Colts grind out 12-9 win over Broncos in injury-filled game

DENVER (AP) — Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson's pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Indianapolis Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Gilmore also intercepted Wilson's pass in the fourth quarter to help set up Chase McLauglin's tying field goal. McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each, but it featured zero touchdowns. The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.

Warriors' Draymond Green apologizes for fight with teammate

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers says star forward Draymond Green apologized to the team a day after fighting with teammate Jordan Poole during practice. Poole practiced Thursday while Green didn't. Myers said any potential discipline would be handled internally. Myers said he doesn't anticipate Green missing any games for Wednesday's altercation. The Athletic first reported the scuffle, saying Green struck Poole. Myers said "space is good" regarding Green not practicing and going home after he addressed the team. Green was previously suspended for one game in 2018 after a confrontation with teammate Kevin Durant.

MLB velocity, shifts set records; average lowest since 1968

NEW YORK (AP) — Higher velocity and increased shifts led to the major league batting average dropping to .243, its lowest since 1968. Defensive shifts and 100 mph pitches set records this season, contributing to the worrisome offensive drop Major League Baseball is trying to address. When the average dropped this low more than a half-century ago, MLB lowered the pitcher's mound. Next year's rules changes announced last month include the first restriction on shifts, a decision made over the objection of the players' association.

Brittney Griner at 'weakest moment' in Russia, her wife says

WASHINGTON (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner is at her "absolute weakest moment in life right now" as she faces a hearing in Russia later this month for her appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for drug possession. That's according to her wife, Cherelle Griner, who told "CBS Mornings" in an interview aired Thursday that Brittney Griner is afraid of being forgotten by the U.S. Brittney Griner was convicted Aug. 4 after Russian police found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Her defense lawyers said Griner had been prescribed cannabis for pain. Cherelle Griner said she fears her wife could be moved to a Russia labor camp.

MLB crowds jump from '21, still below pre-pandemic levels

Major League Baseball wasn't able to coax fans to ballparks at pre-pandemic levels this season, though attendance did jump substantially from the COVID-19 affected campaign in 2021. The 30 MLB teams drew 64.6 million fans for the regular season that ended Wednesday, which is up from the 45.3 million who attended games last season. This year's numbers are still down from the 68.5 million who attended games in 2019, which was the last season that wasn't affected by the pandemic. The Los Angeles Dodgers led baseball with an average of 47,672 fans flocking to games while the Oakland Athletics drew just 9,849 per game to rank last.

LeBron in Vegas? He makes an expansion pitch to Adam Silver

LAS VEGAS (AP) — LeBron James came to Las Vegas for a preseason game. And a pitch. James, who has spoken in the past about how he wants to eventually own an NBA franchise -- with Las Vegas on his mind -- sent a crystal-clear message to Commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday night, reminding him of his future plans to bring a team to the desert. Though Silver has said he expects expansion at some point, it is believed that wouldn't happen until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement and television deals are complete.

'Cooper Clutch' as QB Rush stays perfect for Cowboys

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush just keeps on winning as Dak Prescott's injury replacement at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Rush shrugs off his penchant for victories, saying QB wins are team wins. Rush is 3-0 this season after Prescott fractured his right thumb and 4-0 for his career. One of the victories this season came against defending AFC champion Cincinnati. Rush's fifth career start is Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

Wembanyama's 2-game Las Vegas exhibition stay ends with win

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama and his French team Metropolitans 92 have gotten a split of their two-game exhibition series against the G League Ignite. Wembanyama is the presumed front-runner to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-3 phenom followed up his 37-point Las Vegas debut with a 36-point outing in Thursday's win. He says he deserves the attention he gets but doesn't take any of it for granted.

Indonesian police to charge 6 people in soccer disaster

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police say they are bringing criminal charges against three officers and three civilians for their roles in the deaths of 131 people when police fired tear gas inside a soccer stadium, setting off a panicked run for the exits in which many were crushed. The national police chief says the suspects include the head of the agency that administers the top professional soccer division and is responsible for ensuring that stadiums have a proper operating certificates. He says charges are also being brought against the chief executive of the match, the chief security officer and three police officers. The charges include negligence leading to death or serious injury. The maximum penalties range up to five years in prison.

3 tied for lead after 1st round of LIV Golf in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Richard Bland, Branden Grace and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra upstaged their more-illustrious opponents to shoot 7-under 65s and take the lead after the first round of the LIV Golf Invitational-Bangkok. Marc Leishman and Ian Poulter were a stroke behind while Kim Sihwan, Brooks Koepka and Morgan Jediah were among those two behind in the 54-hole event. The tournament is being played on the new Stonehill Golf Club north of downtown Bangkok. Dustin Johnson leads the money list with just over $12.5 million in five events. He shot 70. British Open champion Cameron Smith won the last LIV event in Chicago in mid-September and shot 72.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:02 a.m. EDTColts grind out 12-9 win over Broncos in injury-filled gameDENVER (AP) — Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson's pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Indianapolis Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Gilmore also intercepted Wilson's pass in the fourth quarter to help set up Chase McLauglin's tying field goal. McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each, but it featured zero touchdowns. The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.Warriors' Draymond Green apologizes for fight with teammateSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers says star forward Draymond Green apologized to the team a day after fighting with teammate Jordan Poole during practice. Poole practiced Thursday while Green didn't. Myers said any potential discipline would be handled internally. Myers said he doesn't anticipate Green missing any games for Wednesday's altercation. The Athletic first reported the scuffle, saying Green struck Poole. Myers said "space is good" regarding Green not practicing and going home after he addressed the team. Green was previously suspended for one game in 2018 after a confrontation with teammate Kevin Durant.MLB velocity, shifts set records; average lowest since 1968NEW YORK (AP) — Higher velocity and increased shifts led to the major league batting average dropping to .243, its lowest since 1968. Defensive shifts and 100 mph pitches set records this season, contributing to the worrisome offensive drop Major League Baseball is trying to address. When the average dropped this low more than a half-century ago, MLB lowered the pitcher's mound. Next year's rules changes announced last month include the first restriction on shifts, a decision made over the objection of the players' association.Brittney Griner at 'weakest moment' in Russia, her wife saysWASHINGTON (AP) — WNBA star Brittney Griner is at her "absolute weakest moment in life right now" as she faces a hearing in Russia later this month for her appeal of a nine-year prison sentence for drug possession. That's according to her wife, Cherelle Griner, who told "CBS Mornings" in an interview aired Thursday that Brittney Griner is afraid of being forgotten by the U.S. Brittney Griner was convicted Aug. 4 after Russian police found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Her defense lawyers said Griner had been prescribed cannabis for pain. Cherelle Griner said she fears her wife could be moved to a Russia labor camp.MLB crowds jump from '21, still below pre-pandemic levelsMajor League Baseball wasn't able to coax fans to ballparks at pre-pandemic levels this season, though attendance did jump substantially from the COVID-19 affected campaign in 2021. The 30 MLB teams drew 64.6 million fans for the regular season that ended Wednesday, which is up from the 45.3 million who attended games last season. This year's numbers are still down from the 68.5 million who attended games in 2019, which was the last season that wasn't affected by the pandemic. The Los Angeles Dodgers led baseball with an average of 47,672 fans flocking to games while the Oakland Athletics drew just 9,849 per game to rank last.LeBron in Vegas? He makes an expansion pitch to Adam SilverLAS VEGAS (AP) — LeBron James came to Las Vegas for a preseason game. And a pitch. James, who has spoken in the past about how he wants to eventually own an NBA franchise -- with Las Vegas on his mind -- sent a crystal-clear message to Commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday night, reminding him of his future plans to bring a team to the desert. Though Silver has said he expects expansion at some point, it is believed that wouldn't happen until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement and television deals are complete.'Cooper Clutch' as QB Rush stays perfect for CowboysFRISCO, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush just keeps on winning as Dak Prescott's injury replacement at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Rush shrugs off his penchant for victories, saying QB wins are team wins. Rush is 3-0 this season after Prescott fractured his right thumb and 4-0 for his career. One of the victories this season came against defending AFC champion Cincinnati. Rush's fifth career start is Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.Wembanyama's 2-game Las Vegas exhibition stay ends with winHENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama and his French team Metropolitans 92 have gotten a split of their two-game exhibition series against the G League Ignite. Wembanyama is the presumed front-runner to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-3 phenom followed up his 37-point Las Vegas debut with a 36-point outing in Thursday's win. He says he deserves the attention he gets but doesn't take any of it for granted.Indonesian police to charge 6 people in soccer disasterJAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police say they are bringing criminal charges against three officers and three civilians for their roles in the deaths of 131 people when police fired tear gas inside a soccer stadium, setting off a panicked run for the exits in which many were crushed. The national police chief says the suspects include the head of the agency that administers the top professional soccer division and is responsible for ensuring that stadiums have a proper operating certificates. He says charges are also being brought against the chief executive of the match, the chief security officer and three police officers. The charges include negligence leading to death or serious injury. The maximum penalties range up to five years in prison.3 tied for lead after 1st round of LIV Golf in ThailandBANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Richard Bland, Branden Grace and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra upstaged their more-illustrious opponents to shoot 7-under 65s and take the lead after the first round of the LIV Golf Invitational-Bangkok. Marc Leishman and Ian Poulter were a stroke behind while Kim Sihwan, Brooks Koepka and Morgan Jediah were among those two behind in the 54-hole event. The tournament is being played on the new Stonehill Golf Club north of downtown Bangkok. Dustin Johnson leads the money list with just over $12.5 million in five events. He shot 70. British Open champion Cameron Smith won the last LIV event in Chicago in mid-September and shot 72.

Sports Headlines for Friday

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — Matt Ryan kept the faith through all the sacks, interceptions, fumbles and three-and-outs that made for a streaming snooze-fest Thursday night.

"It was just kind of a slog of a game," the Indianapolis quarterback said after Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson's pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos.

The game featured seven field goals, a dozen punts, 25 third-down stops, four interceptions and six fumbles — none of which were recovered by the otherwise disruptive defenses.

"Our defense played lights out," said Ryan, who emerged victorious despite getting sacked six times, giving him 21 so far this season, throwing a pair of interceptions to Caden Sterns and fumbling for the 10th time this season.

"We need to play better for sure, but I'm proud of the guys," Ryan said. "Wins are what we need. We're right in the mix. ... I thought the two drives at the end showed a lot of guys. You just keep battling — and it helps when your defense is shutting them down, too."

Gilmore also intercepted Wilson's pass just before the 2-minute mark of the fourth quarter to set up Chase McLaughlin's tying field goal with 5 seconds left.

"That's the definition of a big-time player making big plays in the moment," Colts coach Frank Reich said about Gilmore. "Isn't it awesome you can have a game like that and still win?"

McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each yet featured zero touchdowns.

The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus or even a first-down play on fourth-and-less-and-a-yard from the 5, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.

"We wanted to win the game," Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. "We hadn't moved the ball very well the whole night and I thought we had a spectacular drive to get all the way down there."

