Liverpool vs. Manchester City has become the biggest game in English football. The two clubs have pulled away from the pack to battle it out for the major honours, and Sunday's clash at Anfield promises to have a huge impact on the Premier League title race. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, champions of Europe, go into the game with a six-point lead over City at the top of the table, having made an unbeaten start to the 2019-20 season. Only Manchester United have been able to take points off Liverpool so far this term, drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford last month.

Man City, who completed a domestic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season, have made a shaky start to this campaign, surprisingly losing to Norwich and Wolves, but they travel to Anfield knowing that a win will move them to within three points of Liverpool and potentially inflict a major psychological blow on Klopp's men. However, a defeat could set Liverpool on their way to a first top-flight title since 1990.

Where will the game be won and lost? And what are the key issues, not only for the 90 minutes but also for the title race as a whole?

JUMP TO: Who needs the points the most? | The Anfield factor | How can Man City stop Liverpool? | Where are Man City vulnerable? | The key battle | The 95-minute man | Who will win?

THE RACE SO FAR

Liverpool have raced clear after winning 10 of their 11 games, scoring 25 goals and conceding nine. City, meanwhile, have won eight, drawn one and lost two of their 11 games, but their firepower has seen them hit 34 goals, with 10 conceded at the other end. Within that run, City recorded their biggest top-division victory ever with an 8-0 defeat of Watford at the Etihad.

Injuries have hit City harder than Liverpool, who won every game in the absence of first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the Brazilian's two-month spell on the sideline because of a calf injury. By contrast, at the Etihad, the long-term loss of centre-half Aymeric Laporte because of a knee ligament injury has been compounded by defender John Stones' also missing a large chunk of the season so far. He's back now, which is good news for Pep Guardiola's defensive options, but City's No. 1 keeper, Ederson, is in serious doubt for the clash after coming off with a thigh injury at half-time of the team's 1-1 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League this week, leaving backup Claudio Bravo (hopefully not Kyle Walker) to slot in.

But the story of the title race has been Liverpool's ability to score crucial goals in the dying stages of games. Without late winners against Leicester and Aston Villa and a point-saving goal by Adam Lallana at Manchester United, it would be a different story. Indeed, what the Reds have demonstrated this season is that they've learned how to win even when they're trailing, even when they aren't playing at their peak. But it's their newfound mettle that impresses most: 10 of their 31 points this season have been won after going behind, including seven in their past three games (against Man United, Spurs and Villa). You can't count out Klopp's men until the final whistle blows.

WHO NEEDS THE POINTS MOST?

The obvious answer is that both teams need the win for different reasons, but the reality is that City simply cannot lose. Falling nine points behind Liverpool would feel like a decisive blow in their attempt to win a third successive title.

Bigger leads than nine points have been overturned in the Premier League, but Liverpool are looking so formidable this season that it would take a major collapse for them to concede such a healthy advantage. It's hyperbole to say that this match could decide the title, but it's about as big as it comes for a clash in the first half of the season. City simply can't afford to lose, but a win to close the gap to three points would shatter Liverpool's aura of invincibility and jump-start the title race.

THE ANFIELD FACTOR

No team exploits home advantage quite like Liverpool. Just ask Barcelona about the power of Anfield following their 4-0 destruction in last season's Champions League semifinal second leg. Liverpool have gone 45 games without a Premier League defeat at Anfield, a run that stretches back to a 2-1 loss against Crystal Palace in April 2017.

City came close to ending that streak 13 months ago, only for Riyad Mahrez to miss a late penalty during last season's 0-0 draw, but Anfield is unquestionably a major element of Liverpool's armoury in the title race. The home crowd motivates their team like few others, and Klopp and his players have tapped into their relationship with the supporters to make Anfield a unique environment in the Premier League.

Just to hammer home the difficulty of winning at Liverpool, City have a miserable record at Anfield. They have not won there since May 2003 and have been beaten on 15 of their 22 Premier League visits to the stadium. They also lost a Champions League quarterfinal at Liverpool in 2018.

HOW CAN CITY STOP LIVERPOOL?

Despite appearing so formidable, there are weaknesses in Liverpool's team. The only problem for Man City is that very few opponents have been able to take advantage of them.

City possess the players to do that, though, and Guardiola will have noted how Manchester United nullified Liverpool's full-backs, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, in last month's draw at Old Trafford. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deployed the pace of Marcus Rashford and Daniel James on the flanks to force Alexander-Arnold and Robertson into more defensive duties than they usually have to take on, and the tactic worked because it prevented the pair from breaking forward and delivering the crosses that have become a huge part of Liverpool's attacking game plan.

If City can do the same and keep the two full-backs in their own half of the pitch, it will go a long way to cutting off the supply line to Liverpool's forwards. The loss of Leroy Sane to a long-term knee injury is a blow for City, as this game would have been perfect for the German winger, but Raheem Sterling and Mahrez can do the same job.

WHERE ARE MAN CITY VULNERABLE?

Guardiola was desperate for a new centre-half this summer, following the departure of former captain Vincent Kompany to Anderlecht, but with City restricted to targeting British defenders due to a full quota of foreign players in their squad, the club were unable to find the right man. That failure has left City short of quality and depth at centre-half following the loss of Laporte to injury.

The unconvincing Nicolas Otamendi has been City's only fit senior centre-half at times this season, with Guardiola having to deploy midfielders Fernandinho and Rodri alongside the Argentine, and the team has looked vulnerable as a result. Opponents such as Norwich have successfully targeted City's lack of height and the uncertainty at the back this season. Liverpool will do the same.

The return to fitness of Stones will help, but Guardiola has not thrust him straight back into the team, which hints at his concern about the England defender's concentration levels. But even if Stones and Otamendi line up together on Sunday, it will be an area of weakness for Liverpool to target.

THE KEY BATTLE

Both teams have an array of attacking talent, but what happens Sunday is more likely to be about who wins the midfield battle between Liverpool's Fabinho and City's Fernandinho than whether Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah or Sergio Aguero score a spectacular goal for their side.

After a slow start at Anfield following his arrival from Monaco in the summer of 2018, Fabinho has become a key cog in Klopp's team. He controls the tempo of the game for Liverpool, provides a shield for the back four and allows his midfield partners to push forward and support the attackers in advanced positions. His value to Liverpool was underlined against Aston Villa last week, when Klopp left him on the substitutes' bench to ensure he did not pick up a yellow card that would have ruled him out of the City game.

But while Fabinho is important to Liverpool, he has yet to provide the long-term consistency and mastery of his position that Fernandinho has achieved at City. The 34-year-old remains the conductor of Guardiola's team, despite the summer arrival of Rodri from Atletico Madrid. He is also the master of the tactical foul, which enables the game to be broken up, preventing opponents from breaking quickly.

If Fernandinho ends up in City's defence again this weekend, it will be a major bonus for Liverpool because City aren't the same when he isn't in midfield.

THE 95-MINUTE MAN

If you want to watch two players in this game, make it Mane and Salah.

No player has made a bigger impact on this season than Liverpool forward Mane. He is the man City have to stop. The Senegal forward has scored six league goals, one more than Salah, but he has also won two crucial penalties against Leicester and Tottenham because of his sheer persistence and determination. You can bet that Guardiola is worried. Last weekend he accused Mane of diving after the forward was booked in the first half against Aston Villa; Mane shot back, saying that he will probably be watched more carefully by Sunday's referee because of Guardiola's "clever" comments.

Salah continues to be viewed as Liverpool's biggest attacking star, but he tends to operate in short bursts, often going quiet for long periods of the game before suddenly coming to life -- in sharp contrast to Mane, who is always alive, constantly chasing the ball and making runs into dangerous positions.

Salah and Mane are a perfect blend, but Mane is irrepressible at times, and City will have to watch him from the first kick until the final seconds of stoppage time.

KLOPP VS. GUARDIOLA: THE MIND GAMES

The two managers have taken a back seat as their two sides have slugged it out for the biggest honours the past couple of seasons, but Guardiola's suggestion last week that Liverpool have benefited from "diving" might have sparked a new dimension in the relationship between the pair. Klopp bit back by claiming, prior to the Champions League clash with Genk, that he wasn't "in the mood" to talk about City.

Has Guardiola decided to up the ante by engaging in so-called mind games with Klopp by focusing on the perceived negative elements of the Liverpool team?

WHO WILL WIN?

Liverpool are the in-form team that have everything in their favour going into this game. They have the Anfield factor, they are unbeaten in the league this season, and City travel to Merseyside without Laporte and also David Silva, who will miss because of injury.

