LONDON -- Gunnersaurus Rex had just finished greeting Burnley off their bus in the bowels of the Emirates, extending his great green claws toward manager Sean Dyche, Ashley Barnes and Ben Mee. Goalkeeper Nick Pope had taken a conspicuously wide turn to avoid him, and someone in the small crowd of observers registered displeasure -- "That's a bit out of order" -- but Gunnersaurus seemed unfazed by Pope's blind eye. His toothy grin stayed, as ever, glued to his friendly face.

He waited for his Arsenal to arrive. When their own bus eased up, Gunnersaurus tapped the crest of his red jersey, made sure his feet were planted squarely on the cement floor, and opened his arms. Matteo Guendouzi, the curly haired midfielder, was among the first to reach him. Guendouzi accepted a hug with all of his heart.

After the last of the players had passed him, Gunnersaurus made for the elevator that would take him to the concourse behind the family section of the stands. He had a minder but still banged his head on a beam along the way. It's hard to be 7 feet tall in England. He rode up, and the lift doors opened. An elderly woman waiting on the other side had to put her hand to her chest to keep from falling over. She wasn't expecting to see a dinosaur at a football game.

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It's been more than 25 years since Gunnersaurus first appeared at one, and people still register the most complete surprise whenever they see him. Their faces light up. Their eyes go nearly as wide as their smiles. Gunnersaurus is like a machine custom-built to spread joy.

An admiring crowd of supporters surrounded him. He was soon trapped in the concourse, unable to move, a modern-day Gulliver tied to the ground by the Lilliputians and their curious love. Children have a particular affinity for Gunnersaurus, and he does for them, but adults also express an unabashed affection for him. Gunnersaurus responds without a whisper of irony. He is particularly drawn to people in wheelchairs. He smothers them in the warmest embrace.

There was a huge poster on the wall of the concourse where he stood. It depicted a young Arsene Wenger, then the overseer of the Invincibles, the unbeatable Arsenal of 2003-04. It included a quote from Brian Clough, marveling at the 49-game winning streak Arsenal then enjoyed. "It's better than being in heaven," Clough said.

Gunnersaurus stood in front of that poster and dispensed hug after hug. One boy, maybe 12 years old, forgot that he was supposed to be cool, and he turned his back to Gunnersaurus and executed a trust fall into his belly. Gunnersaurus draped his arms around the boy, the boy closed his eyes, and his father took a picture of him with a smile of pure bliss.

Arsenal are highly secretive about Gunnersaurus and his private truths. The contents of the ark of the covenant would be easier to see; there are royal families that are less guarded.

Here is what we do know: According to official club lore, Arsenal embarked on a rebuild of the North Bank at Highbury Stadium in the summer of 1993. Deep underground, workers discovered what at first seemed a large boulder. Or perhaps, they feared, it was an unexploded bomb from the war. You can imagine their alarm when they carefully brushed away the last of the earth and learned what they had really found. It was an enormous egg.

The egg was warm to the touch. Memories have been clouded by time, but some of the workers claim that the egg shook a little. They carefully lifted it out and carried it to a sheltered corner of the ground. They wrapped the egg in Arsenal blankets. It didn't take long for it to crack. Some of the workers stepped away from the egg and its mysterious occupant. Others were drawn toward it.

At last, the egg broke wide open and Arsenal officials will say only that they were "shocked and surprised" by what they saw next. They were almost certainly much more than that. Because out came a baby dinosaur. It was green, round in the middle, with a long, full tail. He soon grew 7 feet tall. Arsenal fitted him in a full kit, complete with football boots. And on Aug. 20, 1993, they revealed him to the public at Highbury before a match against Manchester City.

The dinosaur, the bewildered crowd was told, had been named Gunnersaurus Rex, which became Gunner to the lazy and disrespectful. Arsenal went on to beat City 3-0, and if anyone that day had been scared of the dinosaur that had taken its place among them, they weren't scared of him anymore. Besides, he seemed such a happy dinosaur. No matter what happened around him -- rain, defeat, moments of silence -- he smiled his big smile. Gunnersaurus could stay. He had found his forever home.

In the summers of my youth, I was a mascot: Boomer, the Parks Canada beaver. Unlike Gunnersaurus, of course, I wasn't real. I was wearing a costume. I was exposed to countless curiosities whenever I put it on. When I was Boomer, children gathered around me like birds to bread. Adults surrounded me in concentric circles, too. I was always amazed by how many, including the grown-ups, forgot that inside that costume, there was a man. So many people seemed only too willing to accept that a giant anthropomorphic beaver, dressed like a park ranger, was suddenly bumbling about in their midst.

There were vulnerabilities in playing such an outsized part. I couldn't see my feet, which made it surprisingly hard to walk. My enormous head became wedged in door frames. I was very, very hot. A certain segment of the population takes deep pleasure in watching mascots suffer; I was once set upon by a group of first-graders who beat me within an inch of my natural human life. I had nightmares that I would fall into the nearby canal and nobody would try to rescue me, because they would see that I was smiling and would confuse my frantic pawing at the air for waving. The white of my beaver teeth, each the size of a book, would be the last that they would see of me when I disappeared into the murk. No wonder they would think I was fine. I wasn't a man with dreams drowning inside a costume. I was a beaver returned to his habitat.

I can't imagine what it's like to be an actual dinosaur, unable to speak, unable to express any emotion beyond quiet delight. Gunnersaurus knows all too well: This summer, he was hit hard in the gob by a child taking a penalty kick, yet his mask remained.

What is it like to be so famous and yet so unknown? Gunnersaurus recently won the online World Cup of Football Mascots, besting FC Metz's Grayou, a dragon; West Brom's Boiler Man, a hot-water heater with arms and legs; and Partick Thistle's Kingsley, a surly sun, maybe, with a unibrow. He has been invited to appear at hundreds of weddings and bar mitzvahs and birthday parties, and he recently gained his 100,000th follower on Instagram. He is easily the most popular dinosaur in the world. In football, as in life, everything changes. But Gunnersaurus is always there.

