ATLANTA (AP) — Dejounte Murray had 24 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 130-121 on Wednesday night for their third straight win. Murray, who was coming off a career-high tying 41-point effort against the Timberwolves, shot 10-for-15 from the field, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Taylor Heinicke has moved past turnover-plagued Desmond Ridder as the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Coach Arthur Smith said Wednesday the decision to start Heinicke was made “with all the variables considering everything.” Smith would not commit to Heinicke keeping the job past Sunday.

The Texas Rangers offered Corey Seager $325 million before the 2022 season hoping the 2020 World Series MVP could help the franchise finally earn a title of its own. It could all pay off Wednesday night. Seager and Marcus Semien each homered early in an 11-7 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 4 on Tuesday night, pushing the Rangers' Series lead to 3-1 and putting them on the brink of a title.

SEC standard bearers Georgia and Alabama are front and center in Week 10 of the college football season after the Pac-12 commanded the national spotlight for most of the last month. The No. 1 Bulldogs begin what figures to be their toughest three-game stretch of the season when No. 14 Missouri visits on Saturday. No. 8 Alabama hosts No. 13 LSU in what should be its most challenging remaining regular-season game, though the Iron Bowl finale against Auburn can be a wildcard.

The Patriots have the history. The Chiefs have the juice. New England is bringing its six Super Bowl trophies. How about a yacht? Kansas City has that, not to mention the star quarterback and tight end. They’re all headed to Frankfurt to take part in two weeks of American football because beyond the games, there are German fans to win over. A lot of them.

The Texas Rangers overcame injuries to Adolis García and Max Scherzer for a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks and a 2-1 World Series lead. Now, if Texas is going to close out its first championship, it may have to do so without two of its biggest stars. García, perhaps the hottest hitter in all of baseball this October, left in the eighth inning Monday night after hurting his left side on a swing. He went to a hospital for an MRI.

ATLANTA (AP) — Dejounte Murray matched his career high with 41 points and the Atlanta Hawks bounced back from a 19-point halftime deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-113 on Monday night. Murray took command in the third quarter, getting the Hawks back in the game almost single-handedly. He equaled his 41-point effort against Portland on March 3.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are trying to downplay any talk of a quarterback controversy. Good luck with that. After Desmond Ridder struggled through the first half against the Tennessee Titans, the Falcons (4-4) turned to Taylor Heinicke the rest of the way.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Top-ranked Georgia has renewed reason to have confidence in its offense as it prepares for a challenge against SEC East rival No. 14 Missouri on Saturday. Georgia played without its top receiver, tight end Brock Bowers, and still rolled to a 43-20 victory over Florida last week. 

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is out for the season with a knee injury, coach Arthur Smith said Monday. The 30-year-old Jarrett tore an ACL during the early minutes of a 28-23 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trae Young scored 20 points to lead eight players in double figures, and the Atlanta Hawks limited Damian Lillard to six points while routing the listless Milwaukee Bucks 127-110 on Sunday night for their first victory of the season.

Oklahoma dropped four spots to No. 10, the top five teams held their places and Kansas and Kansas State both entered The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday. Georgia is No. 1 for the 20th straight week, receiving 48 of 63 first-place votes, distancing itself from No. 2 Michigan after the Bulldogs walloped Florida on Saturday. This is the 50th consecutive week that either Georgia or Alabama has been No. 1.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Atlanta coach Arthur Smith was asked several different ways, and his answer Sunday on changing quarterbacks at halftime came down to protecting Desmond Ridder after the starter was evaluated for a concussion. Not Ridder's performance, ugly as it was for the first half.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The butterflies Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis felt over the past two weeks disappeared Sunday. It showed as Levis threw four touchdown passes for a performance that matched what only two other quarterbacks did in their NFL debuts. Levis celebrated the last TD on his back with his arms in the air. Levis helped the Titans score their most points since 2021 in beating the Atlanta Falcons 28-23.

Haynes King threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brett Seither with 4:28 remaining and Georgia Tech handed No. 17 North Carolina its second straight loss, knocking off the Tar Heels in a 46-42 shootout Saturday night.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck threw two touchdown passes in his hometown, Daijun Edwards ran for two scores and No. 1 Georgia dominated Florida 43-20 Saturday to extend its winning streak to 25. The two-time defending national champion Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) have now won three in a row and six of seven in the rivalry.

Maine's close-knit community of deaf and hard of hearing people is grieving in the wake of the Lewiston shootings that killed beloved members, many of whom were ardent advocates.

Adolis García took a few steps while watching the ball before tossing his bat aside after another big swing this postseason. This one won an extended Game 1 of the World Series for the Texas Rangers.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Davis Brin passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns to propel Georgia Southern to a 44-27 victory over Georgia State on Thursday night. Brin gave Georgia Southern (6-2, 3-1 Sun Belt Conference) a 7-0 lead when he connected with Khaleb Hood for a 24-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Masters is unlikely to make any changes to its eligibility criteria for next year's tournament, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said Thursday, which means fewer players from LIV Golf will be competing in the year's first major.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Looking for someone to motivate his team before facing two-time defending national champion and top-ranked Georgia in one of the Southeastern Conference’s most heated rivalries, Florida’s Billy Napier turned to a guy who knows a thing or two about beating the Bulldogs: The Head Ball Coach.

ATLANTA (AP) — North Carolina had its sights on an Atlantic Coast Conference championship, maybe even a spot in the College Football Playoff. Then, it all came crumbling down. The No. 17 Tar Heels (6-1, 3-1 ACC) are reeling from a shocking, inexplicable 31-27 loss at home to a one-win Virginia team that wiped out their best start in more than a quarter-century.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Rookie Bijan Robinson said Wednesday he is “all good” and ready to return to his lead role in the Atlanta Falcons’ running game after he didn’t feel well and was limited to one carry in last week’s win at Tampa Bay. Robinson had full participation in the portion of practice that was open to reporters on Wednesday. He appears to be on track to start in this Sunday’s game at Tennessee.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama has commanded a lot of the headlines in the NBA offseason. But fellow rookie Brandon Miller proved in the season opener that he can play a little, too. P.J. Washington scored 25 points, Miller provided a huge spark with eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets held on to defeat the Atlanta Hawks 116-110 on Wednesday night.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Corbin Carroll ducked late into the Arizona Diamondbacks' clubhouse with his uniform pants stained in dirt — two stolen bases will get a player dirty — but was otherwise clean when he was spotted by the rest of his bubbly-bathed teammates.