But City are a team of champions, and the likes of Sterling, Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne would walk into any team in the world. City possess the tools to go to Anfield and win, yet history is not on their side. They certainly need the win more than Liverpool, and this will be a test of the home side's title credentials.

However, with such attacking quality and strength of character, Liverpool should just edge it 2-1.

Authorities have arrested the man wanted in the disappearance of UFC heavyweight Walt Harris' stepdaughter.

Jail records show that Ibraheem Yazeed was arrested in Florida and booked into the Escambia County Jail early Friday. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard, 19, who was last seen at a gas station in Auburn, Alabama, on Oct. 23.

Blanchard, a student at Southern Union State Community College, was reported missing the next day. Her car was later found abandoned in Montgomery, more than 50 miles away. Police said the car was damaged and contained evidence that Blanchard had been harmed.

Auburn police this week released images of Yazeed, showing him at the gas station while Blanchard was there. They determined that he was involved in taking her against her will.

A reward of about $105,000 -- which includes contributions from UFC president Dana White and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones -- was offered for information leading to an arrest.

Alabama State Bureau of Investigation Capt. Joe Herman told WSFA-TV that Yazeed was out on bail at the time of Blanchard's disappearance. He faces charges of attempted murder and kidnapping in a February case. A judge revoked the bail Thursday.

Escambia Sheriff's Maj. Andrew Hobbs said deputies were called by U.S. marshals to help them with the arrest at about 11 p.m. Thursday.

"When we arrived, the suspect fled the area, but he was located by Escambia sheriff's officers and marshals in a wooded area," Hobbs said.

Yazeed left the scene in an ambulance. His jail booking photo shows him with a swollen left eye.

"The marshals were the ones who handcuffed him and took him into custody," Hobbs said. "You'd have to contact them about any injuries he received."

A request for information left with the Pensacola office of the U.S. Marshals Service by The Associated Press wasn't immediately returned early Friday.

Harris, 36, was scheduled to fight Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC Washington on Dec. 7, but he withdrew from the fight in the wake of Blanchard's disappearance.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young, a Heisman Trophy contender who has been the most dominant defensive player in the FBS this season, is being held out because of a potential undisclosed violation of NCAA rules, the university announced Friday.

Young, a junior from Hyattsville, Maryland, will not play for the No. 1 Buckeyes in Saturday's game against Maryland "due to a possible NCAA issue from 2018 that the Department of Athletics is looking into," the school said in a release.

Young tweeted Friday that he accepted a loan from a family friend and is in the process of working with Ohio State and the NCAA to be able to play again.

pic.twitter.com/ji7uTdYXxp

— CY2 (@youngchase907) November 8, 2019

It is unclear if Young will miss additional games beyond the Maryland contest. The Buckeyes have four games remaining in the regular season.

Young leads the FBS with 13½ sacks and is tied for second with 15½ tackles for loss.

He had tied Ohio State's single-game records for sacks (four) and tackles for loss (five) in the Buckeyes' last game, a 38-7 win over Wisconsin on Oct. 26. He needs a half-sack to tie Vernon Gholston's single-season team record set in 2007.

"Having a player like Chase play the way he has clearly changes the game and makes everybody on that defense better because you have to account for him on every play," Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said after the Wisconsin win. "But that's only good if he plays that way, and he is."

Young, at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, is considered the potential No. 1 pick in next spring's NFL draft if he decides to forgo his final season of eligibility with the Buckeyes. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Young as the No. 1 player available for the 2020 NFL draft on his latest Big Board.

The most recent regular-season battle between the top two teams in the AP poll took place nearly eight years ago to the day. It pitted No. 1 LSU against No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and it was a classic, the 137th-greatest game of all time, in fact. Although the point totals will likely be a lot different, we can only hope for something as stirring on Saturday as AP No. 1 LSU again visits T-Town to play No. 2 Bama.

That 2011 game featured an amazing undercard -- primarily, a game between No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Kansas State that defined the Big 12 race and kept Oklahoma State's national title hopes thriving. It's the same story this time around. Before LSU-Bama (No. 2 vs. No. 3, per the College Football Playoff rankings) kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, No. 4 Penn State takes on No. 17 Minnesota at noon ET on ABC.

Let's walk through the keys to each game.

Can Minnesota hang with the big boys?

The biggest game in the 10-year existence of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium will in many ways pit a known against an unknown.

Minnesota will be the fourth consecutive SP+ top-30 opponent that 8-0 Penn State has faced, following Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State. The Nittany Lions aren't new to big games; they've ranked in the CFP top 10 at some point in four straight seasons.

Minnesota, on the other hand, hadn't been ranked in the AP top 15 in 15 years until last week, and the Gophers' back-loaded schedule means they haven't faced a team better than Nebraska (50th in SP+) to date. Plus, in a helluva quirk, they haven't played a full game against a team's first-string quarterback since Week 2. Some QBs were knocked out of action during the games, and others weren't playing to begin with.

The Gophers have established a strong identity, but we don't know everything we need to know about their pass defense because they haven't had a chance to show us.

How much of a difference does the "backup QBs" thing make?

Clearly a lot, at least in the CFP committee's eyes. With a series of shaky nonconference wins and perhaps artificially inflated blowouts of mediocre Big Ten teams, the Gophers got the lowest CFP ranking ever for an unbeaten power conference team.

Minnesota's success, however, cannot be ascribed merely to playing against the wrong QBs. For starters, the Gophers rank eighth in offensive SP+. Plus, their pass defense was solid last season, too, and the pursuit ability of Minnesota's linebackers and edge players is outstanding enough to grade them 11th in rushing SP+. The defense has quite a bit to offer, even if the degree of difficulty hasn't been incredibly high.

The "backup QBs!" debate will end soon enough: PSU's Sean Clifford is a great first-string QB, and the Nittany Lions have one of the best 1-2 receiving punches in the country.

Clifford's first season as starter has seen some predictable fits and starts, but against Michigan (third in defensive SP+) and Michigan State (11th) the past two games, he completed 56% of his passes, with a 7-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and a 147.8 passer rating. No one has fared better against Michigan's defense than Clifford.

Speedy KJ Hamler and tight end Pat Freiermuth are PSU's anchors. They have 62 catches, 901 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, including seven scores against UM and MSU. If the Minnesota secondary, led by star safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and corners Benjamin St-Juste and Coney Durr, can rein these two in and prevent any secondary weapons (namely, sophomores Jahan Dotson or Justin Shorter) from doing too much damage, they'll have earned all the cred they need.

The Gophers do what they do (but will it work?)

The Minnesota offense is straightforward and effective. The Gophers will run inside zone as much as you'll let them, mix in some outside zone or split zone as a change of pace, and maybe throw occasionally -- probably either go routes or slants against wrong-footed defenders.

It's predictable, but it works because the Gophers have exactly the pieces they need. The offensive line is hilariously big -- anchored by mountainous right tackle Daniel Faalele, the two-deep up front averages 6-foot-6, 326 pounds -- and the running back corps is deep and talented. Plus, Tanner Morgan throws a pretty deep ball, and he has a lot of WRs capable of running underneath them.

That's all well and good, but the Gophers haven't faced a defense anywhere near the caliber of Penn State's. They've averaged 41 points per game since Big Ten action began, but Illinois' defense (51st in SP+) has been the best on the docket so far. Penn State's D ranks sixth.

Even more worrisome: Penn State is first in rushing SP+. The tackles occupy blockers, and the ends and LBs (Yetur Gross-Matos, Shaka Toney, Micah Parsons, Ellis Brooks) swarm.

Minnesota will probably ask Morgan and dangerous receivers Tyler Johnson, Rashod Bateman and Chris Autman-Bell to carry more weight in this game. So far, they've passed their exams with flying colors, but this is a huge test.

SP+ projection: Penn State 28, Minnesota 26 (PSU's win probability: 55%)

A (much more high-scoring) sequel, eight years in the making

Back in 2011, Alabama and LSU finished the season first and second, respectively, in defensive SP+. The game, as classic as it was, featured 15 total points in four quarters and two overtime possessions.

It would be a surprise if these teams don't combine for 15 points per quarter this time around. The defenses are still decent enough -- Alabama is eighth in defensive SP+ and LSU 18th -- but the offenses are otherworldly. Bama is second in offensive SP+ and averaging 49 points per game, and LSU's revamped attack is third and averaging 47. Caesars has set the over/under at 63 total points.

These offenses are so astounding that we're probably best served by focusing this preview primarily on the things at which they aren't perfect.

An important note: I'm writing this piece under the assumption that this game's primary injured parties -- Bama QB Tua Tagovailoa, LSU safety Grant Delpit, etc. -- all play and are at least reasonable approximations of themselves. Obviously, an absence (especially that of Tagovailoa) would change the matchups significantly, but in the name of knowns vs. unknowns, let's assume the key players will play.

