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🐆 Five things to know Friday

1. The Jaguars demolished the shorthanded Ravens. Baltimore's outlook was bleak heading into Week 9, and the result was even more lopsided than expected. With Lamar Jackson on injured reserve and Tyler Huntley out for the season, the Joe Fagnano-led Ravens entered the contest as 10-point underdogs. The undrafted rookie led an offense that found the end zone only in garbage time in a 33-10 drubbing. Help is on the way with Jacoby Brissett poised to arrive over the weekend, but will it be too little, too late? Meanwhile, Jacksonville is taking care of business as a lopsided favorite and has solidified its position as a Super Bowl contender.
2. Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings in Week 9. A hamstring strain will sideline Kyler Murray for the "Monday Night Football" clash with the Bills, prompting a quarterback change that could last beyond just one game. Although it is a somewhat precautionary move, Murray had been struggling when healthy, so Wentz may have a chance to take the job and run with it. The Vikings need a more productive offense to capitalize on their league-best defense, and this swap might just provide that. It could also be a boon to the fantasy football value of Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison.
3. Bronny James' NBA future is uncertain. The Lakers assigned James and rookie Cameron Carr to the G League, and for the former, this marks the third consecutive year in which he has spent time away from the NBA roster. James' contract is guaranteed through the end of the season but not beyond that, so there is a chance the Lakers could move on if he does not earn his way back into the rotation. Since LeBron James is no longer with the franchise, there is even less incentive to keep his son around beyond this year.
4. LIV Golf will cease operations. That's a wrap on the league, which finds itself in a financial bind with its new investor walking back its $300 million pledge. BC Partners pulled its support due to the underwhelming volume and caliber of players committed to "LIV Golf 2.0." The shutdown process will begin next week. Once a disruptive force in the golf world and a thorn in the side of the PGA Tour, the league previously backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is no longer viable and will see its biggest stars -- Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau chief among them -- search for new opportunities. It is unclear where they will land.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo has played his final match for Portugal. One of the greatest soccer superstars of all time announced his retirement from the national team, ending a legendary era that featured a Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League championships. Ronaldo's exit from international competition comes on the heels of a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus that resulted in a 30-day suspension. While it was a bumpy conclusion to his national team career, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be remembered for his trophies, the 146 goals he scored in a Portuguese jersey and the transcendent stardom that made him, at his peak, the most famous athlete in the world.

💭 Do not miss this: Biggest MLB offseason questions

Barring any miraculous surprises, we're destined for a dramatic baseball offseason filled with questions about the future of the sport. It is basically a foregone conclusion that MLB will face a work stoppage at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. The lockout is coming. The real uncertainty surrounds how long it will last. That is the absolute biggest question that we hope will be answered sooner rather than later.

Collective bargaining negotiations will likely bring fundamental changes to the Major Leagues, whether it's the landmark institution of a salary cap, a shorter regular season, or numerous other proposed moves.

Surely, we will get tired of CBA talk before long. So what about the actual baseball? We have questions about free agency and the trade market, too, as Hot Stove season heats up. Our Dayn Perry explained why one of the weakest free agent classes in modern history could still go down as a groundbreaking one.

• Perry: "Tarik Skubal, who turns 30 on Nov. 20, remains foremost in the discussion for best pitcher in baseball, and he's going to be paid like it. The expectation is that he'll wind up signing the largest pitcher contract in MLB history and perhaps also fetch the highest-ever annual salary for a pitcher. It's not out of the question that Skubal's next contract could approach or even surpass $400 million in total value."

☑️ College football Week 10 picks

Get ready for the biggest weekend of the college football season to date. Five ranked matchups. Two top-10 showdowns. CFP implications galore. Now that the selection committee has weighed in with its first rankings of the year, we know which games it will have its eyes on the closest and how those marquee contests will reshape the resumes of the teams involved.

