End of Dodgers dynasty? Brewers sweep champs en route to World Series; Broncos stifle Seahawks in OT

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

⚾ Five things to know Friday

1. The Brewers are World Series-bound. Thursday delivered a postseason baseball doubleheader with the Guardians taking a 2-1 series lead in the ALCS and the Brewers punching their ticket to the Fall Classic with a 6-4 victory over the Dodgers. Milwaukee completed a rite of passage of sorts in sweeping the two-time defending world champions and is now four wins out from the first Commissioner's Trophy in franchise history. Jake Bauers went 4-for-14 in the series and won the NLCS MVP award. On the other side, there is a lot of blame to throw around for an inexplicable no-show on the Dodgers' part. This might just be the beginning of the end of their dynasty, especially if Tarik Skubal leaves in free agency.
2. The Broncos stymied the Seahawks in an overtime battle. Denver's defense was overwhelming in the 17-14 victory on "Thursday Night Football." Sam Darnold will have nightmares after the unit sacked him five times and intercepted him on two of the Seahawks' final three drives. The Broncos finally got a run game going, but Bo Nix remains a drag on the offense, so it is a good thing the group on the other side of the ball continues to step up. Despite their prolonged scoring struggles, the AFC West contenders are 4-2 with a win over the reigning Super Bowl champions.
3. College Football Playoff expansion is imminent. The CFP is close to a deal that will bring the largest format change in its history. Our Matt Zenitz confirmed that the postseason will expand to 24 teams for the 2027 season, pending approval. This change will also likely eliminate conference championship games, which was a sticking point in negotiations between, primarily, the Big Ten and SEC. So what will this bracket look like? If last year's CFP featured 24 teams, North Texas would have been the last squad in the field while the top eight seeds -- No. 1 Ohio State through No. 8 Oklahoma -- would have received first-round byes. Candidly, I loathe the idea of expansion. As usual with changes in this sport, this is more about big business than doing right by the fans.
4. Jalen Hurts will miss Week 6 with a blood clot. The Eagles quarterback was initially believed to have suffered a calf injury in Week 4, and an ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot which has since moved, leading the team to rule Hurts out for at least Sunday's game against the Panthers. What is a superficial blood clot, you ask? In brief, it is medically known as superficial vein thrombosis and is generally less severe than deep vein thrombosis -- a condition that popped up multiple times recently in the NBA. Hurts' absence thrusts Tanner McKee into the lineup for the biggest opportunity of his career and makes the Eagles even larger underdogs than they were to begin. From a big-picture perspective, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott used this as an opportunity to encourage athletes to be as open as possible with medical personnel, and the Eagles still have a chance to compete at the top of the NFC East even with an uncertain signal-caller situation.
5. The WNBA Finals tip off tomorrow. And then there were two. There will be a first-time champion as the Dream and Valkyries sit four wins away from the first title in franchise history, which is a testament to their aggressive paths to the finals. For Atlanta, it was the Angel Reese trade that sparked their postseason success. For the Valkyries, it took only two years from their inception to make it this far. Our picks are in, and our experts are split on which team holds the edge in this series.

☑️ Do not miss this: College football Week 7 picks

If you enjoyed college football's Week 6, then buckle up for Week 7. This slate is simply loaded with high-impact games that will leave an indelible mark on the College Football Playoff race. Even some of the more under-the-radar matchups carry weight. For example, can Oklahoma pick up steam on the heels of its Red River Rivalry upset and take down another ranked team in No. 15 Kentucky? The Sooners would look like possible CFP bracket busters if so.

Speaking of the playoff, it's hard to discount No. 6 Alabama too much following last week's loss to No. 1 Georgia. The numbers tell us that the Crimson Tide actually boasts the best CFP resume in the nation despite the defeat. It will get even better if the Tide bounces back with a win over rival No. 14 Tennessee on the Third Saturday in October. The Volunteers will trot out George MacIntyre at quarterback again, and he has Alabama on upset alert as an 8.5-point underdog -- even if our experts are in near consensus about the Crimson Tide covering the spread.

While we're giving out picks, let's check in with Tom Fornelli for his Lock of the Week.

• Fornelli: "No. 11 Utah has made a habit of blowing the doors off teams out of the gate. In four games against FBS opponents, the Utes have outscored teams 100-23 in the first half. That's an average lead of 19.25 points at halftime. That's the fourth-best first-half margin in the country, behind only No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Miami. I expect the Utes to grab control of this one quickly. The Pick: Utah 1H -9.5 (-108) at DraftKings"

And here are our picks for every other marquee matchup in Week 7:

• No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana
• No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU
• No. 16 Mississippi State at No. 22 LSU
• Florida State at No. 3 Miami
• Florida at No. 7 Texas
• Penn State at Michigan

🚨 NFL Week 6 upset alert

The Texans finally earned their first win of 2026 last week, and the parallels to 2025 are striking. It was a blowout win over the Titans last year that snapped a dreadful stretch to open the season and sparked a victory streak. What if Houston catches fire again this year? The Jaguars should be on notice in their second consecutive game in London, because the Texans might be fixed. Fire up the upset alert sirens.

Our Jordan Dajani likes the Texans to win outright across the pond.

• Dajani: "DeMeco Ryans is calling defensive plays again, and C.J. Stroud is actually playing good football. He's tied for the most 20-yard completions (21) in the NFL this season. Houston is also 14-2 SU and 11-4-1 ATS in its last 16 divisional games away from home. Prediction: Texans 21, Jaguars 18"

"That's not a real upset! They're only three-point underdogs," you might say. OK, then. How about the Titans? They're seven-point underdogs to the Colts, yet our Tyler Sullivan says it would not surprise him if they secure their first win of the season.

