlein hit the right upright from 52 yards.SPECIAL RINGFormer Jets star defensive lineman Joe Klecko received his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence during a halftime ceremony.Klecko, who also served as the Jets’ honorary captain for the pregame coin toss, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in August. He played for the Jets from 1977-87 and was the heart of the team's “New York Sack Exchange.”INJURIESChiefs: LB Cole Christiansen left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and didn't return.Jets: CB Brandin Echols injured a hamstring in the second quarter and was ruled out.UP NEXTChiefs: At Minnesota next Sunday.Jets: At Denver next Sunday.

🏈 Mahomes, Chiefs hold on to beat Jets

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke threw four-hit ball into the sixth inning for his 225th win and, backed by a trio of home runs, helped the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Sunday to end their season and quite possibly his own 20-year big league career.

Greinke (2-15) had just allowed a leadoff walk when Matt Quatraro walked to the mound. The six-time All-Star tried to give his manager the ball but Quatraro gave it right back, and the 39-year-old Greinke stuck it in his pocket as he walked off the mound to a standing ovation — one that required the famously reserved Greinke to come out for a curtain call.

Greinke can become free agent after this season, and while he has yet to announce whether he will retire, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner has had a challenging year. Greinke's only other win this season game May 3 against the Baltimore Orioles.

Michael King (4-8) had a forgettable finale to an otherwise excellent end of the year for New York. He'd allowed one earned run or fewer in his previous seven starts before serving up a trio of homers among eight hits that led to four runs Sunday.

Late-season revelation James McArthur got the final six outs for Kansas City for his fourth save.

The Royals went 56-106, matching the franchise record for losses in a season. The Yankees finished 82-80, clinching a winning record for the 31st straight season with their win Saturday but still their worst since 76-86 in 1992. Star Aaron Judge, who did not play, stood at the dugout rail and stared at the field following the final out.

The Yankees also had their 15-series winning streak against the Royals snapped on Sunday, which dated to May 15, 2015. That was their second-longest streak against any team after a 21-series run against the Boston Red Sox from 1930-33.

MJ Melendez tagged the first of the Royals' homers, all of which rode an early October breeze to left field, leading off the second inning. Nick Pratto drove in Dairon Blanco later in the inning to stake Kansas City to a 2-0 lead.

Edward Oliveras and Blanco added their home runs off King one batter apart in the fourth inning, and the Royals made it 5-0 in the fifth when Bobby Witt Jr. tripled leading off and Salvador Perez followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Yankees got two runs back in the sixth on Isiah Kiner-Falefa's two-out single off Taylor Clarke, but the Kansas City bullpen shut them down the rest of the way.

Judge said before the game he's talked with owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman about what could change before next season. Judge also said he supports manager Aaron Boone leading the club.

“We have a good group of guys in here. I’m excited to build off what we’ve got here," Judge said, "and if we can add a couple of more pieces down the road this winter, then we’ll be in a good spot.”

Witt became the first Royals player in the 30-30 club when he hit his 30th homer in the series opener, but he finished one steal short of becoming the fourth player ever in the 30-50 club. Witt was thrown out trying to steal second Saturday, then picked off first base Sunday, leaving him with 49 steals for the season.

The Royals had 1,307,052 attend home games this season, the third-worst total in the majors behind Miami and Oakland. Thanks in part to the pitch clock, and improved pace of play, that total still exceeded their attendance of 1,277,686 last season.

