ATLANTA — Caitlin Clark is not eligible to return for the Indiana Fever for the rest of the season, even if she was fully recovered and able to play.

While Clark could have returned at any point in the regular season, each team needs to submit an active roster ahead of the WNBA playoffs. Only players on that submitted active roster are eligible to play in the postseason.

Clark, who is out for the season with a right groin injury, was left off the active roster. The 2024 Rookie of the Year and All-WNBA First Team honoree was limited to 13 games with various injuries, including those to her left quad, left groin, right groin, and left ankle.

The other four Fever players with season-ending injuries — Sydney Colson (left ACL), Aari McDonald (right foot), Sophie Cunningham (right MCL) and Chloe Bibby (right knee) — were also left off the Fever’s playoff active roster.

That left the Fever with 11 players on the active roster, four of which are signed with hardship waivers: Odyssey Sims, Aerial Powers, Shey Peddy and Bree Hall.

Indiana has had 10 available players throughout the playoffs so far, as Damiris Dantas suffered a concussion last week and has missed all three games. Should the Fever advance further in the playoffs, Dantas would be eligible to return as she was listed on the Fever’s playoff active roster.

The Miami Dolphins look like a fish out of water.

Attempting to save their season from the dreaded 0-3 start, Miami made the trek to western New York for a battle against the Buffalo Bills. While the final score was closer than expected, 31-21, Buffalo never really had to sweat.

They came close, however, before Zach Sieler’s roughing the kicker penalty changed everything. The turning point in the contest – it awarded the Bills with a new set of downs when the game was tied.

Regardless, this was a performance that likely cooled the hot seats for Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier in Miami – at least momentarily.

Now the Bills move to 3-0 on the season, despite not looking their best in the young season.

A win is a win though and the Bills will certainly enjoy adding another one in that column. Now both teams head off for the mini-bye before returning to action in Week 4.

Here’s how the action unfolded from Buffalo.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights, and more from the Bills-Dolphins ‘Thursday Night Football’ game in Week 3 below.

Bills vs. Dolphins takeaways

• Dolphins’ biggest issue may not be coaching

Everyone loves to blame the coaching staff, but the Dolphins have a roster littered with issues. They lack depth in the trenches and it appears they ignored the defense all offseason. Injuries in the secondary make it almost impossible to win in the modern NFL.

• Bills’ win covers bigger issues under the hood for now

The Bills might be 3-0, but this game wasn’t supposed to be close and it still took a costly penalty to set up the game-winning score. It’s not exactly inspiring after the Jets mostly beat themselves in Week 2 and the Ravens had to blow a 15-point lead with less than five minutes to go. They might still be the favorites, but this defense needs plenty of work if Buffalo wants to be playing in February.

• The Dolphins need more from Tua Tagovailoa to win games

It’s not his fault, but Tagovailoa’s health remains a primary concern whenever he steps on the field. If that weren’t a concern, you would spend the entire game waiting for the back-breaking mistake. Tagovailoa cost his team with an interception late and, to make it even worse, that wasn’t exactly the most surprising outcome.

Bills vs. Dolphins final score: Buffalo 31, Miami 21

Bills-Dolphins score update: Prater seals it

That’ll do it for this one in Buffalo. Tagovailoa’s interception comes back to haunt the Dolphins as Prater knocks through the field goal for a 10-point lead.

Bills 31, Dolphins 21

Tua Tagovailoa tosses interception with three minutes to go

Tagovailoa has been begging to throw an interception with some of these throws tonight. He finally tosses one to the wrong team as Terrel Bernard steps in front to take it away. Miami was on the edge of the red zone, but will now need a stop to get the ball back with three minutes to go.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Buffalo back in front after costly penalty

Miami had Buffalo stopped around midfield, but Zach Sieler was flagged for roughing the kicker, and the Bills got a new set of downs. Khalil Shakir ends up making the Dolphins pay with a 15-yard catch-and-run touchdown a few plays later.

Bills 28, Dolphins 21 

Bills-Dolphins score update: Tyreek Hill TD for the tie

The Dolphins won’t go quietly into the night. Instead, they might just win this thing. Miami converted a fourth down to begin the quarter and finished the drive off with a touchdown pass to Hill, who promptly celebrates with a few flips. We’re all knotted up at 21 apiece and it’s setting up for a fun finish.

