The No. 21-ranked Trojans fell to longtime foe and No. 15 Notre Dame by a score of 34-24 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, on Saturday, Oct. 18. 

It is the second loss of the season for Lincoln Riley’s squad, which now drops to 5-2 overall on the season.

Notre Dame separated itself from USC late in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. The Trojans’ slide started with Jayden Maiava under-throwing a pass downfield into the hands of Notre Dame cornerback Christian Gray. The interception by Gray came after USC’s special teams unit gave up a 100-yard kickoff return to Jadarian Price.

Then, on the Trojans’ next drive, wide receiver Makai Lemon got the ball knocked out of his hands at the conclusion of a jet sweep play that turned into a flea flicker throwing attempt as the Fighting Irish rushed him to the sidelines. Lemon’s fumble resulted in a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr.

Maiava would throw his second interception on USC’s final offensive play of the night as he tried to go downfield on third-and-17 to Walker Lyons, but it instead sailed into the hands of Notre Dame’s Luke Talich.

The Trojans’ defense did a nice job handling Carr on the night, but they had no answers whatsoever for the Fighting Irish’s explosive running game with Jeremiyah Love and Price. Notre Dame finished with 306 rushing yards on the night, with 228 of those coming from Love himself.

So, where will the Trojans fall in the latest top 25 rankings following the defeat? Here’s where they may land:

USC rankings: How far will Trojans drop after Notre Dame loss?

While the loss is certainly not a “bad loss” by any means since it came against a top-15-ranked team and was an out-of-conference loss, USC will certainly see a drop in the top-25 rankings.

The question that is now presented is the type of slide Riley’s squad will experience, largely in part to the very slight difference of USC’s current ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 poll. The Trojans entered the day ranked No. 21 in the Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the AP poll. That one-spot difference could either keep the Trojans in the top 25 or take them out of it for the second time this season, depending on how voters cast their ballots, of course.

Despite the loss, USC still has multiple paths to the College Football Playoff. The likely path for the Trojans to get into the 12-team CFP field, now with two losses on the season, is to earn the automatic bid by winning the Big Ten Conference.

As things stand right now, the Trojans have two remaining ranked opponents on their schedule, according to the latest AP Top 25 poll, in No. 25 Nebraska and No. 8 Oregon. The Cornhuskers will no longer be a ranked opponent for USC when the two programs meet on Nov. 1, as Nebraska fell to Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 17. 

Here’s how the rest of the top 25 fared in Week 8, and how those games might affect the Trojans’ ranking:

Rankings reflective of the latest US LBM Coaches Poll

• No. 1 Ohio State: Beat Wisconsin
• No. 2 Miami: Lost to Louisville 
• No. 3 Indiana: Beat Michigan State
• No. 4 Texas A&M: Beat Arkansas 
• No. 5 Ole Miss: Lost to No. 7 Georgia
• No. 6 Alabama: Beat No. 11 Tennessee
• No. 7 Georgia: Beat No. 5 Ole Miss
• No. 8 Texas Tech: Lost to Arizona State
• No. 9 Oregon: Beat Rutgers
• No. 10 LSU: Lost to No. 18 Vanderbilt
• No. 11 Tennessee: Lost to No. 6 Alabama
• No. 12 Georgia Tech: Beat Duke
• No. 13 Oklahoma: Beat South Carolina
• No. 14 BYU: In action vs. No. 22 Utah
• No. 15 Notre Dame: Beat No. 21 USC
• No. 16 Missouri: In action vs. Auburn
• No. 17 Texas: Beat Kentucky
• No. 18 Vanderbilt: Beat No. 10 LSU
• No. 19 Virginia: Beat Washington State
• No. 20 Memphis: Lost to UAB
• No. 21 USC: Lost to No. 15 Notre Dame
• No. 22 Utah: In action vs. No. 14 BYU
• No. 23 South Florida: Beat FAU
• No. 24 Cincinnati: Beat Oklahoma State
• No. 25 Illinois: BYE

Final projection for USC: No. 24

The No. 11-ranked Vols dropped their annual ‘Third Saturday in October’ rivalry game to No. 6 Alabama 37-20 on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

It is the 11th consecutive loss in Tuscaloosa for Tennessee, which entered the night looking to win back-to-back games in the rivalry series for the first time in over two decades. Instead, it’s the Crimson Tide smoking the postgame victory cigars.

