Below are the games that will be carried on our EAGLE Media radio stations this week. 

KHMY: My 93-1 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHMY2">Listen Online</a> KHUT: Country 102.9 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Listen Online</a> KWBW: 1450 AM &amp; 98.5 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">Listen Online</a>

MONDAY (9/11) 5:30 p.m. (KWBW) - Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame)

TUESDAY (9/12) 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame)

WEDNESDAY (9/13) 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame) 7 p.m. (KHMY) - Chris Klieman Show

THURSDAY (9/14) 6 p.m. (KWBW) - Reno County Coaches Show &amp; More

FRIDAY (9/15) 6 p.m. (KWBW) - Kansas Kickoff Show 7 p.m. (KWBW) - Hutch High 🏈 at Maize South (6:30 p.m. pregame)

SATURDAY (9/16) 11 a.m. (KHMY) - Kansas State 🏈 at Missouri (9 a.m. pregame) 6:10 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals vs. Astros (5:30 p.m. pregame)

SUNDAY (9/17) 12 p.m. (KWBW) - Kansas City Chiefs 🏈 at Jaguars (11 a.m. pregame)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686627047967.jpeg" alt="Eagle Media Sports" />
 <figcaption>Eagle Media Sports</figcaption>
 </figure>Below are the games that will be carried on our EAGLE Media radio stations this week. KHMY: My 93-1 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHMY2">Listen Online</a> KHUT: Country 102.9 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">Listen Online</a> KWBW: 1450 AM &amp; 98.5 FM |&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">Listen Online</a>MONDAY (9/11) 5:30 p.m. (KWBW) - Dragon Talk with Drew Dallas 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame)TUESDAY (9/12) 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame)WEDNESDAY (9/13) 6:40 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals at White Sox (6 p.m. pregame) 7 p.m. (KHMY) - Chris Klieman ShowTHURSDAY (9/14) 6 p.m. (KWBW) - Reno County Coaches Show &amp; MoreFRIDAY (9/15) 6 p.m. (KWBW) - Kansas Kickoff Show 7 p.m. (KWBW) - Hutch High 🏈 at Maize South (6:30 p.m. pregame)SATURDAY (9/16) 11 a.m. (KHMY) - Kansas State 🏈 at Missouri (9 a.m. pregame) 6:10 p.m. (KWBW) - Royals vs. Astros (5:30 p.m. pregame)SUNDAY (9/17) 12 p.m. (KWBW) - Kansas City Chiefs 🏈 at Jaguars (11 a.m. pregame)

🎧 EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Schedule (Sept. 11-17)

Kpreps.com released its week 3 high school football rankings on Monday morning, and three area teams were represented in their respective classes. Previous ranking and record listed in ().

CLASS 6A 1. Gardner-Edgerton (#1, 2-0) 2. Wichita NW (#2, 2-0) 3. Manhattan (#3, 2-0) 4. Olathe North (#4, 2-0) 5. Washburn Rural (NR, 2-0)

CLASS 5A 1. Mill Valley (#1, 2-0) 2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (#2, 2-0) 3. Hays (#4, 2-0) 4. Blue Valley SW (#3, 1-1) 5. Goddard Eisenhower (NR, 2-0)

CLASS 4A 1. Bishop Miege (#1, 2-0) 2. St. Thomas Aquinas (#2, 2-0) 3. Eudora (#4, 2-0) 4. Andover Central (#5, 2-0) 5. Louisburg (NR, 2-0)

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

CLASS 2A 1. Nemaha Central (#1, 2-0) 2. Sabetha (#2, 2-0) 3. Hoisington (#3, 2-0) 4. SE of Saline (NR, 2-0) 5. Ellsworth (NR, 2-0)

CLASS 1A 1. St. Mary's Colgan (#1, 2-0) 2. Sedgwick (#4, 2-0) 3. Centralia (#5 ,2-0) 4. Wabaunsee (NR, 2-0) 5. Jefferson County North (NR, 2-0)

CLASS 8-MAN DIVISION I 1. Leoti-Wichita County (#1, 2-0) 2. Lyndon (#2, 2-0) 3. Meade (#3, 2-0) 4. West Elk (#4, 2-0) 5. Little River (#5, 2-0)

CLASS 8-MAN DIVISION II 1. Axtell (#1, 2-0) 2. Osborne (#2, 2-0) 3. Kinsley (#4, 2-0) 4. Victoria (#3, 1-1) 5. Canton-Galva (NR, 1-1)

<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/2023/8/1693413418452.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kpreps.com released its week 3 high school football rankings on Monday morning, and three area teams were represented in their respective classes. Previous ranking and record listed in ().CLASS 6A 1. Gardner-Edgerton (#1, 2-0) 2. Wichita NW (#2, 2-0) 3. Manhattan (#3, 2-0) 4. Olathe North (#4, 2-0) 5. Washburn Rural (NR, 2-0)CLASS 5A 1. Mill Valley (#1, 2-0) 2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (#2, 2-0) 3. Hays (#4, 2-0) 4. Blue Valley SW (#3, 1-1) 5. Goddard Eisenhower (NR, 2-0)CLASS 4A 1. Bishop Miege (#1, 2-0) 2. St. Thomas Aquinas (#2, 2-0) 3. Eudora (#4, 2-0) 4. Andover Central (#5, 2-0) 5. Louisburg (NR, 2-0)CLASS 3A 1. Andale (#1, 2-0) 2. Cheney (#2, 2-0) 3. Topeka Hayden (#3, 2-0) 4. Wichita Collegiate (#4, 2-0) 5. Clay Center (#5, 2-0)CLASS 2A 1. Nemaha Central (#1, 2-0) 2. Sabetha (#2, 2-0) 3. Hoisington (#3, 2-0) 4. SE of Saline (NR, 2-0) 5. Ellsworth (NR, 2-0)CLASS 1A 1. St. Mary's Colgan (#1, 2-0) 2. Sedgwick (#4, 2-0) 3. Centralia (#5 ,2-0) 4. Wabaunsee (NR, 2-0) 5. Jefferson County North (NR, 2-0)CLASS 8-MAN DIVISION I 1. Leoti-Wichita County (#1, 2-0) 2. Lyndon (#2, 2-0) 3. Meade (#3, 2-0) 4. West Elk (#4, 2-0) 5. Little River (#5, 2-0)CLASS 8-MAN DIVISION II 1. Axtell (#1, 2-0) 2. Osborne (#2, 2-0) 3. Kinsley (#4, 2-0) 4. Victoria (#3, 1-1) 5. Canton-Galva (NR, 1-1)<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;

🏈 Week 3 Kpreps high school rankings

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The ballgame was a tight one. The teams were tied at a run apiece heading into the ninth inning and then the runs started coming in. A huge double from Jake Rucker drove in the tie-breaking run and the Wind Surge would hold off a Hooks rally. The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks by the score of 3-2 and the series ends with four games going to the Hooks and two games to the Surge.

The first run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the third inning. The Hooks scored a run off a Will Wagner RBI double. Wagner got himself caught stealing for the second out of the inning, and Surge relief pitcher Isaac Mattson struck out Colin Barber for out number three. The Hooks were limited to just one run in the inning.

Wichita tied the game up a few innings later in the top of the sixth. Alerick Soularie swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a leadoff solo home run. The ball flew over the left field wall and tied the game up at a run apiece.

The Wind Surge threatened to take the lead in the top of the eighth but could not capitalize on the opportunity. Yoyner Fajardo hit a two-out triple to put himself in scoring position at third, but the next batter Tanner Schobel flied out to center field to end the inning.

Alex Isola reached first base in the top of the ninth off a walk. Ben Ross was brought in to pinch run for him and then Seth Gray hit a single on a fly ball to right field to advance Ross to third. Jake Rucker got his third hit of the ballgame for an RBI double on a line drive that bounced off the left field wall. Willie Joe Garry Jr. added another run when he brought Gray home on a fly ball that dropped in right field.

Corpus Christi scored a run in the bottom of the ninth and threatened with the tying run on third. Surge closing pitcher Miguel Rodriguez struck out the final batter and ended the rally.

Jaylen Nowlin made his seventh start of the season for the Wind Surge. He pitched two and a third innings where he gave up one run off two hits. He did not record a strike out and walked two batters. Miguel Rodriguez was credited with the win, and his record improved to (3-1).

The Corpus Christi Hooks starting pitcher Valente Bellozo pitched four innings where he gave up only one hit and no runs. He struck out two batters and walked none.