Bills 21, Dolphins 21 

End of the third quarter: Bills lead with 15 minutes to go

The third quarter was fairly uneventful, especially after the Bills scored to begin the half. Both defenses have found their game, but Miami has a crucial third down as we get set to begin the fourth.

Teams trading punts in the third quarter

The scoring has slowed down as both teams have failed to gain any traction on offense after the opening drive TD. Miami has the ball back, trailing by seven.

Who is Ryan Fitzpatrick?

Fitzpatrick currently serves as an analyst for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage. A former NFL quarterback, Fitzpatrick was well-traveled throughout his career, making stops with the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and the then-Washington Football Team. In other words, he saw plenty of the NFL landscape during his 17 seasons.

Bills-Dolphins score update: James Cook puts Buffalo ahead

The Bills are back on top thanks to a Cook rushing touchdown to open the second half. However, the story is that this game is getting chippy, with a few skirmishes between both teams. That’ll be something to monitor in the second half.

Bills 21, Dolphins 14

Josh Allen stats at halftime

• Completions/attempts (%): 11/13 (84.6%)
• Passing yards: 97
• Passing TDs: 2
• INTs: 0
• Rating: 137.3
• Rush attempts: 1
• Rushing yards: 0

Tua Tagovailoa stats at halftime

• Completions/attempts (%): 12/18 (66.7%)
• Passing yards: 66
• Passing TDs: 1
• INTs: 0
• Rating: 91.4
• Rush attempts: 2
• Rushing yards: 10

Dalton Kincaid stats at halftime

• Catches (Targets): 3 (4)
• Receiving yards: 41
• Touchdowns: 1

De’Von Achane stats at halftime

• Rush attempts: 6
• Rushing yards: 35
• Catches (Targets): 5 (7)
• Receiving yards: 10
• Touchdowns: 0

Halftime: All tied up at the break

A silence has fallen over Highmark Stadium heading into the intermission. Miami’s drive to end the half has seemingly shocked everyone associated with the home team as the heavy favorites have work to do in the second half. If Miami’s defense can step up, we’re in for a wild finish.

Bills 14, Dolphins 14

Bills-Dolphins score update: Miami ties it with a Jaylen Waddle TD

Somehow, this game is tied. The Bills have dominated the first half, but that missed field goal from Prater gave the Dolphins some life. They marched 71 yards and cap off the 16-play drive with a touchdown from Waddle to even the score.

Bills 14, Dolphins 14

Matt Prater misses field goal attempt from 39

You thought Buffalo was scoring another touchdown, didn’t you? Yeah, color us surprised as well. Following the first negative play of the game, Prater misses a 39-yard field goal wide left. Very wide left. As in, it never stood a chance. 

Dolphins fail to respond again, punt it away

The real Miami Dolphins have joined the program. It’s another three-and-out for McDaniel’s crew and this one had even less action than the last one. The Bills take over at their own 27, looking for a 73-yard touchdown drive to add to the previous two.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Buffalo takes the lead

Aside from one incompletion, the Bills have gained at least one yard on every play. That certainly isn’t a recipe for success for Miami and Buffalo is making it look easy. The rookie, Jackson Hawes, gets in on the action, scoring his first career touchdown to cap off the 63-yard drive.

Bills 14, Dolphins 7

End of first quarter: Buffalo in control despite tied score

The game isn’t over after the first quarter like many expected, but the Bills still haven’t been given a reason to sweat after the first 15 minutes. They are driving for the lead and the Miami defense still hasn’t forced a negative play. It’ll be tough for McDaniel’s team to steal a win if they can’t turn it around soon. 

Bills 7, Dolphins 7

Dolphins can’t respond, forced to punt after three-and-out

Miami looked like a different team on their second drive, unable to get anything going. They pick up just seven yards, including two on the ground from Tagovailoa. Many fans were likely holding their breath as the quarterback dove forward to pick up a couple of yards. After the punt, the Bills take over at their own 36.

Bills-Dolphins score update: Dalton Kincaid scores TD

As expected, the Dolphins defense looked like traffic cones on the Bills’ opening drive. It takes just seven plays for Buffalo to drive 70 yards for the score as Kincaid hauls in the 20-yard touchdown to tie things up.

Bills 7, Dolphins 7

Was Tyreek Hill out of bounds?