The Vols dug themselves into a hole just before halftime and were unable to dig themselves out of it. At the Alabama 1-yard line with 9 seconds remaining in the first half, Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar decided to throw the ball and it was intercepted by Zabien Brown, who took it to the house for a 99-yard touchdown to put the Crimson Tide up 23-7.

That wasn’t the only poor decision of the night from Aguilar. Earlier in the second quarter, the 6-foot-3 quarterback was sacked by the Crimson Tide defense in the end zone for a safety. Aguilar finished 28 of 44 passing for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception on the night.

Tennessee is now 0-2 against top-six ranked opponents this season, with the other loss coming to then-No. 6 Georgia at home in Knoxville on Sept. 13.

So, where will the Vols fall in the latest top 25 rankings following the defeat? Here’s where they may land:

Tennessee rankings: Where will Vols fall to after Alabama loss?

Though it is a painful loss for Tennessee, as it adds a second loss to the resume for Josh Heupel’s squad, the loss to Alabama by no means is a ‘bad’ loss or a ‘season-crushing’ loss.

It will still drop the Vols a spot or two in the top 25 rankings when they are released on Sunday afternoon.

Tennessee did not receive any help from the teams around it in the top 25 polls, as No. 12 Georgia Tech, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 14 BYU and No. 15 Notre Dame all won their games. There were also two top 10 teams near Tennessee in the polls that sustained losses: No. 8 Texas Tech to unranked Arizona State and No. 10 LSU to Diego Pavia and No. 18 Vanderbilt. Depending on how the voters for the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll view those top-10 losses, they could send Tennessee out of the top 15.

The Vols have two more chances at boosting their College Football Playoff resume with top-25 ranked teams, as Tennessee still has to face No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 18 Vanderbilt. Those are now the biggest games left on the season for Tennessee; a third loss to one of those teams or an additional loss to either Kentucky, New Mexico State or Florida will surely take the Vols out of contention for the SEC championship game and College Football Playoff.

Here’s how the rest of the top 15 fared in Week 8, and how those games might affect the Vols’ ranking:

Rankings reflective of the latest US LBM Coaches Poll

• No. 1 Ohio State: Beat Wisconsin
• No. 2 Miami: Lost to Louisville 
• No. 3 Indiana: Beat Michigan State
• No. 4 Texas A&M: Beat Arkansas 
• No. 5 Ole Miss: Lost to No. 7 Georgia
• No. 6 Alabama: Beat Tennessee
• No. 7 Georgia: Beat No. 5 Ole Miss
• No. 8 Texas Tech: Lost to Arizona State
• No. 9 Oregon: Beat Rutgers
• No. 10 LSU: Lost to No. 18 Vanderbilt
• No. 11 Tennessee: Lost to No. 6 Alabama
• No. 12 Georgia Tech: Beat Duke
• No. 13 Oklahoma: Beat South Carolina
• No. 14 BYU: Beat No. 22 Utah
• No. 15 Notre Dame: Beat No. 21 USC

Final projection for Tennessee: No. 17

The No. 6 Crimson Tide defeated rival and No. 11 Tennessee 37-20 on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to win their fourth straight over a top 20 opponent

The win for Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) is the 11th straight in Tuscaloosa over the Vols (5-2, 2-2) and exacts revenge for a loss last season.

Ty Simpson completed 19-of-29 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns in the win for the Crimson Tide. Ryan Williams had five receptions for 87 yards, while Germi Bernard added five grabs for 60 yards.

Perhaps the biggest play for the Crimson Tide was a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown for Zabien Brown at the end of the first half. The Vols were at the 1-yard line and about to cut the Alabama lead to one score; however, Brown’s score gave the Tide a 23-7 halftime lead.

Tennessee actually out-gained Alabama 410-373, but the Crimson Tide’s defense played bend-but-don’t-break defense all night. The Vols converted just two out of five red-zone opportunities.

USA TODAY brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out below:

Alabama vs Tennessee score

This section will be updated throughout the game.

