‘Nightcaps’ is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.
Second Friday of both college and NFL season being in full swing? Sign me up! What a weekend we have staring us right in our fat, American faces.
Incredible weekend of college football, by the way. Unless you’re the Big Ten. Hilarious schedule.
Relax! It’s a joke. We’re having fun today. Let’s keep this class light, loose, and FAST. It’s a Football Friday, after all. We’ve all got better things to do.
Let’s roll.
Syracuse Orange head coach Fran Brown talks to referees during a college football game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Oct. 12, 2024, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where former Mississippi State softball star, and current MLB WAG, Brylie St. Clair says goodbye to summer as we near the astronomical beginning of fall.
It’s this coming Tuesday, for those who care. Don’t say you didn’t learn anything today!
What else? I’ve got Syracuse coach Fran Brown whiffing on his intimidation attempt, Sophie Cunningham going to bat for Sydney Sweeney the day after Paige Spranaic did the same, and did you know there is a Big 12 conference game tomorrow …
… in LONDON.
London!
IT’S ONLY WEEK TWO, BUT KANSAS QB ISAIAH MARSHALL MIGHT HAVE COMPLETED THE PASS OF THE YEAR
Why? No clue. But we’re gonna dig in here in a minute.
Grab you a dog for Responsible Dog Ownership Day, whatever that is, and settle in for a Friday ‘Cap!
What a move here by Fran Brown
You know who is probably taking the day off for this special day? Kirk Herbstreit. Did y’all see it last night during our first Thursday Night game of the season?
That’s right. You saw it. I saw it. We all saw it.
Amazing.
Look, I like Herbie. I think he’s one of the best, if not the best, analysts in the game. He’s smart. He’s not annoying like Romo, or horrible like those awful Jason Witten years on MNF. He’s just really solid.
But goodness, does the dog shtick annoy the piss out of me. It’s just the worst. I couldn’t believe it when that commercial came on during the game last night. I was stunned. I shouldn’t have been. I should’ve known better. But still, my jaw dropped.
It’s enough already. Please. We’re still early enough in the season where we can turn this thing around, Herbie!
OK, let’s get this class started with someone I’m not sure can turn it around any more …
Syracuse head coach Fran Brown:
Sophie Cunningham gets in on the Sweeney nonsense
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a coach do that — at any level, in any sport. That was embarrassing. How can you look your guys in the eye after pulling that, and still ask them to respect you?
That’s supposed to be a LEADER of men! Pathetic. Kudos to the ref for not moving a muscle. Elite response. And then he tosses the flag. Perfection. Syracuse, by the way, has won just once since last September — a 66-3 win over New Hampshire two weeks ago.
At least the Orange responded WELL to Brown’s little gimmick on the field last night:
Yep. That’s it, right? That’s the worst field goal attempt of all time. Has to be! Lordy, what a kick.
OK, let’s leave the gridiron and head to the hardwood, where Sophie Cunningham told the gaslighters to pipe down over Sydney Sweeney this week:
Brylie, Kansas & lets check in with the Mets medical staff
“Why are girls mad?” Cunningham asked on her newly revamped, “No Hesitation” podcast. “That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad: men, sports, naked women. Of course, that’s going to draw attention.”
Amen, Sophie! This. All of this. I’ve been screaming it for a week now. All the gaslighting and virtue-signaling over this Sydney Sweeney ad from female athletes saying she set women’s sports back decades makes ZERO sense.
It was a GAMBLING ad.
Sydney Sweeney and honorary pace car driver Sophie Cunningham pose for photos at a drivers meeting before the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., on Nov. 2, 2025. (Getty Images)
Sweeney was catering to one very specific audience, as her and new podcast partner, Drew Hanlen, pointed out. Drew, who wouldn’t stop talking (take a breath, Drew!), figured around 75% of sports bettors are men.
I think that’s way off. I’d put it closer to 90%. Maybe 95%.
Regardless, that’s who the ad was for — and it worked!
THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!
OK, let’s rapid-fire this Friday class into a big weekend of FOOTBALL.
Speaking of … did y’all know there was an actual college game in London tomorrow?
That’s right. Kansas and Arizona State will be playing a Big 12 conference game at Wembley Stadium. Why? I have no earthly idea. None. Seems incredibly wasteful, for multiple different reasons.
That being said … this coach is an absolute animal:
I’ve played for a lot of coaches in my life. A LOT. Some were bad. A few were awful. A couple were really, really good.
This Andy Kotelnicki is someone I’d like to get in a foxhole with. Give me this guy over Mr. Flincher from Syracuse any day of the week!
Next? On the way out, let’s go ahead and check in with the medical staff for the New York Mets:
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Goodness gracious. First of all, that was an awful collision. Tough watch. The good news? Word is Jared Young is OK. He’s moving. Seems like he’s gonna be fine.
Now, let’s talk about the medical staff …
I was on pins and needles the whole time. I was SWEATING. They couldn’t get him up, and then when they finally did, they just jerked him around like he was a piece of meat. Have they never done that before? Seriously. It looked like they had no clue how to get the stretcher to go up, which seems like Day 1 stuff in that field.
Wild scene. Wild year for the Mets, and not in a good way.
Mississippi State centerfielder Brylie St. Clair catches a fly ball for an out against Alabama at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Gary Cosby Jr./Tuscaloosa News)
OK, that’s it for today — and this week! Good work, everyone. Let’s go enjoy some football this week. AND some baseball! Regular season ends in nine days. A lot on the line.
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Take us home, San Francisco Giants WAG, Brylie St. Clair!
Is the Syracuse coach cooked? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.