AP
Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.
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UPCOMING
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FBC--BIG 12 THIS WEEK
DESCRIPTION: A preview of this week’s Big 12 games. No. 10 Utah is one of three 6-0 teams in the Big 12. The Utes also have the nation’s longest active FBS winning streak at 12 games going into Saturday’s home game against No. 14 Houston. The Cougars have a four-game winning streak. No. 2 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech, the two teams that played in the Big 12 title game last season, are the other 6-0 teams. By Stephen Hawkins. 570 words, photos.
UPCOMING: By 10/22/2026 7:00 a.m. EDT, FilePhoto, Text
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BKW--ALL-AMERICA TEAM
DESCRIPTION: The AP releases its preseason All-America team for women’s college basketball. By Doug Feinberg. Text, photos, agate at noon Eastern.
UPCOMING: By 10/22/2026 12:00 p.m. EDT, DigitalPlans, Photo, Text
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GYM--WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the men’s all-around finals at the 2026 world gymnastics championships. Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto will try to win his third straight all-around title at the world gymnastics championships on Wednesday.
UPCOMING: By 10/22/2026 4:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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CAR--F1-US GRAND PRIX
DESCRIPTION: Formula 1 drivers speak with the media ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the 18th round of the 2026 season. Stories on merits.
UPCOMING: By 10/22/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text
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BBO--WORLD SERIES-BREWERS-YELICH
DESCRIPTION: Coverage of the World Series. Christian Yelich is the first Brewers captain in franchise history and has been a fixture in the lineup while Milwaukee has made this run of eight playoff appearances in nine years. Now he’s finally in the World Series for the first time. By Steve Megargee. 600 words, with photos.
UPCOMING: By 10/22/2026 7:00 p.m. EDT, Text
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NEW AND DEVELOPING
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HKN--PANTHERS-TKACHUK’S RETURN
Brady Tkachuk gets ice-cold reception in return to Ottawa with Florida Panthers
SUMMARY: Former captain Brady Tkachuk was booed loudly in his return to Ottawa with the Florida Panthers, four months after requesting a trade from the only NHL team he’d ever known. Senators fans drowned out a video tribute to Tkachuk with profane chants during Ottawa’s 5-1 victory. The star forward opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period, but that was all the offense Florida could muster. Tkachuk seemed to revel in the hostile atmosphere. He raised his stick in acknowledgment during the tribute and waved at fans with his trademark grin. Drafted fourth overall in 2018, Tkachuk spent eight seasons with the Senators. A fan favorite for much of his tenure, he helped Ottawa return to the playoffs in 2025, ending a seven-year drought.
WORDS: 994 - MOVED: 10/22/2026 1:20 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ec91adf946168566eed21a4ff8c6a85a&mediaType=text
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BKL--WNBA FINALS
Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 for a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals
SUMMARY: Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the Atlanta Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night and take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals. Rhyne Howard added 16 points and Naz Hillmon had 15 for the Dream, who host Game 4 on Saturday. It was the second straight strong game for Reese, who had 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2, which the Dream also won. With the game tied at 49 in the third quarter, Atlanta scored eight straight, including four by Reese. Atlanta closed the quarter scoring 12 of the final 14 points.
WORDS: 821 - MOVED: 10/22/2026 12:09 a.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:fe026712fec47e6d76b1794186d991ea&mediaType=text
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BKL--WNBA FINALS-FREEDOM
Enes Kanter Freedom refuses to sit in luxury suite of State Farm Arena and leaves WNBA Finals
SUMMARY: Enes Kanter Freedom refused to sit in a suite the Atlanta Dream and State Farm Arena arranged for the former NBA player’s protection at Wednesday night’s Game 3 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries and instead left the arena. Freedom demanded he be allowed to sit in his purchased seat, and for the second time this season didn’t make it through a WNBA game. He posted a video at halftime saying he had been thrown out of the arena.