Bend, don't break -- all day

Despite having played the past game and a half without Tagovailoa, Bama's offensive numbers are virtually unassailable: third in overall success rate, fourth in rushing SP+, second in passing SP+, fourth in standard downs SP+ and first in passing downs SP+. While LSU's offensive overhaul has gotten the headlines, Bama has figured out ways to match or improve last season's work.

There is, however, a two-step recipe for stopping the Tide or at least holding them to three points per possession.

1. Nothing big on the ground. The Alabama run game is as efficient as ever (first in rushing success rate), but the Tide are 97th in rushing marginal explosiveness. Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. have combined for 184 carries but only four of 20+ yards. If Tagovailoa is limited or out, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian could lean more heavily on the run.

Healthy Tua or no, you're not going to completely hem in this passing game. The foursome of Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith (who has been battling a shoulder injury), Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle has combined for 2,213 yards and 24 TDs. The Tide are going to get their big plays. But if you can prevent gashes on the ground and make them work methodically into the red zone, you're in decent shape. LSU's defense ranks a solid 13th in rushing SP+; this seems doable.

2. Field goals all day. Bama is 17th in average points per scoring opportunity (first downs inside the opponent's 40), but that includes long touchdowns. The Tide rank 31st in success rate between the 11 and 20, 38th inside the 10 and 34th on the goal line. None of this is awful, but it's an area in which this elite offense is less than elite.

Field goal attempts will be major victories for either defense in this game, especially because Bama's is as shaky as ever. The Tide rank 93rd in my FG efficiency measure: Sophomore Joseph Bulovas has missed two FGs and a PAT, and freshman Will Reichard (three missed FGs and a PAT) is fighting a hip injury.

Red zone issues were a massive hindrance in Alabama's blowout loss to Clemson in last season's national title game. The Tide had six drives that ended inside the Clemson 30 but managed only 16 points from them. The recipe hasn't changed since then.

Push LSU backward ... if you can

Despite facing a tougher set of defenses -- namely, Florida's and Auburn's -- LSU's season-long offensive success rate (58.0%, filtering out garbage time) has actually been slightly better than Alabama's (57.6%). The Tigers have experienced some goal-to-go issues of their own (50th in inside-the-10 success rate, 80th on first-and-goal) and haven't been very impressive in short-yardage situations.

The biggest opportunity for the Tide defense, however, might come far earlier on a given drive. The Tigers aren't running the ball nearly as much as they used to, but 17% of their carries are gaining zero or fewer yards (38th overall). Meanwhile, Joe Burrow has been so calm and comfortable in the pocket on early downs that he has become too comfortable at times, taking sacks on 6% of standard-downs pass attempts (81st).

This was particularly problematic against Auburn. LSU went three-and-out on its first drive after a first-down sack, then saw its second drive stall out after another one. Two short-yardage run stuffs killed a second-quarter drive, and a series of zero- and 1-yard runs prevented the Tigers from killing more of the fourth-quarter clock during a late Auburn comeback attempt. LSU won 23-20, but the Tigers were behind schedule quite a bit.

Alabama's defense might have a better shot of pushing the Tigers backward than the LSU D can do to the Crimson Tide. But this hasn't exactly been an Alabama strength.

Although the Tide have survived injury and extreme youth in the front seven -- freshman linebackers Shane Lee and Christian Harris are among their top four tacklers, and a host of freshman linemen have been pressed into action --- there has been a price when it comes to disruption. Bama has fallen from 33rd to 95th in stuff rate and from 14th to 76th in standard-downs sack rate.

The Tide are reactive on early downs before teeing off as normal on passing downs. They might have to be more aggressive in this game if they want to ever see passing downs.

Tua vs. Joe

Here's a quick tale-of-the-tape look at two of your Heisman front-runners. It's easy to say that these two passing games are both awesome and leave it at that, but let's look at what differentiates one from the other.

The basics: Tagovailoa ranks first in FBS with a 95.8 Total QBR, and Burrow is fourth at 91.2. Burrow has a 78.8% completion rate at 13.7 yards per completion, and Tagovailoa has a 74.8% completion rate at 14.6. Tagovailoa has taken sacks on 3.8% of dropbacks, vs. Burrow's 5.5%.

Rushing: Burrow has carried 37 times (4.6 per game) for 223 yards and a 60% success rate. Tagovailoa has carried 11 times (1.6 per game) for 74 yards and a 73% success rate.

Point guard vs. gunslinger: As lower sack and interception rates would suggest, Tagovailoa gets the ball out of his hands more quickly and takes fewer risks. He has thrown 29% of his passes this season behind the line of scrimmage, but these passes are incredibly effective: 8.5 yards per attempt with a 191.7 passer rating. Burrow has thrown only 13% of his passes behind the line and is averaging 5.6 per pass with a 141.9 rating.

There's plenty of reward with Burrow's risk, though. Burrow has thrown 11% of his passes 20 or more yards downfield, and he has completed 63% of them for 37.8 yards per completion. Tagovailoa is averaging a similar 35 yards per completion on his deeper shots but is completing only 38% of them.

SP+ projection: Alabama 34, LSU 27 (Bama's win probability: 66%)

Week 11 playlist

Here are 10 games -- at least one from each weekend time slot -- that you should pay attention to if you want to get the absolute most out of the weekend, from both an information and entertainment perspective. (I'm omitting the two games above under the assumption that you don't need me to say anything further about why you should watch them.)

All times Eastern.

Friday

UCF at Tulsa (7 p.m., ESPN2): Poor Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane have been competitive in almost every game but have a 2-7 record to show for it, thanks to the AAC West's absurd depth. UCF is again fully weaponized, having averaged 49 points per game since a Week 7 bye.

SP+ projection: UCF 38, Tulsa 16

Washington at Oregon State (10:30 p.m., FS1): You could forgive Oregon State fans for getting a little hopeful here. The Beavers have a legitimately exciting offense and need two wins in their final four games to reach a bowl. UW's still awfully good, but the confidence meter might not be all that high after three losses in four games.

SP+ projection: UW 40, OSU 26

Early Saturday

No. 12 Baylor at TCU (noon, FS1): TCU is one of many teams dealing with a stream of QB injury issues, but the Frogs still have the defense and run game to threaten Baylor's unbeaten record. You'll be focusing primarily on PSU-Minnesota at this time, but this is a solid check-in during commercials.

SP+ projection: Baylor 30, TCU 24

Saturday afternoon

The evening doesn't have a ton going for it, but this might be the most loaded afternoon slate of the season.

ESPN CFB150 Showcase Game: Princeton vs. Dartmouth (3:30 p.m., ESPNU): Per SP+, Dartmouth has the second-best defense in FCS, and Princeton has the third-best offense. The Green were the only team that even slightly slowed Princeton down last season, but the Tigers still won the Ivy with a 14-9 victory. Revenge time at Yankee Stadium? Or did Dartmouth use all of its magic with last week's incredible Hail Mary win?

SP+ projection: Dartmouth 28, Princeton 25

No. 18 Iowa at No. 13 Wisconsin (4 p.m., Fox): If Minnesota loses to PSU as projected, the Big Ten West race basically boils down to two games: Iowa vs. Wisconsin and the Iowa-Wisconsin winner vs. Minnesota. Stylistically, you know what to expect from this one, but the Hawkeyes and Badgers are pretty good at those styles this season.

SP+ projection: Wisconsin 27, Iowa 17

No. 16 Kansas State at Texas (3:30 p.m., ESPN): Texas' defense has allowed 40 points per game in its past three contests, and KSU's offense has averaged 43 in its past two. At 5-3 overall and having lost two of three games (with just a two-point win over Kansas preventing a losing streak), the Horns really, really need this one.

SP+ projection: Horns 33, Cats 31

USC at Arizona State (3:30 p.m., ABC): Watching USC is a fascinating experience this season: You're simultaneously watching a fun but flawed, young team trying to develop and find its way ... and a team trying (and perhaps failing) to save its coach's job. The Trojans could win out, or Clay Helton could get Kiffin'd after a loss in Tempe. Both are on the table.

SP+ projection: USC 29, ASU 27

Saturday evening

Iowa State at No. 9 Oklahoma (8 p.m., Fox): At 18th in SP+ but with just a 5-3 record to show for it, ISU is one of the most snakebitten teams in FBS. Does that matter in Norman? Do the Sooners rediscover a fifth gear after a bye week spent stewing over the K-State loss?