Wide open and uncovered — but unseen by Wilson — was KJ Hamler, who tore off his helmet and slammed it to the ground after Wilson's final pass was batted away, sending the Broncos and their awful offense to their second loss in four days.

"There's going to be a bunch of what-ifs," Broncos guard Dalton Risner said. "You know what, if we score that touchdown, everyone thinks it's the best call in the world."

McLaughlin sent it to overtime with a 31-yarder after Gilmore intercepted Wilson's pass to Tyrie Cleveland in the end zone on third-and-4 from the 13.

"Just can't throw that," lamented Wilson. "Got to throw it out of bounds if it's not there."

Wilson was sacked four times and picked off twice. His four TD throws through five games marks the worst start of his 11-year career and he hasn't looked anything like the Broncos expected after giving him a $245 million contract extension before his first snap for Denver.

"It's very simple: at the end of the day I got to be better," Wilson said. "I got to play better. I let the team down tonight. One thing I know about myself is I'm going to respond."

The game pitted veteran quarterbacks struggling with their new teams. It looked like neither team practiced much during the week because neither team did as they worked in new running backs and key defensive replacements on a short work week.

And as is common on Thursday nights, there was a rash of injuries with the most serious to Indy's Kwity Payne (leg) and Denver's Garett Bolles (right knee), both of whom were carted off.

With reigning NFL champion Jonathan Taylor (ankle, toe) out for Indy and the Broncos lamenting the loss of Javonte Williams to a shredded right knee, the grind-it-out nature of the game was entirely expected.

The Colts came in averaging 14.3 points, the lowest in Ryan's 16-year career, and the Broncos entered the night averaging 16.5 points, the worst in Wilson's 11-year career.

Nyheim Hines got the start for Indy, but he went out with a head injury after his third snap when D.J. Jones knocked him down and Hines' helmet bounced on the ground. He wobbled as he tried to leave the field on his own and had to be guided to the sideline, where he was evaluated for a concussion.

Many fans were wondering if this game would be one of revenge — Phillip Lindsay returning to his hometown to beat the Broncos — or redemption — Gordon atoning for his big fumble Sunday that was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by the Raiders.

Lindsay ran for 40 yards on 11 carries ad Gordon had 54 yards on 15 carries, and he was flipped by safety Rodney McLoyd Jr. at the 6 on his way to the end zone when it appeared he had an open path to the winning touchdown.

While McLaughlin was good from 52, 51, 31 and 48 yards, Brandon McManus was good from 33, 44 and 45 yards but his 34-yard attempt was blocked by Grover Stewart in the third quarter.

Paye was injured on Rodney Thomas II's 35-yard interception return. Starting C Ryan Kelly (hip) and WR Austin Dulin (foot) also got hurt.

The Broncos lost two starting defenders to knee injuries just before halftime, ILB Josey Jewell and CB Ronald Darby. DE Dre'Mont Jones (head) and LB Baron Browning (wrist) got hurt in the second half as did Bolles.

The Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Oct. 16, and the Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, Oct. 17.

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football WriterDENVER (AP) — Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson's pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Indianapolis Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. Gilmore also intercepted Wilson's pass in the fourth quarter to help set up Chase McLauglin's tying field goal. McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each, but it featured zero touchdowns. The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle.DENVER (AP) — Matt Ryan kept the faith through all the sacks, interceptions, fumbles and three-and-outs that made for a streaming snooze-fest Thursday night."It was just kind of a slog of a game," the Indianapolis quarterback said after Stephon Gilmore batted away Russell Wilson's pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5 to give the Colts a 12-9 overtime victory over the Denver Broncos.The game featured seven field goals, a dozen punts, 25 third-down stops, four interceptions and six fumbles — none of which were recovered by the otherwise disruptive defenses."Our defense played lights out," said Ryan, who emerged victorious despite getting sacked six times, giving him 21 so far this season, throwing a pair of interceptions to Caden Sterns and fumbling for the 10th time this season."We need to play better for sure, but I'm proud of the guys," Ryan said. "Wins are what we need. We're right in the mix. ... I thought the two drives at the end showed a lot of guys. You just keep battling — and it helps when your defense is shutting them down, too."Gilmore also intercepted Wilson's pass just before the 2-minute mark of the fourth quarter to set up Chase McLaughlin's tying field goal with 5 seconds left."That's the definition of a big-time player making big plays in the moment," Colts coach Frank Reich said about Gilmore. "Isn't it awesome you can have a game like that and still win?"McLauglin connected from 47 yards 4:10 into overtime to give the Colts (2-2-1) the lead in the first game in NFL history that pitted quarterbacks with at least four Pro Bowl appearances each yet featured zero touchdowns.The Broncos (2-3) decided against a tying chip-shot field goal by Brandon McManus or even a first-down play on fourth-and-less-and-a-yard from the 5, and Wilson lined up in the shotgun next to running back Melvin Gordon, then threw incomplete over the middle."We wanted to win the game," Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. "We hadn't moved the ball very well the whole night and I thought we had a spectacular drive to get all the way down there."Wide open and uncovered — but unseen by Wilson — was KJ Hamler, who tore off his helmet and slammed it to the ground after Wilson's final pass was batted away, sending the Broncos and their awful offense to their second loss in four days."There's going to be a bunch of what-ifs," Broncos guard Dalton Risner said. "You know what, if we score that touchdown, everyone thinks it's the best call in the world."McLaughlin sent it to overtime with a 31-yarder after Gilmore intercepted Wilson's pass to Tyrie Cleveland in the end zone on third-and-4 from the 13."Just can't throw that," lamented Wilson. "Got to throw it out of bounds if it's not there."Wilson was sacked four times and picked off twice. His four TD throws through five games marks the worst start of his 11-year career and he hasn't looked anything like the Broncos expected after giving him a $245 million contract extension before his first snap for Denver."It's very simple: at the end of the day I got to be better," Wilson said. "I got to play better. I let the team down tonight. One thing I know about myself is I'm going to respond."The game pitted veteran quarterbacks struggling with their new teams. It looked like neither team practiced much during the week because neither team did as they worked in new running backs and key defensive replacements on a short work week.And as is common on Thursday nights, there was a rash of injuries with the most serious to Indy's Kwity Payne (leg) and Denver's Garett Bolles (right knee), both of whom were carted off.With reigning NFL champion Jonathan Taylor (ankle, toe) out for Indy and the Broncos lamenting the loss of Javonte Williams to a shredded right knee, the grind-it-out nature of the game was entirely expected.The Colts came in averaging 14.3 points, the lowest in Ryan's 16-year career, and the Broncos entered the night averaging 16.5 points, the worst in Wilson's 11-year career.Nyheim Hines got the start for Indy, but he went out with a head injury after his third snap when D.J. Jones knocked him down and Hines' helmet bounced on the ground. He wobbled as he tried to leave the field on his own and had to be guided to the sideline, where he was evaluated for a concussion.REVENGE OR REDEMPTIONMany fans were wondering if this game would be one of revenge — Phillip Lindsay returning to his hometown to beat the Broncos — or redemption — Gordon atoning for his big fumble Sunday that was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by the Raiders.It turned out to be neither.Lindsay ran for 40 yards on 11 carries ad Gordon had 54 yards on 15 carries, and he was flipped by safety Rodney McLoyd Jr. at the 6 on his way to the end zone when it appeared he had an open path to the winning touchdown.KICKING HIMSELFWhile McLaughlin was good from 52, 51, 31 and 48 yards, Brandon McManus was good from 33, 44 and 45 yards but his 34-yard attempt was blocked by Grover Stewart in the third quarter.INJURIESPaye was injured on Rodney Thomas II's 35-yard interception return. Starting C Ryan Kelly (hip) and WR Austin Dulin (foot) also got hurt.The Broncos lost two starting defenders to knee injuries just before halftime, ILB Josey Jewell and CB Ronald Darby. DE Dre'Mont Jones (head) and LB Baron Browning (wrist) got hurt in the second half as did Bolles.UP NEXTThe Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Oct. 16, and the Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night, Oct. 17.___

🏈 Colts grind out 12-9 win over Broncos in injury-filled Thursday night game

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.&nbsp;– In its first Big 12 road victory, K-State was able to hold off West Virginia in three sets, 25-22, 28-26, 25-18, at WVU Coliseum on Wednesday. K-State (11-6, 2-2) was led by seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9672">Elena Baka</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8186">Sydney Bolding</a>&nbsp;with eight kills each. Baka kept the tempo at a .412 hitting efficiency while Bolding swung at .235 for the night. K-State concluded the night with 10 blocks with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8072">Kadye Fernholz</a>&nbsp;logging a five-block performance. Bolding added four stops at the net. <a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8076">Mackenzie Morris</a>&nbsp;collected her sixth straight match with at least 15 digs, turning in 16 to lead all players. Baka contributed eight passes. The Cats notched four service aces from Bolding, Morris,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8073">Loren Hinkle</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8080">Molly Ramsey</a>. Hinkle finished with 26 assists against the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers produced 38 kills to the Cats' 33, but tallied a their second-lowest hitting percentage at .075. Melanie McGann (7 kills, 5 digs) led all players with a .462 hitting ratio. Adrian Ell tallied a match-high 13 kills at a .167 efficiency. Kamiah Gibson put up 29 assists and two of the Mountaineers' three aces. FROM THE HEAD COACH Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1693">Suzie Fritz</a> On the difference in the match… "Our serving continues to put pressure on opponents. It kept West Virginia out of system and we were able to get productive touches in the net and score points defensively. It wasn't always pretty, but we found a way to win and showed resilience and composure in some tough moments. Credit to West Virginia, they made it tough on us and fought hard all night." On the team's offensive performance… "It was good to have a balanced attack, credit to Loren for getting everyone involved. She was able to keep West Virginia's defense off balance. Elena really came on strong late, especially in game three. I loved the grit of our team tonight." HOW IT HAPPENED Set One – K-State 25, West Virginia 22 West Virginia raced to a 5-0 lead to begin the match. K-State won seven of the next eight points to cut the deficit and tie the Mountaineers at 7-7. K-State continued the run to gain its first lead of the match at 10-9 on back-to-back errors by West Virginia. The Big 12 teams traded points until WVU used a 5-0 spurt to lead 21-18. The Wildcats closed the set on a 4-0 run to take the 25-22 victory. The K-State defense racked up three blocks (Bolding 2, Fernholz 1) and held West Virginia to hitting .081. Bolding led the Cats' offense with four kills while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9684">Shaylee Myers</a>&nbsp;(.222) and Baka (.200) contributed three each. Set Two – K-State 28, West Virginia 26 The Wildcats broke away from the Mountaineers on a 5-1 run, earning a 15-12 lead.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8092">Haley Warner</a>&nbsp;popped three kills in the train. WVU returned the favor on a 6-1 roll for a two-point cushion. Cats then evened the score at 24 with three straight points to take hope alive. The team finished the set 28-26 with four of the final five tallies. The second set saw 14 ties and nine lead changes as both teams hit under .200. West Virginia tallied 17 kills while keeping K-State at 12. Myers and Bolding each collected four kills. Set Three – K-State 25, West Virginia 18 West Virginia's largest lead of the set originated in the first six points as they kept the Cats quiet at 0. K-State chipped away to get within two on a pair of Baka kills. K-State turned the tables on a 13-1 cruise to bring the 25-18 victory. West Virginia outpaced the Wildcats with 10 kills versus nine. K-State pulled two service aces behind Bolding and Morris. INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