WORDS: 725 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 11:43 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:104b1f918cbf08934c14b9725078e59f&mediaType=text
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BBO--DODGERS-OHTANI
Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani’s knee and biceps injuries require offseason rest, not surgery
SUMMARY: Shohei Ohtani needs offseason rest, not surgery, for knee and biceps injuries that led to his worst offensive numbers since he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman says the injuries were like a game of whack-a-mole, with issues calming and then getting irritated again. Ohtani and the Dodgers are excited about his return to two-way duties next season. Ohtani didn’t pitch after July 3 due to injuries that also affected his hitting. How to manage his two-way workload for a potential full season in 2027 has yet to be discussed.
WORDS: 344 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 10:11 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7b0f9f85e6050493548e070bc2320c09&mediaType=text
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FBN--PACKERS-JACOBS
Packers’ Josh Jacobs shows contrition as he prepares to play again amid ongoing NFL investigation
SUMMARY: Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs expressed contrition as he returned to practice Wednesday and spoke publicly for the first time since pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend. Jacobs pleaded no contest last month to misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage to property. The NFL removed him from the commissioner’s exempt list this week. That makes him eligible to play again after missing the first six games of the season.
WORDS: 983 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 8:28 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9792b45c2f03dedf73dba54140b6a008&mediaType=text
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BBO--WORLD SERIES-BREWERS-BACK TO 82
Robin Yount and others from Milwaukee’s 1982 World Series team hope the Brewers finally win it all
SUMMARY: Hall of Fame shortstop Robin Yount says he feels a different level of anxiety watching the Milwaukee Brewers now than when he was playing for them during their only other World Series run. Yount says “it’s almost like watching your kids play.” Yount and the rest of the 1982 Brewers are hoping this year’s Milwaukee team can settle some unfinished business by winning the franchise’s first World Series title. The 1982 Brewers won the AL pennant but lost Game 7 of the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers are finally back on this stage 44 years later.
WORDS: 900 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 8:17 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a826524aeb464b4c1c10731472564692&mediaType=text
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FBN--GOODELL-HURTS
NFL welcomes a review of how Eagles handled Jalen Hurts’ blood clots, Roger Goodell says
SUMMARY: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league welcomes an investigation into the Philadelphia Eagles’ handling of Jalen Hurts’ blood clots after the players’ union asked for one. Goodell said Wednesday that the league’s chief medical officer has gone through the steps that were followed and added that the union had a right to call for a review. Dr. Allen Sills on Tuesday offered a passionate defense of the Eagles medical staff. The NFL said officials were in touch with team doctors and trainers, as well as the Cleveland Clinic in London, where the Eagles were playing the Jaguars on Oct. 11. Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his calf traveled to his lungs.
WORDS: 599 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 6:31 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d8fec2176901bbc2a94a5f90fc0761f6&mediaType=text
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FBN--TITANS-ELLIOTT
Jordan Elliott was released by Titans after pulling out gun in parking lot, coach Robert Saleh says
SUMMARY: Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh says defensive tackle Jordan Elliott was released after pulling a gun in the parking lot of the team facility but called it a “terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act.” The Titans announced Tuesday that Elliott was released but said only that it came after his involvement in an unspecified incident at the team’s facility five days earlier. A person briefed on the incident told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Elliott had a gun in his car and went to the parking lot to retrieve it after a dispute with another player. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident is being reviewed.
WORDS: 461 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 6:27 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:da5c3af833515f549be25a313a05f106&mediaType=text
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BBO--ANGELS-SUZUKI FIRED
Angels fire manager Kurt Suzuki after losing 100 games in his only season
SUMMARY: The Los Angeles Angels have fired manager Kurt Suzuki after losing 100 games in his only season at the helm. Baseball operations consultant John Mozeliak announced Wednesday that the Angels declined the option on Suzuki’s contract and would open a search for a new manager in 2027. Mozeliak said Suzuki had been offered the opportunity to stay with the organization as a special assistant. The Angels were 62-100 and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, a first-time manager who played the final two of his 16 major league seasons as a catcher with the Angels in 2021-22.