The Wichita Wind Surge improve to (34-29, 62-69) and the Corpus Christi Hooks fall to (33-30, 66-66).

NOTES: Yoyner Fajardo extended his reached base streak to 25 consecutive games. The streak is the longest of any Wind Surge player this season.

BROADCAST: Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, ESPN Wichita 92.3, MiLB.tv and Bally Live app.

RETURN TO RIVERFRONT: The Wind Surge head back home to Riverfront Stadium on Tuesday, September 12th to play game one of the final six-game home series this season. They will take on the Midland RockHounds and first pitch will be at 7:05 PM.

<div><iframe src="https://streamable.com/milb/alerick-soularie-s-diving-catch-x9222" width="560" height="315"></iframe></div>CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The ballgame was a tight one. The teams were tied at a run apiece heading into the ninth inning and then the runs started coming in. A huge double from Jake Rucker drove in the tie-breaking run and the Wind Surge would hold off a Hooks rally. The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks by the score of 3-2 and the series ends with four games going to the Hooks and two games to the Surge.The first run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the third inning. The Hooks scored a run off a Will Wagner RBI double. Wagner got himself caught stealing for the second out of the inning, and Surge relief pitcher Isaac Mattson struck out Colin Barber for out number three. The Hooks were limited to just one run in the inning.Wichita tied the game up a few innings later in the top of the sixth. Alerick Soularie swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a leadoff solo home run. The ball flew over the left field wall and tied the game up at a run apiece.The Wind Surge threatened to take the lead in the top of the eighth but could not capitalize on the opportunity. Yoyner Fajardo hit a two-out triple to put himself in scoring position at third, but the next batter Tanner Schobel flied out to center field to end the inning.Alex Isola reached first base in the top of the ninth off a walk. Ben Ross was brought in to pinch run for him and then Seth Gray hit a single on a fly ball to right field to advance Ross to third. Jake Rucker got his third hit of the ballgame for an RBI double on a line drive that bounced off the left field wall. Willie Joe Garry Jr. added another run when he brought Gray home on a fly ball that dropped in right field.Corpus Christi scored a run in the bottom of the ninth and threatened with the tying run on third. Surge closing pitcher Miguel Rodriguez struck out the final batter and ended the rally.Jaylen Nowlin made his seventh start of the season for the Wind Surge. He pitched two and a third innings where he gave up one run off two hits. He did not record a strike out and walked two batters. Miguel Rodriguez was credited with the win, and his record improved to (3-1).The Corpus Christi Hooks starting pitcher Valente Bellozo pitched four innings where he gave up only one hit and no runs. He struck out two batters and walked none.The Wichita Wind Surge improve to (34-29, 62-69) and the Corpus Christi Hooks fall to (33-30, 66-66).NOTES: Yoyner Fajardo extended his reached base streak to 25 consecutive games. The streak is the longest of any Wind Surge player this season.BROADCAST: Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1">Windsurge.com</a>, ESPN Wichita 92.3, MiLB.tv and Bally Live app.RETURN TO RIVERFRONT: The Wind Surge head back home to Riverfront Stadium on Tuesday, September 12th to play game one of the final six-game home series this season. They will take on the Midland RockHounds and first pitch will be at 7:05 PM.

⚾ Wind Surge Series finale ends in late inning excitement in Corpus Christi

AP Sports Summary for Monday, September 11th, 2023.

Novak Djokovic wins the US Open for his 24th Grand Slam title by beating Daniil Medvedev

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic has won the U.S. Open for his 24th Grand Slam title by using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the final at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic is a 36-year-old from Serbia whose triumph Sunday makes him the oldest man to win the U.S. Open in the professional era. He also moved one major singles title in front of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 entirely as a pro. Only Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events. Medvedev had beaten Djokovic in the 2021 U.S. Open final, and Djokovic was unable to travel to New York last year because he wasn't vaccinated against COVID-19.

Cowboys rip error-prone Giants 40-0 for worst shutout loss in the series between NFC East rivals

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Noah Igbinoghene returned a blocked field goal 58 yards for a touchdown on the opening series, DaRon Bland scored on a pick 6 later in the first quarter and the Dallas Cowboys embarrassed the New York Giants again, posting a season-opening 40-0 victory. It was the Cowboys' largest shutout win. Tony Pollard scored on two short touchdown runs and Dallas forced three turnovers and sacked Daniel Jones seven times in shutting down New York's supposedly improved offense and beating the Giants for the fifth straight time and 12th in 13th meetings. The shutout was the largest between the teams.

Rubiales resigns as Spain's soccer president 3 weeks after kissing player at Women's World Cup final

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales has resigned after kissing a player on the lips in a controversy which overshadowed Spain winning the Women's World Cup for the first time. Rubiales announced his resignation Sunday in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said it was without her consent. Prosecutors presented their case for potential criminal charges against Rubiales to Spain's National Court in Madrid on Friday, two days after Hermoso formally accused him of sexual assault. Rubiales says the kiss was consensual.

AP Top 25: Texas jumps to No. 4 after beating 'Bama; Pac-12 sets conference high with 8 ranked teams

Texas jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press college football poll after beating Alabama and the Pac-12 became just the second conference to place as many as eight teams in an AP Top 25. Georgia received 55 first-place votes to remain the clear No. 1. Michigan is No. 2, with two-first place votes. No. 3 Florida State received three first-place votes and moved up a spot. Texas got two-first place votes. The Longhorns are in the top five for the first time since starting the 2010 season at No. 5 while Alabama dropped to No. 10.

Michigan State suspends coach Mel Tucker after allegations he sexually harassed a rape survivor

Michigan State has suspended football coach Mel Tucker after allegations became public that he sexually harassed an activist and rape survivor during a phone call last year. The university's president and athletic director announced the suspension pending the results of an outside investigation into the allegations. The school hired a Title IX attorney to investigate Brenda Tracy's complaint and the investigation concluded on July 25. A hearing is scheduled for the week of Oct. 5 determine if Tucker violated the school's sexual harassment and exploitation policy. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as the team's interim coach and former coach Mark Dantonio was named associate head coach while Tucker awaits his fate.

Analysis: US Open champ Coco Gauff wants to get better and win more major titles. Don't doubt her

NEW YORK (AP) — Now that Coco Gauff is a Grand Slam champion, she's ready for stardom. She's also eager for more. The 19-year-old from Florida said in an interview with the AP after winning the U.S. Open that she wants to experience that feeling again. So she plans to devote herself to improving as a player in order to keep collecting major championships. She says she knows she can perform better than she did while beating Aryna Sabalebka in Saturday's final. Gauff won't give a number of Grand Slam titles she wants to earn, instead defining it this way: "As many as I can." Anyone who would doubt Gauff clearly has not been paying attention.

No. 4 Texas Longhorns try to stay grounded even as hype level soars after beating Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The hype is coming for the Texas Longhorns like it hasn't in years. That's what happens when you knock off Alabama on the road and get your first win over a top-five team in 15 years. The Longhorns, who vaulted seven spots to No. 4 in the AP poll following that 34-24 win, seem determined not to get swept up in it. It's still early September, after all. Alabama fell from third to 10th. As wide receiver Xavier Worthy said, "We're on to Wyoming." That's the next, much less-hyped matchup.

Aaron Rodgers gets 'butterflies,' too. How does the Jets QB handle the pressure of the spotlight?

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he had butterflies before his preseason debut with his new team a few weeks ago. And they'll be back Monday night when the Jets open the regular season against the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills in front of a home crowd at MetLife Stadium with a primetime audience watching. Even the game's greatest players have moments when they need to get their emotions in check. Rodgers has learned how to handle pressure during his long NFL career spent largely in the spotlight.

Aces clinch top seed in postseason, Liberty finish second

NEW YORK (AP) — A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will have homecourt advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs — a place they only lost once this season. The defending champions wrapped up the top seed in the postseason before they even stepped on the court Sunday by virtue of New York's last-second loss to Washington. Las Vegas will open up the best-of-three first round series Wednesday night against eighth-seeded Chicago, which enters the postseason for a fifth straight year. The other half of Las Vegas' bracket features fourth-seeded Dallas against No. 5 Atlanta. The Lynx will play at Connecticut on Wednesday night also to open up that series. The second-seeded Liberty play Washington on Friday night.