UP NEXT K-State continues Big 12 play on the road as it heads to Austin, Texas next week to take on No. 1 Texas. The Wildcats and the Longhorns face-off on Wednesday, Oct 12 with a 7 p.m. start. The match will be broadcast on Longhorn Network while Rob Voelker will be on the call online at K-StateSports.com/watch and the K-State Sports app.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.&nbsp;– In its first Big 12 road victory, K-State was able to hold off West Virginia in three sets, 25-22, 28-26, 25-18, at WVU Coliseum on Wednesday. K-State (11-6, 2-2) was led by seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9672">Elena Baka</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8186">Sydney Bolding</a>&nbsp;with eight kills each. Baka kept the tempo at a .412 hitting efficiency while Bolding swung at .235 for the night. K-State concluded the night with 10 blocks with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8072">Kadye Fernholz</a>&nbsp;logging a five-block performance. Bolding added four stops at the net. <a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8076">Mackenzie Morris</a>&nbsp;collected her sixth straight match with at least 15 digs, turning in 16 to lead all players. Baka contributed eight passes. The Cats notched four service aces from Bolding, Morris,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8073">Loren Hinkle</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8080">Molly Ramsey</a>. Hinkle finished with 26 assists against the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers produced 38 kills to the Cats' 33, but tallied a their second-lowest hitting percentage at .075. Melanie McGann (7 kills, 5 digs) led all players with a .462 hitting ratio. Adrian Ell tallied a match-high 13 kills at a .167 efficiency. Kamiah Gibson put up 29 assists and two of the Mountaineers' three aces. FROM THE HEAD COACH Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1693">Suzie Fritz</a> On the difference in the match… "Our serving continues to put pressure on opponents. It kept West Virginia out of system and we were able to get productive touches in the net and score points defensively. It wasn't always pretty, but we found a way to win and showed resilience and composure in some tough moments. Credit to West Virginia, they made it tough on us and fought hard all night." On the team's offensive performance… "It was good to have a balanced attack, credit to Loren for getting everyone involved. She was able to keep West Virginia's defense off balance. Elena really came on strong late, especially in game three. I loved the grit of our team tonight." HOW IT HAPPENED Set One – K-State 25, West Virginia 22 West Virginia raced to a 5-0 lead to begin the match. K-State won seven of the next eight points to cut the deficit and tie the Mountaineers at 7-7. K-State continued the run to gain its first lead of the match at 10-9 on back-to-back errors by West Virginia. The Big 12 teams traded points until WVU used a 5-0 spurt to lead 21-18. The Wildcats closed the set on a 4-0 run to take the 25-22 victory. The K-State defense racked up three blocks (Bolding 2, Fernholz 1) and held West Virginia to hitting .081. Bolding led the Cats' offense with four kills while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9684">Shaylee Myers</a>&nbsp;(.222) and Baka (.200) contributed three each. Set Two – K-State 28, West Virginia 26 The Wildcats broke away from the Mountaineers on a 5-1 run, earning a 15-12 lead.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=8092">Haley Warner</a>&nbsp;popped three kills in the train. WVU returned the favor on a 6-1 roll for a two-point cushion. Cats then evened the score at 24 with three straight points to take hope alive. The team finished the set 28-26 with four of the final five tallies. The second set saw 14 ties and nine lead changes as both teams hit under .200. West Virginia tallied 17 kills while keeping K-State at 12. Myers and Bolding each collected four kills. Set Three – K-State 25, West Virginia 18 West Virginia's largest lead of the set originated in the first six points as they kept the Cats quiet at 0. K-State chipped away to get within two on a pair of Baka kills. K-State turned the tables on a 13-1 cruise to bring the 25-18 victory. West Virginia outpaced the Wildcats with 10 kills versus nine. K-State pulled two service aces behind Bolding and Morris. INSIDE THE BOX SCORE<ul>
 <li>K-State hit .163 as a team with a season-low 33 kills (16 errors, 104 attacks).</li><li>West Virginia finished with its second-lowest hitting percentage of the season at .075 (38 kills, 29 errors, 120 swings).</li><li>Baka and Bolding led K-State with eight kills apiece.</li><li>Four Wildcats (Ramsey, Hinkle, Bolding, Morris) tallied an ace.</li><li>Baka produced a team-best .412 hitting percentage.</li><li>The Wildcats registered 10 blocks, their fifth double-figure outing over their last seven matches.</li><li>Fernholz tallied five blocks while Bolding added four.</li><li>Morris registered 16 digs, notching 15+ in the last six matches</li><li>McGann led all players with .462 hitting percentage.</li><li>Ell collected a match-high 13 kills (hitting .167).</li>
 </ul> NOTES<ul>
 <li>K-State leads the all-time series with West Virginia 13-8, winning four of the last five matches.</li><li>The Wildcats are 7-3 in three-set matches versus WVU.</li><li>Fritz is 13-8 in her career against West Virginia.</li><li>The Cats are 8-1 in three-set matches this season. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>UP NEXT K-State continues Big 12 play on the road as it heads to Austin, Texas next week to take on No. 1 Texas. The Wildcats and the Longhorns face-off on Wednesday, Oct 12 with a 7 p.m. start. The match will be broadcast on Longhorn Network while Rob Voelker will be on the call online at K-StateSports.com/watch and the K-State Sports app.

🏐  K-State VB: Wildcats Fend Off West Virginia in Three Sets

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🎙 Eagle Media Sports for Thursday

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;For the third consecutive week, the Kansas Jayhawks will play in front of a sold-out crowd, as Kansas Athletics has officially announced a sellout for Saturday’s matchup against No. 17 TCU.

The sellout comes after&nbsp;ESPN College GameDay&nbsp;announced they would be coming to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the first time as the Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009. The three consecutive home sellouts are the first since 2008.

Kickoff between the Jayhawks and the Horned Frogs is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and will air on FS1.

Fans who purchased tickets for Saturday’s game are encouraged to download their mobile tickets prior to arriving to the stadium. Fans still looking to attend are encouraged to visit Stubhub, the official secondary partner of Kansas Athletics.

KU students may still purchase the Student Combo Pass or individual game tickets for $10 by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/EVExecMacro?linkID=kansas&amp;evm=myac&amp;msgCode=32000&amp;shopperContext=ST&amp;returnURL=/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList%3FlinkID%3Dkansas%26groupCode%3D%26RSRC%3D%26RDAT%3D%26shopperContext%3DST&amp;url=/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList%3FlinkID%3Dkansas%26groupCode%3D%26RSRC%3D%26RDAT%3D%26shopperContext%3DST">here</a>&nbsp;and logging into their account. Students also have the opportunity to purchase single game tickets based on availability on game day at the northeast ticket booth of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Additionally, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kandrive.org/event/CARS5-3534/@-95.07088,38.96094,12?show=roadReports,constructionReports,trafficSpeeds,winterDriving,weatherRadar">portions of K-10</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flawrenceks.maps.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fwebappviewer%2Findex.html%3Fid%3D8703d927bbeb4c22bea8c6bbce87feb6&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cdberk%40ku.edu%7Ca8278ba848fa4db22c1308da9b508184%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637993067313888257%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ShzgZjEBljSsSSEDRQKhNw%2BfKtJoNL%2FIGS1qw2rRsfo%3D&amp;reserved=0">23rd&nbsp;street</a>&nbsp;undergoing construction, fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid delays and seek alternate routes. For more gameday information including pre-game festivities, entry information and more,&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-athletics-preparing-for-large-crowd-at-david-booth-kansas-memorial-stadium/">click here.</a>

Saturday’s matchup with TCU is the last of a three-game home stretch, as Kansas will travel to Oklahoma on October 15. The Jayhawks will also welcome Oklahoma State on November 5 and Texas on November 19. Single-game tickets and mini plans are on sale now.&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">Tickets can be purchased here</a>.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;For the third consecutive week, the Kansas Jayhawks will play in front of a sold-out crowd, as Kansas Athletics has officially announced a sellout for Saturday’s matchup against No. 17 TCU.The sellout comes after&nbsp;ESPN College GameDay&nbsp;announced they would be coming to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the first time as the Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009. The three consecutive home sellouts are the first since 2008.Kickoff between the Jayhawks and the Horned Frogs is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and will air on FS1.Fans who purchased tickets for Saturday’s game are encouraged to download their mobile tickets prior to arriving to the stadium. Fans still looking to attend are encouraged to visit Stubhub, the official secondary partner of Kansas Athletics.KU students may still purchase the Student Combo Pass or individual game tickets for $10 by clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/EVExecMacro?linkID=kansas&amp;evm=myac&amp;msgCode=32000&amp;shopperContext=ST&amp;returnURL=/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList%3FlinkID%3Dkansas%26groupCode%3D%26RSRC%3D%26RDAT%3D%26shopperContext%3DST&amp;url=/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList%3FlinkID%3Dkansas%26groupCode%3D%26RSRC%3D%26RDAT%3D%26shopperContext%3DST">here</a>&nbsp;and logging into their account. Students also have the opportunity to purchase single game tickets based on availability on game day at the northeast ticket booth of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.Additionally, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kandrive.org/event/CARS5-3534/@-95.07088,38.96094,12?show=roadReports,constructionReports,trafficSpeeds,winterDriving,weatherRadar">portions of K-10</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flawrenceks.maps.arcgis.com%2Fapps%2Fwebappviewer%2Findex.html%3Fid%3D8703d927bbeb4c22bea8c6bbce87feb6&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cdberk%40ku.edu%7Ca8278ba848fa4db22c1308da9b508184%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637993067313888257%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ShzgZjEBljSsSSEDRQKhNw%2BfKtJoNL%2FIGS1qw2rRsfo%3D&amp;reserved=0">23rd&nbsp;street</a>&nbsp;undergoing construction, fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid delays and seek alternate routes. For more gameday information including pre-game festivities, entry information and more,&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-athletics-preparing-for-large-crowd-at-david-booth-kansas-memorial-stadium/">click here.</a>Saturday’s matchup with TCU is the last of a three-game home stretch, as Kansas will travel to Oklahoma on October 15. The Jayhawks will also welcome Oklahoma State on November 5 and Texas on November 19. Single-game tickets and mini plans are on sale now.&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">Tickets can be purchased here</a>.

🏈 SOLD OUT: No. 19 Kansas’ Matchup vs. No. 17 TCU Sold Out

Courtesy of the WSU Sports Information

The Shockers look to establish their position in the upper tier of the American Athletic Conference standings with a pair of home matches against Memphis and SMU.

Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Courtesy of the WSU Sports InformationThe Shockers look to establish their position in the upper tier of the American Athletic Conference standings with a pair of home matches against Memphis and SMU.Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.Track live scoring at shockerstats.com.SCENE SETTERS:<ul>
 <li>Wichita State continues their extended homestand, hosting the Memphis Tigers on Friday night at 7:00 pm and the SMU Mustangs on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm.</li><li>Due to the relocated match against UCF this past weekend and the upcoming midweek contest against Tulsa, the Shockers will play six consecutive home matches. It's the first time Wichita State has played six in a row at home since the 1992 season, when the Shockers played two conference matches and then hosted the Shocker Volleyball Classic.</li><li>Friday's match is Dig Pink in support of breast cancer awareness. Fans wearing pink receive $5 admission.</li><li>Through two weekends of league play, the American Athletic Conference standings are already taking shape in a way that many predicted. Projected frontrunners UCF and Houston are tied atop the board at 4-0, while SMU, Tulsa and Wichita State each have a single AAC loss. Perhaps the biggest surprise thus far is Cincinnati, who were picked third but have struggled to a 3-11 (1-3) start).</li><li>Last Friday's home opener against Temple brought 2,316 fans out to Charles Koch Arena, the most for a match since the 2019 season when 2,387 paid to see the Shockers battle #3 Texas as part of the Shocker Volleyball Classic.</li><li>The Shockers went 8-5 at The Roundhouse in 2021, winning seven of their last nine matches. The Shockers own a .648 all-time home winning percentage (349-189-1), including a remarkable .757 mark (181-58) since the facility was officially named Charles Koch Arena in 2003. That winning percentage climbs to .790 in home conference matches.</li>
 </ul>LOOKING BACK:<ul>
 <li>The Shockers suffered their first home loss of the season on Sunday afternoon, dropping three straight sets to #24 UCF by scores of 25-16, 25-14 and 25-16. The match was originally scheduled to be played in Orlando on Friday, but was moved due to the impact of Hurricane Ian.</li><li>Wichita State scored the first point of the match on a kill from&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6278">Brylee Kelly</a>, but UCF went on to grab the next two points and then did not trail for the remainder of the afternoon.</li><li>After holding two of the last three opponents to season-low hitting percentages, the Shockers struggled to slow down UCF's potent attack. The Knights hit .395 on the day, best by a Wichita State opponent this season.</li><li><a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6278">Brylee Kelly</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6285">Sophia Rohling</a>&nbsp;each had a solid offensive afternoon, combining for 20 kills to pace the Shockers. Kelly hit .258 on a match-high 31 attempts, while Rohling hit .211 with eight kills.</li><li>No individual player on either side recorded more than seven digs.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6289">Morgan Weber</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6280">Kayce Litzau</a>&nbsp;each notched six for the Shockers, the lowest total for a match high this season.</li><li>Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7226">Emerson Wilford</a>&nbsp;came off the bench midway through the second set and went on to record her first home kill in the third, tapping home a UCF overpass. It was just the second match action of the season for Wilford, who made her collegiate debut against Kansas on September 8.</li><li>Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6288">Lara Uyar</a>&nbsp;got her first action of the season as libero in the second set, donning the alternate black jersey and recording four digs and seven serve receptions.</li>
 </ul>WSU-MEMPHIS&nbsp;SERIES:<ul>
 <li>The Shockers hold a 7-4 all-time advantage against the Tigers, including a 6-3 mark in American play.</li><li>The series dates back to the 1976 season, just the third season of Wichita State volleyball history. The Shockers took down Memphis 15-12, 15-7 in that first meeting.</li><li>Wichita State claimed both matches last season by 3-1 scores, highlighted by a victory on Senior Day in the 2021 season finale.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6278">Brylee Kelly</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6276">Natalie Foster</a>&nbsp;matched one another's production in both matchups, going for 16 and 18 kills to spearhead the Shocker attack.</li>
 </ul>SCOUTING THE TIGERS:<ul>
 <li>Memphis enters the week with an overall record of 12-5, including 2-2 in American Athletic Conference action. The Tigers were swept at home by UCF, won in five sets against South Florida, dropped a four-set decision at SMU, and then bested Cincinnati in four on the road in their most recent outing.</li><li>The Tigers hosted three tournaments in the non-conference portion of the schedule, winning nine of ten combined matches at the Larry O. Finch Center.</li><li>Memphis holds opponents to a .175 hitting percentage, the best mark in the conference. They have forced the opposition into 380 attack errors, 25 more than the next-closest team.</li><li>Offensively, the Tigers are second-to-last in the conference with a .175 hitting percentage of their own. No Tigers rank in the top ten in The American in kills per set.</li><li>Head coach Sean Burdette spent three seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference at Bradley (2008-10), and is now in his fifth season with the Tigers.</li>
 </ul>WSU-SMU SERIES:<ul>
 <li>Wichita State and SMU have met 13 times in total dating back to the 1996 season, with the Mustangs holding a slim 7-6 advantage. SMU won the inaugural meeting, but WSU claimed non-conference wins in 2010 and 2012 prior to the Shockers joining The American in 2017.</li><li>The Shockers are 4-6 against SMU since joining The American.</li><li>WSU is 3-4 at home, 3-2 in Dallas, and 0-1 on a neutral floor against the Mustangs.</li><li>The two teams have played three consecutive five-set matches. SMU rallied from a two-sets-to-none deficit for a five-set win in the most recent meeting on November 24.</li>
 </ul>SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS:<ul>
 <li>SMU enters the week 10-6 overall, with a 3-1 mark in AAC play after a pair of four-set wins last week against Memphis and Cincinnati.</li><li>Setter Celia Cullen directs a potent array of hitters, as the Mustangs are attacking at a .242 clip with the most total kills in the conference. Cullen ranks second in the AAC with 10.66 assists per set, with Natalie Perdue and Jamison Wheeler both in the top ten in kills per set.</li><li>The SMU roster is littered with D1 transfers, including additions from Texas A&amp;M, Michigan State, Baylor, Virginia, and Arkansas State.</li><li>Head coach Sam Erger is in her first season in Dallas after eight seasons on the coaching staff at Baylor. Erger replaced long-time head coach Lisa Seifert, who stepped down following 27 seasons on the sideline for the Mustangs.</li>
 </ul>UP NEXT:<ul>
 <li>The Shockers host their travel partner Tulsa in a midweek matchup on October 12, then hit the road for three straight contests against Cincinnati, Houston and Tulane.</li>
 </ul>

🏐 WSU VB: Volleyball Preview: Memphis, SMU

The second Saturday of October has a different focus in the Big 12 this season. The big game is No. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas in an unexpected matchup of undefeated teams. Texas and Oklahoma play their annual game at the State Fair of Texas with both teams unranked for the first time since 1998. Iowa State's Big 12-best defense faces against No. 20 Kansas State with Big 12 rushing leader Deuce Vaughn and dual-threat quarterback Adrian Martinez. Texas Tech plays at seventh-ranked Oklahoma State. Baylor and West Virginia have open dates before playing the following Thursday.

Some things to watch in Week 6 of the Big 12 season:

No. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas. An unexpected matchup of undefeated teams on the second Saturday in October when the Big 12 is usually focused on the Red River rivalry. Even ESPN's "College GameDay" is going to be on location in Lawrence, Kansas, not at the State Fair of Texas for Texas-Oklahoma.

Second-year Kansas coach Lance Leipold has already had quite an impact for the Jayhawks (5-0, 2-0 Big 12), who have matched their win total of the past three seasons combined and are now ranked for the first time since 2009. TCU (4-0, 1-0), with first-year coach Sonny Dykes, is coming of a 31-point home win over the Sooners.

This is matchup of two of the Big 12's most efficient quarterbacks: Jalon Daniels for Kansas and TCU's Max Duggan, who returned to the starting role after Chandler Morris got hurt in the season opener. Daniels and Duggan have 11 touchdowns each, and only one interception among them (Daniels).

Iowa State's Big 12-best defense against Kansas State's Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn, the conference leader at 127.6 yards rushing per game. Dual threat quarterback Martinez has run 33 times for 319 yards and seven touchdowns, while completing 33 of 53 passes for 350 yards with two TDs and no interceptions as the 20th-ranked Wildcats won their first two Big 12 games. The Cyclones allow only 255.4 total yards and 14.4 points a game.

Texas Tech is playing its fifth consecutive Top 25 opponent to match the longest streak in school history (2012). The Red Raiders have split the first two. According to STATS, they are the first team since Ohio State in 1995 to play five ranked opponents in their first six games. ... The Big 12's 11.3 scoring margin in conference games is the smallest of the Power Five leagues. ... Iowa State's Colby Reeder and Kansas State's Daniel Green are the only Big 12 linebackers with two interceptions.

Oklahoma State LB Mason Cobb is the team's leading tackler with 30 overall (18 solo, 12 assists) and is the Big 12 leader with 1.8 tackles for loss a game. He also had a big play for the seventh-ranked Cowboys in their 36-25 win at Baylor last weekend, when he stopped running back Richard Reese for no gain from the Cowboys 7 when they had a 9-3 lead about midway through the third quarter.

Texas and Oklahoma play for the 118th time Saturday, and this will be their first meeting since 1998 with neither team ranked. The Sooners had been ranked in 21 of the 24 games since, with Texas ranked 19 times. The future SEC teams each have 931 all-time wins; only Michigan (981), Alabama (947) and Ohio State (947) have more. The Sooners' all-time record is 931-333-53 since its first season in 1895; Texas played its first game two years before that and is 931-387-33.

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By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports WriterThe second Saturday of October has a different focus in the Big 12 this season. The big game is No. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas in an unexpected matchup of undefeated teams. Texas and Oklahoma play their annual game at the State Fair of Texas with both teams unranked for the first time since 1998. Iowa State's Big 12-best defense faces against No. 20 Kansas State with Big 12 rushing leader Deuce Vaughn and dual-threat quarterback Adrian Martinez. Texas Tech plays at seventh-ranked Oklahoma State. Baylor and West Virginia have open dates before playing the following Thursday.Some things to watch in Week 6 of the Big 12 season:GAME OF THE WEEKNo. 17 TCU at No. 19 Kansas. An unexpected matchup of undefeated teams on the second Saturday in October when the Big 12 is usually focused on the Red River rivalry. Even ESPN's "College GameDay" is going to be on location in Lawrence, Kansas, not at the State Fair of Texas for Texas-Oklahoma.Second-year Kansas coach Lance Leipold has already had quite an impact for the Jayhawks (5-0, 2-0 Big 12), who have matched their win total of the past three seasons combined and are now ranked for the first time since 2009. TCU (4-0, 1-0), with first-year coach Sonny Dykes, is coming of a 31-point home win over the Sooners.This is matchup of two of the Big 12's most efficient quarterbacks: Jalon Daniels for Kansas and TCU's Max Duggan, who returned to the starting role after Chandler Morris got hurt in the season opener. Daniels and Duggan have 11 touchdowns each, and only one interception among them (Daniels).BEST MATCHUPIowa State's Big 12-best defense against Kansas State's Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn, the conference leader at 127.6 yards rushing per game. Dual threat quarterback Martinez has run 33 times for 319 yards and seven touchdowns, while completing 33 of 53 passes for 350 yards with two TDs and no interceptions as the 20th-ranked Wildcats won their first two Big 12 games. The Cyclones allow only 255.4 total yards and 14.4 points a game.INSIDE THE NUMBERSTexas Tech is playing its fifth consecutive Top 25 opponent to match the longest streak in school history (2012). The Red Raiders have split the first two. According to STATS, they are the first team since Ohio State in 1995 to play five ranked opponents in their first six games. ... The Big 12's 11.3 scoring margin in conference games is the smallest of the Power Five leagues. ... Iowa State's Colby Reeder and Kansas State's Daniel Green are the only Big 12 linebackers with two interceptions.PLAYER TO WATCHOklahoma State LB Mason Cobb is the team's leading tackler with 30 overall (18 solo, 12 assists) and is the Big 12 leader with 1.8 tackles for loss a game. He also had a big play for the seventh-ranked Cowboys in their 36-25 win at Baylor last weekend, when he stopped running back Richard Reese for no gain from the Cowboys 7 when they had a 9-3 lead about midway through the third quarter.UNUSUALLY UNRANKEDTexas and Oklahoma play for the 118th time Saturday, and this will be their first meeting since 1998 with neither team ranked. The Sooners had been ranked in 21 of the 24 games since, with Texas ranked 19 times. The future SEC teams each have 931 all-time wins; only Michigan (981), Alabama (947) and Ohio State (947) have more. The Sooners' all-time record is 931-333-53 since its first season in 1895; Texas played its first game two years before that and is 931-387-33.___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