SP+ projection: OU 37, ISU 24

No. 15 Notre Dame at Duke (7:30 p.m., ACCN): Consider this a Plan B. Appalachian State-South Carolina was shaping up as the most impactful game of the evening when it had New Year's Six bowl implications, but App State's loss to Georgia Southern ended that. There are worse consolation prizes than this, though.

SP+ projection: Irish 30, Blue Devils 20

Late Saturday

Wyoming at No. 22 Boise State (10:15 p.m., ESPN): We're one upset away from a spectacular mess in the MWC Mountain. Boise State is your division favorite at 4-0, but Air Force, Wyoming and USU all have just one conference loss, and the BSU defense has been springing leaks in recent weeks.

SP+ projection: BSU 33, Wyoming 22

As we put the first 10% of the season in the books, here are 10 things to check out:

1. We need to talk about Nikola

Nikola Jokic has probably racked up more "likes" in this space than any other player. And so it is with a heavy heart that I note: Jokic does not look right, and the issues appear to go beyond his early season, umm, conditioning.

His shots, free throws and assists are down. Jokic is recording only 8.8 post touches per 100 possessions, down from 12 last season, per Second Spectrum, and that's a problem considering he is a devastating scorer and passer on the block. Things are just ... weird.

Against Orlando on Saturday, Jokic did not even look to post up for the entire first half. The coaches must have gotten on him at halftime. On Denver's first possession of the third quarter, Jokic jacked a contested above-the-break triple as soon as he touched the ball. He did it again two possessions later. Those shots seemed like messages: Oh, you want me to shoot? How about this?

He is pouting more even by his mopey standards: waving his arms in frustration at inaccurate passes, and slapping opponents to stop play after what he considers bad calls.

We haven't even addressed defense. Jokic has never exactly been agile, but he makes up for it to some degree with canny positioning, quick meat-hook hands, and voracious rebounding. Awkward appearances aside, the Nuggets have always been stingier with Jokic on the floor.

They still are, per NBA.com. But Jokic is barely moving. He paws at bodies as they fly around him, like a toddler reaching for bubbles.

Jokic is contesting only 3.9 shots per game around the basket, per NBA.com, a remarkably low number for a starting center logging 30 minutes per game. Some players contesting at least that many close shots: Bruce Brown, James Harden, Lonzo Ball, Darius Garland, and Mason Plumlee -- Jokic's backup. (Jokic contested six such shots per game last season.)

It's easy to laugh this off -- oh, that Jokic! -- and assume all will be well by the postseason. It is a great sign that Denver is 5-2 despite unremarkable starts from everyone other than Will Barton. Their starting five has mauled opponents by 38 points in 98 minutes.

But winning a title is really hard. It takes full engagement from everyone on the roster. Franchise players set the tone. Fissures openly easily in the NBA.

The super-deep Nuggets will probably be fine. Jokic is still having a solid season. But this bears watching.

2. The arrhythmic greatness of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

There just aren't many humans this shifty:

A lot of players toggle between two gears: fast and slow, or (in the case of guys like Kyle Anderson) slow and a little less slow. Gilgeous-Alexander operates along almost the entire speedometer, and he's so limby, with such arrhythmic patterns, it sometimes looks as if different parts of his body are moving at different rates.

That's just filthy. Utter filth. That hesitation dribble followed by a one-handed lefty gather? Come on.

Gilgeous-Alexander is mostly deliberate, but he can explode in straight lines when he needs to -- and finish over and through bigger defenders.

His growth in Year 2 has been incredible. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 22 points and shooting 40% from deep. He has already canned six pull-up 3s after hitting just seven all of last season. He's a menace on defense, good for a steal and a block per game. His arms are everywhere.

He has functioned well on and off the ball in Oklahoma City's triple point guard lineup, with Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder; Oklahoma City is plus-28 in the 47 minutes those three have played together. Hopefully Gilgeous-Alexander gets more solo point duty later in the season.

Regardless, this guy looks like a future All-Star.

3. Luka Doncic, faking you out of your shoes

Hypothesis: Doncic has the nastiest, most convincing up-and-under move on Earth.

Oh, Hassan.

Most players go into an up-and-under having made up their mind to shoot. They have no Plan B. Doncic digests so much visual information in real time -- and is so smart anticipating where every player is about to be -- he can pivot (literally) into Plans B, C or D:

Numbers alone tell you Doncic is off to a crazy start: 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists per game on 47% shooting, including a scorching 58% on 2s. He has almost excised long 2s in favor of shots at the rim and 3s.

The eye test tells you even more. Doncic is thinking two steps ahead of everyone. His trademark pass as a rookie was probably the LeBron-style crosscourt laser to corner shooters. Already this season, he has shown mastery of other tricky dishes that reveal themselves -- only for a flash, and only to the very best passers -- in the run of play.

He is putting exactly the right touch, speed, and height on lobs to Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber:

That is a really hard pass -- the straight-on, long-distance lob. The timing is just a little bit different than is typical. Genius lives in those differences. Doncic picks up his dribble abruptly, before Avery Bradley is ready for it, and releases the ball almost while leaning backward. A lot of his lobs are like this. They come a beat earlier or later than you would expect. Doncic might already be the league's best lob passer.

He has great chemistry with Powell and Kleber. His partnership with Kristaps Porzingis is a work in progress. Opponents have outscored the Mavericks by 4.5 points per 100 possessions with both stars on the floor. Meanwhile, the Mavs are plus-28 in the 67 minutes Doncic has played without Porzingis -- and a monster plus-25 in 44 minutes with both out.

Porzingis spends a lot time spotting up around the Doncic/Powell and Doncic/Kleber two-man games; Doncic and Porzingis have partnered for only about 19 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions, compared to 40 for Powell and 31 for Kleber.

That spot-up role is valuable. Rick Carlisle has other sets to spring Porzingis. Doncic and Porzingis have complementary skill sets; they will discover their sweet spots, though to make this thing sing, Porzingis has to get better abusing smaller defenders when opponents switch the Doncic-Porzingis pick-and-roll. Fadeaways aren't cutting it. He's not Dirk.

4. What does DeAndre Jordan do here, exactly?

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant coercing the Nets into signing Jordan to a four-year, $40 million deal was an underrated free-agency side plot. Opponents have outscored the Nets by 13.4 points per 100 possessions with Jordan on the floor, per NBA.com. That number flips to almost its photo negative -- plus-12 -- when Jarrett Allen replaces him.

As Dallas and New York witnessed last season, Jordan just doesn't do anything on defense beyond being large and near the basket. He's basically a boulder with arms. That has value! He munches rebounds. The Nets give up fewer shots at the rim with Jordan on the floor. That has been the case with every Jordan team since his rookie season. Some players see a tall person and stop in their tracks.

The ones that keep going? They're shooting 12 percentage points higher on shots within the restricted area against Brooklyn with Jordan on the floor, per Cleaning The Glass. He's challenging only 3.3 such shots per game, even fewer than Jokic. He's a solid post defender, but the few good post-up centers left aren't afraid of him; Domantas Sabonis punked Jordan for a dunk on the first Pacers possession of their win in Brooklyn last week, and ate Jordan's lunch the rest of the game.

If the Nets had a basketball justification for signing Jordan, it was to defend bangers who overpower Allen. If he can't do that, how much value does he have?

Jordan doesn't catch as many lobs as he used to. He's even off to an icy start at the line after remaking himself into a decent foul shooter.

Brooklyn needs much more from their other free-agent acquisition.

5. Ricky Rubio and Devin Booker, making music

One reason Phoenix is the happiest story in the league: Their starting backcourt has found some two-man synergy.

Good shooters always make good screeners; defenders are afraid to help off of Booker, and that fear gives Rubio driving lanes. Any unconventional pick-and-roll wrinkle -- a strange guard-guard combination, a bit of pre-screen disguise -- makes it harder for Rubio's guy to scoot under picks.

One counter for defenses: switch! But that unlocks Booker's underappreciated post game. He's kind of rude down there!

Booker is playing the best all-around ball of his career. The Suns have scored 113 points per 100 possessions when he plays, and just 94.7 when he sits. They have outscored opponents by about 11 points per 100 possessions when he plays without Rubio. Right now, Booker is an All-Star.

Phoenix reminds me of last season's 39-win Kings: I'm not sure the Suns can sustain this pace and make the playoffs, but they are solid. They are benefiting a little from bonky opponent shooting, but not to any outrageous degree. Other teams have been far luckier.

The Suns are busting it on defense, a credit to both Monty Williams and the players. Deandre Ayton's return might complicate things -- Aron Baynes is a winning player -- but Ayton should and almost certainly will get the chance to start again.

