Will the transfer portal be the best thing to happen to the College Football Playoff? The quarterback carousel has opened a door to a series of unintended consequences, including this fun one: the possibility of Heisman hopeful quarterbacks facing their former teams on the sport's biggest stage.

Jalen vs. Tua, anyone?

We thought so.

Entering Week 3, the race for the top four spots is still in its infancy, but based on what we've seen so far, it's easy to get excited about some potential semifinal storylines. Get ready, because they're actually possible. Well, most of them (sorry, Group of 5).

Here's a ranking of College Football Playoff semifinal matchups that would make for a wildly entertaining postseason, and the chances of both teams actually reaching the semifinals according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor.

1. Oklahoma vs. Alabama
The main event: Jalen Hurts vs. Tua Tagovailoa

Why we want it: Tagovailoa beat Hurts once already, when he won the starting job at Alabama. Hurts was 26-2 with two championship game appearances in his two seasons as the Tide's starter. Then the Tua Takeover began. After a year as a backup, Hurts headed to Oklahoma, where he could potentially become the Sooners' next Heisman-winning QB.

Why it could actually happen: Because it already has? Alabama beat OU 45-34 in last year's playoff, and neither team has shown any signs of taking a step back. Hurts hasn't missed a beat stepping in for Kyler Murray, but if he's going to get a chance to beat his former team, it will be because the defense looks legit under first-year coordinator Alex Grinch. So far it has. ESPN's Football Power Index favors both OU and Alabama to win every remaining game.

Chance both make the CFP: 15.5%

2. Ohio State vs. Georgia
The main event: Justin Fields vs. Jacob Fromm

Why we want it: Fields signed with the Bulldogs as the No. 1 recruit in the 2018 ESPN 300, but with Fromm entrenched as Georgia's starter, and allegations that a former Georgia baseball player shouted racist remarks at him during a football game, Fields moved on. He was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA and is showing why he was such a highly touted prospect. Fromm, who is Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 25 2020 draft prospect, awaits his first big test (Week 4 against Notre Dame).

Why it could actually happen: The selection committee remembers the Big Ten has a champion. The league's winner has been snubbed each of the past three seasons (in 2016, Ohio State made it over champ Penn State). If the Pac-12 continues to beat itself up, though, and Notre Dame falters at some point, it would be tough for the committee to leave the Buckeyes out. ESPN's FPI projects Ohio State to win each of its remaining games, but with a backloaded schedule that currently includes five ranked opponents, it's not going to be easy. Georgia can relate. The Bulldogs face Notre Dame, Auburn and Texas A&M. Oh, and the SEC championship game. Good luck.

Chance both make the CFP: 4.7%

3. LSU vs. Ohio State
The main event: Joe Burrow vs. Justin Fields

Why we want it: Joe Burrow put it bluntly: "I didn't come here to sit on the bench for four years," he said in May 2018. So Burrow left Ohio State, transferred to LSU, won a wide-open competition -- and is suddenly in the Heisman race and has the NFL taking notice.

Why it could actually happen: Because LSU finally has a quarterback. The Tigers' offense had been stuck in a time warp for years. Now it's in fast-forward and has seemingly caught up to the rest of the sport, spreading the field, flinging the ball to speedy receivers. The only game FPI doesn't favor the Tigers to win is Nov. 9 at Alabama (surprise), but it might not matter. If the Tide wins the SEC, and that's LSU's only loss, it's possible they both still make the playoff.

Chance both make the CFP: 8.9%

4. Boise State vs. Oklahoma
The main event: Oklahoma vs. hook-and-ladders and on-field proposals

Why we want it: The year? 2007. The bowl? Fiesta. The No. 9 Broncos were undefeated and stayed that way after an instant classic 43-42 overtime upset of No. 7 Oklahoma. Remember? Hook-and-ladder? Fourth-and-18? Yeah, let's do that again.

Why it could actually happen: The playoff magically expands by December. OK, OK, this game probably isn't going to happen with the playoff at four teams. But let's play it out, anyway. The toughest remaining game on the Broncos' schedule is Oct. 19 at BYU. According to ESPN's FPI, Boise State has at 6.4% chance of going undefeated. (Fellow Group of 5 squad UCF is at 20%.). Say what you want about strength of schedule -- or the fact that this game almost assuredly won't happen -- but don't deny the classics underdogs can deliver.