The Yankees play their spring training opener Feb. 24 against Detroit in Lakeland, Florida. The Royals play their spring opener the same day against Texas in Surprise, Arizona.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696198645150.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke is congratulated by teammates after coming out of the Royals' final game of the season during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke is congratulated by teammates after coming out of the Royals' final game of the season during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke threw four-hit ball into the sixth inning for his 225th win and, backed by a trio of home runs, helped the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Sunday to end their season and quite possibly his own 20-year big league career.Greinke (2-15) had just allowed a leadoff walk when Matt Quatraro walked to the mound. The six-time All-Star tried to give his manager the ball but Quatraro gave it right back, and the 39-year-old Greinke stuck it in his pocket as he walked off the mound to a standing ovation — one that required the famously reserved Greinke to come out for a curtain call.Greinke can become free agent after this season, and while he has yet to announce whether he will retire, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner has had a challenging year. Greinke's only other win this season game May 3 against the Baltimore Orioles.Michael King (4-8) had a forgettable finale to an otherwise excellent end of the year for New York. He'd allowed one earned run or fewer in his previous seven starts before serving up a trio of homers among eight hits that led to four runs Sunday.Late-season revelation James McArthur got the final six outs for Kansas City for his fourth save.The Royals went 56-106, matching the franchise record for losses in a season. The Yankees finished 82-80, clinching a winning record for the 31st straight season with their win Saturday but still their worst since 76-86 in 1992. Star Aaron Judge, who did not play, stood at the dugout rail and stared at the field following the final out.The Yankees also had their 15-series winning streak against the Royals snapped on Sunday, which dated to May 15, 2015. That was their second-longest streak against any team after a 21-series run against the Boston Red Sox from 1930-33.MJ Melendez tagged the first of the Royals' homers, all of which rode an early October breeze to left field, leading off the second inning. Nick Pratto drove in Dairon Blanco later in the inning to stake Kansas City to a 2-0 lead.Edward Oliveras and Blanco added their home runs off King one batter apart in the fourth inning, and the Royals made it 5-0 in the fifth when Bobby Witt Jr. tripled leading off and Salvador Perez followed with a sacrifice fly.The Yankees got two runs back in the sixth on Isiah Kiner-Falefa's two-out single off Taylor Clarke, but the Kansas City bullpen shut them down the rest of the way.RENDERING JUDGMENTJudge said before the game he's talked with owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman about what could change before next season. Judge also said he supports manager Aaron Boone leading the club.“We have a good group of guys in here. I’m excited to build off what we’ve got here," Judge said, "and if we can add a couple of more pieces down the road this winter, then we’ll be in a good spot.”BOBBY'S BUMMERWitt became the first Royals player in the 30-30 club when he hit his 30th homer in the series opener, but he finished one steal short of becoming the fourth player ever in the 30-50 club. Witt was thrown out trying to steal second Saturday, then picked off first base Sunday, leaving him with 49 steals for the season.HOME ATTENDANCEThe Royals had 1,307,052 attend home games this season, the third-worst total in the majors behind Miami and Oakland. Thanks in part to the pitch clock, and improved pace of play, that total still exceeded their attendance of 1,277,686 last season.UP NEXTThe Yankees play their spring training opener Feb. 24 against Detroit in Lakeland, Florida. The Royals play their spring opener the same day against Texas in Surprise, Arizona.

⚾ Greinke pitches Royals to win over Yankees in what could be his career finale

Beck-to-Bowers combo rallies No. 1 Georgia to 27-20 win over Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — With Georgia's No. 1 ranking and lengthy winning streak on the line, Brock Bowers caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Carson Beck in the final minutes of a 27-20 win over Auburn. The Bulldogs made it the Beck-and-Bowers show in the fourth to bail out of another slow start and SEC scare. Georgia has won 22 in a row. Bowers had four catches for 121 yards in the fourth quarter and Beck passed for 313 yards, most of it in the second half.

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Should Georgia still be No. 1? Leaving Prime behind; Hard to take USC seriously

Time to talk about who should be No. 1. Georgia has held the top spot in 15 straight AP Top 25s, dating to the middle of last season when the Bulldogs won a second straight national title. Georgia extended its school-record winning streak to 22 games at Auburn on Saturday, but yet again the Bulldogs didn't look much like the clear best team in the country. But if not Georgia, who? No. 2 Michigan has been dominant against weak competition. No. 3 Texas might have a case. Neither No. 4 Ohio State nor No. 5 Florida State played this week.