🏈  Big 12's October oddity: TCU-Kansas trumps Red River rivalry

TCU and Kansas will be playing to stay atop the Big 12 when they meet Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009, when they went on to lose their last seven games. The Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout of Oklahoma. The last time Kansas won its first six was 2007, when it went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl. The Horned Frogs have not won their first five since 2017, when they started 7-0 before finishing 11-3 with a win in the Alamo Bowl.

NO. 17 TCU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at No. 19 Kansas (5-0, 2-0), Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)

Line: TCU by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

TCU and Kansas will be playing to stay atop the Big 12 when they meet Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Who would have thought that would be the case before the season? The Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009, when they went on to lose their last seven games, while the Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout of Oklahoma. The last time Kansas won its first six was 2007, when it went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl. The Horned Frogs have not won their first five since 2017, when they started 7-0 before finishing 11-3 with a win in the Alamo Bowl.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan against Kansas counterpart Jalon Daniels. Sure, the two won't match up in the literal sense, but the team that wins will probably be the one that gets better quarterback play. Duggan leads the nation in pass efficiency and is third in completion percentage at 74.5, and he's thrown 11 touchdown passes without an interception. Daniels has thrown for 983 yards with 11 touchdowns and one pick while rushing for a team-best 335 yards and five more scores.

TCU: RB Kendre Miller leads active Power 5 players at 7.43 yards per carry for his career, and he did nothing to hurt those numbers against Oklahoma. Miller carried 13 times for 136 yards with TD runs of 15 and 69 yards in the 55-24 romp. Kansas limited Iowa State to 26 yards on the ground last week.

Kansas: RB Devin Neal will take on additional work after the Jayhawks lost running mate Daniel Hishaw to an injury against the Cyclones. Neal carried 12 times for 72 yards against the Cyclones while surpassing 1,000 yards for his career.

TCU has won nine of 10 games against Kansas as members of the Big 12. The Horned Frogs won 31-28 on a 25-yard field goal in the closing seconds last season. ... The last time the Horned Frogs were 4-0, current coach Sonny Dykes was on staff as an offensive analyst. Dykes is the first TCU coach to win his opening four games since Francis Schmidt in 1929. ... TCU has not trailed since the first 24 seconds of the second quarter of its opener against Colorado. ... The Horned Frogs are second nationally in scoring (48.5 points per game) and total offense (549.5 yards per game). ... TCU had four TDs of at least 62 yards in its win over Oklahoma. ... Kansas has not beaten a ranked team since No. 15 Georgia Tech in 2010. It has not beaten a ranked conference opponent since No. 12 Missouri in 2008. ... The Jayhawks have not beaten a ranked opponent at home while also ranked since Nov. 24, 1973 (No. 19 Missouri 14-13). ... The Jayhawks have allowed two sacks this season. ... Kansas tops the Big 12 in red zone defense.

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By The Associated Press undefinedTCU and Kansas will be playing to stay atop the Big 12 when they meet Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009, when they went on to lose their last seven games. The Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout of Oklahoma. The last time Kansas won its first six was 2007, when it went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl. The Horned Frogs have not won their first five since 2017, when they started 7-0 before finishing 11-3 with a win in the Alamo Bowl.NO. 17 TCU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at No. 19 Kansas (5-0, 2-0), Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (FS1)Line: TCU by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: TCU leads 25-9-4.WHAT'S AT STAKE?TCU and Kansas will be playing to stay atop the Big 12 when they meet Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Who would have thought that would be the case before the season? The Jayhawks are 5-0 for the first time since 2009, when they went on to lose their last seven games, while the Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout of Oklahoma. The last time Kansas won its first six was 2007, when it went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl. The Horned Frogs have not won their first five since 2017, when they started 7-0 before finishing 11-3 with a win in the Alamo Bowl.KEY MATCHUPTCU quarterback Max Duggan against Kansas counterpart Jalon Daniels. Sure, the two won't match up in the literal sense, but the team that wins will probably be the one that gets better quarterback play. Duggan leads the nation in pass efficiency and is third in completion percentage at 74.5, and he's thrown 11 touchdown passes without an interception. Daniels has thrown for 983 yards with 11 touchdowns and one pick while rushing for a team-best 335 yards and five more scores.PLAYERS TO WATCHTCU: RB Kendre Miller leads active Power 5 players at 7.43 yards per carry for his career, and he did nothing to hurt those numbers against Oklahoma. Miller carried 13 times for 136 yards with TD runs of 15 and 69 yards in the 55-24 romp. Kansas limited Iowa State to 26 yards on the ground last week.Kansas: RB Devin Neal will take on additional work after the Jayhawks lost running mate Daniel Hishaw to an injury against the Cyclones. Neal carried 12 times for 72 yards against the Cyclones while surpassing 1,000 yards for his career.FACTS &amp; FIGURESTCU has won nine of 10 games against Kansas as members of the Big 12. The Horned Frogs won 31-28 on a 25-yard field goal in the closing seconds last season. ... The last time the Horned Frogs were 4-0, current coach Sonny Dykes was on staff as an offensive analyst. Dykes is the first TCU coach to win his opening four games since Francis Schmidt in 1929. ... TCU has not trailed since the first 24 seconds of the second quarter of its opener against Colorado. ... The Horned Frogs are second nationally in scoring (48.5 points per game) and total offense (549.5 yards per game). ... TCU had four TDs of at least 62 yards in its win over Oklahoma. ... Kansas has not beaten a ranked team since No. 15 Georgia Tech in 2010. It has not beaten a ranked conference opponent since No. 12 Missouri in 2008. ... The Jayhawks have not beaten a ranked opponent at home while also ranked since Nov. 24, 1973 (No. 19 Missouri 14-13). ... The Jayhawks have allowed two sacks this season. ... Kansas tops the Big 12 in red zone defense.___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

🏈 No. 17 TCU heads to No. 19 Kansas for showdown of unbeatens

The same template has been used to build Iowa State and Kansas State, and both have earned reputations for rising up and challenging the Big 12 No. 20 Kansas State heads to Ames to play Iowa State for the 106th time since 1917. Two years after the Cyclones reached the Big 12 championship game for the first time, K-State is looking to make a run of its own after beginning conference play 2-0. Iowa State and K-State are fixtures in the bottom half of the Big 12 recruiting rankings. Both are in the top half in conference wins since 2018.

The same template has been used to build Iowa State and Kansas State, and both have earned reputations for rising up and challenging the Big 12 football hierarchy.

Two years after the Cyclones (3-2, 0-2) reached the conference championship game for the first time, 20th-ranked K-State (4-1, 2-0) is looking to make a run of its own.

The Wildcats' next step is a visit to Ames, Iowa, on Saturday night for the 106th renewal of "Farmageddon," an appropriate nickname for a series between a couple of hard-working programs from agricultural states.

"It's not the easiest place to win in Manhattan. It's not the easiest place sometimes to win in Ames," K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "And you have to have the right kind of guys, and you have to have guys that believe in what you're doing and believe in each other and believe in the culture."

Over the last five years, according to 247Sports, Kansas State has signed one four-star recruit and Iowa State has signed six. Texas and Oklahoma, meanwhile, have combined for 13 five-stars and 146 four-stars.

While Iowa State and K-State are fixtures in the bottom half of the annual Big 12 recruiting rankings, both are in the top half for number of conference wins since 2019.

The current Wildcats' offense is built around Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn, who have combined for more than 1,100 yards rushing. Martinez was a four-star recruit who signed with Nebraska in 2018 and the Cornhuskers' starter for four losing seasons before he transferred. Vaughn, the 11th-ranked three-star in the Wildcats' 2020 recruiting class, is the Big's leading rusher.

"It's not always the five-star kids," said Klieman, who has won three of four games against Oklahoma since he took over in 2019. "It's the kids that want to play their tail off for their school and for their brother."

Iowa State has a four-star recruit in quarterback Hunter Dekkers. His favorite target, Xavier Hutchinson, was a three-star who has been a top-three Big 12 receiver for three years since transferring from a junior college. Defensive end Will McDonald, who could have declared for the NFL draft after last season, was a three-star who is only the fourth Big 12 player to record at least 30 sacks.

"Investment in kids, attitude and effort, belief and process, I think those are all things that we worked really hard to build," Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. "When you watch their team, those are the things that jump out to you. So yeah, I think a lot of parallels in terms of how the infrastructure of the programs were built."

The Cyclones are dinged up at running back. Starter Jirehl Brock was hurt on the fourth play from scrimmage at Kansas last week, and Cartevious Norton has been out since the opener.

Deon Silas or Eli Sanders would be in line for his first start if Brock can't play. Silas carried 12 times for 29 yards and caught four passes for short gains in the 14-11 loss.

"Deon Silas played the best game of his career," Campbell said. "Really proud of what he did and certainly what he can continue to do for us."

K-State's 1.8-to-1 turnover margin is second-best in the nation, with eight of its 11 takeaways coming against Missouri and Texas Tech.

"That's a big recipe for success when the wins and losses happen, us finding ways even though we're giving up too many explosive plays," Klieman said.

K-State has allowed seven runs of 20 yards or longer, most in the Big 12, and three passes of at least 50 yards, tied for most in the conference.

Martinez, with a combined 319 rushing yards against Oklahoma and Texas Tech the last two weeks, joined Louisville's Lamar Jackson and Auburn's Cam Newton as the only Power Five quarterbacks the last 15 years with 300 yards and seven touchdowns over consecutive games.

K-State has recorded 10 or more tackles for loss in three of its first five games for the first time since 2012. The Wildcats have 37 and are on pace to surpass the 90 TFLs they had last season. Star defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah leads the team with seven.

Iowa State and K-State have played every year since 1917, with the Cyclones leading the series 52-49-4. ISU will try to beat the Wildcats a third straight time.

