Ole Miss-Texas and Houston-Utah are the headliners but intrigue lurks in Week 8

Last week was intense, with six Top 25 matchups in college football and five of the top seven teams losing on the same day for the first time in 90 years. This week, there are just two big games: No. 7 Mississippi at No. 19 Texas and No. 14 Houston at No. 10 Utah. However, there’s still plenty to watch. LSU plays Auburn, Indiana travels to Michigan, and BYU faces UCF. Alabama hosts Texas A&M, and Iowa takes on Minnesota.

Knicks try to clear up 'misinformation' about rings, say employees will get them in 4-6 weeks

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks sought to clear up what they said is “misinformation” regarding the awarding of their championship rings. They say employees who were always supposed to get them will do so in about a month. The team again conceded that using an email regarding the rings to train employees about cybersecurity was a mistake, though “reminding our employees to protect our IP was not.” It was the second straight day the NBA champions responded to criticism of their distribution of the jewelry the team earned after winning its first title since 1973, after a report by The Athletic about the process.

Man City falls at Aston Villa and Arsenal moves level on top of the Premier League

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League has in a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. That has allowed Arsenal to move level on points at the top of the standings. Defending champion Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 at Emirates Stadium. Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes scored in each half for Mikel Arteta’s team, which is second on goal difference. Villa extended its outstanding recent run to six wins from seven games in all competitions. Villa's Nicolas Jackson is up to seven goals in all competitions. Tottenham has sealed its second win this week by beating 10-man Chelsea 2-0.

LIV Golf paid $15 million to retain executives before filing for bankruptcy, court records show

LIV Golf has paid $15.6 million to retain seven executives in the three months before filing for bankruptcy. That includes $6.375 million to CEO Scott O'Neil. The payments are revealed in documents filed Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey. LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund ended its financial support. BC Partners Credit has pledged up to $300 million to back LIV 2.0. Key players like Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia have separated from LIV agreements. LIV also faces lawsuits for unpaid services. A bankruptcy hearing is set for Nov. 5.

NFL House in Paris closes ahead of street protests in French capital

PARIS (AP) — The NFL has closed its “NFL House” in Paris as the city braces for street protests with a heavy police presence and storefronts boarded up. The league announced the closure to fans on Saturday morning through its “OnePass” app and it came a day after it said its pop-up NFL shop would also be shut Saturday — in both cases citing “potential accessibility issues.” Security concerns have overshadowed the NFL’s debut in Paris. The New Orleans Saints will play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Stade de France in the league’s first-ever regular-season game in France. New Orleans also announced that “Saints House has been postponed until Sunday.”

Former NBA star Malik Beasley negotiating plea deal over gambling charges

Former NBA player Malik Beasley is negotiating a plea agreement with the Department of Justice after initially pleading not guilty to charges of altering his play in 2024 to benefit sports bettors and ease his debts. Beasley entered a not guilty plea in July in New York federal court. His attorney said Saturday that they expect an agreement soon. Beasley and sports agent Paolo Zamorano are among six people charged in a gambling scandal involving over three dozen arrests. Beasley is accused of fixing his performance in at least four games while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024.

Brewers withstand Rays' comeback attempt to win 3-2 in Game 1 of World Series

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trevor Megill struck out Jonny DeLuca with runners on second and third to wiggle out of a ninth-inning jam as the Milwaukee Brewers escaped with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series. DeLuca’s strikeout came after Tampa Bay’s Liam Hicks had grounded into an apparent game-ending double play that was overturned after a video review. Replays determined Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt’s right foot was slightly off the bag when he reached to catch a high throw from second baseman Brice Turang. Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run over five innings to earn the win.

Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski sets World Series velocity record on his first pitch

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jacob Misiorowski broke the record for fastest World Series pitch with the very first offering of this year’s Fall Classic, a 103.5 mph fastball from the Milwaukee Brewers’ fireballer to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz. Misiorowski allowed one run and four hits over five innings with three strikeouts, leaving with a 2-1 lead. Misiorowski’s first pitch, taken for a ball above the strike zone, was listed at 103.4 mph on the stadium video boards but clocked at 103.5 by MLB’s Statcast system. Aroldis Chapman of the Chicago Cubs had set the mark for a Series pitcher at 103.2 mph in 2016.

Infantino says he's supported by 'vast, vast majority' of soccer ahead of FIFA elections

FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he has the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of soccer despite his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. Infantino is seeking re-election next year in the face of attempts to force him to stand down. He infuriated soccer leaders in Europe, North America and Asia over the proposal to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary.

Jayson Tatum vents over Jaylen Brown's 'cap' post as Celtics win overshadowed by trade drama talk

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum addressed his frustrations with the ongoing drama surrounding the relationship between he and Jaylen Brown after Brown's trade to the Philadelphia 76ers. Instead of discussing his 36-point performance in the Celtics' win over the Knicks, Tatum spent most of his postgame news conference explaining his side of the situation. Brown responded to comments Tatum made on a YouTube video in which he said he was surprised with by the trade with a "cap" emoji on Instagram, implying it was untrue. Tatum expressed frustration with how their relationship has been portrayed, emphasizing there's no animosity, despite the perception otherwise.