Weekends like these are why we endure the canine days of summer season. Why we depend down the times till seasons are again. Why we will not wait till that trace of fall is within the air. Why we, merely, are sports activities followers. The ultimate weekend of September is setting as much as be one of many biggest sporting weekends in latest reminiscence.
Let’s begin with the Ryder Cup, hosted on the iconic Bethpage Black Course simply exterior New York Metropolis. Workforce USA and Workforce Europe will battle for bragging rights in entrance of a raucous crowd in contrast to any you’d get at different golf occasions. The most important stars are out, and the distinctive format — with workforce occasions Friday and Saturday and 12 singles matches on Sunday — ensures each minute will probably be full of drama. Put together for loads of champagne popping come Sunday night.
That final sentence applies within the MLB, too. There are nonetheless 4 playoff spots to be decided on this dash to the end. The Tigers have skilled a historic collapse, up from 15.5 video games within the AL Central to combating for his or her playoff lives. And will the Mets actually miss the postseason? There is a ton on the desk.
The WNBA playoffs have already begun, and each semifinals — Aces-Fever and Lynx-Mercury — are tied at 1-1. One would assume Las Vegas and Minnesota are on a collision course, however Indiana (without Caitlin Clark, no less) and Phoenix have already proved their mettle.
Lastly, each Saturday and Sunday in September has loads of soccer. Not all of them have this form of lineup, although. Among the many faculty highlights are No. 6 Penn State internet hosting its annual whiteout in opposition to No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 LSU visiting No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 17 Alabama heading to No. 5 Georgia.
Within the NFL ranks, Micah Parsons makes his return to Dallas after his surprising commerce from the Cowboys to the Packers, and two prime AFC contenders — the Ravens and the Chiefs — attempt to keep away from falling to 1-3 once they meet in Kansas Metropolis on CBS.
So, what are we right here at CBS Sports activities trying ahead to most? It is exhausting to decide on only one, however here is what we’ll have on our display — or no less than on our important display — over the subsequent few days.
Ryder Cup
There’s a number of nice soccer on this weekend. None of these video games are notably distinctive, although. The Ryder Cup is performed biennially, and lots of golf consultants consider there has by no means been a extra important version of the occasion than the one being performed at Bethpage Black in New York over the subsequent few days. The perimeters are comparatively even, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler headlines an American facet not as sturdy because it was simply 4 years in the past, Keegan Bradley is probably essentially the most thrilling U.S. captain ever, and Europe completely ran by the People on the final taking part in in Rome. May this be the 12 months the highway Ryder Cup streak is damaged? Will Rory McIlroy come by in his final nice bid to perform that feat on U.S. soil? The Lengthy Island crowd will probably be raucous, the outfits will probably be distinctive, and the golf may probably be legendary. – Adam Silverstein
The Ryder Cup will probably be entrance and middle on my TV all day Friday and once more on Sunday afternoon. Shoot, it will even take middle stage on Saturday morning over the same old college football preview exhibits. As soon as midday hits, I will be dialed in to a blockbuster day of college football motion for work functions, however the motion from Bethpage Black will doubtless nonetheless discover a place in my quadbox. There’s nothing just like the pageantry and depth of the Ryder Cup, as a person sport morphs into the last word workforce endeavor for a weekend. – David Cobb
How United States can overcome pressure to win 2025 Ryder Cup, proving Keegan Bradley’s candidacy valid
Patrick McDonald
The Ryder Cup has been all bark and no chew for the final decade, however this 12 months it should change. Two evenly matched squads with their very own historical past and hurdles to beat. On the European facet, Rory McIlroy seems to be to name his shot efficiently, a la Babe Ruth, after main the drubbing of the U.S. in Rome in what is probably going the ultimate finest shot of his profession to win a Ryder Cup on American soil. Luke Donald can develop into arguably the best European captain as properly in his second stint as headman. For the house workforce, Bradley can go from exterior the boys membership to sitting on the head of the desk if he brings the cup again dwelling. Throw within the New York crowd, the vagaries of match play and completely different taking part in codecs, in addition to characters akin to Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton, and a very good time is certain to occur. – Patrick McDonald