By ERIC OLSON AP College Football WriterThe same template has been used to build Iowa State and Kansas State, and both have earned reputations for rising up and challenging the Big 12 No. 20 Kansas State heads to Ames to play Iowa State for the 106th time since 1917. Two years after the Cyclones reached the Big 12 championship game for the first time, K-State is looking to make a run of its own after beginning conference play 2-0. Iowa State and K-State are fixtures in the bottom half of the Big 12 recruiting rankings. Both are in the top half in conference wins since 2018.The same template has been used to build Iowa State and Kansas State, and both have earned reputations for rising up and challenging the Big 12 football hierarchy.Two years after the Cyclones (3-2, 0-2) reached the conference championship game for the first time, 20th-ranked K-State (4-1, 2-0) is looking to make a run of its own.The Wildcats' next step is a visit to Ames, Iowa, on Saturday night for the 106th renewal of "Farmageddon," an appropriate nickname for a series between a couple of hard-working programs from agricultural states."It's not the easiest place to win in Manhattan. It's not the easiest place sometimes to win in Ames," K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "And you have to have the right kind of guys, and you have to have guys that believe in what you're doing and believe in each other and believe in the culture."Over the last five years, according to 247Sports, Kansas State has signed one four-star recruit and Iowa State has signed six. Texas and Oklahoma, meanwhile, have combined for 13 five-stars and 146 four-stars.While Iowa State and K-State are fixtures in the bottom half of the annual Big 12 recruiting rankings, both are in the top half for number of conference wins since 2019.The current Wildcats' offense is built around Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn, who have combined for more than 1,100 yards rushing. Martinez was a four-star recruit who signed with Nebraska in 2018 and the Cornhuskers' starter for four losing seasons before he transferred. Vaughn, the 11th-ranked three-star in the Wildcats' 2020 recruiting class, is the Big's leading rusher."It's not always the five-star kids," said Klieman, who has won three of four games against Oklahoma since he took over in 2019. "It's the kids that want to play their tail off for their school and for their brother."Iowa State has a four-star recruit in quarterback Hunter Dekkers. His favorite target, Xavier Hutchinson, was a three-star who has been a top-three Big 12 receiver for three years since transferring from a junior college. Defensive end Will McDonald, who could have declared for the NFL draft after last season, was a three-star who is only the fourth Big 12 player to record at least 30 sacks."Investment in kids, attitude and effort, belief and process, I think those are all things that we worked really hard to build," Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. "When you watch their team, those are the things that jump out to you. So yeah, I think a lot of parallels in terms of how the infrastructure of the programs were built."RUNNING BACK SHORTAGEThe Cyclones are dinged up at running back. Starter Jirehl Brock was hurt on the fourth play from scrimmage at Kansas last week, and Cartevious Norton has been out since the opener.Deon Silas or Eli Sanders would be in line for his first start if Brock can't play. Silas carried 12 times for 29 yards and caught four passes for short gains in the 14-11 loss."Deon Silas played the best game of his career," Campbell said. "Really proud of what he did and certainly what he can continue to do for us."TURNOVERS, BIG PLAYSK-State's 1.8-to-1 turnover margin is second-best in the nation, with eight of its 11 takeaways coming against Missouri and Texas Tech."That's a big recipe for success when the wins and losses happen, us finding ways even though we're giving up too many explosive plays," Klieman said.K-State has allowed seven runs of 20 yards or longer, most in the Big 12, and three passes of at least 50 yards, tied for most in the conference.MAGNIFICENT MARTINEZMartinez, with a combined 319 rushing yards against Oklahoma and Texas Tech the last two weeks, joined Louisville's Lamar Jackson and Auburn's Cam Newton as the only Power Five quarterbacks the last 15 years with 300 yards and seven touchdowns over consecutive games.BEHIND THE LINEK-State has recorded 10 or more tackles for loss in three of its first five games for the first time since 2012. The Wildcats have 37 and are on pace to surpass the 90 TFLs they had last season. Star defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah leads the team with seven.FAMILIAR FOESIowa State and K-State have played every year since 1917, with the Cyclones leading the series 52-49-4. ISU will try to beat the Wildcats a third straight time.___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

🏈 No. 20 K-State, Iowa St see lot of each other in themselves

Arraez, McNeil win batting titles, Judge misses Triple Crown

NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota's Luis Arraez finished with the lowest average for an American League batting champion since 1968, and the Mets' Jeff McNeil won the National League title. The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge missed out on a Triple Crown, edged by Arraez .316 to .311 for the AL title after sitting out the final day of the regular season. McNeil sat out until the eighth inning and made it first-time batting champions in both leagues, his .326 average one point ahead of the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman. Arraez's average was the lowest for an AL batting champion since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski at .301 in 1968.

Fan who caught Aaron Judge's 62nd HR offered $2M for ball

The owner of a sports memorabilia auction house says he has offered $2 million to the fan who caught Aaron Judge's American League-record 62nd home run. JP Cohen, president of Memory Lane Inc. in Tustin, California, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he has texted and emailed Cory Youmans, who caught Judge's milestone shot Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Cohen says Youmans has not yet replied. Youmans grabbed the historic souvenir on the fly as it sailed into the front row of section 31 in left field.

Royals fire manager Mike Matheny after 65-97 end to season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals fired manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender again. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and failed experiments with veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer. Matheny is the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Drop the puck: What to know about the 2022-23 NHL season

The NHL season opens Friday in Europe when San Jose and Nashville face off in the first of two games in the Czech Republic. Play gets underway in North America on Tuesday when Tampa Bay visits the New York Rangers and Los Angeles hosts Vegas. The Colorado Avalanche begin their title defense and raise the franchise's third Stanley Cup banner Wednesday before opening against Chicago. There are two outdoor games: the Winter Classic at Fenway Park on Jan. 2 between Boston and Pittsburgh and the Stadium Series in Raleigh between Carolina and Washington. The regular season runs through April 13.

Ukraine links World Cup host bid to beating horrors of war

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Pavelko says hosting World Cup matches in 2030 would be "the dream of people who survived the horrors of war" after his country launched a joint bid with Spain and Portugal. The leaders of the three soccer federations joined together at UEFA headquarters to present a campaign they hope will connect people beyond the world of sports. Pavelko says the project is backed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. FIFA will pick the host in 2024. Other likely candidates are a four-nation South American bid and a Saudi Arabia-led project involving Egypt.

Judge out of Yankees starting lineup for finale after No. 62

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge isn't in the starting lineup for New York's regular-season finale a day after his 62nd home run that broke Roger Maris' 61-year-old American League single-season record. The Yankees wrapped up a four-game series in Texas. The AL East champion Yankees open the AL Division Series next Tuesday. Judge went into the final day of the regular season batting .311, trailing AL batting average leader Minnesota's Luis Arraez. Judge is a wide leader in the other Triple Crown categories, with his 62 homers and 131 RBIs.

Commanders' Robinson practices for 1st time since shooting

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Brian Robinson Jr. practiced with the Washington Commanders for the first time since being shot twice in an attempted robbery. The rookie running back returned to the practice field just over five weeks since the shooting. He could play as soon as Sunday against Tennessee. But neither Robinson nor Rivera is prepared to commit to the Alabama product facing the Titans and making his NFL debut. The game marks six weeks to the day since he was shot in the right leg. Washington has three weeks to activate Robinson off the non-football injury list.

Close calls happening at record-setting pace in NFL

Games are going down to the wire in the NFL at an unprecedented rate this season. With a record 15 of 16 games last week being within one score in the fourth quarter, the league is having the most competitive start to a season in its history. Of the 64 games played so far, 50 of them have been within one score in the fourth quarter for the most ever through four weeks. There have been a record 23 games decided by three points or fewer and 38 decided by eight points or fewer, tied with the 2018 season for the most through four weeks.

Pro Picks leans toward Broncos to kick off Week 5

A month into the season, it's clear Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are still adjusting to their new teams. The star quarterbacks go head-to-head this week on Thursday night when Wilson and the Denver Broncos (2-2) host Ryan and the Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1). Wilson still hasn't found a rhythm in rookie coach Nathaniel Hackett's offense. Ryan has a veteran coach in Frank Reich, but ball security has been his biggest problem. He has nine fumbles and five interceptions in four games. Both teams have injury concerns at running back. The Broncos lost Javonte Williams to a season-ending knee injury. The Colts are being cautious with All-Pro Jonathan Taylor because of an ankle injury.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON 