Live updates | Hovland wins the first point in the singles. Europe needs 3 more to regain Ryder Cup

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Viktor Hovland has given the Europeans the first of the four points in the singles matches they need to regain the Ryder Cup. The Norwegian beat Collin Morikawa 4 and 3 and finishes the week with three wins and 3 1/2 points. He didn't win any of his five matches at Whistling Straits in 2021 in his debut. Europe leads 11 1/2-5 1/2 and there are 11 singles matches still out on the course.

Aaron Rodgers rejoins the Jets and is expected to attend their game vs. Chiefs, AP source says

A person with knowledge of the situation says Aaron Rodgers attended a team meeting at the New York Jets' New Jersey hotel Saturday night and is expected to attend the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. The four-time NFL MVP had been healing and rehabilitating at home in Malibu, California, after having surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. Rodgers was injured four snaps into his debut with the Jets on Sept. 11 against Buffalo. Rodgers apparently received medical clearance to fly and be with his teammates, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn't announce Rodgers had rejoined his teammates.

Europe builds a 5-point lead in Ryder Cup. Cantlay gives the Americans hope

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Europe has control of the Ryder Cup by building a five-point lead after another big day at Marco Simone. Patrick Cantlay at least gave the Americans hope. Cantlay and Wyndham Clark were 1 down when Cantlay birdied the last three holes to flip the match. U.S. captain Zach Johnson hopes to ride that momentum. But it's a massive mountain to climb with Europe leading 10 1/2-5 1/2. No team has ever rallied from more than four points behind going into the 12 singles matches on Sunday. Max Homa and Brian Harman have been the spark for the Americans. Europe keeps getting great golf from its best players.

McIlroy loses match then his temper at Ryder Cup after clash involving Cantlay's caddie

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Rory McIlroy lost his match at the Ryder Cup then he lost his cool. McIlroy accused Patrick Cantlay's caddie, Joe LaCava, of waving his hat in his line of vision ahead of the European star's crucial putt on the 18th green in the final fourballs match. That incident prompted another angry exchange involving McIlroy as he left the Marco Simone club. McIlroy was seen to be visibly furious outside the clubhouse as Jim "Bones" Mackay, the caddie for Justin Thomas, attempted to intervene. McIlroy was ushered into a waiting car by European teammate Shane Lowry but only after plenty of shouting and finger-pointing. McIlroy says it added "fuel for the fire" ahead of Sunday's singles.

Chisholm homers and the surprising Miami Marlins grab an NL wild-card spot with 7-3 win over Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Miami Marlins are heading back to the playoffs for just the second time in 20 years. Jazz Chisholm hit his 19th home run of the season and Miami grabbed a wild-card spot in the National League with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Josh Bell drove in three runs for Miami, which relied on seven pitchers to reach the postseason at the end of a 162-game season for the first time since 2003.

Williams ties career high with 6 TD passes, No. 8 USC withstands late Colorado rally for 48-41 win

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Caleb Williams threw for 403 yards and tied a career high with six touchdown passes as No. 8 Southern California held off Colorado 48-41 after racing out to a big lead. Leading 34-7 in the second quarter, the Trojans saw Colorado storm back to make it a one-score game with 1:43 remaining after Shedeur Sanders' 16-yard TD strike to Jimmy Horn Jr. The Trojans improved to 17-0 all-time against the Buffaloes. Shedeur Sanders finished with 371 yards passing and four touchdowns,

Garoppolo won't play against Chargers, leaving Raiders starting QB a mystery

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out of Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Chargers because of a concussion. Either 15-year veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O'Connell will start in place of Garoppolo, who has been in concussion protocol since getting injured Sunday night against the Steelers. The Raiders didn't announce which one would get the nod. The Raiders also announced that starting cornerback Nate Hobbs will not play because of an ankle injury. Running back Brandon Bolden didn't make the trip to Los Angeles because of personal reasons, but will travel to LA on his own and is expected to play.