Reddick takes advantage of late caution, holes of car owner Hamlin to win at Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyler Reddick took advantage of a late caution and fresh tires to rocket past six others in a two-lap sprint to win at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. He also punched his ticket to the next round of the playoffs with the NASCAR Cup Series win. Reddick's car owner, Denny Hamlin, got a poor jump when the green flag dropped and was unable to chase Reddick down and finished second. Erik Jones held on for third and Kyle Larson, who won at Darlington last week, marched through the field in the closing laps to finish fourth. The playoff cut-off for the round of 12 happens next weekend at Bristol.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

Final tie	Saint Louis City SC	2	LA Galaxy	2	

		Kansas City	at	Chi White Sox	7:40 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688383699667.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Monday, September 11th, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Monday, September 11th, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Monday, September 11th, 2023.Novak Djokovic wins the US Open for his 24th Grand Slam title by beating Daniil MedvedevNEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic has won the U.S. Open for his 24th Grand Slam title by using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the final at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic is a 36-year-old from Serbia whose triumph Sunday makes him the oldest man to win the U.S. Open in the professional era. He also moved one major singles title in front of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 entirely as a pro. Only Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events. Medvedev had beaten Djokovic in the 2021 U.S. Open final, and Djokovic was unable to travel to New York last year because he wasn't vaccinated against COVID-19.Cowboys rip error-prone Giants 40-0 for worst shutout loss in the series between NFC East rivalsEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Noah Igbinoghene returned a blocked field goal 58 yards for a touchdown on the opening series, DaRon Bland scored on a pick 6 later in the first quarter and the Dallas Cowboys embarrassed the New York Giants again, posting a season-opening 40-0 victory. It was the Cowboys' largest shutout win. Tony Pollard scored on two short touchdown runs and Dallas forced three turnovers and sacked Daniel Jones seven times in shutting down New York's supposedly improved offense and beating the Giants for the fifth straight time and 12th in 13th meetings. The shutout was the largest between the teams.Rubiales resigns as Spain's soccer president 3 weeks after kissing player at Women's World Cup finalBARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Suspended Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales has resigned after kissing a player on the lips in a controversy which overshadowed Spain winning the Women's World Cup for the first time. Rubiales announced his resignation Sunday in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia. The player said it was without her consent. Prosecutors presented their case for potential criminal charges against Rubiales to Spain's National Court in Madrid on Friday, two days after Hermoso formally accused him of sexual assault. Rubiales says the kiss was consensual.AP Top 25: Texas jumps to No. 4 after beating 'Bama; Pac-12 sets conference high with 8 ranked teamsTexas jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press college football poll after beating Alabama and the Pac-12 became just the second conference to place as many as eight teams in an AP Top 25. Georgia received 55 first-place votes to remain the clear No. 1. Michigan is No. 2, with two-first place votes. No. 3 Florida State received three first-place votes and moved up a spot. Texas got two-first place votes. The Longhorns are in the top five for the first time since starting the 2010 season at No. 5 while Alabama dropped to No. 10.Michigan State suspends coach Mel Tucker after allegations he sexually harassed a rape survivorMichigan State has suspended football coach Mel Tucker after allegations became public that he sexually harassed an activist and rape survivor during a phone call last year. The university's president and athletic director announced the suspension pending the results of an outside investigation into the allegations. The school hired a Title IX attorney to investigate Brenda Tracy's complaint and the investigation concluded on July 25. A hearing is scheduled for the week of Oct. 5 determine if Tucker violated the school's sexual harassment and exploitation policy. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as the team's interim coach and former coach Mark Dantonio was named associate head coach while Tucker awaits his fate.Analysis: US Open champ Coco Gauff wants to get better and win more major titles. Don't doubt herNEW YORK (AP) — Now that Coco Gauff is a Grand Slam champion, she's ready for stardom. She's also eager for more. The 19-year-old from Florida said in an interview with the AP after winning the U.S. Open that she wants to experience that feeling again. So she plans to devote herself to improving as a player in order to keep collecting major championships. She says she knows she can perform better than she did while beating Aryna Sabalebka in Saturday's final. Gauff won't give a number of Grand Slam titles she wants to earn, instead defining it this way: "As many as I can." Anyone who would doubt Gauff clearly has not been paying attention.No. 4 Texas Longhorns try to stay grounded even as hype level soars after beating AlabamaTUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The hype is coming for the Texas Longhorns like it hasn't in years. That's what happens when you knock off Alabama on the road and get your first win over a top-five team in 15 years. The Longhorns, who vaulted seven spots to No. 4 in the AP poll following that 34-24 win, seem determined not to get swept up in it. It's still early September, after all. Alabama fell from third to 10th. As wide receiver Xavier Worthy said, "We're on to Wyoming." That's the next, much less-hyped matchup.Aaron Rodgers gets 'butterflies,' too. How does the Jets QB handle the pressure of the spotlight?FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he had butterflies before his preseason debut with his new team a few weeks ago. And they'll be back Monday night when the Jets open the regular season against the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills in front of a home crowd at MetLife Stadium with a primetime audience watching. Even the game's greatest players have moments when they need to get their emotions in check. Rodgers has learned how to handle pressure during his long NFL career spent largely in the spotlight.Aces clinch top seed in postseason, Liberty finish secondNEW YORK (AP) — A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will have homecourt advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs — a place they only lost once this season. The defending champions wrapped up the top seed in the postseason before they even stepped on the court Sunday by virtue of New York's last-second loss to Washington. Las Vegas will open up the best-of-three first round series Wednesday night against eighth-seeded Chicago, which enters the postseason for a fifth straight year. The other half of Las Vegas' bracket features fourth-seeded Dallas against No. 5 Atlanta. The Lynx will play at Connecticut on Wednesday night also to open up that series. The second-seeded Liberty play Washington on Friday night.Reddick takes advantage of late caution, holes of car owner Hamlin to win at KansasKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyler Reddick took advantage of a late caution and fresh tires to rocket past six others in a two-lap sprint to win at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. He also punched his ticket to the next round of the playoffs with the NASCAR Cup Series win. Reddick's car owner, Denny Hamlin, got a poor jump when the green flag dropped and was unable to chase Reddick down and finished second. Erik Jones held on for third and Kyle Larson, who won at Darlington last week, marched through the field in the closing laps to finish fourth. The playoff cut-off for the round of 12 happens next weekend at Bristol.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	N.Y. Mets	2	Minnesota	0	Final	Houston	12	San Diego	2	Final	N.Y. Yankees	4	Milwaukee	3	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	6	Seattle	3	Final	Detroit	3	Chicago White Sox	2	Final	Toronto	5	Kansas City	2	Final	Boston	7	Baltimore	3	Final	Texas	9	Oakland	4	Final	L.A. Angels	2	Cleveland	1	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	5	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Miami	5	Philadelphia	4	Final	Cincinnati	7	St. Louis	1	Final	Chicago Cubs	5	Arizona	2	Final	L.A. Dodgers	7	Washington	3	Final	San Francisco	6	Colorado	3	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Atlanta	24	Carolina	10	Final	Baltimore	25	Houston	9	Final	Cleveland	24	Cincinnati	3	Final	Jacksonville	31	Indianapolis	21	Final	New Orleans	16	Tennessee	15	Final	San Francisco	30	Pittsburgh	7	Final	Tampa Bay	20	Minnesota	17	Final	Washington	20	Arizona	16	Final	Green Bay	38	Chicago	20	Final	L.A. Rams	30	Seattle	13	Final	Las Vegas	17	Denver	16	Final	Miami	36	L.A. Chargers	34	Final	Philadelphia	25	New England	20	Final	Dallas	40	N-Y Giants	0	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Indiana	87	Minnesota	72	Final	Washington	90	New York	88	Final	Dallas	94	Atlanta	77	Final OT	Chicago	102	Connecticut	91	Final	Las Vegas	100	Phoenix	85	Final	Los Angeles	91	Seattle	89	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal tie	Saint Louis City SC	2	LA Galaxy	2	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		St. Louis	at	Baltimore	6:35 p.m.			Cleveland	at	San Francisco	9:45 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Texas	at	Toronto	7:07 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	Boston	7:10 p.m.			Kansas City	at	Chi White Sox	7:40 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Minnesota	7:40 p.m.			Oakland	at	Houston	8:10 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	Seattle	9:40 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Atlanta	at	Philadelphia	1:05 p.m.			Washington	at	Pittsburgh	6:35 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Philadelphia	6:40 p.m.			Arizona	at	N-Y Mets	7:10 p.m.			Miami	at	Milwaukee	7:40 p.m.			Chi Cubs	at	Colorado	8:40 p.m.			San Diego	at	L-A Dodgers	10:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Buffalo	at	N-Y Jets	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Monday

By IAN HARRISON Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays took advantage of three consecutive wild pitches by Cole Ragans to beat the Royals 5-2 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep.