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:56 a.m. EDTArraez, McNeil win batting titles, Judge misses Triple CrownNEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota's Luis Arraez finished with the lowest average for an American League batting champion since 1968, and the Mets' Jeff McNeil won the National League title. The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge missed out on a Triple Crown, edged by Arraez .316 to .311 for the AL title after sitting out the final day of the regular season. McNeil sat out until the eighth inning and made it first-time batting champions in both leagues, his .326 average one point ahead of the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman. Arraez's average was the lowest for an AL batting champion since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski at .301 in 1968.Fan who caught Aaron Judge's 62nd HR offered $2M for ballThe owner of a sports memorabilia auction house says he has offered $2 million to the fan who caught Aaron Judge's American League-record 62nd home run. JP Cohen, president of Memory Lane Inc. in Tustin, California, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he has texted and emailed Cory Youmans, who caught Judge's milestone shot Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Cohen says Youmans has not yet replied. Youmans grabbed the historic souvenir on the fly as it sailed into the front row of section 31 in left field.LeBron in Vegas? He makes an expansion pitch to Adam SilverLAS VEGAS (AP) — LeBron James came to Las Vegas for a preseason game. And a pitch. James, who has spoken in the past about how he wants to eventually own an NBA franchise -- with Las Vegas on his mind -- sent a crystal-clear message to Commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday night, reminding him of his future plans to bring a team to the desert. Though Silver has said he expects expansion at some point, it is believed that wouldn't happen until the next Collective Bargaining Agreement and television deals are complete.Royals fire manager Mike Matheny after 65-97 end to seasonKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals fired manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender again. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and failed experiments with veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer. Matheny is the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.Drop the puck: What to know about the 2022-23 NHL seasonThe NHL season opens Friday in Europe when San Jose and Nashville face off in the first of two games in the Czech Republic. Play gets underway in North America on Tuesday when Tampa Bay visits the New York Rangers and Los Angeles hosts Vegas. The Colorado Avalanche begin their title defense and raise the franchise's third Stanley Cup banner Wednesday before opening against Chicago. There are two outdoor games: the Winter Classic at Fenway Park on Jan. 2 between Boston and Pittsburgh and the Stadium Series in Raleigh between Carolina and Washington. The regular season runs through April 13.Ukraine links World Cup host bid to beating horrors of warNYON, Switzerland (AP) — Ukrainian soccer federation president Andriy Pavelko says hosting World Cup matches in 2030 would be "the dream of people who survived the horrors of war" after his country launched a joint bid with Spain and Portugal. The leaders of the three soccer federations joined together at UEFA headquarters to present a campaign they hope will connect people beyond the world of sports. Pavelko says the project is backed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. FIFA will pick the host in 2024. Other likely candidates are a four-nation South American bid and a Saudi Arabia-led project involving Egypt.Judge out of Yankees starting lineup for finale after No. 62ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge isn't in the starting lineup for New York's regular-season finale a day after his 62nd home run that broke Roger Maris' 61-year-old American League single-season record. The Yankees wrapped up a four-game series in Texas. The AL East champion Yankees open the AL Division Series next Tuesday. Judge went into the final day of the regular season batting .311, trailing AL batting average leader Minnesota's Luis Arraez. Judge is a wide leader in the other Triple Crown categories, with his 62 homers and 131 RBIs.Commanders' Robinson practices for 1st time since shootingASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Brian Robinson Jr. practiced with the Washington Commanders for the first time since being shot twice in an attempted robbery. The rookie running back returned to the practice field just over five weeks since the shooting. He could play as soon as Sunday against Tennessee. But neither Robinson nor Rivera is prepared to commit to the Alabama product facing the Titans and making his NFL debut. The game marks six weeks to the day since he was shot in the right leg. Washington has three weeks to activate Robinson off the non-football injury list.Close calls happening at record-setting pace in NFLGames are going down to the wire in the NFL at an unprecedented rate this season. With a record 15 of 16 games last week being within one score in the fourth quarter, the league is having the most competitive start to a season in its history. Of the 64 games played so far, 50 of them have been within one score in the fourth quarter for the most ever through four weeks. There have been a record 23 games decided by three points or fewer and 38 decided by eight points or fewer, tied with the 2018 season for the most through four weeks.Pro Picks leans toward Broncos to kick off Week 5A month into the season, it's clear Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are still adjusting to their new teams. The star quarterbacks go head-to-head this week on Thursday night when Wilson and the Denver Broncos (2-2) host Ryan and the Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1). Wilson still hasn't found a rhythm in rookie coach Nathaniel Hackett's offense. Ryan has a veteran coach in Frank Reich, but ball security has been his biggest problem. He has nine fumbles and five interceptions in four games. Both teams have injury concerns at running back. The Broncos lost Javonte Williams to a season-ending knee injury. The Colts are being cautious with All-Pro Jonathan Taylor because of an ankle injury.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUE Final	Houston	3	Philadelphia	2	___AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Baltimore	5	Toronto	4	Final	Oakland	3	L.A. Angels	2	Final	Cleveland	9	Kansas City	2	Final	Texas	4	N.Y. Yankees	2	Final	Minnesota	10	Chicago White Sox	1	Final	Seattle	5	Detroit	4	Final	Toronto	5	Baltimore	1	Final	Boston	6	Tampa Bay	3	___NATIONAL LEAGUE Final	Pittsburgh	5	St. Louis	3	Final	Arizona	4	Milwaukee	2	Final	N.Y. Mets	9	Washington	2	Final	L.A. Dodgers	6	Colorado	1	Final	San Francisco	8	San Diego	1	Final	Chicago Cubs	15	Cincinnati	2	Final	Miami	12	Atlanta	9	___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON Final	Philadelphia	113	Cleveland	112	Final	Indiana	122	Charlotte	97	Final OT	Toronto	125	Boston	119	Final	Dallas	98	Oklahoma City	96	Final	Phoenix	119	L.A. Lakers	115	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Boston	5	N-Y Rangers	4	Final	Washington	4	Detroit	2	Final	Vancouver	5	Edmonton	4	Final	Winnipeg	5	Calgary	0	Final	Colorado	2	Dallas	1	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Final	Miami	4	Orlando City	1	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON Milwaukee	at	Atlanta	12 p.m.	Miami	at	Brooklyn	7:30 p.m.	Adelaide	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.	Orlando	at	San Antonio	8 p.m.	Maccabi Ra'anana	at	Portland	10 p.m.	Minnesota	at	L.A. Lakers	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Ottawa	at	Montreal	5:30 p.m.	New Jersey	at	N-Y Islanders	7 p.m.	St. Louis	at	Columbus	7 p.m.	Tampa Bay	at	Florida	7 p.m.	Chicago	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.	Vegas	at	Los Angeles	9 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Indianapolis	at	Denver	8:15 p.m.	___

Sports Headline for Thursday

The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set.&nbsp;

The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.

Albert Pujols taking his final swings in October, Julio Rodríguez stepping in for the first time. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom facing Manny Machado and Juan Soto.

Bryce Harper, back at last. José Ramírez and his Cleveland teammates trying to break a long drought — with a new name.

And Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts and other top stars looming next week.

The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture came into focus Tuesday night. The matchups were finally set, right before the last day of the regular season.

The postseason, expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season, begins Friday with a newly created wild-card round. All four series are best two of three — three days in a row, no breaks, with the higher seed hosting every game.

In the National League, it's Padres-Mets and Phillies-Cardinals. In the American League, it's Mariners-Blue Jays and Rays-Guardians.

At Citi Field, New York figures to throw aces Scherzer and deGrom at San Diego, featuring big-hitting Machado and Soto. The Mets' bid to win the NL East ended when they were beaten out by the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves, so New York wound up as the top NL wild-card team.

"We have to go on the road and play against a tough team and beat some of the best pitchers in the game," Machado said. "It is about going out there and enjoying the moment."

At Busch Stadium, soon-to-be retired St. Louis stars Yadier Molina and Pujols host Harper and Philadelphia. The Cardinals won the NL Central, but as the No. 3 seed don't get the benefit of an early bye.

A two-time champion with the Cardinals, the 42-year-old Pujols has looked like a 24-year-old version of himself down the stretch, topping 700 career home runs and passing Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time RBIs list.

A two-time MVP, Harper makes his first playoff appearance since 2017 with Washington. He missed two months in the middle of the season because of a broken thumb but is ready to swing away for the Phillies.

In Cleveland, Ramírez leads a young team that includes rookie sparkplug Steven Kwan and hard-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase as the AL Central champs host Tampa Bay.

This will be Cleveland's first postseason appearance as the Guardians. The team hasn't won the World Series since 1948. Randy Arozarena, already established as a playoff star, will try to boost the Rays to the first championship in franchise history.

The Guardians went 4-2 against the Rays this year, winning two of three last week at Progressive Field. All three games in the series were decided by one run, with two going to extra innings.

"It will be a good environment," Tampa Bay second baseman Taylor Walls. "It's a good thing that we just went there. ... I know the guys are amped up. We're ready to be there."

In Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the top AL wild-card Blue Jays take on Seattle and its rookie sensation, Rodríguez. The series also matches Robbie Ray, who won the Cy Young Award with Toronto last year, against his former team.

All four matchups are scheduled to end Sunday. The best-of-five Division Series in both leagues begin Oct. 11.

Judge, fresh off hitting his 62nd home run to set the AL record, and the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay-Cleveland winner in Game 1. Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros start at home against the Seattle-Toronto winner.

In the NL, Freddie Freeman, Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have set a franchise record for wins, host the Mets-San Diego winner in the opener. Ronald Acuña Jr., injured last fall when the Braves won the World Series, will start at home against the St. Louis-Philadelphia winner.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSThe entire Major League Baseball playoff picture is now set.&nbsp;The four matchups in the wild-card round were locked in Tuesday night, right before the last day of the regular season. Every series starts Friday and is a best two of three. Plus, the higher seed will host every game. In the National League, the San Diego Padres visit the New York Mets while the Philadelphia Phillies play at the St. Louis Cardinals. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners visit the Toronto Blue Jays while the Tampa Bay Rays play at the Cleveland Guardians. The postseason was expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season.Albert Pujols taking his final swings in October, Julio Rodríguez stepping in for the first time. Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom facing Manny Machado and Juan Soto.Bryce Harper, back at last. José Ramírez and his Cleveland teammates trying to break a long drought — with a new name.And Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts and other top stars looming next week.The entire Major League Baseball playoff picture came into focus Tuesday night. The matchups were finally set, right before the last day of the regular season.The postseason, expanded from 10 teams last year to 12 this season, begins Friday with a newly created wild-card round. All four series are best two of three — three days in a row, no breaks, with the higher seed hosting every game.In the National League, it's Padres-Mets and Phillies-Cardinals. In the American League, it's Mariners-Blue Jays and Rays-Guardians.At Citi Field, New York figures to throw aces Scherzer and deGrom at San Diego, featuring big-hitting Machado and Soto. The Mets' bid to win the NL East ended when they were beaten out by the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves, so New York wound up as the top NL wild-card team."We have to go on the road and play against a tough team and beat some of the best pitchers in the game," Machado said. "It is about going out there and enjoying the moment."At Busch Stadium, soon-to-be retired St. Louis stars Yadier Molina and Pujols host Harper and Philadelphia. The Cardinals won the NL Central, but as the No. 3 seed don't get the benefit of an early bye.A two-time champion with the Cardinals, the 42-year-old Pujols has looked like a 24-year-old version of himself down the stretch, topping 700 career home runs and passing Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time RBIs list.A two-time MVP, Harper makes his first playoff appearance since 2017 with Washington. He missed two months in the middle of the season because of a broken thumb but is ready to swing away for the Phillies.In Cleveland, Ramírez leads a young team that includes rookie sparkplug Steven Kwan and hard-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase as the AL Central champs host Tampa Bay.This will be Cleveland's first postseason appearance as the Guardians. The team hasn't won the World Series since 1948. Randy Arozarena, already established as a playoff star, will try to boost the Rays to the first championship in franchise history.The Guardians went 4-2 against the Rays this year, winning two of three last week at Progressive Field. All three games in the series were decided by one run, with two going to extra innings."It will be a good environment," Tampa Bay second baseman Taylor Walls. "It's a good thing that we just went there. ... I know the guys are amped up. We're ready to be there."In Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the top AL wild-card Blue Jays take on Seattle and its rookie sensation, Rodríguez. The series also matches Robbie Ray, who won the Cy Young Award with Toronto last year, against his former team.All four matchups are scheduled to end Sunday. The best-of-five Division Series in both leagues begin Oct. 11.Judge, fresh off hitting his 62nd home run to set the AL record, and the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay-Cleveland winner in Game 1. Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros start at home against the Seattle-Toronto winner.In the NL, Freddie Freeman, Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have set a franchise record for wins, host the Mets-San Diego winner in the opener. Ronald Acuña Jr., injured last fall when the Braves won the World Series, will start at home against the St. Louis-Philadelphia winner.

⚾ MLB playoff picture all set, best-of-3 matchups start Friday

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Wednesday in their final tune-up for the postseason.

Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field.

The AL Central champions are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finished the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Cleveland finished 80-82 last season.

Ramirez had run-scoring singles in the second and sixth, and ends the regular season with 126 RBIs. Ramirez doubled in the eighth and received a loud ovation from the 12,983 fans when he was removed for a pinch-runner.

The fact Ramirez hustled into second for a double in his final at-bat of the regular season with his team ahead by six runs came as no surprise.

“He’s the heart and soul of the team and everyone would tell you that same thing,” Civale said. “There’s a lot of pieces involved, but he is that supreme piece. It’s extremely fun to watch. It’s great that we get to do it from the same dugout and not across the way.”

Rookie Steven Kwan ended the regular season batting .298. His chance to hit .300 ended when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh.