The Dolphins might’ve scored on their opening drive, but they did appear to benefit from a missed call on third down. Tua Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill for a first-down reception, but the receiver bobbled the ball. After checking out the replay, it appears Hill only got one foot in bounds. The Bills did not challenge and it ultimately cost them. 

Bills-Dolphins score update: Ollie Gordon II’s first career TD puts Miami on top

Well, how about that. No one gave the Dolphins a chance in this game and the Dolphins get the scoring started with a six-minute drive that goes 47 yards before Gordon plunges into the end zone. Buffalo’s defense looked like what we expected from Miami on that opening drive. Not too shabby for Mike McDaniel and company in the early going.

Dolphins 7, Bills 0

What time does Bills vs. Dolphins start?

• Date: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025
• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET  

What TV channel is Bills vs. Dolphins on today?

• Buffalo market: WKBW
• Miami market: WFOR

National viewers will have to stream the matchup on Amazon Prime Video, the home of ‘TNF.’

Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with a Prime Video subscription

Bills vs. Dolphins prediction

This is a prime example of two franchises headed in opposite directions. Buffalo looks like the cream of the crop and is a legitimate Super Bowl contender, while Miami looks like a runaway train. The Dolphins’ offensive line might be bad, but their defense is putrid: The unit allowed 33 points in back-to-back weeks and Buffalo might just double that.

The Bills are running a few impressive streaks: Five straight AFC East titles, 24 games of not losing the turnover battle, and they have won their last eight home matchups vs. Miami. Those streaks will continue tonight.

Buffalo obliterates Miami.

Prediction: Bills 41, Dolphins 13

Bills vs. Dolphins odds, moneyline, over/under

Bills vs. Dolphins injury report

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Bills vs. Dolphins live stream

‘Thursday Night Football’ is only available to National viewers via streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the home of ‘TNF.’

Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with a Prime Video subscription

Josh Allen arrives for ‘Thursday Night Football’ vs. Dolphins

The reigning NFL MVP arrives for the Bills’ Week 3 matchup and is wearing the second of nine custom hats designed by patients at Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital. After each home game, his hat will be auctioned off to support the Patricia Allen Fund.

Dolphins inactives vs. Bills

Bills inactives vs. Dolphins

AFC East standings

1. Buffalo Bills (2-0) 
2. New England Patriots (1-1) 
3. New York Jets (0-2) 
4. Miami Dolphins (0-2) 

Is Jaylen Waddle playing tonight?

Waddle is active for tonight’s game against the Bills. He had been listed as questionable with a shoulder injury he suffered in the Week 1 loss against the Colts.

He’s expected to have a full workload tonight.

Which NFL team has the most Super Bowl wins? 

The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six. 

Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups. 

Super Bowl odds

• 1. Buffalo Bills (+500)
• 2. Baltimore Ravens (+550)
• 3. Green Bay Packers (+650)
• 4. Philadelphia Eagles (+700)
• 5. Detroit Lions (+1400)
• 6. Kansas City Chiefs (+1500)
• 7. Los Angeles Chargers (+1600)
• 8. Los Angeles Rams (+1800)
• T9. San Francisco 49ers (+2200)
• T9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2200)

Josh Allen nose injury

The Buffalo Bills’ quarterback added a visor to his helmet ahead of the team’s practice session on Tuesday. The change comes after Allen suffered an injury to his nose in Week 2’s clash with the New York Jets, when defensive tackle Micheal Clemons’ left hand wacked him in the face as Allen took a sack.

The injury caused Allen to miss about a minute and a half of the first quarter – just two plays. He returned to the game for the start of the second quarter with cotton gauze shoved up his left nostril. – Jack McKessy

2025 NFL MVP odds

• T-1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+325)
• T-1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (+325)
• T-3. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (+800)
• T-3. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+800)
• 5. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (+1400)
• T-6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+1800)
• T-6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+1800)
• 8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2000)
• 9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (+3000)
• 10. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (+3500)

Who are the ‘Thursday Night Football’ announcers for Amazon Prime Video? 

Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be in the broadcast booth for Prime Video, with Kaylee Hartung (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) providing additional coverage.  

The Prime Video pregame, halftime and postgame shows feature Charissa Thompson as host, as well as former NFL players Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Andrew Whitworth as analysts.  

Taylor Rooks is the feature reporter for Prime Video’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ coverage.

How old is Al Michaels?

Michaels, who is once again serving as the play-by-play voice of Amazon Prime’s ‘Thursday Night Football,’ is 80 years old. He will turn 81 in November and has worked on network sports television since 1971.