• Sullivan: "This is more about fading the Colts than it is buying stock in the Titans. This is a divisional matchup where I think the line is simply too big, and Tennessee could end up surprising some folks because Indy keeps them in it. I could see this Colts defense helping prop up what has been the worst offense in the NFL, as the Titans rank last in scoring (11.6) and total yards (246.4)."

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

• Meet the 2026-27 CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year: Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears. And familiarize yourself with the Preseason All-Freshman Team, because these newcomers are about to play a role in the national championship race.
• We have answers for the toughest fantasy football start-or-sit decisions in Week 6 and a cheat sheet to help you make your own calls.
• Can the Knicks repeat as Eastern Conference champions? We ranked all 15 teams by tiers and made the over/under call on each squad's win total.
• The NFL reduced Alaric Jackson's suspension for punching Bradley Chubb, who revealed what was said before their interaction got heated.
• Jon Rahm exited LIV Golf with a court settlement and is free to sign with another league. So where will he go? He has a few options, especially starting in 2028.
• Joaquin Buckley aims to snap his two-fight losing streak and work his way back to another title shot at tomorrow's UFC Fight Night, while Erin Blanchfield aims to make a statement of her own.
• The NBA released its annual GM survey, and while executives are all in on Victor Wembanyama, they're not so sure about the 76ers.
• Caleb Williams decried "false" reports on his hamstring injury and responded to the critics who questioned his character.
• Fever star Alliyah Boston underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in her right knee.
• With the Cowboys and Packers going head-to-head on Sunday, it's time to evaluate which team won the Micah Parsons trade.
• These are the five most overrated players in the NBA heading into the season.
• Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker contradicted Jerry Jones and said he will likely continue to coach from the sideline.
• The WNBA announced its All-Defensive teams.
• Josh Jacobs filed a lawsuit to block the release of video evidence in his criminal case.

📺 What we're watching this weekend

Friday

⚽ Sassuolo at Frosinone, 2:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Network/Paramount+
🏀 Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
🏈 Memphis at Tulane, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Game 4: Rays at Guardians, 8 p.m. on TBS
🏈 Washington at Purdue, 8 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina, 8 p.m. on ESPN2
🤼 WWE SmackDown, 8 p.m. on USA Network
⚽ Racing Louisville at Legacy, 8 p.m. on Prime Video
🏀 Nuggets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday

⚽ Chelsea at Everton, 7:30 a.m. on USA Network
⚽ Napoli at Venezia, 9 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Ipswich Town at Manchester City, 10 a.m. on USA Network
⚽ Paris Saint-Germain at Strasbourg, 11:15 a.m. on beIN Sports
🏈 Florida at No. 7 Texas, noon on ABC
🏈 No. 16 Mississippi State at No. 22 LSU, noon on ESPN
🏈 No. 25 Northwestern at Michigan State, noon on NBC Sports Network
🏈 No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana, noon on Fox
🏈 Virginia at No. 24 SMU, noon on The CW
⚽ Gotham at Spirit, 12:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⚽ RB Leipzig at Bayern Munich, 12:30 p.m. on USA Network
🏒 Devils at Capitals, 1 p.m. on NHL Network
🥊 WBO heavyweight title: Dubois vs. Wardley, 2 p.m. on DAZN
⚽ Brest at Lille, 2:45 p.m. on beIN Sports
🏈 No. 6 Alabama at No. 14 Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Arizona State at No. 10 Texas Tech, 3:30 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Auburn at No. 1 Georgia, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 No. 13 Missouri at No. 9 Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m. on SEC Network
🏈 Penn State at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏀 Game 1: Dream at Valkyries, 3:30 p.m. on NBC
🤼 UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott, 5 p.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Current at Royals, 6:30 p.m. on Ion
🏈 Florida State at No. 3 Miami, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Sabres at Canadiens, 7 p.m. on NHL Network
🏈 No. 15 Kentucky at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network
🏈 No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 No. 18 Oklahoma State at No. 20 Houston, 7:30 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Wisconsin at No. 12 UCLA, 7:30 p.m. on NBC
⚽ Fire at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚾ Game 5: Rays at Guardians, 8 p.m. on TBS
🥊 WBC junior middleweight title: Fundora vs. Hadribeaj, 8 p.m. on TNT
⚽ Dallas at Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Angel City at Summit, 8:45 p.m. on Ion
🏈 No. 11 Utah at Colorado, 10:15 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 No. 21 Wake Forest at California, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2
⚽ Nashville at Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m. on Apple TV

Sunday

⚽ Lecce at Udinese, 6:30 a.m. on Paramount+
⚽ Racing Santander at Osasuna, 8 a.m. on ESPN+
⚽ Manchester United at Leeds United, 9 a.m. on USA Network
🏈 Texans vs. Jaguars (London), 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network
⚽ Alavés at Celta Vigo, 10:15 a.m. on ESPN+
⚽ Arsenal at Nottingham Forest, 11:30 a.m. on NBC Sports Network
🏈 Panthers at Eagles, 1 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏈 Bears at Falcons, 1 p.m. on Fox
⚽ Pride at Dash, 1 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏁 NASCAR at Phoenix, 3 p.m. on USA Network
⚽ Sevilla at Real Madrid, 3 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Cardinals at Rams, 4:05 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Bills at Raiders, 4:25 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⚽ Thorns at Bay, 5 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Crew at Cincinnati, 7 p.m. on Apple TV
⚽ Reign at Stars, 7 p.m. on Roku
🏈 Cowboys at Packers, 8:20 p.m. on NBC