“I thought it was fitting that Josey finished on a hustle double and Kwan, who’s trying to hit .300, alerts the umpire that he gets hit because he’s playing the game,” manager Terry Francona said “That, to me, means we’re going in a good direction. ”

Civale (5-6) struck out nine and is 3-0 since returning from his third stint on the injured list. The right-hander gave up solo homers to Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Civale will be Cleveland’s starter in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, if the wild-card round goes three games.

Kansas City starter Jonathan Heasley (4-10) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.

Kansas City (65-97) finished last in the AL Central. The Royals were 74-88 last season. Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since winning the World Series in 2015.

Five players drove in runs for the Guardians. Josh Naylor had three RBIs, including a two-run single when the Guardians scored four times in the first. Myles Straw had a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the seventh.

Rookie Will Brennan and Luke Maile also had RBIs in the first.

“I gave up the run in the first inning and Naylor, of course, says, ‘Don’t worry, we got you’ and we put up four in the first and then one in the next, one in the next,” Civale said. “It never stops. We’ve said all year we’re never out of a game.”

Pasquantino finished his rookie season with 10 home runs, while Isbel batted .308 over his final 11 games after snapping an 0-for-21 slump.

“Good for both of them, getting a little reward in a long year, do a little damage,” said Matheny, who became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Cleveland drew 1,295,870 in 76 dates fans this season. Cleveland had an attendance of 1,738,642 fans in 2019, the last season before COVID-19 restrictions.

The last thing a postseason team needs is an injury in the final game of the regular season, but Andrés Giménez and Oscar Gonzalez caused the Guardians brief concern Wednesday.

Giménez was hit by a pitch for an AL-leading 25th time this season in the fourth when he took one on the right knee. He limped out of the box, but stayed in the game after talking to manager Terry Francona and a team trainer.

Gonzalez's slide into third base got the attention of Cleveland’s dugout in the first. After drawing a walk, he slid headfirst into the bag on Brennan’s single to right, but appeared to land on his nose as he slid in safely.

Gonzalez stayed on the ground for a couple of moments as third base coach Mike Sarbaugh retrieved his helmet. Gonzalez slowly got to his feet and stayed in the game.

Royals: C Salvador Perez (left thumb soreness) missed the final four games of the six-game series. He had surgery on his thumb earlier this season and felt soreness during Saturday’s game when he went 4 for 4. Perez homered in his final at-bat Saturday for his 1,274th career hit, passing Billy Butler for eighth place on the Royals’ all-time list.

Royals: Kansas City plays Texas on Feb. 24 in the spring training opener.

Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener. He reached the 200-inning mark in his final regular-season start against Kansas City on Sunday. Bieber hasn’t lost since Sept. 1 and is 5-0 over his last six starts. His only postseason start came in 2020, when he won the AL Cy Young Award, but was the losing pitcher in Game 1 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. Bieber allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramirez drove in two runs and had four hits, Aaron Civale pitched six solid innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Wednesday in their final tune-up for the postseason.Cleveland opens the wild-card round against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field.The AL Central champions are 24-6 since Sept. 5 and finished the regular season 92-70. The youngest team in baseball had 17 players make their major league debuts this season. Cleveland finished 80-82 last season.Ramirez had run-scoring singles in the second and sixth, and ends the regular season with 126 RBIs. Ramirez doubled in the eighth and received a loud ovation from the 12,983 fans when he was removed for a pinch-runner.The fact Ramirez hustled into second for a double in his final at-bat of the regular season with his team ahead by six runs came as no surprise.“He’s the heart and soul of the team and everyone would tell you that same thing,” Civale said. “There’s a lot of pieces involved, but he is that supreme piece. It’s extremely fun to watch. It’s great that we get to do it from the same dugout and not across the way.”Rookie Steven Kwan ended the regular season batting .298. His chance to hit .300 ended when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh.“I thought it was fitting that Josey finished on a hustle double and Kwan, who’s trying to hit .300, alerts the umpire that he gets hit because he’s playing the game,” manager Terry Francona said “That, to me, means we’re going in a good direction. ”Civale (5-6) struck out nine and is 3-0 since returning from his third stint on the injured list. The right-hander gave up solo homers to Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Civale will be Cleveland’s starter in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, if the wild-card round goes three games.Kansas City starter Jonathan Heasley (4-10) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings.Kansas City (65-97) finished last in the AL Central. The Royals were 74-88 last season. Kansas City hasn’t reached the postseason since winning the World Series in 2015.Five players drove in runs for the Guardians. Josh Naylor had three RBIs, including a two-run single when the Guardians scored four times in the first. Myles Straw had a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the seventh.Rookie Will Brennan and Luke Maile also had RBIs in the first.“I gave up the run in the first inning and Naylor, of course, says, ‘Don’t worry, we got you’ and we put up four in the first and then one in the next, one in the next,” Civale said. “It never stops. We’ve said all year we’re never out of a game.”Pasquantino finished his rookie season with 10 home runs, while Isbel batted .308 over his final 11 games after snapping an 0-for-21 slump.“Good for both of them, getting a little reward in a long year, do a little damage,” said Matheny, who became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.Cleveland drew 1,295,870 in 76 dates fans this season. Cleveland had an attendance of 1,738,642 fans in 2019, the last season before COVID-19 restrictions.TIME FOR THE PLAYOFFSThe last thing a postseason team needs is an injury in the final game of the regular season, but Andrés Giménez and Oscar Gonzalez caused the Guardians brief concern Wednesday.Giménez was hit by a pitch for an AL-leading 25th time this season in the fourth when he took one on the right knee. He limped out of the box, but stayed in the game after talking to manager Terry Francona and a team trainer.Gonzalez's slide into third base got the attention of Cleveland’s dugout in the first. After drawing a walk, he slid headfirst into the bag on Brennan’s single to right, but appeared to land on his nose as he slid in safely.Gonzalez stayed on the ground for a couple of moments as third base coach Mike Sarbaugh retrieved his helmet. Gonzalez slowly got to his feet and stayed in the game.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Salvador Perez (left thumb soreness) missed the final four games of the six-game series. He had surgery on his thumb earlier this season and felt soreness during Saturday’s game when he went 4 for 4. Perez homered in his final at-bat Saturday for his 1,274th career hit, passing Billy Butler for eighth place on the Royals’ all-time list.UP NEXTRoyals: Kansas City plays Texas on Feb. 24 in the spring training opener.Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (13-8, 2.88 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener. He reached the 200-inning mark in his final regular-season start against Kansas City on Sunday. Bieber hasn’t lost since Sept. 1 and is 5-0 over his last six starts. His only postseason start came in 2020, when he won the AL Cy Young Award, but was the losing pitcher in Game 1 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. Bieber allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

⚾ Surging Guardians beat Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred were fired by the Kansas Cty Royals on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and a lackluster group of veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer.

The disappointing on-field product led owner John Sherman last month to fire longtime front office executive Dayton Moore, the architect of back-to-back American League champions and the 2015 World Series title team. He was replaced by one of his longtime understudies, J.J. Picollo, who made the decision to fire Matheny hours after the season ended.

"Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said in a statement. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank Mr. John Sherman and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization.

"I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”

Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013. But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.

Put in charge of a rebuild in the works, Matheny went 26-34 during a COVID-19-shortened first season, then appeared to show progress last season, when the Royals ushered forward a slew of young prospects and finished 74-88.

The expectation was another step forward this season, but the Royals instead spent September fighting off 100 losses.

Matheny finished 165-219 during his time with the Royals, though the number that perhaps is more important to the future of the club is 29 — the number of players that made their Major League debut during his tenure.

"We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said in a statement. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward.”

Matheny became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.

Philadelphia's Joe Girardi was replaced on June 3 by Rob Thomson, who engineered a miraculous turnaround to get the Phillies into the playoffs. The Angels replaced Joe Maddon with Phil Nevin four days later, Toronto's Charlie Montoyo was succeeded by John Schneider on July 13 and the Rangers' Chris Woodward by Tony Beasley on Aug. 15.

DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred were fired by the Kansas Cty Royals on Wednesday night, shortly after the struggling franchise finished the season 65-97 with a listless 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.The Royals had exercised their option on Matheny's contract for 2023 during spring training, when the club hoped it was turning the corner from also-ran to contender. But plagued by poor pitching, struggles from young position players and a lackluster group of veterans, the Royals were largely out of playoff contention by the middle of summer.The disappointing on-field product led owner John Sherman last month to fire longtime front office executive Dayton Moore, the architect of back-to-back American League champions and the 2015 World Series title team. He was replaced by one of his longtime understudies, J.J. Picollo, who made the decision to fire Matheny hours after the season ended."Managing the Royals has been a true privilege,” Matheny said in a statement. “I’m thankful to so many, primarily Dayton Moore, and the coaches and players I’ve worked with. I would like to thank Mr. John Sherman and the ownership group for the opportunity to manage their team, and everyone involved in this great organization."I came to the Royals knowing it was an organization of excellence and care, and was shown that care every single day. Royals fans should be excited about this group of players, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow.”Matheny spent parts of seven seasons managing the St. Louis Cardinals, finishing each with a winning record and winning the National League pennant in 2013. But after his firing midway through 2018, he was hired by the Royals in an advisory role, and then tapped to succeed longtime manager Ned Yost when he retired before the 2020 season.Put in charge of a rebuild in the works, Matheny went 26-34 during a COVID-19-shortened first season, then appeared to show progress last season, when the Royals ushered forward a slew of young prospects and finished 74-88.The expectation was another step forward this season, but the Royals instead spent September fighting off 100 losses.Matheny finished 165-219 during his time with the Royals, though the number that perhaps is more important to the future of the club is 29 — the number of players that made their Major League debut during his tenure."We are grateful to Mike for leading us through some unusual times these last three seasons,” Picollo said in a statement. “He met those challenges head on and helped us move forward in a positive manner. We thank him for his leadership and know his influence will have a positive impact moving forward.”Matheny became the fifth big league manager to be fired this year.Philadelphia's Joe Girardi was replaced on June 3 by Rob Thomson, who engineered a miraculous turnaround to get the Phillies into the playoffs. The Angels replaced Joe Maddon with Phil Nevin four days later, Toronto's Charlie Montoyo was succeeded by John Schneider on July 13 and the Rangers' Chris Woodward by Tony Beasley on Aug. 15.Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa left the team on Aug. 30 for medical tests and said Monday he will not return for 2023.In addition, Miami's Don Mattingly said late last month that he will not return next season.While he was well-liked in the Kansas City clubhouse, it seemed unlikely Matheny would be granted another season when Moore was fired last month. Sherman indicated at the time the change in the leadership of the baseball operations department was only the start of what was expected to be widespread shifts throughout the organization.The Royals have struggled for years to develop pitching — they had the fourth-worst ERA and the worst WHIP by far of any staff in the majors this season. And the continued struggles by their latest wave of young arms was a big reason for letting go of Eldred, the pitching coach since 2018.“The bottom line here is it's time for change,” Sherman said last month. “There is a gap right now between where we are and where we expected to be. ... I felt like in 2021 we did make progress, and in 2022, that's not how I feel. There have been some bright spots — I love seeing the young players — but in 2022, we are not where we expected to be.”