A 37-year-old man in Cambridge named Peter Lovell claims to have "invented" Gunnersaurus. Lovell is a man of enthusiasms, the sort of person who walks into a bar filled with strangers and leaves with friends. He has materials to support his claim, including the drawings of Gunnersaurus he allegedly made when he was 11 years old. His parents were Scotland Yard detectives, he says, and massive Arsenal fans, which made him an Arsenal supporter with a prodigious eye for detail. In 1993, the Junior Gunners held a contest to design a new mascot, his story goes; inspired by "Jurassic Park," which had come out that same summer, he sat down at his kitchen table and soon produced his fully realized proposal for a dinosaur named Gunnersaurus Rex. He won the contest, and the Gunnersaurus of his imagination came to life that August. He hasn't stopped telling people what he believes he did, mostly because it means he rarely buys a beer. "It's the ultimate anecdote," he says.

Some of Lovell's story checks out. "Jurassic Park" did, in fact, give a lot of people dinosaur fever in the summer of 1993. Lovell's drawings, with front and side views of a dinosaur that looks very much like the actual Gunnersaurus, resemble the mug shots his parents would have brought home and laid on that same kitchen table. (Lovell's Gunnersaurus was yellow, not green, and his only uniform was a jersey. The real Gunnersaurus, thankfully, also wears shorts.) Lovell's eyes even go wet with tears when he talks about how much his supposed young success changed the course of so many important things.

"It always gets me," he says. "It was one of those moments in the history of my life, if it hadn't have happened. ... How it transformed me, helped to form a growing mind, the confidence it gave me, the belief. So much has come from that belief. That's the moment I went from being intimidated by the world to believing that I could do anything. It's beautiful."

But Peter Lovell must be delusional. As earnest as he appears, as much as it would be lovely to think that a boy with some paper and crayons could sit down at a table and conjure something so wonderful as a dinosaur that has brought happiness to thousands for more than a quarter-century, Gunnersaurus is real. He wasn't invented. He was born out of a giant egg and grew 7 feet tall.

I've seen him. I've hugged him. I have felt his comforting squeeze, the buttress-like strength of his arms, the gentle trace of his claws on my shoulders, his fuzzy green skin on my face. Gunnersaurus is as real as Santa Claus. He is as real as grace. He is as real as every last one of our childhood hopes, the affirmation that good things will come to us if only we believe.

That beautiful day I spent with Gunnersaurus at Arsenal, a teenage boy with hearing aids in his ears made his approach in the concourse. Gunnersaurus sensed his presence and turned. The boy held out his arms and Gunnersaurus held out his, and they fell into a cuddle. The boy took a long time to let go. When he did, he smiled and put his hand to his lips and then opened his palm toward Gunnersaurus. He signed "Thank you" to the dinosaur. Then Gunnersaurus signed "Thank you" back to the boy.

If that encounter wasn't real, if that moment wasn't as true and heart-swelling as it felt in the suddenly blurry light of that magical afternoon, then what is?

If Josh Hazlewood is happy that the pressure he has applied on England's top order has helped force the hosts into a change in batting order for the upcoming Test at Old Trafford, then his words about what that change represents apply equally to Australia given the sorts of adjustments being pondered by the touring side.

It is plausible that Australia may make as many as four changes to their team from the XI that took the field in Leeds, recalling the fit-again Steven Smith and Mitchell Marsh and also including Mitchell Starc - Peter Siddle is also in contention for a return. Such a shift would certainly outstrip England's shuffle of Joe Denly up the top and Jason Roy to No. 4, raising questions about exactly which team is better-placed entering the penultimate Test of an absorbing series.

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Having got so infuriatingly close to retaining the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001, the Australians have been confronted with the dilemma of balancing introspection about Headingley and Ben Stokes with the fact that their plans so far for this series had taken them to the very brink of victory.

In that sense, Australia's situation heading into the fourth Test bears the essence of the British General Bernard Montgomery's remark that operation Market Garden, a failed attempt to capture a series of bridges into Germany to shorten the Second World War, was "90% successful" because every bridge but the last one, over the Rhine at Arnhem, was taken. Hazlewood noted that while Australia's bowlers had been "90-95%" successful, there was plenty about the remaining 10% that needed work.

"Whenever the other team are changing plans [it] means you're doing something right," Hazlewood said. "Whoever is at the top, whatever the order, it's the same plans, what we've talked about before, keeping it simple, patient, disciplined.

"It certainly feels like I'm bowling well. Ever since I bowled at Worcester a few weeks back, I took it into Lord's and Headingley. I think I'm not trying to do too much, try and be very simple, not try and swing the ball, occasionally I do when it gets a bit older but just hitting that right length with the new ball, making them play, not try and do too much, try and keep it simple. Dry that scoreboard up, build pressure with maidens, make him play on the front foot, not try and do too much as a whole group."

"It's a bit like one-day cricket: nice, soft ball, the wicket's really good and we spread the field. It was extraordinary hitting." Hazlewood reflecting on the final phase of England's chase in Headingley

Having been the dominant bowler of the Headingley Test, claiming nine wickets through a masterful combination of control, optimum pace and movement both ways, Hazlewood's final over was to be thumped for 19 by Stokes. Weighing up how the final hour of the Test played out, he reckoned that better communication between the captain Tim Paine and the bowlers may have been useful.

"It can feel like it's moving pretty quickly in those situations," Hazlewood said. "The crowds are quite loud as well, it's hard to hear people, we certainly could have taken our time a little bit more and communicated a little bit better with the field, the skipper and bowler. I thought we stayed pretty calm throughout it. Things happened pretty quickly at certain stages, good learning experience, hopefully better for it.

"We looked at it on the whole - a very good performance from our bowling group. We got beaten by a helluva player at the end. We've certainly talked about that, what we could have done differently with fields, different bowling, more of a one-day game at the end, different ways to get Leach on strike to face a few more deliveries. We'll hopefully do a bit better next time. We always sit down and discuss what happened and we could have done better and what we did well as well.