6. PJ Washington's hook shot

The Hornets aren't as good as their record. Every win has been close. Every loss has been a blowout. They are 4-4 with a minus-61-point differential.

But they are fun, and the trio of Devonte' Graham, Miles Bridges and rookie Washington -- along with the coming lottery pick -- provides reason for real optimism.

Washington's not a star, but he already does most of what you want from a supporting frontcourt player. He defends multiple positions, and has even played some center.

He has hit 45% from deep, meaning he's dangerous spotting up or picking-and-popping. When he rolls to the rim, he rolls hard. He rolls to inflict pain. Switch those plays, and Washington punishes smaller defenders. He already has one of the league's sweetest, softest jump hooks:

Oh, baby. Washington sees Richaun Holmes coming, and lofts that thing into the rafters. Charlotte has scored 1.32 points per possession any time Washington shoots from the post or passes to a teammate who fires right away -- a number that would have led all regular post-up threats last season, per Second Spectrum.

7. Holy smokes, Malcolm Brogdon

Brogdon is a perfect complement to Victor Oladipo. I thought he might be overtaxed until Oladipo's return -- one reason I was pessimistic about the Pacers.

Whoops.

Brogdon is averaging 22 points and 10 dimes on 47% shooting, but what stands out is how comfortable and under control he looks from all three levels on offense -- even after a mini-slump from 3-point range. He calmly takes whatever the defense concedes. The form on his jumper is precise and unwavering.

He still gets a lot of what he wants, too -- namely bulldozing drives to the rim. Brogdon isn't explosive, but he has a sneaky first step. He's so strong, he doesn't need to blow by most opposing point guards. He buries his inside shoulder into the chest of his defender, turns that victim sideways, and ambles in for a layup. Sometimes, he just plows right through smaller guys:

Even amid blah spacing and a much more burdensome role than he enjoyed in Milwaukee, Brogdon is still getting 42% of his attempts within the restricted area -- massive for a guard. The Pacers cannot score when he rests, though injuries to basically every other member of their guard rotation have impacted that.

His versatility on defense -- he can guard every perimeter position -- has come in handy as the Pacers mix and match around him.

It's early, but Brogdon is on track to be a deserving first-time All-Star. Sabonis has a shot, too. They have kept Indiana afloat.

8. Gordon Hayward's Boston promise, fulfilled?

The promise of Hayward in Boston, so much talent around him, was of Hayward finding his perfect place within the team hierarchy. He wouldn't be the No. 1 option. Boston's motion offense would get him the ball in the flow, with a head start. He could average 20 points without forcing anything, dish dimes on the move, and focus his energy on defense. He would be a classic No. 2 option -- a sort of floating star.

Hayward's leg injury in the opener two seasons ago obliterated that vision. It is a sneaky "what if" moment in recent league history given everything that happened in its wake: the fast rise of Boston's young players; the resulting tension between some of them and Kyrie Irving; Irving's departure; the death of Boston's Anthony Davis dreams.

And yet after all that, Boston has found a good team -- and Hayward has found that version of himself. He's third on the team in usage rate -- behind Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker, and a whisker ahead of Jaylen Brown -- but he's scoring 20 points per game on 56% shooting. He's second in assists at 4.6 per game, trailing only Marcus Smart (4.7). (Interestingly, Walker is third at four per game. Boston has an unusually democratic distribution of assists. Both Williamses coming off the bench can sling it.)

Very few of his buckets emerge out of static situations. Most look like this:

Ditto for his assists:

Hayward looks steadier on his feet. He's moving more fluidly, and defending with a renewed stoutness. He has been a part of almost every good Boston lineup.

9. Orlando's wretched offense

Orlando's offense is a merry-go-round to nowhere. It looks pleasing. Passes are made. Screens are set. The ball is on one side of the floor, and then it is on the other. The Magic actually get into the paint -- only Miami averages more paint touches -- but you never get the sense they have punctured the defense.

I suspect they brush the fringes of the paint a lot, and enter and exit it without doing anything dangerous.

Orlando is dead last in points per possession by a laughable margin. That is a little fluky. The Magic are shooting 27% from deep; they will make more shots.

But some of this impotence appears endemic. The Magic ranked 22nd in points per possession last season. They struggle to generate shots at the rim; they rank about average this season, a huge step up. Only two teams attempt fewer corner 3s. And (stop me if you've heard this for, like, the past seven seasons) they rarely get to the foul line.

They have too many power forwards, and not enough shooters and playmakers. Aaron Gordon has no defined role. D.J. Augustin has predictably regressed after an outlier season. Nikola Vucevic settles for flip shots.

Markelle Fultz still can't shoot; defenders go under every Fultz-Vucevic pick-and-roll, meaning Vucevic's man can stay home -- neutering his pick-and-pop looks.

I'm not even sure what the solution is. More fast breaks would help, especially with Fultz starting. (His promotion over Augustin felt a little premature.) That has not been their style, and they don't force many turnovers. Maybe they could run more basic spread pick-and-roll, and give both Gordon and Jonathan Isaac chances to work as rim-runners while Vucevic spaces the floor. They should avoid playing Al-Farouq Aminu, Isaac and Mo Bamba together.

They don't really have the personnel to play smaller. They could try more minutes with three of Augustin/Fultz/Evan Fournier/Terrence Ross on the floor, but that isn't moving the needle. Maybe they could lean even more on Vucevic post-ups against some opponents?

I dunno. But this is a one-way team, and one-way teams can't win big.

10. Take fouls gone wrong

The NBA needs to legislate out these fast-break-stopping clotheslines and hugs already -- they have done so in the G League; I don't get why this is so hard -- but in the meantime, I'll settle for occasional schadenfreude:

Nice work, Cedi Osman -- wrapping up a 90% career free throw shooter (Brogdon) with Indiana in the bonus! This is the basketball gods exacting revenge upon players seeking to exploit dumb loopholes.

Paralympic javelin champion hopes to become a four-time gold medalist at the World Para Athletics Championships

Javelin thrower Hollie Arnold has won Paralympic, European, Commonwealth and three world titles, but she wants more at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai.

“I’m always motivated and still want more!” she says. “I currently hold all four titles, but I’d still love to go to Dubai and achieve more.

“I’m currently triple world champion, but if I could go out there and win the gold medal, I could become a quadruple champion, which is unreal.

“People think I’ve won all these medals and that’s that, but for me I want to continue pushing, every set and every mile, it makes it all worth it. I’ve always wanted to set myself goals, both small and large – I’ll never stop until it’s no longer possible.”

Arnold, who competes in the F46 javelin final on Monday, reveals she has started playing squash to complement her throws training, too.

“I occasionally do ‘fun’ cardio,” she explains. “I’ve taken up squash and I really like it. It’s fun, and active, you don’t even realise you’re doing a good workout for an hour or so.

“You need that fun element because training is hard and I don’t always enjoy it, but when you put fun stuff in it makes training a bit easier.”

Arnold was with wheelchair racer Kare Adenegan at a Nike FlyEase event and Adenegan added: “I’m really excited about Dubai. It will be my third world championships so that should be quite fun.

“I’ve progressed as an athlete quite a lot since I started so I’m hoping as I have been progressing though getting medals: silvers, bronzes. Maybe it will be time to actually win gold.”

England will go on a two-Test tour of Japan in summer 2020, the first time they have played the 2019 Rugby World Cup hosts in their own country.

England will play Japan in Oita on 4 July and in Kobe on 11 July.

Japan have risen to eighth in the rankings on the back of their run to the quarter-finals of their home Rugby World Cup last month.

The Brave Blossoms beat Ireland and Scotland en route to a defeat by eventual winners South Africa.

"Japan were fantastic Rugby World Cup hosts and we feel humbled to have been a part of it," said England coach Eddie Jones, who coached Japan before through their previous World Cup campaign in 2015.

"The England squad had a fantastic experience of the country and we are excited to return in July next year."

England have played Japan twice before, winning their most recent meeting 35-15 at Twickenham in November last year.

England also beat Japan 60-7 in the pool stages of the 1987 Rugby World Cup in Sydney.

PERRIS, Calif. — Brady Bacon earned his first victory in 27 starts at Perris Auto Speedway, leading all 30 laps on the opening night of the 24th annual Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction.

“I think we’ve run second on prelim nights probably five or six times and been in the top five a couple times on the final night, so this is awesome to get this monkey off our back,” a relieved Bacon said. “Now, we can just go ahead and win a couple more this weekend.”

The long-awaited victory couldn’t have come a moment too soon for the 2014 and 2016 series champ from Broken Arrow, Okla., who hadn’t won with the series since a two-night sweep at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway in July aboard the Dynamics, Inc./Mean Green – Fatheadz Eyewear – Tel-Star/Triple X/Rider Chevy.