Alabama vs Tennessee highlights

Alabama-Tennessee score: Crimson Tide 37, Vols 20 (Final)

Alabama-Tennessee final stats

Final stats

Alabama earns 37-20 win over Tennessee

Kalen DeBoer is off the schneid against rival Tennessee. The second-year Alabama coach led the Crimson Tide to a 37-20 win over Tennessee on Saturday. Alabama moves to 6-1 and 4-0 in the SEC.

Tennessee turns ball over on downs

Tennessee turns the ball over on downs inside the Alabama 20-yard line and that should do it with just over three minutes left in the game. The Crimson Tide will have a chance to run the clock out.

Alabama fans have begun the tradition of smoking cigars to celebrate the win over their rivals.

Daniel Hill scores Alabama rushing touchdown

Daniel Hill scores a four-yard touchdown and Alabama now leads 37-20 with 5:49 left in the game. Hill’s score caps a 10-play, 75-yard drive in 5:02 of game time. The Vols committed a pair of defensive pass interferences to aid the scoring drive.

The Crimson Tide had 38 rushing yards on the drive after starting the drive with just 74.

DeSean Bishop scores second touchdown of game

DeSean Bishop scores his second touchdown of the game to cut the Alabama lead to 30-20 with 10:51 left in the game. This touchdown comes from 1 yard out.

Tennessee’s scoring drive is 13 plays for 75 yards and takes 4:34 off the clock.

End of third quarter: Alabama 30, Tennessee 20

Alabama scores on Rico Scott touchdown catch

Rico Scott catches a pass from Ty Simpson, breaks a tackle and scores an 11-yard touchdown to push Alabama’s lead to 30-13 with 25 seconds left in the third quarter.

That caps a 99-yard drive for the Crimson Tide, which took nine plays and 5:26 off the game clock.

Tennessee misses opportunity after turnover

Tennessee punts it away after forcing a Ty Simpson fumble, coming away with zero points after the turnover.

The good news for Vols fans, Jackson Ross boots a perfect ball and drops it at the 1-yard line for teammate William Wright to down. Alabama begins its drive backed all the way up.

Ty Simpson fumbles near midfield

Ty Simpson fumbles the ball on third-and-10, with Tennessee taking over at its own 47-yard line. Simpson lost control of the ball before his hand moved forward, as he appears to make contact with teammate Kaydn Proctor’s shoulder.

DeSean Bishop scores on long TD run

DeSean Bishop breaks off a big 44-yard run to cut the Alabama lead to 23-13 with 11:18 left in the third quarter. The Vols go for two, but the Crimson Tide intercepts a Joey Aguilar pass in the end zone.

The scoring drive is four plays for 61 yards and takes 1:39 off the clock.

Alabama goes three-and-out

Tennessee’s defense gets a much-needed stop and forces Alabama into a three-and-out to open the second half.

The Vols will begin their first drive of the second half from their own 46-yard line.

Alabama opens with ball to begin second half

Alabama will open with the ball to start the second half. The Crimson Tide have a chance to blow this game open with another score.

Halftime: Alabama 23, Tennessee 7

Alabama-Tennessee halftime stats

Zabien Brown returns interception for touchdown to end half

Tennessee opts to throw the ball with 9 seconds left in the half from the Alabama 1-yard line, but Zabien Brown picks off a pass from Joey Aguilar and returns it 99 yards for a touchdown to give the Crimson Tide a 23-7 lead going into halftime.

Jam Miller scores touchdown for Alabama

Jam Miller scores on a 1-yard toss play to give Alabama a 16-7 lead with 4:05 left in the second quarter. Alabama drives 69 yards on seven plays in 3:16 of game time to push its lead to two scores.

Ty Simpson is 11-of-16 for 162 passing yards and a touchdown, while Miller now has six rushes for seven yards and the score.

Alabama re-takes lead on Tennessee safety

Yhonzae Pierre gets credited with a sack on a pass rush of Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar in the end zone. The officials determine that Aguilar commits an intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety.

Alabama re-takes a 9-7 lead and gets the ball back with 7:21 left in the first half.