"That's important to discuss what we did well: 90-95% of that game we bowled really well. So don't gloss over that either and obviously talk about what we could have done better. I bowled the one over in that hour, hour-and-a-half. It's a bit like one-day cricket: nice, soft ball, the wicket's really good and we spread the field. We probably could have changed a few things there. It was extraordinary hitting. I thought Nath [Lyon] was the best chance of getting a wicket or a catch somewhere, get Stokes out. There were a few big chances."

Starc's potential inclusion for one of the final two Ashes Tests, having worked assiduously on his economy and lengths over the course of this tour so far, would add a more destructive edge to the Australian attack when it comes to yorkers and knocking over the tail. His scorcher to tunnel under the bat of Stokes at Lord's during the World Cup will be remembered ruefully by Australians present at Headingley, and Hazlewood said Starc's ability to blast out tail-enders had now been augmented by greater control and also a constructive attitude to being left out.

"You come to expect that these days. He bowled really well with the new ball as well," Hazlewood said. "He hit some really good lengths, found some swing. The pace looked up there throughout the whole game, he looks fit and firing. That's where we want to get to as a squad, I think, have those six [bowlers in the squad] all firing, even Michael Neser bowling really well this game keeps pressure on you as a player in the team. It's always good, healthy competition.

"He [Starc] has worked really hard on a lot of things in the nets and we've seen it in this game as well. I think it's how hard the guys work off the field, the 6-7 [in the squad] who aren't playing. That's a great measure of how the group's going. That they are putting pressure on the guys who are playing. That can make the difference. They can easily mope around. It's a long tour. They're buzzing around, and working on their games, and it's great."

India Green 440 (Akshath 146, Lad 64, Wakhare 5-103) and 98 for 3 (Shorey 44*, Unadkat 1-8) drew with India Red 441(Lomror 126, Nair 90, Jadeja 4-135)
Points: India Red 3, India Green 1

India Green qualified for the final of Duleep Trophy 2019-20 on the basis of a superior quotient despite Avesh Khan's 56-ball 64 from No. 10 denying them a first-innings lead against India Red on day four in Alur.

India Green had to avoid a collapse in the second innings to make it to the final. Although they lost their openers - Faiz Fazal and Akshath Reddy - with just 24 on the board, Dhruv Shorey's unbeaten 44 ensured they were always well ahead of India Blue's quotient. With no result in sight, both captains shook hands at tea.

The final, to be played between these two teams, will start from September 4 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Earlier, India Red started the day on 404 for 9, still 36 in arrears. But Avesh's maiden first-class half-century took them to 441, one run ahead of India Green's first-innings total. Avesh, who struck two fours and seven sixes in his knock, added 73 for the tenth wicket with Sandeep Warrier, the latter contributing only 5.

On the third evening, Avesh had come in with the side on 368 for 8 and saw Akshay Wakhare falling on the same score, with India Red trailing by 72 at that stage. But in one Dharmendrasinh Jadeja over, he smashed four sixes, three off them on successive balls and took the side past 400. On Sunday morning, he hit two more sixes - both off Rahul Chahar - but the shot that brought the loudest cheer from the dressing room was a reverse shot off Chahar that almost went for a six. With the legspinner targetting the rough from round the wicket, Avesh hit with the spin and found the deep-cover boundary to level the scores.

In the 138th over of India Red's innings, Priyam Garg was hit on the back of the neck while fielding at silly point. Garg found himself in the line of the ball while taking evasive action against a back foot punch by Avesh Khan. Garg's helmet had a neck guard, which softened the impact.

Garg was conscious but in pain and lay down near the pitch as the team physio applied an ice pack to the injured area. An ambulance was brought on to the field and as a precaution, he was taken to hospital to run some tests where he cleared the first concussion test.

"Initially, we had suspected a concussion and that's why took him for some scans. But he never showed any signs of a concussion," India Green physio Prasanth Panchada said. "Still we are sending the MRIs to another radiologist for a second opinion but as of now he is fine and can bat as well."

Toss Sri Lanka chose to bat v New Zealand

Sri Lanka chose to bat in the first T20 in Pallekele - the start slightly delayed due to rain.

The hosts will field offspinner Akila Dananjaya, despite his action being currently under suspicion by the ICC. Making his T20 international debut, meanwhile, is legspinning allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga. Kasun Rajitha, Isuru Udana and captain Lasith Malinga make up the frontline pace options, with seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka also there for support.

New Zealand, meanwhile, will be without fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who had fractured his thumb at training on the eve of the match, and is now in substantial doubt for the two remaining T20Is as well. Legspinner Todd Astle and top-order batsman Tom Bruce were also omitted. Seth Rance, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi, captain Tim Southee and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner comprise the primary bowling options.

New Zealand have won each of the last three T20s between these sides.

Sri Lanka: 1 Kusal Mendis, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Avishka Fernando, 4 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 5 Shehan Jayasuriya, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Lasith Malinga (capt.), 11 Kasun Rajitha

New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Colin de Grandhomme, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Tim Southee (capt.), 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Seth Rance

Nick Webb has emerged as the front-runner to take over from Shankar Basu as India's strength and conditioning coach. Luke Woodhouse and S Rajnikanth are the other two shortlisted by a BCCI panel comprising the senior selection committee and fitness expert and former Bengal batsman Ranadeep Moitra.

The shortlists were made after all candidates were put through theory and practical assessments at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. A final decision on the appointment will be taken by Rahul Johri, the BCCI chief executive.

"We had 12 names to look at, five of them were foreigners, and then we brought the list down to five people," Moitra told ESPNcricinfo of the screening process. "We had discussed the science and theory part of it earlier, and then, once we met at the NCA, we had a more practical test, with some of the junior cricketers there. At the end of it, we decided on the top three."