Jaguars' return specialist Agnew inactive. Patterson set for season debut for Falcons

LONDON (AP) — Return specialist Jamal Agnew will be inactive for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium because of a thigh injury. For the Falcons, running back Cordarrelle Patterson is set for his season debut. The versatile veteran was not listed among Atlanta's inactives. Patterson had missed the first three games because of a thigh injury.

Final	(21)Tennessee	41	South Carolina	20	

Final	Saint Louis City SC	4	Sporting Kansas City	1	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683366121627.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Sunday Morning, October 1st, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Sunday Morning, October 1st, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for October 1st, 2023Beck-to-Bowers combo rallies No. 1 Georgia to 27-20 win over AuburnAUBURN, Ala. (AP) — With Georgia's No. 1 ranking and lengthy winning streak on the line, Brock Bowers caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Carson Beck in the final minutes of a 27-20 win over Auburn. The Bulldogs made it the Beck-and-Bowers show in the fourth to bail out of another slow start and SEC scare. Georgia has won 22 in a row. Bowers had four catches for 121 yards in the fourth quarter and Beck passed for 313 yards, most of it in the second half.AP Top 25 Takeaways: Should Georgia still be No. 1? Leaving Prime behind; Hard to take USC seriouslyTime to talk about who should be No. 1. Georgia has held the top spot in 15 straight AP Top 25s, dating to the middle of last season when the Bulldogs won a second straight national title. Georgia extended its school-record winning streak to 22 games at Auburn on Saturday, but yet again the Bulldogs didn't look much like the clear best team in the country. But if not Georgia, who? No. 2 Michigan has been dominant against weak competition. No. 3 Texas might have a case. Neither No. 4 Ohio State nor No. 5 Florida State played this week.Live updates | Hovland wins the first point in the singles. Europe needs 3 more to regain Ryder CupGUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Viktor Hovland has given the Europeans the first of the four points in the singles matches they need to regain the Ryder Cup. The Norwegian beat Collin Morikawa 4 and 3 and finishes the week with three wins and 3 1/2 points. He didn't win any of his five matches at Whistling Straits in 2021 in his debut. Europe leads 11 1/2-5 1/2 and there are 11 singles matches still out on the course.Aaron Rodgers rejoins the Jets and is expected to attend their game vs. Chiefs, AP source saysA person with knowledge of the situation says Aaron Rodgers attended a team meeting at the New York Jets' New Jersey hotel Saturday night and is expected to attend the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. The four-time NFL MVP had been healing and rehabilitating at home in Malibu, California, after having surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago to repair a torn left Achilles tendon. Rodgers was injured four snaps into his debut with the Jets on Sept. 11 against Buffalo. Rodgers apparently received medical clearance to fly and be with his teammates, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn't announce Rodgers had rejoined his teammates.Europe builds a 5-point lead in Ryder Cup. Cantlay gives the Americans hopeGUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Europe has control of the Ryder Cup by building a five-point lead after another big day at Marco Simone. Patrick Cantlay at least gave the Americans hope. Cantlay and Wyndham Clark were 1 down when Cantlay birdied the last three holes to flip the match. U.S. captain Zach Johnson hopes to ride that momentum. But it's a massive mountain to climb with Europe leading 10 1/2-5 1/2. No team has ever rallied from more than four points behind going into the 12 singles matches on Sunday. Max Homa and Brian Harman have been the spark for the Americans. Europe keeps getting great golf from its best players.McIlroy loses match then his temper at Ryder Cup after clash involving Cantlay's caddieGUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Rory McIlroy lost his match at the Ryder Cup then he lost his cool. McIlroy accused Patrick Cantlay's caddie, Joe LaCava, of waving his hat in his line of vision ahead of the European star's crucial putt on the 18th green in the final fourballs match. That incident prompted another angry exchange involving McIlroy as he left the Marco Simone club. McIlroy was seen to be visibly furious outside the clubhouse as Jim "Bones" Mackay, the caddie for Justin Thomas, attempted to