• How damaging is an 0-2 start? Nearly 88% of teams that have started that way since 1990 have missed postseason.
• But what happened last season that might offer added hope to 2025’s winless clubs?
• And what did Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes say following his first 0-2 start?

Panic mode. Desperation time. A proverbial cold sweat. Tightened … well, ya know. All euphemisms synonymous with the dreaded 0-2 start in the NFL – recently anyway.

Turns out, maybe what coaches, players and fans should be doing is taking a beat and resetting − all isn’t necessarily lost.

How Zen is Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who just lost his opening two games for the first time since 2014 – his second year in K.C. and the only instance since he’s been with the franchise that it didn’t make the playoffs?

“I trust this group. I mean, this group’s a good group – got good leadership and they’ll stay together,” Reid said Monday, a day after the Chiefs lost their Super Bowl 59 rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sure, it’s easier to remain on an even keel when you’ve reached five of the past six Super Bowls and won three of them.

Added Reid: “(T)hey’ll work hard on cleaning things up, there’s nobody more aware of it than the guys, and we’ll make sure we get back to the drawing board.”

It’s almost as if he doesn’t know (or care) that, since the playoff field expanded to 12 teams in 1990, only three teams – the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants, all legendary in their own right – of the 288, or 1.04%, that have begun 0-2 over that period have won the Super Bowl.

“It’s just the little things,” Ryans said Tuesday, following his team’s last-second loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.

“We talk about technique, we talk about decision-making, we’re talking about tackling. We talk about all the little things that we control, that we can fix. I’m excited to see what it looks like moving forward.”

The deck is most definitely stacked against Houston, Kansas City and the eight other currently winless clubs. Since 1990, just 12.2% of 0-2 teams have rebounded to qualify for postseason. Just 6.6% have come back to secure a division.

Yet the 17-game regular-season schedule, which took effect in 2021, and 14-team playoff field first introduced in 2020 both provide an increased margin for error. That was certainly the case last season, when three of the nine teams that started 0-2 wound up in the Super Bowl tournament. Two (Rams, Ravens) won their divisions and got as far as the divisional round of the postseason.

The weight of the historical data is daunting, suggesting just one of this year’s 0-2 squads will overcome its circumstances to endure into in Week 19. But last year’s snapshot is proof that more teams surely can.

Let’s rank all 10 by their postseason viability from least likely to most:

10. Cleveland Browns

They looked competitive in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals but decidedly weren’t in Sunday’s 24-point defeat at Baltimore. In addition to being mired in a highly competitive division, it stands to reason that the Browns will eventually turn to rookie QBs Dillon Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders in order to assess where they are organizationally at the position ahead of the 2026 draft, when Cleveland is scheduled to have two first-round picks. Lastly, history is an even bigger barrier to this franchise. Of the 16 previous times the Browns started 0-2 since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only the 1980 “Kardiac Kids” led by MVP Brian Sipe persevered to make the postseason.

9. New York Giants

Despite finishing 3-14 last year, the G-Men, who have several young and talented players on their roster, nevertheless wound up with the league’s hardest schedule (based on opponents’ collective 2024 winning percentage, .574). Unlike the Browns, New York appears to have its quarterback of the future, 2025 first-rounder Jaxson Dart, and might be obliged to look for a spark and start him at some point given how well he played in the preseason. But Russell Wilson, who had a vintage performance in Sunday’s loss to Dallas, just bought himself more playing time, for whatever it’s worth amid this murders’ row of a lineup he and his team must face, including the equally desperate Chiefs in Week 3. And a note for the historians: Since those magical 2007 Giants started 0-2 before ruining the Patriots’ perfect season in Super Bowl 42, Big Blue has lost its first two games in 10 subsequent seasons, including 2025 … and failed to reach postseason in all of them to date.

8. New Orleans Saints

They seem a little high? Fair. But let’s acknowledge that they have established, proud players on the roster, and both of their losses have been by one score. The Saints also – seemingly – play in a more forgiving division than the Giants or Browns. But, yeah, New Orleans also doesn’t have a quarterback in the building who’s ever won an NFL game. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is the 24th time the Saints have started 0-2 in their 59-season history. Perhaps surprisingly, this is the first time it’s happened in the post-Drew Brees era.

7. Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward is a wild card, figuratively and literally given his heretofore daredevil playing style. But is he really going to join the likes of John Elway and Andrew Luck as the only quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall to lead their teams to the playoffs as rookies since the merger? Is a team that’s gone 3-16 under coach Brian Callahan suddenly going to catch fire? Since relocating to Tennessee in 1997, the Titans haven’t successfully rallied from their six previous 0-2 starts. Still, if Ward and Co. can survive the season’s first half, the schedule does look manageable, with a heavy serving of games in Nashville, following a Week 10 bye.

6. New York Jets

They haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 regardless of circumstances − and this is the NYJ’s fifth 0-2 start over the past nine seasons. After an encouraging Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh, the Jets were blown out by Buffalo and lost QB Justin Fields to the concussion protocol. Perhaps veteran QB2 Tyrod Taylor can stabilize the situation. Perhaps rookie coach Aaron Glenn, a Bill Parcells protégé, can spark an unexpected heater … which would be appropriate given Parcells was the last coach to dig this team out of an 0-2 hole, the 1998 squad advancing all the way to the AFC title game. But come on, it’s the Jets.

5. Miami Dolphins

Yes, this spot feels grossly optimistic for these seemingly drowning fish, er, mammals. They sound bad. They look bad. No AFC team has allowed more points (66) or has a worse point differential (-31). No coach in the league appears to be on a hotter seat than Mike McDaniel. But let’s also grant him deserved credit given Miami reached the playoffs in two of his first three seasons and had a top-six offense league-wide in both of those years. And while durability is always a concern with QB Tua Tagovailoa, he’s also an established and efficient Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback operating in a division that only seems to have one imposing team … albeit a Buffalo squad set to host the Fins on Thursday night and threatening to push them into an 0-3 grave.

4. Chicago Bears

This also feels like a glass that’s close to 75% full for a team that clearly seems to remain in hibernation. Second-year QB Caleb Williams continues to struggle to live up to his astronomical pre-draft hype from a year ago. In fairness to him, this is two offensive systems in two years, and rookie coach Ben Johnson’s playbook is far more demanding. Also, with so much scrutiny on Williams, it’s easy to gloss over the fact that the Bears are the only team that’s allowed more points (79) or been outscored by a wider margin (34 points) than Miami. And a 2025 postseason trip was always going to be a high bar given Chicago was the only team in its division that didn’t go to the playoffs last season. Yet hope for positive and sudden growth remains – if Williams starts grasping Johnson’s system, which produced spectacular results in Detroit during the previous three seasons, and if the defense starts clicking under new coordinator Dennis Allen. There’s certainly no shortage of talent on this roster.

3. Carolina Panthers

They showed the same fight in the second half of Sunday’s near-miss loss at Arizona that they displayed during the second half of last season. Both of their defeats have come on the road, and Carolina plays in a division that hasn’t set a high bar for success in recent years. Still, the Panthers must survive a battered offensive line and still suspect defense. Also, history. They’ve now started 0-2 14 times in their 31-season history – nearly half of them – but have surmounted that obstacle into a playoff berth just once.

2. Houston Texans

After Ryans’ charges started 0-2 two years ago, the Texans won 11 of their next 16 games, including a victory in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Many key players from that group remain, notably QB C.J. Stroud, WR Nico Collins, DE Will Anderson Jr. and CB Derek Stingley Jr. This year’s edition is winless – but the losses came by a combined six points to teams (Rams, Bucs) that were division winners in 2024. Yes, there might be a level of discomfort given how the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts have broken from the starting gate … and maybe more so given this retooled offense has scored a league-low 28 points. But let’s give a squad that’s reached the divisional round of the past two postseasons, features a potentially dominant defense and has a dynamic young HC-QB combo the grace period it’s earned.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Duh. Yep, it’s uncharted territory as it pertains to the past decade, K.C. trying to win its 10th consecutive AFC West crown. Yes, this marks the first time QB Patrick Mahomes has started 0-2 or lost three consecutive NFL games when you factor in the blowout loss to Philly in Super Bowl 59. Yes, TE Travis Kelce continues to look like a declining player, whose admittedly poor route discipline during the Week 1 loss in Brazil is responsible for the shoulder injury that’s limited dynamic WR Xavier Worthy to three snaps this season.