Chance both make the CFP: 0.1%

5. Alabama vs. Michigan
The main event: Nick Saban vs. Jim Harbaugh

Why we want it: These two riveting characters have never faced each other in college. Saban is 6-1 against the Big Ten during his tenure at Alabama. Harbaugh is 2-1 against the SEC while at Michigan, but he did win his quarterback, transfer Shea Patterson, from Ole Miss.

Why it could actually happen: Harbaugh finally beats Ohio State to win the Big Ten, improving to 1-4 against the Buckeyes. It's not hard to imagine this matchup in the 1 vs. 4 scenario, but the onus is on Michigan, which faces Wisconsin on the road in a crossover game, and also plays Notre Dame again this year. If the Wolverines can finish as a one-loss Big Ten champ, the committee wouldn't dare leave them out, would it? Oh, wait ...

Chance both make the CFP: 1.6%

6. Alabama vs. Georgia
The main event: Georgia vs. recent history

Why we want it: It was 2017, and the chants of S-E-C! S-E-C! echoed from Atlanta to ... Atlanta. The league made CFP history when it became the first to have two teams finish in the top four, with Georgia, the SEC champ, at No. 3, and Alabama, which didn't win the West that year (Auburn did), at No. 4. Saban beat another former assistant, Kirby Smart, 26-23 in overtime to win the national title.

Why it could actually happen: Because it's the SEC. Last year, Georgia didn't win the SEC, finished with two losses, and was still seriously considered by some committee members. It's certainly possible the top four looks like this: 1. Clemson, 2. Alabama, 3. Georgia, 4. Pick your Power 5 champ. The toughest remaining game on the Bulldogs' schedule is Nov. 16 at Auburn, but the league has clout, so it wouldn't be surprising to see them both in, regardless of whether they've just played in the SEC title game.

Chance both make the CFP: 20%

7. Alabama vs. Clemson
The main event: The Tide and Tigers vs. Inevitability

Why we want it: Really? You need this? They've met four straight times in the playoff, and the series is now even after Clemson crushed Alabama last year to win the national title. So clearly, we need a tiebreaker.

Why it could actually happen: See above. Until proven otherwise, they're the teams to beat. Clemson's Week 2 win over Texas A&M set the Tigers on the path back to the playoff, as it was arguably the most difficult game on their schedule. If there's one team that seems like a lock right now, it's Clemson, and that's because nobody else in the ACC has looked like a spoiler. Syracuse has been a tricky opponent in the past for Clemson, but after being dismantled by Maryland, there's no sense of an upset brewing. Of course, that's why they call it an upset.

Chance both make the CFP: 59.4%

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached an agreement on a contract extension with general manager Mike Hazen, the team announced on Friday. Length and terms of the deal were not made available.

Hazen's name had been tied to the Boston Red Sox -- who are looking to replace recently fired president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

Hazen, 43, was part of Boston's front office for 11 years before he took over as the Diamondbacks' GM after the 2016 season.

Arizona won 93 games and made the National League Division Series in 2017, and it finished with 82 wins in 2018. Heading into Friday's games, the Diamondbacks were four games back in the race for the second wild card.

At the beginning of Hazen's tenure, the D-backs ranked last in ESPN's Keith Law's prospect rankings in January 2017. They moved up to eighth in Law's last update in February 2019 and likely will be higher in the next update, following the trade-deadline deal that garnered four minor-leaguers from the Astros -- Corbin Martin, J.B. Bukauskas, Seth Beer and Josh Rojas -- in exchange for Zack Greinke.

WASHINGTON -- The Atlanta Braves are playing it safe with Freddie Freeman.

The All-Star first baseman exited Friday night's game against the Washington Nationals in the middle of the fourth inning, a move the team called a precaution because Freeman was experiencing elbow soreness. He was replaced by Charlie Culberson.

After the game, Freeman said he has dealt with a spur for years and it was tweaked when he made a backhand defensive play on a ground ball in the bottom of the third. He called himself day-to-day and said he can be expected to return to the lineup Saturday or Sunday.

"I jammed my elbow on that play, so it just kind of flared up," Freeman said. "I've had it, I've felt it, I've dealt with it, I've played through it. Just today, it was a little bit more than I expected. Now it's calmed completely down, so I'm hoping that I'll wake up and be able to play tomorrow. I got some treatment, did some really good stuff. Everything calmed down around it. It's just a sharp spur, and sometimes you can't control having it jam into something like that. My elbow just went into a weird spot when I made that backhand play. When I went for the backhand, I braced myself and that's when it got me.