I am a licensed golf sicko, however contemplate this my formal proposal to maneuver the Ryder Cup to August so I can really watch the entire thing. Going up in opposition to soccer means the one important time I get to spend watching it’s on Sunday afternoon if the U.S. is in putting distance. It is a particular window of time to recollect golf exists, and it is a time-honored custom of mine to fully ignore it if we’re being drubbed by the lads from throughout the pond. Name me a frontrunner or a man who’s simply too locked into the gridiron, however September means soccer season. – Richard Johnson
Faculty soccer
No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State
There are actually so many choices to select from this weekend, however I am going to go along with the most effective recreation on the faculty soccer slate. Positive, if Alabama-Georgia is something like final 12 months, we’re in for an additional electrical recreation, however I can not wait to observe Penn State vs. Oregon. This recreation may go a great distance in figuring out who has the within monitor to succeed in the Massive Ten Championship Recreation and brownie factors in direction of a first-round bye within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has been up and down this season, whereas Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has proven flashes of why he was such a touted switch. – Cameron Salerno
The Eagles are taking part in the Buccaneers this weekend, the Phillies are taking part in in Recreation 162 (they’ve mainly all the pieces wrapped up), the Ryder Cup is on, however nothing else issues besides this recreation. Truthful warning, I’m a Penn State alum and have by no means missed a “White Out” recreation — as a pupil, alum or journalist. That is the largest recreation of the 12 months for PSU to this point, and that is Oregon’s first go to to Beaver Stadium because the Sixties. Understanding gamers on the workforce and the way a lot this recreation means to them makes the “White Out” much more particular, particularly for the No. 3 workforce within the nation. It is a assertion recreation, and the ambiance will probably be like no different. Count on 110,000-plus all sporting white and the stadium to be loud for 3.5 hours. – Jeff Kerr
No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia
Whereas there will probably be video games with extra nationwide implications, Alabama-Georgia has one thing even higher: desperation. Kalen DeBoer has one of many hottest seats in faculty soccer and desperately must remind followers why Alabama employed a no-name from the West Coast. He tends to be the largest in crucial stops, so do not be stunned if DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb come out with a loopy recreation plan in opposition to the SEC’s new standard-bearer. If it goes incorrect, I might anticipate one other massive spike on our story about DeBoer’s hefty buyout. – Shehan Jeyarajah
I feel I am contractually obligated to select the sport I am going to really be attending, however even when I wasn’t at Alabama-Georgia, it is the faculty soccer recreation that has me most intrigued in what’s a stacked general slate. DeBoer’s finest second as Alabama’s coach was a win over Georgia a 12 months in the past in Tuscaloosa. For all of Kirby Sensible’s success, he is nonetheless solely 1-6 in opposition to Alabama since he took over in Athens. DeBoer may badly use one other marquee win after shedding the season opener to Florida State, whilst you know Sensible would love to finish the narrative he cannot beat the Crimson Tide. From “second-and-26” to final 12 months’s incredible end, these two groups are likely to ship classics once they meet on the sphere, and I can not wait to see what this 12 months’s version delivers. – John Talty
No. 1 Ohio State at Washington (on CBS/Paramount+)
I might wish to echo Richard Johnson’s proposal to maneuver the Ryder Cup to August – simply as I want the NASCAR Cup Sequence Playoffs wrapped up earlier than the soccer season begins. That stated, I will take a distinct route – one admittedly biased in direction of the Massive Ten on CBS.