Tennessee ties game on Joey Aguilar touchdown pass to Braylon Staley

Tennessee’s offense gets going with a 10-play, 78-yard drive to tie the game 7-7 on a Joey Aguilar 2-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley. The Vols were able to sustain a drive for the first time tonight.

Ty Simpson is 10-for-13 passing for 118 yards and a touchdown following the drive.

End of first quarter: Alabama 7, Tennessee 0

Alabama leads Tennessee 7-0 after first quarter

Alabama holds a 7-0 lead after one quarter of play. The Crimson Tide scored on a touchdown pass from Ty Simpson to Isaiah Horton to cap an 11-play drive.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s offense is struggling with -19 yards rushing in the first quarter and just 40 yards total on 13 plays.

Alabama strikes first on Ty Simpson TD pass

After Alabama forces Tennessee to punt on its opening drive, Ty Simpson caps a 91-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Horton to give the Crimson Tide an early 7-0 lead with 6:51 left in the first quarter.

The scoring drive is 11 plays for 91 yards and takes 6:02 off the game clock. Ryan Williams had a big 31-yard grab on the drive.

Tennessee to open on offense

Alabama wins the coin toss and defers to the second half. Tennessee will receive and Alabama will defend the north goal.

Pregame

Joey Aguilar stats

Following the transfer of Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee football added UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar to its roster to lead a team that was ready to contend for the College Football Playoff.

Here’s a look at Aguilar’s stats in his first season as the Vols’ starting QB:

• 2025: 118-of-182 (64.8%) for 1,680 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions

Ty Simpson stats

Ty Simpson is in his first year as the starting quarterback for Alabama football. Simpson had attempted just 50 career passes in his career heading into his fourth year with the Crimson Tide, but has led them to a 5-1 start to the season. 

Here’s a look at the stats for Simpson.

• 2025: 134-of-189 passing (70.9%) for 16 touchdowns and one interception

Final Alabama-Tennessee SEC availability report

Alabama injury update:

Out

• LB Qua Russaw
• LB Jah-Marien Latham
• LB Cayden Jones
• WR Derek Meadows
• DL Jeremiah Beaman

Game-time decision

• WR Jaylen Mbakwe
• TE Danny Lewis Jr.

Tennessee injury update:

Out

• TE Ethan Davis
• DB Rickey Gibson III
• WR Travis Smith Jr.
• DB Jermond McCoy
• WR Radarious Jackson

Out (first half)

• LB Edwin Spillman

Alabama home winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium

Alabama enters Saturday’s matchup against Tennessee with 15 straight wins at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide’s last home loss was to Texas on Sept. 9, 2023. Alabama has not lost a home game in the Kalen DeBoer era.

The last time Tennessee beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa was in 2003. The 15-game home winning streak is tied with Boise State for the longest in the country.

ESPN ‘College GameDay’ picks Alabama-Tennessee winner

Here’s how the crew on ESPN’s “College GameDay” picked to win the Alabama-Tennessee matchup:

• Nick Saban: Alabama
• Desmond Howard: Alabama
• Kirk Herbstreit: Alabama
• Pat McAfee: Alabama
• Jelly Roll: Tennessee

Why is Tennessee-Alabama game called the ‘Third Saturday’ in October?

Ranking the 10 best ‘Third Saturday in October’ matchups

The Tennessee-Alabama rivalry has been a college football matchup that brings excitement to fans. Here’s a look at USA TODAY’s rankings of the top 10 best ‘Third Saturday in October’ games.

What time does Alabama vs Tennessee start?

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)
• Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The ‘Third Saturday in October’ matchup between Alabama and Tennessee is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, Oct. 18, from Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

What TV channel is Alabama vs Tennessee on today?

• TV: ABC
• Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

The Crimson Tide and Vols’ game will air nationally on ABC. Sean McDonough will serve as the play-by-play commentator, with Greg McElroy serving as the analyst and Molly McGrath as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Alabama vs Tennessee predictions

• Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Sports: Alabama 34, Tennessee 30

The Crimson Tide keep rolling with another home win against the Vols. Ty Simpson continues to display why he is getting looks as a potential first-round prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.

• John Adams, Knox News: Alabama 45, Tennessee 30

Alabama has the best pass defense Tennessee has faced. The Vols probably are the best offense the Crimson Tide has faced. But the game will be decided by Alabama’s offense against Tennessee’s defense, which hasn’t been good enough yet this season.