"I've always been able to play through it and deal with it the last couple of years. It's never affected me, and I don't anticipate this affecting me at all. I'm hoping to be in there tomorrow. We'll see how it is. If not, maybe Sunday. It's day-to-day. So just expect me to probably be in there tomorrow."

Freeman started the series opener against Washington and went 0-for-2 in his first two at-bats. In the top of the first, he flied out to right field against Nats ace Max Scherzer. In the top of the third, he struck out swinging.

The Braves won Friday's game 5-0 to extend their lead atop the National League East to 9½ games ahead of second-place Washington.

Braves manager Brad Snitker echoed Freeman's optimism regarding playing on Saturday.

"He'd been battling some spurs, so it kicked him a little bit. We just wanted to make sure he's OK. He's feeling good now, and hopefully he wakes up tomorrow morning and is good and can play. We'll just wait and see. The guy's a gamer," Snitker said.

Freeman, who turned 30 years old on Thursday, entered Friday's action hitting .303 with 38 home runs, and was tied for the major league lead with 117 RBIs. He has played in all but one of the Braves' 148 contests this year. Last season, he was one of five MLB players who appeared in 162 games. In 2017, he missed six weeks with a fractured wrist, but he has never been on the injured list due to elbow problems.

Freeman's early exit comes on the same day that Atlanta got Nick Markakis back. The veteran outfielder, who missed 43 games with a fractured wrist, went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a sacrifice fly in his return.

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza left Friday night's 6-5 win over the New York Yankees after dropping to his knees in pain following an awkward pitch thrown far behind Didi Gregorius in the top of the 10th inning.

Mayza clutched his pitching arm and covered his face with his right hand as concerned teammates gathered around him at the mound. He left the field with a team trainer.

The Blue Jays confirmed Mayza had suffered a left elbow injury. He left the stadium to undergo an MRI.

Friday's game marked Mayza's team-high 68th appearance of the year, tied for fourth most in the American League, though he has had at least two days off after his previous four appearances. He is 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA on the season.

"It was very sad," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. "I love Timmy Mayza. He's done a great job and he's part of our future. Of course, he was emotional, everyone was."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

TORONTO -- The cavalry has arrived, or so hope the oft-injured New York Yankees, whose presumed top starting pitcher, Luis Severino, rejoined the team on the road ahead of his season debut.

Severino, 25, is scheduled to make his first major league start of 2019 against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday after spending most of the season on the injured list because of injuries to his right rotator cuff and lat muscle.

"I am very excited about that. It's been a long wait, but it happened. I'm happy that I'm healthy and I'm going to be able to help my team," Severino said Friday ahead of the first game of a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays. "The guys here have done a good job all year. Being back at this time means a lot to me. A lot of guys have been working hard all year, so I only have to do my part."

The right-hander made two rehab starts in the minors -- a 33-pitch outing that lasted an inning and a 64-pitch outing over 3⅓ innings -- before rejoining the team in Toronto to play catch with his teammates and throw a side session in the bullpen ahead of Tuesday's start.

The Yankees hope to build his pitch count and arm strength down the stretch to have him as a significant contributor as they continue to battle the Houston Astros for the best record in the majors. Severino's last major league start was in the 2018 American League Division Series, when he gave up six runs in three innings of a 16-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox in Game 3.

In terms of what pitcher Yankees fans would see against the Angels on Tuesday, Severino was hopeful that Tuesday's start would give fans a glimpse of the pitcher who went 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 191⅓ innings over 32 starts last season.

"The same guy that they've been watching all the past years. Electric guy. I'm going to attack hitters and try to do my best to win games," he said. "I'm looking forward to that day. I'm just excited to be back."

Severino is expected to ramp up to 75 pitches as the Yankees figure out what they will get from their de facto ace heading into the playoffs.

"This is a guy that's the last couple of years, obviously, has been in the Cy Young conversation. This is a guy that's a potential ace," manager Aaron Boone said. "This is a guy that's not only important in the short term to us but our long-term planning. A pitcher with his ability and his track record already, a guy we feel like is going to anchor our rotation for a long time."