Toronto came in tied with Seattle in the wild card race, 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas. The Rangers begin a four-game series north of the border on Monday. The Blue Jays moved a game ahead of the Mariners in the wild card after Seattle lost at Tampa Bay.

Kiermaier broke a 2-2 tie with a home run off right-hander Taylor Clarke (2-5), his eighth. Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio made it 5-2 with RBI singles off Jackson Kowar in the eighth.

Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos (10-10) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings to snap a five-start winless streak.

Right-hander Yimi García got two outs in the eighth and left-hander Génesis Cabrera retired MJ Melendez to strand the tying run at third.

Jordan Romano wrapped it up for his 34th save in 37 chances as the Royals left the bases loaded.

The major league-worst Royals (44-100) lost their fourth straight, giving them 100 losses for the first time since 2019.

Ragans extended his scoreless innings streak to 26 with five shutout innings to begin the game, but his outing unraveled in the sixth.

The Blue Jays didn’t put a runner in scoring position until Ragans issued consecutive two-out walks to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider in the sixth.

Facing trouble for the first time, Ragans suddenly lost his control and his footing. He slipped and threw wildly to the backstop on his first pitch to Alejandro Kirk as both runners moved up.

Ragans waved off manager Matt Quatraro and the trainer, then threw another pitch to the backstop, allowing Guerrero to score. Ragans slipped again on his next pitch as Schneider raced home with the tying run.

Third base umpire and crew chief Jeff Nelson came to inspect the mound after the third wild throw. Ragans was replaced after walking Kirk with his next pitch. Clarke came on and retired Whit Merrifield to end the inning.

Ragans allowed two runs and one hit in 5 2/3 innings. He walked a career-high six and struck out six.

George Springer’s leadoff single in the third was the only hit off Ragans.

Kansas City scored twice off Berríos in the top of the sixth. Kyle Isbel led off with a triple and came home on Bobby Witt Jr.’s one-out double. Witt stole third and scored on Salvador Perez’s grounder.

Witt’s stolen base in the sixth was his 40th. It’s the 25th time in Royals history that a player has stolen 40 or more bases. The last to do it was Whit Merrifield in 2021.

Royals: Neither the Royals nor the White Sox had named a starter for Monday’s game at Chicago.

By IAN HARRISON Associated PressTORONTO (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays took advantage of three consecutive wild pitches by Cole Ragans to beat the Royals 5-2 on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep.Toronto came in tied with Seattle in the wild card race, 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas. The Rangers begin a four-game series north of the border on Monday. The Blue Jays moved a game ahead of the Mariners in the wild card after Seattle lost at Tampa Bay.Kiermaier broke a 2-2 tie with a home run off right-hander Taylor Clarke (2-5), his eighth. Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio made it 5-2 with RBI singles off Jackson Kowar in the eighth.Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos (10-10) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings to snap a five-start winless streak.Right-hander Yimi García got two outs in the eighth and left-hander Génesis Cabrera retired MJ Melendez to strand the tying run at third.Jordan Romano wrapped it up for his 34th save in 37 chances as the Royals left the bases loaded.The major league-worst Royals (44-100) lost their fourth straight, giving them 100 losses for the first time since 2019.Ragans extended his scoreless innings streak to 26 with five shutout innings to begin the game, but his outing unraveled in the sixth.The Blue Jays didn’t put a runner in scoring position until Ragans issued consecutive two-out walks to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider in the sixth.Facing trouble for the first time, Ragans suddenly lost his control and his footing. He slipped and threw wildly to the backstop on his first pitch to Alejandro Kirk as both runners moved up.Ragans waved off manager Matt Quatraro and the trainer, then threw another pitch to the backstop, allowing Guerrero to score. Ragans slipped again on his next pitch as Schneider raced home with the tying run.Third base umpire and crew chief Jeff Nelson came to inspect the mound after the third wild throw. Ragans was replaced after walking Kirk with his next pitch. Clarke came on and retired Whit Merrifield to end the inning.Ragans allowed two runs and one hit in 5 2/3 innings. He walked a career-high six and struck out six.George Springer’s leadoff single in the third was the only hit off Ragans.Kansas City scored twice off Berríos in the top of the sixth. Kyle Isbel led off with a triple and came home on Bobby Witt Jr.’s one-out double. Witt stole third and scored on Salvador Perez’s grounder.THIS IS 40Witt’s stolen base in the sixth was his 40th. It’s the 25th time in Royals history that a player has stolen 40 or more bases. The last to do it was Whit Merrifield in 2021.UP NEXTRoyals: Neither the Royals nor the White Sox had named a starter for Monday’s game at Chicago.

⚾ Blue Jays use wild pitches to complete sweep of Royals

AP Sports Summary for Sunday, September 10th, 2023.

Canada holds off US to win bronze at Basketball World Cup in OT, 127-118

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. played the bronze-medal game short-handed, and Canada sent the Americans home from the World Cup empty-handed. Dillon Brooks scored 39 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 12 assists and Canada survived a miracle from Mikal Bridges that forced overtime to medal at a global men's basketball tournament for the first time in 87 years. It beat the U.S. 127-118 in the third-place game at the World Cup on Sunday.

Hook 'em Horns! No. 11 Texas, Ewers pull off 34-24 victory at No. 3 Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Quinn Ewers finished what he started last season, passing for 349 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 11 Texas to a 34-24 victory over third-ranked Alabama on Saturday night in a huge win for a program trying to climb back into national championship contention. The Longhorns delivered the biggest victory under Steve Sarkisian in a game that slipped away last season after a red-hot Ewers exited with a first-quarter shoulder injury. He was back and with another big weapon in Adonai Mitchell. This amounted to a welcome-to-the-Southeastern Conference moment for a program set to join Alabama &amp; Co. next season.

Shedeur Sanders, No. 22 Colorado beat Nebraska 36-14 in sold out home debut for Deion Sanders

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado's defense forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime rival Nebraska 36-14 in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two scores, while running for another touchdown. He capped his 6-yard romp with the dance moves his dad made famous during his playing days. The 2-0 Buffaloes needed a moment to wake up given the early kickoff. But once they did, they were unstoppable. After punting on their first four drives, Sanders and the offense scored on seven of eight possessions to turn the game into a rout. Matt Rhule is still looking for his first win at Nebraska

Caleb Williams propels No. 6 USC to a 49-point first half in a 56-10 victory over Stanford

LOS ANGELES (AP) — No. 6 Southern California routed Stanford 56-10 in this century-old rivalry's final chapter for the foreseeable future. Caleb Williams passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score while playing only the first half, and Zachariah Branch returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. The Trojans racked up 433 yards of offense and seven touchdowns by seven players while building a 49-3 halftime lead — the third-largest in Pac-12 history. USC generously used backups in the second half of their blowout of the Cardinal, who lost for the first time under new coach Troy Taylor.

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Texas is ready for the SEC, but the SEC doesn't look so tough right now

Texas is ready for the Southeastern Conference. Then again, the SEC doesn't look so tough right now. In their final season as a member of the Big 12, the No. 11 Longhorns made a statement against Alabama and came away with the biggest victory of Steve Sarkisian's three seasons as Texas coach. Is Texas back? Who cares. Here's what's important: Texas was better than No. 3 Alabama in almost every way in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. That's been a trend in the big, bad SEC. The conference that has dominated college football for more than a decade has started this season 2-6 against other Power Five conferences.

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev meet again in the US Open men's final

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will meet again to determine the U.S. Open men's champion. Their match Sunday afternoon is a rematch of the 2021 final in Flushing Meadows. Medvedev won that day for his lone Grand Slam title. The 27-year-old from Russia also denied Djokovic what would have been the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men's tennis since 1969. Djokovic has gone on to win two more major titles this year, at the Australian Open and French Open, to raise his career total to 23. That is the most Grand Slam singles titles in men's tennis history and ties Serena Williams for the most in the professional era, dating to 1968.

Coco Gauff wins the US Open for her first Grand Slam title at age 19 by defeating Aryna Sabalenka

NEW YORK (AP) — Coco Gauff has won her first Grand Slam title at age 19 by coming back to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final. Gauff was spurred on Saturday by a raucous partisan crowd that was loud from start to finish. Gauff is the first American teenager to win the country's major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. This is the sort of triumph that has been expected of Gauff ever since she burst onto the scene when she was 15 and became the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history. Gauff stretched her winning streak to a career-best 12 matches.