• Colin Gay, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama 38, Tennessee 31

Another SEC top-15 test, one that has become the norm for Alabama. In a battle of two extremes, with Tennessee’s high-powered offense and porous defense, the Crimson Tide’s strength of schedule will prove extremely valuable with its three ranked wins in three weeks compared to Tennessee’s one ranked win all season.

• Chase Goodbread, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama 38, Tennessee 28

Look for a high-scoring affair, especially if Tennessee’s rushing attack is moving the chains. Expect a rebound performance from UA WR Ryan Williams, who was a non-factor last week at Missouri.

Alabama football schedule 2025

Here is the Crimson Tide’s schedule and results.

• Saturday, Aug. 30: Florida State 31, No. 8 Alabama 17
• Saturday, Sept. 6: No. 20 Alabama 73, UL Monroe 0
• Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 18 Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14
• Saturday, Sept. 20: BYE
• Saturday, Sept. 27: No. 16 Alabama 24, No. 3 Georgia 21*
• Saturday, Oct. 4: No. 11 Alabama 30, No. 17 Vanderbilt 14*
• Saturday, Oct. 11: No. 8 Alabama 27, No. 18 Missouri 24*
• Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. No. 15 Tennessee* | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
• Saturday, Oct. 25: at South Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
• Saturday, Nov. 1: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 8: vs. No. 10 LSU*
• Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. No. 13 Oklahoma*
• Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Eastern Illinois | 2 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
• Saturday, Nov. 29: at Auburn*

*Denotes SEC game

Tennessee football schedule 2025

Here is the Vols’ schedule and results.

• Saturday, Aug. 30: No. 18 Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26
• Saturday, Sept. 6: No. 17 Tennessee 72, East Tennessee State 17
• Saturday, Sept. 13: No. 3 Georgia 44, No. 15 Tennessee 41, OT*
• Saturday, Sept. 20: No. 15 Tennessee 56, UAB 24
• Saturday, Sept. 27: No. 15 Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34, OT
• Saturday, Oct. 4: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 11: No. 12 Tennessee 34, Arkansas 31
• Saturday, Oct. 18: at No. 6 Alabama* | 7:30 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
• Saturday, Oct. 25: at Kentucky* | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
• Saturday, Nov. 1: vs. No. 13 Oklahoma*
• Saturday, Nov. 8: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 15: vs. New Mexico State | 4:15 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
• Saturday, Nov. 22: at Florida*
• Saturday, Nov. 29: at No. 18 Vanderbilt*

*Denotes SEC game

Zabien Brown provided Alabama football with quite the ending to the first half of the 2025 edition of the ‘Third Saturday in October’ rivalry against No. 11 Tennessee.

Brown, the sophomore defensive back, made the Vols pay for their decision of going for it on the 1-yard line with 9 seconds remaining in the first half and facing a then-16-7 deficit, picking off Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar and taking it all the way down the field for a 99-yard pick-six touchdown return.

The pick-six from Brown gave Kalen DeBoer’s squad a 23-7 lead at halftime against their longtime SEC foe.

Watch: Zabien Brown gets 99-yard pick-six vs Tennessee

‘Obviously disappointed in that play,’ Tennessee coach Josh Heupel told ABC’s Molly McGrath going into halftime.

Here’s a look at Brown’s electric play in the final seconds of the first half:

Brown’s pick-six was the cherry on top of a stellar first half by the Crimson Tide’s defense, as Yhonzae Pierre helped Alabama record a safety at the 7:37 mark of the second quarter after he was credited with a sack on a pass rush of Aguilar in the end zone. The officials determined after a brief review that Aguilar committed an intentional grounding in the end zone, which resulted in a safety.

The Crimson Tide held the Vols to just 36 rushing yards in the first half.

If Alabama is able to keep its foot on the pedal and hold onto the lead, the Crimson Tide will continue their dominance at home in the ‘Third Saturday in October’ rivalry and pick up their fourth consecutive ranked win of the season.

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Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot award is Lionel Messi’s and the Most Valuable Player award could be his soon after the final day of the 2025 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Messi scored a hat trick with an assist in a 5-2 win against Nashville SC at Geodis Park for his second career MLS hat trick, and the 61st of his legendary career.