intervene. McIlroy was ushered into a waiting car by European teammate Shane Lowry but only after plenty of shouting and finger-pointing. McIlroy says it added "fuel for the fire" ahead of Sunday's singles.Chisholm homers and the surprising Miami Marlins grab an NL wild-card spot with 7-3 win over PiratesPITTSBURGH (AP) — The Miami Marlins are heading back to the playoffs for just the second time in 20 years. Jazz Chisholm hit his 19th home run of the season and Miami grabbed a wild-card spot in the National League with a 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Josh Bell drove in three runs for Miami, which relied on seven pitchers to reach the postseason at the end of a 162-game season for the first time since 2003.Williams ties career high with 6 TD passes, No. 8 USC withstands late Colorado rally for 48-41 winBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Caleb Williams threw for 403 yards and tied a career high with six touchdown passes as No. 8 Southern California held off Colorado 48-41 after racing out to a big lead. Leading 34-7 in the second quarter, the Trojans saw Colorado storm back to make it a one-score game with 1:43 remaining after Shedeur Sanders' 16-yard TD strike to Jimmy Horn Jr. The Trojans improved to 17-0 all-time against the Buffaloes. Shedeur Sanders finished with 371 yards passing and four touchdowns,Garoppolo won't play against Chargers, leaving Raiders starting QB a mysteryHENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out of Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Chargers because of a concussion. Either 15-year veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O'Connell will start in place of Garoppolo, who has been in concussion protocol since getting injured Sunday night against the Steelers. The Raiders didn't announce which one would get the nod. The Raiders also announced that starting cornerback Nate Hobbs will not play because of an ankle injury. Running back Brandon Bolden didn't make the trip to Los Angeles because of personal reasons, but will travel to LA on his own and is expected to play.Jaguars' return specialist Agnew inactive. Patterson set for season debut for FalconsLONDON (AP) — Return specialist Jamal Agnew will be inactive for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium because of a thigh injury. For the Falcons, running back Cordarrelle Patterson is set for his season debut. The versatile veteran was not listed among Atlanta's inactives. Patterson had missed the first three games because of a thigh injury.AP-ScorecardTODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUEFinal	San Diego	6	Chicago White Sox	1	Final	Houston	1	Arizona	0	Final	Minnesota	14	Colorado	6	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	8	Cleveland	0	Final	Tampa Bay	7	Toronto	5	Final	Baltimore	5	Boston	2	Final	N.Y. Yankees	5	Kansas City	2	Final	Texas	6	Seattle	1	Final	Oakland	7	L.A. Angels	3	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	N.Y. Mets	4	Philadelphia	3	Final	Miami	7	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Chicago Cubs	10	Milwaukee	6	Final	Atlanta	5	Washington	3	Final	St. Louis	15	Cincinnati	6	Final	N.Y. Mets	11	Philadelphia	4	Final	San Francisco	2	L.A. Dodgers	1	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Buffalo	4	Columbus	3	Final OT	Dallas	4	St. Louis	3	Final	Tampa Bay	5	Nashville	4	Final	Toronto	3	Montreal	1	Final	N-Y Islanders	5	N-Y Rangers	3	Final OT	Minnesota	3	Chicago	2	Final OT	New Jersey	3	Philadelphia	2	Final	Detroit	5	Washington	2	Final	Vancouver	5	Edmonton	2	Final OT	Los Angeles	2	San Jose	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(11)Notre Dame	21	(17)Duke	14	Final	(20)Mississippi	55	(13)LSU	49	Final	(3)Texas	40	(24)Kansas	14	Final	(6)Penn St.	41	Northwestern	13	Final	(8)Southern Cal	48	Colorado	41	Final	Kentucky	33	(22)Florida	14	Final	(1)Georgia	27	Auburn	20	Final	(2)Michigan	45	Nebraska	7	Final	(23)Missouri	38	Vanderbilt	21	Final	(9)Oregon	42	Stanford	6	Final	(14)Oklahoma	50	Iowa St.	20	Final	(21)Tennessee	41	South Carolina	20	Final	(12)Alabama	40	Mississippi St.	17	Final	(7)Washington	31	Arizona	24	Final	(25)Fresno St.	27	Nevada	9	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal tie	Philadelphia	1	Columbus	1	Final tie	New York City FC	1	Miami	1	Final	New England	2	Charlotte FC	1	Final	Chicago	1	New York	0	Final	Orlando City	3	CF Montréal	0	Final	Cincinnati	3	Toronto FC	2	Final tie	FC Dallas	0	Houston	0	Final tie	San Jose	1	Minnesota	1	Final tie	Seattle	0	Nashville	0	Final	Saint Louis City SC	4	Sporting Kansas City	1	Final	Colorado	1	Austin FC	0	Final tie	Portland	3	LA Galaxy	3	Final tie	D.C. United	2	Vancouver	2	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Sunday