“This late in the year, this win definitely helps going into the winter,” Bacon admitted. “We had a dry spell, a little bit of bad luck, led at Lawrenceburg and stuff like that. Hopefully, we can kind of get that momentum we had earlier this summer and carry it on for the rest of the year.”

Bacon started up front and was rarely challenged throughout the duration of the 30-lapper.

The first stoppage came early when the two USAC National Sprint Car title contenders C.J. Leary and Tyler Courtney collided in turn two on the fourth lap while battling for fifth.

The contact between Leary’s right rear and the left side of Courtney’s ride flattened Courtney’s left rear-tire.  As Courtney scrambled to regain control of his car, Leary’s teammate, Logan Seavey, came upon the scene and struck Courtney, heavily damaging the front end of Seavey’s car.

Both Courtney and Seavey returned to action following time in the work area.  Seavey struggled to a 21st place result while Courtney charged back through the pack to finish eighth. It was a night Courtney would rather forget after enduring a wild flip in turn three on the second lap of his qualifying run.

When action resumed, Bacon jumped back out to a one-plus second lead while seven-time USAC/CRA champ Damion Gardner began to close on Windom for the runner-up position.

Nearing the midway point, and in the throes of lapped traffic, Gardner made the move to second with an inside pass of Windom in turns one and two, but was stifled after encountering the lapped car of Chris Gansen on the low line of three, forcing Gardner to throttle back and allowing Windom to surge ahead on the top side for the position.

Once Windom cleared Gardner, he began to rapidly reel in Bacon.

However, just as Windom sensed the smell of blood in the water, a spin by Dennis Gile in turn three removed traffic from the equation for the time being and supplied Bacon with a clear track.

Windom resumed his chase of Bacon who held the advantage once again, but just as lapped traffic loomed, the yellow for the stopped car of three-time Oval Nationals winner and 10^th-running Bud Kaeding, who rested backward with eight laps to go.

On lap 24, Windom came as close as he’d get all night to Bacon, pulling within a half-car length of Bacon on the bottom between turns one and two. But Bacon was flawless the rest of the way, beating Windom by .974 seconds for his fifth victory of the season and 28^th of his career.

“I thought we had a pretty good balance there,” Bacon said. “We were good at the beginning, and still pretty good at the end. I felt like we were fading a little bit with those yellows at the end, but we’ll make some adjustments and be ready (for Friday and Saturday).”

Windom earned his sixth consecutive top-five finish aboard the Parallax Group-Goacher Racing/NOS Energy Drink – Parallax Power Supply/Twister/Claxton Mopar.

“Overall, it was a really solid night,” Windom stated. “Brady (Bacon) was better than us early on.  I think, once we moved up there, we were just as good as him, but he was probably just a little better than us overall tonight. I was hoping we would stay in lapped traffic there and we could race with those guys, but he got the restarts right when he needed them.  (My crew) has been working hard all night to get us in this position and I think we’ve got a good car for the rest of the weekend.”

Richard Vander Weerd finished third in his Ron Vander Weerd/Vander Weerd Construction – Maxwell Industries/DRC/Shark Chevy.

“These guys run 60 races a year or more, but I’ve run probably about 15 to 20 this year so far,” Vander Weerd explained. “But I run this track a lot more. Them racing a lot more is an advantage, but me running here more is an advantage too. (The car) was good at the end; we were a little too snug down in (turns) one and two, but it made up for it over in three and four where it was dry slick. Bacon and Windom are tough guys, so I can’t complain about finishing third behind them.”

Gardner and Leary rounded out the top five.

To see full results, turn to the next page.

We're a little more than one month into a 2019-20 NHL season that has included some major surprises, including the Buffalo Sabres in a playoff spot, the Edmonton Oilers leading their division, Darcy Kuemper leading all netminders in save percentage and goals-against average, and the San Jose Sharks ... well, the less said about their start the better.

To help digest some of these trends, we convened our panel to buy or sell a baker's dozen of hot takes based on the results after one month:

Jump ahead:

• The Lightning are still the team to beat

• The Sabres and Oilers will both make the playoffs

• The Caps should do a 50-50 timeshare in goal

• James Neal will score 40 goals

• Elias Pettersson will finish top-10 in scoring

• A defenseman will finish top-15 in scoring

• The Sharks will be a lottery team

• Arizona will trade a goalie before the deadline

• Mark Stone will be a Hart Trophy finalist

• The Islanders will finish second in the Metro

• The Rantanen injury is a bigger deal than Tarasenko's

• The Rangers or Devils will make the playoffs

• Pekka Rinne will be a Vezina Trophy finalist

1. Despite the Boston Bruins' start, the Tampa Bay Lightning are still the best team in the Atlantic Division.

Emily Kaplan, national NHL reporter: Well, they aren't playing like it. The Lightning seem haunted by last season's collapse. They need to regain their confidence. Meanwhile, the Bruins are buzzing. Entering the week, they had been trailing in games only about 10% of the time. Ridiculous.

Chris Peters, hockey prospects analyst: Sell. If the Lightning were better than the Bruins, they would be handling the absence of Victor Hedman a lot better than they are. In theory, they should have the depth to minimize the negative impact, but they're bleeding goals at an even more alarming rate.

Dimitri Filipovic, hockey analytics writer: Sell. The Bruins are the best all-around team in the league right now. Their stingy defensive system and ability to split starts evenly makes life easy for goalies Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin, they're a top possession team at 5-on-5, no one scores more quickly and frequently than their power play does, and they have the most dominant top line in hockey in Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.

Rick DiPietro, radio host and former NHL goalie: Sell. The Bruins are not only the best team in the Atlantic Division right now, but also they're playing like the best team in the NHL. They have the most versatile line in the NHL and one of the league's best goalies -- not to mention their power play is currently clicking at 31.4%. Tampa Bay has tons of talent, but right now Boston is the better team.

Victoria Matiash, fantasy hockey analyst: Buy. Boasting the best top line in the league, the Bruins are the better team right now, but the Lightning, still sporting the greater wealth of talent overall, will be the better team by late January and thereafter (it's a long season).

Ben Arledge, associate NHL editor: Sell. You can't really claim any team anywhere is better than the Bruins right now, despite the talent on the Tampa Bay roster. Injuries to the Boston lineup might be the only thing that would cause a change in the Atlantic Division winds.

Sachin Chandan, fantasy hockey editor: Sell. The Bruins have decisive advantages defensively, offensively and on special teams, and though Tampa Bay's problems are fixable, I can't look away from the Bruins, who have been the best team in the league so far.

2. The Sabres and Oilers will both make the playoffs.

Kaplan: Sell that it'll be both. I feel stronger about the Oilers than I do the Sabres. Edmonton is too dependent on their top players to score. But the production Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and James Neal have put up is too absurd, and they could drag this team in.

Peters: Buy the Oilers. Sell the Sabres. The Pacific Division is so tight right now, but I'm not sure how good it is. The Oilers have enough to keep above the fray, assuming their top three scorers stay healthy. It's a precarious situation for them. The Sabres, meanwhile, have shown a few cracks lately. I don't know if they have the depth defensively to keep pace with a division I expect to improve.

Filipovic: Sell. It's scary to bet against McDavid and Draisaitl, but the early wins the Oilers have been piling up have regression written all over them. They've been awfully fortunate to go 6-1-2 in one-goal games, they're somehow getting top-10 goaltending out of Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen, and I can count on one hand the number of goals they've been able to squeeze out of their bottom six.

DiPietro: Sell. Buffalo is clearly headed in the right direction, but I'm not sure this is going to be the season. The Pacific hasn't been good, and the Oilers have arguably the most dynamic offensive duo in the NHL with McDavid and Draisaitl. Mike Smith is off to a great start in net with a .931 save percentage. If the goaltending holds up, the Oilers have a good chance.

Matiash: Sell. Based on the strength of the competition in the Atlantic, the Sabres are in a tough spot. The scene in the Pacific Division isn't nearly as menacing for the Oilers.

Arledge: Sell that both will be there. I think the Oilers will slide into the postseason if the eventual Smith/Koskinen implosion doesn't completely derail them, given the weakness of the Pacific Division and their hot start. But Buffalo is still a year away in the stacked Atlantic.

Chandan: Buy Edmonton. Sell Buffalo. I expect Buffalo to have trouble in a crowded Atlantic, but Edmonton has shown that it has the firepower, and if the goalie tandem can continue to maintain enough of its performance (.890 save percentage on high-danger shots), I can see this team claiming a spot in the West.