Sean Strickland stuns favorite Israel Adesanya for middleweight title at UFC 293

SYDNEY (AP) — American Sean Strickland stunned Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya to take the middleweight title by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 293 in Sydney, the first UFC event in Australia's largest city in six years. The 32-year-old Strickland (28-5), who caused a stir in the lead-up to the fight with sexist and misogynistic comments at a press conference promoting the bout, won a five-round decision with all three judges scoring it 49-46. Backed by strong vocal support at Qudos Bank Arena, Adesanya (24-3) was a clear favorite to subdue his controversial American opponent and retain the title he won from Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in April.

Bruce Arena quits as coach of the New England Revolution citing 'difficult' investigation

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bruce Arena quit as coach of the New England Revolution on Saturday night, six weeks after he was placed on administrative leave by Major League Soccer for what it said were "allegations that he made insensitive and inappropriate remarks." The 71-year-old, a member of the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame, did not detail the allegations. The league said Aug. 1 it had placed him on leave.

Bengals QB Joe Burrow, now the NFL's highest-paid player, says contract talks weren't a distraction

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow says he didn't allow lingering contract negotiations to interfere with him working his way back from a training camp injury and preparing for Sunday's season opener. Burrow became the highest-paid player in the NFL on Thursday when he finalized his contract extension before the buses left for Cleveland. While the Bengals didn't disclose the terms, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that Burrow agreed to a five-year contract worth $275 million, including more than $219 million guaranteed. Burrow missed most of training camp with a strained calf muscle but returned to practice last week.

Final	(25)Clemson	66	Charleston Southern	17	

Final	(17)North Carolina	40	Appalachian St.	34	

Final	Washington St.	31	(19)Wisconsin	22	

Final	(4)Florida St.	66	Southern Miss.	13	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688383699667.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Sunday, September 10th, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Sunday, September 10th, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Sunday, September 10th, 2023.Canada holds off US to win bronze at Basketball World Cup in OT, 127-118MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The U.S. played the bronze-medal game short-handed, and Canada sent the Americans home from the World Cup empty-handed. Dillon Brooks scored 39 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 12 assists and Canada survived a miracle from Mikal Bridges that forced overtime to medal at a global men's basketball tournament for the first time in 87 years. It beat the U.S. 127-118 in the third-place game at the World Cup on Sunday.Hook 'em Horns! No. 11 Texas, Ewers pull off 34-24 victory at No. 3 AlabamaTUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Quinn Ewers finished what he started last season, passing for 349 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 11 Texas to a 34-24 victory over third-ranked Alabama on Saturday night in a huge win for a program trying to climb back into national championship contention. The Longhorns delivered the biggest victory under Steve Sarkisian in a game that slipped away last season after a red-hot Ewers exited with a first-quarter shoulder injury. He was back and with another big weapon in Adonai Mitchell. This amounted to a welcome-to-the-Southeastern Conference moment for a program set to join Alabama &amp; Co. next season.Shedeur Sanders, No. 22 Colorado beat Nebraska 36-14 in sold out home debut for Deion SandersBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado's defense forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime rival Nebraska 36-14 in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two scores, while running for another touchdown. He capped his 6-yard romp with the dance moves his dad made famous during his playing days. The 2-0 Buffaloes needed a moment to wake up given the early kickoff. But once they did, they were unstoppable. After punting on their first four drives, Sanders and the offense scored on seven of eight possessions to turn the game into a rout. Matt Rhule is still looking for his first win at NebraskaCaleb Williams propels No. 6 USC to a 49-point first half in a 56-10 victory over StanfordLOS ANGELES (AP) — No. 6 Southern California routed Stanford 56-10 in this century-old rivalry's final chapter for the foreseeable future. Caleb Williams passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score while playing only the first half, and Zachariah Branch returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. The Trojans racked up 433 yards of offense and seven touchdowns by seven players while building a 49-3 halftime lead — the third-largest in Pac-12 history. USC generously used backups in the second half of their blowout of the Cardinal, who lost for the first time under new coach Troy Taylor.AP Top 25 Takeaways: Texas is ready for the SEC, but the SEC doesn't look so tough right nowTexas is ready for the Southeastern Conference. Then again, the SEC doesn't look so tough right now. In their final season as a member of the Big 12, the No. 11 Longhorns made a statement against Alabama and came away with the biggest victory of Steve Sarkisian's three seasons as Texas coach. Is Texas back? Who cares. Here's what's important: Texas was better than No. 3 Alabama in almost every way in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. That's been a trend in the big, bad SEC. The conference that has dominated college football for more than a decade has started this season 2-6 against other Power Five conferences.Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev meet again in the US Open men's finalNEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev will meet again to determine the U.S. Open men's champion. Their match Sunday afternoon is a rematch of the 2021 final in Flushing Meadows. Medvedev won that day for his lone Grand Slam title. The 27-year-old from Russia also denied Djokovic what would have been the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men's tennis since 1969. Djokovic has gone on to win two more major titles this year, at the Australian Open and French Open, to raise his career total to 23. That is the most Grand Slam singles titles in men's tennis history and ties Serena Williams for the most in the professional era, dating to 1968.Coco Gauff wins the US Open for her first Grand Slam title at age 19 by defeating Aryna SabalenkaNEW YORK (AP) — Coco Gauff has won her first Grand Slam title at age 19 by coming back to defeat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final. Gauff was spurred on Saturday by a raucous partisan crowd that was loud from start to finish. Gauff is the first American teenager to win the country's major tennis tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. This is the sort of triumph that has been expected of Gauff ever since she burst onto the scene when she was 15 and became the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history. Gauff stretched her winning streak to a career-best 12 matches.Sean Strickland stuns favorite Israel Adesanya for middleweight title at UFC 293SYDNEY (AP) — American Sean Strickland stunned Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya to take the middleweight title by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 293 in Sydney, the first UFC event in Australia's largest city in six years. The 32-year-old Strickland (28-5), who caused a stir in the lead-up to the fight with sexist and misogynistic comments at a press conference promoting the bout, won a five-round decision with all three judges scoring it 49-46. Backed by strong vocal support at Qudos Bank Arena, Adesanya (24-3) was a clear favorite to subdue his controversial American opponent and retain the title he won from Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in April.Bruce Arena quits as coach of the New England Revolution citing 'difficult' investigationFOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bruce Arena quit as coach of the New England Revolution on Saturday night, six weeks after he was placed on administrative leave by Major League Soccer for what it said were "allegations that he made insensitive and inappropriate remarks." The 71-year-old, a member of the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame, did not detail the allegations. The league said Aug. 1 it had placed him on leave.Bengals QB Joe Burrow, now the NFL's highest-paid player, says contract talks weren't a distractionCincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow says he didn't allow lingering contract negotiations to interfere with him working his way back from a training camp injury and preparing for Sunday's season opener. Burrow became the highest-paid player in the NFL on Thursday when he finalized his contract extension before the buses left for Cleveland. While the Bengals didn't disclose the terms, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that Burrow agreed to a five-year contract worth $275 million, including more than $219 million guaranteed. Burrow missed most of training camp with a strained calf muscle but returned to practice last week.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUE Final	Minnesota	8	N.Y. Mets	4	Final	Milwaukee	9	N.Y. Yankees	2	Final	Houston	7	San Diego	5	___AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Toronto	5	Kansas City	1	Final	Tampa Bay	7	Seattle	5	Final	Baltimore	13	Boston	12	Final	Detroit	3	Chicago White Sox	1	Final	Texas	3	Oakland	2	Final	L.A. Angels	6	Cleveland	2	___NATIONAL LEAGUE Final	Arizona	3	Chicago Cubs	2	Final	Washington	7	L.A. Dodgers	6	Final	Philadelphia	8	Miami	4	Final	St. Louis	4	Cincinnati	3	Final	Pittsburgh	8	Atlanta	4	Final	San Francisco	9	Colorado	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Final	(11)Texas	34	(3)Alabama	24	Final	(20)Mississippi	37	(24)Tulane	20	Final	(15)Kansas St.	42	Troy	13	Final	(22)Colorado	36	Nebraska	14	Final	(10)Notre Dame	45	NC State	24	Final	(12)Utah	20	Baylor	13	Final	(1)Georgia	45	Ball St.	3	Final	(7)Penn St.	63	Delaware	7	Final	(5)Ohio St.	35	Youngstown St.	7	Final	(25)Clemson	66	Charleston Southern	17	Final	(2)Michigan	35	UNLV	7	Final	Miami	48	(23)Texas A&amp;M	33	Final	(8)Washington	43	Tulsa	10	Final	(9)Tennessee	30	Austin Peay	13	Final	(17)North Carolina	40	Appalachian St.	34	Final	(18)Oklahoma	28	SMU	11	Final	(21)Duke	42	Lafayette	7	Final	(13)Oregon	38	Texas Tech	30	Final	(14)LSU	72	Grambling St.	10	Final	Washington St.	31	(19)Wisconsin	22	Final	(4)Florida St.	66	Southern Miss.	13	Final	(16)Oregon St.	55	UC Davis	7	Final	(6)Southern Cal	56	Stanford	10	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Final tie	San Jose	0	D.C. United	0	Final	Miami	3	Sporting Kansas City	2	Final tie	New England	1	Minnesota	1	Final	Portland	2	Los Angeles FC	0	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE Milwaukee	at	N-Y Yankees	1:35 p.m.	N-Y Mets	at	Minnesota	2:10 p.m.	San Diego	at	Houston	2:10 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE Chi White Sox	at	Detroit	1:10 p.m.	Seattle	at	Tampa Bay	1:10 p.m.	Baltimore	at	Boston	1:35 p.m.	Kansas City	at	Toronto	1:37 p.m.	Oakland	at	Texas	2:35 p.m.	Cleveland	at	L-A Angels	4:07 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE Miami	at	Philadelphia	1:05 p.m.	L-A Dodgers	at	Washington	1:35 p.m.	Pittsburgh	at	Atlanta	1:35 p.m.	St. Louis	at	Cincinnati	1:40 p.m.	Arizona	at	Chi Cubs	2:20 p.m.	Colorado	at	San Francisco	8:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Arizona	at	Washington	1 p.m.	Carolina	at	Atlanta	1 p.m.	Cincinnati	at	Cleveland	1 p.m.	Houston	at	Baltimore	1 p.m.	Jacksonville	at	Indianapolis	1 p.m.	San Francisco	at	Pittsburgh	1 p.m.	Tampa Bay	at	Minnesota	1 p.m.	Tennessee	at	New Orleans	1 p.m.	Green Bay	at	Chicago	4:25 p.m.	L.A. Rams	at	Seattle	4:25 p.m.	Las Vegas	at	Denver	4:25 p.m.	Miami	at	L.A. Chargers	4:25 p.m.	Philadelphia	at	New England	4:25 p.m.	Dallas	at	N-Y Giants	8:20 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Chicago	at	Connecticut	1 p.m.	Dallas	at	Atlanta	1 p.m.	Minnesota	at	Indiana	1 p.m.	Washington	at	New York	1 p.m.	Los Angeles	at	Seattle	3 p.m.	Phoenix	at	Las Vegas	3 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Saint Louis City SC	at	LA Galaxy	8 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Sunday