With all the opposite top-25 matchups occurring this Saturday, No. 1 Ohio State at Washington is not going to seize a lot nationwide consideration. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are 48-0 in opposition to convention opponents not named Michigan or Oregon, however the Huskies convey a 22-game dwelling profitable streak in one of many loudest stadiums in faculty soccer. If Washington pulls off the upset, it could be an added spotlight to an already huge sports activities weekend. – Cody Nagel
No. 1 Ohio State at Washington has the makings of Jeremiah Smith’s loud introduction to 2025’s Heisman party
David Cobb
No. 15 Tennessee at Mississippi State
Entice recreation for the No. 15 Vols in Starkville? We’re already in Week 5, however that is the their first true highway recreation, and I can already hear these rattling cowbells. Tennessee averages 53.5 factors per recreation and has dropped no less than 41 factors in every contest this season. Mississippi State, then again, permits simply 11.8 factors per recreation. One thing’s gotta give. – Jordan Dajani
Packers at Cowboys
After I picked my jaw up off the ground after seeing Jerry Jones commerce Micah Parsons to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, I instantly went to examine the schedule. Sure! Not solely do the Packers and Cowboys play each other in 2025, but it surely’s in Dallas on Sunday Evening Soccer. What a time to be alive! This was some of the gorgeous trades in latest NFL historical past, and now we get to see the star cross rusher virtually instantly head again to his previous stomping grounds to tackle his former workforce. Signal me up! After being embarrassed by the Browns final week, there’s going to be no letup by Parsons and the Packers. On prime of making an attempt to proper that incorrect, Parsons is in line to have an incredible exhibiting with Dallas’ offensive line coping with a rash of accidents. Get your popcorn prepared. – Tyler Sullivan
Ravens vs. Chiefs (on CBS)
Kansas Metropolis’s sluggish begin to 2025 would not bode properly for this recreation as a fireworks present, however Lamar Jackson is simply 1-5 in opposition to the Chiefs as a starter for his profession, together with playoffs. One thing has to offer right here. If he cannot steal the highlight in Arrowhead this time, we’ll have grave considerations about Baltimore as a contender. And but, if Patrick Mahomes and Co. cannot defend their very own turf and drop to 1-3, properly, the sirens will start in Kansas Metropolis as properly. In different phrases, it is a matchup of desperation between two latest MVP quarterbacks, which implies we’re in all probability in for a deal with. – Cody Benjamin
MLB closing weekend
For many of the 12 months, I used to be fearful these previous few days of the season can be a bit lame as a result of so many groups appeared locked into their postseason destiny. As a substitute, we nonetheless have a bunch of races and postseason berths up for grabs, thanks largely to the Astros, Mets, and particularly the Tigers collapsing. Detroit’s making an attempt to keep away from the largest collapse in baseball historical past. The Astros are staring down the tip of their reign. The Mets cannot probably miss the postseason, can they? I imply, positive they will. It is attainable. We nonetheless have legit races within the AL East and NL West, too. I do not love the three wild card system — I feel there are too many groups within the postseason now — however credit score the place it is due: many of those races would not be attainable with out it. – Mike Axisa
As a Reds fan, I had forgotten what it was like to observe aggressive baseball in September (and even August, for that matter), however that is not the case this 12 months. With the Mets probably pulling off an all-time choke job within the NL Wild Card race, that has opened the door for the Reds to get to the playoffs for the primary time since 2013 (I do not depend their pretend playoff look in 2020 when 16 groups made the postseason throughout MLB’s shortened COVID season). With the Reds within the thick of the race, I am going to have my eyes on the Mets, Reds and Diamondbacks as they battle for the ultimate NL Wild Card spot. I forgot how a lot enjoyable it’s to scoreboard watch in September. – John Breech
Among the possible MLB collapses (Tigers could blow division lead to Guardians), I am notably curious to see what occurs to the Mets. I occur to be a lifelong Braves fan (so I’ve nothing else to root for proper now!) who completely loved when Atlanta overcame a ten.5-game deficit to overhaul the Mets for the NL East title in 2022. May the Mets actually blow one other huge lead simply three years later, this time within the NL Wild Card to the Reds? That is the franchise that mainly has a clean examine from Steve Cohen (however someway did not put money into sufficient pitching). It will be one of many largest collapses ever, contemplating they had been an MLB-best 45-24 on June 12. They could be taking up a stumbling Marlins workforce this weekend, however they only misplaced two out of three to the Nationals and misplaced three of 4 to Miami again in late August. This might be precisely the kind of collection the Mets would lose to complete off a historic letdown. – Doug Clawson
WNBA playoffs
I have to admit I am going to have the iPad up on the facet to keep watch over the Ryder Cup and the Crimson Sox’s playoff hopes, however my main focus would be the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs, that are set for a pivotal weekend. Each best-of-five collection – the Minnesota Lynx vs. the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces vs. the Indiana Fever – are all sq. at 1-1. The motion will resume Friday with a pair of Recreation 3s, adopted by one other doubleheader of Recreation 4s on Sunday.
The Lynx and Aces, the highest two seeds, had been main favorites heading into the semis and appeared destined to satisfy within the Finals subsequent month. That matchup is not a assure, and each groups must go on the highway and win no less than one recreation this weekend to maintain their respective seasons alive. The underdog Mercury and Fever, then again, instantly have an opportunity to advance to the Finals by defending their dwelling courts.
Will any of those 4 groups punch their ticket to the Finals this weekend? Will the Finals matchup be set? Or will we fall asleep Sunday evening pondering two winner-take-all Recreation 5s early subsequent week? The chances for this weekend are limitless – Jack Maloney