After their most recent injury news, with J.A. Happ suffering from biceps tendinitis and unknown return dates for catcher Gary Sanchez after a left groin strain and an internal left oblique strain for Edwin Encarnacion, Boone was glad to be able add a healthy arm to what has been an unreliable starting rotation all season.

"You miss those kind of big innings, big outings a guy like that can give you and how he affects the rest of the staff as well," Boone said. "But we've missed another great pitcher capable of matching up with other great pitchers around the league."

WASHINGTON -- It's a classic case of addition by addition.

The Atlanta Braves got Nick Markakis back on Friday. In related news, they just became an ever more dangerous October out.

Playing in his first game since suffering a fractured wrist on July 26, Markakis was all over the place. Facing Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the second inning, he lined a single to center field. In his next trip against the three-time Cy Young winner, Markakis laced a double to center and came around to score the Braves' first run of the game. In the fifth, he came up with the bases loaded and just barely missed hitting a grand slam, instead settling for a 385-foot sac fly that sent Nats outfielder Victor Robles all the way to the wall in left-center and extended Atlanta's lead to 3-0.

"I was just up there trying to get comfortable again," said Markakis, who was hitting .284 with a .787 OPS at the time of his injury. "Your first game back after seven weeks against a pitcher like that is not the easiest feat, so I was pleased. Didn't see as many pitches as I'd like to, but when I did see my pitch, I tried not to miss it."

He didn't miss much of anything in the outfield either.

With Atlanta and rookie starter Mike Soroka leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, following a leadoff double by Adam Eaton, Nats MVP candidate Anthony Rendon lifted a fly ball to the gap between left and center. Markakis, a right fielder by trade who was playing left field for the first time this year, and center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. converged on the ball and confusion ensued. In the end, it was Markakis who ended up laying out and making an acrobatic, albeit avoidable, backhanded grab that kept Washington scoreless and almost resulted in him getting trampled by Acuna. An inning later, Markakis was on the ground again, sliding to his knees in shallow left to deprive Robles of a leadoff single.

In typical Markakis fashion, neither play was a work of art (nor was the ball that got under his glove in the seventh and was charitably ruled a double). But considering that Markakis has now played a grand total of four games in left field over the last 12 years, the Braves will gladly live with it. Just like they'll gladly live with having Markakis back in the lineup.

In the seven weeks since Markakis suffered that broken wrist, the Braves' outfield has been something of a mess. Austin Riley, who came out of nowhere to win Rookie of the Month in May, came crashing back to earth and then landed on the injured list with a sprained knee in early August. Opening Day center fielder Ender Inciarte, who missed two months with a lumbar strain and returned shortly before Markakis got hurt, hit the IL again in mid-August with a balky hamstring. Riley and veteran reserve Adam Duvall, a pair of right-handed hitters, have been good against southpaws but can't be trusted against righties, and lefty swinger Matt Joyce has been the opposite. If not for Acuna, who has played all three positions (not at the same time) and is threatening to join the exclusive 40-40 club, Atlanta's outfield might have collapsed on itself and turned into a certifiable black hole. Or something like that. Now, with Markakis back, the Braves' universe is measurably more copacetic.

"My god," said manager Brian Snitker following Markakis' reentry into Atlanta's atmosphere. "It's just something else. One live BP, and two of the hardest-hit balls he's probably had all year. And made a couple really nice plays in left. The guy's a ballplayer. It's huge for our lineup and our team to have him back in there."

To be clear, the "huge" that Snitker refers to is more about the future than the past. Despite the disarray in the outfield, the Braves did just fine, thanks, without their veteran outfielder. In fact, their 30-14 record during Markakis' absence was tops in the National League and 2.5 games better than the mighty Dodgers. Over that stretch, they managed to extend their division lead by three games over a Washington team that was as hot as any in the league. But that was then and this is now: In order for the Braves to accomplish their goals, from overtaking Los Angeles for top seed in the NL to winning a playoff series for the first time in nearly 20 years (2001 was the last time) to going all the way, they'll need all hands on deck. On Friday, they added one more very capable pair of hands.

"It was awesome to have Kakes back," Soroka said. "I know he really wanted to come back and make an impression, and I think he did that right off the bat. That gave us a little life."

More importantly, it gave Atlanta an even better chance in October.

WATERBURY, Vt. – The 41st Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic for the American-Canadian Tour resumes Saturday at Thunder Road Int’l Speedway.