By DAVE SKRETTA Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs proved in their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night that their defense can get by just fine without Chris Jones, at least for a while, as the All-Pro defensive tackle continues his holdout.

While the Chiefs defense repelled the Lions all night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-dropped-passes-chiefs-lions-c8ae8f426ed6bf1bc861241ec5edcce9">their perpetually high-scoring offense fizzled</a>, undone by dropped passes, penalties and miscommunication. Patrick Mahomes looked a beat off, the offensive line played well until two significant penalties as the Chiefs tried to march for a go-ahead field goal, and just about everyone who had an opportunity to get their hands on the ball dropped it at least once,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lions-chiefs-nfl-opener-2023-47ffe470713ec61bac6ed0570003658a">all leading to a 21-20 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.</a>

Perhaps it would have turned out differently if Mahomes had Kelce, his All-Pro tight end and sure-handed security blanket,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">who missed the game after hyperextending his knee</a>&nbsp;in practice two days earlier.

“I mean, you're losing I think the best tight end of all time,” Mahomes said. “It's going to have an impact on the game, but others guys have to step up, and they're going to have to step up in moments, because I'm sure there will be times when he gets doubled, and so we're just going to have to rely on guys that are young and talented to step up and make plays.”

Mahomes finished by saying, “I believe they will.” But they did little Thursday night to create a whole lot of confidence.

Noah Gray, who was first off the bench to replace Kelce, miscommunicated once with Mahomes and dropped his pass on another play. Jerick McKinnon, who rarely drops a pass, did so late in the game. Kadarius Toney not only had one bounce off his hands for a pick-6 but dropped what would have been a long gain as the Chiefs were driving for go-ahead points.

Hard to believe that Kelce would have dropped so many balls under any circumstances.

“Got to be better as an offense,” said Blake Bell, another Kansas City tight end. “Defense battled their tails off, played great. Offensively we've got to finish when we get down there and whatever it is — dropped balls — we're just not scoring.”

Kelce tried to convince Chiefs coach Andy Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder to let him play, going through a series of drills earlier in the day. But he acknowledged some pain in the knee and Reid and Burkholder decided to give him the night off.

There is hope that the 10 days before the Chiefs' next game in Jacksonville is enough to ensure Kelce is back on the field.

“I feel like we put ourselves in some bad situations. We didn’t execute. Couldn’t get conversions on third downs," McKinnon said. "When you play against a good team you can’t do those things, and if you can’t come up with points, this is what happens.”

Mahomes provided some of the biggest highlights against Detroit not with his strong right arm but with his feet, and the fact that his scrambling topped a short list of things that were working is a bad sign. Mahomes ran six times for 45 yards, while the rest of the Chiefs combined for another 45 yards rushing but needed 17 carries to get them.

The Chiefs have one of the league's youngest secondaries and it showed when Lions ace Amon-Ra St. Brown diced it up. It would have helped to have Jones, who watched from a stadium suite, putting pressure on Jared Goff so that the defensive backfield did not have to cover for so long, but regardless, the Lions simply had too many guys wide open.

It's not fair to say Kelce's stock rose when he didn't play, even though it may be true. Of those on the field, defensive end Mike Danna may have gotten the biggest bump by his performance. He had six tackles, a pass deflection and the Chiefs' lone sack, and his ability to create a little bit of pressure was sorely needed.

Toney has had a rough couple months. He needed surgery after one practice at training camp for a torn meniscus in his knee, causing him to miss the entire preseason, and the rust was evident. Not only did Toney drop some high-pressure passes, he also was stuffed for a loss on second-and-2 at the Detroit 20 midway through the fourth quarter. And when McKinnon dropped a pass of his own on the next play, the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal that left them with a 20-14 lead.

The Chiefs came out of the game without any new injuries, one of the few bright spots for them on opening night.

1 — Mahomes lost for the first time in a season opener Thursday night. He also threw his first interception in a Week 1 game.