3. The Washington Capitals should do a 50-50 timeshare in goal.

Kaplan: I don't buy it. Ilya Samsonov is the Capitals' starter of the future, and I love that the 22-year-old is already getting NHL exposure. But Braden Holtby is still the No. 1 guy right now. Let Holtby play out his contract year as the starter, and then see what happens.

Peters: Sell. Samsonov has been really strong, and his upside is immense, but this is a player in his second North American pro season who has six total NHL games under his belt. Holtby's body of work stands above his slow start, and he deserves to keep his job, but there's no harm in limiting his workload relative to previous seasons.

Filipovic: Buy. Here's how many regular-season games were started by the No. 1 goalie of every team that won a playoff round last season: 62, 61, 45, 45, 43, 40, 33, 30. Every team that doesn't need to scratch and claw for a playoff spot should be playing the long game and keeping its top guy fresh.

DiPietro: Sell. The Capitals look like a team destined for another run at the Stanley Cup, and they will lean on Holtby to get them there. Keeping him fresh for a long playoff run should be a priority, so Samsonov will play, but it won't be a 50-50 split.

Matiash: Sell. As long as Holtby continues to compete more often than not, like he has since that key slump-busting win over the New York Rangers in mid-October, we're not in 50-50 territory yet.

Arledge: Buy more of a timeshare. Holtby seems to have turned the corner a bit from his early-season struggles, but the Caps are at their best when they can look to two goalies. With a good debut from Samsonov and the Caps' four-point lead in the Metropolitan Division, I'd call for a 60-40 split between the two netminders for now -- with Holtby on the 60 side -- to keep the team's 30-year-old No. 1 fresh.

4. James Neal will score 40 goals.

Kaplan: Sell, though I say he finishes high 30s. Neal's 23.4 shooting percentage is obviously high -- in fact, it's more than double his career average. That should come down a bit. Neal is a consistent 20-something goal scorer who plays best when he's confident. He's clearly feeling it these days.

Peters: Sell. My initial thought was that he had enough of a jump-start to make it happen, but looking more at the numbers, I'm less certain. Neal is tied for seventh in the NHL with 26 individual high-danger scoring chances at all strengths this season, per Natural Stat Trick. He drops to 119th when you look solely at even-strength individual high-danger chances and 113th in even-strength individual scoring chances. I think there's too much of a reliance on the power play for him to reach 40.

Filipovic: Sell. He has been a roughly league-average 12% finisher throughout his career, and if he were doing that this season, he'd be on pace for 28 goals. Let's bake in the early goals he has already banked, and something in the range of 30 seems reasonable. But this is still a home run for the Oilers, considering what they paid to get him.

DiPietro: Sell. Neal is off to an incredible start, but eight of his 11 goals have come on the power play, and a 23.4% shooting percentage isn't sustainable. The 11 goals already put him four ahead of the seven he scored in 63 games last season in Calgary, but I don't think he gets to 40.

Matiash: Sell. Unsustainable shooting percentage aside, he won't be able to hit 40 unless he scores 30 on the power play, which I'm suggesting he most certainly will not do.

Arledge: Sell. Eleven in 17 is a good start, and he's pacing toward 53 tallies, but Neal hasn't come close to 40 since he hit that in 2011-12 with the Penguins. Good start aside, these Oilers aren't the 2011-12 Penguins. Expect regression from a ridiculous 23.4 shooting percentage (eight points over his career high) sooner rather than later.

Chandan: Sell. I agree with Ben that Neal cannot maintain that astronomical shooting percentage, but I expect him to finish with mid-30 goals.

5. Elias Pettersson will finish in the top 10 in scoring.

Kaplan: Buy. As a team, I expect the Canucks to fall back to earth a bit. But I don't know if Pettersson will. Pettersson is building off his rookie debut -- in which he became a one-man highlight reel -- and is generating even more high-danger scoring chances. He has been especially effective at 5-on-5.

Peters: Buy. He's well on his way. Pettersson has shown marked improvement in each of his post-draft seasons from when he was in Sweden to now. He's only three points ahead of where he was at this point last season, but he has looked more dominant with the benefit of experience. The only way I think he falls out of the top 10 is if he gets injured again.

Filipovic: Buy. After a relatively slow start to the season, he has been putting up video game numbers, rattling off six goals and 14 assists in a 12-game stretch. It's almost impossible to defend him because he's such a dual threat, and he'll gladly take whatever the opposing team gives him and make them pay. Coach Travis Green feeds him all of the offensive zone starts he can handle, he gets to pass to a lethal trigger man in Brock Boeser, and he's the main man on what's looking like a dangerous power play now that Quinn Hughes is on it.

Matiash: Sell. Slight skirt-around answer, but based on his physical stature and the way he plays, I'm concerned about him not completing a full, healthy season.

Arledge: Let's go with buy -- if he stays healthy. It took 96 points to make the top 10 last season but just 89, 75 and 77 in the previous three campaigns. Pettersson's 82-game pace last season would have put him at 76, and he's pacing toward 109 this season. I think 92-95 could land him a top-10 finish.

6. A defenseman will finish in the top 15 in scoring.

Kaplan: I buy it. John Carlson is currently fifth in league scoring -- above his teammate Alex Ovechkin -- and Roman Josi and Dougie Hamilton are hovering one point outside the top 15. I think they'll stick around.

Peters: Buy. Carlson and Hamilton look like the two guys who are going to threaten, and I'm certainly not going to bet against Carlson, who has trended up offensively the past three seasons. He has been a great power-play performer, but 16 of his 23 points have come at even strength this season.

Filipovic: Buy. I'd bet against it, but for the purposes of this, let's have some fun. Carlson is off to a preposterous start, and based on the sheer volume of opportunities he's getting, there should be many more points to come. He's top-five in overall minutes and top-10 in power-play minutes, and he gets to play with a collection of tremendously gifted players.

DiPietro: Sell. John Carlson is well on his way to winning the Norris Trophy, but I think he comes up short of the top 15 in scoring. Last season, his teammate Ovechkin was 15th in the league with 89 points, and the last defenseman to reach that benchmark was Sergei Zubov in 1993-94.

Matiash: Buy. On pace for nearly 120 points, John Carlson is a legitimate threat to break 100, which should land him comfortably in the top 15, if not top the 10.

Arledge: Buy -- or at least very close. Over the past 10 seasons, the best we've seen is Brent Burns finish with 83 points in 2018-19. Carlson will reach 90 this season, thanks to an early 1.44 point-per-game pace and a spot on a talented Capitals power play.

7. The Sharks will be a lottery team.

Kaplan: Sell. I have faith that the Sharks can turn it around. They'll at least be a wild-card team. One of the issues for San Jose early is that their top defensemen are overtaxed. Getting Radim Simek back will help.

Peters: Buy. The Sharks are dead last in the NHL in even-strength save percentage, at .875, and have the third-worst team save percentage at all strengths, at .882. I don't know if they're going to be able to score enough to overcome that.

Filipovic: Sell. The early returns have certainly been quite alarming, but the Sharks still have enough star power on the roster to be better than they've shown. They also can't really afford to throw a season away at this point, both because they don't have their first-round pick and because most of their main players figure to get worse in the coming years.

DiPietro: Buy. The Sharks are currently giving up the fourth-most goals per game and are 26th in scoring. An .882 team save percentage is a glaring problem, and their inability to keep the puck out of their net will keep them out of the playoffs.

Arledge: Buy. There will be only 82 games for the Sharkies this season. Goaltending is somehow still a glaring issue that San Jose seems content with leaving to fix itself. It won't, and even if the Sharks finally break the cycle and deal for a goalie, it'll be too little, too late in the talented West.

Chandan: Buy. Look, last season's St. Louis Blues showed that anything can happen with a coaching change and a new goalie, but San Jose's problems -- and lack of flexibility to swing big trades -- mean they will likely be gifting the Ottawa Senators a lottery pick, thanks to the Erik Karlsson trade.

8. The Arizona Coyotes will trade a goalie before the deadline.

Kaplan: Sell. This season, Arizona seems fixated on getting over the postseason hump. Unless the Coyotes get a spectacular deal for one of their netminders (a top-six scoring forward or top-pairing defensemen), I don't expect them to subtract anything from this roster. They don't want to repeat last season, when they just missed the cut.

Peters: Sell. If there is a deal out there that fills a hole for a team with eyes on taking the next step, I don't doubt GM John Chayka will explore it. The issue, however, is that the Coyotes have a young goalie just starting his pro career in Ivan Prosvetov, and I'm not sure Adin Hill is quite ready for full-time NHL backup duty.