WORDS: 544 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 6:03 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e53da9bdbe81d1785d63d412ca803f19&mediaType=text
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SOC--CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUNDUP
Harry Kane has a big night in Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League
SUMMARY: Harry Kane had a goal and an assist for Bayern Munich but Declan Rice scored a second-half equalizer for last season’s runner-up Arsenal to secure a 2-2 draw in the Champions League. Real Madrid beat Leipzig 4-1 to warm up for the clasico against Barcelona on Sunday. Aston Villa moved second in the league-phase standings with a 3-1 win over Norwegian club Viking. Manchester United’s crisis deepened after a 4-1 debacle at competition newcomer Como. Also, it was: Inter Milan 1, Shakhtar Donetsk 0; Sporting Lisbon 2, LASK 3; Lille 2, Galatasaray 4; Club Brugge 3, Lens 0; and Real Betis 1, Feyenoord 0.
WORDS: 831 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 5:48 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c7bef1bf97ce3df2630b3ca5536d1d1f&mediaType=text
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BBO--YANKEES
Steinbrenner blames Yankees players for lack of World Series title, defends Boone and Cashman
SUMMARY: Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner defended manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman after New York’s failure to win the World Series. He blames players for not delivering in the playoffs. Steinbrenner praised Boone’s management, especially with the pitching staff. New York has gone 17 seasons without a World Series title, matching its longest drought since 1923. The Yankees finished second in the AL East and were swept by the Rays in the Division Series. Boone, in his ninth season, has one year left on his contract. Cashman, the GM since 1998, is finalizing a new contract.
WORDS: 1015 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 4:51 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5a8218d54caa8dd2969d720ceef9d054&mediaType=text
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FBN--BILLS-FRANKLIN SUSPENDED
Bills DB Sam Franklin appeals NFL’s 1-game suspension, denying he spit at Raiders player
SUMMARY: The agent for Buffalo Bills defensive back Sam Franklin said his client has appealed the NFL’s decision to suspend him for one game without pay for allegedly spitting at a Raiders opponent during a game last weekend. The appeal was launched within hours of the NFL issuing the suspension, with a hearing scheduled to take place on Thursday. The NFL suspended Franklin for spitting at an opponent following the Raiders’ successful extra-point attempt during Buffalo’s 33-30 win at Las Vegas on Sunday. Bills starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson also was given a one-game suspension for spitting in the direction of Raiders players.
WORDS: 493 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 3:02 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6504febc10ff61c5cecc48094a92f32b&mediaType=text
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FBC--MARYLAND-LOCKSLEY
Michael Locksley is out as Maryland football coach following a 5-game losing streak
SUMMARY: Michael Locksley is out as Maryland football coach. The university announced Locksley’s exit Wednesday, four days after the Terrapins lost at home to Rutgers for their fifth straight defeat. Co-defensive coordinator Aazaar Abdul-Rahim takes over as interim coach. Locksley was seven games into his eighth season at the helm. He led the Terps to three straight bowl victories from 2021-23, but since then Maryland is 10-21 in two-plus seasons. Maryland blew a 10-point halftime lead in a 37-30 homecoming loss to Rutgers. Locksley went 38-49 at Maryland, not including a stint as interim coach in 2015.
WORDS: 826 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 2:25 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:43f0f4fe792c83cad0cdad32ab2b3f39&mediaType=text
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FBN--NFL OWNERS MEETING
Roger Goodell is comfortable with security for the NFL’s Paris game between the Steelers and Saints
SUMMARY: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he has a high comfort level in the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers playing the league’s first game in France in light of the civil unrest that could include more protests this weekend in Paris and elsewhere around the country. Goodell at the end of the annual fall owners meeting said he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that officials are in touch with Parisian and French authorities. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told reporters in Versailles that the team’s plans have not been affected by the situation.
WORDS: 697 - MOVED: 10/21/2026 2:04 p.m. EDT
https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:868df763926bff82eea1acad9c3603a2&mediaType=text
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