But … these are the dynastic Chiefs. They’ve lost close contests to the Chargers and Eagles, who are shaping up as two of the league’s top teams. Week 3 brings a date with the Giants, the Chiefs favored to win by nearly a touchdown on the road and likely to have Worthy back. Suspended WR Rashee Rice will return next month. Still, the Chiefs aren’t awash in wiggle room, the schedule set to serve up the Ravens, Lions, Commanders and Bills … before the Week 10 bye.

“We played two good football teams and made mistakes in big moments – stuff that we’re not used to doing,” Mahomes said after Sunday’s loss. “But I think we’re coming together as a team, man. I mean, when you deal with adversity it’s about how you deal with it and obviously, this isn’t how we wanted to start. But how are we going to respond? So, I’m excited for the next few weeks to see who wants to be challenged and how we can get back and really get after it.

“Obviously, we’ve never been 0-2, but we’ve had times where we’ve dealt with challenges before and lost games. I think the guys that we have in this locker room will go back to work with that mindset of, ‘We’re going to continue to work even harder,’ so that when we step on that field this next time, we can find a way to win in those big moments, like we haven’t in these first two weeks.”

Plenty of changes are happening at UCLA − but its quarterback remains the same.

Nico Iamlaeava was practicing with the team on Wednesday, Sept. 17, three days after the Bruins fired second-year coach Deshaun Foster.

While it shouldn’t be a total surprise for a team’s starting quarterback to be practicing, it’s a noteworthy because Foster’s departure opened a 30-day transfer portal window for Bruins players. And since the firing happened before the team played four games, players that have not redshirted can retain a year of eligibility if they leave the team.

While Iamaleava has already used his redshirt and wouldn’t be able to join another team until the spring semester, his participation in practice signals he plans to continue play with the Bruins, for now.

Hours after Foster was fired, atheltic director Martin Jarmond told reporters he spoke with the team and no players indiciated they were thinking about transferring. Interim coach Tim Skipper shared a similar sentiment ahead of practice.

‘Had very positive conversations with our guys. There’s nothing to announce or report that way,’ Skipper said. ‘This university, this campus, this coaching staff, has a lot to offer to these guys. You remind them of that, and they see it. They see how our energy is every day, and we’re just going to take it one day at a time and keep on working.’

UCLA plays next at Northwestern on Sept. 27. Iamaleava has until Oct. 14 to enter the portal, allowing him to play in the next three games against Northwestern, Penn State and Michigan State. The Bruins host Maryland on Oct. 18, three days after the window closes.

UCLA part ways with defensive coordinator

While UCLA’s starting quarterback is still with the team, its defensive coordinator is not.

Skipper announced the Bruins parted ways with defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe. He did not disclose why the two sides separated.

Malloe joined the staff in December 2022 as a defensive position coach and took was interim defensive coordinator for UCLA’s bowl game in 2023. Afterward, he was officially given the position.

Defense was UCLA’s strongsuit in Malloe’s first full season, ranking sixth in the country in rushing defense (96.2). However, the unit has struggled out of the gate in 2025, ranking near the bottom of several categories including:

• Scoring defense: 36 points per game (121st out of 134 teams)
• Total defense: 431 yards per game (117th)
• Rushing defense: 244 yards per game (132nd)
• Defensive passing efficency: 184.7 (132nd)
• Defensive third down percentage: 62.2% (133rd)

The Los Angeles Chargers will be without their top edge rusher for at least four weeks.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh announced Wednesday the team will place Khalil Mack on injured reserve due to an elbow injury.

Mack dislocated his elbow during the first quarter of the Chargers’ 20-9 Week 2 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Mack’s arm bent awkwardly when he attempted to tackle Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker.

The edge rusher clutched his elbow immediately after the play and went into the team’s blue medical tent. He was eventually escorted to the team’s locker room.

Mack was seen on the sideline during the second half with his arm in a sling and had the same arm protected with a sling in the postgame locker room.

Mack’s injury is a big loss for the Chargers, but the silver lining is he won’t miss the remainder of the regular season.

Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree are expected to be Los Angeles’ top two outside linebackers while Mack recovers from his elbow injury. Caleb Murphy and rookie Kyle Kennard, who’s been inactive through two games, could also see more playing time.

The 2-0 Chargers host the 1-1 Denver Broncos in Week 3.

Mack’s compiled 108.5 career sacks, including 32 sacks in 52 career games with the Chargers. He won NFL Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Raiders in 2016. He’s been elected to the Pro Bowl nine times.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.