Filipovic: Sell. In today's game, it's a tremendous asset to have two goalies you can rely on. Plus, it's worth remembering that prior to becoming a revelation last season, Darcy Kuemper's previous career high for starts in the NHL was 28. Considering that Antti Raanta has eclipsed that mark only once himself, the Coyotes are better off keeping both of them and not overtaxing either one.

DiPietro: Sell. Kuemper has seized the No. 1 duties and is establishing himself as an elite starting goalie in the NHL. Coming off what was a career-best campaign in 2018-19, he leads the league in goals-against average (1.69) and save percentage (.940). Raanta is a nice insurance policy if Kuemper gets hurt, and I'm not sure the Coyotes would be offered enough for him to make it worth messing with a position that has to be considered one of their strengths.

Matiash: Sell. As the old, grizzled GM saying suggests, sometimes the best trade is the one you don't make. I envision that Arizona's management, with a hopeful eye to playoff competition, will lean in that direction.

Arledge: I'd say sell. Expect the Coyotes to be every bit in the middle of a wild-card race, and though many teams will be asking -- and the Yotes could use upgrades elsewhere -- goaltending is a position of immense strength for them, and they won't want to disrupt that, given Raanta's injury history.

9. Mark Stone will be a Hart Trophy finalist.

Kaplan: Not quite. He might sneak into the discussion for Selke Trophy -- becoming the first winger since Jere Lehtinen in 2003 to do it -- but I don't think we're talking Stone for Hart just yet.

Peters: Sell. He was my almost-off-the-board preseason pick, and a lot of that was tied to my thinking that the Golden Knights could be Presidents' Trophy contenders. He's averaging 1.13 points per game so far for a good Vegas club, but I think guys such as Connor McDavid and David Pastrnak are going to out-produce him for playoff teams, and that will edge him out.

Filipovic: Buy. He's the best player on what I still believe could be the best team in the West. He's somewhat quietly on pace for 41 goals and 92 points, and with the way Vegas is using him on the power play, he should easily be able to set career highs in both. It almost seems unfair for a player as good as he is defensively to be putting up the type of offensive numbers he is now.

DiPietro: Sell. Stone will be the MVP of the Golden Knights, but I'm not sure he'll have enough offensive production to make him the NHL's MVP.

Matiash: Sell because that means beating the odds of besting all but two of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, Nathan MacKinnon and all the other elite skaters who find their strides in the coming months.

Arledge: Sell. Here's what I think happens: Stone hits 95-100 points for a playoff-bound Vegas team -- an MVP-caliber campaign -- but misses the finalist list and is considered a "snub" when the results are released.

10. The New York Islanders will finish second in the Metro.

Kaplan: Sell. A 10-game winning streak (and counting) certainly gives them a cushion. If I were them, I'd be worried about the Pittsburgh Penguins making a late push -- especially when the Pens get everyone healthy.

Peters: Sell. The Islanders have more than earned the hockey world's respect with the way they've played. There's so much to like, but I don't think their .931 team save percentage is going to be an all-season thing, which could see them lose their grip on a top-two spot.

Filipovic: Sell. But that isn't a knock on the Islanders, who are once again completely sucking the life out of their opponents under the watchful eyes of Barry Trotz and Mitch Korn. I rank the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes slightly ahead of the Isles in the Metro because of the different ways they can beat you on a nightly basis.

DiPietro: Buy. The 10-game winning streak is great, but what's even more impressive is the 1.70 goals-against average in that span. Last season was not a fluke. The Islanders are again the best defensive team in the NHL, with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage this season. They might not have the offense to overtake the Capitals, but that kind of team defense should be enough to finish second.

Matiash: Sell. Once it all works out in the 82-game wash, they won't finish above the Penguins and/or Hurricanes, let alone the Capitals.

Arledge: Sell, but they are a playoff team. Think No. 3 in the division or a wild-card-turned-playoff-spoiler.

Chandan: Buy. The Islanders' winning streak has proven that they can get balanced scoring, the goalie play has been sharp, and they spent only 16% of time trailing during this win streak. All of that puts them in the right position to continue picking up points.

11. Mikko Rantanen's injury will have a bigger impact on the Central race than Vladimir Tarasenko's injury.

Kaplan: Buy. So far, it has looked that way. The Blues have been scraping together wins without Tarasenko. The Colorado Avalanche have struggled without Rantanen (but are also missing Gabriel Landeskog off the top line). St. Louis simply has more depth.

Peters: Buy. I think the Blues have a deeper forward lineup than the Avs. I still like Colorado to make a lot of noise, but seeing what has happened to the Avs as injuries compound is impossible to ignore, as their losing skid has reached five games with goals drying up.

Filipovic: Buy. The Avalanche rely so much on their top line to do the heavy lifting offensively, and the Rantanen injury in conjunction with Landeskog's absence is a mammoth loss. Tarasenko is the best goal scorer and most dangerous offensive threat in St. Louis, but the Blues' depth and defensive structure at least give them something to fall back on in the meantime.

DiPietro: Buy. The Blues haven't skipped a beat in the six games without Tarasenko, going 5-1. The Avalanche are 1-5 without Rantanen and have lost five straight while scoring seven total goals. Nathan MacKinnon is great, but with Rantanen, he's an MVP candidate. If this team wants to have a chance to win the Central, that's who they need MacKinnon to be.

Matiash: Buy. In comparison to the top-heavy Avalanche, the Blues have the greater depth up front to compensate for the loss of Tarasenko.

Arledge: Absolutely buy. Consider that MacKinnon has an expected goals-for percentage of 71.2 with Rantanen on his wing and just 45.4 without him, per Natural Stat Trick.

12. One of the two offseason darlings -- the Rangers and New Jersey Devils -- will make the playoffs.

Kaplan: Buy. The Devils could still make it, despite their horrible start. New Jersey has responded well ever since assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald got behind the bench, and Jack Hughes continues to look more and more comfortable out there.

Peters: Sell. I think both are going to build over the course of the season and improve, but I don't think either organization can or should make the changes that might be necessary to be a more formidable playoff contender. More patience is needed.

Filipovic: Sell. Neither one of them can manage to keep the puck out of its own net nearly often enough, albeit for different reasons. The Rangers have absolutely no idea what they're doing in their own zone defensively, and the Devils' goalies rank 30th in save percentage and haven't given us much reason to believe that'll change.

DiPietro: Sell. Both teams had really impactful offseasons and bad starts to their regular seasons. The Rangers are young and inconsistent, and the Devils are still trying to figure out their goaltending situation. Kaapo Kakko and Jack Hughes will be great, but it's going to take some time.

Matiash: Sell. Although I think the Rangers have enough pieces in play to make it interesting late, the Devils don't have the goaltending to squeak it out this season.

Arledge: Buy. It has been a slow start for the rapid-rebuild Rangers, but I like them to steal a wild-card spot with a late run once they get out of their own way. The Devils? Not so much.

Chandan: Sell. Although the Blues showed it can be done, the Devils and Rangers would have to make up ground on the Bruins, Capitals, Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Islanders and more ahead of them.

13. At age 37, Pekka Rinne will be a Vezina Trophy finalist.

Kaplan: Buy. Rinne has been great so far. I know all he cares about is getting over his personal playoff hump and winning a Stanley Cup. The Predators have a decent shot this season. I love how their offense has rebounded from stagnant to super-productive in one offseason.

Peters: Buy. I am absolutely sticking with my preseason Vezina pick. Rinne leads the NHL in high-danger save percentage with a .938 mark, but he's also not facing as many high-danger shots against as some of his peers, thanks to the team in front of him.

Filipovic: Sell. He's going to pile up the wins because the Predators are going to give him plenty of goal support, but I'm skeptical that his other ratio stats will be stingy enough to warrant top-three consideration. The team in front of him has really opened things up offensively and looks like it'll be involved in more high-scoring shootouts than in seasons past. His starts have been dipping from 66 to 61 to 59 to 55 in consecutive seasons and should drop even further, given his age and Juuse Saros' presence.

DiPietro: Buy. If you're Pekka Rinne, I'm not sure you could've asked for a better start. The Predators are well-coached and sound defensively, which will have Rinne where he needs to be in wins, goals against and save percentage.

Matiash: Buy. I had Rinne winning it in last season's early stages, too, so yeah, sure.

Arledge: Let's go with buy. Sure, Rinne will probably slow down a good deal in the second half. But just one loss in regulation through 11 starts, a pair of shutouts and solid numbers show he's still among the best when he is on his game.

Chandan: Sell. As good as Rinne has been so far this season, I expect backup Saros to pick up more starts as we get into calendar 2020, as Rinne has seen his games started total decrease the past four seasons. Moreover, Nashville has played the second-weakest schedule so far, and things will obviously get more difficult.