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LSU fires coach Brian Kelly in the 4th season of his 10-year, $100 million deal

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LSU has fired coach Brian Kelly during the fourth season of a 10-year contract worth about $100 million. The move announced by athletic director Scott Woodward on Sunday night comes on the heels of a 49-25 loss to No. 3 Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium a night earlier. That was the Tigers’ second straight loss and third in four games. Kelly was hired away from Notre Dame following the 2021 season. He has gone 34-14 with the Tigers but LSU has not qualified for the College Football Playoff during his first three seasons and is virtually eliminated from contention this season. Woodward says the financial terms of Kelly’s separation for LSU are still being negotiated.

Big 12 lands season-high 5 teams in the AP Top 25, No. 9 Vandy’s ranking highest since 1937, LSU out

The Big 12 has five teams in the latest Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. That’s the most since September 2024. No. 9 Vanderbilt earned its highest ranking in 88 years. LSU dropped out after its third loss in four games. The top six teams remain unchanged with Ohio State holding the No. 1 spot for a ninth straight week. The Big 12’s ranked teams are co-No. 10 BYU, No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 17 Cincinnati, No. 22 Houston and No. 24 Utah. Vanderbilt is 7-1 for its best start since 1941.

Ohtani has one place he doesn’t want to hear the ‘We don’t need you!’ chant — at home

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star, jokes about not wanting to hear the “We don’t need you!” chant from his family. Blue Jays fans chanted during the World Series opener because he signed with the Dodgers instead of Toronto. Ohtani is hitting .224 in 12 postseason games with six homers and make his Series mound debut in Game 4 on Tuesday. He is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his postseason mound starts. Ohtani hopes his performances inspire more two-way players.

Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers fall short in QB’s reunion with Packers as Love leads 35-25 win

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jordan Love passed for 360 yards and three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers beat Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-25. Love, who took over for Aaron Rodgers as the Packers’ quarterback in 2023, was nearly flawless in the second half. Love completed his first 16 passes after the break, including two for touchdowns as Green Bay erased a nine-point deficit. Rodgers, who won four MVPs and a Super Bowl in 18 years with the Packers, threw for 219 yards and two scores in his first game against his former club. Green Bay improved to 5-1-1. Pittsburgh is now 4-3.

Former Jets center Nick Mangold dies at 41, less than 2 weeks after announcing he had kidney disease

The New York Jets have announced the death of former center Nick Mangold at age 41. Mangold died from complications of kidney disease on Saturday night, less than two weeks after he revealed on social media that he needed a kidney transplant and was seeking a donor. Diagnosed with a genetic defect in 2006, Mangold had been on dialysis. Jets owner Woody Johnson described him as a legendary player and beloved teammate. Mangold, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, was enshrined in the Jets’ ring of honor in 2022. He is survived by his wife and four children.

Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo will have surgery after dislocating right ankle vs. Eagles

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo has suffered a dislocated right ankle that could end his season. Skattebo was hurt in the second quarter of the Giants’ 38-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants say Skattebo is set to undergo surgery Sunday night at a hospital in the Philadelphia area. Skattebo took a hard hit over the middle on a pass attempt. He went down and immediately smacked his helmet in pain. Skattebo’s foot appeared to be bent in an unnatural direction as both Giants and Eagles players huddled around him until he could be helped off the field.

Lakers’ Luka Doncic likely out at least one week with a sprained finger and a bruised leg

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers say Luka Doncic is expected to be sidelined for at least one week because of a sprained finger on his left hand and a bruised lower left leg. Doncic had been off to a spectacular start to the season with back-to-back 40-point games for the Lakers, who play at Sacramento on Sunday night. He scored 43 points in the Lakers’ loss to Golden State on opening night, and he racked up 49 points in a victory over Minnesota last Friday night. Doncic scorched the Timberwolves despite spraining a finger on his non-shooting hand in the opening minutes.

Aaron Rodgers wasn’t seeking ‘revenge’ against the Packers, who gave him a reality check instead

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers was solid but not spectacular in his first-ever game against the Green Bay Packers. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-25 loss to the team he won four MVPs and a Super Bowl with earlier in his career. Rodgers says he was happy to see some old friends from Green Bay before the game but once the ball was kicked off, it was all business. Rodgers completed 24 of 36 passes but was outplayed by his former pupil Jordan Love, who threw for 360 yards and three scores.

Michael Brennan wins Utah Championship on an invitation and gets 2-year PGA Tour exemption

IVINS, Utah (AP) — Michael Brennan was dominant on the PGA Tour Americas this summer and just as dominant at the Bank of Utah Championship. He shot a 66 on Sunday for a four-shot victory at Black Desert. Brennan was a sponsor exemption who earned a Korn Ferry Tour spot as the leader of PGA Tour Americas. Now he bypasses the Korn Ferry Tour and has a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour with his victory. He also gets in the PGA Championship and the $20 million RBC Heritage. He’s the first sponsor exemption to win since Nick Dunlap at The American Express last year.

Byron outduels Blaney for victory at Martinsville and NASCAR Championship 4 berth

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — With a Championship 4 spot on the line, William Byron put the bumper to Ryan Blaney to win at Martinsville Speedway in the third-round finale of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Byron made his winning move with 43 laps remaining, seizing the bottom lane in Turn 1 and moving Blaney up the track by tagging him in the left rear. The Hendrick Motorsports driver led the rest of the way and fended off Blaney on a restart with 11 laps remaining. Starting from the pole position, Byron led a race-high 304 of 500 laps for his third victory this season.