The Chiefs head to Jacksonville on Sept. 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694387136550.png" alt="Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Kelce is inactive due to an injury. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Kelce is inactive due to an injury. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs proved in their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night that their defense can get by just fine without Chris Jones, at least for a while, as the All-Pro defensive tackle continues his holdout.Travis Kelce is another matter.While the Chiefs defense repelled the Lions all night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mahomes-dropped-passes-chiefs-lions-c8ae8f426ed6bf1bc861241ec5edcce9">their perpetually high-scoring offense fizzled</a>, undone by dropped passes, penalties and miscommunication. Patrick Mahomes looked a beat off, the offensive line played well until two significant penalties as the Chiefs tried to march for a go-ahead field goal, and just about everyone who had an opportunity to get their hands on the ball dropped it at least once,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lions-chiefs-nfl-opener-2023-47ffe470713ec61bac6ed0570003658a">all leading to a 21-20 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.</a>Perhaps it would have turned out differently if Mahomes had Kelce, his All-Pro tight end and sure-handed security blanket,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-lions-travis-kelce-52ad950cf2472c589bd48ee813145cd3">who missed the game after hyperextending his knee</a>&nbsp;in practice two days earlier.“I mean, you're losing I think the best tight end of all time,” Mahomes said. “It's going to have an impact on the game, but others guys have to step up, and they're going to have to step up in moments, because I'm sure there will be times when he gets doubled, and so we're just going to have to rely on guys that are young and talented to step up and make plays.”Mahomes finished by saying, “I believe they will.” But they did little Thursday night to create a whole lot of confidence.Noah Gray, who was first off the bench to replace Kelce, miscommunicated once with Mahomes and dropped his pass on another play. Jerick McKinnon, who rarely drops a pass, did so late in the game. Kadarius Toney not only had one bounce off his hands for a pick-6 but dropped what would have been a long gain as the Chiefs were driving for go-ahead points.Hard to believe that Kelce would have dropped so many balls under any circumstances.“Got to be better as an offense,” said Blake Bell, another Kansas City tight end. “Defense battled their tails off, played great. Offensively we've got to finish when we get down there and whatever it is — dropped balls — we're just not scoring.”Kelce tried to convince Chiefs coach Andy Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder to let him play, going through a series of drills earlier in the day. But he acknowledged some pain in the knee and Reid and Burkholder decided to give him the night off.There is hope that the 10 days before the Chiefs' next game in Jacksonville is enough to ensure Kelce is back on the field.“I feel like we put ourselves in some bad situations. We didn’t execute. Couldn’t get conversions on third downs," McKinnon said. "When you play against a good team you can’t do those things, and if you can’t come up with points, this is what happens.”WHAT’S WORKINGMahomes provided some of the biggest highlights against Detroit not with his strong right arm but with his feet, and the fact that his scrambling topped a short list of things that were working is a bad sign. Mahomes ran six times for 45 yards, while the rest of the Chiefs combined for another 45 yards rushing but needed 17 carries to get them.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Chiefs have one of the league's youngest secondaries and it showed when Lions ace Amon-Ra St. Brown diced it up. It would have helped to have Jones, who watched from a stadium suite, putting pressure on Jared Goff so that the defensive backfield did not have to cover for so long, but regardless, the Lions simply had too many guys wide open.STOCK UPIt's not fair to say Kelce's stock rose when he didn't play, even though it may be true. Of those on the field, defensive end Mike Danna may have gotten the biggest bump by his performance. He had six tackles, a pass deflection and the Chiefs' lone sack, and his ability to create a little bit of pressure was sorely needed.STOCK DOWNToney has had a rough couple months. He needed surgery after one practice at training camp for a torn meniscus in his knee, causing him to miss the entire preseason, and the rust was evident. Not only did Toney drop some high-pressure passes, he also was stuffed for a loss on second-and-2 at the Detroit 20 midway through the fourth quarter. And when McKinnon dropped a pass of his own on the next play, the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal that left them with a 20-14 lead.INJURIESThe Chiefs came out of the game without any new injuries, one of the few bright spots for them on opening night.KEY NUMBER1 — Mahomes lost for the first time in a season opener Thursday night. He also threw his first interception in a Week 1 game.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs head to Jacksonville on Sept. 17.

🏈 Chiefs get by just fine without holdout Chris Jones, but injury to Travis Kelce proved costly

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.

Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.

K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.

Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.

“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically.

"I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”

K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.

Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.

The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.

“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."

K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.

“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”

Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.

Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.

“We definitely needed to make a play right there,” Brooks said. “That play was big-time, because they had stopped us a few times.”

Kansas State did not overlook Troy. After being stunned at home by non-Power Five opponents in two of the last three seasons, the Wildcats defended the home field with a strong defensive effort.

Troy: Trojans will return home to face James Madison for their Sun Belt Conference opener.

Kansas State: Wildcats will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for a matchup with their former Big Eight and Big 12 rival Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694294819130.jpeg" alt="Kansas State wide receiver Phillips Brooks (8) runs after making a catch against Troy&nbsp; in Manhattan, Kan. , Saturday, September 9, 2023. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State wide receiver Phillips Brooks (8) runs after making a catch against Troy&nbsp; in Manhattan, Kan. , Saturday, September 9, 2023. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SMALE Associated PressMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically."I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.“We definitely needed to make a play right there,” Brooks said. “That play was big-time, because they had stopped us a few times.”THE TAKEAWAYKansas State did not overlook Troy. After being stunned at home by non-Power Five opponents in two of the last three seasons, the Wildcats defended the home field with a strong defensive effort.UP NEXTTroy: Trojans will return home to face James Madison for their Sun Belt Conference opener.Kansas State: Wildcats will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for a matchup with their former Big Eight and Big 12 rival Missouri.

🏈 Howard 5 TDs carries Wildcats to win over Troy

TORONTO (AP) — George Springer homered twice and drove in four runs, Kevin Gausman struck out 10 over eight sharp innings and the Toronto Blue Jays moved a season-best 16 games above .500 by beating the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Saturday.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits for the Blue Jays (79-63), who entered 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas for the final AL wild card berth. Toronto has won five of six and is 6-2 in September.

"This is a fun time to play," Springer said. "We're obviously right in the middle of it."

Springer homered against Zach Greinke (1-15) in the fourth and Angel Zerpa in the seventh, his 21st multihomer game and first this year. Springer has 19 homers this season.

"When he's hot, he can just take over the game," Gausman said of Springer. "He kind of single-handedly beat them today. When he's feeling good at the plate, there's nobody better."

Gausman (11-8) allowed one run and two hits, and raised his AL-leading strikeouts total to 217 with his eighth double-digit strikeout game this season and first since June 27. He struck out the side in the eighth.

"It's what he's been doing since we acquired him last year," manager John Schneider said.

Gausman said an ability to locate his fastball down in the strike zone helped make his splitter more effective.

"I had really good command, probably better as the game went on," Gausman said. "When I'm able to dot that pitch, it definitely makes things harder for hitters."

Royals outfielder Drew Waters had one of Kansas City's two hits but struck out in his other two at-bats. Waters agreed that it was hard to lay off Gausman's splitter.

"When you start looking down in the zone for his fastball because that's where he's throwing it and then he sneaks a split in there right after, it's hard not to swing at it," Waters said.

Jordan Hicks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth as the Royals were held to two hits or fewer for the ninth time.

Kansas City lost its third straight and eighth of 11. The Royals (44-99) have the worst record in the major leagues and are one defeat from their first 100-loss season since 2019.

Springer put Toronto ahead in the fourth with a leadoff homer off Greinke, who allowed four runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings of relief. The 39-year-old right-hander, a six-time All-Star, is 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 19 appearances since beating Baltimore on May 3.

"He was battling out there," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He struggled for command, for stuff. He wasn't as sharp as he normally is."

Grienke's 15 losses are one shy of teammate Jordan Lyles, the major league leader.

Gausman didn't allow a hit through the first four innings, but Edward Olivares tied it with a solo homer in the fifth.

Springer's two-run single in the bottom half gave Toronto a 3-1 lead. Springer is 10 for 18 in his career against Greinke.

Toronto made it 4-1 in the sixth when Guerrero singled and scored on Cavan Biggio's double.

Guerrero stuck his right hand out to touch home plate while avoiding an attempted tag on his left arm from catcher Salvador Perez.

Gausman pitched for the first time since cutting off several inches of hair, which had previously reached his shoulders.

"I was just tired of it," Gausman said. "It was so hot, my neck was just sweating too much. A cold neck today was pretty nice. It felt good."

Royals 2B Michael Massey grabbed Guerrero's grounder in the seventh and flipped it to SS Bobby Wit Jr., who threw to first for the out.

"That was incredible," Quatraro said. "They've done that a couple of times but I think that's the best of the ones they've done."

Kansas City has not won a series north of the border since 2017 and has lost nine of its past 10 games in Toronto.

Royals: Kansas City put LHP Austin Cox (left knee) on the 60-day IL and C Freddy Fermin (fractured right middle finger) in the 10-day IL. Cox had to be helped off the field after he was injured covering first base in the seventh inning of Friday's loss. Fermin was injured on a catcher's interference play in the eighth. The Royals activated RHP Brad Keller (shoulder) off the 60-day IL and selected the contract of C Tyler Cropley from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette got the day off after being activated off the IL Friday. Bichette returned after missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps.

Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (9-10, 3.68 ERA) is expected to face Royals LHP Cole Ragans (6-4, 3.00) in Sunday's series finale. Ragans has pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest active streak in the majors.

