Hey Team 👋

September is delivering pure drama. The Cleveland Guardians just pulled off the biggest comeback in MLB history, flipping a 0.1% chance into a division lead almost overnight. Meanwhile, the SEC made headlines by shelving some of its most iconic rivalries in favor of more balanced in-conference schedules. 

Letter Rip!

< MLB >

Never Say Never

Are you not entertained?! The Cleveland Guardians just pulled off the biggest comeback in MLB history, erasing a 15.5-game deficit to seize sole possession of the AL Central. Whether they can hang on is a different story, but one thing’s certain—they’ve delivered the most thrilling storyline of September baseball.

On September 10, Cleveland had a 0.1% chance of winning the AL Central. Today? 80.7%. In just weeks, the Guardians went from “no shot” to “top spot.” And while this kind of drama feels unprecedented, Cleveland has a knack for late-season heroics. They snuck into last year’s postseason by clinching a Wild Card berth in the final days of the regular season. Believeland, indeed.

Of course, their rise has been matched by Detroit’s collapse – one of the ugliest in MLB history. The Guards have ripped off 22 of their last 28 games, taking first place in the AL Central for the first time all season. With the AL Wild Card race tighter than ever, every win counts. The Yankees, Blue Jays, and Mariners have already locked up playoff spots, but no division titles are secured yet. As it stands currently, Detroit holds the final wild card spot, meaning it’s plausible for Cleveland to make it regardless of winning the division. However, the Astros loom close behind, only 0.5 games back from the last spot. 

While the AL Wild Card race is what’s on everyone’s mind, there are many decisions to be made in the National League as well. The Mets are still fighting to stay in the mix for a wild card spot – and their upcoming series against the Marlins could be the deciding factor. The Diamondbacks sit only one game out, while the Reds are 1.5 back. With three playoff spots still up for grabs across the league, it’s anyone’s game.

Clinched

New York Yankees - x

Seattle Mariners - x

Toronto Blue Jays - x

Milwaukee Brewers - y

Philadelphia Phillies - y

Los Angeles Dodgers - x

Chicago Cubs - w

San Diego Padres - x

Clinch Indicators

W - clinched wild card

X- clinched playoff berth

Y- clinched division

< CFB >

SEC Rival Reform

The SEC has officially shaken things up, scrapping some of its oldest rivalry games in favor of a new 9-game conference schedule. For the next four years, several tradition-rich matchups are off the table, leaving fans and analysts split. League officials argue the new model delivers more balanced schedules and better in-conference competition. Critics, however, say the SEC has gone soft – sacrificing decades of rivalry in the name of “balance.” Here’s how the new protected matchups stack up:

Alabama: Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi State

Arkansas: Missouri, Texas, LSU

Auburn: Alabama, Georgia, Vanderbilt

Florida: Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky

Georgia: Auburn, Florida, South Carolina

Kentucky: Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina

LSU: Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M

Mississippi State: Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Alabama

Missouri: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

Oklahoma: Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas

Ole Miss: LSU, Mississippi State, Oklahoma

South Carolina: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky

Tennessee: Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Texas: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M

Texas A&M: LSU, Missouri, Texas

Vanderbilt: Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee

Objectively, Tennessee and Florida will turn the most favorable matchups in the new scheduling format. Then again, there’s no such thing as an easy matchup in the SEC. The Vols dodge annual showdowns with Florida and Georgia, picking up Kentucky and Vanderbilt instead. Alabama remains a hurdle, but Tennessee’s path is noticeably lighter. Florida, meanwhile, keeps its neutral-site clash with Georgia, but swaps Tennessee and LSU for South Carolina and Kentucky for a softer slate.