☀️ Five things to know Wednesday
- The Rays fended off World Series elimination in an extra-innings classic. The Brewers were just a half inning away from completing the sweep for their first championship, but Tampa Bay had just enough offense left in the tank in the late-night thriller. Ben Williamson delivered a walk-off single to break a 3-3 deadlock in the 12th frame and force a Game 5. It was the first step toward a miraculous comeback in this series, and the Rays still have a whole lot of work ahead of them if they are to win their first Commissioner's Trophy. They and Milwaukee face a quick turnaround (and a potential shortage of fresh arms) from the draining 12-inning marathon, with first pitch arriving tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
- The Colts' fire sale is on. Indianapolis traded two of its best players, starting with six-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, who is off to the Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. That move was the first sign that the Colts' season is effectively over, and it was a massive win for Seattle, which paid a modest price to beef up the offensive line. The second trade sent two-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to the 49ers, which reunited him with the team that drafted him. Indianapolis received a 2027 fourth-rounder in return, which is better than the projected compensatory fifth-rounder they would have received if Buckner left in free agency. In that sense, it's a job well done for a team that is now obviously rebuilding. Will Jonathan Taylor become the next star Colt to be dealt ahead of the trade deadline?
- Anthony Edwards and Jaren Jackson Jr. will miss significant time with injuries. Less than 24 hours after he racked up 47 points in a classic superstar performance, the Timberwolves ruled Edwards out for up to two months due to a right knee issue that will require arthroscopic surgery. Edwards has been dealing with the knee problem since last season and elected to have the procedure now to maximize his availability in the latter half of the season. The Jazz will also be without a star for at least six weeks as Jackson battles a knee injury of his own. His torn MCL will not require surgery but is a major blow to Utah's rim protection and could be a crucial hit to its search for a postseason berth.
- The CFP selection committee has its hands full with the SEC. We project anywhere from three to five SEC teams making the playoff, but outside of Georgia, it's anyone's guess as to which squads will get in. The Bulldogs are the conference's best team even after an upset loss and bye week, and it is a complete logjam behind them with Kentucky, LSU, Texas, Alabama, and Ole Miss representing the strongest playoff contenders. This isn't a bad problem to have, especially compared to the hard truths the Big Ten faces with most of its top teams underperforming on preseason expectations.
- Jonah Coleman and Rachaad White are this week's top fantasy football waiver wire targets. These rising running backs need to be on someone's roster in your league, so make sure it's yours. They deserve top priority for your waiver claims as they potentially step into No. 1 roles on the Broncos and Commanders offenses, respectively. Zonovan Knight is also worth targeting if you need running back help, while KC Concepcion is the best broadly available wide receiver and the duo of Geno Smith and Jacoby Brissett could be worth streaming at quarterback. If you'd prefer to make a trade, then Dave Richard's Week 8 Trade Chart and rest of season rankings are here to help.
🏀 Do not miss this: Matt Norlander's Top 100 And 1 college basketball teams
How do you rank the best teams in college basketball when you don't even know the full set of fifth-year players who will be eligible? Understanding the sport's landscape inside and out like senior writer/insider Matt Norlander helps cut through all the eligibility lawsuit noise. The unpredictability of the college hoops campaign means there will be a few swings and misses, but Norlander's assessment of the top 101 teams in the land is an excellent starting point as we gear up for Sunday's season opener between Notre Dame and Villanova.
The teams are placed into four tiers from national title hopefuls to Final Four contenders and from Sweet 16 candidates to at-large and bubble candidates. The strongest championship challenger? That would be Florida.
- Norlander: "Unquestionably one of the strongest preseason No. 1s of the past 15 years. That doesn't guarantee Florida will win it all, but the Gators figure to have as good a shot as anyone. Three studs who helped UF to a national championship 19 months ago in San Antonio are still on this squad."
This season is the first of the 76-team NCAA Tournament era. More programs will be in the at-large and bubble conversation than ever before. If preseason projections play out over the course of the next few months, expect these squads and others to be fighting for a spot in the bracket until the very end:
65. Pittsburgh
66. Memphis
67. Utah State
68. Minnesota
69. Santa Clara
70. Tulsa
📈📉 Pete Prisco's Week 8 NFL Power Rankings
The Vikings probably need to improve offensively in order to contend for a championship. A brutal four-game stretch over the next month could bring them back down to earth. But the NFL's best defense is more than strong enough to carry them to a special season, and it already produced a 6-0 start to the year. As the only undefeated team left, Minnesota is the obvious choice for the No. 1 spot in Pete Prisco's Week 8 NFL Power Rankings.
That is more a product of other unbeaten teams losing than the Vikings earning top billing, because Prisco still is not fully sold on them even after moving up.
- Prisco: "The Vikings are ranked first in scoring defense and 23rd in scoring offense. That is a heck of a disparity for an unbeaten team. Quarterback Kyler Murray has to be better. The passing game has to improve from its 29th-ranked yards-per-game mark. If not, the next four games could be a big problem for the Vikings, and their stay at the top won't last long."
Prisco has more conviction in the biggest movers of the week, for better or worse. These teams climbed and fell more steeply than any others:
8. Bears (↑5)
18. Panthers (↓4)
19. Falcons (↑4)
21. Texans (↓6)
23. Buccaneers (↑6)
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
- Alexander Volkanovski and Petr Yan are two of the top three fighters in our UFC Pound-for-Pound Rankings thanks to their championship wins.
- The Eagles' loss on "Monday Night Football" might have heated up Nick Sirianni's seat, and it has Philadelphia on the verge of entering the Jeremiah Smith sweepstakes.
- The Heat are the biggest losers from the NBA's opening week. A poor fit between Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo is to blame for the 0-4 start.
- Jaylen Brown's PR team staunchly denied that he requested a trade from the Celtics. The ongoing drama surrounding his exit from Boston (and his feud with Jayson Tatum) is great for the NBA and the 76ers-Celtics rivalry.
- Angel Reese and Karl Smesko went off on the officiating in the Dream's WNBA Finals Game 5 loss. And Atlanta's ownership group decried the scheduling chaos that resulted in a midday Game 6.
- Our first batch of NFL Week 8 picks are in.
- Kawhi Leonard will miss his return to Los Angeles due to a knee injury.
- Mississippi State star quarterback Kamario Taylor will undergo season-ending toe surgery.
- Deion Sanders pushed back on the claim that he offered some critics $50,000 to stop talking about him.
- Matt Painter's contract extension with Purdue makes him one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in college basketball.
- Florida State's president penned a letter to fans addressing the "frustration" about the direction of the Seminoles football program.
- Alabama dismissed defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. after his second arrest.
- TGL's 2027 schedule is set. Opening night will see Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka's teams in action.
- The card is nearly set for WWE Crown Jewel 2026. Buckle up for a trio of championship matches.
📺 What we're watching Wednesday
⚽ Bologna at AC Milan, 1:30 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Women's Champions League: Real Madrid at Bayern Munich, 1:45 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Carabao Cup: Chelsea at Liverpool, 4 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ UEFA Women's Champions League: Benfica at Arsenal, 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
🏀 76ers at Pacers, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 Kennesaw State at Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏒 Flyers at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
⚽ Red Bulls at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚾ Brewers at Rays, Game 5, 8 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Jacksonville State at New Mexico State, 8 p.m. on ESPN2
⚽ Union at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. on Apple TV
🏀 Thunder at Mavericks, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Rapids at Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m. on Apple TV