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 Tuesday
- Case Keenum leads the Bears to a huge win over the Eagles. Just like we all expected, Case Keenum was far and away the best quarterback on the field last night. Keenum was spectacular in the Bears' 27-7 victory over the Eagles, throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a third score. In his first start in over 1,000 days, the 38-year-old Keenum turned back the clock for an awe-inspiring performance. Thanks to Keenum, Chicago earned a sparkling grade for its performance, while Philadelphia failed on both sides of the ball.
- The Vikings trade J.J. McCarthy to the Giants. In the wake of Jaxson Dart's season-ending injury, the Giants are looking for a little extra help at quarterback, so they turned to the trade market. That led them to a deal for McCarthy that included a fifth-round pick to the Vikings. It's a curious move on the part of New York, which already has Jameis Winston to replace Dart. At least Minnesota did well to squeeze some trade value out of McCarthy. A former top-10 pick in the NFL Draft, McCarthy saw his Vikings tenure unravel after just 10 starts.
- Dolphins RB De'Von Achane is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Dolphins' worst fears were confirmed on Monday. After exiting Sunday's loss to the Chiefs with a knee injury, Achane was diagnosed with a torn ACL, abruptly ending his 2026 season. Frankly, Achane was one of the very few reasons to watch Miami, so the question now is whether Miami will go 0-17 without its best offensive weapon. Fantasy managers who just lost Achane should check out our projection risers and fallers for pivot options on the waiver wire.
- Lincoln Riley's long-term future at USC is in doubt. After squandering another golden opportunity on Saturday night, Riley is feeling the heat in L.A. Our own Matt Zenitz reports that Riley's job security is very much in question, despite his $70 million buyout. That lucrative buyout can only protect Riley to a point -- especially when his record against top 25 opponents with USC just dropped to 5-15 after that frustrating loss to Oregon.
- Olivia Miles wins WNBA Rookie of the Year. Was there any question about who would win this award? Apparently not, because Miles was named the winner unanimously on Monday. In her sparkling rookie campaign, Miles averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. In fact, she was so good that it begs the question: Did Miles have a better debut season than Caitlin Clark?
⚾ Do not miss this: MLB Wild Card preview
Did you feel that crisp air this morning? That can only mean one thing: It's time for October late-September baseball. The four Wild Card Series begin tonight, and our own Dayn Perry has identified the biggest question for each matchup.
The Red Sox and Yankees will write another chapter in their storied rivalry, but this chapter may not include New York slugger Aaron Judge. If Judge can't play -- or if he plays at less than 100 percent -- can the Yankees manufacture enough runs to advance?
- Perry: "If Judge isn't himself or isn't even active, can the Yankees muster enough offense to advance? The 34-year-old back-to-back MVP hasn't been up to his usual standards when healthy this season, and he also hasn't been healthy all that much (he also missed three months with a rib fracture). That said, he still has a 140 OPS+ in 2026, which means he's a highly valuable presence in the Yankee lineup even when not producing at customary levels."
In the NL, the Cubs are out in San Diego for their series against the Padres. Chicago might be a slight underdog, but it also has our top-ranked player in the postseason with Pete Crow-Armstrong leading the way.
Here are a couple more key links to get you prepped for postseason baseball:
- MLB expert World Series picks and predictions
- Ranking the pitching staffs of all 12 playoff teams
- Ranking the offenses of all 12 playoff teams
With Game 1 between the Braves and Phillies starting at 2 p.m. ET tomorrow, there will be a lot of fake work getting done in the afternoon. We have the complete schedule -- including broadcast information -- right here.
🏈 Mississippi State soars up CFB Power Rankings
One of the best things about college football is its unpredictability. Every year, teams come out of nowhere to capture the attention of the country.
This season, that team might just be Mississippi State. Led by early Heisman Trophy candidate Kamario Taylor, the Bulldogs just slayed Missouri in a top-25 matchup, prompting a 12-spot jump in our updated College Football Power Rankings. It's been a fun story so far, and our own Brandon Marcello has the details.
- Marcello: "The Bulldogs snapped a 14-game losing streak in ranked-on-ranked matchups, the longest in AP poll history, beating Missouri 31-24 in a thriller. Heisman contender Kamario Taylor threw for 360 yards. Undefeated Alabama comes to Starkville next."
Here's a quick look at a portion of the back end of the top 25:
16. Iowa (+2)
17. Texas Tech (-5)
18. BYU (+1)
19. Nebraska (--)
20. Virginia Tech (--)
Oregon was another riser in the rankings after a big win -- even after losing star quarterback Dante Moore to a concussion -- and it looks like Dylan Raiola's patience is already paying off for both parties.
Of course, it can't be all good news for everybody. After a second consecutive conference loss, Texas A&M slid 16 spots in our CBS Sports 138.
👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest
- LeBron James didn't join the 76ers just to 'lose in the second round.'
- 'Ain't coming off no bench': Dylan Harper is ready to start for the Spurs in Year 2.
- The Cardinals take another shot on an elite Ohio State WR in our latest 2027 mock draft.
- Speaking of which, should Julian Sayin return for one more year at Ohio State?
- Tyreek Hill has hinted at a possible NFL comeback in the near future.
- Nikola Jokic has reaffirmed his commitment to the Nuggets ahead of the 2026-27 season.
- The NFL has asked the White House to remove the Brian Dawkins mixtape from social media.
- Kansas has joined the Top 25 and 1 now that Tre White has been cleared to play.
- The Protect College Sports Act has passed in the Senate, but it still faces an uphill battle in the House.
- The USMNT youth movement is off to an exciting start with a win over Peru.
📺 What we're watching Tuesday
⚽ UEFA Nations League: Belarus at Finland, 12 p.m. on FS2
⚾ Game 1: Phillies at Braves, 2 p.m. on NBC
⚽ UEFA Nations League: North Macedonia at Slovenia, 2:45 p.m. on FS2
⚽ UEFA Nations League: Croatia at Spain, 2:45 p.m. on FS1
⚾ Game 1: White Sox at Astros, 5 p.m. on NBCSN
🏒 Panthers at Hurricanes, 5 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Game 2: Aces at Fever, 6:30 p.m. on Prime Video
🏒 Rangers at Bruins, 8 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Game 1: Red Sox at Yankees, 8 p.m. on NBC
🏀 Game 2: Lynx at Liberty, 8:30 p.m. on USA Network
⚾ Game 1: Cubs at Padres, 10 p.m. on NBCSN
🏒 Blackhawks at Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m. on ESPN
