A two-run home run off the bat of Munetaka Murakami provided the offensive spark, while a quintet of Chicago pitchers held Cleveland Guardians hitters to just three hits throughout, sealing a 3-0 White Sox victory in the opening game of their AL Division Series matchup. Montgomery's run-scoring double gave the White Sox their ninth win across 11 games, a stretch of results that carried the team's momentum from the end of the regular season into the postseason. Winning all three games against Houston put Chicago into the division series.
On two separate occasions within that contest — the third inning and then the fourth — Cleveland left the bases loaded with a pair of outs already recorded, failing to plate a run in either spot, all while holding the AL Central title by a single game over the White Sox for the third year running.
Game 1 of the National League Division Series brought the Atlanta Braves to Dodger Stadium as visitors, with temperatures at the venue expected to reach their highest point for any postseason contest there in roughly eight years. At kickoff, the thermometer read 100 degrees and was projected to nudge up to 101 — a heat load running roughly 20 degrees above what the city typically sees in the first days of October. Weather conditions would not pose a notable obstacle for the Braves, manager Walt Weiss told reporters, pointing to the club's routine exposure to the heat and humidity typical of the Southeast. Roberts indicated he would be watching both his pitching staff and the catcher throughout the coming games.
Skubal drew the opening-game pitching nod when Detroit faced Atlanta in the NLDS. That outing marked the first time in his career that a postseason assignment at the home venue had fallen to him. Postseason road assignments with the Detroit Tigers had already been part of Skubal's pitching résumé before this run. Tasked with starting Game 1, Skubal earned the nod over Yoshinobu Yamamoto — who would go on to claim World Series MVP honours in 2025 — with Yamamoto having joined the Dodgers roster before the August trade deadline.
A calf injury kept Aaron Judge, the Yankees' captain, out of New York's AL Division Series lineup against Tampa Bay. His last appearance on the field came back on September 16, with no action recorded for him since that date. A fractured rib had kept Judge out of action from May 31 through September 8, and after returning he appeared in only seven contests before a strain to his right calf cut his availability short once more.
Kept off the injured list despite bilateral calf strains that had sidelined him since April 24, Stanton held a spot on the active 26-man roster. Placed on the active roster for the two-game Wild Card Series sweep over Boston, Stanton took no plate appearances across either contest.
Stockton's arm accounted for 295 passing yards and three touchdown strikes as No. 2 Georgia extended its lead in the final minutes to hand Vanderbilt a 38-14 defeat.
CJ Carr threw for four touchdowns while Jonaz Walton contributed 108 yards on the ground, carrying third-ranked Notre Dame to a 37-26 victory over North Carolina. A 15th straight win extended Notre Dame's unbeaten run.
Russell's arm produced 285 passing yards and three touchdown throws, while his legs added a fourth score, as seventh-ranked Alabama pulled away from 16th-ranked Mississippi State by a 56-23 margin in a contest that had entered the day with both programs carrying unblemished records. Three touchdowns came via the ground as Trae'shawn Brown crossed the goal line twice, while Rico Scott hauled in a pair of scoring receptions and Dijon Lee Jr. turned a 30-yard interception return into points. Seventeen consecutive defeats in the series now belong to Mississippi State's record in that matchup.
Alabama's scoring runs across several possessions were aided by the field position created when Kamario Taylor, the Bulldogs' quarterback, lost possession on a first-quarter fumble and had two passes intercepted during the contest. Restricted to the fourth quarter after absorbing five sacks, Taylor had also been dealing with what looked like an ankle problem that visibly affected his movement throughout the game.
Passing plays accounted for two touchdowns from Jennings, who added a third score on the ground as SMU — ranked 21st nationally — pulled past Boston College by a final of 25-16. Heading into the matchup as the FBS leader in passing yardage at 357 per game, Jennings threw for 160 yards on 20 completions from 30 attempts. Three of the five sacks recorded by SMU's defense came off the efforts of Marques White.
A fumble stripped from Mason McKenzie gave Aakil Washington a 34-yard return opportunity down to the Eagles' 13-yard line, from which Jennings connected with Randy Pittman Jr. on a 14-yard touchdown throw, while Derrick McFall hauled in the other scoring reception. Touchdowns from Evan Dickens and Danny Edgehille put points on the board for Boston College.
At end-of-season press conferences, Fever general manager Amber Cox spoke up on behalf of the team's supporters. Questions about how Fever supporters conduct themselves surfaced once more during Game 2 of Indiana's opening-round playoff matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson, a four-time league MVP, became the subject of a courtside disturbance when a spectator seated behind the baseline directed shouts and gestures toward her. After a review concluded no violation of the venue's fan conduct policy had occurred, the spectator was escorted out of the seating area briefly before being allowed to return to his place. In her exit interview, Mitchell noted that certain fan interactions made competing in Indiana a challenge at times.
Roughly 10,000 attendees paid $10 apiece for seats at the Philadelphia 76ers' preseason scrimmage, drawn by LeBron James making his first on-court appearance for the franchise. During a quiet stretch on the bench, LeBron James cradled Tyrese Maxey's infant daughter in his lap. Describing the reception from both teammates and the broader community, James noted that people had made him feel at home.
Barkov, the Panthers' center, has been moved onto long-term injured reserve due to a left-leg injury, a designation that keeps him out of the lineup for a minimum of ten games. No details about the nature of the injury have been made available by the Panthers. Partway through the second period, Barkov left the game as Florida dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the San Jose Sharks.