Webb's prior experience and him being "sensitive to the needs of the subcontinent" went in his favour. He has previously worked with the New Zealand women's team and domestic side Central Districts. Prior to his involvement in cricket, he has held similar position with Auckland-based rugby league outfit Warriors.

"See, all of them have experience, and all of them have their plus points. All of them, obviously, were strong contenders," said Moitra, who turned to fitness and conditioning after his cricket career, even working as assistant to Gregory Allen King with the Indian team in 2004.

"Some of them came with experience of working with international cricket teams. But we felt Nick was more sensitive to the needs of the subcontinent. Not that the others were not, but we felt Nick was firm but easy-going, more open, not too rigid."

Woodhouse is currently the national lead for strength and conditioning for the England women's rugby team, while Rajnikanth is contracted with Delhi Capitals in the IPL.

The BCCI was forced to look for new candidates after Basu decided against a contract extension following a four-year stint with the Indian team. The 2019 World Cup that finished in July was his last assignment.

Southern Vipers 145 for 5 (Bates 37) beat Loughborough Lightning 143 (Bates 3-22) by five wickets

Southern Vipers overcame a mid-innings wobble to edge past Loughborough Lightning and advance to the final of the Kia Super League in a nerve-jangling run chase at Hove.

Suzie Bates and Danni Wyatt had started the Vipers' chase of 144 with real intent, as they took the score to 71 for 0 off the powerplay.

But Loughborough spinners Sarah Glenn and Kirstie Gordon both struck in the middle overs to cause a hiccup and, as scoring became harder, only a crucial 22-run stand for the sixth wicket snuck the Vipers over the line and into the final.

"That was probably our best bowling and fielding performance of the tournament, and that set us up really," said Tammy Beaumont, the Vipers captain. "Danni and Suzie were exceptional in the powerplay. Danni is seeing it beautifully at the moment and Suzie is so experienced and then the middle order managed to see us home.

"We did so well with the ball. At one stage I thought we were going to be chasing 160 on what was a good wicket so to keep them to 143 was an outstanding effort."

Loughborough's attack laid claim to being the best in the competition when at full strength, but they were two bowlers short and it showed in a ragged powerplay. Kathryn Bryce (Scotland) and Hayley Matthews (West Indies) were both on international duty, and Shabnim Ismail, the overseas replacement fast bowler, missed the final group game and was unavailable as a result.

Ismail had originally been reported as unavailable due to visa problems, though according to Kate Cross, the Lancashire seamer on Test Match Special, they were largely of her own making: as it turned out, she had failed to apply for one.

It meant that Lightning were at least one bowler light, and when Wyatt and Bates decided to attack early on, they had few answers. Wyatt thrashed 19 off the second over, bowled by Jenny Gunn, and Bates followed suit as the pair put on 71 in the powerplay alone.

Quick wickets then pegged the Vipers back. Gordon bowled Bates with a delivery that was little short of a slow left-armer's dream, pitching on middle and spinning away from the bat to hit the top of off, before Wyatt was smartly stumped by England opening partner Amy Jones off Glenn's legspin.

Beaumont cut a frustrated, busy figure in her innings of 24, which also accounted for Maia Bouchier via a sloppy run-out, and after slashing four boundaries she chopped a Gunn slower-ball onto her stumps to leave the Vipers reliant on their lower-middle order.

Fi Morris struggled for timing in a scratchy, 16-ball 7, and Paige Scholfield and Amanda-Jade Wellington endured a nervy couple of overs where they could only scrap singles and the Lightning turned the screw. But Wellington's reverse-swept four off Glenn left them needing single figures, and Scholfield then charged down to deposit a length ball for another boundary over midwicket to seal the win.

Loughborough's innings of 143 was a frenetic affair, which jagged and veered rather than ebbing and flowing, and looked not far short of a par score on a wicket that offered something for the spinners.

Lauren Bell, a tall, wiry seamer who bowled with good pace and found prodigious swing, struck twice early. First, Jones - who had put a miserable Ashes series behind her by scoring 300 runs at 37.50 in the tournament - was perhaps fortunate to survive a convincing lbw appeal, before attempting to ramp a ball that moved in from outside off and succeeding only in playing it onto her off stump.

Then Bell struck again inside the powerplay to remove the dangerous Chamari Atapattu, trapping her lbw from around the wicket. While Bell is still a raw talent, as evidenced by the five wides and two no-balls she bowled, the makings of a future England player are there for all to see. She touched 70mph, and has regularly been part of their academy squads - at 18, she has a bright future.

Skipper Georgia Elwiss led the rebuilding job alongside Georgia Adams after the powerplay, and the pair added 55 in 6.1 overs, but when Elwiss flicked a Tash Farrant ball out to Wyatt at midwicket, she decided to take on one of England's best fielders and was duly run out coming back for a second run.

From there, things only got more frenzied. Mignon du Preez's international career has seen her play the role of accumulator, but she has struck at comfortably over 140 this season, and whacked a pair of sixes before holing out to Wyatt to end a tumultuous 11-ball innings of 21.

Gunn and Abigail Freeborn both did their best to keep things moving, but Bates cleaned up the tail in her final over, with Wyatt claiming her third catch at deep midwicket before Gordon's stumps were rearranged.

Western Storm did the double over both sides in the group stage, and will be confident of getting past the Vipers in the final, but flashes of form from Wyatt and Bates will have made it clear that they will need to strike early with the ball.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck took out a full-page ad in the Indianapolis Star to thank his fans following his retirement on Aug. 24.

"Thank you for an incredible eight years," the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 draft wrote. "... For helping me grow on and off the field. ... It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the Colts and the city of Indianapolis on the world's stage."

In today's Sunday Star, retired QB Andrew Luck thanks the city of Indianapolis and Colts fans.

