In today’s edition, we dive into what makes October the best month in sports, NFL power rankings, the ongoing struggles of the 2024 White Sox, the evolving College Football Playoff picture, Davante Adams’ trade request, and much more.

🚨 Headlines

• Huge viewership: Alabama’s thriller against Georgia averaged 12 million viewers, marking ESPN’s most-watched game since 2017.
• Realignment continues: Gonzaga will join the revamped Pac-12, and UTEP is heading to the Mountain West.
• Manchester City match United’s record: City extended their unbeaten streak in the Champions League to 25 games, tying Manchester United for the longest streak ever.
• NFL news: Bills LB Von Miller has been suspended for four games due to a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, following a domestic violence incident from last fall.
• Diamondbacks regret: Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick admitted that signing Jordan Montgomery to a lucrative deal was a mistake, citing his 6.23 ERA as a major concern.

📆 Welcome to October

October is a sports fan’s paradise. Tuesday alone saw a wild mix of MLB playoff games, WNBA semifinals, and Champions League blowouts. Across six baseball games and two basketball games, it was a thrilling start to the month.

Coming up in October:

• MLB playoffs: The World Series begins on Oct. 25.
• WNBA playoffs: The WNBA Finals will conclude by Oct. 20.
• Soccer: The Champions League continues.
• NFL and college football: Peak matchups in both leagues.
• F1: The U.S. Grand Prix on Oct. 20.
• NASCAR: Playoffs continue through the Round of 8.
• Plus: The NBA (Oct. 22) and NHL (Oct. 4) seasons return.

Expect a Sports Equinox on Oct. 28, when all four major U.S. sports leagues will be in action simultaneously, including the World Series, NFL, NBA, and NHL games.

🏈 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

The undefeated Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings sit atop the Week 5 NFL power rankings. Despite their perfect records, both teams face upcoming challenges that could test their standing.

• Chiefs: While they’ve won 10 straight games, their victories have been close, and injuries to RB Isiah Pacheco and WR Rashee Rice add uncertainty.
• Risers: The Buccaneers surged six spots after a big win, while the Commanders and Bengals also climbed the rankings.
• Fallers: The Jets dropped after their disappointing loss to Denver, and the Rams and Dolphins also saw sharp declines.

⚾ Are the 2024 White Sox the Worst Team Ever?

The White Sox capped off a miserable 2024 season with an MLB-record 121 losses. While their .253 winning percentage ranks as the fifth worst in modern MLB history, the South Siders’ -306 run differential and league-worst offense further highlight their struggles.

• Historic failures: They had the worst batting average (.221), on-base percentage (.278), and slugging percentage (.340) in the league.
• The bullpen: Chicago’s bullpen blew 37 saves, the most in the majors, and recorded the worst save percentage (36.2%) in 75 years.

Despite some bright spots, including Garrett Crochet’s impressive season, the 2024 White Sox will go down as one of the worst teams in modern baseball history.

🏈 College Football Playoff Picture

As the college football season heats up, here’s a look at where the top teams stand after Week 5, based on the AP Top 25 poll. With pivotal games ahead, the landscape could shift dramatically by the end of October.

📆 On This Day: Oct. 2, 2005

Nineteen years ago, the NFL held its first regular-season game outside of the U.S., with the Arizona Cardinals defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City. This was a pivotal moment in the NFL’s international expansion, which now features games in multiple countries every season.

📺 What to Watch Today

Elimination games in the MLB Wild Card round take center stage:

• Tigers at Astros (2:30pm ET, ABC)
• Royals at Orioles (4:30pm, ESPN)
• Mets at Brewers (7:30pm, ESPN)
• Braves at Padres (8:30pm, ESPN2)

Plus:

• Champions League action continues (12:45-3pm, Paramount+)
• MLS: Columbus vs. Miami (7:45pm, FS1), with Lionel Messi’s team on the brink of clinching the Supporters’ Shield.

🏈 NFL Trivia

Question: Davante Adams has 96 receiving touchdowns since his 2014 debut. Who’s the only player with more?

Hint: His team is currently 3-1.

Answer: Travis Kelce.

⚾ Crazy But True

Despite leading the league in runs scored (886) and allowing the fewest runs (607), neither the Arizona Diamondbacks nor the Seattle Mariners made the playoffs this season.