By IAN HARRISON Associated PressTORONTO (AP) — George Springer homered twice and drove in four runs, Kevin Gausman struck out 10 over eight sharp innings and the Toronto Blue Jays moved a season-best 16 games above .500 by beating the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Saturday.Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits for the Blue Jays (79-63), who entered 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas for the final AL wild card berth. Toronto has won five of six and is 6-2 in September."This is a fun time to play," Springer said. "We're obviously right in the middle of it."Springer homered against Zach Greinke (1-15) in the fourth and Angel Zerpa in the seventh, his 21st multihomer game and first this year. Springer has 19 homers this season."When he's hot, he can just take over the game," Gausman said of Springer. "He kind of single-handedly beat them today. When he's feeling good at the plate, there's nobody better."Gausman (11-8) allowed one run and two hits, and raised his AL-leading strikeouts total to 217 with his eighth double-digit strikeout game this season and first since June 27. He struck out the side in the eighth."It's what he's been doing since we acquired him last year," manager John Schneider said.Gausman said an ability to locate his fastball down in the strike zone helped make his splitter more effective."I had really good command, probably better as the game went on," Gausman said. "When I'm able to dot that pitch, it definitely makes things harder for hitters."Royals outfielder Drew Waters had one of Kansas City's two hits but struck out in his other two at-bats. Waters agreed that it was hard to lay off Gausman's splitter."When you start looking down in the zone for his fastball because that's where he's throwing it and then he sneaks a split in there right after, it's hard not to swing at it," Waters said.Jordan Hicks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth as the Royals were held to two hits or fewer for the ninth time.Kansas City lost its third straight and eighth of 11. The Royals (44-99) have the worst record in the major leagues and are one defeat from their first 100-loss season since 2019.Springer put Toronto ahead in the fourth with a leadoff homer off Greinke, who allowed four runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings of relief. The 39-year-old right-hander, a six-time All-Star, is 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 19 appearances since beating Baltimore on May 3."He was battling out there," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He struggled for command, for stuff. He wasn't as sharp as he normally is."Grienke's 15 losses are one shy of teammate Jordan Lyles, the major league leader.Gausman didn't allow a hit through the first four innings, but Edward Olivares tied it with a solo homer in the fifth.Springer's two-run single in the bottom half gave Toronto a 3-1 lead. Springer is 10 for 18 in his career against Greinke.Toronto made it 4-1 in the sixth when Guerrero singled and scored on Cavan Biggio's double.Guerrero stuck his right hand out to touch home plate while avoiding an attempted tag on his left arm from catcher Salvador Perez.NEW LOOK, COLD NECKGausman pitched for the first time since cutting off several inches of hair, which had previously reached his shoulders."I was just tired of it," Gausman said. "It was so hot, my neck was just sweating too much. A cold neck today was pretty nice. It felt good."WEB GEMRoyals 2B Michael Massey grabbed Guerrero's grounder in the seventh and flipped it to SS Bobby Wit Jr., who threw to first for the out."That was incredible," Quatraro said. "They've done that a couple of times but I think that's the best of the ones they've done."WOE CANADAKansas City has not won a series north of the border since 2017 and has lost nine of its past 10 games in Toronto.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Kansas City put LHP Austin Cox (left knee) on the 60-day IL and C Freddy Fermin (fractured right middle finger) in the 10-day IL. Cox had to be helped off the field after he was injured covering first base in the seventh inning of Friday's loss. Fermin was injured on a catcher's interference play in the eighth. The Royals activated RHP Brad Keller (shoulder) off the 60-day IL and selected the contract of C Tyler Cropley from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette got the day off after being activated off the IL Friday. Bichette returned after missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps.UP NEXTBlue Jays RHP José Berríos (9-10, 3.68 ERA) is expected to face Royals LHP Cole Ragans (6-4, 3.00) in Sunday's series finale. Ragans has pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest active streak in the majors.

⚾ Royals drop third straight game in loss to Blue Jays

FORT DODGE, Iowa — No. 1 Hutchinson (3-0) reeled off 27 unanswered points after an inauspicious start and No. 5 Iowa Central (2-1) safety to open the scoring.

Confusion broke out for what was initially ruled the first touchdown of the game.

A Blue Dragon 16-play drive stalled in Triton territory and Hutchinson settled for a Cole Segraves field-goal attempt. The 24-yard try was blocked by Isaiah Bruce and Eli West returned it to the house for a scoop-six.

The return happened down the Iowa Central sideline as bench players walked onto the field to celebrate with their teammates.

Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas asked for a conference with officials to think through the play. Dallas explained that the ball had been blocked behind the line of scrimmage and became dead when it rolled to a stop in the end zone.

Officials agreed and took the points off the board.

"Just a freak incident that probably happens once out of every five years," Dallas said of the play. "Sometimes it just takes time to get those things worked out, ironed out."

The ensuing Triton possession ended with a fumble. It would be the first of five turnovers on the day for Iowa Central.

The first points of the game came compliments of the Iowa Central defense. After punter/linebacker Kolben Miller pinned Hutchinson on its own 1, he tackled running back Brandon Epton Jr. in the end zone for a safety.

The first two points of the day proved to be the only points for Iowa Central all afternoon.

From there, Hutchinson scored 27 straight, including 17 in the second half thanks to four defensive interceptions.

Ryan Nolan tied a Blue Dragon single-game record (Jaylon Myers - 2013 at Coffeyville) with three interceptions in one game. All three came in the third quarter.

Demonte Gaston registered a pick in the fourth quarter on Triton backup Trevon Taylor. Gaston had the jump on the pass and Nolan, who was nearly in position for his fourth takeaway.

Starter Justin Silverstein exited the game after his third pick. He finished the day 11-of-28 for 145 yards and the three interceptions.

Silverstein started the day 6-of-8 for 106 yards.

Samari Collier experienced the exact opposite for Hutchinson. The redshirt freshman quarterback began the day 3-of-8 for 32 yards before connecting on 4-of-5 for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

After giving up the safety with 22 seconds to play in the first quarter, Hutchinson got a 40-yard field goal from Segraves to take a baseball-like lead at 3-2.

Just before the break, Collier found ManMan Singleton on a 16-yard scissor pattern to put the Dragons up 10-3 at halftime.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694293551480.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FORT DODGE, Iowa — No. 1 Hutchinson (3-0) reeled off 27 unanswered points after an inauspicious start and No. 5 Iowa Central (2-1) safety to open the scoring.Confusion broke out for what was initially ruled the first touchdown of the game.A Blue Dragon 16-play drive stalled in Triton territory and Hutchinson settled for a Cole Segraves field-goal attempt. The 24-yard try was blocked by Isaiah Bruce and Eli West returned it to the house for a scoop-six.The return happened down the Iowa Central sideline as bench players walked onto the field to celebrate with their teammates.Blue Dragon head coach Drew Dallas asked for a conference with officials to think through the play. Dallas explained that the ball had been blocked behind the line of scrimmage and became dead when it rolled to a stop in the end zone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694293483658.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Officials agreed and took the points off the board."Just a freak incident that probably happens once out of every five years," Dallas said of the play. "Sometimes it just takes time to get those things worked out, ironed out."The ensuing Triton possession ended with a fumble. It would be the first of five turnovers on the day for Iowa Central.The first points of the game came compliments of the Iowa Central defense. After punter/linebacker Kolben Miller pinned Hutchinson on its own 1, he tackled running back Brandon Epton Jr. in the end zone for a safety.The first two points of the day proved to be the only points for Iowa Central all afternoon.From there, Hutchinson scored 27 straight, including 17 in the second half thanks to four defensive interceptions.Ryan Nolan tied a Blue Dragon single-game record (Jaylon Myers - 2013 at Coffeyville) with three interceptions in one game. All three came in the third quarter.Demonte Gaston registered a pick in the fourth quarter on Triton backup Trevon Taylor. Gaston had the jump on the pass and Nolan, who was nearly in position for his fourth takeaway.Starter Justin Silverstein exited the game after his third pick. He finished the day 11-of-28 for 145 yards and the three interceptions.Silverstein started the day 6-of-8 for 106 yards.Samari Collier experienced the exact opposite for Hutchinson. The redshirt freshman quarterback began the day 3-of-8 for 32 yards before connecting on 4-of-5 for 119 yards and two touchdowns.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694293720415.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After giving up the safety with 22 seconds to play in the first quarter, Hutchinson got a 40-yard field goal from Segraves to take a baseball-like lead at 3-2.Just before the break, Collier found ManMan Singleton on a 16-yard scissor pattern to put the Dragons up 10-3 at halftime.Collier used his legs in the third quarter on a 29-yard house call up the middle of the Triton defense.Segraves added a 25-yard field goal to begin the fourth quarter before Collier found Tristan Smith on a free play from 16 yards away.FINAL: Hutchinson 27 Iowa Central 2<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694293610437.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson's defense did not surrender any points. "We danced in that locker room liked they pitched a shutout without a doubt," Dallas said. "We lost sleep this week over the score (only TD allowed this season last week vs. Ellsworth). Those guys continue to step up, play lights out."The Dragon D registered three sacks, two came from Daniel Brown.Hutchinson was 7-of-14 on third down and held Iowa Central to 1-for-9.Hutchinson gets a bye week before returning to Gowans Stadium Sept. 23 to open conference play against Coffeyville (0-2).<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;