Be sure to pick up a copy that has a special section dedicated to the career of No. 12. pic.twitter.com/lgLLt7lT6u

— IndyStar (@indystar) September 1, 2019

Luck suddenly announced his retirement after he said constant injury problems over the past few years took his love for the game away. He called his retirement the "hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me." Luck played in all 16 games just once over the past four seasons.

The 2018 NFL Comeback Player of the Year was booed by fans when he walked off the field at Lucas Oil Stadium at the end of the Colts' game against Chicago on Aug. 24.

Luck finished his career with 2,000 completions, 3,290 attempts, 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns and 83 interceptions.

The Miami Dolphins continued their veteran purge Sunday, trading Kiko Alonso to the New Orleans Saints for linebacker Vince Biegel, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The NFL Network was first to report the trade.

This comes just one day after the Dolphins traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Kenny Stills, a 2020 fourth-round pick and a 2021 sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for a 2020 first-round pick, 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick, tackle Julien Davenport and cornerback Johnson Bademosi.

Alonso seemed set to move on, as he lost his role as a full-time linebacker in Dolphins coach Brian Flores' new scheme. Alonso cleaned out his locker Friday after returning for Miami's preseason finale at New Orleans, a source told ESPN, preparing for the end of his three-year Dolphins tenure.

Alonso, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles via trade three years ago, started all 46 games he played in Miami, leading the team in tackles two of three seasons. He had 125 tackles and three interceptions last season.

Alonso, the 2013 Pro Football Writers of America defensive rookie of the year, has now been traded three times in his career (Buffalo to Philadelphia, Philadelphia to Miami, Miami to New Orleans).

For the Dolphins, this is about moving on from a player who was no longer a fit for their defense or their long-term future. They gain salary-cap space in the process.

The Dolphins have 30 players on their roster who are 25 years or under, including 13 rookies. The youth movement is fully underway.

Miami found a hidden gem in linebacker Sam Eguavoen this offseason. Eguavoen, who spent the past three seasons in the CFL, played well enough to earn a starting spot in the Dolphins' defense.

Alonso, 29, missed all of training camp and preseason with an undisclosed injury, only returning to practice in the waning days of August. Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker also became the center of Miami's defense, taking more of a leadership and communication role.

A handful of other former starters -- safety T.J. McDonald, defensive tackle Akeem Spence and right tackle Jordan Mills -- were released over the past week by the rebuilding Dolphins.

Biegel, 26, has primarily been a special-teams asset with the Saints in 2018 and the Green Bay Packers in 2017. He was drafted in the fourth round out of Wisconsin in 2017, but the Packers released him in his second season.

The 6-foot-3, 246-pounder was being used as both a linebacker and edge rusher this summer in New Orleans, showing his versatility.

It's unclear how the Saints plan to use Alonso, who played the Will linebacker spot in 2018 after previously playing Mike linebacker. The Saints had a lot of success in 2018 with their starting trio of Will linebacker Demario Davis, Mike linebacker Alex Anzalone and Sam linebacker A.J. Klein. Both Anzalone and top backup Craig Robertson have been dealing with unspecified injuries this summer.

Maybe, just maybe, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is that good. Maybe Auburn is capable of another special season under coach Gus Malzahn, and Oregon isn't the Pac-12's best hope.

Or maybe it was all just another August mirage.

Week 1 guarantees knee-jerk reactions and things you think you know -- but storylines do emerge, spotlighting players and teams that pique the interest of the 13 members of the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Yes, it's early. But guess what? It counts, from Tennessee's mortifying home loss against Georgia State to Boise State's stunning 18-point comeback against Florida State to Auburn's thrilling victory over Oregon to highlight Saturday. Remember, the committee doesn't just evaluate the playoff contenders; it scrutinizes their opponents, too (Iowa State needed triple overtime to beat Northern Iowa, Mizzou lost to Wyoming and Ole Miss lost to Memphis 15-10).

We haven't even seen the Big 12 on the big stage yet, but that will change Sunday when Oklahoma hosts Houston (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN App), and Texas hosts LSU in Week 2 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN App). Notre Dame at Louisville will officially punctuate Week 1 on Labor Day (8 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN App).

The heart of the season began Saturday, though, and these are the biggest playoff questions that arose:

1. Does Ohio State have a championship-caliber quarterback? Fields, a transfer from Georgia, looked spectacular in his debut, accounting for five touchdowns -- the most in a player's first game in Ohio State history -- in a 45-21 win over Florida Atlantic.

Repeat: Florida Atlantic.

If Fields can duplicate that eye-popping success (he went 7-of-9 for 115 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter, and his average pass went 17.7 yards) against the likes of Michigan State's defense, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan, then the Buckeyes will wow us under Ryan Day. Fields certainly has the supporting cast for another Ohio State run at the top four, but Day didn't hesitate Saturday to list what the quarterback can improve upon.

"Protections, reads, decisions," Day said. "Lots to build from off of today. I thought overall, though, game management was decent. There was one time where he scrambled out and took a sack; could have just thrown it away. ... So overall a lot to learn from."

While Ohio State should beat Cincinnati next weekend, don't underestimate the challenge. The Bearcats will likely be feeling confident after holding UCLA to 62 rushing yards and forcing four turnovers in a 24-14 win.

"All aspects of my game can get better," Fields said. "I'm just going to get back in the film room and see what mistakes we had and just fix those and get ready for Cincinnati."

2. Is the Pac-12 in for more heartbreak? Washington. Stanford. Utah. Washington State. All ranked, all winners, but none facing the expectations and national spotlight like Oregon, which lost a 27-21 nail-biter to Auburn. In the final 16 seconds, Auburn freshman quarterback Bo Nix might have changed the path of the Pac-12 with two incredible passes, the second a 26-yard, go-ahead touchdown with 9 seconds to go.

In its entirety, the league was hardly a failure in Week 1 -- USC capped the night with a 31-23 win over reigning Mountain West champs Fresno State -- but there was so much pressure on Oregon to represent the entire conference that the one result looms larger than the rest. While it doesn't knock the Ducks or the league out of the playoff, it was a missed opportunity to at least earn more serious consideration and respect.

