The Georgia Bulldogs are trying to prove they aren't one-year wonders. The Bulldogs are seeking to repeat as national champions, but Southeastern Conference rival Alabama is preseason No. 1. Sixth-ranked Texas A&M is also in hot pursuit. The Bulldogs lost 15 NFL draft picks from the championship team that beat the Crimson Tide in the national title game. But quarterback Stetson Bennett and tight end Brock Bowers are back. Alabama returns two of the nation's top players in Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young and national defensive player of the year Will Anderson.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Max Fried allowed three hits in eight innings, pacing the Atlanta Braves to a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. Fried (12-4) struck out seven and walked one, retiring 20 of the final 23 batters he faced. The All-Star left-hander got through eight innings for the second time this season.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama coach Nick Saban is getting a new eight-year contract worth at least $93.6 million, eclipsing the recent megadeal of Southeastern Conference rival Kirby Smart. The University of Alabama trustees compensation committee approved a one-year extension through Feb. 28, 2030, for the 70-year-old Saban, who has led the Crimson Tide to six national titles.

The college football schedule offers a weekly selection of marquee games between top teams, and some will hit the ground running this year. Two September 3 showdowns will shuffle the preseason Top 25 quickly as No. 5 Notre Dame and new coach Marcus Freeman play at No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Georgia, the defending national champion, plays No. 11 Oregon in Atlanta.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady has returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending what has been described as an 11-day, prearranged break from training camp for personal reasons. The seven-time Super Bowl champion didn’t address the media after practicing Monday. Teammates and coach Todd Bowles said the 45-year-old quarterback was sharp throwing the ball and essentially took up where he left off before leaving the team on Aug. 11.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Marcus Mariota led Atlanta to scores on two of his three drives in the Falcons’ 24-16 loss against mostly New York Jets backups. Mariota strengthened his hold on the starting job by going 6 of 10 for 132 yards and a touchdown to Olamide Zaccheaus before giving way to rookie Desmond Ridder with a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jake Odorizzi struck out seven and Michael Harris II homered for each of Atlanta’s two runs, helping the Braves gain in the NL East with a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. Odorizzi (5-5) allowed one run on four hits in six innings, retiring 14 of his final 15 batters faced.

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta outfielder Marcell Ozuna was booed by the home fans in his return, Kyle Tucker singled to drive in Yordan Alvarez for the go-ahead run in the eighth and the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 to avoid a three-game sweep. José Urquidy won his 12th game for the AL-leading Astros.

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — Kyle Larson beat Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott on a restart with five laps to go and won the weather-delayed NASCAR Cup race at Watkins Glen International on Sunday. Elliott had control of the race late, but a caution gave Larson a chance and he took advantage, moving Elliott to the left coming out of the first turn and pulling away for a weekend Xfinity-Cup sweep.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Juan José Purata scored in the 77th minute to offset a second-half brace by Columbus’ Cucho Hernández, helping Atlanta United earn a 2-2 draw with the Crew. The two teams waited out a lengthy rain delay before Atlanta United (7-10-9) went out and failed to win for an 11th straight time on the road, three off the team record.

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. It was the second arrest in as many years for Ozuna. He was arrested on May 29, 2021, on charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and battery. Those charges were dropped after he completed a pretrial diversion program. Now Ozuna is facing more legal problems after his DUI arrest.

ATLANTA (AP) — Max Fried outpitched Jacob deGrom, ever so slightly, in a matchup of aces and rookie Michael Harris II bounced a go-ahead double in the seventh inning that sent the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets 3-2. Braves rookie Vaughn Grissom scored from first base on Harris’ grounder to shallow center field.