There is not a bigger game on the slate than No. 1 Miami at No. 11 Notre Dame. Although the Malachi Toney injury shook up the Heisman Trophy race and will undoubtedly play a role in determining whether the Hurricanes can stay unbeaten and perhaps knock the Fighting Irish out of the postseason race, Miami still has the edge at the offensive skill positions. That's why our Brandon Marcello picked the nation's top team to beat a 5.5-point spread.

Speaking of 5.5-point spreads, Tom Fornelli's Six Pack of picks includes another one with a prediction for No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU.

• Fornelli: "The one thing that would help Alabama's case is if LSU turns the ball over, and we all know Sam Leavitt has that in his bag. But -- But! -- Sam's done a much better job taking care of the football in recent weeks. The return of Trey'Dez Green and emergence of Jackson Harris have helped quite a bit in this department, and Alabama's defense has given up a lot of explosive plays in the passing game this year. The Pick: LSU -5.5 (-110) at FanDuel"

We put No. 2 Georgia on upset alert, and the Bulldogs' trip to face No. 10 Ole Miss is among the other games we picked ahead of this colossal Saturday of football. Here are our predictions:

• No. 7 Texas at No. 18 Missouri
• No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah
• No. 23 Oregon at No. 12 Ohio State
• No. 6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee
• Air Force at Army

🚨 NFL Week 9 upset alert

This week's international game is among the five biggest matchups on Sunday, mostly because it is a dangerous spot for the Bengals against a Falcons team that is similarly in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. Cincinnati is a three-point favorite, but should it be? Joe Burrow's offense is on upset alert against a defense that gets James Pearce Jr. back from suspension this week.

Our Tyler Sullivan would not be surprised if Bijan Robinson bounces back in a big way against a Bengals unit that was just gashed on the ground by the measly Titans.

• Sullivan: "Week 9 presents a great opportunity for Robinson to get back to something closer to the production we saw over the opening month. Entering this international matchup in Madrid, Cincinnati is allowing 122.3 rushing yards per game, which is just outside the top 10 in the NFL. When you dig a bit deeper into the numbers, however, they're even more advantageous for Robinson, with the Bengals allowing 4.8 yards per carry (tied for the fourth-highest in the league)."

Don't let last week's scoreless effort fool you; the Falcons continue to play good offensive ball when they are not battling torrential downpours. That's why our Jordan Dajani picked the upset in Madrid.

• Dajani: "I'm aware the Falcons just registered one of the most embarrassing losses of the season in Tampa, but I'm willing to overlook that given how bad the weather was. I have some questions about the Bengals. Cornerback DJ Turner has a heel injury, and Cashius Howell just broke his wrist. Prediction: Falcons 27, Bengals 23"

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

📺 What we're watching this weekend

Friday

⚽ Coventry City at Everton, 3 p.m. on USA Network
🏀 (M) Northeastern at No. 9 Virginia, 5 p.m. on ACC Network
🏈 Virginia Tech at SMU, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 South Florida at East Carolina, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
🏀 NBA Cup: 76ers at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. on Prime Video
🏈 Nebraska at Illinois, 8 p.m. on Fox
🤼 WWE SmackDown, 8 p.m. on USA Network
🏀 (M) Hall of Fame Series: No. 16 Michigan vs. No. 4 UConn, 8 p.m. on TNT
🏀 (W) Texas Southern at No. 9 LSU, 8 p.m. on SEC Network+
🏈 New Mexico at Nevada, 9 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 NBA Cup: Trail Blazers at Lakers, 10 p.m. on Prime Video
⚽ NWSL Quarterfinals: Royals at Wave, 10 p.m. on Prime Video
🏈 TCU at No. 22 Arizona, 10:15 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday

⚽ Tottenham Hotspur at Leeds United, 7:30 a.m. on USA Network
⚽ Bayern Munich at Mainz 05, 9:30 a.m. on Peacock
🏈 No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah, noon on ABC
🏈 No. 7 Texas at No. 18 Missouri, noon on ESPN
🏈 No. 8 UCLA at Minnesota, noon on Fox
⚽ NWSL Quarterfinals: Angel City at Current, noon on CBS/Paramount+
🥊 Zuffa Boxing 12: Billam-Smith vs. Clarke, noon on Paramount+
🤼 WWE Crown Jewel, noon on ESPN Unlimited
⚽ Manchester City at Nottingham Forest, 12:30 p.m. on NBC
🥊 WBC light heavyweight title: Buatsi vs. Hutchinson, 2 p.m. on DAZN
🏈 Texas A&M at No. 21 South Carolina, 3 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ Troyes at Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. on beIN Sports
🏈 No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Cincinnati at No. 17 Houston, 3:30 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Merrimack at No. 16 Wake Forest, 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network
🏈 No. 23 Oregon at No. 12 Ohio State, 3:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
⚽ Nashville at Cincinnati, 4 p.m. on Apple TV
🤼 UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs Walker, 5 p.m. on Paramount+
🏀 NBA Mexico City Game: Nuggets vs. Pacers, 5 p.m. on NBA TV
🏈 No. 25 Boise State at Colorado State, 6 p.m. on USA Network
🏈 No. 6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee, 6:15 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ LAFC at Sounders, 7 p.m. on Apple TV
🏈 Air Force at Army, 7:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏈 No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 No. 19 Iowa at Northwestern, 7:30 p.m. on Fox
🏈 No. 1 Miami at No. 11 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. on NBC
🏈 Oklahoma at No. 24 Florida, 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network
🏀 Knicks at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. on NBA TV
🏈 West Virginia at No. 15 Texas Tech, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN

Sunday

⚽ Lazio at Napoli, 6:30 a.m. on CBS Sports Golazo Network/Paramount+
⚽ Real Betis at Elche, 8 a.m. on ESPN+
⚽ Chelsea at Sunderland, 9 a.m. on USA Network
🏈 Bengals vs. Falcons in Madrid, 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network
⚽ Rayo Vallecano at Real Sociedad, 10:15 a.m. on ESPN+
⚽ Como at Inter Milan, noon on CBS Sports Golazo Network/Paramount+
⚽ NWSL Quarterfinals: Reign at Gotham, 12:30 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Jets at Chiefs, 1 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏈 Cowboys at Colts, 1 p.m. on Fox
🏀 (M) Capital Showcase: No. 12 Arkansas vs. No. 9 Virginia, 1 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Panthers at Bruins, 1 p.m. on NHL Network
⚽ Schalke 04 at TSG Hoffenheim, 1:30 p.m. on Peacock
🏀 (W) No. 10 Iowa at No. 2 UConn, 2 p.m. on FS1
🏀 (W) Wright State at No. 5 Michigan, 2 p.m. on B1G+
🏀 (W) The Foundry Classic: No. 4 Duke at North Texas, 2 p.m. on ESPNU
⚽ Juventus at Fiorentina, 2:45 p.m. on CBS Sports Golazo Network/Paramount+
🏁 NASCAR at Homestead, 3 p.m. on NBC
⚽ NWSL Quarterfinals: Thorns at Spirit, 3 p.m. on ABC
🏀 (W) Ally Tipoff: No. 14 Kentucky vs. No. 25 NC State, 3 p.m. on ESPN2
🏈 Texans at Chargers, 4:05 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
🏈 Packers at Patriots, 4:25 p.m. on Fox
🏀 (W) Ally Tipoff: No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 12 North Carolina, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Lakers at Pistons, 6 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 (W) Northern Colorado at No. 6 Texas, 8 p.m. on SEC Network+
🏀 (W) Utah State at No. 3 USC, 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network
🏈 Buccaneers at Bears, 8:20 p.m. on NBC
🏀 (M) Lake Tahoe Classic: No. 10 Houston vs. California, 8:30 p.m. on The CW