"I think our guys all recognize our goals are still in front of us," coach Mario Cristobal said. "We have a really good group of leaders, and our program is built from the inside out. ... We build it on the right stuff. So when situations like this hit, you're prepared to bounce back."

Pac-12 teams are now 0-10 and have been outscored by an average 15.5 points in their past 10 games against ranked SEC teams, dating to 2008.

Stanford's 17-7 win over Northwestern, last season's Big Ten West champion, and Utah's 30-12 win over rival BYU in the Holy War should carry weight within the committee meeting room, but won't resonate as much as an Oregon victory over Auburn would have. Washington also left no room for doubt in its 47-14 win over Eastern Washington.

With nonconference games against Hawai'i and BYU, though, Washington needs the rest of the Pac-12 to be strong -- including Oregon.

3. Does the SEC need to be worried about strength of schedule? There's no doubting the playoff power of Alabama and Georgia, and Auburn's win over Oregon was another boost for the SEC West -- and the league needed it. Tennessee certainly didn't help with its loss to 25-point underdog Georgia State. The separation between the SEC heavyweights and the rest of the league was evident on Saturday. Yes, Memphis is good, but Ole Miss should have been able to muster more than 10 points against the Tigers. South Carolina also squandered a lead and lost to North Carolina 24-20 in the return of Tar Heels coach Mack Brown. Wyoming beat Missouri 37-31.

4. Is Boise State the new Group of 5 favorite? This was wild. The Broncos, thanks in large part to a true freshman quarterback, battled back from an 18-point deficit to beat Florida State 36-31. It was a stellar performance by Boise's Hank Bachmeier, who finished with 407 passing yards.

It was also an epic debacle by Florida State, which scored 31 points in the first half and then nada in the second. The Noles had back-to-back fumbles and just 68 yards in the second half. It was a devastating start for embattled coach Willie Taggart, but it was exactly what Boise State needed to enter the New Year's Six discussion immediately.

The highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion is guaranteed a spot in a New Year's bowl, and according to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Broncos are favored to win each of their remaining games.

Don't forget about Memphis, though, which also earned a Power 5 victory Saturday, against Ole Miss. The only game FPI gives the Tigers less than a 50% chance to win is the regular-season finale against Cincinnati (46.2%).

Oh, what a Saturday it was for all the SEC haters, all the folks so gleefully watching each subsequent embarrassment with thumbs tapping away on Twitter, unleashing another wave of insults as the mighty fell.

North Carolina, 2-9 last season, rallies to top South Carolina. Must've been that grueling month of camp going up against SEC practice squads that wore down the Gamecocks.

Georgia State, 2-10 in 2018, pulls one of the most shocking upsets in recent SEC history, upending Tennessee. Guess the Vols should've hired any of the 46 other coaches they interviewed before Jeremy Pruitt.

Ole Miss falls to Memphis? Missouri comes up short against Wyoming? Hard to fault them. They probably just weren't all that into winning those games. After all, sometimes it just means ... not that much.

The SEC makes it so easy, with all the chest-thumping and rah-rah conference superiority, so it's hard to fault all the doormats in Pac-12 country or the little brothers in the ACC for gloating.

And then Auburn has to go and ruin everybody's fun. Why, Bo Nix? Have you no sense of humor?

No, Week 1 was not a good one for the preeminent conference in college football. Kelly Bryant was supposed to make Missouri a contender, but he can't play defense. South Carolina's schedule is brutal, but the date with supposedly over-the-hill Mack Brown was supposed to be an easy win. Now a bowl game looks like a long shot. The juice Rich Rodriguez managed to create for Ole Miss? A big, fat zero in the first half. And Tennessee. Oh, Tennessee. Bless your heart.

Even a handful of the wins were less than encouraging. Florida hardly looked like a top-10 team in its escape act against Miami. Arkansas narrowly edged FCS Portland State. Kentucky and Mississippi State struggled to pull away from lesser competition, too. Alabama had a lackluster first half against Duke, and Georgia had a bummer of a second half against Vandy. Long story short, it's not going to be a fun week of practice for most SEC players.

And then there's Auburn.

Nix, the true freshman legacy, got his first start and looked shaky early, only to deliver an absolute gut punch on the Tigers' final drive. His touchdown pass to secure the win with only nine seconds to play was something to behold, from the gutsy play call by Gus Malzahn to let his freshman sling it even though the Tigers were well into field goal territory, to the confidence Nix showed in his receiver to high-point a ball and come down with the catch. It's easy to close your eyes and envision a day, three months into the future, when all the talking heads are reminiscing about how that throw turned Auburn into a legitimate contender.

It could go the other way, of course. Auburn beat Washington last year in a similarly hard-fought game, and the end result was a mediocre season that included an ugly loss to Tennessee. So maybe history repeats itself. Maybe.

For now though, the SEC can turn the page on its worst week in years with the knowledge that it has Auburn and Alabama, LSU and Georgia, Texas A&M and, heck, maybe even Florida still carrying water. So what if Wyoming would finish third in the SEC East? There's no reason to keep counting past No. 2 anyway, and the odds of the SEC putting multiple teams into the playoff this year didn't change a bit with Week 1's brutality in Knoxville and Laramie and Charlotte.

Of course, none of that should stop you from laughing at Tennessee, either. After all, it's not every day Georgia State beats a Power 5 team. Actually, there has never been another day Georgia State beat a Power 5 team. Now that's funny.

Week 1 buy, sell, hold

Buy: Illinois

OK, so Illini fans probably don't need to book those hotel rooms in Pasadena, but Lovie Smith's team posted a dominant 42-3 win over Akron, with former Michigan QB Brandon Peters throwing three touchdown passes. And while you might shrug at a thumping of Akron, Illinois hadn't beaten an FBS team by more than three touchdowns or had a QB toss three touchdowns in a game since 2015. No, Illinois isn't winning the Big Ten, but this looks like a potential bowl team in 2019.