Qualifying for the Labor Day Classic had been partially completed when the event was postponed on Sept. 1. While the heat races are in the books, much of the field still needs to be set. Two hundred laps of green-flag racing will follow, leaving plenty of opportunities for the frontrunners to gain ground – and plenty of potential bullets to dodge.

Rich Dubeau and Jimmy Hebert remain the two drivers duking it out for the ACT title. Dubeau unofficially gained two points on Hebert in the heat races last week. This extends his point lead to 28 markers. However, both know the feature is where the big points are on the line.

Each driver is chasing their first ACT title. Finally earning that first crown would be the culmination of their years with ACT, and both Dubeau and Hebert realize how rare chances like this are. They have two events left to try and capitalize knowing there’s no guarantee the opportunity will ever come along again.

“It’s something you dream about doing when you’re a kid,” Hebert said recently. “Growing up and watching the ACT Tour and being so close with Tom Curley, it means a lot to us. As I’m getting older and my kids are getting older, the clock is ticking down on how many more years I’m going to be able to fight for a championship. Each year it seems like it’s a little more stressful trying to get it done.”

A win for either driver in the Labor Day Classic itself would provide a huge title boost and give them a place in Vermont racing history. The Classic is Thunder Road’s oldest event, having first been held in the track’s inaugural 1960 season. It is one of three events, along with the Memorial Day Classic and Vermont Milk Bowl, where the winner’s name is inscribed on a granite monument behind Thunder Road’s main grandstands.

Over the years, legendary racers from throughout the Northeast have triumphed in the Classic, including Ronnie Marvin, Bobby Dragon, Jean-Paul Cabana, Dave Dion, and Robbie Crouch. Saturday’s winner will join these names, along with recent racing heroes such as Nick Sweet, Brian Hoar, and Patrick Laperle, carved into the granite.

A stout field is ready to get back underway on Saturday. The last three winners of the Labor Day Classic – Jason Corliss, Scott Payea and Sweet – all looked strong in the first round of qualifying.  Payea is looking for a Hail Mary to get back in contention for his third straight title while Corliss leads the way in the track’s Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model standings. Sweet is making a rare Late Model appearance this season while chasing the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model title.

Two-time and defending King of the Road Scott Dragon; 2017 Thunder Road Champion Bobby Therrien; reigning Vermont Governor’s Cup winner Brooks Clark; and leading ACT rookie Ryan Kuhn are among the other big names expected to return on Saturday. Dylan Payea and Tyler Cahoon took heat wins along with Kuhn before the postponement. Tour regulars Christopher Pelkey, Claude Leclerc, Mathieu Kingsbury, Peyton Lanphear, and Reilly Lanphear will also be back in action.

LOS ANGELES – The 16th AMA speedway bike racing season at the eighth-mile dirt Industry Speedway in the Grand Arena of the Industry Hills Expo Center concluded with four important events during August.

Pro riders of the sport popular in California used 500cc bikes powered by Jawa, GM and one GTR Swiss-designed and manufactured engine.

Saturday, Aug. 10 was round two of the three round AMA Speedway National Championship Series conducted in Ventura during June, Industry (August) and Auburn; in September. Industry had 16 first division riders race five rounds of four-lap heat races to earn points.

Max Ruml led all four laps pf the feature over Austin Novratil and Gino Manzares. Nine-time AMA Speedway National champion Billy Janniro fell in turn two on the opening lap. He remounted quickly but trailed by a straightaway and finished fourth. Nevertheless, Janniro led series points after two rounds.

Sunday, Aug. 11 was the seventh annual AMA/FIM Silver Cup event for Junior Division riders. Sixteen 250cc riders and 11 150cc riders competed in heat races. The four high-point riders in both divisions raced for the championships. First-time Silver Cup champions were Nor Cal riders.

Cameron Krezman, 16, won the 250cc cash and huge trophy. Nick Hohlbein, 10, won the 150cc cash and trophy. The top three finishers in each division were honored on the podium.

Wednesday, Aug. 14 was the fourth annual Ray “Junior” Kurtz Memorial Cup race. The event honors the long-time speedway bike fan and financial supporter through his Plastic Express Trucking firm. Kurtz also owned the winning USAC Silver Crown No. 30 Plastic Express dirt track car raced to many victories by Chuck Gurney, who was present. Junior suffered a fatal heart attack on March 1, 2016 while in Las Vegas.

