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⚾ Five things to know Thursday
- Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler are your Cy Young winners. It's been quite the year for Misiorowski, who capped off a World Series run by taking home the NL Cy Young Award. In the AL, Yankees ace Cam Schlittler won his first Cy Young Award as a unanimous selection after tormenting opposing batters all year. There's a good chance both young pitchers rack up more Cy Young awards throughout their careers, and that duo even made history with their wins on Wednesday night.
- Philip Rivers has agreed to become the next coach at NC State. The Wolfpack legend agreed to terms with his alma mater and will become the next coach in Raleigh. An official announcement on Rivers' hiring is expected in the coming days. With the college football coaching carousel picking up speed, stay tuned to all the latest updates with our tracker.
- Star NFC West receivers are banged up. We got more news on Mike Evans and Puka Nacua on Wednesday and none of it was good. Evans, who is still working his way back from an Achilles' injury, was not at practice. Even though Nacua will avoid hitting IR for roster reasons, he will miss a significant chunk of time with knee and toe injuries. If your fantasy team is hurting as much as the Rams and 49ers, check out Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em and Sit 'Em to find pivot options.
- Kamario Taylor re-signs with Mississippi State. After speculation about what the star quarterback's future would hold, Taylor put all those transfer rumors to rest as he signed a new NIL deal to remain at Mississippi State. With three weeks left in the regular season remaining, the transfer quarterback market is already getting thin. Taylor was a rising star in Starkville this fall before a toe injury cut his season short. The Bulldogs will now load up with him back in the fold.
- The MLB hot stove is getting warmer. If you're in the mood for some MLB trade speculation, this is a great time of year for it. In our latest rumors update, the Red Sox are reportedly shopping Jarren Duran while expressing interest in Seiya Suzuki. Sticking in the AL East, the Yankees are expected to make a strong push for Alec Bohm. The managerial carousel is also spinning, and the Astros have hired Brad Ausmus to be their next manager. Plus, there should be a long list of suitors in the Corey Seager sweepstakes.
🏈 Do not miss this: NFL Week 10 picks
An NFC East rivalry between the Giants and Commanders will kick off Week 10 tonight, and that means our own Pete Prisco has logged his picks for every game on the slate. Not to brag on his behalf, but Prisco did go 15-0 on straight-up picks last week.
Let's stick in East Rutherford, where the Giants will try to strengthen their grip on the division. Rookie Arvell Reese has been a menace for a rejuvenated defense in New York, and Prisco thinks that will be the difference tonight.
- Prisco: "The Giants are back home after beating the Eagles and now face a Commanders team that probably has to win this to have any chance at the playoffs. The Giants' defense has been dominant up front as of late, and that will continue here as they contain Jayden Daniels. Giants keep winning. Pick: Giants 23, Commanders 14"
You can check out all of Pete's Week 10 picks here, but he wasn't the only one who called his shot on every game. John Breech submitted his game-by-game predictions, and here's a taste of what he projects:
- Jaguars 31, Titans 16
- Colts 19, Dolphins 16
- Bills 30, Jets 20
- Ravens 20, Chargers 16
In one of the weekend's biggest games, the Packers will take on the Vikings in a huge NFC North clash. That will be another chance for Jordan Love to build his case as the league MVP. It will also serve as a triumphant return for Kirk Cousins.
🏀 NBA Power Rankings
Could the Lakers be any hotter to start the season? Well, maybe if they were 13-0 instead of 11-2, but Luka Dončić has elevated his defensive game and made Los Angeles a Western Conference juggernaut.
As a result, the Lakers have flown up to No. 2 in our NBA Power Rankings. As our own Brad Botkin points out, Dončić has long been an underrated defender, but his excellent condition has unlocked another gear in 2026-27. Combine that with Dončić's all-world scoring, and that's a lethal combo.
- Botkin: "The difference this season is in the movement (better shape), the multiple efforts, the ability to genuinely stay in front without fouling more times than not. He's a real part of a Lakers defense that is eight points per 100 better with him on the floor and, overall, is giving up nearly three fewer points per 100 than it did last season."
You can check out the full rankings here, but I'll share a sneak peek:
21. Wizards (-4)
22. Hornets (-2)
23. Magic (-1)
24. Pacers (-1)
25. Clippers (+1)
One team headed in the wrong direction quickly is the Jazz, and the bad news keeps piling up. Now Lauri Markkanen is out for at least a month as Utah's nightmare season gets worse.
If you're still in the mood for hoops power rankings, I have great news for you. Michigan State has made quite the impression in our College Basketball Power Rankings, and UConn is an early faller in our Women's College Basketball Power Rankings.
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
- The Cowboys will have to explore a George Pickens trade in the offseason.
- Arch Manning has returned to the first round in our latest 2027 NFL mock draft.
- Sergei Bobrovsky and the Maple Leafs are sliding down the standings and our NHL Power Rankings.
- The Bengals nearly cost themselves a third-round pick with a draft day blunder.
- It will be baptism by fire for Cardinals rookie QB Carson Beck against the Rams.
- The Big Ten Power Rankings highlights a precarious position for the conference as the CFP approaches.
- Quack back: Dan Lanning fires back at NIL criticism from Kyle Whittingham.
- Brent Venables might not be on the "hot seat," but patience is running thin in Norman.
- How military veterans are making their mark at every level of college football.
- Steph Curry is firing back at critics of his wife's on-screen kiss in her new movie.
- Former NFL coach Rex Ryan was arrested after allegedly running over pedestrians' feet.
- How exactly will the PGA Tour handle Jon Rahm in 2027?
- The Valkyries are sorting through drama with prized prospect Justė Jocytė.
- Too many posts: Miami (OH) was penalized for getting a little too creative during an Ohio FG attempt.
📺 What we're watching Thursday
🏒 Hurricanes vs. Kraken, noon from Helsinki on NHL Network
🏀 No. 19 Oklahoma State at Tulsa (W), 6 p.m. on ESPNU
🏀 No. 4 UConn at No. 17 Ohio State (W), 6:30 p.m. on FS1
🏀 No. 1 South Carolina at Clemson (W), 7 p.m. on ESPN2
🏈 Memphis at South Florida, 8 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Mavericks at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 No. 7 Louisville at Ball State (W), 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏈 Commanders at Giants, 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
🏀 Northern Iowa at No. 10 Iowa (W), 8:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
🏈 Louisiana at UL-Monroe, 9 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 Arizona at No. 10 UCLA (W), 10:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