Inter Miami will be the No. 3 seed in the MLS Eastern Conference when the MLS Cup playoffs begin on Oct. 24. They will meet No. 6-seed Nashville again in a best-of-three series, beginning Friday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

‘Well, what can I say about Leo? The truth is that he was exceptional today, as he usually is,’ Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the win.

‘Clearly, I think that if anyone had any doubts about his regular season, he has dispelled them. He will surely be awarded the Most Valuable Player of the Season award for everything he has shown, not to mention the three goals he has scored. I’m happy for him because he has helped us win the game again.’

One day after Shohei Ohtani had one of the best games in MLB history in Los Angeles, Messi reminded fans around the world why he’s considered the GOAT on the pitch. The Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner extended a personal streak of 18 consecutive seasons with a hat trick for club or country in all competitions.

“He’s brought so much attention to soccer in this country – it’s unreal,” Inter Miami’s Ian Fray said of Messi, speaking with Apple TV after the match. ‘No other player in the world could have this impact in this country. It’s crazy.’

“We take for granted what he does for 20-plus years,” Apple TV analyst Taylor Twellman said of Messi before the final whistle.

Messi scored in the 34th minute, firing his legendary left boot outside of the box to help Inter Miami take a 1-0 lead on the road against Nashville SC. Jordi Alba was credited with the assist.

Messi scored a penalty kick – surprisingly, his first penalty score in MLS play this year – to tie it at 2 in the 63rd minute.

He scored again in the 81st minute, marking his 29th goal of the 2025 MLS season, to make it 4-2. He then assisted Telasco Segovia’s goal just before the final whistle, to mark his 48th total goal contribution this season, to make it 5-2.

Messi finished his 2025 MLS regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games. Carlos Vela set the single-season record of 49 goal contributions with LAFC in 2019.

Nashville’s Sam Surridge finished with 24 goals as did LAFC’s Denis Bouanga.

“I think there’s no doubt about it,” Mascherano said about Messi’s MVP case before the game. “I think that measuring Leo solely by the statistics – which we could do, and he is the best – I think he goes beyond the statistics. It’s what he shows on the court, the importance he has within the team and what he does to entertain everyone who has the chance to see him.”

Messi hat trick stats

It’s the second hat trick in Messi’s MLS career, and his 61st overall. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has more among all active players with 66 hat tricks all-time from 2008-2024.

Messi has at least one hat trick in 18 consecutive seasons. He also scored a second-half hat trick in a friendly against Dundee United in 2008. Here’s video of that.

Messi’s hat trick against Nashville follows his performance off the bench against the New England Revolution on Oct. 19, 2024, three days after his 10th international hat trick for Argentina in a World Cup qualifier against Boliva on Oct. 16, 2024. Yeah, two in one week.

“I’m lucky because I enjoy Leo closer than you. You enjoy him from TV or the stands. It’s about that. The rest I think is part of the history, no?” Mascherano said of Messi after Saturday’s game.

“Leo is obviously the best player that has played this sport. He continues showing that. And I’m very pleased with him because today he was amazing, and he helped us win the game.”

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates and highlights from the Nashville vs. Inter Miami match:

Inter Miami vs. Nashville highlights

Inter Miami 5, Nashville 2: Messi assists Segovia goal (90’+1′)

Three goals and an assist move Messi to 48 goal contributions, one shy of the MLS record. Telasco Segovia finished the score in stoppage time.

Inter Miami 4, Nashville 2: Messi secures hat trick (81′)

Messi has a hat trick on Decision Day, his first hat trick of the season, scoring his third in the 81st minute.

Inter Miami 3, Nashville 2: Sam Surridge misses header

Sam Surridge is trying to climb back into the race, but his header was saved by Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.

Inter Miami 3, Nashville 2: Baltazar Rodriguez scores goal (67′)

Baltazar Rodriguez scores to help Inter Miami take the lead in the second half.

Inter Miami 2, Nashville 2: Messi scores penalty kick (63′)

Halftime score: Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1

Nashville 2, Inter Miami 1: Jacob Shaffelburg scores goal (45’+6′)

Nashville takes the lead before halftime, as Jacob Shaffelburg rebounds a shot off the post by Hany Mukhtar.

Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1: Messi misses attempt with right foot (45’+2′)

Messi nearly scored again, but was unable to convert with his right boot before sliding out of bounds during first-half injury time.

Inter Miami 1, Nashville 1: Sam Surridge scores goal in 43′

Nashville’s Sam Surridge has tied this match just before halftime, scoring his 24th goal of the season on a header after an assist by Hany Mukhtar. Surridge is tied with LAFC’s Denis Bouanaga, who has 24 goals before his match tonight. However, they still trail Messi in the Golden Boot race.

Inter Miami 1, Nashville 0: Lionel Messi scores goal in 34′

Lionel Messi’s left boot connects for his 27th goal of the MLS season. Messi’s first shot of the game was fired from outside of the box, finding the lower left corner of the net past Nashville’s goalkeeper. Jordi Alba was credited with the assist.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Hany Mukhtar misses in 33′

Mukhtar’s shot soars over the net.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge misses again in 31′

Sam Surridge’s shot is saved by Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge’s shot is too strong in 28′

Sam Surridge is chasing the Golden Boot, but his shot soared over the net.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge misses shot near net in 20′

Sam Surridge missed a shot near the net on a set piece after a corner kick.  

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge misses header in 13′

Sam Surridge missed a shot near the net on a set piece after a corner kick. Inter Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made the save.

Nashville vs. Inter Miami match has begun (1′)

Messi warms up before Nashville vs. Inter Miami match

Messi arrives to Nashville vs. Inter Miami match

Is Messi playing today in Nashville? Messi in Inter Miami starting lineup

Messi has been announced as a starter in Inter Miami’s lineup for the match in Nashville.

Nashville starting lineup vs. Inter Miami

When is the Nashville vs. Inter Miami match?

The match begins at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET; 7 p.m. in Argentina) at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee.

How to watch Nashville vs. Inter Miami match on TV, live stream?

The match will be available via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Watch Decision Day on MLS Season Pass

Nashville vs. Inter Miami betting odds, according to BETMGM

• Nashville: +135
• Draw: +275
• Inter Miami: +160
• Over/under: 3.5 goals

Nashville vs. Inter Miami prediction

Nashville 3, Inter Miami 3: This isn’t an attractive result, but it certainly will hit the over. I see Lionel Messi and Sam Surridge teeing off as much as possible in this matchup, to chase down the Golden Boot. This will be a match where penalty shots will certainly be given to both players in the race. – Safid Deen, Lionel Messi reporter

Pregame stats before Nashville vs. Inter Miami

Messi leads MLS with 26 goals, followed by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga with 24 and Nashville’s Sam Surridge with 23. Messi also has 18 assists, tied with San Diego’s Andres Dreyer for the league high.

Messi’s 44 total goal contributions lead MLS, and are five shy of Carlos Vela’s single-season record of 49 with LAFC in 2019. Messi is joined by Dreyer, Bouanga, Cincinnati’s Evander and Surridge in the 2025 MVP race.

MLS playoff picture will be settled on Decision Day

Inter Miami could improve to second place in the MLS Eastern Conference with a victory, but would need Cincinnati to falter at home against Montreal to move up in the standings. Cincinnati and Inter Miami are tied with 62 points in the East, but Cincinnati has the tiebreaking edge in the win column (19 vs. 18).

The Philadelphia Union (66 points) have already won the MLS Supporters’ Shield, the regular-season title that Inter Miami won last season.

Inter Miami already has secured home-field advantage for at least the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Nashville, which won the U.S. Open Cup on Oct. 1, enters the match in sixth place with 54 points.

MLS Cup playoffs calendar

Messi and Inter Miami already clinched a berth in the MLS Cup playoffs. Here are key playoff dates to know:

• Oct. 22: Wild-card matches (single-elimination matches)
• Oct. 24-Nov. 9: Round 1 (best-of-three series)
• Nov. 22-23: Conference semifinals (single-elimination matches)
• Nov. 29-30: Conference finals (single-elimination matches)
• Dec. 6: MLS Cup (single winner-take-all match)