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&amp;id=12576">BOX SCORE</a>

HAYS - Fort Hays State scored on all seven of their first half possessions, six of them touchdowns, and cruised to a 71-3 Homecoming win in front of 6,953 Saturday night at Lewis Field.

The Tigers (3-2) scored 30 points in the first quarter and led 47-0 at halftime as they picked up their 10th straight win over the Blue Tigers (0-5) who have now lost 30-straight games and 20-straight road contests.

It was the second straight home game the Tigers scored over 70 against Lincoln after a 72-0 win back in 2021.

The Tigers defense set the tone early when redshirt-freshman Jaxon Kolzow, who was making his first career start, intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage and returned it 29 yards to the Lincoln 31 yard line. FHSU scored their first touchdown four plays later on a on a two-yard Shane Watts run.

Jack Dawson connected with Jayden Horace on a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Tigers second possession pushing the lead to 14-0 a little over five minutes into the first quarter.

Travis Dixon hauled in a&nbsp;12-yard touchdown pass from Dawson on the third possession.

The Tigers blocked a punt on Lincoln's next possession which rolled out of the back of the endzone for safety. 

Horace caught his second touchdown pass with five seconds left in the quarter giving the Tigers a 30-0 lead.

FHSU added 17 points in the second quarter. Ja'Quan Tillis scored on a two-yard run, Jack Dawson a 28-yard run then Carson Arndt kicked a 27-yard field goal at time expired.

Redshirt-freshman Caleb Heavner started at quarterback in the third quarter and ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run on the Tigers second play.

Logan Heigele forced a fumble Lincoln's ensuing kick return which was scooped up by Michael Polley and returned 22-yards for a touchdown.&nbsp;Heigele would score on the next possession on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Heavner to push the lead to 68-0.

The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. Lincoln from 30-yards and FHSU from 29-yards off the foot of Arndt with 4:04 to play to round out the scoring.

The Tigers finished with a season-high 582 yards of total offense, to just 146 by Lincoln. Dawson completed 14-of-18 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a rushing score. Jayden Horace caught four passes for 91 and two touchdowns. Heavner went 3-of-3 through the air for 94 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Tigers in rushing with 68 yards on two attempts and a touchdown.

The Tigers gained 346 yards through the air and a season-high 236 on the ground.

Kaleb Pillow led had seven tackles and Parrish Terry had three tackles for loss to lead the defense.

