KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes remembers vividly last year's game at Tennessee, when the Chiefs fell behind the Titans early and never put up a fight in a 27-3 loss. In fact, the Titans have dominated the Chiefs over much of the past decade, winning six of the past seven meetings. The lone win by Kansas City came in the AFC title game, sending the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. Their latest matchup Sunday night pits two 5-2 divisional leaders against each other at Arrowhead Stadium, and whoever comes out on top could have a big advantage when it comes to the postseason.
HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Hurts threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a slow start to get a 29-17 win over the Houston Texans Thursday night, giving them the first 8-0 start in franchise history. Hurts lost a fumble in a forgettable first half and game was tied at halftime. But C.J. Gardner-Johnson grabbed his NFL-best and career-high fifth interception before Hurts threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown to give them the lead in the third quarter.
UNDATED (AP) — There is a full slate of Big 12 games on the first Saturday of November. Second-place Kansas State is home against Texas in a game featuring the league's top two running backs, Bijan Robinson and Deuce Vaughn. Take out a COVID outlier game, and the five other games between those teams since 2016 have been decided by a combined 25 points. Seventh-ranked and still-undefeated TCU is home against Texas Tech. No. 18 Oklahoma State is coming off its first shutout loss since 2009. The Cowboys play at Kansas, which they've beaten 12 times in a row. Baylor is at Oklahoma; and Iowa State hosts West Virginia.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy watched last Saturday night as quarterback Spencer Sanders was tackled hard enough on his shoulder during a loss to Kansas State to end up in the injury tent. Kansas coach Lance Leipold could relate after watching the same thing happen to his quarterback, Jalon Daniels, three weeks earlier. There's a chance that Sanders and Daniels could both play on Saturday when the No. 18 Cowboys visit Kansas. They're trying to rebound from that blowout loss to the Wildcats while the Jayhawks are coming off a bye and trying to snap a three-game skid.
UNDATED (AP) — Defending Big 12 champion Baylor plays at Oklahoma on Saturday needing a win to keep alive its hopes of returning to the conference title game. The Sooners appear to have regained their footing under first-year coach Brent Venables. Baylor is getting votes for the Top 25 and could re-enter the rankings with a win. Both teams have won two straight. The winner becomes bowl eligible.
UNDATED (AP) — Iowa State and West Virginia meet Saturday in Ames, Iowa, with each needing three wins to achieve bowl eligibility. Each team has four chances left to get them. The Cyclones have been to five straight bowls. The Mountaineers have been to two in a row. The loser probably can plan to be home for the holidays. West Virginia is averaging 34 points per game and is the highest-scoring Bowl Subdivision team with a losing record. Iowa State’s five-game skid is its longest since 2016. That was coach Matt Campbell’s first year.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An independent panel has placed the Louisville basketball program on two years of probation and fined it $5,000, but spared the school major penalties from NCAA allegations leveled in the aftermath of a federal investigation of corruption in college basketball. The Independent Accountability Resolution Process also declined to penalize former Cardinals coach Rick Pitino. Chris Mack, Pitino’s successor who was fired in January, also was not penalized for additional allegations announced last year by the NCAA. Former Cardinals assistant coaches Jordan Fair and Kenny Johnson received two-year show-cause orders for Level I violations.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Justin Verlander overcame an early jolt to grit out the World Series win that long eluded him, rookie Jeremy Peña hit a go-ahead home run and the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to head home with a 3-2 lead. Buoyed by late defensive gems from Trey Mancini and Chas McCormick, the Astros moved to the brink of their second championship — the other was a scandal-tainted title in 2017. Houston went ahead just four pitches in against Noah Syndergaard on Peña’s run-scoring single. Then Philly’s Kyle Schwarber homered leading off the bottom half, harkening to the five-run lead Verlander wasted in Houston’s opening 6-5, 10-inning loss.
PHOENIX (AP) — Ross Chastain’s video game-inspired ride along the wall at Martinsville carried him across the finish line, into the NASCAR championship finale and around the world. Like it or not, the hands-free, foot-to-the-floor Chevy slingshot ride catapulted Chastain and NASCAR into the social media stratosphere. A championship is on the line this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, but there was nearly as much attention on Chastain’s bold move last week as on who will win the Cup Series title between him, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell.
THURSDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 29 Houston 17
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Final Houston 3 Philadelphia 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Orlando 130 Golden State 129
Final Denver 122 Oklahoma City 110
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Detroit 3 Washington 1
Final Vegas 5 Ottawa 4
Final Boston 5 N-Y Rangers 2
Final SO Carolina 4 Tampa Bay 3
Final Seattle 4 Minnesota 0
Final OT Winnipeg 3 Montreal 2
Final N-Y Islanders 5 St. Louis 2
Final OT Chicago 2 Los Angeles 1
Final Nashville 4 Calgary 1
Final New Jersey 4 Edmonton 3
Final Dallas 7 Arizona 2
Final Vancouver 8 Anaheim 5
Final SO Florida 4 San Jose 3