ATLANTA (AP) — Jared Bernhardt has traded in his stick for the pigskin. Just two years after being honored as the nation’s top college lacrosse player, Bernhardt is trying to make it as an NFL receiver with the Atlanta Falcons.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson has reached a settlement with the NFL and will serve an 11-game suspension and pay a $5 million fine rather than risk missing his first season as quarterback of the Cleveland Browns following accusations of sexual misconduct. Watson was accused of sexual assault and harassment by two dozen women while he played for the Houston Texans.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kimi Raikkonen will take a break from his retirement to return to racing this weekend in the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen International in upstate New York. The 2007 Formula One world champion will drive for TrackHouse Racing and its Project91, which is a program to give top international drivers exposure to NASCAR.

ATLANTA (AP) — Brett Baty homered his first time up in the big leagues, Starling Marte went deep twice and the New York Mets held off the Braves 9-7 to snap Atlanta’s eight-game winning streak. After being outscored 18-1 in the first two games of the series, the NL East-leading Mets pushed their lead over the Braves to 4 1/2 games.

ATLANTA (AP) — When Geoff Collins arrived at Georgia Tech, he confidently pitched the idea of transforming the Yellow Jackets into a powerhouse. Instead, they’ve gone in reverse. Collins may be coaching for his job in 2022 after posting a 9-25 mark over his first three seasons — winning three games each year. Only one coach in the school’s modern era, Bill Curry, had fewer wins at the three-year mark in his tenure.

LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk has caused a stir by tweeting that he was buying the English soccer team Manchester United. But several hours later on Wednesday, he said it was a joke. It comes as the billionaire Tesla CEO faces a legal battle in the U.S. after backing out of a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion. With his billions and seemingly unlimited potential to buy the best soccer players in the world, Musk would have been a welcome prospect for many Man United fans who want to see the club back at the top of the game.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s governor has high hopes for his alma mater. Atlanta is set to become the first two-time host of college football’s national championship game in 2025. Governor Brian Kemp sees no reason the Georgia Bulldogs can’t be going for their fourth straight title when the game returns to the city. Atlanta is reveling in its selection as a repeat host, boasting that it has everything needed to pull off another thrilling event.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have signed rookie outfielder Michael Harris II to a $72 million, eight-year contract to remain with his hometown team. The 21-year-old Harris is the youngest player in the majors. His early-season promotion has bolstered the Braves’ hopes for another championship run. The deal runs through the 2030 season with team options for 2031 and 2032. If both option years are activated, the total value of the contract would be $102 million over 10 years.

MASON, Ohio (AP) — Serena Williams has fallen to 0-2 in matches since announcing “the countdown has begun” on her career. She lost 6-4, 6-0 to U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the Western & Southern Open on Tuesday night. The 40-year-old Williams said last week in a Vogue magazine essay and an Instagram post that her career was winding down.

ATLANTA (AP) — Charlie Morton was dominant on the mound, Matt Olson and Robbie Grossman went deep, and the Atlanta Braves made it eight straight with a 5-0 victory over the NL East-leading New York Mets. After dropping four of five in New York less than two weeks ago, the Braves haven’t lost since. They made it two straight easy wins over the Mets, pulling within 3 1/2 games of the division leaders.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Stetson Bennett could’ve gone out on top. Instead, the former walk-on will suit up again in the red and black, looking to lead Georgia to a repeat as football national champion. Bennett’s return as the Bulldogs quarterback was somewhat surprising. But having such an experienced player at such a key position helps counter massive losses for the Bulldogs, especially on the defensive side.

Atlanta and South Florida have been selected to host College Football Playoff national championship games for the second time. The CFP announced that Miami Gardens, Fla., would be the site of the title game scheduled to be played in January 2026, the final game of the current 12-year media rights deal with ESPN. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that Atlanta would host the championship game in 2025.

ATLANTA (AP) — William Contreras and Eddie Rosario hit back-to-back homers off Carlos Carrasco in the second inning, Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled three times and drove in three runs, and the Atlanta Braves routed the New York Mets 13-1 for their seventh straight win. The victory moved the second-place Braves 4 1/2 games back of New York for the NL East lead.