Fort Hays State returns to MIAA play next week on the road at Missouri Southern. Game time is set for 2 p.m. next Saturday in Joplin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696135986622.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State wide receiver Jayden Horace (7) celebrates with Ryan Allen (11) after catching a touchdown pass in an NCAA football game against Lincoln in Hays, Kan., Sept. 30. 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Jaxson Webb)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State wide receiver Jayden Horace (7) celebrates with Ryan Allen (11) after catching a touchdown pass in an NCAA football game against Lincoln in Hays, Kan., Sept. 30. 2023. (FHSU Athletics photo/Jaxson Webb)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=football&amp;id=12576">BOX SCORE</a>HAYS - Fort Hays State scored on all seven of their first half possessions, six of them touchdowns, and cruised to a 71-3 Homecoming win in front of 6,953 Saturday night at Lewis Field.The Tigers (3-2) scored 30 points in the first quarter and led 47-0 at halftime as they picked up their 10th straight win over the Blue Tigers (0-5) who have now lost 30-straight games and 20-straight road contests.It was the second straight home game the Tigers scored over 70 against Lincoln after a 72-0 win back in 2021.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1629657441&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/chris-brown-postgame-v-lincoln-sep-30-2023" title="Chris Brown Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)</a></div></div>The Tigers defense set the tone early when redshirt-freshman Jaxon Kolzow, who was making his first career start, intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage and returned it 29 yards to the Lincoln 31 yard line. FHSU scored their first touchdown four plays later on a on a two-yard Shane Watts run.Jack Dawson connected with Jayden Horace on a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Tigers second possession pushing the lead to 14-0 a little over five minutes into the first quarter.Travis Dixon hauled in a&nbsp;12-yard touchdown pass from Dawson on the third possession.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1629657351&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/jack-dawson-postgame-v-lincoln-sep-30-2023" title="Jack Dawson Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Jack Dawson Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)</a></div></div>The Tigers blocked a punt on Lincoln's next possession which rolled out of the back of the endzone for safety. Horace caught his second touchdown pass with five seconds left in the quarter giving the Tigers a 30-0 lead.FHSU added 17 points in the second quarter. Ja'Quan Tillis scored on a two-yard run, Jack Dawson a 28-yard run then Carson Arndt kicked a 27-yard field goal at time expired.Redshirt-freshman Caleb Heavner started at quarterback in the third quarter and ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run on the Tigers second play.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1629657300&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/jaxson-kolzow-postgame-v-lincoln-sep-30-2023" title="Jaxson Kolzow Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Jaxson Kolzow Postgame vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)</a></div></div>Logan Heigele forced a fumble Lincoln's ensuing kick return which was scooped up by Michael Polley and returned 22-yards for a touchdown.&nbsp;Heigele would score on the next possession on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Heavner to push the lead to 68-0.The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. Lincoln from 30-yards and FHSU from 29-yards off the foot of Arndt with 4:04 to play to round out the scoring.The Tigers finished with a season-high 582 yards of total offense, to just 146 by Lincoln. Dawson completed 14-of-18 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a rushing score. Jayden Horace caught four passes for 91 and two touchdowns. Heavner went 3-of-3 through the air for 94 yards and a touchdown. He also led the Tigers in rushing with 68 yards on two attempts and a touchdown.The Tigers gained 346 yards through the air and a season-high 236 on the ground.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1629657405&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fort-hays-state-fb-highlights-v-lincoln-sept-30-2023" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights vs. Lincoln (Sept. 30, 2023)</a></div></div>Kaleb Pillow led had seven tackles and Parrish Terry had three tackles for loss to lead the defense.UP NEXTFort Hays State returns to MIAA play next week on the road at Missouri Southern. Game time is set for 2 p.m. next Saturday in Joplin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 Tigers cruise past Lincoln for Homecoming win

EL DORADO, Kan. — No. 10 Butler (3-2, 2-2) took an early 6-0 lead on No. 1 Hutchinson (5-0, 3-0) before the Dragons scored 29 unanswered points.

Grizzly quarterback Tanner Murray found Nick Brown for a 48-yard score with 4:52 left in the first quarter. The extra-point attempt failed on a mishandled snap.

The Dragon defense gave up points to an opposing offense for the first time in eight quarters of football.

Down six early, the Dragons responded with three rushing touchdowns, two from Tyrell Reed.

Reed finished the day with 117 yards on 23 touches.

Reed scored on a 5-yard run to answer the Butler score. Darby Roper faked the hold on the extra point and reached the ball across the pylon for a two-point conversion against a Grizzly defense that had five blocked kicks coming into the contest.

