Qinwen and Pegula Advance at US Open, CFB QB Performances, and Pitching Wins

Zheng Qinwen and Jessica Pegula drive deep into the US Open, Jayden Maiava sets a USC passing record, and MLB pitchers deliver stellar late-season performances. The U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows has delivered elite tennis competition throughout the tournament.  Zheng Qinwen and Jessica Pegula both advanced to the quarterfinals, continuing their strong runs in New York. Zheng, who entered the tournament through qualifying after an elbow injury derailed her 2025 season, defeated Iga Swiatek in two sets after falling behind 0-5 in the first set.  It marked the second straight round in which Zheng erased a 0-5 deficit against a former Grand Slam champion.  She will face No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. Pegula, the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 16 Sorana Cirstea to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in four years.  Still in search of her first Grand Slam win, she will face Emma Navarro. Naomi Osaka’s tournament ended in the fourth round with a loss to Rybakina.  Though Osaka was unable to match Rybakina’s serving and groundstroke game, her appearance this tournament will be remembered for her fashion tribute to Allen Iverson. Alexandra Eala’s run ended in the third round, with the Philippine star falling to Iva Jovic. In USC’s second game, quarterback Jayden Maiava continued his hot streak throwing for 349 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-0 shutout of Fresno State.  His 92% completion rate set the highest single-game mark by a USC quarterback since at least 1995 with a minimum of 25 attempts. BYU opened its season with a dominant 63-7 win over Utah Tech.  Thai American quarterback Bear Bachmeier accounted for four touchdowns, throwing three before halftime and adding a rushing score. Eastern Michigan QB Noah Kim struggled in a 27-21 loss to San Jose State, with a QBR or just 12.8, with one touchdown and one interception.  The former Michigan State quarterback will return to East Lansing next Saturday when Eastern Michigan faces the Spartans. On Sunday, Bryan Woo delivered one of the week’s best pitching performances, allowing only one hit and striking out nine over eight scoreless innings in Seattle’s 2-0 win over Oakland. Shota Imanaga earned the win in Chicago’s 6-1 victory over Miami, allowing one run on three hits over six innings.  With the playoffs approaching, the Cubs maintain in control of a Wild Card spot. After being injured most of the season, Yusei Kikuchi picked up his first win after throwing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts in the Angels’ 6-1 victory over Pittsburgh. The Mets’ Jonah Tong earned his second win of the season, striking out seven over five innings as the New York beat Miami 9-4.  His first start since June, Tong’s promising return earned him a return to the Mets’ rotation.