Sell: Quick fixes

Perhaps there are better days ahead at Florida State or Tennessee, but an offseason's worth of hopes sure feel misplaced now. Both Willie Taggart and Jeremy Pruitt aimed to assuage concerns following 2018's five-win campaigns by bringing in new, big-name offensive coordinators, and neither showed vast improvement. With Kendal Briles calling plays, FSU had a solid first half against Boise State, but its final nine drives included seven punts, a fumble and a turnover on downs. Tennessee looked lifeless under Jim Chaney, with the ground game failing to crack 100 yards. It's a good reminder that coaches can help, but they're not the guys on the field.

Hold: The Pac-12

Just like a year ago, Auburn upended the Pac-12's highest-ranked team on a neutral field in Week 1. In 2018, that just about ended any hopes for a playoff berth on the West Coast, but this year feels a little different. Utah got off to a strong start with a win over BYU. Washington looked sharp working in a bevy of new faces against FCS foe Eastern Washington. USC could force its way into the mix, too. So yeah, there was the brutal end for the Ducks and some awful losses for Arizona and UCLA and some ugly performances by Stanford and Cal, but the season isn't over. Yet.

Buy: True freshman QBs

Years from now, it'll seem crazy we ever thought starting a true freshman quarterback was a bad thing. From Trevor Lawrence to Jake Fromm, there's history now that suggests that you can not only win with a freshman, you can win big, and on Saturday, there were plenty of fireworks from the new kids. Boise State's Hank Bachmeier waltzed into Tallahassee and utterly demolished Florida State's defense, throwing 51 times for 407 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Sam Howell (once a Florida State commit) led a huge second-half comeback for North Carolina, finishing with 245 pass yards and two touchdowns, and Arizona State's Jayden Daniels threw for 284 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in a win over Kent State.

And then there's Nix, who struggled early but ended the game with the biggest TD pass in the past five years for Auburn, a lob into the hands of Seth Williams with nine seconds to play. The lone loss by a true freshman belongs to Brett Gabbert at Miami (Ohio), who actually looked pretty good against Iowa, throwing for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

Sell: Dan Mullen as the best old guy dancer in college football

Mullen's moves during a Week 1 win last year gave hope to middle-aged guys everywhere, but they pale in comparison to Mack Brown's ability to get jiggy with it. Ever wonder what your grandfather would look like at a Bruno Mars concert? Wonder no more. (Also, did Mack throw a little Macarena in there? Nice.)

Mack Brown, the legendary coach with legendary moves ? pic.twitter.com/OgF4KDs1Vk

— ESPN (@espn) September 1, 2019

Week 1 at the sportsbook

• Hunter Johnson needed to make a play to give Northwestern a chance at a win, but bettors on the Wildcats (6.5-point underdogs) wish he'd have just taken a knee. With less than a minute to play and Northwestern trailing by three, Johnson was sacked and fumbled, and Stanford's Jordan Fox recovered in the end zone to secure a 17-7 Cardinal win. Worse, a Northwestern lineman had a good shot at the fumble, which had he recovered would've resulted in a safety -- and a 1.5-point cover for the Wildcats.

• There probably weren't too many folks with Georgia State money-line tickets, but, boy, did it pay out big. The Panthers' outright win paid 12-to-1. Before that game, SEC teams favored by at least 24 points were 129-4 in the past 15 seasons.

• The over/under for Iowa State and Northern Iowa was a paltry 42 at William Hill US, but the two teams still didn't come close to hitting the total in regulation. After 60 minutes, they were tied at 13. Unfortunately for under bettors, three overtimes followed, and Iowa State prevailed 29-26, making the final total was 55. Another line on our long list of reasons bets should be official at the end of regulation.

• Alabama covered the first-half spread in its first 10 games last season, going into the locker room up an average margin of 29 points. Since then, though, the Tide have gotten off to some shaky starts and are just 1-5 against the spread. They went to the half tied with the Citadel at 10 (seriously, that happened), led Auburn by only three in last year's Iron Bowl, trailed Georgia by seven in the SEC title game and, of course, were getting thumped 31-16 against Clemson in the national championship game. Saturday, the Tide were favored by 23 in the first half against Duke, but were up just 14-3 at the midpoint. The second halves, however, have gone far better.

Lines courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

UGA/Clemson QB power rankings

1. Justin Fields: In his Ohio State debut, the former Georgia QB who (in ESPN's rankings) also edged out Trevor Lawrence as 2018's top recruit, Fields dominated FAU, accounting for 295 yards and five touchdowns.

2. Trevor Lawrence: He didn't do much with his arm in a win over Georgia Tech, but Lawrence did show he can run a little, which should be a fun little wrinkle for defensive coordinators to consider this season.

3. Jacob Eason: Sure, the opponent wasn't great, but you can't ask for a much better debut than Eason's 349 yards and four touchdown for Washington. Plus with Jake Haener announcing a transfer, Eason now accounts for 50% of the Jakes in the QB room.

4. Jake Fromm: After a fast start, the Georgia offense hit the skids in the second half against Vandy, though the Bulldogs still won with ease. Fromm threw for only 156 yards, the lowest total of his career in a game in which he threw more than 20 passes.

5. Kelly Bryant: He actually played pretty well -- throwing for 423 yards, running for 20 more and tossing two touchdowns -- but you can't lose to Wyoming.

6. Zerrick Cooper: Bryant's former backup at Clemson completed 40-of-52 passes for Jacksonville State but threw two picks and lost 35-14.

7. Hunter Johnson: Clemson's other No. 1-ranked QB recruit turned the ball over three times and was benched at one point for Northwestern. Better days ahead for Johnson, but his debut wasn't a great one.

Heisman top five

1. Travis Etienne, Clemson

Perhaps we've been spending too much time hyping that other Clemson Heisman contender. Etienne was a beast in the Tigers' opener, running for 205 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 carries in a win over Georgia Tech. Etienne had touchdown runs of 48, 14 and 90, which tied a school record for the longest scoring run.

2. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Duke was no match for Alabama, to no one's surprise. But the Blue Devils actually have a pretty solid secondary, and Tagovailoa absolutely torched the Blue Devils, with only one more incompletion (five) than touchdowns (four).

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State

Five touchdowns in his debut was pretty nice. And let's not forget, Kyler Murray got his Heisman campaign started with a similar performance against FAU last year.

4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

Sixteen carries, 134 yards, two touchdowns. Not too shabby for a non-Etienne running back.

5. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Probably not a great sign for your Heisman campaign when a QB's best highlight is a tackle, but credit where is due: Lawrence's take down of Tre Swilling to save a touchdown was pretty darned impressive. Overall, Lawrence's line -- 13-of-23 for 168 yards, two total touchdowns and two picks -- isn't the best start to the season.

Head-scratcher calls of the week

1. The numbers nerds will all tell you that punting is for losers, that coaches should go for it on fourth down almost all the time. David Shaw is not a numbers nerd. Early in the second quarter, K.J. Costello took a sack for a loss of 3 yards. That left Stanford with a fourth-and-10 at the Northwestern 34. Last year, teams converted fourth-and-10 about 39% of the time. Teams beginning a drive between the 30- and 35-yard line scored about 38% of the time. What did Shaw do? Punted. Into the end zone. For a touchback.

2. Mack Brown, on the other hand, wasn't into punting on fourth down. He didn't go for it either, as UNC looked to secure an upset of South Carolina. No, the Tar Heels took a knee on fourth down at midfield with 11 seconds to play, immediately stopping the clock and changing possession. The move clearly showcased Brown's expertise from his time in the TV booth, adding just a bit more drama at the end of the game. Never pick up the clicker when Brown's calling plays.

3. Boise State scored on a seven-play, 69-yard drive to close the gap against Florida State to 31-26. The Seminoles' defense desperately needed a breather. Instead, Kendal Briles called for two deep balls -- both of which fell incomplete. James Blackman was sacked on third down, Florida State punted, and the Broncos scored on the ensuing drive -- and never relinquished the lead.

Honorable mention: USC had a 60-yard kick return negated to open its game against Fresno State because there were two players on the field wearing a No. 7 jersey.

@SECOfficiating comment of the week

We're a little disappointed by the lack of tweets from the new SEC Officiating account on Twitter, but we'll never be disappointed by the replies. Saturday's favorite complaint featured a questionable roughing-the-passer call against Ole Miss, and let's just say it didn't take fans long to chime in.

You have already altered the Ole Miss vs Memphis game... its only the 1st quarter

— Evan Foster (@EvanFos06508829) August 31, 2019

Under-the-radar win of the week

Cincinnati Christian is an NAIA school that played its first football game in 2016. In the three years since, the Eagles were a combined 0-33. Last year, they lost nine of their 11 games by at least 38 points, including defeats of 73-0, 73-7 and 70-14. But you can't keep a good NAIA school down for long, and Cincinnati Christian finally snapped the skid Saturday, toppling mighty (we're guessing) Warner University (which, turns out, is in Florida), 20-17, behind 271 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Derrick Taylor.

"Our guys have overcome a lot of adversity and have continued to work," head coach (and former West Virginia Mountaineer) Trevor Zeiders said. "They have worked and gotten better, and battled through all of it. I can't say enough about them. Their leadership, their will, and their perseverance has been great."

Under-the-radar play of the week

In the grand scheme of things, the play meant little. Virginia Tech's Zion Debose took a handoff and was stuffed for a loss of a yard. On the tackle were Boston College defenders Marcus Valdez and Richard Yeargin. If that name sounds familiar, that'd be the same Richard Yeargin who appeared destined to be another in the long line of great Clemson defensive ends when he signed with the Tigers in 2014, the same class that included Deshaun Watson. But in the summer of 2017, a car accident resulted in a broken neck, and Yeargin's football career appeared over. Two years later, he was back on the field at BC, a medical marvel, and was in on his first tackle for loss since Nov. 19, 2016.

Mountain Best

The American likes to call itself the sixth member of the Power 5, but the title might actually belong to the Mountain West. How's this for a start to the season? Hawaii tops Arizona in Week 0. Nevada pulls off a stunner on Friday against Purdue. Boise State dominates the second half to beat Florida State in Tallahassee. And Wyoming stuns Missouri in Laramie. Wake Forest's final-minute magic also proved to be the only thing keeping Utah State from adding a fifth win over a Power 5 opponent for the Mountain West. UCLA, Oregon State and Oregon might be a bit nervous for their Week 2 games now, too.

Aged to perfection

The eight Power 5 coaches who are 60 or older went a combined 7-1 in Week 1, with the only loss (David Cutcliffe) coming to another senior (Nick Saban). The wins included victories for Mack Brown and Kansas' Les Miles, both making their debuts with new programs after years out of the game. And while the older coaches in the Group of 5 didn't do quite so well, college football's oldest head coach, Ohio's Frank Solich (74), cruised to a 41-20 win over Rhode Island.

Where's the G?

Reminder to fans everywhere: If you've painted your chest, you can't just wander off for more nachos any time you feel like it. It's called being a good teammate.

Greatest sport. pic.twitter.com/GMbHFvDh6S

— David Ubben (@davidubben) September 1, 2019

You can't go home again

Two years ago, Idaho made the rare decision to leave FBS and drop down a level to FCS. Since then, the Vandals have played three games against FBS teams and it has not gone well. On Saturday, Penn State played the role of tormenter, demolishing Idaho 79-7. That comes after the Vandals lost last year to Fresno State (79-13) and Florida (63-10). So, in three games, Idaho has given up 221 points to FBS opponents. In that same span, seven current FBS teams have allowed fewer, all playing at least 11 games against other FBS opponents, including Clemson, which has surrendered only 204 in 15 such games.