Up 8-6, Brandon Epton Jr. scampered 61 yards on the second play of the next Dragon drive to extend the lead to nine.

Reed's second touchdown came early in the second quarter on a 14-yard burst.

After three scores on the ground, Hutchinson turned to the air.

Quarterback Samari Collier hit Tre Richardson on a 23-yard strike to put Hutchinson up 29-6 at the break.

"I thought our guys played with great energy tonight," Hutchinson head coach Drew Dallas said. "We cleaned up a lot of things from last week and it showed," Dallas said in reference to his team's 15 penalties (12 in the first half) against Coffeyville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696132055722.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="HutchCC Coach Drew Dallas Postgame vs Butler" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=2aaus-14bbe58-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>EL DORADO, Kan. — No. 10 Butler (3-2, 2-2) took an early 6-0 lead on No. 1 Hutchinson (5-0, 3-0) before the Dragons scored 29 unanswered points.Grizzly quarterback Tanner Murray found Nick Brown for a 48-yard score with 4:52 left in the first quarter. The extra-point attempt failed on a mishandled snap.The Dragon defense gave up points to an opposing offense for the first time in eight quarters of football.Down six early, the Dragons responded with three rushing touchdowns, two from Tyrell Reed.Reed finished the day with 117 yards on 23 touches.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696132663054.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Reed scored on a 5-yard run to answer the Butler score. Darby Roper faked the hold on the extra point and reached the ball across the pylon for a two-point conversion against a Grizzly defense that had five blocked kicks coming into the contest.Up 8-6, Brandon Epton Jr. scampered 61 yards on the second play of the next Dragon drive to extend the lead to nine.Reed's second touchdown came early in the second quarter on a 14-yard burst.After three scores on the ground, Hutchinson turned to the air.Quarterback Samari Collier hit Tre Richardson on a 23-yard strike to put Hutchinson up 29-6 at the break."I thought our guys played with great energy tonight," Hutchinson head coach Drew Dallas said. "We cleaned up a lot of things from last week and it showed," Dallas said in reference to his team's 15 penalties (12 in the first half) against Coffeyville.The Dragons were penalized just four times Saturday night in El Dorado.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696132708573.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Butler showed some resilience to begin the second half after Murray used his legs to power a 9-play, 75-yard drive.It was capped by a 6-yard pass from Murray to Justin Stephens.Murray finished 13-of-31 for 181 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.Murray led Butler with 37 rushing yards. The Dragons sacked him five times.Collier answered the Butler drive with an 83-yard touchdown run."We had the oxygen down there for him afterward," Dallas joked after the game.Hutchinson's Daniel Brown registered six tackles with two sacks and four tackles for loss."He's electric," Dallas said of Brown. "He dominated that side of the football tonight."Xavier Stillman led the Dragons with three sacks. He added three tackles for loss.Butler running back Jaisean McMillian ran for 144 of his team's 242 yards on the ground last week at NEO. Hutchinson held McMillian to 21 yards on seven carries.The Dragon D surrendered just 91 yards on the ground."As you look back on it, it's very frustrating because we had guys in the right spots," Butler head coach Brice Vignery said. "Ultimately that falls back on myself and my coaches.""You feel bad that we couldn't win, but hats off, they're a good football team," Vignery said of his team's performance in front of alumni present for the 2003 championship team reunion and those on-hand to honor longtime defensive line coach Steve Braet, who was a part of six titles in 42 years with the Grizzlies.Reed scored a third time on the ground for Hutchinson on a 25-yard burst with 2:04 left in the contest. The score followed a 44-yard field goal from Butler's Aiden Battle.FINAL: Hutchinson 43 Butler 16Hutchinson gashed Butler with 490 yards of offense, 354 of it on the ground.No. 1 Hutchinson will face No. 15 Dodge City (3-2, 3-0) in Gowans Stadium Oct. 7.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;