SoCal star Max Ruml, 22, used a thrilling outside pass on the final lap in the third and fourth turns to pass race-long leader Janniro, 39, and win by two lengths over the Nor Cal star. Aaron Fox and Gino Manzares followed closely.

Ruml became the first repeat Kurtz Cup winner. He also won in 2017 after Janniro won the 2016 race. Novratil, who uses the Swiss engine, won in 2018. Names of winners appear on the base of the perpetual Kurtz Cup trophy, which has a colorful helmet painted by racing artist Troy Lee, Junior’s stepson.

Saturday, Aug. 24 was the season finale at Industry. It was the 44th running of the AMA Speedway California Championship. Industry Racing Director Kelly Inman arranged for a well-timed promotional video and interview from the speedway that appeared Aug. 22 on the KCAL Channel 9 (Los Angeles) 10 p.m. newscast sports segment.

More than 1,000 people attended the race. Sixteen first division pro riders raced five rounds of heats with four riders in each race. Points were awarded on a 3-2-1-0 basis. The eight highest point riders competed in a pair of semi-finals that transferred first and second place finishers in each semi to the feature.

Main event winner M. Ruml repeated his 2016 victory and became the eighth multi-year California State Champion. Five-time AMA California State Champion Janniro finished second, a mere length back. Novratil, 24, won all five of his heat races and scored the maximum 15 points. He finished third with Manzares fourth. Dillon Ruml, 20-year old brother of the winner, was unable to race because he had a broken wrist from a fall weeks earlier at Industry.

Eleven of the 19 different AMA California State Champions have won the coveted title once. The series began in 1968 and ran each year through 1998. The event was not run from 1998-2005. Industry Speedway hosted the event each year since 2006. Eight riders have won multi-titles and 33 of the 44 races. They are: Nor Cal brothers Steve and Mike Bast (six titles each), B. Janniro (five), Mike Faria, current AMA referee Steve Lucero, and Charlie Venegas (four titles each), plus Bobby Schwartz and M. Ruml (two titles each).

Two other AMA speedway bike races took place and deserve mention. On Saturday, August 31 Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn (north of Sacramento) held its annual track championship race. M. Ruml won the 2019 FFMS track championship with 15 points. Following were: Bart Bast and Charlie Venegas with 12 points each. Next were Anthony Dion and Russell Green with 11 points each.

To the surprise of many, four-time track champion Billy Janniro was not at his home track in Auburn Aug. 31. He was at Action Park East, in Greene, New York racing in the US Open Speedway Chamionship round one. The A-main finish top four were: Janniro, fellow Nor Cal rider Blake Borello, 18, and New Yorkers Casey Donholt and Dave Oakden.

On Sept. 1 Janniro won all four of his heat races and his first US Open Championship with 68 points. Nor Cal riders Chris Kerr and B. Borello finished second and third with 48 and 41 points. Donholt was fourth with 36 points in the 16 rider field. There also were races for support classes–second and third division 500cc riders and for 250cc and 150cc junior division riders.

California’s Costa Mesa Speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds hosted a speedway bike program Saturday, Sept. 7. M. Ruml won the first division feature over Janniro, with Manzares and Fox third and fourth. Support 500cc D-2 and D-3 pros plus 250cc and 150cc junior riders also raced. The third and final round of the 2019 AMA National Championship will be held Sept. 21 in Auburn.

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was cleared for practice and didn't require a non-contact jersey as the team hit the ice Friday for the first time in training camp.

"I feel good," McDavid said after playing on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian. "It was a complicated summer. Lots of stuff going on. Lots of different opinions. There was a time when (getting on the ice for camp) was definitely in doubt, but as of right now it's good."

McDavid, the second-leading scorer in the NHL last year (116 points), partially tore a left knee ligament five months ago in the last game of the regular season when he rammed into a goalpost against Calgary. He didn't require surgery, but has been working to heal the knee all summer.

McDavid and Draisaitl will be expected to carry the offensive load for the Oilers again this season. Draisaitl scored 50 goals and added 55 assists last year to finish fourth overall in the NHL. Kassian scored a career-high 15 goals.

He said McDavid didn't show any rust or wear and tear.

"The way he was competing the way he was working, he's ready to rock by the looks of it," Kassian said.

Coach Dave Tippett said the plan is to take it slow with McDavid to make sure he is ready for the season opener Oct. 2. He may not see as much action in the preseason.